Despite having travelled
extensively throughout the world, I’m always disappointed when I look at my map
of Europe and see so many countries and cities I haven’t yet explored. I love travelling in Europe, but I have
ignored it a bit over the past few years in favour of road tripping across the
US. I’ve decided I might put things
right in 2016 and redress the balance.
These are my top 5 European destinations
for 2016:
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Despite having been in Schiphol
Airport for transfers to Minneapolis, Atlanta and Dallas, I’ve never actually
had the chance to go outside. I’ve long
been interested in the cobbled streets, the network of canals, the Van Gogh
Museum, and the story of Anne Frank, and I’m struggling to find an excuse to
why I haven’t been yet. There isn't one.
I love wandering around museums
and art galleries and lazily ambling around city streets without a care in the
world. Amsterdam has no shortage of
places I can go to indulge in my favourite hobbies and allow me to overdose on
its culture and history.
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| The beautiful canals of Amsterdam |
Cardiff, Wales
I see the skyline on
BBC Cymru news every single night and it looks lush (to use a proper Welsh term…). Cardiff has been the capital city of my
adopted nation since 1955 and, over the past 30 years, it has been transformed
into a thriving destination to equal any modern European city. Plus, it's full of Welsh people, so it's clearly amazing, anyway.
I’m looking forward to catching a
show at Sherman Cymru, wandering around the Pierhead, visiting the Welsh
National Assembly at the Senedd, and popping over to have a peek at the majestic
Cardiff Castle.
 |
| The very impressive Senedd (Welsh Assembly) building |
Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn, the capital city of
Estonia, sits on the Southern end of the Gulf of Finland and is a major hub for
European banking, the technology sector (with Ericsson and Skype being amongst
its start ups) and is also a massive draw for shoppers. The old town in Tallinn is a registered
UNESCO World Heritage Site and the city expertly mixes ancient architecture
with modern, sleek buildings.
Tallinn has a lot to offer
visitors, with a wide range of cultural and heritage sites, in addition to one
of the longest running pharmacies on the planet, and a previous holder of the
title ‘world’s tallest building’.
Also: it looks glorious.
 |
| The Summer Residence in Tallinn. |
Bruges, Belgium
Bruges is a very well preserved
medieval city in the Flemish region of Belgium.
The historic city centre is
designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has many sights to see. One of the most famous buildings in the
Bruges is the Belfry, which dates back to the 13th Century and still
employs a bell ringer. That sounds like
my kind of job.
As well as indulging in a spot of
bell ringing, Bruges is also famous for being home to one of the world’s
tallest brick built buildings (try saying that after a few wines), in the
Church of Our Lady, whose spire stands at more than 400 feet. Michelangelo’s sculpture of the Madonna and
Child is located in the transept and is widely believed to the only one of his
works ever to leave Italy while he was still alive.
I’m also very keen to sit with a beer
in the beautiful Market Square in the city centre and spend some time wandering
around the canals.
 |
| Beautiful Bruges |
Copenhagen, Denmark
I’ve been keen to visit
Copenhagen for a while; particularly since I loved my trips to Stockholm and
Oslo. Copenhagen is the capital city
of Denmark and is connected to the Swedish city of Malmo by the glorious
Oresund Bridge, which you might recall if you ever watch the original series of
The Bridge. Like Stockholm, the city is
surrounded by water, and boasts stunning architecture in a wonderfully clean
and safe environment.
Copenhagen earned the nickname
‘the City of Spires’ from the sheer number of places of worship it houses,
whose spires jut out over the skyline.
Like Tallinn, it seems to have managed perfectly to retain its medieval
charm and ancient, colourful waterfronts, whilst simultaneously winning awards
for new architecture. Also, obviously,
it is the home of Carlsberg beer and dozens of microbreweries are located
throughout the city, so it would be rude not to go, wouldn't it?
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| Basically, I like colourful buildings and water.... |
Do you have any must see European destinations in mind for
2016?
Suzanne x
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