Dresden

This cultural powerhouse that straddles the join of the European East and West is known widely today as the focus of intense RAF bombing raids during WWII. However, any visitors who wander its Saxon downtown now, weaving their way between the cobbled streets, the opulent domes of the Baroque Frauenkirche and the palatial wings of the Zwinger, play witness to one of the continent’s most ambitious and successful 20th century reconstruction projects. There’s no denying that Dresden is a real artwork of a town. Just look at the neo-classical array adorning the Green Vault Museum, and don’t even start on the treasures within; the emeralds; the malachite; the jewels. Don’t miss the golden effigy of King August either, or the exquisite Baroque Quarter, or indeed that mind-blowing Opera House. Even the backdrop is beautiful, with the rolling fields and verdant forests of the Elbe Valley rising on the horizon. And once you’re done with the history, why not get a taste of this town’s more edgy underbelly? Ask your Dresden tour guide about the quirky cafes of the Altstadt, hit the vegetarian eateries of the boho Neustadt, or time your arrival to make the Dixieland Festival in May—the largest jazz celebration in all of Europe!