(DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL







EUROPE






























































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EYEWITNESS TRAVEL







EUROPE






























































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EYEWITNESS TRAVEL





EUROPE


































































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Project Editor Ferdie McDonald, Claire Marsden
Art Editor Paul Jackson
Editors Sam Atkinson, Simon Hall, Andrew Szudek
Designers Anthony Limerick, Sue Metcalfe-Megginson, Rebecca Milner
Picture Researchers Katherine Mesquita, Alex Pepper, Lily Sellar
Map Coordinator Casper Morris
DTP Designer Maite Lantaron The tholos beside the Sanctuary of Athena
Pronaia at Ancient Delhphi, Greece (see p485)
Maps Ben Bowles, Rob Clynes, James Macdonald (Colourmap Scanning Ltd)
Photographers Max Alexander, Demetrio Carrasco, Kim Sayer, Linda Whitwam Contents
Printed and bound in China
First American Edition, 2001
How to Use this Guide 6
16 17 18 19 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Visiting Europe
Published in the United States by DK Publishing,
345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
Discovering Europe 10
Reprinted with revisions 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2017
Copyright © 2001, 2017 Dorling Kindersley Limited, London Putting Europe
on the Map 18
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part
of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, Practical and Travel
or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, Information 20
recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright
owner and the above publisher of this book.
Europe at
Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited.
A Penguin Random House Company a Glance
A Catalog Record for this book is available
from the library of congress. The Landscapes of
Europe 30
ISSN 1542-1554
ISBN 978-1-4654-5710-3
Great Museums
Floors are referred to throughout in accordance with European usage; and Galleries 32
ie the “first floor” is the floor above ground level.
The History of Europe 34

Britain and
Ireland

Great Britain 44
Ireland 110
The information in this DK Eyewitness Travel Guide is checked regularly.
Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as up-to-date as possible at
the time of going to press. Some details, however, such as telephone numbers,
opening hours, prices, gallery hanging arrangements and travel information are
liable to change. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any consequences
arising from the use of this book, nor for any material on third party websites, and
cannot guarantee that any website address in this book will be a suitable source
of travel information. We value the views and suggestions of our readers very highly.
Please write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, Dorling Kindersley, 80 Strand,
London WC2R 0RL, UK, or email: [email protected].
Front cover main image: Scuol Castle (Schloss Tarasp) on the hill in Engadine, Switzerland Statue of woman praying beside tomb of
Carlos I in Sao Vicente de Fora, Portugal
Santa Maddalena in Val di Funes at the foot of the Odle range, Italy



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France and the
Low Countries
France 144

Belgium and
Luxembourg 212
The Netherlands 236

The Iberian
Peninsula The historic center of Graz, overlooked by the thickly-wooded Schlossberg, Austria (see p600)

Spain 266 Germany, Austria, Finland 650
and Switzerland
Portugal 336 Side Trip to
Germany 494 St. Petersburg 658
Italy and Greece
Austria 552 Central and
Italy 368 Eastern Europe
Switzerland 576
Greece 444 Czech Republic 668
Scandinavia
Hungary 690
Sweden 600
Poland 706
Norway 618
General Index 724
Denmark 634
Acknowledgments 758
Rail Map of Europe
inside back cover


The Baroque church of Santa Maria della
Salute, Venice, Italy (see p440)

The spectacular Mont-St-Michel
in France (see pp174–5)



















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6  HOW T O USE THIS GUIDE

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

This Dorling Kindersley travel guide helps countries. Each country is described by a
you to get the most from your visit to Europe. historical portrait and illustrated with a map.
Visiting Europe maps the continent, and gives The main sightseeing section then follows,
tips on practical considerations and travel. with maps of the major cities within the
Europe at a Glance gives an overview of some country. For each country, there is a section
of the main attractions and a brief history. of practical and travel information, followed
The book is divided into seven sections, each by listings of recommended hotels
covering a group of two, three, or four and restaurants.
Europe Map 366  IT AL Y AND GREECE A T A GLANCE  367
The colored areas shown on the Italy and Greece at a Glance
The appeal of Italy and Greece is both cultural and
hedonistic. As the cradles of Europe’s two great Classical
map on the inside front cover civilizations, both countries are famous for their ancient
temples and monuments, concentrated principally in
the cities of Rome and Athens. Located in the southern
half of Europe, Italy and Greece share a sunny
indicate the 19 country chapters Mediterranean climate and a correspondingly Locator Map
laid-back way of life. Away from the
main cultural sights, the
peaceful countryside,
in this guide. beautiful beaches, and Trieste
warm seas guarantee
a relaxed vacation. Turin Milan Venice The Peloponnese (see pp466–9), a large peninsula, connected
abounds in ancient and medieval ruins. The heavily fortified
Parma to the rest of the Greek mainland by the Corinth isthmus,
Genoa Bologna sea port of Monemvasía, in the southeastern corner, has many
well-preserved Byzantine and Venetian buildings.
At a Glance Florence Siena Ancona
1The map here highlights the most (see pp368–443) Pescara
ITALY
interesting cities, towns, and Rome Foggia Bari Serres
Athens (see pp450–57)
regions in the countries covered Venice (see pp414–23) is a Brindisi Kozani Thessaloníki unrivaled collection of
Naples
is renowned for its
city quite unlike any other: a Sardinia Ioannina Classical antiquities.
The world-famous
fabulous treasure house of
in the section (in this example art and architecture, built Corfu Lárisa Acropolis is dominated
by the 2,500-year-old
on a series of islands, where
GREECE
Parthenon, built as an
there are no cars and the Cagliari (see pp444–89) expression of the glory
streets are canals.
Italy and Greece). Palermo Reggio di Patra of ancient Greece.
Calabria
Florence (see pp394–407) Sicily Athens
embodies the Renaisssance of
art and learning in the 15th
century. Familiar masterpieces Kalamata
of the period, such as this copy 0 km 100 Rhodes Town
of Michelangelo’s David, adorn 0 miles 100 Rhodes
the streets.
Irákleio
Crete
Rome (see pp374–
87) owes its grandest
monuments to the
era of papal rule.
The vast colonnaded
IT AL Y AND GREECE  369 square in front of Crete (see pp476–7), the largest and most
St. Peter’s and the southerly of the Greek islands, boasts clear
Vatican was created blue seas and fine sandy beaches. Inland,
ITALY by Bernini in the there are ancient Minoan palaces and
dramatic mountainous landscapes.
17th century.
Aerial view of Florence from Fiesole hill on a foggy morning, Italy
Italy has drawn people in search of culture and romance for centuries. Few
countries can compete with its Classical origins, its art, architecture, musical,
and literary traditions, its scenery, or its food and wine. Since World War II, Italy
has climbed into the top ten world economies, yet at its heart it retains many of
the customs, traditions, and regional allegiances of its agricultural heritage.
Italy has no single cultural identity. Germany and France, while the south
Between the snowy peaks of the Alps has suffered a succession of invasions
and the rugged shores of Sicily lies a from foreign powers: Carthaginians and
whole series of regions, each with its Greeks in ancient times, Saracens and Each country chapter has color-
own distinctive dialect, architecture, Normans in the Middle Ages, and until
and cuisine. There is also a larger regional the middle of the last century, the coded thumb tabs.
division. People speak of two Italies: Bourbons from Spain held sway.
the rich industrial north and the poorer
agricultural south, known as Il Mezzogiorno History
(Land of the Midday Sun). Italy is a young country; it did not exist as
The north is directly responsible for a unified nation state until 1861. The idea
Italy’s place among the world’s top of Italy as a geographic entity goes back to
industrial nations, a success achieved the time of the Etruscans, but prior to the
by names such as Fiat, Pirelli, Olivetti, 19th century, the only time the peninsula Introduction to a Country
Zanussi, Alessi, and Armani. The south, was united was under the Romans, who
in contrast, has high unemployment, by the 2nd century BC had subdued the
many areas in the grip of organized other Italian tribes and the Greek colonies 2This section gives the reader
crime, and regions that rank among around the coast. Rome became the
the most depressed in Europe. capital of a huge empire, introducing an insight into the country’s
History and geography have both its language, laws, and calendar to most
contributed to the division. The north of Europe before falling to Germanic
is closer both in location and spirit to invaders in the 5th century AD. geography, historical background,
politics, and the character of the
people. A chart lists the key dates and
events in the country’s history.
The softly undulating hills of Tuscany
The awe inspiring ruins of the Roman Forum, Rome 372  IT AL Y AND GREECE IT AL Y  373
Innsbruck Salzburg
Exploring Italy Zurich SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA Distance chart
Italy’s elongated shape means travel S41 Bolzano Cortina d'Ampezzo Rome Distance by road in kilometers
Distance by road in miles
can take up a fair proportion of your S42 A22 S51 A23 383 Bologna
visit. Rome, Florence, and Venice Domodossola Lake Como Trento Belluno Udine SLOVENIA 238 562 783
(Lago di Como)
are naturally the main tourist Lake Maggiore S13 349 487 Brindisi
Ljubljana
Lake Garda
destinations, but there are many (Lago Maggiore) Malpensa Bergamo (Lago di Garda) Treviso Zagreb 278 173 106 66 832 517 Florence
A5
other attractive historic towns and Aosta Brescia Vicenza Trieste 510 291 1064 225
cities that merit a detour of a A5 A4 Linate A4 Verona A4 Padua Venice Rijeka 317 575 181 210 661 990 140 299 Genoa 145 Milan
couple of days or more. Visitors
Country Map with time to explore often choose S23 Turin (Torino) Po A7 A21 Milan A1 (Mantova) Parma Po A22 N482 Ferrara Adige (Padova) (Venezia) 219 136 357 130 594 369 615 354 220 186 489 304 90 714 444 786 488 Naples
Mantua
to tour a particular region, such as
691
206
3For easy reference, sights in each Tuscany, the Veneto, or the island S21 S20 A6 Ta naro A10 A26 Genoa (Genova) S 45 Portofino A15 A1 Bologna S16 S309 Ravenna Rimini 673 418 530 329 332 1111 395 245 255 158 170 106 397 247 138 273 170 86 884 549 741
of Sicily. Road and rail connections
928
154
are generally better in the north,
96
577
where Milan, Bologna, and Verona
country are numbered and plotted are the key transport hubs. FRANCE Nice MONACO San Remo Ligurian La Spezia Peninsula A12 Livorno Lucca Pisa (Firenze) A11 MARINO Urbino SAN S3 Pesaro Ancona CROATIA
S71
Florence
San
on a map. The black bullet numbers Marseille Sea Gimignano Siena Perugia Gubbio S76 A14 Split BOSNIA AND
S1
Piombino S 223 A1 Assisi S77 Ascoli Piceno HERZEGOVINA
(e.g. 3) also indicate the order N193 Bastia Elba Orbetello Orvieto Viterbo Todi S4 L'Aquila A24 Pescara Adriatic Dubrovnikk
Sea
A25
in which the sights are covered in Sights at a Glance u Verona Corsica N198 Fiumicino Civitavécchia ROME (Roma) I TA L Y Isole S89
Sulmona
Tremiti
A14
Ajaccio
1 Rome pp374–87
the chapter. 2 Assisi pp388–9 i Vicenza Anzio S148 S 213 A1 S7 N85 S87 Foggia Greece, Egypt
o Padua
3 Perugia
4 Siena pp390–92
a Ferrara
5 San Gimignano p Venice pp414–23 Porto Olbia Naples Benevento A16 A14 Bari Greece
(Napoli)
6 Florence pp394–407 s Bologna Torres S1 25 Isola d'Ischia Pompeii N96 A14
7 Pisa d Ravenna Sassari Amalfi S1 6 Brindisi
8 Lucca f Urbino Alghero S131 S131d Isola di Capri Amalfi S407 Taranto S7 Lecce
9 Portofino Peninsula g Naples S18 Agri
Coast
0 Genoa h Pompeii S 106 S16
q Turin j Amalfi Coast Sardinia T yrrhenian A3
Sea
w Milan k Palermo S1 31 S125 Ionian
e Lake Maggiore l Taormina S18
r Lake Como z Mount Etna S130 Sea
t Lake Garda x Syracuse Cagliari Cosenza
y Mantua c Agrigento Catanzaro
Sights at a Glance lists Isole Eolie o Lípari A3
Palermo Messina Reggio di S106
the numbered sights in Egadi Trapani A20 Calabria Key
Isole
A29
A19 Mount Etna A18 Taormina Highway
alphabetical order. Tunis Agrigento S ici l y A19 Catania Major road
Railroad
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
0 km 80 International border
Syracuse
S115
0 miles 80 Isola di Ragusa (Siracusa) Ferry route
Tunis
Pantelleria
Malta
For hotels and restaurants see pp438–40 and pp441–3 For keys to symbols see back flap
006-007_EW_Europe.indd 6 14/07/2016 14:44

