Things to Do in Europe

Possibly one of the prettiest towns in Portugal, medieval Óbidos has existed for centuries tucked inside its fortified walls; a gleaming white-washed spider’s web of alleyways lined with squat houses, all adorned with flower-smothered balconies, vivid blue azulejo tiles and Gothic doorways.

Known as the ‘Wedding Present Town’ due to the tradition of Portuguese kings giving Óbidos to their wives as part of their dowry, the town has benefited from its royal patronage down the centuries. At its heart lies the cobbled main square of Praça de Santa Maria, home to the old town pillory, a majestic fountain and a tiny museum in the town hall. The cluster of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches around Santa Maria square were all founded by various monarchs, as was the Amoreira Aqueduct outside the town walls.

This charming melee of architectural styles is best seen from the vantage point of the vast defense walls encircling Óbidos. Above all this stands the austere, crenelated façade of the 12th-century castle; although it is now a pousada (state-owned hotel), the terraces and gardens are still open to the public for panoramic views across the town and surrounding hills.

Óbidos is packed with wine shops selling the potent local ginjinha liqueur, terraced restaurants serving the traditional fish stew caldeirada and tiny souvenir stores selling cheery ceramics, and makes a wonderful destination for an afternoon’s exploration. Often packed by day – especially in summer – by night most visitors have left; an overnight stay in the castle pousada sees the town revert to its tranquil, romantic best.

Two blocks in from the Danube promenade at the north end of the busy shopping precinct Váci Street in central Pest, elegant pedestrianized Vörösmarty Square is named after Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty; his massive marble statue stands in the center of the square. The deliciously old-fashioned Gerbeaud Café has graced the square since 1870 and it still serves the best ice creams in Budapest. Two other sides of the square have recently been redeveloped into luxury apartments and shopping malls; the modernist architecture contrasts cleverly with the old-world charm of Gerbeaud.

Budapest’s annual Christmas Market is held in Vörösmarty Square from mid-November until the end of December, when it brims over with wooden stalls selling handcrafted jewelry and cheery ceramics and the air fills with the scent of strudel and forralt bor (mulled wine). A book festival fills the square in July and in the summer buskers pour in to entertain the tourists. The square is an easy walk to major Budapest attractions such as the Chain Bridge and St Stephen’s Basilica.

Römerberg (or Roman Mountain) is the historic heart of Frankfurt and often the first stop for tourists. The Town Hall, or Römer, is located on the west side of the square and consists of 3 pink colored buildings with gables built in Gothic style. Römerberg was ravaged by bombings during World War II and was later rebuilt to reflect its original Gothic style.

Römerberg is a beautiful square situated in Frankfurt's Old Town. It is flanked with half-timbered houses, a church, and the Town Hall. Since the 12th century, this square has played an integral role in trade fairs. Travelers came from Italy and France to attend trade fairs in Römerberg. In addition, it was the site major celebrations and festivities, such as the coronation of Holy Roman Emperors, held in the Town Hall.

The Oresund Bridge stretches 16 kilometers between Denmark and Sweden, providing a connection between Scandinavia and the European continent. It is considered a marvel of engineering and is the longest combined road and rail bridge in Europe. The bridge itself is eight kilometers long and connects to the manmade Peberholm Island and then to the Drogden Tunnel that leads to Denmark’s Amager Island. Opened in the year 2000, the bridge allows visitors to cross the Oresund Straight by car in just 10 minutes, with cars passing on the upper level of the bridge and rail tracks running on the lower level.

Part antiquities collection, part archeological dig, the Roman-Germanic museum (or Römisch-Germanische Museum) sits atop the last vestiges of the Roman town villa. In the museum's basement is a well-known Dionysus mosaic, undisturbed from its original installation.

Remnants of Roman architecture, inscriptions, portraits of Caesar Augustus and his ceramics and more piece together the story of Cologne's development from a Germanic tribal settlement (the Ubii), to the Roman Cologne, to the capital of the Lower Germania.

Other highlights of the museum are the 15 meters (50 foot) high sarcophagus of Poblicius, a legionnaire from the first century AD. Like the mosaic and the Roman road outside, this funereal monument was uncovered during excavations in the city. The collection also contains the largest collection of Roman glass, more mosaics and ceramics, as well as the stone, clay and bronze idols specific to various Roman cults.

Tours are available, but the museum is fairly easy to negotiate by oneself. Given the wealth of archeological finds in the surrounding area, the Roman-Germanic Museum is one of the most important museums in the world, and is one of the most popular museums in all of Germany.