1. PORTO PORTUGAL
Porto has all the charm of towns which happily cohabit with their river. You can stroll along the River Douro (river of gold) in Cais da Ribeira, fly over it by helicopter or discover Porto's architecture, its amazing landscapes and magnificent bridges by taking a cruise on this majestic river. Porto is also a sea city and in the briefest of time a tram will bring you to Foz do Douro’s gentle beaches face to face with the Atlantic.
Enter the sumptuously cool Palacio da Bolsa, and walk through history with Portuguese adventurers, follow the country’s trade routes and be stunned by the treasures which they brought back. Remarkable buildings such as the Sé Catédral and its terraces offer superb viewpoints over a bustle of markets, grocery stores, bars, restaurants…
2. SAN SEBASTIAN SPAIN
With a very important cultural identity, breathtaking scenery, world-renowned gastronomy and an important business tourism, San Sebastian is one of the most trendy destinations of 2017.
Any excuse to visit San Sebastian is good. Besides the unequaled beauty of La Concha Bay, (a shell shaped bay) which the royal family fell in love with at the start of the last century and continues to captivate anyone who comes to see it, the city is the place to come to for innovative cuisine that has made it famous across the world, a wide range of festivals that have made it a genuine cultural phenomenon and an active and healthy lifestyle that is very much in touch with the natural resources on offer. All these reasons have made it a top tourist destination over the last two centuries.
3. ATHENS GREECE
Travellers have always ranked Athens at the top of this European competition. It is a favourite destination for Travellers from all over the world who want to discover Europe. Ever since its participation in this competition, Athens has ranked among the 5 favourite destinations of travellers worldwide.
From the iconic Acropolis, rising above the city, to charming up and coming neighborhoods and contemporary art galleries, the city of Classic Marathon and Olympic Games is a majestically quirky clash of past and present.
One of the world's oldest cities with a recorded history of 3,500 years, the Greek capital is constantly undergoing urban renewals to keep up with the evolution of time. Athens lives up to all the hype!
4. GDANSK POLAND
There is no other place like Gdansk. Other cities can just resemble Gdansk. Its unique location and over a thousand years’ history shape Gdansk’s expressive and distinctive character and give it strong and implicit recognition among European cities. Nonetheless, the city holds an abundance of mysteries; it has got its own spirit which makes it impossible to mistake Gdansk for any other place.
5. VIENNA AUSTRIA
Vienna is undoubtedly one of the favourite destinations of European travellers. Ever since the beginning of this competition, Vienna has beeen in the top ten. The City enjoys a great reputation internationally; it is the second most popular destination for travellers from Germany, the third best destination for voters from the US and the third most favoured European destination by voters from Japan.
Vienna's Ringstrasse is the most beautiful boulevard in the world. Nowhere else can you find such a dense concentration of so many representative buildings, palaces and parks.
All of these splendid buildings still have their full radiance today. An elegant promenade for the wealthy and beautiful has become a modern boulevard for everyone. And the section of the Ring along the Danube Canal has become a hotspot: an urban bar scene and modern architecture attract a primarily young audience.
6. STARI GRAD CROATIA
This beautiful destination on the island of Hvar in Croatia seduces every year more and more travellers from all over the world. The Austrians place it in 4th position of their favourite destinations in Europe, just behind Athens and ahead of Porto.
This year, Stari Grad on the island of Hvar marks an exceptional anniversary – 2,400 years of the city foundation and of the equally long tradition of urban living on the sunniest island in the Adriatic.
The heritage preserved since the Age of Antiquity has been recognized by the UNESCO which in 2008 inscribed the Stari Grad Plain on the World Heritage List due to its preserved Greek land division and the continuity of life and agriculture in this place.
7. BONIFACIO FRANCE
Bonifacio is a destination that appeals to travellers from all over the world. With its houses perched on cliffs and its well preserved natural habitat, it is one of the preferred destinations of European travellers and travellers from outside Europe.
Situated in the middle of the International Marine Park, the port of Bonifacio is set in the heart of a channel, a thousand nautical miles long. It offers total protection in all weathers and winds. But above all, a stop-over to satisfy sailors with top-level sea food gastronomy, numerable bars and terraces with the possibility of all types of provisioning only a few meters from the pontoons.
