I've spent the last 11 months living and working near Zürich as part of my degree program. Lots of vacation time and weekend travels, so I've seen a fair portion of this continent. A couple of my favorites:
-Edinburgh. The castle dominates the city and it really feels like you've traveled back in time. Quite small so walking around is easy and quite enjoyable. Plus, there is plenty of opportunity for daytrips up in the the highlands. There is something to be said about a drive through Glen Coe with the 007 theme music in the background.
-The Greek Islands. Santorini will be a mess of tourist in the summer (we were there slightly off-season in early October) but a walk from Oia along the caldera at sunset will be worth it.
-Budapest (as you've read) is quite incredible and deserves your attention.
-Dubrovnik's old town is really a spectacle. We rented kayaks and paddled around the outside of the walls, which really provides a unique perspective.
-Munich, Vienna, and Prague are all very nice visits, and probably the cities I'd be most likely to want to live in. The underground medieval-style pubs in Prague were great, the beer is divine.
-Bruges, Belgium. Speaking of delicious beer, Belgiums high-percentage trappist beers will change your life. The city of Bruges was lovely in the winter and would be a nice change of pace.
-As for Switzerland, Bern is my favorite city, but the true value of the country is in the landscape. I would recommend all of the hiking trails. Mountain huts give you the ability to do multi-day hikes if desired.
Have fun!
And fyi, my order of best beer by country would be:
1. Belgium
2. Czech Republic
3. Germany
4. UK/Ireland
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