Europe has some of the best and most beautiful attractions in the world. From masses of history to rolling hills, breath-taking waterfalls and more, there’s always something to do everywhere you go. Here at Herinterest, we feel that Europe has been somewhat overlooked recently so we’ve come up with the 25 Best Places to Visit in Europe and why you should go there…

Are you ready to travel around Europe?

1 – London, UK

London – it’s one of the busiest, most bustling capital cities in the world and there’s no wonder when you consider how much the place has to offer. There’s the London Eye and the London Aquarium basically right next to each other for those that love water, saw creatures and the view of the city from above, and if you get yourself a day travel card, the possibilities are literally endless.

Take a tour of the free museums such as the Natural History Museum and see some of the oldest and biggest dinosaur structures you’ll sever see, and even head right into the heart of the city for some big city designer shopping. Whatever it is you are looking for, you can find it right there in London!

2 – Paris, France

There’s the Eiffel Tower for a start, the most romantic destination in the world. That’s not all Paris is famous for though – why not take a stroll along the Ile Saint-Louis canal before heading to the livelier shopping areas of town, or you could just do some window-shopping down the beautiful and tranquil Marais with ancient hotels and some of the most breathtaking architecture in the world.

Plus, it’s the most romantic city in the world and what’s not to love about that?

3 – Rome, Italy

There’s history, shopping, great food and more, making Rome (Italy) one of the best destinations if you’re planning a trip away to Europe. The first-century AD colosseum is filled with history if that is your kind of thing and if it’s not, the 17th century villa Galleria Borghese will give you a taste of the high-life.

You’ll struggle to get away from the art and architecture of this magnificent place in the world, but there’s always cocktails and pasta for dinner!

4 – Hammerfest, Norway

The town of Hammerfest in Norway is known as one of the best places in Europe to see the Northern Lights so if you fancy seeing the sky light up with all colors of the rainbow, this might be the perfect place to do just that.

One of the most nethermost towns in the world, the beautiful harbor will give you a great backdrop for some pretty impressive photographs, and there are plenty of art galleries and museums around in the history-rich town too!

5 – Amsterdam, Netherlands

Head here in April and you’ll have the fortune of seeing the beautiful tulip fields which will quite literally take your breath away. The smell of the blooming flowers will uplift your mood in moments, and a lazy canal ride will soon get you into the relaxed holiday spirit of things. Of course, there’s always the history too – you could visit Anne Frank house!

6 – Marsaxlokk, Malta

Malta is a country that many of us at Herinterest love, especially Valetta Harbor and the neighboring islands such as Gozo with its red sandy beaches. There are plenty of things to do here but one of the best places to go if you fancy a really beautiful, scenic vacation, Marsazlokk is definitely the place to go.

One of the best fishing villages, a fish supper is a must-have when you come to visit, and if you love history, you’ll be in luck – the town can actually be darted as far back as the ninth century BC! That’s not the only reason to go though – the brightly painted boats make a beautiful photographic and romantic backdrop to any relaxing getaway!

7 – Landmannalaugar, Iceland

If you want to detox and get away for a while, hot springs are one of the best places to go, and not just relaxing, they are truly romantic and breathtaking too if you head to the right place. One of the best places to visit in Europe for this (and perhaps one of the less well-known) is the town of Landmannalaugar in Iceland – one of the best geothermal locations in Europe.

Not just for the hot springs, Landmannalaugar is also home to some pretty impressive rock formations, forging some of the most surreal landscapes you’ll ever see!

8 – Schönbrunn, Vienna, Austria

Vienna is one of the most beautiful places in the world and if you choose to come here during the autumn months, the place is a wash with bright orange, brown, and green trees that in some places, form beautiful walkways. Of course, it would be a shame to miss out on the Schönbrunn Palace while you’re there – beautiful ceilings with intricate artwork, and botanical gardens are a must-see too!

