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.

The world feels at home in Cologne, where people meet to enjoy a Kölsch. (Kölsch is a language, a philosophy of life and also the popular local beer.) The largest city in the Rhineland, Cologne is rich in antiquity. There is much to see from every period of the city's two millennia history: from the old Roman towers to the modern opera house. Cologne is also a bustling modern city with a decent shot at becoming the fine-art capital of Germany. The city of Cologne also hosts an annual Carnival.

Badly destroyed during the war, Düsseldorf was carefully reconstructed and became the richest economic center in Germany. A relaxing walk along the Rhine or a panoramic view from the Rhine Tower will allow you to admire a "compact" city, where the modern downtown is nearby the Altstadt (Old Town) and the skyscrapers, banks and offices contrasts with the old castles and churches. The open-air pedestrian mall in the Old Town is remarkable by "the longest bar in the world" (260 pubs and taverns).

This town was founded as a military post about 8 B.C. and occupied an excellent strategic position, as a triangle bordered by the confluence Rhine-Mosel and a line of strong forts on the surrounding hills - most razed to make room to the modern railway station. The visitor is invited to admire the Alstadt historical buildings (the church of Saint Castor, the municipal picture gallery) and also the palace Residenzschloss and memorial equastrian statue of the emperor Wilhelm I (in the new city).

Luxembourg's diminutive capital is a delicious contrasting mix of the old and the new. Spend some time exploring the old city with its cobbled streets and imposing walls, and feast your eyes on ornate windows or jewel-like medallions. Come back to modern day as you pass contemporary constructions of glass and steel that house the many banking and business establishments in the capital. Take a lovely walk through Useldange where you can't miss the feudal castle surrounded by rolling plain.

This city situated on the Rhine has a rich history, started with the Romans coming here 38 B.C. The 2000 years heritage is revealed by both Roman relics and the impressive baroque palaces and churches built by talented architects and sculptors in the 17th century. The religion always occupied an important role in Mainz and a living proof is the cathedral dominating the Markplatz in the Altstadt (old town). The tourists may notice a remarkable, careful reconstruction after the air raids in 1945.

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.