HOW T O USE THIS GUIDE  7
374  IT AL Y AND GREECE ROME  375
1 Rome V I A L E B R U N O Greater Rome A1 City Map
From its early days as a settlement of shepherds on the Palatine VIALE V I A UL I SSE VIA CASSIA V. FLAMINIA VIA SALARIA VIA NOMEN TANA
hill, Rome grew to rule a vast empire stretching beyond western Tivoli
Europe. Later, after the fall of the Roman empire, Rome became BELLE ART I VIA P. RAIMONDI GRANDE RACCORDOANULARE S5 4This plots individual sights within
VILLA
the center of the Christian world. The legacy of this history can VIA FLAMINIA BORGHESE V IALE DELL'UCCELLIERA (GRA) VIA TIBURTINA A24
be seen all over the city. The Pope, head of the Roman Catholic VIALE D. ARANCIERA Civitavecchia
Church, still resides in the Vatican City, an independent enclave VIALE DEI CAVALLI MARINI VIA PINCIANA S1
at the heart of Rome. In 1870, Rome became the capital of a Flaminio VIALE DEL MU R O T O RTO CO R SO D'ITALIA VIA AURELIA VIA CASILINA the most important cities. The
newly unified Italy, and now has over 2.8 million inhabitants. PIAZZA DEL DEL BRASILE VIALE S. PAOLO S6
In summer, many of the grand Baroque piazzas and narrow POPOLO D'AN NUNZIO V .G. V. C AMPANIA VIA APPIA NUOVA S7 A1
medieval streets are crammed VIA DI RIPETTA Leonardo da Vinci S214 sights within a city, such as Rome,
with attractive sidewalk LUNGOT. IN AUGUSTA V. DEL BABUINO VITTORIO VENETO VIA VIA PIEMONTE (Fiumicino) A91 S148
bars and restaurants. LUNGOT. DEI MELLINI PIAZZA DI Spagna LUDOVISI VIA VIA CRISTOFORO COLOMBO Ciampino
V A T I C A N O PACIS VIA D. CROCE SPAGNA VIA L. BISSOLATI VIA G. CARDUCCI Tevere 0 km 4 are indicated with clear-bullet
V I A D
VIA
V I A L E T e v e r e TOMACELLI V. ARA E L C O R S O CONDOTTI V. DUE MACELLI VIA V. FRANCESCO CRISPI SISTINA Barberini VIA BARBERINI VIA XX SETTEMBRE Terme di Diocleziano (Tiber) Lido di Ostia 0 miles 4
VIA
Palazzo
LUNGOT. LUNGOT. MARZIO M ARZIO TRITONE Barberini PIAZZA D. Repubblica
VIA D. CASTELLO V IA DI CAMPO DEL REPUBBLICA Roma Key numbers (e.g. 3), in contrast to
ARCIONE
PIAZZA S. CONCILIAZIONE LUNGOT. VIA
VIA IN

