NETHERLANDS:

• Amsterdam - Capital city of the Netherlands with impressive architecture, lovely canals ("grachten") that criss-cross the city (a bit like a spiderweb) and great shopping. There is something for every traveler's taste here, whether you prefer culture and history, serious partying, or just the relaxing charm of an old European city.
• Alkmaar - This city, north of Amsterdam in the so-called 'West-Frisian region', preserves the 17th-century pattern of canals and narrow streets, and has many historic buildings. Inland is a historic agricultural landscape, with 17th century polders: one (De Beemster) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Almere - Country's newest and fastest growing city. It is expected to become the fifth largest city in a few years time. Founded in 1981 and built below sea-level on the polderland in the province of Flevoland.
• Assen - Capital of the province of Drenthe
• Arnhem - Capital of the province of Gelderland
• Breda - historic city in south of Netherlands, with beautiful historic buildings but also pretty modern architecture.
• Delft - Historic city between The Hague and Rotterdam. It's a beautiful, unspoiled town with traditional architecture, canals, bikes, and the world famous blue and white ceramics.
• Eindhoven - This city has grown from a little village in 1232 to one of the largest cities in the Netherlands with over 210,000 inhabitants in 2005. Much of its growth is due to Philips and DAF Trucks. In 1891, brothers Gerard and Anton Philips founded a small light bulb factory that would grow into one of the largest electronics firms in the world. Nowadays Eindhoven is a mix of old industrial factories and modern architecture. Its slogan nowadays is 'Leading in Technology' and 'Brainport of the Netherlands'.
• Groningen - Capital of the province of Groningen. One of the older cities in the North of the Netherlands: Groningen was founded around 1100 and has a rich history, which can clearly be told from the old medieval buildings in the downtown area. Groningen won the award of 'best city center' in the category of 'large cities' for 2006.
• Haarlem - Historic city and capital of the province of North-Holland. Haarlem is the center of a flower-growing district and the export point for flower bulbs. The famous Keukenhof gardens is nearby.
• The Hague/'s-Gravenhage (Den Haag) - Seat of the Dutch government, place of residence of the Queen, Juridical Capital of the World due to the seat of the International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court, Peace Palace and some other International Institutions. Also capital of the province of South-Holland and the third largest city of the country. The Hague offers great architecture, some of it picturesque, such as the medieval government complex of the Binnenhof, some grand and stately, like the mansions on Lange Voorhout. The museums in the city rank among the best in the country.
• 's-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch)- Historic city and capital of the province of North-Brabant.
• Leiden - Known for the oldest university in the country, the birthplace of Rembrandt and for it's beautiful, old city center which is the second biggest after Amsterdam and a plethora of pubs.
• Leeuwarden - Capital of the province of Friesland and home of CHN University.
• Lelystad - Capital of the country's newest province: Flevoland, a part of the Noordoostpolder in the IJsselmeer, created on the bottom of the formerly Zuiderzee ('Southern Sea').
• Maastricht - Historic city in the very south of the country and capital of the province of Limburg. Great shopping areas and many pubs in the city centre. Said to be one of the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands. Maastricht, however, is quite different in style and architecture than traditional Dutch cities. Most 'Burgundic' city, founded by the Romains and second eldest city of the country. Nowadays it hosts a large amount of European and international institutions.
• Middelburg - Capital of the province of Zeeland
• Nijmegen - Oldest city of the Netherlands (dates back to Roman times; said to be founded in the year 6 after Christ), known internationally for its '4 Day Marches' (120-200 km's) including '7day Summer-festivities', its often left-wing politics, and its large student population.
• Rotterdam - The city was known for having the world's largest harbor, but lost the title in 2004 to Shanghai. Still it is the country's second largest city. It may feel difficult to get in touch with the heart of Rotterdam; its natural center was bombed away during WW2 in 1940, forcing the city to renew itself completely. The result is a lot of modern architecture.
• Utrecht - Capital of the province of Utrecht. Utrecht is a central Dutch city with a long history. With 290,000 inhabitants it's the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. The history of the city goes back to 47 AD when the Roman emperor Claudius ordered his general Corbulo to build a defense line along the river Rhine which was the northern most border of the empire.
• Zutphen - Ancient medieval city in the central-eastern part of the country, very well preserved center. The city was voted as having the best city center of The Netherlands in the category of small cities in 2006. Together with some other cities it formed in the past the union of 'Hanzesteden' (Hanze-cities).
• Zwolle - Capital of the province of Overijssel. 

