Europe is the sixth largest continent in the world, and despite its small size, it is packed with history, innovations and 44 countries.

Europe is a fascinating place to explore and kick-start a travel bucket list. We are on a mission to explore all of Europe, and currently sitting at 60% of countries visited.

Europe Planning Guide

Europe is dominated by beautiful and mass popular tourist destinations like Paris, London, Amsterdam, Munich, Venice, Rome, Barcelona, and more.

Blessed with great infrastructure especially rail network, cheaper flights, loaded historical remnants, cuisines, and unique sights – Europe is a must-visit for every traveler.

With 44 countries strong, Europe sightseeing is made easy with tons of guided tours, with the ability to see more in less time, due to geographical proximity. A few times, we crossed three countries in one day! Like wow!

Did you know, the word, “Europe” is derived from the name of a Phoenician princess – Europa.

Quick Facts - Travel Europe

✔ Europe is the second smallest continent in the world.

✔ The world’s smallest country – Vatican City and the world’s largest country – Russia is located in Europe (by area).

✔ Two World Wars began (and were centered) in Europe.

✔ Of the 44 recognized countries of Europe, 27 of them belong to the European Union – a political and economic union within the continent. Citizens have an EU passport and the Euro is the official currency.

✔ Schengen Area or zone is an agreement within European nations to allow free movement of people (between the participating countries). Not all EU nations are part of the Schengen Zone and vise versa.

✔ Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein are associate members of the Schengen Area but are not members of the EU (what it means for a traveler is that - if you have a Schengen visa you can travel there, however, their official currency is not Euro. They might accept Euros, but be ready to exchange currency or take the change in their national currency. We visited 3 of the 4 countries listed here, and they are pretty expensive as compared to other EU countries like France, Spain or Germany).

European Regions 

Europe Regions

• Northern Europe consists of the Nordic countries, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, the Faroe Islands, etc. (Scandinavia and Nordic are two terms associated with some of the countries in northern Europe)
• Southern European countries include Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece, and all the Mediterranean countries. (Balkans is a common term used for countries in the southeastern part of Europe)
• Central & Eastern Europe – The term Central & Eastern Europe is often used interchangeably and are overlapped with countries such as Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia (also referred to as Eastern European countries).
• Western Europe - Western Europe is often associated with World War II politics (and a term coined as a result of that). It includes countries like Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Austria (also referred to as “Central Europe"). But again geographically and politically, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Ireland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Vatican City, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, and Austria are all "Western Europe". The westernmost point of the European continent is Cabo da Raco, located near Lisbon (Sintra Cascais Natural Park) in Portugal.

Get Europe Ready

Start your Europe exploration with these handy guides

• Europe 101 – Our introductory guide to planning a trip to Europe.
• Europe Itinerary Samples – Want to make the most of your visit to Europe? This is the ultimate 27 itinerary samples to plan your sightseeing in one or multiple destinations in Europe.
• Visiting Europe in winter – Here are some of the best traveler picks.
• Warm places in Europe? – Here are the warmest places to visit in Europe from December through March.
• Guide to Schengen Visa – read the guide and checklist here.
• Europe flight cancellation – Read about the process and steps for reimbursement for Europe flight delays and cancellations.  
• Europe Packing Guide – This is the only packing guide to Europe you will ever need. It has reference to seasons and regional variations.
• Boots for European winter (Female edition): Top boots to wear in European winters

READ THE LATEST FROM EUROPE (click on the images)