Europe Explore Europe Like Never Before!

Europe is filled with many amazing cities, some of which are huge modern metropolises, some of which are quaint and unusual urban areas and others of which are historical and unusual in their layout and what they have to offer. While any of these are great to visit, it’s the largest cities in Europe that have perhaps the most global impact and that many people are interested in. Here we will look at the top ten largest cities in Europe by population.

Moscow:

Topping this list of the largest cities in Europe is the capital of Russia with a huge population of around 10,600,000 people making it also the seventh largest city in the world.

London:

London is the Capital of England and an important industrial and economic centre within Western Europe. It’s also one of the largest cities in Europe and one with lots to do from tourists whether it’s riding the London Eye or visiting Big Ben.

St Petersburg:

Two of the top three biggest cities in Europe are situated in Russia which is no surprise considering the country itself is so large as to span continents.

Berlin:

The capital of Germany with a population of around 3,400,000. Famous for cobbled streets and for the Berlin Wall and other historical sites.

Madrid:

Madrid in Spain is a great holiday destination (particularly La Puerta del Sol) and also one of the largest countries in Europe.

Roma:

Roma (or Rome to me and you) is one of the most famous as well as one of the largest cities in Europe and has many famous sites such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. At the same time it is also famous for containing within it the smallest country in the world: The Vatican City. Which is almost ironic…

Kiev:

Kiev, capital of the Ukraine, is another of the largest cities in Europe and a highly important industrial and scientific centre for Eastern Europe.

Paris:

Paris is the eighth largest city in Europe, but that is not what it’s known for. Instead Paris is known as the city of ‘love’ and is a popular destination for many young couples. It is also a city rich in history and with many famous sites to behold making it a number one tourist destination for everyone travelling to Europe.

Bucharest:

Bucharest in Romania is one of the lesser known largest cities in Europe despite its large population.

Budapest:

Budapest -Hungary – is one of the most beautiful cities (the most beautiful according to many admirers) in Europe as well as one of the largest cities in Europe – just about making it onto this list of the ten largest cities in Europe.

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Visiting Europe by train is a great way to see a lot of the country relatively cheaply and without having many of the difficulties involved in travelling different ways. The other options when it comes to visiting Europe involve hitchhiking which of course is fairly dangerous and unreliable, flying which is very expensive, going by boat which will only give you access to the coastal European countries, or driving which has many difficulties. Doing Europe by car instead of Europe by train may be more suited to families who have children and lots of cases which could make using the train slightly more difficult and less practical. However families are unlikely to want to travel between European countries and are more likely to want to stay in one country anyway. For individuals wanting to travel between countries, going by car would involve too much hassle with the various different laws in different countries, getting insured to drive and finding a car rental that lets you cross over the borders or buying or transporting a car to Europe.

As such then Europe by train is perfect for backpackers and those who want to see lots of Europe cheaply. It’s even more convenient thanks to the fact that there are so many different passes and deals available for those who do want to experience Europe by train. For example Rail Europe offer a range of different passes for visiting a country that allow you to visit anywhere within that country by train within a set time frame. Alternatively they also do offers such as the Eurail Pass which allows you to select the number of countries you want to visit and you can expect to pay around $500 for a ticket that lets you visit five different European countries by train. This is far cheaper than travelling across these countries with individual tickets and a great way to see more of Europe more cheaply. What would have been far too expensive to achieve previously then, will suddenly become a very affordable trip.

Doing Europe by train doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on England either – and thanks to the Eurostar tunnel it’s now possible to cross the channel by train with or without a car on board too. This makes it possible to do all of Europe by train and means you don’t have to leave anything out of your travels.

On top of all this, seeing Europe by train will mean that you can sleep while you travel or read rather than having to keep your concentration up. At the same time it can feel very romantic and exciting and creates a much more authentic experience of each country.

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Europe is a great place to go for city breaks. There are a vast range of exciting cities in Europe that each offer history, entertainment, dining, drinking, shopping and more. Mostly you can see everything you need to see in a weekend and that makes it the perfect way to drink in some culture and have an exciting experience without having to shell out and get the time off work for a full length holiday. Here we will look at some of the best European city breaks and what they have to offer.

London: London has lots to offer and is one of the most popular European city breaks of them all. It has amazing shopping – particularly in the form of Harrods (which is a shopping centre/entire day out) or Oxford Street (or Hamleys for the kids). Then there’s the entertainment which is extensive from museums to aquariums and the millenium eye to Madame Tussaudes. The food and drinks are also top notch as is the sight seeing with things like Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament and Nelson’s column all within walking distance. Like all the best European city breaks there’s also the great transport in the form of the underground which means you can reach all these places easily.

