For century's famous travellers left Europe to explore new lands, trade with far away peoples, and return with wonderful stories. In the 21st Century, though, the opposite is true. Europe is now the most visited continent, with millions every year taking a trip to one of the forty plus countries who pride themselves on being part of this eclectic union.
To describe Europe in one word, it would be diverse. Nowhere else does the landscape change so rapidly, or so often. Cultures, religions, languages, and traditions, can all be different in towns just a few miles from each other.
The style of buildings, roads, even clothes, can tell the seasoned European traveller quite accurately which area he might be in, even if his map has long since vanished.
That diversity is the reason so many head to Europe. Colourful festivals, thousands of miles of beaches, centuries of history, breathtaking lakes and mountains, vibrant and cultural cities, and mouth-watering cuisine, all draw travellers from far and wide.
| They say ‘if you're tired of London, you're tired of life', and there's certainly a vibrancy about this city that you automatically buy into as you tread the well-worn tourist trail. Around the rest of the United Kingdom marvel at picture postcard villages, and rose clad thatched cottages. They are the real England , not just for the travel brochures, and surprisingly common. First stop outside London is often Stonehenge, a four thousand year old enigma of massive stones for tourists to wonder at, and historians to argue over. |
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But continue southwest to the rugged Atlantic and Channel coasts, and to Land's End. Tiny fishing villages nestled in rocky inlets are the place to sample England 's best know cuisine - Fish and Chips.
The Spanish coast is taken over by tourism, although here it's almost continuous hotels along the various Costa's. It's difficult to find a quiet, unspoilt beach in the entire length from the French border to Gibraltar. That's not to say it's all unpleasant. It's not. The coastal towns have a certain charm, much aided by the generally good weather. But they unmistakably exist for the tourists, and you won't find much in the way of traditional Spain here. Travel a few miles inland, however, and you begin to see what a diverse and interesting land it really is. One of pony trekking holidays, wine festivals, and little hilltop villages that have changed little since the 19th Century.
Cities such as Barcelona, Grenada, Cordoba, and Seville, all have much to offer, and certainly more than the capital, Madrid. Spain has a multitude of festivals, carnivals, and fiesta's. The Running of the Bulls at Pamplona is best watched from a vantage point high enough to avoid the bulls' horns, as the novices tend to make the best targets for the beasts. The April Fiera in Seville is another to savour, when the whole city is given over to a week of flamenco music and dancing, with bullfights in the stadium, and general revelry around the streets. For the arts inclined head north to the Atlantic port of Bilbao, and its wonderful modern art galleries and liberated atmosphere.
If you're still looking for that secluded beach, however, then head west to Portugal. The southern Algarve coast has sandy coves, backed by low rocky cliffs, and for the most part plenty of space. It has a far more relaxed feel to the Spanish resorts. Portugal is far more golf and wine, compared to Spain 's volleyball and beer. The Atlantic coast is still largely unspoilt, as is Portugal 's interior. As a seafaring nation, this is the place to try some of the best seafood in Europe, washed down with some locally produced wine.
The beaches of Greece, of course, have been long established as a visitor's paradise. Around 4000 years! With over 150 islands surrounding the mainland there are plenty to choose from. Greece and her islands have been invaded so many times, and from every direction, over the centuries that it's hard to tell where any particular style has derived from.
In France avoid jumping on the motorway and heading to Paris. Instead take some time to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and stylish 19th century resorts of northern France, such as Le Touquet, and Dinard, or picturesque fishing villages such as Boulogne and Honfleur. If you're into history there is ample opportunity to visit museums and the invasion beaches of Normandy, of for the more cultural, Rouen demands some time to appreciate fully. Although the city has been largely restored since the Second World War, the medieval style still impresses, and the Cathedral de Notre Dame which dates from the 12 th Century is mostly original. The shuttered windows on the town houses, the smell of cheese shops, and bustle of pretty pavement café's adds to the general laid back ambience.
It's an ambience that Paris itself, in the city centre at least, seems largely to have lost. The street life of modern day Paris is very different from that seen in those romantic movies from the 1950's. The café's, bars, and restaurants along the River Seine, and Champs Elysee add to an atmosphere that is busy, lively, and chic. Favourite pastimes here are sipping coffee, reading, and people watching. It's a strange combination alongside a city which otherwise is so busy. It was during the time of Louis XIV that this most glamorous of European capitals first rose to prominence, and its style and elegance are still much in evidence.
Germany also has its share of picturesque river valley's, with a similarly generous sprinkling of castles, villages, and viewpoints. The Rhine is most spectacular in the area of the high gorge between Rudesheim and Koblenz . The roads hug the river banks on both sides of this fifty mile stretch, vying for space with the railway and cycle paths. The western side has the best views, especially of the famed Lorelei rock, but the eastern bank has the best villages. Rudesheim has its narrow Drosselgasse, which is hailed as the prettiest street in Europe, full of surprisingly reasonable bars and restaurants. Near the top you can climb aboard the cable car for a short ride to the summit.
Further south the Rhine is not so impressive, until you reach the thundering Rhine Falls just over the Swiss border. Southern Germany is much visited for another reason, though. The Black Forest is actually a general term for around a thousand square kilometres of dark forest, interlaced with serene lakes, spa towns, and a labyrinth of paths and tracks. It's a walker's paradise, and no longer the misty wilderness of a century ago.
The Moselle valley is more gentle, greener, and covered in every direction with vineyards. For a trip with a difference try cycling along the excellent cycle paths that are common to most of Central Europe. Stop off in the medieval village of Bernkastel, which despite becoming very touristy in recent years, still maintains is relaxed charm. Closer to the Luxembourg border is the Roman city of Trier . This is Germany 's oldest city, which avoided the worst ravages of the Second World War to retain an impressive amount of architecture and monuments from its time as Emperor Constantine's western capital.
