Sarah Schmalbruch of Insider lived in Zurich, Switzerland for five years with much traveling involved with her family. Her travels exposed her to new cultures and left impression and memories that will stay with her for the rest of her life.

From the beaches of southern Portugal to the canals of Amsterdam, Schmalbruch made a list of the must-see places you should visit in Europe. Likewise, with the help of Travel and Leisure, the places were narrowed into five:

1. Morcote

It is located on the shores of Lake Lugano, in the Italian part of Switzerland. Morcote has the best of both worlds: Italian charm and Swiss cleanliness.

2. Amsterdam

Aside from Amsterdam's obvious tourist draw which are legal marijuana and the Red Light District, its canals are incredibly picturesque and a great way to see the city.

3. Church of Peace

Located in Swidnica, Poland, the Church of Peace is one of the three 17th century wooden Evangelical churches built in Southwestern Poland. Its magnificent interior is absolutely stunning.

4. Carcassone

The medieval town of Carcassone in France consists of a castle and Gothic Cathedral. It is also still fortified which means that it is completely surrounded by two lines of walls.

5. Prague

The 600-year-old astronomical clock located in the old town square in Prague features a procession of apostles, a skeleton ringing a bell, and a golden rooster among the other characters in a performance that occurs every hour on the hour.

The other places include Switzerland's Appenzell, Czech Republic's Český Krumlov, Vienna's Demel, Russia's colorful Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg, Italy's Cinque Terre, Spain's Alhambra in Granada, Istanbul's Hagia Sophia, France's luxurious Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d'Antibes, Germany's 19th-century castle of Neuschwanstein in Bavarian Alps, and also Portugal's Praia Dona Ana.