Europe attractions

The home ground of one of England’s most renowned football (soccer) teams, Emirates Stadium is a must-visit for sports fans and followers of Arsenal FC. With a capacity of more than 60,000, the football stadium is the country’s third-largest. Its size and fandom create an electric atmosphere for watching soccer games. It’s also home to a museum that traces the history of the team affectionately known to fans as the "Gunners."

Rising above the Tarragona countryside, the 2-tiered Les Ferreres Aqueduct (Pont del Diable) is one of the area’s most remarkable Roman ruins. It was once used to transport water to the ancient city of Tarraco (now Tarragona); today, visitors can walk along its narrow pathway, braving its daunting heights to take in the impressive panoramic views from the top.

Poised on a hilltop overlooking the city of Funchal, the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens are home to thousands of rare plant species, water features, and sculptures. The gardens are spread out across some 17 acres (seven hectares and also comprise the Monte Palace Museum.

Widely regarded as Valletta’s most beautiful building, the Auberge de Castille sits near the city’s waterfront and serves as the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta. While the rectangular 18h-century building isn’t open to the public, visitors come to admire its glorious baroque facade.

Set in Palais Eskeles, Vienna’s Jewish Museum (Jüdisches Museum Wien traces the history of Vienna’s Jewish community from the medieval times to the present. Exhibits explore the history and culture of the local Jewish population and showcase a vast collection of donated items.

Now permanently docked in Bristol, the SS Great Britain showcases the industrial prowess of 19th-century Britain. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, this steamship was one of the largest vessels of the era at 321 feet (98 meters) long. It was also technologically trailblazing, drawing upon both steam and sail power simultaneously.

Flowing through the Trenta Valley in Slovenia’s Julian Alps, the Soca—also known as the Isonzo—is one of Europe’s most beautiful rivers. The Soca River is known for its narrow, rocky gorges, hidden canyons, waterfalls, and striking color, which gives the waterway its nickname: “Emerald Beauty.” It’s also a mecca for outdoor adventurers, who flock here for white-water rafting and kayaking excursions.

The Estadio da Luz (Stadium of Light) is a multipurpose stadium best known for being the home of Portugal’s leading soccer team, Sport Lisboa Benfica. It has seating for more than 68,000 people, making it the largest stadium in the country, and features a retractable roof. Additional draws include facilities for hockey, volleyball, and basketball, as well as swimming pools and health clubs.

One of the few Reims Champagne houses to have retained its independence, Taittinger is a popular stop for bubbly enthusiasts. With origins dating to 1734, the family-run winery stores and ages its Champagnes in chaulk vaults that date back to Roman times.

London had the world’s first underground railway, so it’s only right that it has a museum focused on all things transport, too. Covering the capital’s public transportation from the early 19th century to the current day, the London Transport Museum showcases red double-decker buses, steam trains, a 19th-century omnibus, and an early tube train that traveled more than a million miles. While most exhibits are at Covent Garden, there’s also the Museum Depot in Acton that opens for guided visits.

The picturesque Swiss town marks the spot where the Rhine River meets Lake Constance. Overlooked by the towering Hohenklingen Castle, the town draws sightseers with its medieval abbey, traditional architecture, and convenient transport links, making it an ideal destination for a day trip from Winterthur, Zurich, and beyond.

Connected to the Scottish National Gallery by underground passageway, the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) presents temporary exhibitions of contemporary Scottish art and architecture. Inside the 19th-century Doric-style building, galleries host exhibits ranging from the work of recent graduates from Scotland’s top art colleges to pieces by eminent artists.

Tucked away from the buzzing nightlife of Mykonos Town, Ornos Beach is draped around a sheltered bay whose calm water makes it a popular family swimming spot. A generous selection of seafront restaurants, tavernas, and resorts offer plenty of amenities for a day in the sun or a longer stay on the island’s quieter side.

Rosenborg Castle Gardens, otherwise known as the King's Garden or Kongens Have, is Denmark’s oldest royal green space, established in the early 1600s by King Christian IV. Today the Renaissance-style park—famous for its huge flower beds, hedges, and adjacent eponymous castle—is a popular retreat for Copenhagen locals and tourists alike.

Since opening in the 1800s, the Belfast Grand Opera House has survived many challenges, including the Troubles and a planned demolition. This iconic landmark became Northern Ireland’s first listed building, and over the years, it has had major restorations to preserve its art nouveau architecture. Visitors come here to see a diverse range of shows, including musicals, comedy, drama, ballet, and opera, as well as the crowd-pleaser of its annual pantomime.

