🌆 City Escapes

The big ones. Loud, crowded, endlessly worth it

1. London — my home (for now) so hard to beat
2. Amsterdam — the city I’ve spent the (second) most time in is a charming one with picturesque canals, great cafes, and a laid-back atmosphere given off
3. Paris — wine bars, bakeries, and terraces, what else do you need?
4. Munich — beer halls, Bavarian order, and the Alps an hour down the track.
5. Barcelona — Gaudí, the beach, and tapas
6. Budapest — thermal baths, ruin bars, and the Danube splitting the city in two.
7. Rome — every street is standing on top of three older ones.
8. Lisbon — tiles, hills, and the coast
9. Dublin — pubs and live music
10. Athens — so many historical sights

🏘 Mid-Size Cities

Those cities that are a bit smaller, but therefore more accessible on foot and often with their own charm and personality.

1. Copenhagen, Denmark — design, cycling and Nordic dining
2. Florence, Italy — art history, delicious wine, and endless gelato
3. Utrecht, The Netherlands — like a mini Amsterdam without the crowds
4. Porto, Portugal — port lodges along the river, azulejo tiles, and the Douro starting just upstream
5. Salzburg, Austria — a baroque old town with the Alps rising behind it
6. San Sebastián, Spain — pintxos bar to pintxos bar, with one of the best city beaches in Europe
7. Seville, Spain — Moorish architecture, orange trees, and flamenco
8. Cologne, Germany — great spot to enjoy Christmas markets at in the holiday season
9. Prague, Czechia — the old town and the castle at a cheap price
10. Girona, Spain — quaint streets, great cafes, and beautiful roads to cycle on while not being far from Costa Brava

Next up: Cork.

🏝 Islands

Europe’s islands are some of my favorite destinations when I want beautiful scenery, serene water, hiking, and charming small towns.

1. Mallorca, Spain — the Tramuntana mountains on one side, hidden coves on the other.
2. Milos, Greece — Sarakiniko’s white volcanic rock looks like another planet.
3. Madeira, Portugal — levada walks, dramatic cliffs, and green all year round.
4. Santorini, Greece — the caldera views and white and blue architecture are worth the crowds
5. Kefalonia, Greece — the green Ionian, and Myrtos beach from every postcard.
6. Paros, Greece — Cycladic villages and beaches without the Santorini hype.
7. São Miguel, Azores — crater lakes, hot springs and hydrangeas in the middle of the Atlantic.
8. Corfu, Greece — a Venetian old town and the greenest of the Ionians.
9. Tenerife, Spain — Mount Teide above the clouds, and winter sun that actually delivers.
10. Korčula, Croatia — a walled town on a peninsula, surrounded by vineyards.

Next up: Sardinia, Corsica, Menorca, Sicily, Crete, Cyprus.

🌾 Countryside

Rolling hills, long lunches, and wine that tastes better for being drunk where it was made.

1. Piedmont, Italy — Barolo, small towns, and the mountains in the backdrop
2. Provence, France — lavender, the Verdon Gorge, and rosé at lunch.
3. Puglia, Italy — trulli, delicious cuisine, and whitewashed towns down the heel of the boot
4. Burgundy, France — one of the most famous wine regions
5. The Cotswolds, UK — sandstone colored houses, quaint villages, and beautiful countryside walks
6. Douro Valley, Portugal — terraced vineyards stacked above the river
7. Tuscany, Italy — hilltop towns and wines everywhere
8. The Highlands, Scotland — lochs, glens, distilleries and unknown weather
9. Alsace, France — picturesque villages along a Riesling route
10. Andalucía, Spain — white villages and endless olive groves

Next up: Rioja, Normandy & Brittany

⛰ Mountains

The Alps take nine of ten spots, which tells you everything and highlights my favorite place in the world ❤️

1. The Dolomites, Italy — pale jagged peaks, mountain huts, and a unique place to hike in Europe
2. Chamonix, France — sitting at the base of Mont Blanc, this lively mountain town is a hub for outdoor enthusiasts, with dramatic peaks in every direction
3. South Tyrol, Italy — Italian food, Austrian efficiency, stunning mountains in every direction
4. Bernese Alps, Switzerland — crystal clear lakes, stunning peaks, and breathtaking views
5. Zillertal Alps, Austria — a long valley that works as well in summer as in ski season.
6. Appenzell, Switzerland — rolling green hills and great hiking spots
7. Verbier, Switzerland — the ski destination to visit, with a great base town and good food & drinks (at a price though!)
8. Julian Alps, Slovenia — Triglav, Lake Bled, and far fewer people than anywhere above.
9. Zermatt, Switzerland — car-free, with the Matterhorn framing every single view
10. The Pyrenees, France — the quiet alternative, and all the better for it

Next up: Alps+, Picos de Europa, Lofoten Islands, Norway Western Fjord, Pyrenees+

🌊 Coast

Cliffs, coves, harbour towns and the occasional surf break.

1. Les Calanques, France — limestone inlets between Marseille and Cassis, reachable only on foot or by boat.
2. Ligurian Coast, Italy — Cinque Terre and Portofino, and of course pesto as it is from here
3. French Riviera, France — Nice, Antibes, and beach towns
4. Puglia, Italy — two coastlines, and sea caves on both.
5. Costa Brava, Spain — hidden coves linked by a coastal path most people never walk.
6. Algarve Coast, Portugal — golden cliffs and sea caves, with many small cove beaches
7. Dalmatian Coast, Croatia — Split to Dubrovnik, with a thousand islands offshore.
8. Cornwall, UK — surf, coves and the best stretch of the South West Coast Path.
9. Devon, UK — two coasts, and where the locals go
10. Ericeira, Portugal — a World Surfing Reserve within an hour of Lisbon.

Next up: Asturias, Albanian Riviera