Overview
Western civilization began in ancient Greece. Magnificent Renaissance painters, such as Michelangelo, who painted Italy’s renowned ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and France’s beloved painters, from Cézanne to Renoir, make up the fabric of this intriguing continent. And it all transpires against a backdrop of picture-perfect landscapes served as the inspiration for artists including Van Gogh, Monet, and Titian.
Vacationers can visit some of the continent’s most revered museums, including the Louvre in Paris, Spain’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and Rome’s beloved Uffizi. The must-see list is endless in this remarkable land of kings and queens, artists, musicians, and chefs. Europeans continue to create modern masterpieces in the music, fashion, art and culinary worlds.
The region also boasts incredible vistas, from the towering Alps and the Vienna Woods to the Danube and the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. Parks and magnificent gardens transform cities and towns into artistic landscapes.
Today, 750 million or so citizens continue to contribute to this immense, ever-changing tapestry of diverse languages and cultures, known as Europe.
What To Do
It’s so easy to find something to do amid this magnificent continent. Explore the golden cities of Italy, from Venice to Rome.
Take a boat along the Seine in Paris, and relive the belle époque at the Moulin Rouge or enjoy a luxury European river cruise along timless waterways of western Europe and beyond.
View some of the world’s most exquisite artworks at the Prado Museum in Madrid.
People-watch at Puerta del Sol and Plaza de España, two of that city’s most vibrant public squares.
Visit the Acropolis in the birthplace of democracy, Athens, Greece.
Feel like an ancient gladiator at the Colosseum; and mangia authentic pasta, pizza, gelato and prosciutto e melone like there’s no tomorrow in Rome.
Ride the London Eye for a bird’s-eye view of the city in the land that nurtured novelists such as Dickens, Austen, Brontë and thousands more. Attend a Shakespearean play at the renowned Globe Theatre or something a bit more modern in London’s fabulous West End.
When it’s time to relax, visit a thermal spa in Tuscany or Budapest. The list goes on. Your biggest challenge in Europe is choosing what to do in a land with of endless options.
When to Go
The shoulder season encompassing May, June, and September is the best time to visit Europe. During this time, the weather is mild, and crowds are much smaller. Summertime is a favorite time to visit when long days pair with cultural events and festive nightlife.
The off-season period between November and March offer fewer crowds and exuberant Christmas markets throughout Europe. Wintertime is also ideal for skiers headed for the Alps or other local mountains.
Fast Facts
Encompassing 4,000,000 incredible square miles, Europe is the second smallest continent in the world.
The continent encompasses the world’s smallest country, Vatican City, and its largest, Russia.
The land of Mozart and Beethoven also gave birth to the Beatles, plus scores of modern musicians who continue to lend their talents to the international music scene.
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