My first stop on arrival in any European town is the central square. Whether it’s surrounded by half-timbered houses and cake shops, like the Marktplatz of Quedlinburg, or with olive trees and white-washed churches like towns in the Cyclades, this is the place I like to pause and get my bearings.

Every old town square is special. Like the overture of an opera, or a coil of DNA, each contains the quintessence of something larger. Sitting in one, musing over cloudy pastis and watching a game of pétanque, or sipping a Bellini and admiring a Tuscan bell tower, or inhaling the scent of bitter orange trees in the Spanish sunshine, is not only a pleasurable activity in itself, it’s an opportunity to investigate the the character of your new location.

The solidity and prosperity of Dlugi Targ in Gdansk – restored after the Second World War – conveys the outwardness and mercantile mindset of this historic port city. This is somewhere to eat pickled herring and Kashubian duck, washed down with goldwasser, the sticky herbal liqueur conceived in the city that contains flakes of 23 carat gold. Tiny Plaza de Santa Maria in Tarifa, Spain, windsurfing capital of Europe, captures the town’s odd combination of history and frivolity. A pretty star-shaped Moorish fountain for some reason has tiny sculptures of frogs on each point of the star.

Old town squares give the lie to the idea that the world is becoming more homogeneous. Each square is the hub of the community it serves and often the nucleus from which the whole town sprang. Some are grandiose and overbearing – no one would describe Red Square in Moscow or La Place Bellecour in Lyon as cosy – but smaller towns have pocket-handkerchief sized squares. Tiny Torshavn, capital of the Faroe Islands, barely has a square at all, just a basalt promontory called Tinganes where the Vikings who founded the place used to hold their outdoor parliaments. Most European cities have squares in the Goldilocks zone: roomy enough to hold a few tourists, sufficient zinc tables so that everyone who wants to can sit down, a fountain – perhaps two – and a statue of a forgotten monarch or regional tyrant.

When I cycled with my family along the Danube through Germany and Austria, one of the things that sustained us was the prospect of the town squares ahead: the strudels they promised, the cold beer and sausages, the chance to get blister ointment and sunscreen in an apotheke – weird provincial opening hours permitting.

A square is a place to take your time, to unfold a map or guidebook and discover something about your new surroundings – or just order another espresso and enjoy the novelty of fresh air and sunshine. No doubt about it, it’s hip to be in a square. 

Marcel Theroux

Prague

The classic: Staromestske Namesti (Old Town Square)

Of all Europe’s medieval town squares, Prague’s Staromestske Namesti is one of the best known and arguably the best loved. Its almost absurdly photogenic qualities draw tourists by the thousands, day in, day out, whatever the weather. But it’s not just a pretty face: its heavyweight architectural credentials include the 15th-century Astronomical Clock, complete with a mechanism of Twelve Apostles that “parade” every hour, a grand Old Town Hall building (accessible to visitors), the baroque St Nicolas Church, famous for classical music concerts, and the soaring Gothic towers of the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn. Visit at Easter or Christmas to see the square full of life and market stalls.

Where to stay: Old Town Square Hotel offers double rooms from £120 a night. 

The Astronomical Clock, Old Town Hall and Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, Old Town Square, Prague


Prague’s Old Town Square features a 15th-century Astronomical Clock


Credit: Fraser Hall/The Image Bank RF

The alternative: Vaclavske namesti (Wenceslas Square)

Although also quite well known thanks to its “Good King Wenceslas” connotations, this vast public square in the city’s New Town (Nove Mesto) couldn’t be more of a contrast to the intimate charm and striking medieval architecture of Old Town Square. Here, in the commercial heart of the city, visitors can find department stores as well as banks and other municipal buildings, but also some grand Art Nouveau hotels and cinemas seemingly lost in time among the modern brashness. The square is also overlooked by the National Museum, and its many side streets offer boutique hotels, a slew of more independent shops, cafés and bars, and the Prague State Opera.

Where to stay: Art Nouveau Palace Hotel offers double rooms from £90 a night.

Strasbourg

The classic: Place Kléber

Ostentatious statue? Check. Fountains? Check. Grand historic architecture? Check. Despite its modern elements and big-brand shops, this sprawling square still gets full marks when it comes to traditional charm, thanks in no small part to the Aubette, an enormous 18th-century hall stretching along its northern edge. Plan your visit for the end of the year, and add the square’s famously elaborate Christmas tree to the list of attractions to visit. 

