Europe attractions

Though Taormina’s most famous attraction is known as the Greek Theatre, this 2nd-century amphitheater is actually Roman—and it isn’t the only ancient site in town. History buffs will be delighted by the Roman Odeon, a smaller version of the Teatro Greco built centuries earlier in a similar Greek style, with space for just 200 people.

At 4 miles (6.4 kilometers long and 0.75 miles (1.2 kilometers wide, Bassenthwaite Lake is among the biggest in the Lake District. Surrounded by gentle fells and without a single settlement on its shoreline, this tranquil lake offers hiking, wild swimming, and bird-watching opportunities, with fish-eating ospreys coming here to hunt.

Nuremberg’s picturesque Old Town (“Altstadt”), located inside the city’s medieval walls, has been lovingly restored after being bombed during World War II. This walkable historical heart is home to picturesque half-timbered houses, a bustling square (Hauptmarkt), the Frauenkirche, Nuremberg Castle, and the Schöner Brunnen fountain.

The Hague’s Square 1813 (Plein 1813) consists of a 2-lane roundabout that surrounds the country’s largest 19th-century statue. Named the Independence Monument, it commemorates two significant 1813 events: the Netherlands’ victory over Napolean and the consequent establishment of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

After Communism fell, the Budapest government made a bold decision to preserve public art from that troubled chapter of Hungary's past. The result—Memento Park—lets visitors look back at Communist-era Hungary through works of socialist realism. Highlights include statues, relics from the 1956 revolution, and even an East German car.

The Ducale Palace was the home of the influential Gonzaga family, sometimes called the masters of Mantua, who moved into the original medieval fortress and turned it into a sprawling palace-city to flaunt their power and wealth. Over the centuries, they lavished it with additions of monumental courtyards, hanging gardens, priceless artwork, and a castle, which today form Italy’s largest architectural museum complex and an important UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Expand your knowledge about local history in Crete during a visit to Malia, once a thriving Minoan city with an impressive palace complex. The small site is home to excavations that reveal fascinating details, such as a luxurious bath, but Malia today is perhaps best known for the resorts and Ibiza-style nightlife of neighboring Malia town.

Lourmarin Castle (Château de Lourmarin) is a castle in the village of the same name in the Luberon region of southern France. Originally built as a medieval fortress in the 12th century, the Renaissance-style castle draws visitors today with its remarkable stonework, gorgeous gardens, and summer concerts on the castle terrace.

The original of three theme parks on Spain’s Costa Dorada, PortAventura Park features more than 40 rides and attractions. It’s part of the larger PortAventura World—a resort complex that also includes Caribe Aquatic Park and Ferrari Land, the resort’s newest addition and home to one of Europe’s highest and fastest roller coasters.

Open seven days a week, La Roca Village features more than 150 stores that offer significantly discounted products year-round. A true shoppers’ paradise, you can save up to 60 percent on luxury brands from Gucci to Prada and beyond. Built in the style of a traditional Spanish town, the charming outlet also features a variety of restaurants and amenities for your convenience.

Palaces and homes with art deco, Greek, Gothic, baroque, and medieval flourishes make this neighborhood in central Rome a favorite among architecture buffs, as well as anyone curious to explore an area that most visitors overlook. Highlights of Quartiere Coppedè include a pair of ambassadors’ palaces—Palazzi degli Ambasciatori—as well as the fanciful Fontana delle Rane (Fountain of the Frogs), where the Beatles once frolicked.

Built after the Franco-Prussian War, Fort Douaumont was Verdun’s largest and highest fortress. Today, the once mighty fort lies in ruins, but visitors can still tour the bunkers, barracks, and command posts that once accommodated up to 600 soldiers; admire the machine gun turrets; and take in the views from the fort’s hilltop perch.

The view along the tree-lined banks of the Main River is Frankfurt’s most famous, looking out across the skyscraper-studded skyline. Running through the heart of Frankfurt, the Main River is the longest within Germany, flowing 327 miles (527 kilometers) from Bamberg to Mainz, and traversing three German states before joining the Rhine River.

The Beatrix Potter Gallery is a popular destination for families and all fans of the famous author’s children's books. This 17th-century building in the town of Hawkshead, in the Lake District, was once the office of Potter's husband, the solicitor William Heelis, and now houses much of her original artwork.

Turin is headquarters to Fiat and Alfa Romeo, so it's only fitting that the city is home to the National Museum of the Automobile (Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile), as well. With one of the largest collections of cars on display in Europe, this museum is a mecca for antique car enthusiasts as well as those interested in prototypes for cars of the future.

