Europe attractions

Set in the Black Forest region near the border between France and Germany, Baden-Baden offers a charming blend of cultures with grand art nouveau villas, modern boutiques, and chic cafés. The town’s thermal waters and ancient Roman baths are its main attractions—including the historic Friedrichsbad spa and Trinkhalle (pump room)—and the town is ideal for pairing sightseeing with a long, relaxing soak at the local spas.

King’s Square is a square in Munich that dates back to the 19th century when King Ludwig I commissioned two temple-like museums inspired by the Acropolis in Athens. Notable sites include the Propylaea, the Glyptothek, and the State Collections of Antiquities. The area also holds significance as a site for Nazi rallies during World War II.

Bologna is home to the world’s oldest university, and one of the city’s most remarkable sights is part of the university’s medical school: the 17th-century Anatomical Theater in Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio. Visit this richly paneled and decorated hall to see where students once heard lectures and observed surgical procedures.

The now-uninhabited island of Spinalonga (Kalydon) sits in the Elounda Gulf along Crete’s northeastern shore. During the 16th-century Venetian occupation, the invaders built a defensive fortress here protecting Mirabello Bay. Today visitors can tour the massive structure and the abandoned buildings that sit along its turreted walls.

Housing what many consider the finest art collection in Venice, the Accademia Gallery (Gallerie dell’Accademia) showcases Venetian artworks dating from the 14th century to the 18th century. Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man is the collection’s most famous—not to mention fragile—work. This popular institution showcases works from many Venetian painters that best capture the spirit of the Floating City, and is a must for art lovers.

With its pristine glacial waters and dramatic backdrop of the Julian Alps, Lake Bohinj is Slovenia’s largest lake. The area around the lake is known for its picturesque lakeside church and rich natural beauty, which creates perfect conditions for a wealth of outdoor activities no matter the season.

Housed in what was once the Royal Riding School of Belém National Palace, along with a second more contemporary building, Lisbon’s National Coach Museum (Museu Nacional dos Coches) features an impressive collection of royal coaches and horse-drawn carriages from the 16th–19th centuries. It also showcases ceremonial and processional items related to equestrianism, as well as several portraits of the Portuguese royal family.

With its drawbridge entrance over a medieval moat, the 13th-century Scaliger Castle, set on the southern shore of Lake Garda, looks like something out of a fairytale. Climb the ramparts and main tower for sweeping views, and visit the collection of artifacts at the nearby Roman Grottoes of Catullus.

Best-known for being the home of troublesome novice nun Maria in The Sound of Music, Nonnberg Abbey (Stift Nonnberg was founded in the eighth century and is the oldest constantly-inhabited convent in Europe. The complex encompasses Gothic, Romanesque, and baroque styles, and features gorgeous chapels, churches, and cloisters.

Leap back in time at the prestigious, yet under-the-radar, Correr Museum (Museo Correr), which charts Venice’s history from early Renaissance times to around the 18th century. Paintings, sculptures, and artistic artefacts fill the space, which is split into different sections covering neoclassical rooms, Venetian culture, and a picture gallery. Lovers of Italian art history will find much of interest here, while those taking advantage of free entry with their Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) admission can explore Venice’s past.

Sitting on an outcrop jutting into Galway Bay, the 16th-century Dunguaire Castle appears like a fairy-tale vision to drivers traversing the coastal road, prompting many to pull over and reach for a camera. The site housed prominent local clans for centuries before famous Irish surgeon, poet, and playwright Oliver St. John Gogarty bought it in 1924. He then turned it into a hangout for Ireland’s literary elite, including Lady Gregory, W.B. Yeats, Seán O'Casey, and George Bernard Shaw. Today, most travelers admire the castle from afar, though some do venture inside.

Built in 1066 by William the Conqueror above the striking White Cliffs of Dover, this landmark complex—once known as the “key to England”—served as one of the country’s largest and most strategically important fortresses, and saw duty as recently as World War II. Climb the Great Tower, stop by St. Mary in Castro church, marvel at the oldest surviving Roman lighthouse in the country, then tour hidden wartime tunnels.

London’s Spitalfields neighborhood has been drawing crowds since the 15th century, and today, it attracts locals and travelers alike with its culturally diverse and hip atmosphere. The area is home to an array of places to eat, drink, and shop, including the historic Spitalfields Market, making it a top spot in which to experience local London life.

Venice ruled Crete for more than 400 years and built Chania’s scenic port during the 14th century. Today, the Old Venetian Harbor is the beating heart of Chania Old Town, with restaurants, bars, and stores nestled beside landmarks from the Venetian Lighthouse to the Firkas Fortress, Grand Arsenal, and Hassan Pasha Mosque.

