First of all, these iconic places to travel in Europe are the absolute must for your travel destinations. You just can’t miss out visiting these places and ticking off of your travel bucket list.
Through the years, these places may have evolved but the interest of both locals and tourists have not waned. Steeped in history, beauty, and wonder these tourist destinations are truly iconic.
Check out our top picks for iconic places to travel in Europe.
Stonehenge, England
An iconic symbol of Britain, a walk around the Stone Circle is the centerpiece of any visit to the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site. With a history spanning 4,500 years, Stonehenge has many different meanings to people today. It is a wonder of the world, a spiritual place, and a source of inspiration.
Via English Heritage
Santorini, Greece
Santorini is considered to be the most sought-after place for a romantic getaway in Greece. Due to the fact that there are not many places in the world where you can enjoy exquisitely clear waters while perched on the rim of a massive active volcano in the middle of the sea!
Via Visit Greece
London, England
From London's exquisite parks to free world-class museums in London such as the Natural History Museum, historic houses, free walking tours of London, stunning art galleries and free activities for kids – there are some amazing free experiences to be had in London.
Via Visit London
Paris, France
Paris is a multifaceted city and there are thousands of ways to discover it.
Via Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau
Florence, Italy
Florence's museums, palaces, and churches house some of the greatest artistic treasures in the world. The most popular and important sites in Florence include the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Uffizi, the Bargello, and the Accademia. The churches of Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce are veritable art galleries, and the library of San Lorenzo is a magnificent exhibition of Michelangelo's architectural genius.
Via Visit Florence
Barcelona, Spain
Wherever you are in Barcelona, there's always something to see around the neighborhood or district: jewels of home-grown Catalan architecture, modernism, and contemporary architecture markets that are a treat for the senses, treasures of the ancient Roman and medieval city.
Rome, Italy
Rome, one of the most beautiful cities in the world and the one with the richest cultural and architectonic heritage, that bears witness to almost three thousand years of history.
Via Turismoroma
Kinderdijk, Holland
When you visit Kinderdijk, you step right into the middle of Dutch history. Everything here lies below sea level, so to keep your feet dry, they have been cooperating with the wind and water for centuries. The windmills and waterways tell the tale of the Low Countries. Travel back in time and experience the story of windmills, water, and willpower.
Via Kinderdijk
Lisbon, Portugal
If you’re dreaming about your next trip to Europe, come and discover Lisbon, a historical city full of stories to tell, where the sun shines 290 days a year and the temperature rarely drops below 15C. A city where you feel safe wandering around day or night, where the cuisine is dedicated to creating over a thousand ways to cook the beloved bacalhau (salted cod), and where you’ll find hotels and restaurants to suit every taste, budget, and requirement.
Madrid, Spain
Madrid is a major cultural capital in Europe. Explore the places and characters that raised the city to the top of the art and culture scene. Modern and traditional cuisine, cocktail bars and centuries-old inns.
Via Madrid Destino
Siena, Italy
Surrounded by olive groves and the vineyards of Chianti, Siena is one of the most beautiful cities of Tuscany. Set on three hills, the city is drawn together by winding alleyways and steep steps, whilst the Piazza del Campo stands at its heart, and the Duomo and St Maria della Scala serve as additional cultural landmarks. Famed for the “Palio”, the annual historic horse-races that take place on 2 July and 16 August, it is also home to one of the oldest Universities in Europe, which ensures a vibrant Italian student atmosphere throughout the academic year. In addition to the bustling daily life of the streets and squares of the city, Siena offers many cultural events, concerts, cinema, theatre and a wide range of sporting activities.
Via About Siena
Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland
Eilean Donan is recognized as one of the most iconic images of Scotland all over the world. Situated on an island at the point where three great sea lochs meet and surrounded by some majestic scenery, it is little wonder that the castle is now one of the most visited and important attractions in the Scottish Highlands.
Pisa, Italy
The Leaning Tower has made Pisa famous all over the world, and in addition to the tower, the city offers many other interesting things to see worth at least an entire day. Once you have admired the Tower of Pisa from all angles (including the classic picture in which you pretend to support it to keep as a memento), continue your visit to the other monuments in the Piazza: the Cathedral and the Baptistery. Along the perimeter of the square, there is also the Cemetery, the Cathedral Museum and the Museum of the Synopses.
Via Discover Tuscany
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague, City of a Hundred Spires, a UNESCO monument and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Each of Prague’s districts has its own characteristic atmosphere and unique charm. Prague presents itself to you as a changeable city, which likes to alternate styles: it is romantic and successful, ancient and modern, but above all, it is a city that is cosmopolitan through and through and is used to welcoming foreigners.