On the north-western side of the river the rolling green hills begin to get higher and more dramatic, as you head up into the Ardennes, and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The capital, Luxembourg City, is built around two deep river gorges. The old city around the Palais Grand Ducal is pleasant to wander through, and the views of the canyons from the Fortress Walls will be the ones to your album. The locals are pleasant, business-like, but seem content to let tourists just do their thing unhindered, which can be a refreshing change.
Neighbouring Belgium is often written off by tourists as having little to offer, but there are a few notable exceptions. The country was not lucky with its design when it comes to attracting visitors, since the best towns to visit all lie on the flat coastal areas closer to the coast, and the infinitely more attractive high Ardennes has only a few places worthy of a stop.
Along with Luxembourg and Belgium, Holland (or The Netherlands, depending on your preference) makes up the trio known as the Low Countries. To most people it means windmills, canals, flowers, and clogs. It has an enviable quality of making visitors feel like they belong there, that they are amongst friends, and that they can relax.
If Antwerp 's diamond's shine for Belgium , then for the Dutch it's the bulbfields. For two months each spring thousands come to gaze in awe at mile after mile of brightly coloured fields, with tulips, daffodils, and more. Keukenhof is the largest in the world, with a mind blowing six million flowers on display.
Amsterdam is a happy marriage of new and old, as canals lined with medieval merchants houses blend seamlessly with modern clubs and bars. It's a city that makes you feel young, vibrant, and just pleased to be there. Check out the Rijksmuseum for a glimpse into a past when Amsterdam was one of the trading capitals of the world, and take the obligatory canal trip to see the sights.
The Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland , enjoy a relatively low key tourist industry, often trading visitors largely amongst themselves. Denmark is home to the children's construction giant Lego, and thousands flock to the colourful Legoland theme park to inspire their children, and remember their own childhood. Norway's visitors often don't even set foot on dry land, with cruises through the fjords attracting an ever-increasing fan base. The steep cliffs tower over even the largest liner, with waterfalls cascading down, and forests lining the sides.
In Sweden and Finland those forests attract their visitors when covered with snow, as this is Lapland . Trips to see Santa Claus at home in the frozen north have thrilled many young travellers in recent years, and shown their parents a part of Europe that before would have seldom seen foreigners.
The countries of what was communist Europe are slowly beginning to develop their facilities to welcome tourists. For many, now is a good time to go there, before the inevitable commercialism takes over too much, and while the original feel of the countries remains undiluted. Polish hospitality, for example, at the moment is still probably the best in Europe. Stay in any one place for more then a couple of days and you will certainly leave having made new friends, and probably you'll have been to their house, if not a cousin's wedding. Sacrifice a visit to the modern capital Warsaw in favour of the old capital Krakow , which is where you'll find the elegant buildings, and historic roots from the days of the monarchy. If you have transport, a drive along the Vistula River boasts scenery and castles to rival the Rhine, and the beauty and tranquillity of the Tatras mountains attracts hikers and writers to its alpine air.
Mountains don't respect national boundaries, of course, and the Tatras continue south into neighbouring Slovakia. The terrain means scenery is the main draw for visitors coming to this deeply religious country. There are pretty medieval towns, and some promising spa towns, but don't expect a sophisticated tourism industry just yet. The other half of the former union, the Czech Republic , has a far more refined approach to visitors. Indeed it has done for several hundred years, as it was the favoured hideaway of many of Europe 's aristocracy and well-to-do.
To the south is Hungary, the rebel of the Balkan countries, and perhaps the last undiscovered gem of central Europe . Despite being the first Communist bloc country to open its borders, travelling independently is still the only real way to see the undulating lands away from the capital, Budapest. The resort towns on the banks of the Lake Balaton still fill mostly with local tourists, but if you can find a space the atmosphere is lively and the scenery very picturesque. More suited to western tastes are the villages along the river Danube, especially as it twists amid the high valleys upstream from the capital.
The Black Sea countries of Romania and Bulgaria, like Hungary, need independently exploring to see the best of the lands away from the coast. But neither are the easiest due to poor infrastructure, a lack of accommodation, and unenthusiastic locals. If you persevere you'll be richly rewarded with high mountainous countryside, fortified towns, and the impression you've stepped back in time to the 19 th Century. The fabled Transylvania is perhaps the most visually stunning in Romania, or its Bulgarian counterpart the Rila mountains. The coastal resorts are well established, if not quite up to the standards of Spain or Italy, and represent good value for money.
Italy has lot's to do and the great cities of Rone, Venice and Florence.
In the extreme north of Italy the Alps rise dramatically, with a series of long thin mountain lakes. In the summer, the mountains both in Italy, and neighbouring Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, and France, are frequented by hikers, climbers, and those who marvel at the dramatic scenery. When the snow comes, they are replaced by skiers, snow boarders, and the like, as the busy winter sports scene takes over. Switzerland has the most dramatic scenery, with ski resorts such as St Moritz and Davos attracting the rich and famous to its slopes. Austria and France are more reasonably priced, and with an equally wide variety of facilities. All share a great ambience, and the evening ‘après-ski' is as important part of your holiday as the time on the snow. The French Alps continue all the way to the Mediterranean, and provide the stunning backdrop to resorts such as Nice, and the tiny principality of Monaco.
Not only is Europe diverse, so is every country within it. It's friendly, welcoming, wonderfully scenic, with exciting cities, and amazing history. It will give you great memories, wonderful stories, and without doubt, it will leave you wanting more.
And an excellent way to experience the Greek islands is by Mediterranean Sailing and Yacht Charter.
Visit Prague.com to see some great offers on where to stay in the Czech Republic, you can find great rates on Prague hotels and accommodation in Prague.
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