If you're looking for inspiration for a quick European city break and want to end up in a place where inspiration for photography flows through the streets, I have a few tips for my favorite (so far) places for street photography.

Disclaimer: I don’t even like cities. I’m very picky when it comes to city breaks. While I can get very excited about the idea of visiting a new place, after a day or two, I usually feel like packing my bags and heading back home.
A city needs to have something special - and quite a lot of it - to win me over.

I wouldn’t recommend places where even the biggest introvert wouldn’t feel comfortable. I also wouldn’t suggest cities that are easy on the wallet but lack good food or places to escape when the streets become overwhelming.

Above all, I wouldn’t recommend cities that don’t promise visual adventures—day or night.

Berlin

The classic saying goes: If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. I’m convinced the same applies to Berlin.
This city breaths hard - day and night. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything. If you don’t surrender to it, it’ll chew you up and spit you out. But if you go with the flow, you’ll return home with hard drives full of images that will stay with you for years.

For cultural spots, I recommend the Kinemathek. If you’re into something unique, check out the former Tempelhof Airport, which comes alive on weekends. For iconic areas, Friedrichshain is the heart of the alternative scene, packed with galleries, flea markets, and great bars.

P.S. Berlin is a paradise for foodies (especially vegans). Me gusta.

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is practically next door for me. For anyone visiting Amsterdam, it would be a shame not to hop on a train and check it out. Okay, it’s not the cheapest city, but it’s worth it.

There’s a lot to take in - the multicultural energy of a metropolis, the blend of modern office buildings and vast waterfronts, lots of open space, greenery, gram-worthy architecture and landmarks, viewpoints, and charming alleyways. Here you’ll find people from all cultures and backgrounds.

Rotterdam is also a great place to enjoy before and after a photo walk. There are plenty of spots for food and coffee (my favorite vegan place: Crave Coffee & Bakery…), as well as places to take a break from the streets and soak in some culture (can’t recommend more Kunsthal and Fotomuseum).

Lisbon

I’ve only been to Lisbon once, but surely not for the last time. Portugal is a different state of mind, and I keep feeling drawn back. Lisbon was quite an intense experience for me and my wife in terms of crowds, but we fell in love with it anyway.
The hospitality of the Portuguese, the delicious food (shoutout to the founders of a bakery selling vegan Pastéis de Nata), amazing coffee, and great wine.

Portugal is also incredibly affordable - you won’t find a better quality-to-price ratio anywhere.

Lisbon (and Portugal in general) is all about colors. The colors of the sky before and after sunset, the colorful facades, the vibrant streets, the smiling people, and the sun. Even in the middle of winter, it’s relatively warm - definitely warmer than where you’re coming from (I assume).
Every corner offers a perfect shot. It’s worth it, worth it, worth it.

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