1 VENICE
Among
those who've seen it in person, the conclusion is unanimous: Venice is
the most beautiful city in the world, and the only one that can truly be
described as unique. Each building is a work of art, with their beauty
enhanced when reflected on the canals that cross the city. Its magical
scenery is fascinating and breathtaking at first sight, evoking the
feeling of entering the setting of a real-life fairy tale. It's perhaps
even unfair to all other cities to call Venice a city, as it is a place
unlike any other, that no other can compare to, or ever be like.
2 PARIS
2 PARIS
The
Seine and the bridges that cross it, the grand boulevards, the
monumental squares, the magnificent monuments, the charming streets of
Montmartre -- these images of Paris confirm that it is indeed the most
elegant and sophisticated of all cities. It has inspired practically
every major world capital, with every city claiming its own
Champs-Elysèes, and Place des Vosges becoming the prototype of
residential squares throughout Europe. Sit at an outdoor café table or
go on a boat tour of the Seine and see it all romantically flash before
your eyes.
3 PRAGUE
3 PRAGUE
It
is known as the city of the thousand spires because of its profusion of
grand, beautifully-preserved historical monuments dating from
practically every period in history. Those spires are best admired from
the bridges that cross the Vltava River, especially from the magnificent
Charles Bridge, or standing in the stunningly beautiful Old Town
Square. Add the atmospheric alleyways and cobbled streets that lead to
it, and you know that few other cities delight the senses as much as
Prague.
4 LISBON
4 LISBON
Magnificently
sited on a series of hills running down to the grand Tagus River,
Lisbon is one of the world's most scenic cities. Beautiful unexpected
views are found at every turn down its colorful, picturesque streets,
and especially from strategically-placed viewpoints or terraces at the
top of each hill. The city has an unpolished, seductive appearance; an
effortless beauty with captivating details such as cobbled designs,
tiled façades, and pastel-colored buildings blending together to give it
a singular atmosphere now lost in so many other cities. In such a
stunning place, it's no wonder that many of the world's great explorers
questioned what other beauties lied beyond the horizon when they
departed from here in the 15th century.5 RIO DE JANEIRO
There
are those who say God created the world in six days and devoted a
seventh to Rio. The city is indeed blessed with one of the most stunning
settings in the world, making it the most naturally beautiful city in
the world. Even if it was deserted of buildings and population, anyone
standing at the top of the famous Sugarloaf Mountain or by the Corcovado
statue would see one of the world's most beautiful landscapes. Green,
tropical luxuriance mixes with the blue of the ocean and the brightness
of the sand at the beaches, proving that this is indeed "the marvelous
city" as locals call it.
6 AMSTERDAM
6 AMSTERDAM
Each
of the thousands of buildings that line Amsterdam's main canals can be
classified as a monument, beautifully kept as apartments, offices,
cafés, restaurants, and even brothels. All together they form an
aesthetic uniformity that make the city one of the most charming in the
world, a stunning place of bridges and bikes crossing canals,
picturesque cobbled streets, and strikingly elegant architecture.
7 FLORENCE
Florence
is synonymous with the Italian Renaissance, known for the artistic
heritage in its palaces and museum collections. Yet with all the beauty
both inside and outside its palazzi's walls, it is the city as a whole
that impresses the most. See it from Piazzale Michelangelo, a 19th
century terrace overlooking the entire city, and you'll be looking at
one of the most storybook-perfect cityscapes. You'll see its unspoiled
skyline, the towers and domes of the heart of the city, its bridges, the
hills in the distance, and the magnificent Duomo standing in the middle
of it all. Few other places in the world will leave you as awestruck.
8 ROME
8 ROME
The
city standing on seven hills by the Tiber River is a treasure-trove of
monuments among some of the most beautiful squares and classical
architecture in the world. Because everyone visits Rome for its
landmarks, its picturesque streets are often overlooked, such as those
of the Trastevere district, filled with charming lanes, faded palazzi,
and lovely homes decorated with flower boxes. It is on streets like
those that Rome proves itself to really be eternal.
9 BUDAPEST
Split
in two by the Danube River, Budapest is the result of the merging of
three cities. Buda is the hill with the royal palace and an old town
filled with baroque and gothic monuments looking over the mostly-19th
century Pest, crossed by broad avenues lined with elegant
neo-renaissance buildings. Admire its setting and remarkable
architecture (including the stunning Parliament Building) from the
monumental Chain Bridge, and step into the old town for some of the most
romantic lanes you'll ever stroll through.
10 BRUGES
10 BRUGES
It's
a small city, in a small country, hardly a metropolis, but huge on
beauty. It's one of the world's best preserved medieval cities, filled
with gothic and baroque monuments surrounded by an oval canal and
extraordinarily romantic cobbled lanes. It's no wonder that it is one of
Europe's most visited cities, helped by its location in the very center
of the continent. It's an unmissable destination when in Brussels, and
easily accessible from anywhere in central Europe. Its combination of
gorgeous architecture and pretty, peaceful spots crisscrossed by canals
make it one of the most magical sites to be experienced in the world.
