Top 10 European getaways in the Americas

6. San Juan
Just a short flight from most East Coast cities, the capital of Puerto Rico will have you reveling in activities, culture, and sights that recall The Continent — without ever having to leave America. Indeed, the oldest city in the United States delivers a winning combination of European culture with Caribbean charm, most notaby in the historic district of Old San Juan. Here, colorful buildings reminiscent of Austrian Hundertwasser join cobblestoned streets evoking steep Italian walkways and the magnificent Castillo de San Felipe del Morro fort that would be right at home on the Iberian Coast. With al fresco cafés and restaurants doling out international gourmet creations, you might even overlook the spicy local fare, while the nightlife is comparative to that of Spain’s, marked by late-night parties and trendy crowds at the casinos, bars, and nightclubs.

7.  San Miguel de Allende
Mexico’s mountainside colonial hamlet brims with old-world European charm, from its architecture, artistic culture, and joie de vivre mentality. In fact, New York Magazine described it as “the closet thing Mexico has to Florence” — and while this European reference relates more to San Miguel’s prestigious artist colony, the striking cityscape is undeniably Spanish. It was, after all, founded by Franciscan friar, Juan de San Miguel, and settled by Spanish conquistadors. While strolling through the colorful cobbled streets past fountains and plazas, keep an eye out for the gothic spires of La Parroquia, the neoclassical towers of La Iglesia de San Francisco, and the domes and baroque façade of El Oratorio de San Felipe Neri.

8. Santiago
The capital of Chile may be Latin, but Santiago feels deeply European all the same, both in its historic appeal and in its contemporary flair. Hints of the city's 16th-century Spanish roots remain in mission-style buildings like the Palacio la Moneda where arched doorways and a lemon-tree-filled courtyard channel another world, and in the old European grandeur of churches like Santo Domingo. At the same time, shiny skyscrapers and a clean, efficient metro system reveal the city's rapid economic growth, putting it on par with modern Europe. The opening of the glossy Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda in 2006 marked the beginning of a newfound pride in the city’s heritage — a pride that has continued to evolve through Santiago’s burgeoning culinary, shopping, and nightlife scenes.

9. St. George 
At a mere two-and-a-half hours by plane from the East Coast, Bermuda is a quick-and-easy way to get a solid dollop of British culture (with some very unBritish beach time) without having to cross the pond to get it. Head to Bermuda's original capital (for over 200 years), St. George, a UNESCO World Heritage Site marked by historic buildings and monuments, black cast-iron gas lamps, miniature gardens, and narrow, winding alleys.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images The cupola of San Juan Cemetary as well as colorful homes sit next to the ocean in Old San Juan, the original capital city of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The oldest city in the U.S. delivers a winning combination of European culture with Caribbean charm, most notaby in the historic district of Old San Juan.

The main square, King's Square, fronts the harbor, with classic colonial structures including the stately town hall and the circa-1700 Globe Hotel, and of course, an English-style pub (the colorful White Horse Tavern). When not seeking out history and heritage, visitors can simply bask in the lush British vibe and tee-off at pink-sand-fronted beach resorts in peace and quiet — there are few sounds to distract other than the thwack of a cricket bat or the clink of tea cups in the distance. Keep in mind, though, that the high cost of things on this British-flavored island means little in the way of savings compared to a visit to Great Britain itself, except when it comes to your airfare.

10. Willemstad
A Netherlands transplant in the Caribbean, Willemstad, the capital city of Curaçao, is not your typical harbor town. The only Caribbean city besides Havana to be ranked a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Willemstad is more of a mini-Amsterdam, loaded with pretty 17th- and 18th-century Dutch colonial buildings along its waterfront streets. Plazas turned into outdoor markets, gabled rooflines, gingerbread buildings, and beautifully restored mansions dating back to the 1700s are some of the hallmark Dutch influences. You’re likely to hear a variety of languages spoken as well, since some 55 ethnicities call the island home, and almost 40 percent of visitors hail from Europe. The cultural hub is also renowned for hosting the Mikvé Israel-Emmanuel Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the Western hemisphere (consecrated in 1732), and the Kura Hulanda Museum, which documents the rarely discussed slave trade in the region.

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