Beautiful European Cities to Visit Instead of (or After) Paris

Paris is wonderful, but Europe has many cities with their own kind of beauty. Here are some to put on your list.

Beauty is personal

No city is objectively more beautiful than another, but some offer a mix of architecture, setting and atmosphere that rivals Paris. These are worth considering.

Five to consider

• Prague, Czech Republic: Gothic and baroque lanes, a hilltop castle and the Vltava river. Visit early in the morning to see it calm.
• Porto, Portugal: Tiled churches, a river lined with port lodges and steep, atmospheric streets.
• Ghent, Belgium: Medieval canals and guild houses, with fewer tourists than nearby Bruges.
• Ljubljana, Slovenia: A riverside old town, a castle and a relaxed, café-filled centre.
• Kraków, Poland: A grand market square, Wawel Castle and the lively Kazimierz district.

What they offer

1. Walkable historic centres.
2. Lower prices than Paris in many cases.
3. Great food and drink, from Czech beer to Portuguese pastries.
4. Easy day trips to castles, wine regions or mountains.

How to plan

Two to three days per city is enough for a first visit. Travel between them by train or low-cost flights, and book popular attractions in advance in summer.

Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.