18 Destinations You Should Visit in Europe

As many of you may recall, I used to live in Germany.  My family and I moved there at the end of 2010 when my dad was stationed there.  Little did I know how big of an adventure that was going to be.  It has been a year since we moved away from Europe, and I was scrolling through my newsfeed when I came across a picture one of my friends' parents had posted of a place in Germany.  Of course, this picture sparked a trip down memory lane, and that is what inspired me to do this post.

Here are my 18* destinations you should visit if you are considering a trip to Europe:

(Most of these photos were taken by Patrick Lopez.  Aka Dad.)

18.   Marostica, Italy.

A life-sized chess board is what really stands out in my memory.  They actually hold a human chess tournament every other year here.  And yes, they actually have real people as the chess pieces.

17.  Pierrefonds, France

Ever seen the BBC show Merlin?  Well, this is the castle they shot it in.  Aside from the coolness factor, this castle truly is impressive.

And yes, this was actually on set.

16.  Regensberg, Germany.

Just thirty minutes south of where we lived is Regensberg, Germany.  It's fantastic downtown, and this amazing cathedral certainly deserve your attention.  (St. Peter's pictured below.)

15.  Verona, Italy

Very reminiscent of Rome, just on a smaller scale.  Its imposing edifices are one of the many attractions that place this in my top 18.

14.  Venice, Italy

This would probably be in everyone's top 18 if they had to pick.  It is amazing to think that the streets you're walking on are only held up by wooden poles that are hundreds of years old.  If you can get past the fact that this is a tourist hub, you will find it quite the adventure.

13.  Wittenberg, Germany

If you know anything about the Reformation, this stop is almost mandatory.  And the fact that there was a medieval festival at the time we rolled through made the experience top-notch.

 

12.  Dachau, Germany

It may not be a favorite place, but this certainly is a place to visit.  The bleakness and sorrow that you feel is a remembrance of unspeakable horrors.  But if you don't know your history, you're bound to repeat it.  This site is a monument of what mankind does when they try to take the place of God.

11.  Nurnberg, Germany

10.   Salzberg, Austria

One thing: Sound of Music.

9.  Rome, Italy

I highly recommend wearing good walking shoes.

8.  Garmisch, Germany.

A small village tucked back in the Alps.  So, basically, just get to the Alps if possible.  Just amazing.  

Photo creds: Mrs. Vass

7.  Bovec, Slovenia

If you're into high adventure activities, this is the place for you.  This little village is located so that it can be a good base camp if you want to explore the Alps...whether that be canyoning, white water-rafting or zip-lining.  You ask for it, they probably have it.

Definitely one of my favorites.

6.  Paris, France

5.  Compiegne, France

About an hour drive north of Paris, many of the Royal family would visit Compiegne.

4.  Geneva, Switzerland

Also a stop you should make if you are even faintly familiar with the Reformation.  

The Reformation wall.

Good morning, Lake Geneva.

3.  Cittadella, Italy. 

One of the many views from the walls of Cittadella.

2.  Scotland

It is one of my favorite places on earth.  From the culture to the history to the food, there is something different about it from the rest of Europe.  I'd recommend going to see Sterling Castle, the William Wallace monument and St. Andrews to name a few.

1.  Lupburg, Germany

I'm very biased in this regard.  But this town was our home for over 3 1/2 years.  The beauty of the Bavarian countryside, whatever the season happened to be, was breath-taking.  The food was good, there were castles and churches on practically every hillside, and the people there were very welcoming.  What more could one ask for?

Lupburg

*(Why 18? One might ask.  Well, someone *coughmecough* is turning 18 very soon.)

Hope you enjoyed!  Please note there are so many other places I would have included in this post, but the self-imposed limit helped keep me from going on and on.