Austria
Small, landlocked Austria offers alpine scenery, world-class museums, cobbled quaintness, and Wiener schnitzel. Unlike Germany, its industrious neighbour to the northwest, Austria is content to bask in its good living and elegant, opulent past as the former head of one of Europe's grandest empires. Austrians tend to be relaxed, gregarious people who love the outdoors as much as a good cup of coffee in a café
Important Cities:Innsbruck, Vienna, Salzburg
Top Tourist attraction:
Swarovski Crystal Palace, Schönbrunn Palace, Sounds of Music, Golden Roof.
Belgium
Nestled between Germany, France, and the Netherlands, Belgium is overlooked by many travellers...making it one of Europe's best-kept secrets. There are indeed tourists — but not as many as the country's charms merit. After all, Belgium produces some of Europe's best beer, creamiest chocolates, most beloved comic strips, and tastiest French fries. From funky urban neighbourhoods to tranquil Begijnhof, from old-fashioned lace to high-powered European politics, from cows mooing in a pastoral countryside to gentrified Hanseatic cityscapes bristling with spires...Belgium delights.
Antwerp, Brussels
Top Tourist attraction:
Mannekin Pis, Grand Place, Atomium, Cathedral of Our Lady, Mini Europe
Antwerp
Brussels
Croatia
Sunny beaches, succulent seafood, and a taste of la dolce vita...in Eastern Europe? With thousands of miles of seafront and more than a thousand islands, Croatia's coastline is Eastern Europe's Riviera. Holiday-makers love its pebbly beaches, predictably balmy summer weather, and dramatic mountains. But there's history here as well, and past rules have left their mark: from ruined Roman arenas and Byzantine mosaics to Venetian bell towers, Habsburg villas, and even communist concrete. Most people flock to the Dalmatian Coast, where dramatic cliffs rise from the deep and islands are scattered just offshore. But savvy travellers make time for more: the Venetian-flavoured Kvarner Gulf and Istrian Peninsula, the stunning waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes, and Zagreb, the nation's engaging capital.
Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Plitvice
Top Tourist attraction:
King Tomislav Square, Zagreb Cathdral, Diocletian's Palace, Riva promenade, Mount Srđ, Plitvice Lakes National Park
Zagreb
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Czech Republic
In Czech towns and villages, you'll find a simple joy of life. The magic of Prague, the beauty of Český Krumlov, and the lyrical quality of the countryside relieve the heaviness caused by the turmoil that passed through here. Get beyond Prague and explore the country's medieval towns. These rugged woods and hilltop castles will make you feel as if you're walking through the garden of your childhood dreams.
Prague, Plzen, Ceske Budejovice Top Tourist attraction:
Prague Castle, Mozart and Dušek Museum, Pilsner Urquell Brewery, St. Nicholas Cathedral
England
From the grandeur and bustle of London, to the pastoral countryside that inspired Shakespeare, to some of the quaintest towns you'll ever experience, England delights. Stand in a desolate field and ponder an ancient stone circle. Strike up a conversation just to hear the Queen's English. Bite into a scone smothered with clotted cream, sip a cup of tea, and wave your pinky as if it's a Union Jack.
London, Manchester, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford
Top Tourist attraction:
London Eye, Madame Tussauds, Tower of London, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Lords Cricket ground, Old Trafford Football stadium, Oxford University
France
France is Europe's most diverse, tasty, and, in many ways, most exciting country to explore. It's a place of gentle beauty, where the play of light transforms the routine into the exceptional. Here, travellers are treated to a blend of man-made and natural beauty like nowhere else in Europe. With luxuriant forests, forever coastlines, truly grand canyons, and Europe's highest mountain ranges, France has a cover-girl beauty from top to bottom. You'll also discover a dizzying array of artistic and architectural wonders — soaring cathedrals, chandeliered châteaux, and museums filled with the cultural icons of the Western world.
Paris, Nice, Lourdes, Lyon, Bordeaux, Chamonix, Lisieux
Top Tourist attraction:
Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, Louvre Museum, Seine River cruising, Versailles Palace, French Riviera, Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Mont Blanc
Germany
Germany is blessed with some of Europe's most high-powered sights. There's spectacular scenery — the jagged Alps, flower-filled meadows, rolling hills of forests and farms, and mighty rivers — dotted all over with castles and churches of every variety. In Deutschland's idyllic half-timbered villages, you can enjoy strudel at the bakery or sip a stein of beer while men in lederhosen play oomph music. And don't overlook the "real" Germany of today — a world of high-tech trains, gleaming cities, social efficiency, and world-class museums celebrating many of history's greatest cultural achievements.
Munich, Cologne, Black Forest region, Berlin, Stuttgart, Dresden
Top Tourist attraction:
Neuschwanstein Castle, Cologne Cathedral, Drubba cuckoo clock factory, Berlin Wall, Mercedes Benz / BMW museum, Zugspitze
Hungary
Sitting at the crossroads of Europe, quirky Hungary has managed to become cosmopolitan while remaining perfectly Hungarian. Classical music is revered here, and Hungarians have revived their elegant, Vienna-style café culture. In the countryside, even older traditions live on — and a renewed passion for winemaking thrives. Dive into a bowl of spicy goulash, then while away an afternoon over a delicate dessert at a genteel coffeehouse. Sip a sweet local wine as you try to wrap your head around Hungary's colorful history...and your tongue around its idiosyncratic language.