PIETRO VATICANO LUNGOT. TOR Altemps VIA DELLA SCROFA Palazzo di Palazzo del VIA D. IV FONTANE V I A Museo Nazionale Termini Area of main map
DI NONA Palazzo
Montecitorio
PIAZZA DELLA LUNGOT. D. FIORENTINI V. DEI CORONARI PIAZZA D. COLONNA PIAZZA VIA DEL CORSO VIA D. MURATTE Quirinale V. D. QUIRINALE VIA NAZIONALE VIA A. DEPRETIS T O R I N O Romano V. G I O the black bullets used on the
ROTONDA
QUIRINALE
V. D. GIA NICOLO ROVERE LUNGOT. CORSO VITTORIO EMA NUEL E II PIAZZA D. PILOTTA PIAZZA DEL VIA MILANO CAVOUR VIA GIOBERTI V A N N I G I O L I T T I
RATTAZZI
VIA
CORSO
RINASCIMENTO
PIAZZA P A N I S P E R N A VIA VIA T .
D. SANGALLO
VIA DEI
CESTARI
GIANICOLENSE
LUNGOTEVERE
CAMPO D. FIORI PIAZZA SAN MARCO Il VENEZIA V. IV NOV . V I A VIA DEI SERPENTI Cavour VIA GIOVANNI LANZA VIA MERULANA VIA C. ALBERTO MAMIANI country maps.
V. ALDO F ABRIZI VIA D. RIARI LUNGOT . DELLA DEI TEBALDI LUNGOTEVERE FARNESE GIUBB ONARI I VI A DEI V. ARE NU LA VIA DEI FORI IMPERIALI CAVOUR ANNIBALDI VIA D. VI A L E DEL MONTE OPPIO
VIA GIULIA
PIAZZA
VIA
FARNESINA
PIAZZALE G. GIANICOLO CORSINI VIA D. VAL L ATI LUN G OT. VIA D. TEATRO DI MARCELL O Vittoriano Colosseo Domus Aurea MECENATE VIA
VIA G. GARIBALDI D. SCALA VIA DI SAN TEODORO VIA VIA LABICA N A Manzoni
GARIBALDI LUNGOT. R. S ANZIO LUNG OT. D. CENCI
VIALE
San
Clemente
ALDO FABRIZI
VIA G. GARIBALDI PIAZZA S. LUNGOT. D. BOCCA D. VERITÀ COLOSSEO V. DI S. GIOVANNI IN LATERA Visitors’ Checklist gives all the
V. GIACOMO MEDICI VIA G. MA MELI COSIMATO MASTAI PIAZZA V. D. GENOVESI RIP A A V E N T I N O PIAZZA VIA DEI CERCHI VIA DI S. GREGORIO PIAZZA DEL VIA CLAUDIA V. ANNIA S T E FANO ROTONDO NO GIOVANNI IN
RIPA GRANDE U N G O T.
PIAZZA S.
VIA DI S.
VIA ANICIA
LATERANO
L
PORTO DI
VILLA
V. CALAND R EL L I VIALE NICOLA FABRIZI VIALE GLORIOSO VIALE DI TRASTEVE RE ANGUILLARAD. T e v e r e PARCO DI S. ALESSIO CIRCO MASSIMO CELIMONTANA FONSECA V. DELL'AMBA ARADAM San Giovanni practical information needed to
in Laterano
VIA DEL
V. DI VILLA
V I A DA N D OLO L U N G O T VIA D. NAV IC E LLA LATERANI VIA DEI
DI DIANA TEMPIO PIAZZA VIA DI S. PRISCA Massimo V. D. TERME plan your visit.
S. MELANIA S. VIA PARCO DI PORTA CAPENA PIAZZA DI VIA DRUSO
DI CARACALLA
The Roman Forum with the Colosseum VIA MARMORATA ALESSIO V. D.PIRAMIDE V. AVENTINO Circo S. BALBINA PIAZZALE NUMA Fontana della Barcaccia at the foot
rising behind VIALE G. BACCELLI Terme di POMPILO of the famous Spanish Steps
VIA AVENTINA
Getting Around CESTIA V. DI S. S A BA BERNINI PIAZZA Caracalla PARCO EGERIO
Sights at a Glance w Roman Forum Rome’s subway system is known Stazione G. L. G I O T T O
as la metropolitana (metro for
1 St. Peter’s pp376–7 e Palatine short). Line A crosses the city Roma-Ostia V I A L E VIAL E G UIDO BACCELLI VIA D. TERME VIA DI PORTA

2 Vatican Museums pp378–80 r Colosseum from northwest to southeast, Line Piramide DI CARACALLA S. SEBASTIANO 376  IT AL Y AND GREECE ROME  377
3 Castel Sant’Angelo t Santa Maria Maggiore B from southwest to northeast. Stazione Roma- Key
4 Villa Farnesina y Trevi Fountain The two lines meet at Stazione Ostiense
5 Santa Maria in Trastevere u Spanish Steps Termini, the city’s central station, Sight / Place of interest . Statue of St. Peter
6 Piazza Navona i Santa Maria del Popolo which is also the starting point 1 St. Peter’s Pedestrian street This 13th-century bronze is thought to VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

7 Pantheon o Museo e Galleria Borghese for many bus routes. A third Catholicism’s most sacred shrine, the . Dome be by Arnolfo di Cambio. The foot of the Practical Information
City walls

