The hardest thing about planning a big European vacation is actually narrowing down where to go—there are just so many amazing places. That's why we've put together what we think are the best cities in Europe.

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Amsterdam is the kind of city that you can't help but fall in love with. It's the kind of place where you dream about moving and buying an apartment that overlooks (俯瞰) a peaceful river. It's relaxing and you get a sense that the locals have an amazing quality of free life. We love simply walking around the canals and exploring the city's neighborhoods.

BERLIN, GERMANY

Berlin is said to be “poor but charming” and we think that's a pretty good description. Actually, Berlin is becoming more expensive as its popularity grows, but it's still the top spot for Germany's artistic scene. Berlin isn't particularly pretty but it's an energetic city with cool people and cooler graffiti-covered (涂鸦) neighborhoods.

LISBON, PORTUGAL       

Lisbon is a hot destination and I doubt it will be quickly moving up in the ranks of Europe's most visited cities. Lisbon is a popular coastal city that's famous for its unique buildings and charming café culture. It's also very friendly on the wallet when compared to other Western European cities—food and lodging are both priced reasonably and attractions are about average.

FLORENCE, ITALY

Florence may be touristy but that’s no reason to ignore this birthplace of the Renaissance (文艺复兴). If you do your research, you can find plenty of excellent Italian restaurants and world-class ice cream. And, of course, the city is beautiful and home to top museums so it's a dream for art and history lovers.

In many countries of the world people do what is called house sitting. It means that if owners of the house are going away, they want someone to come into their home and look after the house and maybe pets while they are away.

In Australia, many people travel. After people retire, they might buy a van and travel all over the country. 【小题1】

So if someone wants to travel or go away for some reason, they might want someone in their home to care for it and keep the gardens tidy. House sitters might have to care for pets. Also, quite a few people have swimming pools in their back yard and they need cleaning.【小题2】 I feel it is a great way of seeing the country, because you go and stay in a new city, get to meet new people, and have time to go sightseeing in a new area.

【小题3】 There are websites where you find the advertisements by people who want to travel, and by replying to the advertisement, you can make arrangements to go and look after their home.

There are some requirements to be a house sitter. You must be a trusted person, so that the home owner knows you will not steal anything. You must be able to go when the house owner wants you to go, so you need lots of free time.【小题4】 You need to be good with pets, able to care for cats and dogs, or other pets they may have.

Some house sitting jobs are just for a few days or a couple of weeks while the house owners have a short holiday. Sometimes it is for much longer. We have had one house sit for six months, while the home owner travelled to Europe.

【小题5】 Then you can travel to many different countries and stay there. One of the important things to get is references from the home owners where you have stayed. A reference is a written letter to say that you are trustworthy and have looked after their home well. You can show these letters to possible house sitting jobs and they know you will do a good job.

Shakespeare once wrote that all the world is a stage, but these days it's more like a movie set. Get to know some films to find fantastic film locations(地点) you should check out on your travels.

Austria's hills are certainly alive with the sound of music and tourists. Mozart may have been born in Salzburg, but The Sound of Music really put it on the map and now about 70 percent of people visit it because of the movie. Cross Residenzplatz Square and visit the Palace of Leopoldskron where the children in the film fell into the lake.

Troy

Although the Palace of Troy was filmed on sets built at Shepperton Studios in the UK, most of the 2004 movie was shot in Malta and Baja California, Mexico. Malta with historic sites and beautiful blue waters was a good choice to replace Greece. Troy was shot at a host of locations, including Golden Bay, Hal Far as well as Fort Ricasoli(where the city of Troy was constructed). The Trojan horse from the film is now lying on the waterfront in Canakkale, Turkey.

Bridget Joneses Diary

Bridget Jones is brought to life as we watch the work and romance in London. Her special corner flat is above the Globe Tavern by Borough Market, one of the city's oldest and biggest food markets. According to The Telegraph, it would be highly unlikely that she could afford to buy a place like that today since it has risen in value by more than 240 percent.

Harry Potter

J. K. Rowling started writing the Harry Potter books while she was living in Edinburgh, Scotland, so it's no surprise that she set most of the story there. The Hogwarts Express travels through the Scottish Highlands and along the 31 meters high Glenfinnan Viaduct. The second highest waterfall in the UK, Steall Falls can be seen during Quidditch matches.