Fancy a trip to Europe but bewildered by the choice on offer?
Then heed the advice of 22-year-old German Luca Pferdmenges, a professional juggler, social media star and a world traveller since the age of 15.
He can save you days, possibly weeks, of Googling – because he’s been to every nation on the Continent and here has revealed his top five and bottom five nations.
Speaking to MailOnline Travel, Luca noted: ‘It’s very hard for me to pick five favourites to visit, but I would go with Portugal, Cyprus, Spain, Austria, and Croatia.
‘They’re famous tourist destinations, but I think they are famous for good reasons.’
German Luca Pferdmenges, a professional juggler, social media star and a world traveller since the age of 15, has been to every country in Europe – and revealed his top and bottom five countries on the continent. He’s pictured above in his favourite city, Lisbon
Explaining his fondness for Cyprus and Spain, he says: ‘I am a fan of warm places over cold ones, so I prefer spending time in the South of Europe generally.
‘All the Mediterranean countries have the best weather, in my opinion, and I love Mediterranean cuisine overall, lots of olive oil, sundried tomatoes, and fresh vegetables.
‘I like the chill vibes of the Mediterranean and Cyprus is one of my favourite countries as the people are some of the warmest in the world.’
‘I like the chill vibes of the Mediterranean,’ says Luca. ‘I prefer spending time in the South of Europe.’ Pictured here is the old-town part of his favourite city, Portugal’s capital
Luca at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Estonia’s capital, Tallinn – a city that impressed him
However, Croatia, says Luca, has a very high standard of beaches, and Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, is his favourite city.
He continues: ‘I like the big cities with lots of things to do – but I prefer them to be warm.’
In addition to his top-five list, Luca is keen to point travellers in the direction of Europe’s ‘hidden gems’.
He says: ‘There are hidden gems all over.
‘The Montenegrin coast, for example, is amazing and I really like North Macedonia – Lake Ohrid is absolutely gorgeous and the capital city of Skopje makes you feel like you are walking in an outside museum. It’s known as the city of statues.
Luca describes Albania as an ‘underrated gem’. Above is the coast near Ksamil in Southern Albania
Luca remarks that Lake Ohrid in Macedonia (above) is ‘absolutely gorgeous’
‘Slovenia is great for mountains and hiking – and certainly a cheaper alternative to Switzerland or Austria.
‘If you want to get a medieval vibe, I recommend visiting Tallinn in Estonia. It’s one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world – but the old city looks like a medieval market town. I love it. The daily market in Riga, Latvia, just next door is amazing as well.
‘Give places like Romania or Bulgaria a chance, too. They have stunning beaches, great people, exciting cities, awesome food and they are often more affordable.
‘Albania, Kosovo and Serbia are underrated gems as well. Oh, and visit Sarajevo [the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina] to learn all about its history. All of those places are super affordable.’
The worst five
On Luca’s least-favourite list is microstate San Marino (above). ‘It’s very hard to reach and there is nothing to do,’ the traveller says
Luca enjoyed his time in Finland (above), but said it was one of his least favourite European places because it’s not ‘budget friendly’
So that’s the bucket list updated. But what should be struck off?
Deciding on his five least favourite nations was tough for globetrotting Luca.
He says: ‘Europe is my favourite continent to visit and live in. Picking a least favourite country is super difficult for me.
‘But my least-favourite list includes underwhelming San Marino. The microstate [within north-central Italy] is very hard to reach and there is nothing to do. You can see everything within hours.
‘The view is great and the architecture is impressive, but it’s not a country to spend holidays in. If you are in Rimini, Italy, you can see San Marino in a day and then come back.’
He continues: ‘Belgium is too grey and cold in winter though my Mum, Saskia Pferdmenges, highly disagrees and loves it!
‘Belarus – I had a great time in Minsk, but it is very hard to reach and the only truly isolated country on the Continent.
Luca is not a fan of ‘grey and cold’ Belgium. He is pictured above at the Brussels Atomium
‘Liechtenstein is very isolated and expensive, though it’s great if you can afford it, and the Nordics are some of the most stunning countries in the world, but just so expensive. They are not for the budget-friendly traveller. A short taxi ride in Finland can quickly cost 30-40 euros [£25.30 – £33.75 / $33.12 – $44.16].’
He adds: ‘If you are on a budget, avoid not only Finland but Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Switzerland and Ireland are just as expensive as well.’
Having covered the underwhelming, are there any countries he found overwhelming?
He replied: ‘Turkey or Belarus, because they are very different from most European countries. The closest to a “culture shock” that you can get in Europe.’
And any countries that get the award for the worst weather?
‘The worst weather has to be in the UK,’ declares Luca. ‘My ex-girlfriend is from the UK, so I spent a lot of time there for nearly four years. I love the UK – and I miss the supermarkets like Morrison’s – but the weather really isn’t it.’
Luca has spent a lot of time in the UK, where he is pictured above, but while he ‘loves’ the country he says the weather is the worst in Europe