Via Czech Tourism
Pompeii, Italy
Once a bustling, blue-collar port town, Pompeii’s fate was sealed with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 7.9 A.D. Today, Pompeii is a UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the most visited sites in Italy and one of the most visited archaeological sites in all the world.
Via Walks of Italy
Oslo, Norway
Norway is more than just riveting winter landscapes and fjords. With its perfect temperatures and endless sunsets, Oslo in the summer is hard to beat. There are a plethora of things to do when the sun shines in the city, from swimming in the fjord to enjoying unique outdoor events
Via Visit Oslo
Belfast, Ireland
Belfast may be a small city but don't let the size fool you – because we're big on excitement. Once the home of the Irish linen industry, tobacco production, rope making and the world-famous Harland and Wolff shipbuilders, Belfast lays claim to a unique history. And there's something for everyone to love.
Via Visit Belfast
Brussels, Belgium
If you are in Brussels for one or two days, there are a selection of over 20 most visited museums and attractions in the capital of Europe.
Via Visit Brussels
Amsterdam, Netherlands
There’s so many things to do in Amsterdam, like the visiting the Museum Quarter, the Rijksmuseum, the National Monument, the Heineken Experience and so much more that it might be hard to make a good selection on which items to include in your itinerary.
Geneva, Switzerland
One of Europe’s most beautiful regions, with its lake surrounded by magnificent mountain scenery. In 1919 the city was chosen as the headquarters of the League of Nations, the forerunner of the UN which today has its European headquarters in Geneva.
Via Geneva Tourism
Rothenburg, Germany
The unique atmosphere of Rothenburg can be experienced when you stroll through the highways and byways of our town, where you will discover evidence of a bygone age on almost every corner: lovingly restored house fronts, fountains, gables, bay windows, and street signs all provide reminders of everyday life-long ago.
Via Rothenburg Tourism Service
Athens, Greece
In Athens and the wider Attica area, you will find hotel accommodation of high standard, modern means of transportation, a wide choice of opportunities for shopping, dining, and nightlife, good service but above all the hospitality and warmth of its inhabitants. In a nutshell, Athens is a city that fascinates every visitor, during all seasons.
Via Visit Greece
Vatican City
Vatican City State was founded following the signing of the Lateran Pacts between the Holy See and Italy on February 11th, 1929. These were ratified on June 7th, 1929. Its nature as a sovereign State distinct from the Holy See is universally recognized under international law.
Edinburgh, Scotland
A bustling and vibrant city, steeped in history and host to a variety of colorful festivals throughout the year, there is no shortage of things to do in Edinburgh.
Provence, France
Provence is a vast region in France and in order to truly appreciate it, you need to be the type of traveler who likes food, wine, and local crafts. You should make your own itinerary – and by the way: make it as flexible as possible because you will be “forced” to linger in a café more than you expected or visit a Roman ruin for a longer period of time.
Via Why Go France
Seville, Spain
The city of Seville is famous worldwide for its culture, monuments, traditions and artistic heritage. This is the birthplace of Flamenco and the city where the most amazing Easter processions take place. Seville’s rich history has left the city stuffed with innumerable monuments like the awesome cathedral , the third-largest in the world, the Giralda tower, the wonderful palace of the Reales Alcázares, the magical Barrio of Santa Cruz with its narrow streets, the passion for Flamenco, and the perfume of orange blossoms on every corner.
Via Tour Spain
Matterhorn, Switzerland
The Matterhorn – mystical, majestic, the mountain of mountains. No one can escape its fascination. Neither locals nor guests. Triangular. A cragged rock “tooth” ranging into the heavens. Standing alone on the horizon. A magnet for alpinists, aesthetic emblem, a mountain with ideal proportions. Rugged rock with magical light. Playing in a sea of clouds and horizontal coloring.
Via Zermatt Tourism
Venice, Italy
Few cities can claim such a priceless art and history heritage as Venice. This unique city with its magical, spectacular scenery is not just beautiful; it is a real miracle of creative genius: a city built on mud, sand and the slime of a difficult, inhospitable landscape. What surprises about Venice, now as in the past, is its impressive building structure – a city built entirely on water. For centuries the Venetians slowly and stubbornly insisted on recovering even the smallest bit of land from the water.
Via Italy Guides
Do you agree with this list? Or do you have more to add that we may have missed? We’d love to hear them in our comments!
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