Europe is the second smallest continent and even though it is usually considered a continent, it is actually 1/5 of the continent of Eurasia. There are about 33 countries in Europe. The most northern part of the European mainland is Norway; the southernmost is Spain. From west to east the mainland ranges from Portugal, to Russia.
Europe has a long tradition of distinction in literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and dance. In the late 20th century Paris, Rome, London, Madrid, and Moscow were predominantly famous as cultural centers.
Europe is physically distinct for its jagged coastlines, peninsulas, islands, mountains and rivers so they take advantage of natural waterways and highways. The present road network has been developed through the centuries, with rail systems expanding quickly in the 19th century and air travel in the 20th. Over the past 30 years, Europe built most of its present modern airports, a remarkable web of modern highways and a new high-speed rail system. So, with travel easily accessible, you can explore all of their wonderfully diverse attractions from the incredibly magnificent Alps, to the London Bridge, to the Eiffel Tower, to the gondolas of Venice and the columns of Rome and much, much more. The possibilities are unlimited.
Attractions:
Eiffel Tower: Completed in 1889, this colossal landmark, although initially hated by many Parisians, is now a famous symbol of French civic pride in Paris.
Grand Canal: Venice's main water thoroughfare, lined with great Renaissance palaces, is a colorful and busy spectacle of gondolas and vaporetti.
Mount Etna: Sicily's greatest natural attraction is also its highest mountain. Mount Etna, at 10,990 feet, is the most active volcano in Europe and the oldest recorded active volcano in the world.
Mount Vesuvius: The only active volcano on the mainland of Europe, Mount Vesuvius is famous for the catastrophic eruption in 79AD, which buried the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii.
Plaza Monumental de Toros de las Ventas: Spain's largest bullfighting ring.
Red Square: Once the site of executions and military parades, the square sits smack in the middle of Moscow, bounded on one side by the Kremlin walls and Lenin's tomb and on the other by GUM, the country's largest department store.
Spanish Riding School: The performances of the horses trained by this famous equestrian school in Vienna have astonished audiences for over 400 years.
Westminster Abbey
: An architectural masterpiece of the 13th to 16th centuries, the Abbey has been both the coronation and burial site of English monarchs since William the Conqueror.
Restaurants & Cuisine:
Amazonia: A great restaurant in Moscow which serves Russian, European, and Japanese cuisine.
Ancient Tastes: A restaurant in Athens with ancient Greek cuisine and fine dinning.
Asador Frontón I: A great Basque grill in Madrid.
The Battlefield Rest: This restaurant in Glasgow serves Scottish and Italian food.
Biarritz: A restaurant in Budapest with Hungarian and modern European cuisine.
Kizkulesi: A restaurant in Istanbul which serves great Turkish food.
Le Morosophe: This restaurant serves excellent French cuisine in Paris.
The Place Below: This restaurant in London serves Vegetarian and Modern British cuisine.
Restaurant Barbizon: A restaurant in Belgium which specializes in confit tomatoes with thyme and vegetable "spaghetti"; spiced caramelized, pigeon with vegetable "paillasson"; tomato and lobster with coral vinaigrette; and more.
Restaurant Nilo: This restaurant in Lisbon serves good Portuguese, Brazilian, and Italian food..
Steirereck: This restaurant has a tasty, light cuisine with an emphasis on culinary specialties from Austria.
Taubenkobel: The decor is as light as the pastries and the freshly caught fish from the lake in Austria.
Events:
January: The Pope and the Emperor - An exhibition in France to commemorate the bicentennial of Napoleon's reception of Pope Pius VII to Fontainebleau. This exhibition offers the chance to relive this significant event through a viewing of paintings and oeu'vres commissioned by the Emperor himself.
February: Midwinter Marathon - This marathon is run through the Veluwe Woods in Holland.
March: Flower Market - Spring is a perfect time to visit Tournai, Belgium and its treasures. Visit the Belfry and the Tapestry Museum.
April: Shaolin Monks - The world-famous Shaolin monks come all the way from their Shaolin Temple in China's Henan Province to the Teatro Smeraldo in Milan, Italy for a performance incorporating theatre, music - and, of course, their legendary martial arts skills.
May: Days of the Hvar Theater - Literary scholars and theater dedicated to themes from Croatian literature. The central event in Croatia is the symposium on the theme History of Croatian Literature and all presented materials are regularly published in the collected papers which are printed every year.
June: Stella Artois Champoionships - The Stella Artois Grass Court Championship at the Queen's Club, London, is the perfect preparation for the impending Wimbledon Championship. For seven days in the middle of June fans are treated to fantastic action featuring many of the world's leading tennis players.
July: Cyprus International Gymnastics Tournament - This event is organized by the Cyprus Federation of Gymnastics
August: Middle Ages Festival - A Denmark festival with More than 100,000 costumed knights, monks, pilgrims and musicians join in this celebration of medieval life.
September: Bruckner Festival - Numerous classical concerts in Austria with world-renowned orchestras and soloists at Brucknerhaus and the cathedral. The Bruckner Festival Linz begins every year by the "Linzer Klangwolke" (Linz Sound Clouds).
October: Godollo Harp Festival - The best harpists of Europe introduce their talent in the beautiful barock Grassalkovich Mansion in Hungary.
November: Monte-Carlo Gastronomy Salon - An exhibition in Monte Carlo for fine dinning and tableware.
December: Lucia - The coronation of Lucia, the bearer of light, is celebrated all over Sweden on this day. A young woman is chosen to lead the annual procession of light at Skansen open-air museum in Stockholm.
Landmarks:
Acropolis: The most famous site in all of Athens, this large hill lies in the center of the city and contains a cluster of ancient ruins.
Edinburgh Castle: This incredible castle holds the key to Scottish history.
Kremlin: Moscow's most famous historical and political landmark, the Kremlin is a walled-in complex of cathedrals, palaces and government offices, with several buildings open to the public, including the Armory, Patriarch's Palace and the State Kremlin Palace.
Notre Dame Cathedral: This famous cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture on which construction began in the 12th century, stands on the Île de la Cite and is the symbolic heart of the city of Paris.
Tower of London: One of London's most famous landmarks, the historic Tower houses the Crown Jewels, the prison cell of Sir Walter Raleigh, known as the Bloody Tower, and the Chapel of St. John and the Royal Armories.
Museums and Exhibits:
Acropolis Museum: A museum in Athens detailing the religious history of the Acropolis, featuring a collection of ancient statues used in religious ceremonies.
Berlin Wall Museum: Museum focusing on the history surrounding the Berlin Wall, including an exhibit of instruments people used to escape.
Musee du Louvre: Home to Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the Louvre is considered the world's greatest art museum, with an unparalleled collection of items covering the full spectrum of art through the ages.
National Archaeological Museum: This museum has all of the interesting finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum, both doomed cities after the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD.
Prado Museum: The Prado has one of the largest art collections in the world, and is best known for its diverse assortment of works by Velasquez, Goya and El Greco.
Required Travel Documents: You must see the individual country for this information. Local Language: Europe has over 60 native languages with 3 major families -Germanic, Romance, and Slavic. Electricity: 220/230V ,50Hz. AC transformers/adapters may be needed. Calling Codes: You must see the individual country for this information. Time Zones: The time zones in Europe are from GMT/UTC 0 to GMT/UTC +12. Climate: You must see the individual country for this information. Potable Water: Tap water is good, and bottled water is readily available. Currency/Money: The Euro is the preferred currency in most European countries.