My top 5 European countries to visit
After being inspired from seeing other peoples holidays lately and their favourite countries to visit, I thought it might be nice to share with you my top 5 European countries that I have on my list to visit over the next few years, from a bloggers perspective. As you know, I am extremely sea sick and I have a fear/health issue with flying, so it limits my options for travel quite a lot, however I know from travelling to France and Italy via train before a couple of years ago that most places are easy to get to that way! This is why I’ve listed most places in Europe that I can finally get to via train! Have any of you travelled Europe this way? I’d also love to know some of your favourite European destinations!
Paris, France
I have always wanted to take a few trips to Paris actually, one that was filled with shopping, another that was filled with culture and of course one that was purely dedicated to Disneyland Paris! When I went through Paris for my short stop before Florence, I never got to even leave the train station, so the first place I want to go and one that I’ve mentioned to you numerous times before is Disneyland!
It’s a little expensive though as I want to stay in the Disney Castle hotel and enjoy the holiday to the maximum, so it’s been a little bit tricky trying to save up for it, but it’s definitely the next place I’m going, outside of the UK! I’ve always wanted to see how beautiful it was at Christmas time too, with all the lights and decorations, so hopefully Adam and I can go to Disneyland sometime soon! It would truly be a magical dream come true for me, ever since I was a child. As Paris is so close, I would only need to get the train from my city to London, then from London directly through to Disneyland, so it’s an easy trip!
Geneva, Switzerland
Another country I have always wanted to visit is Switzerland, especially Geneva. I travelled through the French and Swiss alps via train when I went to Florence and that was absolutely incredible! It would have been amazing to stay there and just enjoy the views. Nature and mountains are something that I find incredibly empowering and special, so Switzerland would be a dream come true. Not to mention that the Swiss are responsible for my favourite Lindt chocolate! I’d have to take a spare suitcase just to bring a whole load of chocolate back. Ha ha!
Brussels, Belgium
Belgium is another country I’ve always liked the look of. It’s not one of the popular ones for visiting and holidays among people I know, but I love culture and exploring and I know it would be a lot of fun. It’s a short train ride from London to Brussels, so it’s easy to get to, and it’s not that expensive actually compared to Paris, so we might be visiting Belgium next year! Much like Switzerland, I’m sure I am going to need spare luggage to bring back all the Belgian chocolate too! Yummy! I can’t get enough of it!
Santorini, Greece
Ok, this one is a little far out there as I would have to take a short boat trip from the south of Italy over to Greece and the Santorini island (maybe I can take some anti-sickness medication for this!) but I think it would be worth it. Santorini has always been a place that I’ve wanted to visit since I was little. The pure blue sea and sky with such beautiful weather, not to mention the most gorgeous views from the villas and the lovely Greek people. It’s definitely on my list and hopefully one day I will be able to go there!
Hamburg, Germany
Finally on my list is Germany, specifically Hamburg. I took German in school for 5 years so I can speak the language ok (not fluently) and it’s always been a country that I’ve wanted to visit. There’s so much history there and the Germans are very technologically advanced (that’s meant as a compliment) as well, so I think it would be an amazing trip! It would be great to be able to test out my German speaking and just enjoy everything Hamburg has to offer. You can take the train from Belgium through to Germany, so I am thinking that Brussels and Hamburg might be a holiday that’s done together, since they are so close to each other. Have any of you been to Hamburg?
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What about Spain? A lot of british people come to this mediterranean country in the summer and they are so fascinated with the weather, beaches and the good food that they cook. Personally, I recommend you Barcelona! The city is closer to England and there’s a lot of things to do in the capital of Catalonia!!
On the other hand, if you’re looking for one place with nice beaches and besides you want to find the tranquility, Balearic islands is the best place. Well, whatever the destination you go, enjoy and have fun 🙂
Author
Spain is definitely on my list too, at some point, but not in the top 5 at the moment. I guess I’ve always seen Spain as a high tourist hot spot that everyone goes too and it’s quite busy with night life and I’m not interested in that type of thing. I much prefer quiet sight seeing and calm places, so maybe the Balearic Islands would be good, but it does seem a little far. Definitely something I will look into though 🙂
I read the tittle and thought no way my country Belgium made the list…but it did! I hope you get the chance to come over and hope we don’t dissapoint!
