Dublin is the largest and capital city of Ireland. The English name is derived from the Irish name Dubh Linn, meaning “black pool”. It is a primate city with an urban population of over 1 million, containing almost 25% of the country’s population. Dublin is situated near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey, and at the centre of the Dublin Region. Originally founded as a Viking settlement, it evolved into the Kingdom of Dublin and became the island’s primary city following the Norman invasion. The city expanded rapidly from the 17th century, and for a brief period was the second largest city within the British Empire and the fifth largest in Europe. After the Act of Union in 1800, Dublin entered a period of stagnation, but remained the economic centre for most of the island. Following the partition of Ireland in 1922, the new parliament, the Oireachtas, was located in Leinster House. Dublin became the capital of the Irish Free State and later of the Republic of Ireland. read more…
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million (as of December 2009); the entire population of the metropolitan area (urban area and suburbs) is calculated to be nearly 6.5 million. It is the third-most populous municipality in the European Union after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third-most populous in the European Union after Paris and London. The city spans a total of 698 km² (234 sq mi). read more…
Prague is situated on the Vltava River in central Bohemia. Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. The city proper is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million. Prague has been a political, cultural and economic center of Europe and particularly central Europe for the over 1,100 years of its existence. For centuries, during the Gothic and Renaissance eras, Prague was the permanent seat of two Holy Roman Emperors and thus was also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. The city played roles in the Protestant Reformation, the Thirty Years’ War, and in 20th-century history, both during the two World Wars and during the post-war Communist era. read more…
Plzeň (English: Pilsen) is a city in western Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It is the capital of the Plzeň Region and the fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic. It is located about 90 km west of Prague at the confluence of four rivers–the Radbuza, the Mže, the Úhlava, and the Úslava–which form the Berounka River. The city is known worldwide for Pilsener beer. Pilsen was in September 2010 selected by an official jury to be put forward to join the Belgian city of Mons as the European capital of culture in 2015. read more…
Rotterdam is a city and municipality in the Dutch province of South Holland, situated in the west of the Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the country, with a population of 600,000. The greater Rotterdam area is often known as “Rotterdam-Rijnmond”/”Rijnmond region” (Rijnmond literally translates into “Rhine’s mouth”, referring to Rotterdam’s location at the end of the Rhine-delta and its economic position as Europe’s main port), yet other versions can be suggested for greater Rotterdam. Depending on what version is chosen, the area contains between 1.2 and 1.4 million people. When including The Hague, with whom Rotterdam now shares the Rotterdam The Hague Airport and city-lightrail RandstadRail, the enlarged region approaches 2.5 million inhabitants. It forms the southern part of the Randstad, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in Europe, with a population of 6.7 million. read more…
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with 370,000 inhabitants (1.5 in the metropolitan area). read more…
Tallinn
Tallinn was appointed in November 2007 together with the Finnish City of Turku to one of the European Capital’s of Culture 2011. With the motto “Tales from the sea” numerous cultural events and festivals will be held in 2011, including the “Tallinn Maritime Days”, which will bring the city closer to the sea again. About a dozen architectural installations will be built in the city. Since independence, improving air and sea transport links with Western Europe and Estonia’s accession to the European Union have made Tallinn easily accessible to tourists. Estonia has made rapid economic progress since independence and this is reflected in local prices. Although not extortionate, neither are prices as cheap as in other former Eastern Bloc countries. The main attractions are in the two old towns (Lower Town and Toompea – UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites since 1997) which are both easily explored on foot. Eastern districts around Pirita and Kadriorg are also worth visiting and the Estonian Open Air Museum (Eesti Vabaõhumuuseum) in Rocca al Mare, west of the city, preserves aspects of Estonian rural culture and architecture. read more…
Whilst the Luxembourg fortress was a true textbook example of European military architecture, it has changed hands many times over its existence. Italian, Spanish, Belgian, French, Austrian, Dutch and Prussian engineers have been involved in progressively extending the fortifications of this stronghold. Traces of their work remain, and what traces! Since 1994, the fortifications and the old city have been classed as a UNESCO world heritage site. read more…
Nowhere in Portugal visitors will find a more impressive reminder of the great seafaring tradition and the wealth of the former colonial power than in the capital. It seems as if one would breathe history and even untrained eyes can see “Once here was power and money at home!”. Much is well preserved, especially the pride of the residents. Lisbon is one of the quieter, yet vibrant European cities with the typical southern European lifestyle, which could keep much of its originality without missing the connection to the modern era, on the contrary: For a number of years now, an increasingly stronger start-up scene from the IT sector has been established, which also attracts large international corporations (Startup Lisboa). Lisbon owes the nickname “The White City” the picturesque white houses, historic buildings and palaces. read more…
