Although travel is off the agenda at the moment, these 3 European capital cities should definitely be on your bucket list for when we can travel again.

3 European Capital Cities to add to your bucket list.

Head to Rome for an amazing cultural experience 

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Without a doubt, Rome is one of the most popular European capital Cities and the number one destination for soaking up some culture. It may be a cliché, but there’s really no better advice for visitors to the Eternal City than the old quote, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Despite being associated with the Amalfi Coast, la dolce vita originated in Rome, so make sure to take time to relax and appreciate how the trattorias and coffee bars coexist alongside the ancient monuments, and provide the perfect setting for a pause. 

Of course, after more than 2,000 years of existence, Rome has accumulated a vast array of treasures and it would be a challenge to visit everything in a short city break, but here are just a few of the sights you shouldn’t miss.

Visit the Vatican City

An obvious starting point is the Vatican City, where you can explore the Vatican Museums, as well as St Peter’s Basilica, and if you attend an Easter Service, you may well see the Pope. 

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The Trevi Fountain

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Next up, I would recommend a visit to the Trevi Fountain, Nicola Salvi’s awe-inspiring Baroque masterpiece, which features a marble statue of Neptune at the center, surrounded by tritons. If you want to avoid the crowds you will have to be there very early (or very late)! As you can see, I was not early or late and consequently surrounded by crowds! However, if you go round to the side of the fountain, then you should be able to get an uninterrupted view.

Legend has it that anyone who throws a coin in the fountain will return to Rome.

Climb the Spanish Steps

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The Piazza di Spagna should also be on your site-seeing agenda, as you can climb the Spanish steps up to the Villa Medici and the park for stunning views over Rome and then shop (or window shop) in the city’s most elegant boutiques on Via dei Condotti, Rome’s legendary shopping street. 

Wander around the ancient ruins

And, of course, no visit to Rome would be complete without a visit to the Colosseum and the ancient ruins at the Roman Forum, where you can imagine the citizens of Ancient Rome walking the cobblestoned streets, or gladiators fighting lions!

Julia in Rome

Today nearly 4 million people visit annually. It’s best to buy your tickets in advance to avoid the queues, and a combined ticket for the Roman Forum, Colosseum, and Palatine Hill gives you access to all three sites and lets you skip the line at the Colosseum.

Cross the river to Trastevere for a relaxed aperitif and dinner

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Finally, my favorite area for restaurants is Trastevere, which is across the other side of the river from most of the sites.  Trastevere means “across the Tiber”, and once you cross over the river, you will notice the difference. Trastevere is full of cobbled streets, small boutiques selling jewelry and handicrafts, bars and trattorias, perfect for taking advantage of the three P’s (Pizza, Pasta and Prosecco!).

 Visit Prague for a real-life fairytale

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Prague is a must visit destination at this time of year, not least for the colourful Easter markets and decorations that you will find all around the town. 

These beautifully decorated markets are filled with vibrant, coloured stalls, offering handicrafts, food and drink, and the traditional painted eggs, associated with Easter in the Czech Republic. 

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Photo courtesy of ©Prague City Tourism (www.prague.eu)

But Easter aside, Prague is a real-life fairy tale destination, the combination of cobblestone streets, breathtaking architecture and sinister churches and cemeteries make you feel like you’re caught up in a classic fairy tale, such as the Sleeping Beauty, when witches cast spells on Princesses and Princes galloped to the rescue.

Visit the Church of our Lady

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The gothic “Church of our Lady” dominates the Prague skyline, and contributed to Prague’s nickname “The City of a Hundred Spires,” but it’s also rumored that these towers inspired Walt Disney in his design for Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

Don’t miss a visit to Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world

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Make sure to visit Prague castle, the largest ancient castle in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, and now the seat of the President of the Czech Republic. 

A place filled with wonder and beauty and yet also with spooky stories (it is rumoured that the Castle still guards the Bohemian jewels and crowns in a hidden locked room, and that anyone who wears the Bohemian crown is doomed to their death within a year).

Take a stroll across the famous Charles Bridge

Similarly, Charles Bridge has a double-side, and there are several legends associated with this beautiful bridge,  including the fact that its rebuilding was made possible by a pact with the devil! 

After the death of St. John of Nepomuk some of the arches of the bridge collapsed many times and what was built during the day, fell during the night, until an ambitious young architect made a pact with the devil. The devil would help him by fixing the bridge but in exchange he would take the soul of the first human being to cross the bridge. The architect tried to trick the devil by getting a rooster to cross the bridge, but the devil tricked the architect’s wife into making the fateful journey. The wife died soon after in childbirth, along with her child, who was unbaptized. For years, people crossing the bridge could hear a baby crying. One cold, wet day when the baby was crying, it also sneezed, and a passerby reflexively said, “God bless you.” . With that blessing, the baby was released from its torment and was never heard crying again. However, the devil kept the souls of the architect and his wife.  

It is also rumoured that the statues of saints lining the bridge (which are only copies, the originals are kept in Lapidarium and Vysehrad), come alive at night and roam around the city under cover of darkness.