UNITED KINGDOM:

• Stonehenge - an ancient stone circle located near the cathedral city of Salisbury in Wiltshire.
• The Georgian architecture and Roman baths in Bath.
• York Minster (Cathedral) in the historic city of York.
• Canterbury Cathedral - the seat of the head of the church of England. Located in the city of Canterbury in Kent
• Shakespeare's Birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon, home of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
• The ancient and world-renowned universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
• The Eden Project near St Austell, a massive botanical gardens including indoor rainforest and mediterranean biodomes.
• The Giant's Causeway sixty miles from Belfast on the north coast of Northern Ireland is a World Heritage site and a natural wonder.
• Portsmouth Historic Dockyard home to three of the most important ships ever built and 800 years of naval history.
• The United Kingdom has an array of National Parks and designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty that serve to preserve the country's natural heritage. There are 14 National Parks in total spread across England, Scotland and Wales (9 in England, 2 in Scotland and 3 in Wales) and 49 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (35 in England, 4 in Wales, 9 in Northern Ireland and 1 in both England and Wales). There are no Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Scotland, but there are the equivalent National Scenic Areas, of which there are 35 spread across the country.
• Many cities and towns in the United Kingdom are of interest to travellers outside the capital city of London. Following is an alphabetical selection of nine - others are listed under their specific regions:
  • Belfast - capital of Northern Ireland
  • Birmingham - central England's main city, features great shopping, and is home of the famous Balti
  • Bristol - an historical city famed for its Georgian architecture and nautical heritage.
  • Cardiff - capital of Wales, host to varied cultural events and many other modern and historical attractions.
  • Edinburgh - capital of Scotland, home to the largest arts festival in the world and numerous tourist attractions as well as being the second most visited city in the UK
  • Glasgow - Scotland's largest city, new cultural hotspot, former European City of Culture
  • Liverpool - European Capital of Culture 2008 - famed for its music, sport and nightlife
  • Manchester - Thriving bohemian music scene, home to the world's only new work arts festival and dozens of tourist attractions as well as being the third most visited city in the UK
  • Newcastle upon Tyne - largest city in the north east of England with a busy nightlife, a rejuvenated cultural scene and Hadrian's Wall.

IRELAND:

