Answers before you go

Mild sunshine in Seville and Lisbon, Christmas markets in Strasbourg and Vienna, thermal baths, Hogmanay and the northern lights.

City and season, how many days, budget, what to book first, a day-by-day plan — plus a free printable checklist.

From the Tuileries to the Bois de Vincennes — what each park is like and who it suits.

Yes, for almost everyone — if you go at the right time of day. What you see, the honest downsides, and the free viewpoints.

Three days, four with Sintra? How long Lisbon really takes, with a realistic day-by-day outline.

Two days, three, a week? How long Prague really needs, and when a day trip is worth it.

Two days or four? How long Florence really needs, and how to fit Siena or Pisa around it.

Capital or port-wine city? An honest comparison — and why many travellers do both by train.

Queues, crowds and the Sistine Chapel: an honest verdict, and how to make the visit worth it.

52 cities compared: recommended stay, the minimum that works, and the day trips worth adding.

One day, three, or more with the islands? Why staying overnight changes everything.

How long you really need in Madrid, how its late rhythm changes your plans, and a realistic outline for each trip length.

How long you really need in Vienna, from the Hofburg to Schönbrunn, with a realistic outline for each trip length.

Two days, four, a week? An honest answer with a realistic outline for each trip length.

Why three days works, four is better — and the two time traps that wreck short visits.

Why London takes longer than you think — and how the free museums change the planning math.

Three days for the sights, four in summer — and why the booking game decides your trip.

The rare honest short answer: two days covers it, three is comfortable. Here’s the plan.

Four to six days, planned by district — and why jet lag belongs in the math.

Yes — but the standard ticket is enough, and the time of day matters more than the tier.

Great for art lovers, skippable for others — and when the Orsay is the smarter pick.

The one Barcelona ticket nobody regrets — which option to book and which slot to pick.

Gaudí and the beach, or art and tapas with room to breathe? An honest comparison.

Storybook beauty versus thermal baths and ruin bars — and the classic way to do both.

The future or the memory? Why the real answer is the bullet train between them.

Grandeur and chaos, or art and calm? A clear-eyed comparison to help you pick — or fit both into one trip.

Compact and romantic, or vast and high-energy? A clear comparison of cost, culture and pace.

A realistic day-by-day plan linking Italy's big three by high-speed train.