Top Tourist attraction:
Holocaust Memorial Center, Hungarian State Opera House, Hungarian Parliament, Buda Castle
Italy
Bella Italia! Italy has Europe's richest, craziest culture. After all, this nation is the cradle of European civilization — established by the Roman Empire and carried on by the Roman Catholic Church. As you explore Italy, you'll stand face-to-face with some of the world's most iconic images from this 2,000-year history: the Colosseum of Ancient Rome, the medieval Leaning Tower of Pisa, Michelangelo's David and Botticelli's Venus, the playful Baroque exuberance of the Trevi Fountain...and the elegant decay that surrounds the canals of Venice. Beyond these famous sights, though, Italy offers Europe's richest culture. Traditions still live within a country that is vibrant and fully modern. Go with an eye open to both the Italy of the past and of the present.
Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Assisi, Milan
Top Tourist attraction:
Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, Trevi Fountain, St. Mark’s Square, Michelangelo point, Leaning tower of Pisa, Basilica of St. Francis, Duomo Cathedral, Giuseppe Meazza Stadium
Netherland
Windmills, wooden shoes, cheese, tulips, and tranquillity; In the Netherlands' 17th-century Golden Age, Dutch traders established a global economy...and funded a culturally rich society back home. Tiny Holland may just have the world's densest concentration of great artists, and shows off their works in several world-class museums. Be sure to venture beyond Amsterdam — take advantage of the efficient train network, which puts nearly every Dutch destination within an easy day trip. Rent a bike and cruise the flat countryside. Wherever you roam, look behind its placid exterior, where you'll find a complex mix of modern technology, honoured traditions, quaint countryside, outrageous architecture, and no-nonsense, globally minded people
Amsterdam, Lisse, Den Hague, Zaanse Schans
Top Tourist attraction:
Amsterdam canal cruise, Red light district, Keukenhof Gardens, Madurodam, Traditional windmills
Poland
Poland is slowly heading to be a destination for tourism. While parts of the country are still cleaning up the industrial mess left by the Soviets, Poland also has some breath-taking medieval cities that show off its kind-hearted people, dynamic history, and unique cultural fabric.
Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk
Top Tourist attraction:
Jewish Ghetto, St. Mary's Church, St. Francis' Basilica, Blue Lion - Archaeological Education Center.
Portugal
Tucked into a far corner of the Continent, Portugal is Western Europe's least-touristed country. Its relative isolation preserves a traditional culture of widows in black and fishermen mending nets. Along with the old, you'll find the modern, especially in the culturally rich capital of Lisbon and in the resort towns that rival Spain's (but feel more authentic). If your idea of travel includes friendly locals (who speak a bit of English), exotic architecture, windswept castles, and fresh seafood with chilled wine on a beach at sunset...you've chosen the right destination.
Lisbon, Porto, Fatima
Top Tourist attraction:
Monastery of Jerónimos, Belém Tower, Port-Wine Lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia, Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima
Scotland
Sparsely populated Scotland stretches from the southern lowlands, which border England just north of Hadrian's Wall, up to the Norwegian latitudes of the rocky Highlands and remote islands. Outside the main cities, the sights are subtle, but the misty glens, brooding countryside castles, and warm culture are plenty engaging. Whether toasting with beer, whisky, or a can of Irn-Bru soda, enjoy meeting the Scottish people. It's easy to fall in love with the irrepressible spirit and beautiful landscape of this faraway corner of Britain.
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness
Top Tourist attraction:
Edinburgh Castle, IMAX Theatre, Scotch Distillery, Loch Ness, Fort Williams
Spain
Like a grandpa bouncing a baby on his knee, Spain is a mix of old and new, modern and traditional. For the tourist, Spain means bullfights, massive cathedrals, world-class art, Muslim palaces, vibrant folk life, whitewashed villages, and bright sunshine. Yes, you'll find those things...but the country's special charm lies in its people and their unique lifestyle. From the stirring sardana dance in Barcelona to the sizzling rat-a-tat-tat of flamenco in Sevilla, this country creates its own beat amid the heat.
Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Granada
Top Tourist attraction:
Royal Palace, Santiago Bernabeu, Sagrada Família, La Pedrera, Park Güell, Camp Nou, Alcázar Palace, Flamenco Dance Museum, Valencia Cathedral, Alhamra Palace.
Switzerland
Little, mountainous, efficient Switzerland is one of Europe's most appealing destinations. Wedged neatly between Germany, Austria, France, and Italy, Switzerland melds the best of all worlds — and adds a healthy dose of chocolate, cowbells, and cable cars. Fiercely independent and decidedly high-tech, the Swiss stubbornly hold on to their quaint traditions, too. Join cheese makers in a high valley, try to call the shepherds on an alphorn, and hike through some of the world's most stunning mountain scenery.
Lucerne, Interlaken, Zurich, Montreux, Geneva
Top Tourist attraction:
Mt. Titlis, Mt. Jungfraujoch, Mt. Pilatus, Matterhorn, Glacier 3000, Nestle Chocolate factory.