Madame Tussauds needs little introduction as the world’s most famous waxworks museum, and its Istanbul doors opened in 2016. Inside, view the collection of almost 60 waxwork figures includes important figures from Turkish history, politics, and pop culture, as well as international celebrities, Hollywood movie stars, and sporting icons.

Named after Glasgow’s patron saint, St. Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art focuses on six major world religions—Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Sikhism—and the sacred art they’ve spawned. The museum is set in a reproduction of a medieval building on the site of Bishop’s Castle and features a own Zen garden.

A cultural hub in the capital of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness’ Eden Court Theatre and Cinema hosts a variety of events from a broad range of disciplines, including music, theater, dance, comedy, and film. A visit to the venue is a great way for travelers to take the pulse of the local cultural scene.

Europe’s second longest river and the former frontier of the Roman Empire, the Danube flows through several major cities—though few more charming than the capital of Serbia. From scenic riverwalks and floating bars to secluded beaches and wild islands, Belgrade’s pretty Danube banks promise sights and adventure for any city visitor.

Winding through whitewashed villages and rugged Mediterranean landscapes, the clifftop Fira to Oia hike is one of Greece’s most beautiful walks. The trail links Fira, Santorini’s postcard-perfect capital, with Oia, a village known for its sunset views, and takes you along the rim of the sunken crater of the island’s dormant volcano. For most trekkers, every inch of the 6.5-mile (10.5-kilometer) trek is worth it.

Formerly the offices of The Glasgow Herald newspaper, The Lighthouse is now home to Scotland’s Centre for Design and Architecture. The building itself was designed by Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and today is a popular attraction both for its panoramic city views from a sixth-floor observation deck and for its exhibitions, workshops, and discussions connected to design and architecture.

Vilafor is famous for being one of Tenerife’s highest villages. You'll find cobbled streets and colonial buildings in its Old Town, plus views of wildflower fields and mountains covered in pine trees. It's also an ideal base for exploring the natural landscapes of Teide National Park.

At the center of St. Peter’s Square, the second tallest Egyptian obelisk in Rome soars 84 feet (26 meters) into the air to signify the Catholic church’s power. Brought from Heliopolis to Rome by Caligula in AD 37, the red-granite obelisk was moved to its current location by Pope Sixtus V in 1586. It has no decorated sides and bears no carved inscriptions.

A peaceful escape from some of Sintra’s busier landmarks, the Chalet of the Countess d’Edla is an Alpine-style 19th-century retreat on the forested grounds of Pena Park, not far from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Pena National Palace. Visitors to the building can learn about its namesake, the Countess of Edla, while admiring the ornate interiors and beautiful gardens.

This museum focuses on the history of Galway, with exhibitions covering everything from the traditional Galway hooker boat to local literary figures. Among the items in the collection are prehistoric stone ax-heads, a medieval cannonball, and an execution warrant for Myles Joyce, a local who was wrongfully hanged for murder in 1882.

Built by George II in the mid-18th century to defend against Jacobite attacks following the Battle of Culloden, this vast military fort functions as a working army base and as a tourist attraction. View collections of arms, browse exhibitions on Scottish army regiments, and make the 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) walk around its ramparts.

Santa Croce is one of Venice’s six central districts (sestieri); it’s often overlooked by tourists, although it is well worth a visit. The area is home to Campo San Giacomo dell'Orio—one of the city’s prettiest squares—alongside elegant palaces, churches, and museums. It’s also where Venice’s busy Piazzale Roma bus station and vaporetto (water bus) hub is located, providing a convenient gateway to explore the city.

As the largest German WWII cemetery in France, La Cambe German War Cemetery serves as a poignant reminder of the lives lost on both sides of the war. It’s a moving site, with its gray schist crosses and dark, flat headstones affording a more somber atmosphere than that of the American and Commonwealth cemeteries nearby.

With a history that stretches back millennia, it’s no surprise that the city of Naples has a number of fascinating sites hidden beneath its streets. One of the most important is the Bourbon Tunnel, or Galleria Borbonica, a massive underground passage built in 1853 that offers a unique peek into recent Neapolitan history.

Ever-changing exhibits spanning sculpture, video, graffiti, and paintings draw crowds to the Palais de Tokyo, the largest contemporary art center in Europe. In fact, the museum has no permanent collection—one way the space maintains its place at the city’s cutting edge after more than two decades. For visitors, it’s a chance to explore the vibrant modern art scene in Paris (and browse a gift shop that’s a destination in its own right).