Ljubljana, Slovenia

Ljubljana is Slovenia’s capital and largest city.
It’s known for its university population and green spaces, including expansive Tivoli Park. The curving Ljubljanica River, lined in outdoor cafes, divides the city’s old town from its commercial hub. Ljubljana has many museums, including the National Museum of Slovenia, displaying historic exhibitions, and the Museum of Modern Art, home to 20th-century Slovene paintings and sculptures.

Maribor, Slovenia

Maribor is a Slovenian city set amid wine-region hills on the Drava River.
On „Glavni Trg“, the old town’s main square, the Renaissance-style Town Hall (Mariborski rotovž) dates from 1515. On nearby Grajski Trg square, 15th-century Maribor Castle houses a frescoed Knights’ Hall and the Regional Museum of Maribor, with extensive displays of local artifacts. To the southwest, Mariborsko Pohorje is a prominent ski resort.

Piran & Portoroz, Slovenia

Portorož is a resort town on Slovenia’s Adriatic coast.
Its spas offer therapeutic treatments based on the mud and brine from the nearby Sečovlje Salina salt pans. The central Portorož Beach is a wide, sandy stretch with wooden piers. The hilltop Church of St. Bernardin is a former monastery from the 15th century. To the south, Seča Park is home to Forma Viva, an area dotted with stone sculptures.

Koper, Slovenia

Koper is a port city in Slovenia, on the country’s Adriatic coastline.
Its medieval old town centers around Titov Trg, a square with Venetian-influenced landmarks such as the Praetorian Palace and a Gothic-style loggia, while nearby Da Ponte Fountain is a replica of Venice’s famed Rialto Bridge. Rebuilt many times, the circa-12th-century Cathedral of the Assumption features a tall campanile with sweeping bay views.

Zagreb, Croatia

Zagreb, Croatia’s northwestern capital, is distinguished by its 18th- and 19th-century Austro-Hungarian architecture.
At its center, Upper Town is the site of the Gothic, twin-spired Zagreb Cathedral and 13th-century St. Mark’s Church, with a colorfully tiled roof. Nearby is pedestrian-friendly Tkalčićeva Street, lined with outdoor cafes. Lower Town has the main square, Ban Jelačić, plus shops, museums and parks.

Vienna, Austria

Vienna, Austria’s capital, lies in the country’s east on the Danube River.
Its artistic and intellectual legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence. In the MuseumsQuartier district, historic and contemporary buildings display works by Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt and other artists.

Munich, Germany

Munich, Bavaria’s capital, is home to centuries-old buildings and numerous museums.
The city is known for its annual Oktoberfest celebration and its beer halls, including the famed Hofbräuhaus, founded in 1589. In the Altstadt (Old Town), central Marienplatz square contains landmarks such as Neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (town hall), with a popular glockenspiel show that chimes and reenacts stories from the 16th century.

Venice, Italy

Venice, the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region, is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea.
It has no roads, just canals – including the Grand Canal thoroughfare – lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. The central square, Piazza San Marco, contains St. Mark’s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics, and the Campanile bell tower offering views of the city’s red roofs.