A paradise for coin enthusiasts, the Athens Numismatic Museum is one of the most important of its kind worldwide. Admire its collection of more than 500,000 rare coins, weights, seals, medals, and gemstones from across the globe—all housed in the lavish Iliou Melathron residence. One of Athens’ most beautiful neoclassical mansions, it was originally home to Troy archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann.

The Îles du Frioul is a collection of four small islands just off the coast of Marseille. In their long history, the islands have been used as the site of a fortress and prison, and a quarantine zone for people suspected of carrying the plague cholera. Nowadays visitors come to hike the islands and visit the famous Chateau d’If.

As a historic landmark alone, Seville’s Monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas (Monasterio de la Cartuja de Santa María) would be notable: The 14th-century walled monastery was a burial place for Christopher Columbus and was occupied by Napoleon—and later even hosted a tile factory. But today, the site’s main resident—the Andalusian Centre for Contemporary Art (CAAC)—is its top draw.

If you’re curious to see a Hellenistic ship from the 3rd century BC, or peer inside a 7th-century Roman merchant vessel, head to the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology. Housed in Bodrum Castle, the museum showcases one of the world’s leading collections of shipwrecks and maritime artifacts, all unearthed from the depths of the ocean.

Established in 1828, the flower-filled Botanic Gardens are Belfast’s loveliest green space and an ideal gray-day escape. The 28-acre (11-hectare) public park centers on the Charles Lanyon–designed mid–19th-century Palm House, a magnificent cast-iron and glass construction with a birdcage dome.

Located just a 10-minute walk from Brussel’s bustling Grand Place, Grand Sablon Square (Place du Grand Sablon) is a historic square at the heart of the Sablon quarter. It feels a world away from the busy city center, with striking medieval townhouses, stylish restaurants, terrace cafés, and a lively antiques market.

Across the red 25th of April Bridge (Ponte 25 de Abril) from Lisbon begins a prized strip of coastline called the Costa da Caparica. Extending for about 16 miles (26 kilometers) from a city of the same name down to the Arriba Fóssil nature preserve, the area is a Portuguese mainstay for surfing and sunbathing. Head to its windswept beaches to watch fishermen and kitesurfers in action, then take in the scenery from a different angle on clifftop trails.

Constructed in the late 1950s, this massive concert hall was designed specifically to host the annual Salzburg Festival, and is still the venue for that major summer event as well as performances throughout the year. As the name suggests, the Festival Hall is huge, with a round stage that measures 328 feet (100 meters) wide, and seating for 2,179 guests.

The Fire of Anatolia show is a dramatic tribute to Anatolia’s rich history. Watch as 120 dancers take to the stage, performing a mix of traditional and modern Turkish dance to live music complete with dazzling lights and costumes. See the show at the purpose-built, open-air Gloria Aspendos Arena.

The Aptera archaeological site is home to the ruins of a powerful ancient city founded in Minoan times. From its strategic position above Souda Bay, the city thrived for millennia before being brought down by invasions and earthquakes. Today, visitors can explore the remains of a fortified tower, a city gate and wall, an amphitheater, and a temple.

Located on the upper level of the 16th-century, eccentric-looking Casa dos Bicos (literally, House of Spikes) is the José Saramago Foundation (Fundação José Saramago), dedicated to one of Portugal’s most celebrated writers. The small museum presents the life and work of Saramago, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1998.

Piercing the sky high above Verona’s historic Piazza delle Erbe, the 12th-centuryLamberti Tower (Torre dei Lamberti) is one of the most eye-catching landmarks in this UNESCO-listed city. Climb 84 meters (275 feet) to the panoramic terraces and belfry at the top for 360-degree views over Verona’s historic center.

With its golden sands, turquoise waters, and looming volcanic cliffs; Famara Beach (Playa de Famara is one of Lanzarote’s most photogenic beaches and popular among both locals and travelers. It’s not only renowned for its good looks—but the beach is also a surfing hotspot, with world-class waves and breaks.

With vineyards on its doorstep and elegant architecture throughout its historic streets, Sremski Karlovci is a captivating Serbian destination on the banks of the Danube River. Baroque and neoclassical buildings, including several orthodox churches and Serbia’s first secondary school, decorate this former religious and cultural center.

Though it may not have the star power of Versailles, this baroque palace just north of Turin is one of the largest royal residences in the world. Built as a lavish hunting lodge, the building and its sweeping grounds have been completely restored and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular excursion from Turin.