5 Places Must You See Before You Die

1 Dubrovnik 

Courtesy of dearharry

Dubrovnik - Croatia 

My own 'Great Wall of China'

Why I usually refer to the ancient city of Dubrovnik as my own 'Great Wall of China' in Europe?

The answer is simple: nowhere did I experience such a feeling as when first catching the first glimp of the tremendous view over the city of Dubrovnik. As you walk down to the city gates this feeling in you grows and grows, to reach it's climax as you climb the magnificent city walls with their view over the Mediterranean... You imagine how the inhabitants of this city must have felt back then: as kings of the world, gods of the Mediterranean...

You see, it's hard to describe. Me and even far greater photographers than me have tried to capture this feeling. Have tried to capture the city and it's history. And I'm sorry to conclude: None have succeeded.

Go There!

2 Amsterdam - The Netherlands 

Amsterdam - The Netherlands 

So much more than Wooden shoes, coffeeshops and the Red Light District!

Amsterdam, world-renowned for its romantic canals and the imposing architecture of the 17th century, a period often called as the "Golden Century". Amsterdam is the sparkling heart of Holland and will definitely get your blood pumping.

Amsterdam is a party town 365 days a year, with a harmonious co-existence of the historical and the modern, in a melting pot of nationalities that have only further contributed to the city's charms.

Amsterdammers are deservedly proud of their city and the gorgeous centre. Whatever it is you are looking for it can be found here, in a laid-back atmosphere that is exclusive to this monumental metropolis.

3. Berlin - Germany 

'All the bullet holes of the world, you can find in Berlin'

The first and second world war, the cold war, the Berlin Wall... Berlin IS Europe's history of the 20th century. You see and feel it everywhere you go.
But what you see and feel too is a reborn cultural capital of Europe. Go there and experience the history, the culture, the people, the parties, the laid back atmosphere... Berlin is more than even the 'Berliners' themselves would expect!

4. Switzerland - See everything! 

(It's a small country)

Where to start on Switzerland... The lakes in summer? The mountains in winter? The Montreux Jazz Festival, the best skiing slopes in the world, beautiful mountain hiking, shopping in Geneva, Partying in Zurich...
So much to see and to do! And everything so fresh and clean! Go there!

Winter: Forget Aspen, go high-society and ski in St. Moritz with the rich and shameless of Europe.

Summer: Pack your backpack in summer and hike, hike, hike and hike through the most beautiful mountain landscapes.
Or: rent a convertible and just drive, drive, drive. From Geneva to Lugano is a great trip: Lakes, cute towns, mountain roads, snowy peaks, hot boulevards...

5. The Plitvice Lakes - Croatia 

If God would have had Photoshop...

Or did he? Visit the Plitvice lakes and waterfalls and experience every color nature has to offer in every glance!

Plitvice National Park in Croatia is considered to be one of the most beautiful natural sights in Europe. Due to its natural beauty and significance, this system of 16 interlinked lakes and a large forest complex around it were set aside as a national park in 1949. In 1979 the park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The sixteen lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 m to 503 m over a distance of some 8 km, aligned in a south-north direction.

The lakes are separated by natural dams of travertine, which is deposited by the action of moss, algae and bacteria. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1 cm per year.

The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colours, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colours change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight.