There are perfect summer destinations and there are perfect winter destinations – and then there are evergreen destinations – those eternal places that will provide you with the experience of a lifetime no matter the season or circumstances of your visit. These cities rely on a unique mix of historical and cultural heritage, interesting architecture with a one-of-a-kind vibe, good value for money and finally significance, being regional or even global hubs that are world-famous for one of these traits. The exact circumstances of your visit do not really matter, since those cities always feel vibrant and always have many interesting activities going on.
Finally, if you have enough time to go beyond an ordinary relaxing weekend, setting up the base in any of these cities lets you make a variety of interesting day trips to their respective regions. If you’d like a well-rounded holiday, you won’t regret picking any of our 5 favorites below:
Zagreb – A charming Austro-Hungarian city
Although Zagreb is the capital of Croatia and is quite huge, once you arrive to the centre you’ll find out that is quite relaxing and that there is something special about its cosmopolitan buzz. The Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport, formerly known as Pleso, is situated 17 km from the city centre of Zagreb and is well connected by airport transfers.
There are many things to discover in this historical city near the Sava River, from the elegant architecture and cobbled streets reminiscent of Vienna, Budapest and Prague to the mysterious and fantastic side of the city with the history of witch hunts and trials (if you dare, visit the city’s famous Museum of Torture). Whether you imagine your holiday sitting in one of the Vienna-style cafes or taking secret Zagreb walks, this is definitely a city worth visiting.
Rome – The „Eternal city“
You'll need to have more than one city break to properly discover a city like Rome, but even with just a couple of days you can find yourself admiring Renaissance and Baroque fountains, getting close to Michelangelo’s most famous works, discovering Roman ruins or throwing a coin in the Trevi Fountain for ensuring your return to Rome.
Rome has two international airports: Leonardo da Vinci Airport (at Fiumicino) is used by the major airlines, while Ciampino Airport is used by low-budget airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair. Fiumicino Airport, situated 32 km away from the city, is a major port of call for intercontinental as well as national and European flights.
If you’d like to organize your journey in advance without having to wait for a taxi and wasting your holiday time, contact us to avoid those situations.
A little gourmand tip: there are many fine restaurants in Rome, but if you are a pizza lover, Dar Poeta is the one not to be missed! It’s situated in the most charming neighborhood called Trastevere. Pay a visit to that place, and you’re bound to discover the best pizza ever!
Vienna – The capital city for classical music
Arriving in Vienna you'll instantly get drawn in by the peaceful parks, magnificent Habsburg architecture and artistic heritage of geniuses like Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss and Gustav Klimt.
This year, Vienna is celebrating Maria Theresa’s 300th birthday. In 2017, numerous exhibitions have been organized to pay respects to the popular monarch, the only Habsburg woman to ever rule Austria.
The Vienna International Airport (VIE) is a modern and compact terminal at Schwechat, just outside the city limits, where flights arrive from all over the world.
For the incurable romantics, there are two glittering summer balls in June: the Fête Impériale and the Concordia Ball, where the classic dance music and captivating Bollywood rhythms create a relaxed atmosphere and pure dancing delight. The city is also famous for its annual New Year Philharmonic ball.
Bratislava - Beauty on the Danube
Once you arrive to Vienna, be sure to take an advantage of Bratislava’s near location and use our transfer service for a day trip. This charming historical city that stretches on both banks of the Danube River has become a popular destination for weekend travelers.
The most attractive part of Bratislava is the Old Town with its breathtaking catacombs, the fascinating Michel's Tower, many symbolic statues, beautiful buildings like the Primate's Palace and the spectacular view from the dominating medieval castle that towers over the second-highest point of St Martin Cathedral’s spire.
Absolutely try the “Bratislavsky rozok”, a traditional Bratislava sweet roll filled either with poppy seed or ground nuts, as well as the famous Slovak beer “Zlaty blažant” ;)
Geneva – The birthplace of fine watchmaking and much more
Geneva lies in a bay where Lake Geneva embraces Rhone, surrounded by the Alps and Jura mountain ranges.
Geneva Airport, one of the top rated airports in Europe, is located just 5 km from the city centre. Amidst the breathtaking views of lakes and mountains, this smallest metropolis of the world with a thousand-year-old history is also famous for its luxury watchmaking, international capital working for various peace and humanitarian issues, as well as a cradle of the protestant reformation and the site of the world-leading particle physics lab. Thanks to its diversity and uniqueness, when having a city break this place can easily get under your skin.
Here’s a bit of a curiosity: Mary Shelley’s famous novel, Frankenstein, was conceived during her Summer spent in Geneva. Throughout her terrifying tale, the novel includes many references to the city and the adjacent Salève Mountain where the creature fled and was later seen hanging off its cliff-face in chapter seven. Boasting incredible views from the top (accessed by cable car) – as well as many fantastic outdoor pursuits, Salève is a must-visit attraction.
There are so many European cities worth visiting and exploring and these are just some of them. Do you have any of your favorite Europe city breaks? Let us know what other cities you’d like to see on this list, and if you are aiming to have a comfortable and stress-free journey to any of your favorite places, just contact us and check out what we can do for you.