London just isn't what it used to be. It's better! A blend of old and new, pace and buzz alongside peace and tranquility, and an amazingly diverse cultural scene. The sounds of Brit-pop and techno pour out of Victorian pubs; experimental theater is p ...

London just isn't what it used to be. It's better! A blend of old and new, pace and buzz alongside peace and tranquility, and an amazingly diverse cultural scene. The sounds of Brit-pop and techno pour out of Victorian pubs; experimental theater is popping up on stages built for Shakespeare's plays; and Brits are even running the couture houses of Dior and Givenchy. In food, fashion, film, music, the visual arts, and just about everything else, London stands at the cutting edge again, just as it did in the 1960s. But rest assured that traditional London survives.

Paris assaults the senses, demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelled. Gaze impressive monuments and savor its gourmet pastiche of cheese, chocolate, wine and seafood. Paris is a city of vast perspectives and intimate streets, of formal ...

Paris assaults the senses, demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelled. Gaze impressive monuments and savor its gourmet pastiche of cheese, chocolate, wine and seafood. Paris is a city of vast perspectives and intimate streets, of formal espaces verts (green open spaces) and of quiet squares. Paris is relatively small as capitals go, with distances between many of its major sights and museums invariably walkable. Unforgettable walks exhibiting the best of Paris: stroll down the Champs-Elysees for the chic grand boulevard experience and Rue Cler for a more intimate snapshot of Parisian living.

Easygoing, liberal Amsterdam is "different." Its citizens, bubbling along happily in their multiracial melting pot, are not so easily poured into the restrictive molds of trade and industry. More important, you can enjoy Amsterdam, its culture, histo ...

Easygoing, liberal Amsterdam is "different." Its citizens, bubbling along happily in their multiracial melting pot, are not so easily poured into the restrictive molds of trade and industry. More important, you can enjoy Amsterdam, its culture, history, and beauty, without stretching the limits of your credit cards. Few skyscrapers mar the clarity of the sky and the populace mostly walks or bikes from place to place. The historic center recalls Amsterdam's Golden Age as the command post of a vast trading network and colonial empire, when wealthy merchants constructed gabled residences along neatly laid-out canals.