Europe attractions

One of London’s largest and most well-known parks, Hyde Park offers a peaceful escape right in the heart of the city. Once a royal hunting ground for Henry VIII, today its walking paths and open green spaces attract boaters, joggers, cyclists, picnickers, and strollers alike. Visitors come to go boating on the Serpentine, explore monuments such as the Diana Memorial Fountain, watch speakers at Speakers’ Corner, or attend seasonal events.

Classic and contemporary architecture meet in Plaça de Catalunya, hailed as the beating heart of Barcelona. Surrounded by luxury hotels and high-end restaurants, the square also features sculptures and a grand fountain. Plus, the attraction-packed avenues of La Rambla and Passeig de Gracia converge here, making it the ideal starting point for sightseeing excursions.

A history museum of the Third Reich, Topography of Terror is housed in the former headquarters of the Gestapo secret police and the SS. Artifacts, photos, and videos examine the history of Hitler’s Germany on the site where the fate of Nazi political opponents was decided and the genocide of the European Jews, Sinti, and Roma was organized.

Located on an islet in the Bosphorus Strait, just offshore from Istanbul’s Uskudar neighborhood, Maiden’s Tower (Kiz Kulesi) is a historical site that has inspired myths and legends. The Ottomans expanded and rebuilt the structure, and today it contains a restaurant and bar with views of the city.

Nestled into Montenegro’s steep Bay of Kotor, Kotor Old Town is one of the Mediterranean’s best-preserved gems. Ringed by stone walls that climb the limestone cliffs behind it, its knot of streets hosts centuries-old architecture, quirky museums, and countless shops and alfresco eateries, making it a magnet for sightseers and cruise liners.

Built over just four months, the 15th-century Rumeli Fortress played a key role in the fall of Byzantine Constantinople. Together with the Anatolian Fortress (Anadolu Hisarı) on the Bosphorus, Rumeli Fortress was used by the Ottomans to cut off aid and supplies to Constantinople. Today, it serves as both an open-air theater and site of historical interest.

Cappadocia’s lunar-like landscapes draw admirers from around the world. And its “fairy chimneys,” soaring rock pinnacles topped with lids like mushroom caps, are at the region’s heart. See them from one of the popular sunrise balloon flights, but they’re equally impressive up close, as they're used as homes, hotels, and ancient churches.

Louis XIV’s Palace of Versailles takes the award for the most visited chateau in France, and André le Nôtre’s magnificent Versailles Gardens (Jardins de Versailles) are world-renowned. The series of beautifully landscaped gardens features show-stopping fountains, tree-lined pathways, and the cross-shaped Grand Canal at its center. Spectacular fountain shows, some with fireworks and musical performances, illuminate the gardens during the summer months.

Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara in Bairro Alto is one of Lisbon’s best spots to take in panoramic views. Head to this viewpoint at sunset with a picnic of wine and petiscos to gaze upon the Castelo de São Jorge and the city below at this two-tiered garden while relaxing on benches or along the fountain. Admire the azulejo map that depicts the city’s landmarks, the fountain at its center, and statues that line the gardens.

Located in the shadow of Istanbul’s first bridge, Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayi) was historically a summer residence for Ottoman sultans. The 24 rooms of the palace contain a mix of Ottoman and Western decoration, with 19th-century furniture from Europe and garden pavilions, and its ornate exterior is visible from the Bosphorus Strait.

Renowned for their therapeutic properties since Roman times, the waters of the Pamukkale Thermal Pools flow into white travertine formations that rise out of the surrounding plains. Nearby are the ruins of Hierapolis, an ancient city that grew up around the springs. The thermal pools and petrified waterfalls create an otherworldly landscape at Pamukkale, which translates as “cotton castle.”

The 12-sided Torre del Oro, perched on the Guadalquivir River, is a Seville landmark. Also known as the Golden Tower, it was constructed in the 13th century when the city was ruled by the Almohads, a Berber Muslim dynasty. Visit the Torre del Oro to peruse its onsite naval museum, and for views from the top of the tower.

This brick Gothic church in the northeast corner of Old Town’s main square (Rynek Główny, dominates the skyline at 262 feet (80 meters tall. Dating back to the 13th century, St. Mary’s Basilica (Kościól Mariacki is famous for its stunning wooden altarpiece carved by German sculptor Veit Stoss.

With its dramatic sea cliffs soaring more than 1,903 feet (580 meters) above Madeira’s south coast, Cabo Girão is the highest promontory in Europe. The clifftop is one of the island’s most-visited attractions, with a glass-floor skywalk lookout point affording spectacular panoramic views.

If you’re in Bucharest, it’s impossible to miss the massive Palace of Parliament which dominates the city center and contains more than 1,000 rooms. Built under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceauşescu, this opulent edifice is now one of Bucharest’s most popular tourist attractions and home to the National Museum of Contemporary Art and more.

