Christian's Big Picks

Alright, in conclusion of my European vacation, here's a list of my favourite places in some random categories of my own design. I'll try to give some justifications for my choices, but don't expect anything too profound.

Alright, to get things started:

Worst Experience - Barcelona. The combination of thieves, bed bugs and male prostitutes really made my visit to Barcelona pretty terrible. It's not a bad city, I just had some bad luck there.

Biggest Letdown - Venice. Although it is a pretty city, there's really not a whole lot to do there other than wonder around aimlessly. Overrated? Definitely. Worth a visit? Probably, just don't plan on spending too much time there.

Prettiest City - Florence. There's something about the lush Tuscan countryside coupled with the beautiful architecture of Florence that really set this city apart. I can't explain it, I just liked it.

Best Medieval Town - Siena. Just a really cool little town. Touristy as hell, but still cool. Brugges is a close second.

Least English - Madrid. Surprisingly, no one in this city speaks English. Still a great place to visit (one of my favourites), just don't expect to get by without any of your best Spanish, however dismal it may be.

Best City to Live In - Amsterdam. Sure the Red Light District is cool, but that's really not what this city is about. It's just a really nice place filled with canals, restaurants, shops, and as a bonus, you can bike everywhere with ease.

Best Museums - London. The combination of the Victoria & Albert, National Archeology, Science and Natural History museums, the Tate Modern, Tate Britain, National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery (and all for free) really make London unbeatable. Paris and Berlin come in at a close second.

Coolest City - Berlin. It's got everything. A really lively city that still has a lot of decrepit old Soviet-era buildings kicking around, some great museums, tons of bars and restaurants that stay open all night, there's nothing like it.

Best Place to "Get Away" - Switzerland. Granted, I was in a small hamlet in the middle of nowhere, but Switzerland really is the best place to go if you want to do some hiking AND not be surrounded by tourists the whole time. Surprisingly cheap and delicious chocolate, cheese and yogurt, too. Close second is Berchestgarden, but you still have to deal with hordes of tourists if you go there.

Best Setting - Santorini. Nothing really beats staying on the edge of a huge volcanic crater that is now filled in the sea. Great view at every turn, coupled with great food make this place a must if you're ever visiting the Greek islands.

Now for my favourites:

Favourite Small Town - Hania (or Chania), in Crete. Just a really nice little waterfront town that may not be to everyone's tastes, but I enjoyed it. The nearby Samaria Gorge makes for a nice visit, as well. Taormina, in Sicily, makes for a close second.

Favourite Country - Croatia. A fantastic country: great beaches, cool old cities and beautiful countryside. The place I most want to go back to with my own car.

Favourite City - Lisbon (and area). Trolleys, an Oceanarium, a Castle, nearby Cascais and incomparable Sintra really made Lisbon stand out for me. Tons of cool stuff to see and do. I really want to go back to Portugal (and northern Spain), more than any other place I visited. And did I mention that it's dirt cheap?