Countdown on the European Cities

Most Beautiful/Interesting Places:

Not really a countdown as I am listing the nicest first :)

1.The Norwegian Fjords: Bergen-Myrdal-Flam-Voss-Gudvangen, NORWAY


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Norwegian Fjords

Nature’s masterpiece.

2.Sinfully secluded Sintra, PORTUGAL


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8th century Moorish arch

A beautiful find - very quaint and romantic. The freshest mountain air and shy mountain flora abound, with a picture-perfect town halfway up the hill for your romantic walk, with warm cafes, rich desserts and delicious coffee and the sound of the fado in the air. Perfect for a honeymoon!

3.Heavenly Al-Hambra, GRANADA


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The Al-Hambra

Most intricate, elegant architecture and landscaping. You'll think that the angels themselves constructed it..especially those elegant honeycombs and carvings. One shall get lost in mind and path among its vast beautiful garden. My favorites shall always be the water fountains/gardens..ever since I first saw those pics in Aramco Magazine, National Geography Magazine and Architectural Digest. I finally got to be there in person inhaling its fragrant mountain air during my favorite season of Spring! Now I just wish those pesky tourists would disappear..or..I could imagine being one of the royal court during the ruling of Almoravides or the Almohades..let me continue to dream..

4.Lake Bled, Most na Soci and Bohinj Valley, Ljubljana, SLOVENIJA
Slovenija as a whole is better offer than both Switzerland and Austria combined :) I wish I get to spend more time there ): Must go again..must go again.. to Most na Soci..Most na Soci..Bohinj Valley..Bohinj Valley..

5.Toledo, ESPANA


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Breathtaking Toledo

Old old old antique town..the view from up the river and bridge will swept your breath away..with its beautiful cobalt blue and burnt sienna colors. You can't take your vehicle into this antique town, but you must walk up the steps and along its narrow and winding alleys..up the hills. It certainly worth the efforts! Where else can one get to peruse on El Greco originals and masterpieces at some back alleys?

6.Venezia, ITALIA


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Unique Venice, ITALIA

Everyone must experience Venice once in their life for its uniqueness and exotic architecture. It's a festive place, colorful, vibrant and fun! Just basking in the sun while eating one's lunch on Piazza San Marco or hopping on the vaporetto from one interesting islands to another. It's a breeze!

7.Al-Andalus, Sevilla, ESPANA
(interesting, unique moorish-arab and gypsies environment)

8. Cordoba, ESPANA


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Islamic Cordoba

Cordoba has beautiful alleys and inner courtyards with its strong Spanish muslims background. The El Mesquita is a must for Muslims to take ikthibar.

9. Firenze, ITALIA


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Florence - Tuscany beautiful landscape. I have been dreaming about the Tuscany landscape since I was in college and when I was there it was freezing (first time ever I had to wear all 3 pairs of socks and still shivering!) and raining every day..I had to see Florence from the blurry and freezing windows of the City Tour bus. Fortunately, the morning I left the sun showed up and I was abled to see Tuscany in all its glory. Thank God for the sunrays!

10.Paris, FRANCE


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One must walk about Notre Dame-Latin Quarters-Sorbonne area. Champ Elysee for window shopping. Of course the Lourve and its other museums such as Musee d'Orsay are a must. Paris will overwhelm you with its sophistication and grandness. I will go there again!

11.Mostar, HERCEGOVINA
A true gem of the Balkans. Reminds me of a precious rare emerald.

12.Interlaken, SWISS ALPS
Such a beautiful lake area in the midst of the Swiss Alps. Great for honeymooners! :) My two thumbs up!

13.Sarajevo, BOSNIA
Bacharschajiye – a shining hope in a war-torn country and for its uniqueness of Islamic Europe. A city with character.

14.Spalator, CROATIA
Split - sunken Roman Fort and the beautiful Adriatic Coast. Beautiful town for a vacation and spring brings beautiful flowers at the market. The best Lily-of-the-Valley bunches I've seen!

15.Verona, ITALIA
Romantic little town with nice Italians, great gelatos - the best!, and quaint stores to look at. Verona is famous for supposedly the kampung of Shakespeare's Romeo and Giuletta. So the town main marketing gimmick is Romeo and Julite. They even have a galeto's flavor by the same name, which is absolutely GOOD btw :). They even created a balcony in the early century at Giuletta's "house" but I was told that wasn't Giuletta's house but in reality was a house of ill repute. Verona is a pretty, clean and quaint town with a nice mat salleh Pasar Malam as well :)

16.Cinque Terre, ITALIA
You will cross this area from Ancona to Roma.. such a beautiful coast sculpted by nature. I must do this area again.

17. Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS


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Canal of Amsterdam

Unique canal ambiance and antique bicycles. Wonderful new frens :)

18. Helfingors, FINLANDIA


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Taking the Viking cruise from Stockholm to Helsinki is a beautiful experience and sights along the fjords. One just need to avoid those drunk Finlanders on the ship who seem to drink like fish. They were all proper and shy until they got drunk and become boisterous. Helsinki is a bloody cold place but amazingly has the best retail offering this side of the Scandinavia, including huge bookstores :) and expensive chocholates/coffee places. I can't believe this is where Mika Hakkinen, Miki Raikonen, Nokia and Santa Claus were born!

19. Llubljana, SLOVENIJA
Such a vibrant, beautiful and most efficient city. It was such a pleasant surprise for me.

20. Salzburg, AUSTRIA
Mountains mountains..mountains.. and Sound of Music everywhere you go. Music actually is a tradition in this area, with music classes conducted at almost every corner! really :)

21. Roma/Vatican City, ITALIA


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Roman columns, Pallatine Hills

What is there about Roma.. So many things to see but I would vote for its ruins and helpful handsome bus drivers :), too many tourists..for my taste (I hate crowds). But the Colleseo and Pallatine Hills will beckon you to visit again and do it in more details :)

Vatican City is the building/area allocated to the Catholic church at the periphery of Rome. One can observed the mass performed. I was there during the late Pope death..so there were so many tourists swarming the compound..even after the wake.

