Top 10 European ports

By Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor

Cruise Critic's new European "Hot List" offers our own, opinionated take of the best of the best of Europe's 10 most fabulous ports.

1. Rome
Best Small Pleasure: Eating and drinking at one of the city's famous piazzas, like Piazza Navona or Campo dei Fiori; particularly delicious are the pastas (particularly pasta carbonara), pizzas and gelatos. Wash 'em down with a glass of the house wine -- white or red the Italian wines always tasted delicious.

Biggest Surprise: Stumbling across some of Rome's most famous monuments -- by accident; meandering along winding, narrow, streets when, suddenly, there's the Pantheon! Or the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps!...the neighborhood of Trastevere, with its funky boutiques and numerous sidewalk cafes.

Touristy But Fabulous: A pilgrimage to St. Peter's Basilica and  Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.

2. Barcelona
Best Small Pleasure: A plate of tapas...strolling along the beach in the fishing village of Barceloneta...an afternoon siesta.

Biggest Surprise: That Barcelona's most famous cathedral -- La Sagrada Familia, designed by native son Antoni Gaudi -- is still unfinished more than 75 years after his death; it's still well-worth visiting. Most fascinating was wandering around a cathedral-in-progress (as construction workers ply their trade around you) and also climbing the 365-winding, turret-esque stairs of the bell towers for a marvelous view.

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Touristy But Fabulous: Wandering along Las Ramblas, Barcelona's famed pedestrian boulevard and sipping wine at one of its numerous cafes; make sure to also visit Las Ramblas' Boqueria, Barcelona's fabulous food market...Museu Picasso, not just for its collection of the artist's work but also the 15th century palace that houses them.

3. Venice
Best Small Pleasure: Tucking into a cheap -- but delicious -- plate of pasta with a local wine at one of the city's numerous trattorias (tip: generally the further away from San Marco Square, the less touristy they are).

Biggest Surprise: Riding the vaporreto -- a water version of a city bus -- around the city...exploring the nearby island of Guidecca (where the "real" locals live).

Touristy But Fabulous: San Marco Square is...awesome! During the height-of-summer, try to visit early, before it gets too crowded (and wear a hat in case one of the ubiquitous pigeons, well, you know)...riding in a gondola, at sunset, with a tenor belting out Italian opera.

4. Paris
Best Small Pleasure: Watching the world go by from a vantage point at one of Paris' innumerable sidewalk cafes.

Biggest Surprise: As big as Paris can seem, it's really just a collection of neighborhoods; with limited time to explore, pick a neighborhood and poke around its nooks, crannies, cathedrals, shops, parks, and museums...taking a Turkish bath at the Mammam in  La Grande Mosquee, then finish off with a mint tea in the Moorish cafe next door.

Touristy But Fabulous: Riding to the top of Eiffel Tower, Napoleon's self-homage...the Grand Louvre for a glimpse at the Mona Lisa (and everything else in the world's biggest art museum)...haute chic shopping on the Avenue Montaigne (Chanel, Dior, Ungaro), Faubourg St-Honore (Gucci, Chloe, Hermes), and the Left Bank (Giorgio Armani, Yves St-Laurent and Louis Vuitton).

5. Brugge
Best Small Pleasure: Supping at a sidewalk cafe on Belgium's classic moules' frites, washed down with a local beer.

Biggest Surprise: The canals! You can take a boat ride that winds in and out of some fairly off-the-beaten-track (and quite beautiful) parts of Brugge.
Touristy But Fabulous: Hanging out in any of the town's numerous squares -- people-watching, eating and drinking, and shopping.

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