#1! and Best Cities

And finally! Steph and Craig's #1 European Tourist Site is ...

Stromboli! When all is said and done, nature prevails over man-made attractions on our list! On the island of Stromboli, you get the whole package... A boat ride from Sicily, a cute waterfront town, a hike up a volcano with excellent views, and the knockout punch: real volcanic explosions with lava! Enough to be actually a bit scary. Even with the plastic hard-hat they give you for the tour.

List o' the day: Best Cities in Europe

This was the hardest list for us to make! There were debates and compromises between the reviewers, and several cities that barely missed the list (Barcelona, Brussels, Porto, Palermo, Sevilla and Stockholm). And, of course, there are some major cities in Europe that we did not visit, so they're not included here... But with that disclaimer, here are our picks...

1. Paris, France
   Paris really does have it all! Knock-out sights, great food and art, beautiful architecture and public spaces, great public transit, and a population that confidently goes about its business. Somehow, Parisians just know they live in fabulous place, and they don't try to make it into anything else.


2. Rome, Italy
   Probably Europe's most romantic city, Rome does not disappoint. Full of magnificent piazzas, fountains, and ancient roman buildings, Rome is a wanderer's delight, even if you're not a history buff! Visiting the Ancient Forum still instills a sense of awe at the magnificence of the empire.


3. Vienna, Austria
   Vienna may be a bit stuck in the past, but with a such a glorious past, who can blame it?! In the city center, where it seems like every building was created to be fit for the Habsburg royalty, coffeehouses can be found next to chic boutiques, and Mozart look-alikes hawk concert tickets.


4. Berlin, Germany
   What we loved about Berlin was that (unlike Rome, in particular!) they city is not afraid to do something new! The Berlin Wall is virtually gone now, and urban redevelopment has gobbled up the former no-man's land. A giant civic project now spans the river. Still, funky neighborhoods can be found with active music, art and cafe scenes and a serious grunge culture. (Makes Seattle look mild.)


5. Budapest, Hungary
   ... and while Vienna ignores the Danube river, Budapest rejoices in it, making it a focal point for the city's most impressive buildings. What we liked best about Budapest though, was the slightly chaotic sense of optimism that seemed to drive its inhabitants and businesses.


6. Amsterdam, the Netherlands
   Amsterdam is, in a way, a town of extremes. Its highly organized system of concentric canals and bike lanes (where all bikes travel the same speed, because they all have just one gear!) gives way to hoards of chaotic partyers after dark. But, by daylight, they're all gone, and one can freely move among the canals and alleys, admiring the row houses and trying not to get lost!


7. Venice, Italy
   Venice grew on us a lot. At first, it seemed like a filthy, crowded tourist town. But that was because we were at a filthy, crowded, tourist destination (St. Mark's square). After the ugly initial impression, we wandered. And as we wandered, we found the real Venice, where people do their shopping and kids play in the squares. And perhaps the most amazing thing about Venice... it is truly and entirely a pedestrian city. Even bicycles are impractical for maneuvering on staircases over canals!


8. Prague, Czech Republic
   Prague is another city that grew on us. On the downside, Prague is too crowded with tourists. Of course, there's a reason it's crowded with tourists, and that's because it is a remarkable place, especially for its architecture, which is dominated by spiky towers. Off of the tourist track, Prague is both gritty and polished, trendy and worn.


9. Athens, Greece
   We went to Athens expecting the worst (smog, crowds, garbage) and were pleasantly surprised. There is a slick new subway system which immensely helps smog and congestion. Garbage can still be found (it's Greece, after all!), and entire neighborhoods are covered in (some quite artistic!) graffiti, but it feels like a city on the up-and-up, and has the best cafe culture we've found in Europe. Entire streets were taken over by tables around dusk.


10. Copenhagen, Denmark
    Copenhagen bucks the "neat, tidy and boring" trend of most Scandinavian cities. Its central square is lit with neon advertisements at night, and people flock downtown for the clubbing scene on the weekends; some even take naps on the street before their big night out. The downsides: smoking is allowed on the subway, and the entire city is dead until about 3:00pm on Saturday!

Want to see the photos? They're here.