Summer has arrived and the lust to travel is big. At least I get this feeling year after year and although I have two trips planned, some last minute bookings have always the possibility to slide into my timetable. Especially short citytrips are the perfect opportunity to have some time off, but also see some culture. So, today I have my top 5 cities within Europe, that are perfect for a little getaway.

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1. STOCKHOLM

   

My favorite city in the world. The old town is incredible, the new Buildings are modern and you have the “metropole” feeling, but you are also directly at the water. I just love this city so much. It truly feels like home for me. It does not depend if you visit Stockholm in Summer or Winter, both seasons are really beautiful and have their own advantages. Of course, you have to eat a “kanelbullar” and go for a little stroll through the old town (gamla stan). You can read my Stockholm recommendation here.  If you have never been to Stockholm, I would definitely recommend visiting the north.

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2. London

I think, together with Stockholm, London has to be the second city in my heart. The city is incredible, the architecture stunning and the people diverse and polite. I just love the mix of old and new, and all the different cultures that clash and make a new unique culture. Also the mix between the different parts of the cities, the more elegant ones, the old ones and the “hippy” ones. It is just so fascinating how much history can be in one city. I visited London four times in my life and although we did pretty much the same routes, I always discovered new places, new details and restaurants and I think London is one of those cities that will never get boring, regardless of how many times you will go there. Especially the opportunities of museums and galleries that are actually interesting (yep, I hate museums) are endless and that is really rare.

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3. Dubrovnik

Actually, up to now I never visited Dubrovnik, but my parents did last year as a little getaway and they were overwhelmed. Not only because they are big Game of Thrones Fans, but also because the city was beautiful and the water is so beautiful. They had some really nice days there and we were actually thinking about going there in the Summer again as a family. The only thing my mum mentioned was that there is no good opportunity to do some real shopping and most articles that you are able to buy there have something to do with Game of Thrones. You might also see some crazy fans that take pictures from every single little stone that might have had a big appearance in the series, but all in all the positive attributes overbalance the negative ones significantly. But nevertheless I wouldn´t recommend going there when HBO is recording.

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4. Salzburg

Of course I had to include my new hometown, since I am so happy living in Salzburg. If somebody asks me how I would describe Salzburg, i always say that it is like a little Vienna. You have those old buildings, the classical charme and the elegance of Vienna, but everything is reachable by bycicle. Of course you have a lot of tourists visiting throughout the year, which can be a little bit annoying, I am not going to lie, but I can understand them, since the city is so beautiful. I am only living a year in Salzburg, but even in the last year you could really observe the transformation of Salzburg from the old classic city to a more modern Salzburg and I love it. Some nice coffeeshops opened their doors, a really modern hotel opens and in general the whole city gets more modern.

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