9 – Portree, Scotland

On the Isle of Skye, not only is Portree known for its beautiful, scenic harbor, it’s also the most northerly island in the Hebrides, giving you a real sense of isolation. At the same time, the town is somewhat of a contradiction of itself. Not only can it be bustling and busy, but for culture, it is simply thriving. There’s plenty to do from pony-trekking to exploring the infamous Fairy Pools with all their beautiful colors and crystal clear waters. If you’re looking for an idyllic, scenic getaway, you could do a lot worse, that’s for sure!

10 – Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is a popular hotspot for young men and their stag adventures. With plenty of booze averrable and nightlife to only dream of, it seems to be the latest place to go in Europe if you’re looking for a good time.

The largest city in the Czech Republic (plus 14th largest in the whole of the European Union), the warm summers make for a lovely European hot spot, and it’s 1,100 year long history has made it one of themes interesting places in the world to explore and marvel at the history and culture – over ten museums and a whole host of other attractions, all easy to get to with public transport, this might just be the perfect adventure for you and a loved one!

11 – Goreme, Turkey

This amazing town is literally carved into the rock, making Goreme one of the COOLEST places to visit in Europe! Not a UNESCO Heritage Site, there is plenty to do from staying in one of the cave hotels to visiting the open-air museums, you won’t be bored and if you like to take photos, you’ll definitely want to take your camera along!

12 – Grindelwald, Switzerland

If you’re looking for the beautiful, classic winter scene with rolling snow-tipped maintains and chalets with log fires, Grindelwald, Switzerland is the perfect place to go. If you’re a big fan of winter sports, not only can you enjoy plenty of this with skiing, snowboarding and a whole host of other snowy delights to enjoy, but you get the ultimate scenery to go hand in hand with that, and it’s always nice to have something pretty to look at as you go up that slow and daunting chairlift, right? 😉

13 – Orheiul Vechi, Moldova

If you’re heading to Moldova, you may as well take a moment to view the most fantastic sight the country has to offer. You can’t get any better than Orheiul Vechi, also known as Old Orhei, and is less than 35 miles away from the capital city – easy enough to reach with a bit of public transport.

Basically a valley, Orheiul Vechi is home to a number of ancient monuments as well as beautiful carved buildings, and going as far back as the 10th Century BC, you can be sure of a bit of culture and history while you’re there too!

14 – Snowdonia, Wales

Best known for the sheep and the rolling hills, Wales has another brand new feature to enjoy and if you’re looking for the best places to visit in Europe, you can’t get much more exciting than this,can you?

Home to the biggest zip wire in the world, you get to explore the beautiful rolling hills of Snowdonia from the sky – a brand new perspective! You’ll be over five hundred feet high in some spots, and at times you’ll be rushing through the air as fast as 100 miles per hour!

15 – Hameln, Germany

If you’re looking for a taste of a fairy tale, Hameln in Germany is one of the best places to visit in Europe. Home of the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, you can follow the trail the rats and the kids took along the scenic river, enjoying some beautiful German beers and some delightful outdoor cafes, and if you fancy it, you could even enjoy a spot of shopping too! Once home to a UK military base (recently closed down), it’s one of the friendliest places you can visit, and most of the small town speaks brilliant English too!

16 – Antwerp, Belgium

Home to some of the most confusing roadways in the world, Belgium isn’t just known for it’s rich chocolates or tasty beers! Antwerp is the busiest and most populated city in the whole of Belgium and as well as the usual stuff you would expect to find in dense areas – shopping, food, nightlife, etc., there are some beautiful walkways and wooded areas to explore, with some of the most fascinating sites including some of the oldest trees in Europe!

17 – Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

If you’re looking for some rocky scenery or beautiful landscapes to hike, photograph and explore, Thingvellir National Park in Iceland is the best place for it. The well-known protected beauty spot has plenty of offer anyone looking for a tranquil OR adventurous trip away in Europe, and has some of the most unique landscapes you’ll find anywhere, and the reason for its protection is the vast majority of unique geological features it has to offer.

Essentially the national park has been created in the space or canyon that has formed between two sliding tectonic plates – you’re literally standing on a part of earth that is continually shifting every so slightly! In the middle of the two plates, you can don your snorkel and dive your way down in crystal clear waters to over 100 meters, literally falling down the middle of two different continents. Now fit that’s not cool, we don’t know what is!

