Capital cities are hot right now. Whether you want to explore an exciting neighborhood in a favorite urban area, see where everyone will be heading next in Europe, or check out the food scene in a surprising U.S. location, these three cities are worth an extended weekend—or longer.
Photo: Abaris at the German language Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)%5D, from Wikimedia CommonsBerlin: Continue the festivities in Prenzlauer Berg. The capital of Germany recently celebrated the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. One of the city’s hippest neighborhoods is still in celebration mode.
Photo: Boby Dimitrov from Sofia, Bulgaria (Downtown Sofia) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia CommonsSofia: Check out one of Europe’s next big destinations. The capital of Bulgaria is full of yellow cobblestone streets, green parks, and domed churches, while Mount Vitosha and its hiking and skiing trails loom in the background.
Photo: Forage
Salt Lake City: Eat in a new foodie destination. Michelin-trained chefs, tasting menus, and even speakeasies have recently arrived in the capital of Utah. Go now, before reservations are impossible to get.