• Cork (Corcaigh) - second largest city in the Republic of Ireland - located on the banks of the River Lee. Founded c.600 by St. Finbarre and known for good food, pubs, shopping and festivals.
• Dublin (Baile Átha Cliath) - the capital and the country's largest city. With excellent pubs, fine architecture and good shopping, Dublin is a very popular tourist destination and is the fourth most visited European capital.
• Galway (Gaillimh) - a city on the river Corrib on the west coast of Ireland. Famous for its festivals and its location on Galway Bay. Known as the City of Tribes, Galway's summer is filled with festivals of music, food, gaelic language and culture. Galway hosts over fifty festivals a year, including the Galway Oyster Festival. The locals seem to give off a positive Bohemian vibe. Galway is split between two types of beautiful landscape: the gorgeous mountains to the west, and the east's farming valleys.
• Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh) - attractive medieval town, known as the Marble City - home to the Cat Laughs Comedy Festival, held annually in early June.
• Letterkenny - Main town in County Donegal, designated gateway status and reputed to be the fastest growing town in Europe. Good base for traveling in Donegal.
• Limerick (Luimneach) - a city on the river Shannon in the south-west of the country. Centre of Irish rugby.
• Sligo (Town and County)- Home to W.B. Yeats, internationally renowned poet. Mountains and beaches, scenery in general are the best points of Sligo.
• Waterford (Port Láirge) - Ireland's oldest city. In the south-east and close to the ferry port at Rosslare. Waterford is a popular visit for those who want to learn more about the most ancient history of Ireland. It is quite possibly one of the best cities in the country as it is not too large and is full of history. Many festivals take place throughout the year including ((Spraoi)). The food is good and the Granary Museum is the best for ancient Irish history in the country. Don't forget to try a blaa before you leave. (A floury bread bun peculiar to this area of Ireland).
• Wexford - Town and county in the "Sunny South-East"
• The Aran Islands (Na hOileáin Árann), Co. Galway - located in Galway Bay
• The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher, both located in County Clare
• Brú Na Bóinne some of the finest neolithic monuments in the world, situated in Co. Meath
• Connemara (Conamara), in Western County Galway
• West Cork - Mountains, coves, islands and beaches at the very south of the country
• Kinsale in County Cork - Gastronomic excellence in Ireland's oldest town
• The Ring of Kerry and Skellig Michael in County Kerry
• Glendalough fine ruins and hiking trails in Co Wicklow

FRANCE: 
France has numerous cities and towns of interest to travelers. Below is a list of nine of the most notable:

• Paris - the "City of Light", the capital of France.
• Bordeaux - city of wine, capital of South-West
• Bourges - a middle aged city, capital of central France.
• Cannes - host of the annual Cannes Film Festival.
• Lyon - France's second city, with a history from Roman times to the Resistance, restaurants (Beaujolais and delicatessen)
• Marseille - big harbor, heart of Provence
• Nice - a major resort on the French Riviera
• Strasbourg -- a historic city on the Ill Rhine and home to, among other institutions, the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, the European Ombudsman, the European Parliament
• Toulouse -- "La Ville Rose," a very nice and lively city in the south of France
• Annecy - Medieval city situated on the shore of a mountain lake in the French Alps
• Bayeux - this Norman town preserves the famous Tapestry depicting Duke William's conquest of England in 1066 - also the first French town to be liberated after the D-Day landings in 1944
• Carcassonne - perfectly restored walled medieval town
• Chamonix - hometown of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest point
• Grenoble - Capital of the Alps, renowned for its scientific research centers.
• Moissac - the Cloister ( twelfth and fifteenth centuries), Centre of Romanesque Art, wonderful countryside
• Mont Saint Michel - World Heritage preservation of a medieval abbey, situated evocatively on an offshore island off the coast of Normandy
• Oradour-sur-Glanes - the town preserved as a monument by Charles de Gaulle, its inhabitants murdered and the town destroyed by the Gestapo in June 1944.
• Versailles - on the outskirts of Paris, the vast royal palace and magnificent estate of Louis XIV, the Sun King, and his successors
• Avignon - Avignon is one of the major cities of Provence, in Southern France. It is the main city of the département of Vaucluse, and is located on the banks of the Rhône river. Avignon was one of the European Cities of Culture in 2000.
• Vitré - Medieval city with a very rich heritage (castles, churches, etc.) in the East frontier of Brittany.

AUSTRIA:

• HOHENWERFEN CASTLE
  The Hohenwerfen Castle is possibly the most dramatic situated castle that I have ever visited. I sits on a rocky crag in the middle of the deep Salzach Valley flanked by high mountains. In fact when I first saw the castle on a brochure, I was so taken with its setting and beauty that I decided to visit Austria just to see it. The photo here does not do justice to its majestic setting as I took on a rather dreary day (on top of being hungover). The fortress was built in the 11th century by the Archbishop Gebhard von Felsenstein in order to protect Salzburg from it's southern flank from invaders from Bavaria. The castle has been rebuilt several times and what you see today is general from the 16th century. The castle has been used for the most part as a prison for which it developed a severe reputation because of the inhumane conditions here. The castle can only be visited by German speaking tour. If you ask they might give you some English speaking summeries. The tour takes you through several dining halls, state rooms, a fresco chapel and torture chamber complete with a rack. There is a good snack bar here that serves beer and has a patio in the impressive courtyard. Astute observes might recognize the fortress in several films. It can be seen in the background in that insipid film "The Sound of Music" during the "Do-Ra-Mi" song. It was also used as the setting for the film "Where Eagles Dare" with Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. The castle is open at wildly varying times throughout the year but it usually opens at 9am and stays open until 5pm. It cost 8 Euros to visit.
• SALZBURG
  Everyone's favorite Austrian City, Salzburg dates back to 696 when St Rupert established a bishopric (later elevated to an archbishopric) here. Religious power led to temporal power, made more important by local important salt mines. The late 16th centruury saw much of the baroque architectural reconstruction of the city. Salzburg was independent until the Napoleonic wars broughtthe city into the waiting arms of the Habsburgs. The old town is another of Austria's six UNESCO World Heritage sites. A magnificent architectural wonder overlooked by the fortress of the Hohensalzburg. It is the city of Mozart - though he was never embraced by the town during his lifetime - and the Sound of Music. You can spend a lot of money here ... or not.
• GOSAUSEEBLICK
  No climbing here. Just a short detour west from the popular tourist town of Halstatt. Drive west up the road through the Gosau valley to the road end at the Gosausee. From the end of the lake you have a grand view of the Hoher Dachstein (2995 meters/9826 feet) and the crags and combs of the Gosauseekam rising steeply above the lake. Late afternoon with the alpenglow is when the scene is at its most spectacular. Some outstanding hikes take off from the road either into the Gosauseekam or towards the Hoher Dachstein, itself. Boats are available for rental if you are so inclined to row out on the lake.
• INNSBRUCK
  Set along the Inn River between the mighty Karwendelgeberge to the north and the Tuxer Vorberge to the south, Innsbruck has a truly gorgeous setting. The city dates back to 1180 and was a ducal seat for Tyrolia from 1420. Habsburg emperor Maximillan I and empress Maria Theresa played large roles in shaping the city's architecture: Max watched street performers from under the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof); Maria expanded and updated the Hofburg (Imperial Palace) though still only a country home to the lady who owned the Schonbrunn in Vienna. There are several museums that can occupy your time here - Hofkirche, Volkskunst Museum, Tiroler Landesmusem Ferdinandeum, Schloss Ambras, Bergisel - plus the Winter Olympic venues from the Games of 1964 and 1976. There are five main ski areas around Innsbruck - Hungerburg, Igls, Mutters, Tulfes and Axamer Lizum - though much better skiing awaits to the west in the Arlberg resorts (St Anton, Lechs, Zur, Ischgl, etc) and to the east (Kitzbuhl, St Johann, Zell am See, etc). The surrounding mountains offer super hiking and climbing opportunites with many mountain huts to utilize.
• THE SCHLOSS AMBRAS
  The Schloss Ambras is a fine Renaissance castle 2.5 miles south of Innsbruck. At the time of my visit it was the home to the Portrait Gallery of the Museum of Art History that is located in Vienna. To be honest this was not very interesting and can only be recommended for specialists. The rest of the castle is worth seeing however. It has a good collection of medieval armour, medieval sculpture and furniture. The exterior of the castle is rather pretty especially when you view it against the mountain backdrop. The castle was home of the counts of Tyrol and was originally built by Archduke Ferdinand II of Austria in the 16th century overtop of the ruins of a previous fortification. The castle is open daily from 10am to 5pm but the hours are considerably shortened during the winter months, from 2pm to 5pm. Admission is 4.5 Euros. It is closed during November.

GERMANY:
Germany has numerous cities of interest to tourists; these are the top seven travel destinations.

SWITZERLAND:  

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