Where to stay: Maison Rouge Strasbourg Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection offers rooms from £167 a night (maison-rouge.com

Christmas tree in Strasbourg's Place Kléber


Strasbourg’s Place Kléber has a famously elaborate Christmas tree


Credit: Pool DEMANGE/MARCHI/Gamma-Rapho

The alternative: Place du Marché-aux-Cochons-de-Lait

If you were hoping for the very definition of chocolate-box, you’ve found it. This quaintly monikered place (the name means “suckling pigs market”) is scarcely 20 metres wide, rimmed with the kind of picture-perfect half-timbered townhouses one goes to Strasbourg specifically to see. There’s a handful of delightful little cafés and cavernous restaurants serving spaetzle and tarte flambée, and it gets bonus points for the almost 300-year-old wrought-iron well in its south-east corner.

Where to stay: Hôtel Rohan offers rooms from £98 a night (hotel-rohan.com

Madrid

The classic: Plaza Mayor

Scene of brutal executions, Christmas markets and some of the most joyful of the city’s San Isidro celebrations, Madrid’s Plaza Mayor has served its people since the 15th century, when it was a muddy market square. Rebuilt in the 16th century under the instructions of the Renaissance architect Juan de Herrera, it’s typical of his stark style, perfectly symmetrical, with needle-thin spires piercing the sky. An equestrian statue of Philip III sits at its centre, and its handsome arcades shelter several cafés from the midday sun.

Where to stay: Petit Palace Posada del Peine offers double rooms from €80 (£68) a night.

Aerial view city skyline at Plaza Mayor


Plaza Mayor has served Madrid’s residents since the 15th century


Credit: Noppasin Wongchum/iStockphoto

The alternative: Plaza Dos de Mayo

Madrid’s anarchic side is better displayed in the shabby-genteel Plaza Dos de Mayo in Malasaña. Transformed in recent years and now ringed with cafés and bars, it’s still a favourite for the botellón (an alcohol-fuelled urban picnic, beloved of Spain’s students) but increasingly attracts a better-heeled set. The square is named for the day (May 2, 1808) when, during resistance to the French forces, Manuela Malasaña, a 15-year-old dressmaker, was shot for taking concealed weapons (scissors, in her case) to the Spanish troops.

Where to stay: Urso Hotel offers double rooms from €150 (£127) a night. 

Zurich

The classic: Munsterhof

Munsterhof is the biggest town square within Zurich’s charming Altstadt (Old Town) and is surrounded by postcard-pretty medieval buildings – most notably the Fraumunster church, which dates from the 9th century and boasts several stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall. Other interesting buildings include historic guildhouses that are now stately café-restaurants: Zunfthaus zur Waag, Haus zur Haue and the Zunfthaus zur Meisen, though the latter also houses the porcelain and faience collection of the Swiss National Museum. From the square, the Munsterbrucke leads across the river Limmat to the 12th-century Romanesque Grossmunster cathedral.

Where to stay: Savoy Hotel Baur en Ville offers double rooms from £277 a night.

Zurich's Munsterhof


Historic guildhouses in Zurich’s Munsterhof are now stately café-restaurants


Credit: RomanBabakin/iStock Editorial

The alternative: Sechselautenplatz

Actually the biggest town square in Zurich, Sechselautenplatz has a very different atmosphere to Munsterhof. Named after the city’s traditional spring holiday (Sechselauten), it hosts annual circus performances and the famous burning of the “Boogg” – an artificial snowman effigy placed on a stake and set aflame to bid farewell to winter. The city’s neo-baroque opera house, one of the finest in the world, sits on the square, as does the Bernhard Theater, and the city lake is right next door. Indeed, the Utoquai lakeside promenade is a delightful place to stroll – water babies can dive in from the nearby Seebad Utoquai.

Where to stay: Opera Hotel Zürich offers double rooms from £180 a night (operahotel.ch

Brussels

The classic: Grand Place

Just as royalty wear crowns to set them apart, so Brussels wears its Grand Place – a glittering confection of spires, gables and statues. This was the centre of commerce for five centuries, witnessed in the guildhouses, many of which still bustle today as shops and celebrated bars. 