Author
Ha ha, that’s funny you didn’t think it would make the list actually! I do love the look of Belgium so I can’t wait to visit!
Hi Lorna
In the last 40 Years i have been to four of your five Top Destinations. Well chosen, but there is so much more to see….You are right, it is easy to travel Europe without being forced to fly.
In fact, travelling by ship, car, train or especially by bike meens you we will see at lot of things on your way.
Or as we say in German: der Weg ist das Ziel.
So if you plan to cross the channel to Brussel and head afterwards up north to Hamburg you will pass by the most western Town of Aachen – near the belgian Border.
We do have famous hot springs as you in Bath, also used since the roman times.
I will be proud to show you around and show you the hidden beauties of my town.
See you soon in Germany, maybe for a visit to our famous Weihnachtsmarkt ? Timm
Author
Hi Timm! Which of these countries is the one you haven’t been to? I think travelling on land is always best for me due to getting to see more like you said and of course not having to fly, so in a way you get to see so much more! I definitely plan on coming to Germany at some point in the next few years and I can’t wait! Ich leibe Deutschland! Jaaaa! 😀 😀
And of course I would visit the Christmas market, it’s tradition! The German market comes to my city of Bath every year actually!
Such an awesome post, I love when people are captivated by other countries and write about it in such a thoughtful way. I am sorry to hear about your illness in relation to planes.. If I had that I would never have seen any of Europe. As for the Disney.. You know the real ones are in the U.S. 🙂 I have a good friend from Greece + Hamburg and I personally cannot wait to visit. You have some REAL good choices on this list. I’ve never traveled Europe by train but I’d absolutely love to!
XOXO
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Thanks Kelly! So glad you like my post 🙂 Yeah, I know the real Disneyland are in Florida, but unfortunately I can’t get there, so it’s not an option for me at the current moment, as much as I would love it to be. So exciting that you might be going to Greece and Hamburg!
I’m not all that well travelled, really. I’ve only visited three foreign countries in my life so far – though I’ve been to two of those numerous times.
I’ve been to the USA 6 times (the first three times during my childhood and teenage years with my family and the three most recent times travelling entirely by myself to visit American friends I’d met online (isn’t the internet wonderful?). The earlier trips were all to the New England states and the last three were all to Georgia – which is my favourite of the states that I’ve visited. 😀
I’m not sure how many times I’ve been to France – probably about 7 times, I think. Three of those were on family holidays when I was a teenager and the other four were when my parents had moved to live in France and I was visiting them there. I’ve not been to Paris though – just to places on the coast, really. 🙂 I’ve not been since my parents returned to the UK three years ago.
The final country that I’ve visited is the Republic of Ireland. That was a week long study field trip when I was at university so I mostly saw fields – it literally was a field trip seeing as how I was studying agriculture! 😉 We did get half a day of free time to explore Dublin on the last day though so that was nice. 🙂
I’m not feeling any urge to travel right now but if I were to have another holiday in Europe it’d almost certainly be to one of the more northern countries. I don’t do at all well in extreme heat. LOL
Your choices are interesting. I hope you get to see all the places that you want to see. 😀
Author
Thank you Steven 🙂 I hope I can too! Wow, you have been to the US so many times! Wouldn’t it be cool to go to New Orleans though? So much jazz music! I’m part Irish actually and have lots of relatives there, but I can’t get there by train lol! Boooo! But the coast of France though would be wonderful 🙂
Oh, the USA is great to visit. I had a fairly non-touristy experience each time as I was always staying with friends (either my own friends the last few times or my godmother’s family on the childhood trips). So, obviously, those holidays were not too expensive really beyond the flights as there were no hotel costs. 🙂 So being shown around by friends gives a different perspective, I guess.