8 Galleria Doria Pamphilj p Villa Giulia metro line is due for completion The 137 m (448 ft) statue has worn thin from the kisses of Piazza San Pietro.
9 Gesù in 2018. Official taxis are white or 0 meters 750 vast, marble-encrusted basilica draws dome, designed by millions of pilgrims over the centuries. Tel 06-69 88 37 31.
0 Capitoline Museums yellow. Walking is preferable to 0 yards 750 pilgrims and tourists from all over the Michelangelo, was not ∑ vatican.va
world. A shrine was erected on the site
completed until 1590,
q Trajan’s Markets driving in the city’s narrow streets. long after his death. Basilica: Open 7am–7pm
of St. Peter’s tomb in the 2nd century (Oct–Mar: to 6:30pm) daily. 7
and the first basilica was commissioned Treasury: Open 8am–7pm
For keys to symbols see back flap
by Constantine. Centuries later, in 1506, (Oct–Mar: to 6:15pm) daily. &
Grottoes: Open 8am–6pm
Pope Julius II laid the first stone of a (Oct–Mar: to 5:30pm) daily.
new church while the original basilica Dome: Open 8am–6pm
was still in use. The present basilica, (Oct–Mar: to 5pm) daily. &
187 m (615 ft) long, took more than Strict dress code inside church.
Sights at a Glance lists the a century to build and all the great Transport
q Ottaviano S. Pietro.
architects of the Roman Renaissance
@ 23, 40, 49, 64, 81, 492.
and Baroque had a hand in its design.
numbered sights within the city. The dominant tone of the interior is set . Michelangelo’s Pietà
by Bernini, creator of the baldacchino
below Michelangelo’s Protected by glass since an attack in 1972,
magnificent dome. the Pietà stands in the first side chapel on
the right. It was created in 1499 when
Michelangelo was only 25.
Major Sights Baldacchino
Commissioned by Urban VIII
5Historic buildings are dissected in 1624, Bernini’s extravagant
Baroque canopy stands
above the Papal Altar, a plain
slab of marble, at which only
the pope may say mass. The
to reveal their interiors, while altar is sited directly above the decorated with reliefs
Filarete Door
This bronze door,
tomb of St. Peter in the
Grottoes below.
museums and galleries have KEY by Filarete (1439–45),
was one of the doors
of the old St. Peter’s.
color-coded floor plans to help you 1 The Treasury is reached via the Monument to Pope
Alexander VII
Sacristy. It houses ecclesiastical
Bernini’s last work in St. Peter’s was
treasures, including reliquaries,
tombs, and vestments. finished in 1678 and shows the pope
surrounded by the allegorical figures
find the most important exhibits. 2 The apse is dominated by of Truth, Justice, Charity,
Bernini’s spectacular bronze
and Prudence.
monument containing the
Throne of St. Peter in Glory. Entrance for stairs
3 Two minor cupolas by to dome
Vignola (1507–73).
4 The facade (1614) is by
Carlo Maderno, who lengthened
Stars indicate the features the basilica to create its Latin- Main entrance
cross floorplan.
that no visitor should miss. 5 From this window, the pope A fragment of this
blesses the faithful gathered in the
The Grottoes
piazza below.
6 The nave floor has markings that 13th-century mosaic by Piazza San Pietro
show the lengths of other churches Giotto, salvaged from the old The piazza in front of St. Peter’s is enclosed
compared with St. Peter’s. basilica, is now in the Grottoes, by a vast pincer-shaped colonnade by
where many popes are buried. Bernini. It is topped by statues of saints.
For hotels and restaurants see pp438–40 and pp441–3
412  IT AL Y AND GREECE IT AL Y  413
Verona’s patron saint, San Zeno
Maggiore is the most ornate Detailed Information
Romanesque church in northern
Italy, famous for its unusual
medieval bronze door panels.
The Duomo also dates from 6Cities, towns, and other sights
the 12th century and displays
Titian’s Assumption. Other notable
medieval churches in Verona are
San Fermo Maggiore, with are described individually. Their
many interior frescoes including
the Annunciation by Pisanello
(1377–1455), and Sant’Anastasia,
which houses 15th-century entries appear in the same
frescoes and holy water stoups
The Arena, Verona’s Roman amphitheater – the setting for spectacular summer opera performances supported by figures of beggars
known locally as i gobbi.
y Mantua frescoes by Mantegna in the u Verona The Basilica di Sant’Antonio in Padua, with its Byzantine domes order as the numbering on the
* 55,000. £ @ n Piazza Andrea Camera degli Sposi (1465–74), * 261,000. k Villafranca 12 km (7 T Arena statues. Beside it stands the o Padua
Piazza Brà. Tel 045-800 32 04.
are a highlight. They portray the
Mantegna 6 (0376-43 24 32). ( Thu. miles) SW. £ @ n Via degli Alpini 9
Gonzaga family and court, and Open daily (Mon: pm only). 12th-century Torre di Piazza. * 220,000. £ @ n Vicolo
Teatrale Veronese (Jun–Aug); Opera
A striking if stern-looking city of the room is completed by a (045-806 86 80). ( daily. _ Estate Closed Jan 1, Dec 25–26. & The Loggia del Capitaniato, Pedrocchi (049-201 00 80). country map at the beginning
fine squares and aristocratic light-hearted trompe l’oeil ceiling. Festival (Jul–Sep). + Castelvecchio to the northwest, was built ( Mon–Sat at Piazza delle Erbe.
architecture, Mantua (Mantova The nearby Duomo has an ∑ tourism.verona.it Corso Castelvecchio 2. Tel 045-806 26 by Palladio in 1571. Its upper ∑ turismopadova.it
in Italian) is bordered on three 18th-century façade and fine 11. Open daily. & = 8 (audio). rooms contain the city’s of the section.
sides by lakes. It was the interior stuccoes by Giulio Verona, a large and prosperous council chamber. Padua is an old university town
birthplace of the poet Virgil and Romano (c.1492–1546). city of the Veneto region, boasts i Vicenza Europe’s oldest surviving with an illustrious academic
playground for three centuries Piazza dell’Erbe is dominated magnificent Roman ruins, indoor theater, the Teatro history. The city (Padova in
of the Gonzaga dukes. Mantua by the Basilica di Sant’ Andrea second only to those of Rome * 116,000. £ @ n Piazza Olimpico was begun by Italian) has two major
was also the setting for Verdi’s (15th century), designed largely itself, as well as some important Matteotti 12 (0444-99 47 70). ( Tue & Palladio in 1579 and attractions – the Basilica di
opera Rigoletto, and is by the early Renaissance medieval monuments. Thu. _ Concert season (May–Jun). completed by his pupil, Sant’Antonio, one of the
mentioned in Shakespeare’s architect and theorist, Alberti. The Arena, Verona’s Roman ∑ vicenzae.org Vincenzo Scamozzi. It most popular sites of
Romeo and Juliet. These Across town is the early amphitheater completed in was Scamozzi who pilgrimage in Italy, and
theatrical connections are 16th-century Palazzo Tè, AD 30, is the third largest in the Vicenza is celebrated for its created the permanent the Cappella degli
celebrated in local street names designed as the Gonzaga world. Concerts, plays, and splendid, varied architecture. stage, built of wood Scrovegni, a beautifully
and monuments, and are family’s summer retreat. This opera productions are staged Known as the city of Andrea and plaster and painted decorated chapel. The Each entry begins with essential
reinforced by the presence in extraordinary palace is here. Other Roman sites include Palladio (1508–80), stonemason to look like marble. It exotic Basilica was built
the town of the 18th-century decorated with frescoes by the Roman Theater, and artifacts turned architect, it offers a represents Thebes, a from 1232 to house
Teatro Scientifico Bibiena, a Giulio Romano and has rooms from Roman times can be seen unique opportunity to study the Greek city, and uses the remains of the great practical information, including
masterpiece of late Baroque lavishly painted with horses and in the Museo Archeologico. evolution of his distinctive style. perspective to create Franciscan preacher,
theater architecture. signs of the zodiac. The tragic story of Romeo Piazza dei Signori at the an illusion of depth. St. Anthony of Padua.
Mantua is focused on three and Juliet, first set here by Luigi heart of Vicenza is dominated Palladio was also The chapel (1303) the address and telephone number
attractive main squares. Piazza P Palazzo Ducale da Porto in the 1520s and by the Palazzo della Ragione, responsible for the features a series of
Sordello is the site of the Palazzo Piazza Sordello 40. Tel 0376-35 21 00. immortalized by Shakespeare, known also as the Basilica. design of Palazzo frescoes depicting the
Ducale, the vast former home of Open Tue–Sun. Closed Jan 1, May 1, has inspired local monuments Palladio’s first public Chiericati which houses Memorial to Andrea life of Christ, painted
the Gonzaga family which also Dec 25. & 8 (audio). 7 Camera such as Romeo’s House and commission, this building has the Museo Civico, but Palladio in Vicenza by Giotto. The Museo of the local tourist information
incorporates a 14th-century degli Sposi: Tel 041-241 18 97. the so-called Tomb of Juliet. a roof like an upturned boat, the epitome of his work Civico Eremitani on
fortress and a basilica. The Open by appointment only. Verona’s focal point is Piazza and a balustrade bristling with can be seen in the Villa the same site has a rich
Erbe, scene of colorful markets Rotonda, in the country side coin collection and an art gallery. office. Opening times are given for
for 2,000 years. to the south of Vicenza. Other attractions include
The ornate tombs of members the Duomo and Baptistry,
of the Scaglieri family, who ruled P Piazza dei Signori which contains one of Italy’s major sights and museums.
the city for 127 years from 1263, Basilica: Tel 0444-22 28 11. Open daily most complete medieval fresco
are situated beside the entrance during exhibitions. & cycles (painted by Giusto de’
to the church of Santa Maria P Teatro Olimpico Menabuoi in 1378), and the
Antica. Another legacy of the Palazzo della Ragione, built in
family is Castelvecchio, an Piazza Matteotti. Tel 0444-22 28 00. 1218 to serve as Padua’s law
impressive castle built by Open Tue–Sun. Closed Jan 1, Dec 25. court and council chamber.
& 7
Cangrande II between 1355
and 1375. There is a fine art P Villa Rotonda R Cappella degli Scrovegni
gallery in the castle, which has a Via della Rotonda 45. Tel 0498-79 13 Piazza Eremitani. Tel 049-201 00 20.
collection of 15th-century late 80. Villa: Open Mar–Nov: Wed & Sat. Open daily (advance booking
Renaissance Madonnas. Built in The illusionistic stage set of the Teatro & Garden: Open Tue–Sun. & 7 necessary). Closed public hols.
∑ villalarotonda.it
The 13th-century facade of the Palazzo Ducale in Mantua 1125–35 to house the shrine of Olimpico in Vicenza 430  IT AL Y AND GREECE & 7 IT AL Y  431
For hotels and restaurants see pp438–40 and pp441–3
Practical Information Visa Requirements anything stolen, you should go traditional social formalities. and are usually open all day,
Citizens of the European Union to the nearest police station and Ciao should only be used as and also into the evening
Italy’s charm and allure help to mask an idiosyncratic (EU), US, Canada, Australia, and file a report (denuncia). a greeting for familiar friends, in resorts. However, they
infrastructure in which delays and long lines are common. Be New Zealand do not require a otherwise piacere (pleased to quite often tend to have less
visa for stays of up to three
favorable exchange rates and
prepared to wait in offices and banks, and to persevere when
meet you), buon giorno (good
Practical Information seeking information. However, communications – other than months. Most European Union Emergency Services day), or buona sera (good charge a higher commission
than banks. Post offices usually
visitors need only a valid
In case of emergencies while
evening) are polite greetings.
the post office – are good, and banking and exchange facilities
Say arrivederci on parting.
on vacation, the appropriate
identity document to enter Italy.
have the lowest charges.
is a visible police presence should a crisis arise. Personal belong­
7This section covers subjects are widely available. Italy is generally safe for visitors and there Citizens from other countries numbers to call are listed in Kissing on the cheeks is Communications
the directory below.
should contact their Italian
common among friends, but
consulate for visa information.
shake hands with strangers.
ings should nevertheless be watched at all times. Many shops
and offices close at lunch for the siesta, reopening in the late
Post offices open from about
Tipping of taxi drivers and
Health Issues
such as visas, security, travel, afternoon. Pharmacies are a useful first stop for health advice. Personal Security No inoculations are needed for waiting staff in restaurants is 8am to 2pm weekdays, and
from 8am to noon on Saturday.
not common practice among
Main post offices are usually
Italy, but it is advisable to carry
Although petty crime in the
Italians. However, when a service
cities is frequent, violent crime
open from 8am to 6pm or 7pm
mosquito repellent in the
charge is added to a restaurant
When to Visit
shopping, and entertainment. Italy’s towns and historic deals exclusively with an in Italy is rare. However, it is summer months. If emergency bill, it is non-negotiable. Hotel non-stop. The red mailboxes
porters expect a reasonable tip
common for people to raise
individual town. All can help
medical treatment becomes
(blue in the Vatican City) usually
if they have been helpful.
their voices aggressively during
have two slots labeled per la
necessary, you should go to the
sites are extremely popular
with hotel reservations and
attractions and it is worth local tour guides. They also an argument. Usually, remaining Pronto Soccorso (emergency città (for the city only) and
room) of the nearest hospital.
The larger countries are covered considering this when planning books in several languages. to defuse the situation. Various medical products, Facilities for the Disabled all other destinations). The
tutte le altre destinazioni (for
provide free maps and guide-
calm and being polite will help
your trip. Rome, Florence, and
including homeopathic
Venice are all crowded from
Unofficial tour guides, taxi
Public awareness of the needs
Italian postal service was once
medicines, are available in any
drivers, or strangers who try to
renowned for its unreliability,
spring to October and it is
of the disabled is improving
in greater detail. advisable to reserve a hotel Opening Hours advise you on accommodations pharmacy (farmacia), but a quickly in Italy. CO.IN.Sociale but has improved in recent
years. The standard mail service
may expect money in return.
prescription may be required.
(Consorzio Cooperative
Italian museums are gradually
well in advance. In August the
is called prioritaria.
Integrate) provides information
Thanks to a night rota (servizio
Women traveling alone in
conforming to new regu lations,
cities are generally slightly less
busy, and the seaside resorts particularly in the north, opening Italy are likely to meet with a lot notturno) – listed in the local on facilities for the disabled. The few public telephones
fill up. June and September daily from about 9am to 7pm, of attention, although this is pages of daily newspapers and remaining are generally card-
can be as hot as midsummer, but some still close on Mondays. often more of an irritation than on pharmacy doors – there is Banking and Currency operated. A telephone card
but the beaches are less In summer, many museums stay a danger. Staff at hotels and always a pharmacy open in all (scheda telefonica) can be
crowded. The skiing season open longer at weekends. In restaurants generally treat their cities and most towns. Italy has used the euro since purchased from bars, newspaper
runs from December to Easter. winter, opening times are more single female customers with 2002 (see p23). Banks open kiosks, post offices, and
limited. It is advisable to check extra care and attention. Language and Etiquette between about 8:30am and tobacconists (tabacchi). A corner
beforehand. Archaeological 1:30pm Monday to Friday. of the card must be broken off
Tourist Information sites usually open from 9am to People in Italy are very dress- Most also open from 2:15 to before use. Alternatively, many
Directory boxes give contact The national tourist board, ENIT, an hour before sunset, Tuesday Police conscious and unusual or risqué 3pm or 2:30 to 3:30pm. towns have telephone offices
to Sunday. Churches are open
(Telefoni) with low rates for
has branches in capital cities
Electronic exchange
clothes get noticed. Strict dress
There are several different police
codes are enforced in many
machines, with multilingual
long-distance calls. Here, you
worldwide and offers general
forces in Italy and each one
from about 7am to 12:30pm
information for the services information on Italy. Locally, and 4 to 7pm, but they often fulfills a particular role. Both the places of worship, where your instructions, are located at all are assigned a booth and pay
prefer not to admit tourists
there are two types of tourist
torso, knees, and upper arms
state police, the polizia and the
major airports, train stations,
after calls are completed. Credit
carabinieri, deal with crime in
should be covered. Forms of
office: an EPT (Ente Provinciale di
and banks. Bureaux de change
during services.
cards can only be used to make
and venues mentioned in the text. Turismo) has information on its Visits to some of the more general and they also conduct address are still governed by can be found in main towns, calls at major airports.
town and surrounding province,
popular tourist sights, such as
random security checks. The
DIRECTORY
whereas an APT (Azienda di
vigili urbani, the municipal traffic
Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of
Promozione Turistica) or a PIT The Last Supper in Milan, must police, issue fines for traffic and Tourist Offices ENIT UK Canada Emergency
(Punto di Informazioni Turistiche) be organized in advance. parking offences. If you have
Tel 020-7408 1254. Via Zara 30, Rome. Numbers
APT Florence ∑ italiantouristboard.
The Climate of Italy Tel 06-854 44 39 37. General Emergency
ROME VENICE Via Manzoni 16. co.uk ∑ canada.it Tel 113.
The Italian peninsula has a Tel 055-233 20. ENIT US UK Medical Emergency
varied climate falling into °C/ºF °C/ºF APT Milan Tel 212-245 5618. Via XX Settembre 80, Tel 118.
three distinct geographical 29/84 22/72 28/82 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ∑ italiantourism.com
regions. Cold Alpine winters 18/64 19/66 13/55 12/54 17/63 18/64 18/64 II. Tel 02-84 45 55 55. PIT Rome Rome. Tel 06-42 20 00 01. Police (Carabinieri)
and warm, increasingly wet
Climate charts (see p21) are summers characterize the 9/48 6 10 7 4/40 5 7/44 7 9 9/48 4 7/44 0/32 2 APT Venice Via Nazionale. ∑ gov.uk/government/ Facilities for the
Tel 112.
northern regions. In the
world/organisations/
Tel 06-06 08.
Castello 5050.
british-embassy-rome
extensive Po Valley, arid
Disabled
hrs
hrs
provided for each country. summers contrast with mm mm hrs 21 hrs 95 mm mm hrs 87 hrs 112 108 hrs 134 mm mm hrs 90 Tel 041-523 59 13. Embassies US Via Veneto 121, Rome. CO.IN.Sociale
freezing, damp winters. The
51
Australia
rest of Italy has long, and
ENIT Rome
Via A. Bosio 5, Rome.
Via Enrico Giglioli 54A,
mm mm
often very hot, summers month Apr Jul Oct Jan month Apr Jul Oct Jan Via Marghera 2. Tel 06-85 27 21. Tel 06-467 41. Rome. Tel 06-712 9011.
and mild, sunny winters. Tel 06-497 11. ∑ enit.it ∑ italy.embassy.gov.au ∑ italy.usembassy.gov ∑ coinsociale.it
006-007_EW_Europe.indd 7 14/07/2016 14:44