22. Zermatt, SWISS ALPS
Ah.. I love Zermatt.. for its vibrant, happening, warm atmosphere. It's sure freezing cold with lots of white fluff but you feel the warmth in its vibrant town. Just love the fact that Gornergrad envelops you all around..everywhere you see..you are basically on top of Europe. Yes, it is dang expensive but worth it! I hope one day to go there again, perhaps for skiing :)

23.Praha, CHECH REPUBLIC
Praque – beautiful, happening and vibrant town. Humongous buildings and theatre town.

24.Kobenhavn, DENMARK


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Seems tolerant of racial groups, happening and vibrant.

25.Stockholm, SWEDEN
Cobbled Street of Gamla Stan, STOCKHOLM

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Gamla Stan – quaint cobbled town just as in the MAS (Malaysian Airline) advertisement. Actually, that's why I wanted to see Gamla Stan! :)

26.Madrid, ESPANA


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Beautiful town with side-walk secondhand bookstores and Prado Museo is worth a visit.

27. Sienna, ITALIA


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Burnt Sienna

Beautiful sienna-colored old city, with the best Italian coffee around! Beautiful old city with the burnt color of Sienna.. that's right that's where the name of this color originated from.

28. Wien, AUSTRIA
Vienna – best value for your money- among EU cities. I first see Nordsee - this seafood place here. What a welcome sight! The chocholate truffles also worth a buy. Of course the city itself is nice :) I love the first class lounge at the train station. A welcoming warm place for weary traveler..especially those waiting for their midnite trains.

29.Genoa (Genova), ITALIA


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Genoa - Homeland of Christopher Columbus

Land of Christopher Columbus, thus my point of crossing western Italy for a visit. Ancona has many old folks but I love taking pics of them. They are so cute and frenly! Genoa must be the friendliest Italian town of all. Beautiful port as well as one of the biggest aquarium in Europe.

30. Ancona, ITALIA
Italy side of the Adriatic Coast. My first view of the beautiful Adriatic. Heck..until I crossed over to Split..which I think is more beautiful side of the Adriatic.

31.Pisa, ITALIA


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Leaning tower of Pisa

Beautiful view from top of the leaning tower; but I seriously think Norwegian Fjords should bagged the title of seventh or eight wonder of the world :)

32. Barcelona, ESPANA


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Gaudi, Gaudi everywhere. Surely must be the most efficient city in Europe.

33.Cologne/Bonn, DE
The best part is being in the company of people I know. But the towns itselves are vibrant and friendly with mix ethnicities. Eventhough the suburbs are full of old rich retired civilian workers who are extremely allergic to noise :)but the houses
{well mostly mansions :) are really nice! reminds me of the expensive Embassy Row in Washington DC especially with its architecture and Austro-Hungarian colorings.

34.Palermo, ITALIA
Humble folks, interesting fresh markets and pasar ikan)

35.Zagreb, CROATIA
Pretty efficient city and has the cleanest and most advanced toilet I've ever seen anywhere!

36. Bern, Brig, Thun, Zurich, Basel, Luzern, SWITZERLAND
Sleepy towns worth a few hours visit surrounding the Swiss Alps. I wish I had more time to do these places..especially this German girl I met on the train said Bern is really nice.. its Deutsch for Bear.

37.Heidelberg, DE


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Medieval Heidelberg

Medieval castle amidst old university town charm right along the River Rhine.

38.Lisboa, PORTUGAL
It will remind you of Melaka.. no wonder the Portuguese (Farangs) wanted it so badly!

39.Berlin, DE


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Colorful Berlin

Kinda fun funky town full of youths, very noisy (must be the noisiest in the whole DE!) and vibrant, where fast food joints are like mushrooms, but public transport is dang dang expensive! Berlin is so euro hungry it sorts of turn one off most times.

40.Geneve, SWITZERLAND


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Lac Leman

Err..nothing much after you see Lac Leman and flower clock! So immediately head to train station and booked yourself for all the mountain rides. The reason I was there for 4-5 nites was becoz I was sick from a fever contracted in Lisboa and I kept waking up late and missing the morning connections I needed to do the trains.

41.Munchen, DE
Munich - where strawberry and asparagus is cheapest. I first saw this huge albino asparagus there (I later learnt those were grown underneath the soil so they cannot produce chlorophyl). It was also fun to came across crazy Jinny, the Korean girl whom I shared a room with, who is hounding me still :) (She's stopping over Malaysia in August :)

42. Hamburg, DE


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Bah Hamburg

Big port, with these figures all over town.. I don't know what they are except they looked like water carrier or somethin'.

43.Milano, ITALIA
Milan, as a much touted city- is such a disappointment. Even the Duomo is under renovation. Everyone I met along the way who has not gone there seems to have this image of a sophisticated Milan. Well, I guess they will find out after going there. Maybe the Galleria is something to see and that will only take you half hour top and nice handsome well-dressed policemen, but the rest of Milanese are rather scruffy and stodgy and the city dusty and grey. But the Malaysian family I know are wonderful folks, as well as some Italian strangers who "walked" with me to and from subways :)

44.St. Moritz, SWITZERLAND
Boring cold place and extremely dang expensive! Except for the cute Swiss Italian hotel manager that offered to chauffeur me to and from Hotel (expensive hotel as well..it was freezing cold and I just grab the first hotel that answered ):, there’s nothing really to write home about unless you are going skiing and the only reason I was there coz I have to overnite for the Glacier Express.