I’m not sure about New Orleans though. I have to say that I don’t like jazz music – but I’m sure the place has other attractions too such as the food and scenery. 🙂
Oh yeah, getting to Ireland was no fun at all. I’ve mentioned before how awful I am on boats, I think. Well imagine me on the overnight Holyhead to Dublin ferry… I turned my favourite colour, of course! 😉
Author
Oh gosh I can imagine! I know my dad was the most sea sick he had ever been on the boat to Ireland, I know it’s not a very nice ride on that sea so I can’t ever see myself doing it whatsoever! Freaks me out even thinking about it! No more green complexions for me thank you very much, ha ha. I think more so I would like the southern states if hunting wasn’t such a popular sport there, I love country music with a passion and I feel like I fit in well there, minus the hunting 🙂
Oh, I absolutely agree with you on country music! That’s the kind of music I grew up listening to – which made me a bit different to my friends as none of them listened to it. I reckon about half or more of my iTunes collection is country – though my tastes have widened to other genres over the years. 🙂
Hunting certainly didn’t feature in any of my USA trips. lol Not something that my friends are into either, thankfully. 🙂 Yeah, there are people who hunt but it’s not as big a feature as you might imagine, really. I think you’d enjoy Georgia, in particular Savannah where I stayed on my last trip there. The old quarter of the city is simply gorgeous. 🙂
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Maybe I would, I have always wanted to go to Tennessee though! That’s been a place that attracts me, maybe Nashville 🙂 Do you like Alan Jackson? His songs are amazing!
Yeah, I had Alan Jackson’s first couple of albums on cassette when I was a teenager. I’ve not bought any of his more recent stuff so I’m not familiar with that – but certainly I love his early work. 🙂 Him, Randy Travis, Nanci Griffith, Steve Earle and Dwight Yoakam were ones I listened to the most in my teens.
My favourite country singer now is Allison Moorer. I’m always playing her stuff on my mp3 player as I’m walking about.
Author
I’m not familiar with her, but I will check it out! Some of Alan’s new stuff is amazing, like Country Boy and Chattahoochee 😀
I’d recommend her first album, Alabama Song, in particular. Great songs on that such as “Pardon Me” and “Long Black Train” 🙂
Hmm, I’ll have to get caught up on Alan Jackson. 😀
Author
I will look out for them!
These are all amazing places. I’ve been to all but Santorini and honestly I can’t wait to go there. Everytime I see an image of Santorini, i stare at it endlessly, just day dreaming. Great idea to go by train, would definitely see and do more that way. I am inspired.
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You are very lucky to go to all these places! I know what you mean about staring at Santorini though! It’s magical!
Ive been to Greece a little town called Hanioti on Greek Mainland Halkidiki, its a wonderful place. All the places you have chose look amazing, I hope you get to go to them all 🙂 x
Author
Thank you ali! Halkidiki does look lovely too 🙂
I’d love to visit Santorini, looks so beautiful x
Hannah x hannatalks
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It truly does! I will let you know if I ever get to go there!
Would love to travel to Greece! It’s such a wonderful and historical country and definitely high on my bucket list. 😀
Ira / JOURNAL OF STYLE / BLOGLOVIN
Author
Glad you love it too 🙂
I would love to visit Paris one day! Everyone in my family has been except for me, haha! One day I will! My sister has even been lucky enough to go twice!
Away From The Blue Blog
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I hope you get to!
Many of these are on my list, especially Hamburg! I’m trying so hard to learn German so I’m super jealous you took it in school!
Annessa
http://www.seekingsunshine.com
So many of these are on my list especially Hamburg! I’m currently trying to learn German, so I’m super jealous you leaned in school!
Annessa
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Author
It’s definitely a great language to learn!
Lorna what a great list of countries… I’ve got a list too… my first one is Portugal, then Spain, France, Italy and then Switzerland… I can’t wait to travel eventually. I hope you get to see all these countries and more xox ♡
Author
Thank you! I truly hope you get to see all of these beautiful countries too!
Awesome sharing, Lorna! Thank goodness I’m flying off to Eastern Europe soon, else I’ll be so upset seeing all these pix. Hahaha! Happy Sunday, dear! xoxo
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Oh that’s exciting! Can’t wait to see your photos!
Lovely places!
Have a nice evening!
Gil Zetbase
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Thank you!