Bonifacio is rich with rare and protected species. The Cory’s Shearwater seabird is part of family of the Albatross, the African Fish Eagle planes over Sperone and wild orchids, found nowhere else in France, cover the country-side. And marine mammals of all kinds (the common dolphin and the White-Blue Dolphin) are omnipresent all year long.
8. WILD TAIGA FINLAND
For the first time, a sustainable tourism destination was selected in this competition. Wild Taiga, a destination of the European network "EDEN" proudly represents the colors of sustainable tourism ahead of major European capitals. It is extremely popular with Asian travellers, ranks 5th among the favourite destinations of Korean travellers and ranks number one destination with Chinese travellers.
Wild Taiga, located on Finland’s eastern border, is a perfect example of rich tradition and strong culture. Evergreen forests, aapa bogs, clean water and rich wildlife form the second important part of Kuhmo and Suomussalmi. On guided excursions you can watch and photograph the wild animals of the forest, in particular large beasts – bears, wolves and wolverines – that are either rare or extinct in other parts of Europe.
9. ROTTERDAM NETHERLANDS
Rotterdam is a young, dynamic global city, continuously renewing itself at a rapid rate. Sparkling skyscrapers, an impressive port, trendy restaurants and food markets, renowned museums and awesome festivals are the direct result of the can-do mentality of the Rotterdammers.
Full of energy and innovation, Rotterdam reinvented itself after the bombing of the Second World War. It broke with the past and chose modern architecture. The motto: light, air and space, was ground breaking for that time.
For a first participation in this competition, this cosmopolitan and modern city has attracted a very large number of travellers who place it in their top 15 favourite destinations in Europe.
10. SOZOPOL BULGARIA
Bulgaria is an increasingly popular country for travellers all over the world. Between cities and nature, tradition and modernity, mountains and sea, it offers a great diversity of landscapes and tourist opportunities. The city of Sozopol has harvested on social networks the highest number of positive comments from foreign travellers, amazed by the beauty of this seaside resort.
Sozopol is also the oldest town in Bulgaria. It has been established in 610 BC as a Hellenic colony of Miletus Greeks named Apollonia Pontica. The urban structure has been built during the centuries and reveals the stages of development of the human civilization, bears the marks of inherited cultural layers and continuity and turns Sozopol into a real museum town.
Edited from europeanbestdestinations.com
Porto has all the charm of towns which happily cohabit with their river. You can stroll along the River Douro (river of gold) in Cais da Ribeira, fly over it by helicopter or discover Porto's architecture, its amazing landscapes and magnificent bridges by taking a cruise on this majestic river. Porto is also a sea city and in the briefest of time a tram will bring you to Foz do Douro’s gentle beaches face to face with the Atlantic.
Enter the sumptuously cool Palacio da Bolsa, and walk through history with Portuguese adventurers, follow the country’s trade routes and be stunned by the treasures which they brought back. Remarkable buildings such as the Sé Catédral and its terraces offer superb viewpoints over a bustle of markets, grocery stores, bars, restaurants…
2. SAN SEBASTIAN SPAIN
With a very important cultural identity, breathtaking scenery, world-renowned gastronomy and an important business tourism, San Sebastian is one of the most trendy destinations of 2017.
Any excuse to visit San Sebastian is good. Besides the unequaled beauty of La Concha Bay, (a shell shaped bay) which the royal family fell in love with at the start of the last century and continues to captivate anyone who comes to see it, the city is the place to come to for innovative cuisine that has made it famous across the world, a wide range of festivals that have made it a genuine cultural phenomenon and an active and healthy lifestyle that is very much in touch with the natural resources on offer. All these reasons have made it a top tourist destination over the last two centuries.
3. ATHENS GREECE
Travellers have always ranked Athens at the top of this European competition. It is a favourite destination for Travellers from all over the world who want to discover Europe. Ever since its participation in this competition, Athens has ranked among the 5 favourite destinations of travellers worldwide.
From the iconic Acropolis, rising above the city, to charming up and coming neighborhoods and contemporary art galleries, the city of Classic Marathon and Olympic Games is a majestically quirky clash of past and present.
One of the world's oldest cities with a recorded history of 3,500 years, the Greek capital is constantly undergoing urban renewals to keep up with the evolution of time. Athens lives up to all the hype!
4. GDANSK POLAND
There is no other place like Gdansk. Other cities can just resemble Gdansk. Its unique location and over a thousand years’ history shape Gdansk’s expressive and distinctive character and give it strong and implicit recognition among European cities. Nonetheless, the city holds an abundance of mysteries; it has got its own spirit which makes it impossible to mistake Gdansk for any other place.