But, a simple walk across the bridge, lined with artists, painters and musicians is also one of the most enjoyable and memorable experiences of visiting Prague.

Finally, don’t miss a visit to Mala Strana (Lesser Town), over the other side of the river. 

Enjoy tapas and treasures in Madrid

With beautiful parks, stunning architecture, lovely weather (mostly), world class museums (including El Prado), lots of culture, tapas and great food, Madrid is one of my favorite European capital cities.

It’s a city where the old and new intertwine, and you can walk from narrow, cobbled lanes in the old district to the main modern shopping street, the Gran Via in a few minutes.

It’s Spain’s largest city and its capital and is one of the top travel destinations in Europe, but what are the key attractions? Here are a few of my favourite things to do on a Madrid City break 

Visit the Royal Palace

El Palacio Real is Madrid’s largest building and the official residence for the Royal family, but these days they only use it for state ceremonies. The rest of the time it’s open to the public. Start by taking a walk around the courtyard and looking at the view across the countryside, and you then have access to the Palace itself where you can choose between a guided tour or a standard ticket, where you can just wander around at your own pace.

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Just next to the Palace, you can relax in the Sabatini Gardens. These gardens  (Jardines de Sabatini) are part of the Royal Palace and were opened to the public by King Juan Carlos I in 1978.

Visit the cathedral that took a hundred years to build! 

While you are in this area, you should definitely visit the Cathedral. (Catedral de la Almudena).

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The cathedral was only completed in 1993 after a hundred years of building work! The first stone was laid in 1883 but the project wasn’t considered finished until 1993 when the cathedral was finally consecrated by Pope John Paul II.

As you can see from the picture, the interior is a stunning combination of modern and traditional architecture and design. 

The cathedral was most recently the site of the wedding of King Felipe VI (who was prince at the time) to Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano on May 22, 2004.

Discover Spain’s only Eygyptian temple, the temple of Debod

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The temple of Debod, an Egyptian temple (from the 2nd century BC), is now in the middle of Madrid, in the Cuartel de la Montaña Park. 

It was donated to Spain by the Egyptian government to save it from floods following the construction of the great Aswan Dam.

The views from its hilltop location are spectacular, and it’s a popular location for watching the sunset.

Admire some masterpieces on the ‘Art Walk’

Head down the Carrera de S. Jerónimo towards the Reina Victoria Theatre and continue down to the Neptune Statue and the “Art Walk”, where you will find the ‘Thyssen-Bornemisza’ museum which contains a unique art collection from the 13th to the late 20th centuries, including works by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Manet, Renoir, Cézanne, Picasso, and Van Gogh.

From here, it’s just a 5 minute walk to Madrid’s most famous museum, El Prado, and I would definitely recommend buying tickets in advance for this, either from El Prado or you can buy ‘Art Walk’ tickets here , with entrance to Museo del Prado + Museo Reina Sofía + Museo Thyssen).

With its vast collection of paintings and sculptures, it is worth spending a little time planning your visit in advance, and the Prado site gives you some suggestions according to the amount of time you have to visit.

Soak up the atmosphere and grab a coffee or a snack in the Plaza Mayor

Another of Madrid’s musts is a visit to the Plaza Mayor, Madrid’s vibrant main square, with a large choice of cafés and bars. Despite it’s tourist location, you can get a good value breakfast for 5 to 6€, and soak up some sunshine and the Spanish atmosphere. (It’s also a good choice for Tapas).

From Plaza Mayor you could head up to the ‘Gran Via’, one of Madrid’s busiest and most famous tourist streets! Take time to walk down and admire the buildings, pop into a few shops and/or cafés, and soak up the atmosphere.

Relax in El Retiro Park

This vast park, located in the heart of Madrid, used to belong to the Spanish monarchy, but it became a public park in the late 19th century. It’s a great place to relax in one of the open-air cafés, listen to music, read, take a boat ride or visit one of the frequent exhibitions. If you’re feeling energetic, its 350 acres should give you plenty of routes for a jog!

It’s best known for its focal point, the giant lake, with the famous monument to King Alfonso XII; and where you can take out a rowing boat or relax in one of the neighbouring cafes.

One of the most iconic buildings in the park is the Crystal Palace, which as its name suggests, is made almost entirely of glass. It hosts periodic art exhibitions and is in a beautiful setting on a small lake. 

It’s also home to various wildlife, including these turtles who seemed to enjoy basking in the sun!

Make time for some tapas! 

There are so many tapas bars in Madrid so clearly in three days I didn’t have time to test them all, despite my best efforts! 

However, I loved the area around San Miguel market and the Plaza Mayor. You can find another post on Madrid here and here.

These amazing, stunning destinations satisfy your wanderlust in every aspect, but at the same time are amazingly affordable. 

To find a budget-friendly place to stay, compare options and prices using cozycozy, where you can choose from all the lodging available on different accommodation search sites.

I hope this has given you some inspiration for planning some trips to European Capital Cities once our lockdown is over, and have a look here for more travel inspiration.

If you would like to read this article in Italian, then please check out this translation by Alessia di Cunto.