Oakland, CA - Lonely Planet released today its newest annual list: Lonely Planet’s Top 10 European Destinations for 2013. This list features Lonely Planet's picks for the best places to visit in Europe for the year ahead and includes countries, cities and regions from all across the European continent. Destinations were chosen by the company's team of editors and authors based in Lonely Planet's US (Oakland, CA) and European (London, UK) offices for either being under-the-radar, but generating buzz, or perennial favorites with fresh reasons to visit in 2013. The Top 10 European Destinations list is similar to Lonely Planet’s yearly Top 10 US Destinations list, going beyond the destinations featured in Lonely Planet’s annual Best in Travel book (the company's picks for the top 10 countries, cities and regions in the world), providing more detail for the traveler looking for where to go in Europe in 2013.
Portugal’s Porto & Douro Valley claimed the top honor on the list, chosen as the #1 destination to visit in Europe in 2013. The list also features (in ranked order): Budapest, Hungary; Northern Iceland; Cinque Terre, Italy; Moravia, Czech Republic; Bern, Switzerland; Marseille, France; Croatia; Northern Ireland; and Copenhagen, Denmark.
In celebration of Portugal’s Porto & Douro Valley being named #1 on the Top European Destinations list, Lonely Planet has made its Portuguese Phrasebook iPhone app free until June 30th, 2013. This app can be downloaded from the App Store.
For those inspired to take a trip to Europe this year, Lonely Planet has also released a brand-new free ebook titled Europe: 40 Amazing Experiences, which features the best things to see and do in Europe this summer, for example, floating down the azure Cetina River in Croatia or chilling out in Barcelona’s beach bars. Europe: 40 Amazing Experiences is free to download on all ebook platforms (Kindle, Nook, iBookstore, Kobo, etc.) and as a downloadable PDF from the Top 10 European Destinations for 2013 article on Lonely Planet's website. As Lonely Planet’s Top European Destinations will inspire travelers to plan a trip to Europe this year by telling them where to go, the ebook will tell them what to do as it highlights new takes on classic things to see and do, along with off-the-beaten-track experiences all across Europe.