008-009_EW_Europe.indd 8 14/07/16 10:43 am

VISITING


EUROPE





Discovering Europe 10–17

Putting Europe on the Map 18–19
Practical Information 20–23
Travel Information 24–27

















































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10  VISITING EUROPE

DISCOVERING EUROPE

The great cities of Europe are the key to a single trip, they are the hubs around which
discovering the countries in which they sit. national and international travel revolves,
In each, the visitor will get a real flavor of the with excellent rail, road, and air links. Each
history, culture, character, and, of course, of the following 14 itineraries offers a two-
cuisine of the nation – an ideal introduction day exploration of one of Europe’s most
for those on a short break. For visitors with beguiling cities, covering the must-visit
more time available, these cities provide a sights. From vibrant Barcelona to elegant
perfect base for exploring farther afield. For Stockholm, romantic Paris to revitalized
anyone keen to tour more of the continent in Berlin, there is something for everyone.


FINLAND
NORWAY
SWEDEN
Stockholm

North
Sea Baltic
IRELAND DENMARK Sea
Dublin
GREAT
BRITAIN
Amsterdam Berlin
London NETHERLANDS POLAND
At lantic BELGIUM GERMANY
Ocean Prague
LUX.
Paris CZECH REP.
Munich Vienna
AUSTRIA
Bay of FRANCE SWITZERLAND HUNGARY
Biscay
Venice
PORTUGAL ITALY
SPAIN
Madrid Barcelona Rome
GREECE
Athens
Mediterranean Sea

0 kilometers 500
0 miles 500

The Great Cities of Europe
• Enjoy delightful canalside • In London, royal heritage and discovered, as well as many
walks in leafy Amsterdam. history mingle with lively architectural delights.
• Reminders of seven millennia contemporary culture. • Rome has ancient ruins, great
of history are all around Athens. • Tapas, flamenco, and great art, and a lively café culture.
• Barcelona boasts Modernista museums: Madrid has the lot. • Stockholm is a culture-packed
buildings and medieval history. • Explore Munich’s architecture city in a lovely lakeside setting.
• Modern Berlin is steeped in and art, and enjoy a stein or two. • Exquisite Venice is a city that
history, including relics of a • View the streets of Paris from seems to rise out of the water.
tumultuous 20th century. on high, atop the Eiffel Tower. • Get a bird’s-eye view of the
• Dublin provides art and • Prague is full of historic and grand boulevards of Vienna
culture, plus great Guinness. cultural treasures waiting to be from its iconic Ferris wheel.

