Europe in the summer is simply beautiful. The fields are green, the trees are full of leaves and the weather is hot (at least it should be). Having been almost a year since my last vacation to Europe and with a future trip in the planning stages I wanted to write up a European city break wish list. Here are my top five European cities that I’m just dying to visit.

Dubrovnik Croatia Trip

Dubrovnik

Smack bang on the Adriatic coast is one of the ultimate city break destinations in the whole of Europe. Surrounded by medieval walls that enclose the old city and the port, Dubrovnik is simply pictureque. If you add in the awesome nightlife, beautiful churches, relaxed open squares and small windy backstreets you have a recipe for an incredible few days of exploration. If none of that sounds exciting you can always go back to watching TV.

santorini trip

Santorini

Witewashed buildings hang on the edge of a precipitous cliff face. In the distance the blades of the windmill rotate, the wind catching the heavy blue fabric making it flutter while the last of the suns rays reflect off of the churches turquoise roof. Ok, my imagination is probably getting the best of me and Santorini is not really a city. In fact Santorini isn’t even the name of the island (the official name is actually Thira). Regardless of this fact, I’ve always wanted to visit Santorini and I think that 2013 is the year to do it. After coming so close to visiting last year, this is simply one place that I have to go to.

trip to venice

Venice

Located at the top of the Italian peninsula is the city of Gondola’s. Since finishing reading a great book on the history of this once great city state, I have been dying to visit Venice. Quite apart from the novelty of travelling through a city on a gondola, it is sites like the old Doges Palace and the Piazza San Martin that make me want to visit the city.

prague holiday

Prague

Prague is well known as a city that combines great nightlife with beautiful architecture and open parks. The Medieval city centre is probably just as famous as the cities heaving bars, and it is thia mixture of fun and good times with site seeing that makes me want to visit Prague (well, that and the fact that I have never been to Eastern Europe before).

istanbul holiday

Istanbul

Despite the recent problems that are shaking Turkey, I still want to visit the countries capital. Quite apart from its prime location on the banks of the Bhosphorus, part of what interests me about the city is its fascinating history. It was founded by Emperor Constantine as the new capital of the Roman Empire. This last desperate attempt to unite the Eastern and Western halfs of the Roman Empire ultimately failed. Despite the fact that Constantine’s city ultimately failed to unite the Roman Empire, the over the city has continued to grow, evolve and prosper. In many ways however, it continues to be a point where Europe meets the Orient.