5. VIENNA AUSTRIA
Vienna is undoubtedly one of the favourite destinations of European travellers. Ever since the beginning of this competition, Vienna has beeen in the top ten. The City enjoys a great reputation internationally; it is the second most popular destination for travellers from Germany, the third best destination for voters from the US and the third most favoured European destination by voters from Japan.
Vienna's Ringstrasse is the most beautiful boulevard in the world. Nowhere else can you find such a dense concentration of so many representative buildings, palaces and parks.
All of these splendid buildings still have their full radiance today. An elegant promenade for the wealthy and beautiful has become a modern boulevard for everyone. And the section of the Ring along the Danube Canal has become a hotspot: an urban bar scene and modern architecture attract a primarily young audience.
6. STARI GRAD CROATIA
This beautiful destination on the island of Hvar in Croatia seduces every year more and more travellers from all over the world. The Austrians place it in 4th position of their favourite destinations in Europe, just behind Athens and ahead of Porto.
This year, Stari Grad on the island of Hvar marks an exceptional anniversary – 2,400 years of the city foundation and of the equally long tradition of urban living on the sunniest island in the Adriatic.
The heritage preserved since the Age of Antiquity has been recognized by the UNESCO which in 2008 inscribed the Stari Grad Plain on the World Heritage List due to its preserved Greek land division and the continuity of life and agriculture in this place.
7. BONIFACIO FRANCE
Bonifacio is a destination that appeals to travellers from all over the world. With its houses perched on cliffs and its well preserved natural habitat, it is one of the preferred destinations of European travellers and travellers from outside Europe.
Situated in the middle of the International Marine Park, the port of Bonifacio is set in the heart of a channel, a thousand nautical miles long. It offers total protection in all weathers and winds. But above all, a stop-over to satisfy sailors with top-level sea food gastronomy, numerable bars and terraces with the possibility of all types of provisioning only a few meters from the pontoons.
Bonifacio is rich with rare and protected species. The Cory’s Shearwater seabird is part of family of the Albatross, the African Fish Eagle planes over Sperone and wild orchids, found nowhere else in France, cover the country-side. And marine mammals of all kinds (the common dolphin and the White-Blue Dolphin) are omnipresent all year long.
8. WILD TAIGA FINLAND
For the first time, a sustainable tourism destination was selected in this competition. Wild Taiga, a destination of the European network "EDEN" proudly represents the colors of sustainable tourism ahead of major European capitals. It is extremely popular with Asian travellers, ranks 5th among the favourite destinations of Korean travellers and ranks number one destination with Chinese travellers.
Wild Taiga, located on Finland’s eastern border, is a perfect example of rich tradition and strong culture. Evergreen forests, aapa bogs, clean water and rich wildlife form the second important part of Kuhmo and Suomussalmi. On guided excursions you can watch and photograph the wild animals of the forest, in particular large beasts – bears, wolves and wolverines – that are either rare or extinct in other parts of Europe.
9. ROTTERDAM NETHERLANDS
Rotterdam is a young, dynamic global city, continuously renewing itself at a rapid rate. Sparkling skyscrapers, an impressive port, trendy restaurants and food markets, renowned museums and awesome festivals are the direct result of the can-do mentality of the Rotterdammers.
Full of energy and innovation, Rotterdam reinvented itself after the bombing of the Second World War. It broke with the past and chose modern architecture. The motto: light, air and space, was ground breaking for that time.
For a first participation in this competition, this cosmopolitan and modern city has attracted a very large number of travellers who place it in their top 15 favourite destinations in Europe.
10. SOZOPOL BULGARIA
Bulgaria is an increasingly popular country for travellers all over the world. Between cities and nature, tradition and modernity, mountains and sea, it offers a great diversity of landscapes and tourist opportunities. The city of Sozopol has harvested on social networks the highest number of positive comments from foreign travellers, amazed by the beauty of this seaside resort.
Sozopol is also the oldest town in Bulgaria. It has been established in 610 BC as a Hellenic colony of Miletus Greeks named Apollonia Pontica. The urban structure has been built during the centuries and reveals the stages of development of the human civilization, bears the marks of inherited cultural layers and continuity and turns Sozopol into a real museum town.
Edited from europeanbestdestinations.com