Tourists enjoying the sights of St Mark’s Square in Venice, Italy



010-017_EW_Europe.indd 10 14/07/16 10:23 am

DISC OVERING EUROPE  11


Two Days in
Amsterdam

• Discover Amsterdam’s
distinguished history at
the Koninklijk Paleis
• Stroll along the canals
of the delightful
Grachtengordel
• Be moved by the Anne
Frank House

Day 1
Morning Start the day at the
FINLAND
NORWAY Dam, a busy square in the city
SWEDEN center that is famous for its
Stockholm buildings and frequent events. Crowds of people in bustling Dam Square, Amsterdam
Dodging the trams, proceed
to the Nieuwe Kerk (p244), Afternoon After lunch, visit Afternoon Make your way,
North
Sea Baltic one of Amsterdam’s most the city’s third major museum, via the Tower of the Winds
IRELAND DENMARK Sea impressive Gothic buildings. the Stedelijk Museum (p251), (p453) in the Roman Agora,
Dublin Afterward, pop next door to a gallery devoted to modern down to bustling Plaka (p453)
GREAT
BRITAIN explore the Koninklijk Paleis and contemporary art. for a late lunch of mezédes.
Amsterdam Berlin (p244). This royal palace was Alternatively, if museum fatigue Spend the afternoon browsing
London NETHERLANDS POLAND built in the 17th century, when is setting in, venture out from Plaka’s quirky crafts and
At lantic BELGIUM GERMANY the city was at its richest, as the the tourist zone to explore antiques shops, then head
Ocean Prague town hall. Inside, the highlight the maze-like streets of the over to the Temple of
LUX.
Paris CZECH REP. is a magnificent marble Jordaan (p246) or rest your Olympian Zeus (p457) for
Munich Vienna chamber, the Citizens’ Hall. legs on a relaxing canal tour dramatic sunset views of the
AUSTRIA by boat (p259). Acropolis through Hadrian’s
Bay of FRANCE SWITZERLAND HUNGARY
Biscay Afternoon Take a stroll along Arch (entry is included in the
Venice the Singel, the first of the Two Days in Athens price of your Acropolis ticket).
four canals that make up the
Grachtengordel (p246), or Day 2
PORTUGAL ITALY • Explore the Parthenon
SPAIN “girdle of canals”. This is Morning Devote part of the
Madrid Barcelona Rome Amsterdam at its most and other magnificent morning to the amazing flea
beguiling, its olive-green ruins of Ancient Greece market and stores of lively
GREECE canals spanned by hump- • Get lost among the flea Monastiraki (p452). Pick up a
Athens backed bridges. Don’t miss markets and antiques stalls selection of delicious freshly
Mediterranean Sea the interesting exhibition at of Monastiraki and Plaka made savories and cakes
Het Grachtenhuis (p246) • Admire exquisite works from one of the many bakeries
or the Renaissance Westerkerk of art and craftsmanship here, then pause for a picnic
(p246), with its mighty spire. at the Museum of lunch in the shaded oasis of
Next, head for the Anne Frank Cycladic Art and the the National Gardens on your
House (p245), where the renowned National way to the Byzantine and
teenage Jewish diarist hid from Archaeological Museum Christian Museum (p457).
the Nazis during World War II.
Afternoon Having marveled at
Day 2 Day 1 the rich gold Hoard of Mytilene
Morning Spend a couple of Morning Start early to beat and the rare icons and frescoes,
hours at the Rijksmuseum the worst of the crowdsand move on to the nearby
(pp248–50), Amsterdam’s wander through the ruins Museum of Cycladic Art
principal art museum, admiring of the Ancient Agora (p453). (p457), with its exquisite works
its fabulous collection of Visit the museum in the Stoa of ancient art, and the
Dutch paintings, especially of Attalos, which displays items fascinating Benáki Museum
the Rembrandts. Afterwards, unearthed during excavations, (p457), housed in a beautiful
visit the Van Gogh Museum then make your way up to the mansion. Alternatively, catch
(p251), which is devoted to Acropolis (pp454–6) and spend a bus across town to the vast
arguably the greatest of all the rest of the morning National Archaeological
Dutch painters and contains admiring the Parthenon (p456) Museum (p452), whose
a remarkable collection of and visiting the New Acropolis spectacular collections include
his work. Museum (p456). many rare and unique exhibits.

010-017_EW_Europe.indd 11 14/07/16 10:23 am

12  VISITING EUROPE


spend the whole morning promenade that reveals the
discovering the basilica’s many swagger of 19th-century Prussia
delights. This district has through monuments like the
countless excellent restaurants Neue Wache and the Baroque
and tapas bars to choose from Zeughaus (p502). There are
for both lunch and dinner. plenty of places here to pause
for lunch, from charming cafés
Afternoon Wander along to jovial beer gardens.
the Passeig de Gràcia (p301),
Barcelona’s most fashionable Afternoon The handsome
street and the heart of the Schlossbrücke bridge hints at
city’s Quadrat d’Or (“golden the cultural feast to be found
square”), perhaps doing a bit of on Museum Island (p500). With
shopping at one of the chic its remarkable collection of
Chimneys on the roof of the Gaudí- boutiques here. This street is antiquities, the Pergamon­
designed La Pedrera, Barcelona home to two of Gaudí’s most museum (p504) certainly
spectacular domestic buildings: deserves a visit. Afterward, stop
La Pedrera and Casa Batlló in at the Berliner Dom (pp506–
Two Days in (p301). Both are open to visitors, 7), then take a quiet stroll into
Barcelona
but if short of time, you can just picturesque Nikolai viertel
admire their stunning facades. (p505) to get a sense of Berlin’s
• Admire Antoni Gaudí’s medieval roots.
unfinished masterpiece,
the Sagrada Família Two Days in Berlin Day 2
• Get lost in the medieval Morning After exploring
• Stroll down beautiful
warren of the Barri Gòtic Berlin’s historic core, the focus
(Gothic Quarter) Unter den Linden, shifts to more recent history.
pausing for a spot of Checkpoint Charlie (p508), the
• Tuck into authentic paella café culture on the way East–West border immortalized
by the beach
• Reflect on Berlin’s by many Cold War thrillers, is
tumultuous recent past an essential stop. The darkest
Day 1 at Checkpoint Charlie period in German history is
Morning Explore one of the and the Kaiser­Wilhelm­ chillingly laid bare in the
largest and best-preserved Gedächtniskirche Jüdisches Museum (p508),
medieval neighborhoods • Explore the Kulturforum while the wave-like Holocaust
in Europe, the Barri Gòtic or Museum Island for Denkmal (p503) represents the
(pp298–9). Admire the stunning breathtaking art and scale of the Jewish tragedy in
Cathedral (p299), particularly other treasures stark sculptural form.
the enchanting cloister, and
visit the remnants of the Afternoon After lunch in one
ancient Roman settlement Day 1 of the several cafés in the
in the Museu d’Història de Morning Start at the icons of Tiergarten (p503), enjoy a
Barcelona (p299). Have lunch a reunified Germany: climb up bucolic stroll there. Afterward,
in one of the area’s many inside the glass dome of the pore over the Old Masters in the
restaurants and cafés. Reichstag (p502), then circuit Gemäldegalerie or the crafts in
the mighty Brandenburg the Kunstgewerbemuseum,
Afternoon Stroll down La Gate (p502). Beyond it is Unter both part of the Kulturforum
Rambla (p300), then make den Linden (p502), the leafy (p503). For more astonishing
your way along the harbor
to fascinating Montjuïc
(p304) for spectacular city
views and for the vibrant
surrealist art on show at the
Fundació Joan Miró (p304).
Finish the day with paella on
the seafront.
Day 2
Morning Head to the Eixample
district, home to Antoni Gaudí’s
extraordinary Sagrada Família
(pp302–3), its towers visible
across the city, yet still awaiting
completion. You’ll want to The majestic cupola of the Berliner Dom, Berlin




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DISC OVERING EUROPE  13


craftsmanship, take the U-Bahn
west from Potsdamer Platz
(p503) to beautiful Schloss
Charlottenburg (p509). Alter-
natively, admire the mosaics in
the shattered Kaiser-Wilhelm-
Gedächtniskirche (p508), the
symbol of West Berlin, on the
city’s main shopping street,
Kurfürstendamm (p509).