Krakow: Krakow is not the capital but the second largest city in Poland. Still though it’s one of the most exciting European city breaks offering the impressive Wawel castle to look around as well as the nearby salt mines and prison camp. All over Krakow though is incredible gothic architecture, and the nightlife as well as the dining is almost exclusively underground making this a very different entry to our European city breaks.

Paris: Paris is the most romantic place for European city breaks and so should be considered for any couples wanting to get away. It also has more sights than many other European city breaks including the Eiffel Tower, Cleopatra’s Needle, Notre Damme, The Arc de Triumph, The Louvre and more. There are also countless museums to look around, sprawling gardens and generally tonnes to see. And of course this being Paris there are some excellent places to dine or just to get a cup of coffee and watch the world go by. For the best shopping, bars and restaurants visit the The Champ Elysée. For something a bit different alternatively you could always visit Disney Land Paris too.

Prague: While there are many other fantastic European city breaks, Prague is the last we have time for on this short list. Highly beautiful and romantic (particularly at Christmas) Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic and the second largest city there. Again like other European city breaks it offers many attractions and sights such as the Astronomical Clock, Prague Castle, Old Town (and the bridge), Jewish Quarters and more – but truly it is all a sight to see in itself.

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If you want to travel to Europe and enjoy a highly relaxing holiday with all the food and drink you could ever want, then European all-inclusive holidays could be for you. On European all-inclusive holidays you pay a lot more up front before you go away but this includes not only the price of your accommodation but also your food and drink, and often means you get a whole range of other benefits from your hotel such as activities, games, shows and other entertainment. European all-inclusive holidays aren’t for everyone though and they definitely have both strengths and weaknesses. Here then we will have a look at European all-inclusive holidays and their pros and cons to help you decide if this is the kind of holiday for you.

Normally European all-inclusive holidays will be holidays to sunny locations such as Turkey, Greece, Tenerife, Portugal or Bulgaria. These European all-inclusive holidays then provide the ultimate in relaxation and de-stressing as you don’t have to worry about any of the things you might worry about back home – your catering is taken care of, your alcohol and your cleaning. These hotels will normally be very large and have access to lots of swimming pools and beaches and this will mean that you don’t really need to leave the premises either so you don’t need to worry about transport or activities. You’ll wake in the morning, drink (alcohol included) and eat as much as you like during the day while relaxing by the pool or building sand castles and will then have a fabulous meal at the end of the day (the catering on European all-inclusive holidays is normally amazing). This will all then be a lot cheaper too than paying for dinner every night and particularly for large families.

There are downsides to European all-inclusive holidays however. The main one being that for many people relaxing by the pool the whole time will be a waste of a trip and you might as well be anywhere if you don’t see any of the local scenery. Trips and excursions are available at European all-inclusive hotels but these are very expensive and normally mean you only get a set amount of time in each place. And while the food is good it can be nice to sample local restaurants etc, which will cost you extra and will mean that you’re no longer getting the benefit of having paid in advance. You’re now paying that on top of what you already paid and this will mean it’s no longer cost effective. If you find you don’t like the hotel either – and some are better than others – then this will mean you’re stuck there with no means of escaping.

In other words then European all-inclusive holidays are a great way to relax and kick back somewhere sunny by the pool and they have their place, but to sample the culture and the environment you will be better off going it alone.

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If you’re going traveling across Europe then you may, like many people, be intending to ‘rough it’. This style of traveling, often called ‘backpacking’, has the advantages of being more of an ‘adventure’ as you have fewer of the luxuries you are used to (which also makes it very character building) and also saving a lot of money as you aren’t staying in plush hotels. Normally this will mean staying in Europe hostels and these offer the same advantages – being in many ways more exciting and more of an experience while also offering you accommodation at very affordable prices. Here we will look at the experience of staying in Europe hostels, whether it’s advisable, and some take-home tips to help you make the most of the experience.

For those not in the know, hotels – whether they are Europe hostels or any others – cut prices by foregoing lots of individual rooms in the favour of one larger communal room. This will then mean that you are staying in a large ‘dorm’ with several other people and you have no pre-warning about who those people are going to be. Of course this being such a cheap way to sleep there’s always the danger that you will be sharing with some unsavoury characters, but for the most part you will be staying with other travellers who are doing the exact same thing as you.

This then means that staying in Europe hostels allows you to chat with lots of other people and meat individuals from all kinds of cultures – which is likely part of the purpose of your trip abroad. Make sure then that you make an effort to talk to people and you’ll have far more fun (and there’s strength in numbers).

For storage in Europe hostels you should have access to a locker or a safety deposit box. This might cost you a little extra but it’s well worth doing to avoid anything going missing in the night – especially as you’re saving so much on the cost of the accommodation itself.

