Europe sees more tourists than anywhere else in the world and this is directly because of the vast history and culture of the continent. So much has happened and been built here: the blossoming of the modern world, the majority of the world’s largest wars, the greatest collections of art, the ruins of fantastic architectural feats, and astounding religious monuments.
- Rome, Italy
There’s not just the Coliseum in Rome’s historic center, but the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel, the Roman Forum, catacombs, arches, obelisks, palaces, squares, bridges, museums, and fountains.
- Stonehenge, England
This circular collection of stones eight miles north of Salisbury date back to as far as 5,000 years.
- Berlin and Concentration Camps, Germany
Once a city divided by a wall, but now only fragments remain. Farther afield and spread around the region are the haunting reminders of Hitler and WWII such as Dachau, Bergen-Belsen, Flossenburg, Buchenwald, and many others.
- Pompei, Italy
An eruption on Mount Vesuvius near Naples completely buried this Roman city in 79 AD. Now that it has been excavated more than 2.5 million visit the UNESCO world heritage site each year.
- Florence, Italy
Florence’s historic center once was the focal point of the Italian renaissance. Churches, museums, bridges, architecture representing some of the greatest advances in civilization can still be seen here.
- Athens, Greece
The once powerful city-state is full of ancient relics from the Parthenon on the Acropolis as well as a number of other Roman and Byzantine monuments.
- Château de Versailles, France
Also called the Palace of Versailles, this symbol of the French Monarchy epitomized by King Louis XVI was the center of power of the country from 1682 to 1789.
- Istanbul, Turkey
Formerly called Byzantium and Constantinople and once the capital of the Roman and Ottoman empires, this bustling city straddling two continents is home to an astounding number of archeological sites from the Hagia Sophia, the Serpentine Column, the Maiden’s Tower, the Hippodrome, and many others.
- London, England
The Tower of London, Big Ben, the London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, as well as forts, churches, and cultural institutions make the English capital a vast catalog of historical sites.
- Paris, France
Catholic cathedrals such as Notre Dame, the world’s greatest collection of art at the Louvre, Napoleon’s tomb, the Eiffel Tower, the Bastille and revolution sites, and many other historical attractions make the City of Lights a sight to behold.