EUROPE

EUROPE

GEOGRAPHY, DESTINATIONS, AND TRAVEL TIPS ABOUT EUROPE

The most popular continent on Earth. A part of the physical continent Eurasia.

On the north, it borders the Arctic Ocean. On the west is the Atlantic Ocean. Then, on the south is the Mediterranean Sea. And on the east, its border is not physical but only cultural- with Asia, defined entirely on a cultural and historical basis.

The Caucasus area is sometimes disputed between Europe and Asia, but again, it is not a physical division.

Europe can be divided into the following regions and countries (this is a political division):

North Europe: includes the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Finland, Denmark, and the islands of Iceland, Faroes, Svalbard, and a few other smaller islands. Sometimes the Baltic states- Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are considered a part of Northern Europe.

Central Europe: includes Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Hungary.

West Europe: includes Great Britain, Ireland, France, Monaco, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

Southwest Europe: includes Portugal (politically with the Azores and Madeira Islands), Spain (politically with the Canary Islands), Andorra, Italy, San Marino, and Malta.

Southeast (Balkan) Europe: includes Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and the European part of Turkey. Cyprus is culturally considered a part of Southeast Europe too.

East Europe: includes Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia (these three countries are sometimes considered as a part of North Europe), Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, the European part of Russia, and the Caucasus countries- Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan (sometimes excluded).

Main geographical regions of Europe, with main destinations in each region:

Iberian Peninsula. It includes the whole peninsula, as well as the mountain range of the Pyrenees, and the Balearic Islands. The main travel destinations are the big cities of Lisbon, Madrid, Seville, Granada, Barcelona, Valencia, and others. Other famous destinations include Sintra, Alhambra, the Pyrenees, and Ibiza Island, as well as the British colony of Gibraltar.

The British Isles. It includes the islands of Britain, Ireland, and the small islands around them. The main destinations are the big cities of London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburg, and Dublin. Other destinations include Conemara (in Ireland), Loch Ness (in Scotland), Stonenenge, and more.

Western Europe- France, and the Benelux. It includes the lands north of the Pyrenees, and west of the rivers Rhine, and Rhone. The most popular destinations include Paris, Lyon, Amsterdam, Brussel, and more.

Central Europe and the Carpathian Mountains. This is a large region, including the Carpathian mountains, and the Central European plains east of the Rhine River, north of Danube River, to the East European plains in the east. The main destinations are the big cities of Hamburg, Berlin, Prague, Warsaw, and more. Physically, Denmark belongs to this region too.

The Alps. This region includes the land between Rhone River in the west, Danube River in the north and east, and the rivers Po and Sava in the south- the main range of the Alps and the adjacent plains around it. The main destinations include Zurich, Bern, Geneva, Marseille, Nice, Insbruck, Vienna, Milan, Ljubljana, and more. The other destinations are mostly the best places to visit in the Alps.

The Apennines and the middle Mediterranean. This area includes the Apennine Peninsula south of Po River, and all the islands around it, including Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, Malta, and more.

Scandinavia. Geographically, this area includes the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Finland, Kola Peninsula, and Karelia. The main destinations include Oslo, Stockholm, Lofoten Islands, Rovaniemi, Sankt, Peterburg, and more.

The Balkans. It includes all the land south of Danube, between the Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean, and the Black Sea. The main destinations include the big cities like Athens, Thessaloniki, Istanbul (or its European part), Belgrade, Sofia, Zagreb, as well as the Adriatic Riviera, the high mountains, and the Aegean islands. Cyprus is sometimes included in this region, although it is much closer to the Middle East.

Eastern European plain. This is the largest physical area in Europe. Along with the western half of the Ural Mountains, it occupies the rest of continental Europe. Crimean Peninsula is included in it too. The main destinations include Moscow, Minsk, Kyiv, Rostov na Donu, Kazan, and other cities.

The islands of Iceland, Svalbard, Jan Mayen, Medvezhy, The Azores, Madeira, and Canary Islands belong to Europe only politically, but physically, most of them are located in mid-ocean ridges.

Main things to do in Europe (main ways to explore Europe)

Exploring the rich cultural and historical heritage of Europe. The European civilization, although not the oldest on the Earth, has the largest influence to the whole world today. It has left a lot of famous destinations like Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Venice, London, and many more.

Hiking in the European mountains. The Alps, the Carpathians, the Balkan Mountains, and the other mountains in Europe are great for hiking, well-arranged for tourists, with a lot of great mountain views and landscapes.

Relaxation in Mediterranean and Black Sea Rivieras. The Mediterranean Sea offers great opportunities for enjoying beaches, swimming, snorkeling, diving, mixed with cultural and historical experience.

Reaching the fantastic landscapes in the extreme points of Europe (and the politically adjacent islands)– Scandinavian Peninsula, Iceland, the Azores, Madeira, as well as the Arctic coast.

Seasons (best time to travel)

In general, Europe is a “soft” continent, without extremes in climate.

Southern Europe: Climate is mostly subtropical. Best time to travel- from April to November (however, July and August are too hot).

Middle Europe: all year round. Every season has its own beauty.

North Europe: From April to October: spring-summer-fall seasons. Good for wandering, sometimes cold. In winter is very cold but you can observe the Northern Lights.

East European Plains: similar to the other part of Europe but drier.

Useful tips

Many countries in Europe are a part of the Schengen Zone: there is no border control between these countries (with some exceptions).

Europe is in general more expensive than most of the other continents.

In some countries traffic is on the left: United Kingdom, Ireland, and Cyprus.

Safety: in general, Europe is safe, although the crime rate has increased in recent years with the immigrant waves, especially in West Europe. Beware of the current war zone: Ukraine.