The other way to ensure optimum safety and value is to make sure that you know the names of some good Europe hostels before you go abroad by looking online. This can help you to avoid the ones that have the bad ratings or that are more expensive and gives you some piece of mind. Of course part of the appeal of Europe hostels is the spontaneity of being able to just turn up, but even while you’re abroad you should be able to check hostels as you go – in cyber cafés and even in other hostels (most have computers you can use).

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Pubs can be found all around the world, but nowhere are they more a way of life than in Western Europe where they are arguably more popular than bars and replace almost entirely the need for ‘diners’, while bringing with them a particular charm and quirkiness that locals and tourists enjoy equally.

European pubs offer a place to drink during the evening or during the later hours/earlier hours of the morning that can provide relatively cheap alcohol, cheap food, sound levels appropriate for talking and a range of other activities. In England, Germany, Ireland and many other countries European pubs are an institution and a way of life and much of the lifestyle in these areas revolves around them.

The term pub means ‘public house’ and this is very much a part of British culture. In the typical British European pub you will find a bar with drinks that also sell peanuts and crisps and possibly ‘pub lunch’. Other activities in the pub might also include pool, a ‘quiz machine’ (an automated pub quiz that works like an arcade game), slot machines, darts and entertainment such as live bands or organised pub quizzes. During the days and evenings on weekdays people might come here for food and for a few drinks, whereas during the weekends they become more like bars and provide venues that lend themselves to precursors of a night out with louder music and darker lighting.

European pubs in Britain have recently changed to a degree and become more like bras. The chain of pubs ‘Weatherspoons’ that offers discount beer and food has dominated many of the pubs in cities and towns, and the smoking ban and new licensing laws mean that in England at least pubs are open different hours and don’t provide the refuge for smokers that they once did. Still they remain an important part of English culture and their popularity means that you can find many ‘English-style’ and ‘Irish-style’ pubs around the world. For very traditional pubs that serve local ale, pasties and mead, be sure to visit Cornwall in the South.

A beer garden however is a more continental type of European pub. Beer garden comes from the German ‘biergarten’ which is where the concept originates from and means that the pub is essentially an open air area where drinks and food are served. These kinds of European pubs are particularly popular in areas of Southern Germany such as Bavaria and they will normally be a part of a larger drinking establishment such as a beer hall. Though they are most common in Southern Germany however, beer gardens exist throughout Western and Eastern Europe and are particularly popular in warmer European climates.

For travellers looking for cheap yet authentic European food, or for those who want to get some local atmosphere, European pubs or beer gardens are a great place to start.

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When you say the word ‘desert’ it is common to think of the sahara, or of large sand dunes. Not often would your mind ever wonder then to Europe and most people would consider this a place with no deserts at all. However this is actually inaccurate and it might surprise you to learn that there are actually hundreds of deserts in the world and that yes, some of these are located in Europe. Meanwhile it might surprise you further to learn that the term ‘desert’ is not so easily defined and that there is actually some contention regarding what should and shouldn’t classify as a ‘desert’. As such there are European deserts as well as European ‘semi-deserts’ that don’t quite make the grade by most definitions.

A semi desert is a ‘semi-arid’ climate or a ‘steppe climate’ and this means that it doesn’t meet all of the definitions necessary to be a desert or not to the same degree. A desert is defined not by the temperature as one may think, or even the presence of sand, but rather by the ‘precipitation’ of the ground. This refers to the amount of water that the soil can hold and thus the amount of plant life and grass it can/could sustain. In the case of a semi-desert then, this is somewhere between that of a desert and a humid climate. Both are in Europe.

Accona Desert: Accona desert is not technically one of the European deserts but an afforementioned semi-desert (semi-arid). Found in Tuscany, Italy, it is notable for its dome shaped formations known as biancane (from the Italian for white).

Deliblato Sand: Deliblato sand is a large sandy area that is situated in the Vojvodina province of Serbia. This is the largest sandy terrain in Europe and is the remains of a ‘prehistoric desert’. It was formed when the Pannian Sea withdrew and is today a nature reserve, but also a popular hunting ground.

Oltenian Sahara: Who knew that Europe had their very own Sahara? The Oltenian Sahara is roughly 800km2 in size and is found in the Romanian province of Oltenia. This is not a natural desert however but rather the result of heavy deforestation in the 1960s resulting in vast sandy areas. The name Oltenian Sahara was created by the press and this is the only one of our European deserts to feature its own ‘sand museum’. Worth visiting just to find out what you could fill such a museum with (presumably sand…).

The Highlands of Iceland: This is a European desert that is an easy example of a ‘semi-desert’ that does not rely on ‘sand’ to be one nor a hot climate. It is ‘effectively’ a desert in that it has volcanic soil that so quickly absorbs precipitation as to allow no plant growth at all in the area.

Piscinas: This is one of the largest European deserts and is found in Sardinia, Italy.

Tabernas Desert: A desert found in Almeria in Spain, making it one that could conceivably be visited during a European holiday.

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