These are some of the cities you must visit in Europe on your first trip. You don’t necessarily have to include them all, some are very far from others and may not be convenient to include them. It also depends on what you want to see and your budget.
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The 10 cities you must visit in Europe
I chose these cities, that you must visit in Europe because they are beautiful, easy to access and inexpensive. As travelers with little or no experience, we want to see as much as possible and to have a comfortable trip. These are some of the easiest cities to reach and with important tourist attractions.
Paris
Paris is a city that you can love or hate (most likely the first thing) but it’s definitely one of the cities you must visit in Europe. For me, it’s like a celebrity, it has a well-earned fame and will hardly go out of fashion. For a reason is one of the most visited cities in the world.
check out this link if you want to know about my experience on my first visit to Paris: 3 days in Paris and my first impression
Some attractions that you should see are The Eiffel Tower, The Notre Dame Cathedral, The Champs Elysees and The Sacre Coeur. It is also recommended to visit the Palace of Versailles. You’ll get there in half an hour by RER (Paris regional trains).
You may find interesting visiting Montmartre, the bohemian quarter of Paris.
It is not a very cheap city, but neither is it the most expensive. There are options for all budgets. You can see many of the most important monuments without paying. The entrance to churches like Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur is free as well.
Prague
Prague is an absolutely magical city. So you should try to visit it on your first trip to Europe. It has a beautiful old town and a vibe like a fairy tale. It is especially attractive at Christmas and Easter when the markets are set up.
Some of the attractions that you shouldn’t miss are The Astronomical Clock, The Charles Bridge, Wenceslas Square and The Castle.
In this link, you can see suggestions on what to do in Prague in 4 days.
It is a city that although it’s not as cheap as it used to be, it is still quite affordable. The architecture, which is amazing, you can enjoy it without spending a buck
Venice
Venice is one of the cities you must visit in Europe if you want a different experience. I’m sure I don’t need to convince you. You’ve probably already seen photographs of its beautiful canals and charming bridges. Well, let me tell you that the photos don’t do it justice, you must see this city for yourself.
Some attractions here are St. Mark’s Square, The Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Basilica and The Bridge of Sighs.
Check out these suggestions on What to do 3 days in Venice
It’s not a very cheap city but it is not expensive either, especially if you go in the low season. There are several accommodation options for all budgets. Also, pizza in Italy is delicious and there are many places where you can buy a slice.
Madrid
The capital of Spain is another economic option among the cities you must visit in Europe. From the American continent, there are direct flights to affordable prices so it’s easy to visit. It’s also well connected to the rest of Europe.
Some of the places you can see in Madrid are The Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Cibeles, Del Retiro Park and the Prado Museum. The buildings are very beautiful so you will enjoy walking through its streets.
In this link, I tell you which are the 10 best art museums in Europe that you can see on your trip.
If you like shopping, Madrid is also ideal for that. Gran Vía Avenue is famous for its many fashion stores and fast food restaurants. Also, they have a department store called El Corte Ingles with different products and brands.
Rome
Rome is a city that has much to offer for the first trip to Europe. It’s not very close to other capitals to go by train or bus, but it’s well-connected thanks to its international airport. Due to its history and importance is one of the cities you must visit in Europe.
You can visit the famous Roman Colosseum, The Pantheon of Agrippa and The Fontana di Trevi. Other interesting attractions are the Steps of the Plaza de España and The Castel Sant’Angelo. Also, you cannot miss The Sistine Chapel and The Vatican Museums.
It’s not the cheapest city, but not very expensive either. It has many important monuments that you can see on the outside without having to pay.
Check out these 10 travel tips for your first trip to Europe so you do not repeat the same mistakes that I did.
Florence
Florence is another of the cities you must visit in Europe due to its beauty and history. It’s located in the north of Italy and it’s easy to access from France, Switzerland, Austria or Germany. It’s the birthplace of famous characters like Dante Alighieri, Da Vinci, and Machiavelli.
In this post Advice on what to do in Florence: art and shopping more suggestions for activities in Florence
It has top attractions such as The Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza Della Signoria and The Basilica of Santa Croce. You should not miss visiting the Accademia Gallery to see the famous David by Miguelangelo.
In this link, you can discover which are The most popular palaces and museums in Florence
It’s not a cheap city but still affordable. You should set a budget to see the many galleries, museums, and churches which are worth it. The advantage is that the old town is compact and you can visit all the attractions on foot. There are also attractions that you can enjoy without spending money
Check out this post Suggestions on what to see and do for free in Florence if you are on a budget.
Bruges
Bruges is an accessible city from Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam. Due to its ideal location, it’s one of the cities you must visit in Europe on your first trip. It’s the most charming city in Belgium, even above the capital. Its Old Town is a World Heritage Site due to its well-preserved medieval buildings.
In this city, you can see the Grote Markt Square, The Cathedral, The Town Hall and The Groeninge Museum. Enjoy the charm of their bridges and canals where you can also take a boat ride.
It is not a very economic destination but with 2 days will be enough to see the main attractions. Belgium is famous for its delicious chocolate and Bruges is not the exception. Here you can get boxes with different chocolates to take as a souvenir.
If you want to know how to buy nice and inexpensive souvenirs follow these Tips for buying travel souvenirs on the cheap.
Amsterdam
This cosmopolitan city is another capital that deserves to be on the itinerary of your first trip to Europe. Due to its location is well connected by air and land with other important cities. It’s known for its picturesque Dutch buildings and its many canals.
Besides its canals, you should not miss the Dam Square, The Leidseplein Square, The Royal Palace, and The Vondelpark. It’s also a city with interesting museums like The Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and The Rembrandt House-Museum.
It’s a city famous because the bicycle is widely used to transport. So you can rent yours to tour the city.
Granada
If you want to visit important tourist attractions, enjoy good food and at affordable prices, Granada should be your choice. The Alhambra alone is reason enough for Granada to be among the cities you must visit in Europe.
The Alhambra is one of the most impressive and visited monuments in Spain. But in Granada, there are other places that you will love like The Albayzín Quarter, Sacromonte caves and The San Nicolas Viewpoint. This city has a bohemian, relaxed and cheerful vibe that will make you fall in love with it.
Discover the attractions that you should not miss in Granada in this post: 10 places to visit in Granada, Spain. A Mini Guide.
It’s a city well prepared to welcome international tourism and with many options of things to do. Also from here, you can make day trips to other cities in the region such as Cordoba and Baeza.
Lisbon
Lisbon is another economic option among the cities you must visit in Europe. Here your pocket will have a respite from the exorbitant prices of other European cities. You will also see that people in Lisbon are friendly and speak enough English.
Interesting places you can visit here are The Castle of Sao Jorge, The Belem Tower, Praça do Comércio and The Alfama Neighborhood. Part of its charm is its buildings decorated with tiles and its old trams still in use.
There are also many interesting day trip options from here, for example to Obidos and Sintra. By including the capital of Portugal on your first trip to Europe you can not go wrong, it’s a city that has it all.
So these are my suggestions on 10 cities you must visit in Europe on your first trip. Tell me which cities have you planned or would you like to visit? Or if you have already traveled in Europe, which cities did you like the most?
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