The glamorous principality of Monaco is one of the highlights of the French Riviera and a hugely popular cruise destination, welcoming some of Europe’s biggest cruise lines. Arriving at Hercules Port (Port d'Hercule) is an experience in itself, as you dock beneath the dramatic Rock of Monaco, gazing out across the glittering Mediterranean.

Getreidegasse is the heart of Salzburg’s old town, and the street where Mozart was born in 1756. With its charming cafés and cozy inns, as well as top fashion brands, it's perennially popular with visitors.

The imposing 13th-century Castel del Monte’s octagonal ramparts and towers are so iconic that an image of the UNESCO-listed fortress graces one-cent coins issued in Italy. Explore one of the most impressive of the many castles built by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in southern Italy and Sicily during his influential reign.

Spilling over Poland’s southern border into Slovakia, the Tatra Mountains (Tatry) are the highest part of the Carpathian range and make up Tatrzański Tatra National Park. Protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, this wild and mountainous region is rich with snow-topped peaks, alpine lakes, and sparkling waterfalls.

Perched on a hilltop in Western Sicily, the Segesta Archaeological Park (Parco Archeologico di Segesta) is home to spectacular ancient ruins dating from Magna Grecia. Highlights include the main temple, built in the fifth century BC and one of the best-preserved examples of Doric architecture in the world, and the fourth-century-BC Greek theater.

Surrounded by steep mountains, the village of Curral das Freiras (Valley of the Nuns) seems like an impossible place to access when viewed from the Eira do Serrado lookout point. But its remote location is exactly why it was embraced by the escaped slaves and nuns who fled from pirates in Funchal.

With its white facade and simple bell tower, the Ravello Duomo (Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta e San Pantaleone) is modest by Italian standards. Highlights are the inscribed bronze doors and a remarkable pulpit, supported by six marble lions and adorned with bird and dragon mosaics. The chapel also boasts an ampoule of St. Pantaleone’s blood, said to liquefy each year on the anniversary of his martyrdom.

Piercing the sky above Siena, the soaring Mangia Tower (Torre del Mangia) is a notable feature of the medieval town’s skyline. It affords views across the rooftops to the surrounding Tuscan countryside. Climb the hundreds of steps to the top, or admire this imposing bell tower in Piazza del Campo from below.

Set against a backdrop of hillside vineyards and lush woodlands, Trakoscan Castle is Croatia's best preserved and most visited medieval castle. White-trimmed crenelations, a dramatic drawbridge, and red-roofed towers add a fairy tale element, while the sprawling grounds feature a romantic landscape of English-style gardens and a lake with hiking trails.

Framed by conifer woods, livestock-dotted fells, and peaks, this much-loved beauty spot in the Lake District National Park consists of a large tarn (mountain lake, which was created by combining three smaller tarns in the 19th century. The land, once owned by Beatrix Potter and now managed by the National Trust, is open to the public.

The Czech town of Ceske Budejovice in South Bohemia may be best known for the beer that has been brewed there since the 13th century. Even if you aren't a beer lover, this charming provincial capital is well worth a visit thanks to its vast main square, winding lanes, and a location that lends itself for exploring the region.

Stretching for around 3 miles (5 kilometers), dark-sand Kamari Beach is sandwiched between the blue Aegean waters and the mountain peak of Mesa Vouno. With a bar- and restaurant-lined promenade behind it and lots of facilities nearby, it’s one of the best places to park yourself for a day of relaxation.

Demre, located on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, is a historical town with an eventful past. Once home to Greek Christians, this heritage remains evident today. Abandoned Greek houses serve as reminders of centuries gone by, and provide vacationers with the same warmth and charm that the locals who built this little agricultural village enjoyed in the distant past.

Ancient Rome’s only stadium built in masonry, the 1st-century Stadium of Domitian could hold around 30,000 spectators for sporting events. This unique venue was paved over in the 15th century to build Piazza Navona, but its ruins—a UNESCO World Heritage Site set mostly beneath the bustling square—give a sense of its scope and importance. Considered among the most fascinating archaeological sites in the city, the stadium is a must-see for ancient history enthusiasts.

The Seven Hills of Rome (Sette Colli di Roma) are an integral part of the city’s historic and cultural identity, from the site of its foundation to the residence of its head of state. You can find ancient traces of the capital’s past across the hills, not to mention some of its most famous landmarks, particularly around the central Capitoline Hill and Palatine Hill (Palatino).

The Church of St. Adalbert is one of Krakow’s oldest churches, and it's believed to have been built in the 10th–11th centuries. Smaller in stature and less well-known than St. Mary’s Basilica, it also happens to be one of Poland’s oldest stone structures. Visitors come here to see its Romanesque architecture and a small museum in the crypt.