Places to visit, famous landmarks and great cities

Chapter 01

Places to visit

The most common mistake on a first European trip is trying to see everything. Distances look short on a map, but every change of city costs half a day in packing, transfers and check-ins. The places below are the ones that repay time spent in them, grouped by country so you can build a realistic route.

• France: Paris for art, food and architecture; Mont Saint-Michel for one of the most striking silhouettes in Europe.
• Italy: Rome and Vatican City side by side, Renaissance Florence and car-free Venice.
• Spain: Barcelona for Gaudí and the sea, Madrid for museums and nightlife, Seville for Moorish palaces and flamenco.
• Greece: Athens, the gateway to the islands and home of the Acropolis.
• Switzerland and Austria: Zurich and Lucerne; imperial Vienna and baroque Salzburg.
• Portugal: Lisbon, Porto and the palace-dotted hills of Sintra.
• Netherlands, Norway and Croatia: Amsterdam, Oslo, Bergen, Dubrovnik and Split.

France

Paris

Allow at least three full days for the major museums, the Seine and a neighbourhood or two.

Italy

Florence

Compact and walkable, with Renaissance art on almost every corner. Two to three days suits most visitors.

Chapter 02

Famous landmarks

Europe's headline sights are popular for good reason. Most now use timed-entry tickets, so booking ahead through each landmark's official website is the single most useful thing you can do.

Eiffel Tower, Paris

Built for the 1889 World's Fair, the tower has three visitor levels. The second floor offers the best balance of height and detail; the summit adds a sweeping view on clear days. Evening visits reward you with the hourly sparkle of lights after dark.

Louvre Museum, Paris

The world's most-visited art museum holds the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Choose two or three wings rather than attempting the whole collection in a day.

Colosseum and Vatican City, Rome

The Colosseum, inaugurated in AD 80, is usually combined with the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Across the river, Vatican City — the world's smallest independent state — holds St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel within the Vatican Museums. Covered shoulders and knees are required in the basilica.

Sagrada Família, Barcelona

Antoni Gaudí's basilica, begun in 1882 and still under construction, is at its most luminous in the late afternoon when light pours through the stained glass. Tower access is an optional add-on.

Acropolis, Athens

The Parthenon has crowned this rock since the fifth century BC. In summer, go at opening time to avoid the heat, then visit the Acropolis Museum at the foot of the hill.

Schönbrunn, Rijksmuseum and Mont Saint-Michel

Vienna's Schönbrunn Palace was the Habsburg summer residence, with vast gardens climbing to the Gloriette. Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum showcases the Dutch Golden Age, including Rembrandt's The Night Watch. Mont Saint-Michel, a tidal island abbey in Normandy, is reached by shuttle from the mainland — check tide times for the most dramatic views.

Chapter 03

Cities compared

Every great European city has a distinct rhythm. Use this table to match cities to your interests and pace.

Chapter 04

Choosing your bases

Should you focus on major capitals or smaller cities? Both have trade-offs.

A strong pattern for a two-week trip is two capitals plus one smaller city — for example Rome, Florence and Venice, or Lisbon, Porto and Seville. For full routes, see our suggested itineraries.