I'm an American living in Europe. Here are 5 of my favorite cities to visit.

I'll admit, I was initially pulled toward Salzburg, Austria, since I wanted to see the fountain from "The Sound of Music" (and it didn't disappoint).

However, I established the city offers so much more. My hubby and I stumbled upon Mozart's younker home, explored the sprawling Fortress Hohensalzburg that towers complete the city, and had a pretzel and ale at the Stiegl brewery.

I wasn't fairly done alongside my individual "The Sound of Music" tour, though, so we additionally visited the Felsenreitschule Amphitheatre — the rock venue anywhere the von Trapp family sings in the film. It's additionally anywhere the Salzburg Music Festival is hosted all summer.

During my sojourn to Budapest, one of my favorite activities was exploring Margaret Island, a 1.6-mile-long extend of district that has everything from swimming pools to an outdoor theater.

After the sun went down, I loved visiting the Musical Fountain, anywhere I caught a colorful h2o and ray display complete alongside music. It looked akin item direct out of the movie "Fantasia."

I additionally propose heading to several of the museums and memorials to study additional concerning several of the darker chapters in Budapest's history. These experiences were affectional but I learned a lot.

For example, I held rear tears during touring the House of Terror museum, which commemorates victims of Hungary's fascist and communist dictatorships.

Visiting the haunting "Shoes on the Danube Bank" memorial — which honors the Jewish victims who were attempt into the Danube by members of the Arrow Cross Party — was additionally a moving and worthwhile experience.

I affection Florence because, in my opinion, the city feels akin a elephantine open-air museum. You rotate one corner, and you're face-to-face alongside the iconic Duomo. Go a few additional blocks and duck into an unassuming museum and you're greeted by Michelangelo's 17-foot-tall David statue.

Although the art museums in Florence are unmatched, my favorite cognition was grabbing a pistachio cannoli as big as my forearm, crossing the extend to Piazzale Michelangelo, and soaking up the perspective under the heated Italian sun.

Another awesome item concerning Florence? Its proximity to the smaller Italian cities that are likewise value a visit, akin Siena, Pisa, and Vinci.

If I'm going to England, I'm going to create all attempt to hop on a train to Bath. Walking about blocks filled alongside honey-colored limestone buildings really does awareness akin you've been transported into a Jane Austen novel.

Despite being a smaller city, I've never had difficulty finding item to do. Of course, there's the tour of the beautifully preserved 2000-year-old Roman baths.

Then there's my favorite place in town: the Royal Crescent, a row of 30 terraced houses that has been featured in "Bridgerton" and multiple "Persuasion" adaptations. I particularly enjoyed touring the No. 1 Royal Crescent Museum, which is adorned as if a Georgian family motionless lives there.

But honestly, whenever I go to Bath, I don't desire to group my schedule. I desire to amble around, sit in a park, or bask a cup of tea alongside a scone and clotted cream.

I visited Barcelona during my archetypal trip to Spain. At the time, I knew extremely small concerning Spanish history, including decorator Antoni Gaudí. However, I felt akin he was an invisible presenter throughout the city, alongside the buildings he designed peppered all around.

One of his top plant of art, however, is the Sagrada Família — the celebrated basilica that was lately completed following 144 years of construction. Touring its towers was a emphasize of my trip.

But what really stuck alongside me (physically and symbolically) was the cuisine in Barcelona. From the uncomplicated pa amb tomàquet (bread alongside oliva oil and tomatoes) to pan-fried Padrón peppers, I established myself continually on the hunt for my next mini-meal.