Stretched across the Golden Horn, the Galata Bridge (Galata Köprüsü) connects the shores of Istanbul’s historical peninsula with the Karakoy and Galata neighborhoods. Though the presence of the bridge started in 1845, the current structure dates only to 1994. Fishermen line the atmospheric bridge day and night, trying to haul in their daily catch.

Istanbul’s bustling waterside neighborhood of Ortaköy buzzes with the energy of bars, restaurants, cafés, and nightclubs. The main sight here is the Ortaköy Mosque (Ortaköy Cami), a 19th-century structure featuring a blend of baroque and neoclassical influences. Behind it, the Bosphorus Bridge looms, connecting the old Istanbul with the new.

A surprisingly humble interior hides behind the lacy stonework facade, looming gargoyles, and prickly spires of Batalha Monastery (Mosteiro da Batalha), the UNESCO-recognized resting place of Portuguese royalty. Explore the myriad chapels and cloisters, before watching sunlight pool through the statement stained-glass window.

Built between 1873 and 1883, the neo-Renaissance Peles Castle (Castelul Peleș) was a summer getaway for Romanian royals. With 170 lavishly decorated rooms, the castle was equipped with the most modern conveniences of the time—electricity, elevators, and central heating.

With its signature red-and-white brickwork, Barcelona’s Arc de Triomf has stood tall at the entrance to the Ciutadella Park (Parc de la Ciutadella) for more than a century. Designed by Catalan architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas, it originally served as the entrance to the 1888 Universal Exposition, held at the nearby Parc de la Ciutadella. Today, it’s become a symbol of the city and a regular feature of sightseeing tours.

Few roads are as instantly recognizable as the Dark Hedges. Formed by intertwined branches of huge beech trees planted in the 18th century, this atmospheric avenue was designed to frame the approach to nearby Gracehill House. It later gained worldwide fame as the King's Road in the Game of Thrones TV series, drawing photographers and fans from around the globe.

Surprisingly for a city split between two continents, Istanbul existed without connecting bridges for most of its existence. After the construction of the Bosphorus Bridge in the 1970s, the second unifying bridge, Fatih Sultan Mehmet, came in 1988. It is part of Istanbul’s O-2 highway and connects the European and Asian sides of the city.

Set on the southern slope of Athens’ ancient Acropolis citadel, the Theatre of Dionysus is the open-air theater that gave the world drama as we know it. The theater was established in the sixth century BC and dedicated to Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry. (The earliest Greek dramas formed part of his festival.) A couple of centuries later, the theater was rebuilt in stone, the ruins of which you can see today.

The Vittoriano was inaugurated in 1911 to honor the first king of the newly united Italy, and is one of the most famous landmarks in Rome. It’s home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a panoramic rooftop terrace, as well as a smattering of collections—including the Museo Centrale del Risorgimento—making up the Vittoriano e Palazzo Venezia (or VIVE), previously known as the Vittoriano Museum Complex.

It’s fitting that the name Puerta del Sol (“gate of the sun” in English) evokes light and warmth, because this central Madrid square is an energetic hub. A must for first-time visitors to Madrid, the area is packed with hotels, cafés, souvenir-selling vendors, and barhopping locals.

Birthplace of St. Francis and one of Italy’s most atmospheric hill towns, Assisi is best known for the glorious Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. The pilgrimage site, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a treasure trove of medieval art. Visit the soaring upper church with its celebrated fresco cycles, the somber lower church, and Francis’ tomb in the crypt, and see works by artists including Giotto and Cimabue.

Located in Berlin’s Mitte district, the Gendarmenmarkt is arguably Berlin’s most magnificent public square, attracting a cluster of high-end restaurants and hotels, especially around Charlottenstrasse. Come wintertime, travelers come from all over Europe to shop at the square’s spectacular Christmas market and skate at the festive ice rink.

At the height of the Cold War, socialist East Germany erected the Berlin Wall. This imposing barrier divided Berlin's eastern and western sides for nearly 30 years. In November 1989, as the fall of East Germany and communism in Europe began, the wall's demolition helped reunify Germany. Today, sections remain as reminders of the days when the country (and Berlin) was divided.

Krakow’s Jewish Quarter—Kazimierz—has been the heart of the city’s Jewish community since medieval times. Traces of its turbulent past remain, but today it’s reinvented itself as a thriving cultural hub, where historic synagogues and museums sit side by side with art galleries, cocktail bars, bold street art, and vintage boutiques.

Before it was called the National Gardens of Athens, this refreshing getaway was named after Queen Amalia, the German princess who presided over the Kingdom of Greece in the 19th century. She commissioned the garden, and was said to have lovingly tended to its thousands of trees, flowers, and plants after its construction in 1840. Today, the gardens span nearly 60 acres of greenery and contain lakes, a conservatory, and children’s library.