Are You a Self-Confessed Travel Snob? These Places in Europe Are for You!
Hans Christian Andersen is quoted to have said, “To travel is to live”; and if your motto for traveling is Holidays-but-better, then choosing a destination with all the amenities along with the most realistic impression of the country’s everyday life, becomes a challenge. With so many tourists pouring into Europe every year it’s hard to get that authentic experience, that too with all the right luxuries you wish to enjoy. Keeping the famous European cities aside, we have therefore sorted our favorite cities in Europe for a Travel Snob…!
Porto, Portugal
Porto will give you the perfect blend of the past and future in one place. It is the second-largest metropolis in Portugal after Lisbon. Stated at the banks of Rio Douro, Porto charms its visitors by offering an aged rustic colored port Ribeira, the biggest attraction in the city. Stringently gothic-looking from the outside, the Igreja de Sao Francisco has the most ravishing displays of Baroque art. Serralves, the cultural institution, houses a museum (Museu de Arte Contemporanea), a mansion, and vast gardens. An $11.81 ticket will get you to visit all of them. And you just cannot afford to miss the “Taste Porto” food tour with the downtown food tour costing around 65 Euros – one that starts at 10:45 am and ends at 4 pm.
Dresden, Germany
Coming back to life after being wiped off by bombings in 1945, Dresden is a classic example of restoration. The cultural development of Dresden happened during the reign of Augustus der Starke and his son Augustus III during the 18th century. They sponsored Dresden’s archetypal buildings like the Frauenkirche and Zwinger. Across the river, away from Classic art, Dresden has a number of restaurants, shops and lively nightlife to offer.
Top sights to look for, when in Dresden: Residenzschloss, the incredible city palace. Zwinger, originally a party palace for royals now has three museums within its walls. Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister, a breathtaking collection of 16th and 18th-century art priding a good number of masterpieces. Other attractions including, Militahistorisches Museum Dresden, Albertinum, Historisches Grunes Gewolbe, Frauenkirche, and Neues Grunes Gewolbe that you can’t afford to miss.
Salamanca, Spain
There’s something magical about this place, which is a largely agreed fact about Salamanca. Salamanca came to the world’s knowledge after its great University was founded; now a part of the UNESCO World Heritage site, with sophisticated Latin inscriptions in Golden sandstone, it is a building that appears ablaze in bright sunlight. Besides pleasing-to-eye architecture, Salamanca prides its rich cultural heritage. Being a hub of the Spanish Golden age, it has seen world-renowned writers, artists, and philosophers like Cervantes, San Juan de la Cruz, and Lope de Vega. Salamanca’s streets, that can still be seen, house these names.
Major sights which you must give a try are; Universidad Civil, Catedral Nueva, Catedral Vieja, Plaza Mayor, Museo de Art Nouveau y Art Deco, Puerta de la Torre, Convento de San Esteban, Real Clerecia de San Marcos.
Aarhus, Denmark
Aarhus [oar-hus] is Denmark’s one of the most erudite cities. Statistics state 1/7 residents are enrolled in a University. This city was declared the European Capital of Culture in 2017. It has some of the best architectural landmarks to offer. From artwork at the most unexpected places to a brimming city center, Aarhus has a lot to serve on its plate. For foodies out there reading this, take notes! Look out for Aarhus Street Food, Foodhall, Frederikshoj, Danish eatery, Social Foodies; for best sweets in town, you can make your way to Kahler Spisesalon while for great Danish food you can visit Langhoff & Juul.
Aros Aarhus Kunstmuseum is a nine-floor art museum flaunting an astonishing collection of art from the Golden Ages. The Aarhus festival, spanning from 31st August to 10th September, marked 2018 as yet another eventful year. This is by far the largest Scandinavian festival promoting both local and international talent. With just a 3-hour train ride from Copenhagen, Aarhus has remained beclouded by it. But after rising cultural development in Aarhus, this city is not the least lacking when it comes to providing the best travel experience. But before traveling to this destination don’t forget to do your homework on the top sights. I’d personally recommend using a reliable internet connection acquired via the remarkable Spectrum deals for the best browsing experience ever.
Verona, Italy
Are you an everything-Shakespeare lover? Verona is the place you’ll instantly fall in love with. Verona is the main attraction for tourists looking to get lost in knots of lanes looking for Romeo and Juliet. Verona’s center is known for a well-preserved amphitheater built in the 1st century where you can’t afford to miss the annual summer opera festival scheduled in June every year. To sum it up, Verona is like Venice without canals and tons of tourists. 5 things that HAVE to be on your itinerary are: Take a day trip to Lake Garda, Explore Piazza Delle Erbe, Eat some of the best food in Italy at Café Barbarani, Go to Castelvecchio Bridge and Museum, not to forget Arche Scaligere, a gothic arc near Piazza dei Signori.
Tallinn, Estonia
Take to overnight sailing from Stockholm, go for a short ferry ride from Helsinki, or simply hop onto a convenient flight to this place – whatever satisfies your taste and fits your pocket the best. This place, though culturally remote from Scandinavia provides an extremely fulfilling experience of a blend of both Nordic and Russian civilizations. Tallinn has long been a playground for Swedish, German, Soviet, and Polish powers, however, since becoming a free European capital, Tallinn has come to pride itself in a rich cultural heritage. A perfect holiday spot for someone looking to experience all the modern comforts along with rich culture, lively nightlife, and loads of adventure, Tallinn is one of the very few completely walled cities indexed by UNESCO as Old Town. Make sure you visit the Estonian Open-Air Museum; where historic buildings have been resettled and preserved among trees and the costumed staff performing traditional activities is an experience in itself.
So, if you consider yourself a person who wants Holidays, but sophisticated and exceptional, these places are bound to provide you with a fulfilling experience of rich culture without a flood of tourists and would be worth investing in. This is your way to go before you plan your next vacation in Europe.