Two Days in Dublin
• Marvel at the beautiful
illuminated Book of Kells
• Explore lively Temple Bar
• Discover Dublin’s past
at Dublinia and the The Victorian Tower Bridge, spanning the River Thames in London
Viking World
strip bustling with shoppers Afternoon Head to
and street performers. Visit the Chinatown (p58) for dim sum,
Day 1 National Gallery of Ireland then spend an hour or two
Morning Devote an hour to (p119) to see the small but admiring works by Van Eyck,
the magnificent National significant collection of Irish Van Gogh, and Constable at
Museum of Ireland – and international art. In the the National Gallery (p57). If
Archaeology (p119). Afterward, evening, enjoy the “craic” in one there’s time before the show,
visit Trinity College (p118) to of the south side’s lively pubs. head to Covent Garden’s Piazza
see the breathtaking Book of and Central Market (p59) to
Kells exhibition, and take a Two Days in London watch the street performers.
break in the college’s lovely
grounds. From here, it’s a short Day 2
walk to Temple Bar (p120), a • Enjoy a spin on the Coca- Morning Begin the day at Sir
good place to stop off for lunch. Cola London Eye Christopher Wren’s glorious
• Admire Wren’s masterpiece, masterpiece, St. Paul’s
Afternoon Venture a little way St. Paul’s Cathedral Cathedral (p66). Highlights
out of the center to visit the • Take a Beefeater tour of here include the Whispering
Guinness Storehouse (p123) the Tower of London Gallery, the spectacular dome,
and find out all there is to and the crypt. Next, walk to the
know about the nation’s famous Tower of London (pp68–9),
brew. If the weather allows, Day 1 allowing two hours to join an
spend some time in Phoenix Morning Start off by examining entertaining Beefeater tour,
Park (p123), Europe’s largest the monuments to England’s and inspect the murderous-
enclosed city park, which kings and queens on a self- looking Tudor weaponry in
encompasses a zoo. In the guided tour of Westminster the White Tower. Afterward,
evening, see a play at the Abbey (pp54–5). Don’t miss cross the iconic Tower Bridge
wonderful Gate Theatre (p123). the intricate Lady Chapel and (p67) to Bankside and admire
peaceful cloisters. Next, wander the design and height of The
Day 2 through Parliament Square into Shard (p67), which dwarfs the
Morning Begin your day with idyllic St. James’s Park (p56), surrounding buildings.
a visit to the architecturally with its pelicans and black
eclectic Christ Church swans, reaching Buckingham Afternoon Select something
Cathedral (p121). Just across Palace (p56) in time for some delicious for lunch from one
the road is Dublinia and the pomp and circumstance at of the artisan food stalls or
Viking World (p121), where the the 11:30am Changing the cafés at Borough Market (p99),
history of Viking Dublin is on Guard ceremony. If it’s fall or then stroll to Shakespeare’s
display. Take the excellent tour winter, try Horse Guards Globe (p67) for an enthralling
of Dublin Castle (pp120–21) Parade (p53) instead. Walk auditorium tour. Next door is
and visit its Chester Beatty through stately Trafalgar Tate Modern (pp66–7), housing
Library to see a range of Square (p58) into the West End, paintings and art installations
beautiful historic manuscripts. and buy theatre tickets for the on a grand scale. End the day
evening at bargain prices from with a ride on the Coca-Cola
Afternoon Stroll down Grafton the official cut-price booth on London Eye (p53), timing it to
Street (p119), a pedestrianized Leicester Square (p58). coincide with sunset.




010-017_EW_Europe.indd 13 14/07/16 10:23 am

14  VISITING EUROPE


Afternoon Suitably fortified,
discover the head-spinning
array of architecture, artworks,
and treasures on display in
the Residenz (pp520–21).
This former palace of the
Bavarian kings is so large it
takes two tours just to see the
half that is open to the public.
Check if any seats are available
for a night at its magical
Cuvilliés-Theater.
Day 2
The Gran Vía, Madrid’s principal shopping street Morning The Bavarian kings
reveal their impeccable taste
Two Days in Madrid Afternoon Head to the Centro again through their splendid
de Arte Reina Sofía (p281) in art collection, hung in the
time for lunch at the chic café- Alte Pinakothek (p523). You
• Surround yourself with restaurant, then spend the can easily lose the morning
masterpieces at the Prado rest of the day at this superb among its Old Masters, which
• Enjoy the glamor and glitz contemporary art museum. provides a comprehensive
of the Gran Via Admire Picasso’s powerful lesson in German art history.
Guernica and works by Gaudí, If your tastes veer more
• Feast on the mouth-
watering morsels served Miró, and Dalí, among others. towards modern art, visit the
in countless tapas bars In the evening, take a tour of neighboring Neue Pinakothek
the city’s lively tapas bars. (p523) and the Pinakothek
der Moderne (p524). Make time
Day 1 Two Days in Munich to walk to nearby Königsplatz,
Morning Start the day at where the Neoclassical
Plaza Mayor (p274), the huge Glyptothek (p523) reveals why
arcaded square in Madrid’s • Admire the regal splendor Munich was nicknamed
historic heart, then take a and priceless treasures of “Athens on the Isar”. The
relaxed stroll around the the Residenz nearby Staatliche Antiken­
surrounding cobbled streets. • Enjoy a foaming tankard sammlungen (p523) displays
Head into the pretty of beer and some hearty Ludwig I’s antiquities.
19th-century Mercado de Bavarian cuisine
San Miguel, just off the square, • Leave the city center for Afternoon The Deutsches
for a gourmet lunch at one of the pastoral delights of Museum (p524) is unbeatable
its many chic tapas bars. for rainy days, with 20,000
Schloss Nymphenburg
arts and science exhibits
Afternoon Visit the magnificent spread over seven floors.
Museo Nacional del Prado Day 1 Alternatively, head to Schloss
(pp278–80), Spain’s biggest Morning There’s no finer
museum. Highlights here introduction to Munich than the
include the superlative Las Marienplatz (p522), with its two
Meninas by Velázquez, and a monuments of civic pride: the
host of the artist’s other works, Neues Rathaus, its facade a
created for the Spanish Habs- carnival of statues, and the
burg monarchs. The charming Altes Rathaus. The soaring
gardens at the sumptuous Ritz Frauenkirche (p522),
(p277) next door are ideal for a unmissable because of its
post-museum cocktail. domed spires, is the image on
almost every souvenir beer
Day 2 tankard; the other highlight of
Morning Stroll along the Munich’s sacred architecture
Gran Vía (p275), Madrid’s is the Asamkirche (pp522–3),
glittering answer to New an enchanting example of
York’s Broadway, admiring Bavarian Rococo. Stop for a
the turn-of-the-20th-century sauerbraten and a stein at any
theaters, as well as some of of Munich’s famous beer halls;
the city’s first skyscrapers. The for example, Hofbräuhaus, the
street is now a shopping mecca, site of Hitler’s infamous Beer The iconic onion domes of the Frauenkirche
packed with flagship stores. Hall Putsch. in Munich




010-017_EW_Europe.indd 14 14/07/16 10:23 am

DISC OVERING EUROPE  15


to arty Montmartre (p166), Gothic wonder that is St. Vitus’s
where the Sacré-Coeur is Cathedral (p675), then visit the
splendidly illuminated at night. Old Royal Palace (p676).
Day 2 Afternoon After a picnic
Morning Wander the ancient lunch and a wander through
scholarly haunt of the Latin the stately Royal Garden
Quarter (pp156–7), where bohe- (p677), make your way down
mian Rue Mouffetard has a pictures que Nerudova Street
week end market. There are also (p678) to cross Charles Bridge
many great food stores from (p679), lined with statues of
which to buy picnic supp lies. Be saints. Head to Old Town
sure to catch a glimpse of the Square (p682) to watch the
bombastic Panthéon (p157) Town Hall Clock on the Old
and the city’s celebrated Town Hall (pp682–3) chime
university, the Sorbonne (p157). the hour. The pretty Kinský
Prague Castle seen from a boat cruising on Pause for a picnic by the Seine. Palace (p682), in the shadow
the Vltava River of the spire-topped Church of
Afternoon Make your way Our Lady Before Týn (p682),
Nymphenburg (p525), as along the river to enjoy the features ancient art. Take your
Electress Henriette-Adelaide did. dazzling Impressionist works in choice from the square’s many
Surprisingly, perhaps, her the Musée d’Orsay (p162), then restaurants for dinner.
portrait is not one of those stroll past Louis XIV’s imposing
in the Gallery of Beauties, Hôtel des Invalides (pp162–3) Day 2
one of the highlights of this to the legendary Eiffel Tower Morning Begin by exploring
Italianate garden palace. (p163). At sunset, the views the Jewish Quarter (p681). Visit
from the top are marvelous. the Old Jewish Cemetery (p681),
with its tilting tombstones; the
Two Days in Paris Pinkas Synagogue memorial
Two Days in Prague
• Explore Ile St-Louis and to Holocaust victims; and the
13th-century Old-New
visit majestic Notre-Dame • Take a tour of Prague Synagogue (pp680–81).
• Admire Old Masters and Castle, a Gothic gem
antiquities in the Louvre • Watch the Town Hall Afternoon Cross the Vltava
• Ascend the Eiffel Tower Clock strike the hour in River to Malá Strana (p678),
at sunset for fabulous Old Town Square which is lined with characterful
stores as well as cafés and beer
views across the city • Visit the poignant sights
of the Jewish Quarter gardens that are perfect for a
late lunch. On Little Quarter
Day 1 Square, the Church of St.
Morning Explore tranquil Ile Day 1 Nicholas (p678) is the height
St-Louis (p152) before crossing Morning Start the day at the of High Baroque and worthy
Pont St-Louis to take in the magnificent Prague Castle of a peek inside. Afterwards, go
buttresses and gargoyles of (pp674–5). Take a tour of the for a leisurely stroll amid bronze
glorious Notre-Dame (pp154–5).
Head west across Ile de la Cité
(p152) to the Gothic jewel of
Sainte-Chapelle (p152). Alter-
natively, walk over to the Right
Bank and spend your morning
at the world-famous Musée du
Louvre (pp158–60), home to da
Vinci’s Mona Lisa and countless
other treasures.
Afternoon Stroll through the
charming Jardin des Tuileries
(p161) to the architectural set
piece of Place de la Concorde
(p161). Follow Avenue des
Champs- Elysées (p165) to the
Arc de Triomphe (p165), which
promises fabulous views from
the top, before heading north The majestic iron structure of the Eiffel Tower, rising above the Champ de Mars, Paris