18 – Boyne Valley, Ireland

If you want to travel back through time to Braveheart (the Mel Gibson film), you need to head to the Boyne Valley in Ireland for your European getaway. It was once home to a mass of history including bloody battles, it’s not ruins of monasteries with eery passage tombs, creating the perfect backdrop for a real exploration vacation.

Not far from Dublin, the valley has been carved throughout the years from weather battering and medieval wars, and is a must-see place if you’re reading to the Emerald Isle. Plus, not far from the valley you can enjoy a nice glass of Guinness in the Dublin-based factory. A walk, some photos, exploration and then a pint… What more could you ask for?

19 – Spitsbergen, Norway

Right, we’re coming to a very different kind of vacation here, but a trip that you will definitely be able to call once in a lifetime. During the warmer, summer months, you can take a sail boat ride into the cold waters and get the chance to snap a peek at the King of the Arctic – the polar bear. Where else are you going to be able to get the chance to see this magnificent create in it’s natural surroundings?

20 – Chania, Crete

If you want a real Mediterranean feeling vacation without the vast expense, Chania in Crete is the place to come! There is everything you could want from your hot holiday with white sandy beaches, beautiful crystal clear waters, busting harbors, some of the best food in the nicest restaurants you’ll ever experience, and amazing culture.

During the day, Crete is every bit the beautiful tourist hot spot you’d want it to be with a naval museum, plenty of monasteries and boat trips to nearby islands and difficult-to-reach areas, and by night, things really kick-up with some great nightlife in the busier areas of town.

21 – Borgvattnet, Sweden

We’re taking a slightly different approach to your vacation here but if you like all things paranormal, you simply must head here – also known as The Haunted Vicarage.

Renowned for being one of the most haunted places in the world, Borgvattnet has a rich history of plenty of nastiness to fuel those ghostly experiences and it is said that you can see laundry being furiously dragged from the washing line, a woman in grey randomly wandering around the house, random sounds that can’t be explained, and even three old women sitting by the bed.

If you dare to make it through the night, you’ll even get yourself a little certificate to say you survived!

22 – Millau Viaduct, Millau-Creissels, France

OK so if you want to see something pretty damn magnificent, you need to check out the Millau Viaduct in the South of France. Not only is this the tallest bridge in the world at 1,125 feet above ground, it is the 12th highest ‘bridge-deck’ in the world at 890 feet high! That’s HIGH! It’s actually higher than the Eiffel Tower! Imagine getting a photo with that beast of a bridge in the background. Plus there’s plenty to do in the South of France – the Cote d’Azur, St. Tropez, need we go on…?

23 – Cave of Altamira, Cantabria, Spain

Spain is an amazing country full stop and with the dancing, great food and bustling nightlife, the country already has all the makings for the perfect vacation in Europe. You might be surprised to find out one thing though – Cantabria in Spain is home to the Cave of Altamira, the first cave that paintings from prehistoric times were found! How’s that for history?

Recently reopened to the public again last year (2014), you can now get the chance to see (as popular culture dictates) “Sistine Chapel of paleolithic art!”

24 – Istanbul, Turkey

The largest city in Turkey has plenty to offer the budding tourist from films to actual Turkish baths, and everything else in between. If you enjoyed the picturesque scenery in films like Skyfall and Taken 2, you’ll love the place as both of these films were filmed here.

You’ll get the chance to see one of the most ‘awe-inspiring’ buildings in the world – the Hagia Sophia, and although it now stands as a museum, it was once both a mosque and a cathedral at points in its history. You can shop in the Grand Bazaar in one of the four thousand stores, take a boat down the river that divides the European and Asian sides of the city, enjoy some of the local culture and nightlife and more! This is a holiday and a half!

25 – Giant’s Causeway, County Antrim, Ireland

Not just happy with dramatic cliffs, the beaches of County Antrim have a little something extra to offer anyone looking to see something out of the ordinary. Said to have been created by an actual giant, the Giant’s Causeway is a series of 40,000 basalt columns, all interlocked, which was actually a result of an eruption from a volcano. As they say, you gotta see it to believe it!