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AzmanJaka via Getty Images
Across Europe, cafe culture is a vital part of daily life. It’s a place for family, friends and colleagues to socialize, relax, people-watch and enjoy a snack, coffee or perhaps a glass of wine or beer. In cities big and small from Paris to Helsinki to Mykonos, cafes line cobblestone streets, historic buildings, scenic squares and peaceful waterways. If you’re dreaming of relaxing with an espresso or cappuccino in a charming city, here are some of the cutest European cafes.
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Flowers drip off the dreamy Maison Sauvage cafe in Paris.
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Vienna draws coffee lovers and history buffs alike with its storied coffeehouse culture and world-renowned museums and palaces, such as the Hofburg.
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People can stop for a cup of coffee on the Piazza del Duomo in Milan, with a view of one of the most beautiful places of worship in the world.
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Many restaurants, bars and cafes line the famous canals that snake through the city of Amsterdam.
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Colorful houses provide a charming backdrop for the outdoor cafes at historic Ribeira Square in Porto, Portugal.
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Rainbow-colored umbrellas help keep cafe patrons cool on a street in Bucharest, Romania.
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Grote Markt square in Bruges, Belgium, is famous for its colorful buildings lined with cafes. During the winter months, the medieval city transforms into one of the world’s most magical Christmas towns.
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The stunning blue waters surrounding Mykonos, Greece, make the perfect backdrop for cafes, bars and restaurants.
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The old town streets of Gdansk, Poland, are dotted with cafes, bars and restaurants.
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Part of the magic of Austria’s incredible mountain towns like Innsbruck are the colorful cafes where you can warm up with a coffee, tea or something stronger.
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The cafes and restaurants in Nuremberg are some of the best places to take in both the old and new architecture of the German city.
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The Rialto bridge, one of the most amazing man-made marvels in the world, spans the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, and is a great place to stop for coffee.
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This cafe along the river in Uppsala, Sweden, lets patrons enjoy scenery straight out of a fairytale.
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Japan might be famous for having some of the quirkiest coffee shops in the world, but Greece has some amazing spots of its own, including this whimsical wonderland in Athens.
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If a peaceful garden and charming cottage is a more ideal setting than a bustling city square, The Lundgren Girls cafe in Skaret, Sweden, might be ideal.
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The Nyhavn canal district is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Copenhagen, Denmark, with plenty of cafes.
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Imagine drinking your morning coffee at one of the cafes on the Old Town square in Prague, Czech Republic.
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The cafes on the Marktplatz in Linz am Rhein, Germany, are surrounded by classic Bavarian architecture.
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Zurich, Switzerland, is one of the most romantic cities in the world thanks to its adorable restaurants and cafes, including this one along the Limmat River near Fraumunster church.
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Cafes draped in flowers line Karl Johans Gate, the main pedestrian street in Oslo, Norway.
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The cafe culture in Paris is famous for attracting artists and intellectuals from around the world.
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A former weighing house has been transformed into a quaint restaurant on Roode Steen square in downtown Hoorn, Netherlands.
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The cafes and restaurants of the old town market square in Warsaw, Poland, attract locals and tourists alike.
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The narrow streets on the island of Skopelos, Greece, still manage to squeeze in plenty of cozy cafes.
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Cudillero is a tourist destination in Spain with plenty of cafes with amazing views.
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Multicolor wooden houses, balloons and colorful bunting all add a whimsical flair to the cafes in the old town area of Stavanger, Norway.
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Known for its historic chateau and local wine, Melnik, Czech Republic, also has numerous cafes where people can enjoy the quaint city views.
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Cafe guests on the Senate Square terrace in Helsinki enjoy the incredible view of Helsinki Cathedral in the background.
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The brick streets and cute cafes in the old town center in Riga, Latvia, make it feel like it's frozen in time.
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In Sweden, friends, family or colleagues meet for coffee or tea in a tradition called fika. In Stockholm, Stortorget Square is a scenic spot to stop.
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This cafe on Bruhl terrace in Dresden, Germany, is a scenic spot for a cup of coffee.
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The black and white interior of this cafe in Saint Petersburg, Russia, makes for a cool photo-op.
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Due to the travel restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic, the city of Vilnius, Lithuania, has hosted events in which it transforms different areas to feel like different parts of the world. In this case, the city’s streets are meant to look like Italy. Italy is just one of the destinations Americans are dreaming of traveling to once the pandemic is over.
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