What people often forget is that Europe is as diverse a continent as Africa or Asia and that "doing Europe" doesn't say much at all. Of course there are the chief cities that one thinks of - great cultural and historic cities with famous monuments and musuems like Rome, Athens and Paris but not everyone wants the same out of a visit. The young and style conscious now head to Berlin - popular because of its annual Love Parade, or to Copenhagen with its arty cafe culture.
Furthermore, the rise of the budget flight in Europe has created a demand for destinations that can nicely fill in a two or three day trip. Of course, while we realise that we can't always see everything we want to , it's nice to think you have seen much of what a place has to offer rather than be disappointed that you missed loads of great things.
If I had to recommend just one European city that can display its charms over just a day or two I would choose Ljubljana, the compact capital of Slovenia. Slovenia was part of the former Yugoslavia and this little republic nestles between the Apls and the Adriatic. To encapsulate its charms I would describe the city as a miniature Prague without the stag parties and with a great deal more modesty.
The centre is compact enough to manage on foot and the countryside probes right into the city in the shape of Tivoli Park - every Sunday citizens of Ljublajan shake off the cobwebs with a brisk climb to the top of the park's Roznik Hill.
The delightful architecture is like a mix of Prague and Vienna, the buildings beautiful shades of pink, gold and burnished browns. Pick of the crop are the traditional houses which line the river; the ground floor of many of these now serve as bars and cafes - the perfect place to watch the world go by in the summer.
The population is fairly young, no doubt influenced by the large numbers of students who study at Ljubljana's university (worth a visit to see the wonderful Art Deco architecture and design of Slovenia's most famous designer Plecnik). Bars and cafes are a mix of cutting edge trendy design and old time style. Ljubljana couldn't be described as cheap but is certainly cheaper than many other European cities. A huge variety of cuisines is on offer but you can always get some traditional Slovene dishes too.
There are only a handful of museums and none are must-sees but the Castle is definitely worth a visit - not least for its tremendous views over the city. However, Ljubljana is the ladi back quiet kind of plae where you don't always need to be doing something - just relax, take it easy, enjoy the views and think about which bar to try next!.