Where to stay: Hotel Amigo offers double rooms from £225 a night.

Brussels' Grand Place


Brussels’ Grand Place was a centre of commerce for five centuries


Credit: tunart/E+

The alternative: Place des Martyrs

A stone’s throw from the garish modern shops that line the Rue Neuve lies the coolly elegant Place des Martyrs. A tidy rectangle flanked by 18th-century, neoclassical mansions, it expresses the refinement of the élite when Austria ruled Belgium. But don’t be fooled by its glossy façade: in the centre is a mausoleum to the scores who died in September 1830, during clashes with the Dutch which would lead to independence – all the more haunting because you may find yourself alone here.

Where to stay: NH Collection Brussels Centre offers double rooms from £88 a night.

Munich

The classic: Marienplatz

Almost as famous as the city itself, Marienplatz is dominated by the magnificent, neo-gothic New Town Hall, whose viewing platform, located just above the historic carillon (glockenspiel), is a fine place to get an overview – as is the tower of the church of St Peter (Alter Peter), for that matter. The square also hosts the attractive Old Town Hall with its toy museum in the tower, though its centrepoint is the 11m-high Marian Column, dedicated to St Mary as the patron saint of Bavaria. The Fischbrunnen (fish fountain) is a popular meeting point for those who want to explore the square’s shops together, hop over to the Viktualienmarkt for a bite, or visit the nearby Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). 

Where to stay: Beyond by Geisel offers double rooms from £290 a night (beyond-muc.de)

Marienplatz, Munich


Munich’s Marienplatz is dominated by the neo-gothic New Town Hall


Credit: Jim Zuckerman/The Image Bank RF

The alternative: Gärtnerplatz

This breezy square – actually a pimped-up traffic roundabout – is very far distance-and-mood-wise from the bustling tourist hotspot of Marienplatz. Surrounded by a series of handsome and colourful two- and three-storey buildings, it’s characterised by the pleasantly landscaped lawns and flower gardens in its centre, and draws a particularly youthful crowd in the evenings and weekends thanks to its proximity to the vibrant Glockenbachviertel, which boasts bars, clubs, cafés and boutiques. It’s not without some culture though: the Gärtnerplatztheater, located right on the square, is one of the city’s top spots for operettas and musicals. 

Where to stay: Jams Music Hotel offers double rooms from £130 a night (jams-hotel.com

Vienna

The classic: Stephansplatz

The Stephansplatz is generally considered the beating heart of the Austrian capital. Named after its most prominent building, the Stephansdom (St Stephan’s Cathedral) – one of the tallest churches in the world and a gothic masterpiece – the square is, however, something of an anomaly in terms of medieval European squares thanks to the Haas-Haus, a striking slice of postmodern architecture by Hans Hollein that creates a deliberately potent counterpoint to the cathedral. As well as a fine place for people-watching and catching the street musicians and occasional classical concert, it’s a popular meeting point for the shopping streets Graben and Kartnerstrasse, and the nearby Naschmarkt, the city’s foodie hangout.

Where to stay: Hotel Am Stephanplatz offers double rooms from £190 a night.

Stephansdom (Saint Stephan's Cathedral) and Stephansplatz in Vienna


Saint Stephan’s Cathedral in Vienna’s Stephansplatz is one of the tallest churches in the world


Credit: bluestocking/iStockphoto

The alternative: Judenplatz

Despite its sombre nature, this square of remembrance is a must-see when in the city. Its memorials to Jewish life and the Holocaust are both poignant and fascinating, comprising a piece by Rachel Whiteread, the excavations of a medieval synagogue and a museum about medieval Jewry, where visitors can get a virtual tour through 14th-century Vienna. Whiteread’s Schoa memorial forms a focal point of the square, an “inside-out” cast of a local room with a list of 41 places where Austrian Jews were sent to their deaths; the nearby Misrachi-Haus has the names and data of the 65,000 Austrian Jews that were murdered.

Where to stay: The stately Park Hyatt Vienna offers double rooms from £350 a night.

Florence

The classic: Piazza della Signoria

This stage set of a square is named after the “Signoria”, the top tier of the city’s government which has been housed in the crenellated Palazzo Vecchio since the 13th century. The piazza has seen much drama over the centuries (it was here that Savonarola lit his Bonfire of the Vanities in 1497), but today it is a mix of open-air sculpture gallery, social hub and tourist draw. Among the statues is a replica of Michelangelo’s David and Cellini’s fabulous bronze Perseus. To avoid the crowds, come early and grab a ringside seat at Café Rivoire for cappuccino and a flaky cornetto.  

Where to stay: In Piazza della Signoria offers doubles from €200 (£170) a night. 

Piazza della Signoria, Florence


Florence’s Piazza della Signoria, where Savonarola lit his Bonfire of the Vanities in 1497


Credit: Stefano Amantini/www.4cornersimages.com

The alternative: Piazza Santo Spirito

At the heart of its own boho-chic neighbourhood in the Oltrarno and dominated by the iconic blank façade of Brunelleschi’s last church, Piazza Santo Spirito is Florence’s loveliest square. A cast of local characters crowds the market stalls before coffee at one of the pavement cafés, while tourists wander through for a taste of “authentic” Florence and al fresco lunch. At night, the piazza morphs into the hub of the city’s “movida” scene, revellers hanging out into the wee hours in warm weather. 

Where to stay: Palazzo Guadagni offers doubles from €80 (£68) a night. 

Lisbon

The classic: Praca Dom Pedro IV

Tourists go to the Praca do Comercio; locals to the Rossio. The latter, formally known as Praca Dom Pedro IV, has been the central gathering place for more than 700 years, hosting markets, parades and protests, and long favoured by authors and artists. There may now be a handful of souvenir shops (and tourists), but it’s here that the thrum of everyday life still truly converges, under the watchful gaze of Dom Pedro’s statue and the splendid Teatro Nacional de Dona Maria II.

Where to stay: Altis Avenida Hotel offers rooms from £86 a night. 

Praca Dom Pedro IV, Lisbon


Lisbon locals tend to congregate in Praca Dom Pedro IV


Credit: Marc Bruxelle/iStock Editorial

The alternative: Largo do Carmo

The antithesis of Lisbon’s grand pracas (yet five minutes’ walk from the Rossio), this calm, lofty spot is connected to the Baixa neighbourhood by the Santa Justa Lift, an ornate neo-gothic structure ferrying passengers to the Chiado district above. Once elevated, you’ll find yourself on a shady, tree-lined square with an elegant baroque fountain at its centre, presided over by the bones of Convento do Carmo, a magnificent medieval convent destroyed in the earthquake of 1755. 

Where to stay: Lisboa Carmo Hotel offers rooms from £107 a night (carmo.luxhotels.pt)

Krakow

The classic: Rynek Głowny 

Dating from the 13th century, Krakow’s chocolate-box main square – designed in 1257 –  is the biggest of its kind in Europe. It has seen coronations and executions as well as the revolution famously started here by Tadeusz Kosciuszko. The atmosphere remains defiantly medieval, thanks to the square’s lavishly restored townhouses and churches, not least the striking Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), which was rebuilt in 1555 in the Renaissance style. Although the town hall hasn’t survived, its eye-catching tower has, as has the charming 11th-century Church of St Adalbert and St Mary’s Basilica.

Where to stay: Betmanowska Residence offers double rooms from £80 a night (betmanowska.com

Rynek Glowny, Krakow


Rynek Glowny, Krakow’s main square is the biggest of its kind in Europe


Credit: Marcin_Kadziolka/iStockphoto

The alternative: Plac Nowy

The New Square (Plac Nowy) is the aesthetic opposite of Rynek Głowny – in fact, it’s something of an eyesore – but it’s interesting for different reasons. Located in the middle of the Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz – it was for a long time simply called Jewish Square), it is also the centre of the town’s nightlife scene. Rather than being dominated by historic buildings, locals come here for food, and the square’s central street food hall (Okraglak, or rotunda) offers everything from burgers to local dishes like zapiekanka, obwarzanek and pierogi. The market stalls around the rotunda also hawk everything from snacks to antiques, while the streets off the square bristle at night with lively bars and restaurants. 

Where to stay: Queen Boutique offers double rooms from £70 a night (en.queenhotel.pl)  

Contributions by Sally Davies, Gemma Knight, Anthony Mason, Paul Sullivan and Nicky Swallow

Source: telegraph UK

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