010-017_EW_Europe.indd 15 14/07/16 10:23 am

16  INTRODUCING EUROPE


statues and peacocks in the
grounds at Wallenstein Palace
(pp678–9).

Two Days in Rome
• Marvel at the treasures in
the Vatican Museums
• See the sites of the ancient

city, including the
spectacular Colosseum
• Watch the world go by
from the Spanish Steps
The gardens of the Vatican Museums, Rome
Day 1
Morning Devote a full day to Day 2 the Changing of the Guard
the Vatican and St. Peter’s. The Morning Wander through the at the Royal Palace (p606),
fast route through the Vatican evocative ruins of the Roman before heading indoors to
Museums (pp378–80) takes in Forum (p384) and onward to visit some of its 608 grand
the Sistine Chapel (p380). Don’t the monumental Colosseum rooms. Within the palace
miss Michelangelo’s Creation of (p385). Next, visit the Palatine there are also two museums.
Adam on the ceiling and his (p385), the leafy hill on which Next, head west to tiny
dynamic altarpiece, The Last Rome’s emperors once lived. Riddarholmen, home to
Judgment. The Raphael Rooms Riddarholmskyrkan (p606),
(p380) show another Renaissance Afternoon For city views, the final resting place of the
master at his peak. head up to the Capitoline Swedish sovereigns. Have
Museums (p383). The Palazzo lunch by the water here – it’s
Afternoon Do not miss Nuovo has a selection of Greek less busy and more pleasant
Michelangelo’s Pietà inside and Roman statues. For some than Gamla Stan.
the awe-inspiring St. Peter’s respite, visit the pretty 17th-
(pp376–7). Climb the dome for century gardens of the Museo e Afternoon Visit Stadshuset
views, then descend to the Galleria Borghese (p387). Climb (pp606–7), scene of the annual
papal tombs. Afterward, cross the Spanish Steps (p386), Nobel Prize festivities, built in
the Tiber to the centro storico. taking time for some people- National Romantic style. Take
Admire the Pantheon (p382), watching at a café on Piazza di a break by enjoying the many
the only ancient Roman temple Spagna, and cast a coin into the delights of Kungsträdgården
to survive intact, then spend the Baroque Trevi Fountain (p386). (p607), the former royal kitchen
evening among the Baroque gardens, before heading to the
fountains and cafés of Piazza Two Days in magnificent National museum
Navona (p382). (p607). Afterwards, enjoy the
Stockholm nightlife at Stureplan (p607).
• Explore Gamla Stan’s Day 2
historic buildings and Morning Take a ferry to
medieval cobbled streets the peninsula of Djurgården
• Enjoy a restful afternoon and spend a couple of hours at
walk in the Kungsträd­ Vasamuseet (p608). Housing
gården, the former royal the world’s only preserved
kitchen gardens 17th-century warship, this
is one of the city’s must-see
• Hop on a ferry to enjoy museums. Weather permitting,
the varied pleasures of the take a picnic lunch and
Djurgården peninsula
eat alfresco in one of the
peninsula’s parks.
Day 1
Morning Spend the morning Afternoon Visit Skansen
wandering around the city’s (p608), the world’s first
historic hub, the Gamla Stan open-air museum, home to
district. Here, you can admire 150 historic buildings from
the Gothic and Baroque across Sweden. Here you can
The splendid Gothic interior of the interior of the Storkyrkan watch craftsmen and women
Storkyrkan, Stockholm (p605), then, at noon, catch demonstrate traditional




010-017_EW_Europe.indd 16 14/07/16 10:23 am

DISC OVERING EUROPE  17


skills. Round off the day with Guggenheim Collection
family favorite Gröna Lund (p422), in the 18th-century
(p608), Sweden’s oldest Palazzo Venier dei Leoni.
amusement park.
Day 2
Morning Head for the Grand
Two Days in Venice
Canal to watch the bustling
canal traffic from the Rialto
• View Venice from the Bridge, and stock up for a
water – on a vaporetto or, picnic at the city’s busiest
better still, in a gondola market beside it. Also nearby
• Be dazzled by the riches is the church of Santa Maria
of St. Mark’s Cathedral Gloriosa dei Frari (pp420–21)
and the Doge’s Palace with its exquisite altarpiece, a
Madonna and Child by Bellini.
• Watch Grand Canal boats
go by from the famed Afternoon Venture out into
Rialto Bridge
the lagoon, to the island of
Murano (p423) for its glass
Day 1 museum and to watch the A fountain in front of the Kunsthistorisches
Morning To start your glassblowers at work. While Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) in Vienna
exploration of Venice, travel by some of their work can be
vaporetto or gondola along the very costly, small items such of Old Vienna. Take a stroll along
Grand Canal (p421) to Piazza as bottle stoppers make Kärntnerstrasse, the city’s main
San Marco and St. Mark’s attractive souvenirs and gifts. shopping street, to the
Cathedral (pp416–17). The Back in Venice, be sure to Staatsoper opera house (p561),
mosaics inside and out are sample some local snacks for a tour and perhaps to buy
ravishing, but so too are the Pala and drink an aperitivo. tickets to the evening show.
d’Oro (golden altarpiece), the Enjoy a slice of Sachertorte at
jewels of the Treasury, and the Two Days in Vienna Café Sacher, just behind.
four Horses of St. Mark on the
balcony. Take the lift to the top Afternoon Pick up the Ring
of the adjacent Campanile to be • Take a stroll around the Tram for a bargain 30-minute
rewarded with a view stretching streets of Old Vienna ride around Ringstrasse (p556),
all the way to the Alps. • Watch the elegant Vienna’s grandest boulevard.
horses of the Spanish Afterward, make your way to
Afternoon Join a pre-booked Riding School the Belvedere (p564) for some
tour to get the most out of the • Enjoy the panorama from fine Austrian art and a stroll in
Doge’s Palace (pp418–19). The Vienna’s famous Ferris its attractive gardens.
highlight here is the vast Sala wheel in the Prater
del Maggior Consiglio, with a Day 2
magnificent Tintoretto painting Morning Head to the Hofburg
that takes up an entire wall. Day 1 (pp558–60), the imperial palace
Then cross the Grand Canal to Morning Start at Vienna’s of the Habsburgs, where the
the Accademia (p423) for the cathedral, the Stephansdom main draws are the sumptuous
best of the Venetian painters. (p561), then wander the State Apartments and Treasuries.
For modern art, visit the Peggy pedestrianized medieval streets But first, see whether there are
any tickets available for a
morning training session at the
Spanish Riding School (p560),
held most weekdays at 10am.
Afternoon Walk a city block
from the Hofburg to the
MuseumsQuartier Wien (p562),
a superb cultural complex next
to the Kunsthistorisches
Museum (p562). Choose
carefully between the various
museums here; it’s easy to try to
see too much. Afterward, get
some fresh air in Prater park
(p564), and take a spin on the
The Grand Canal, with the cupola of the church of La Salute, Venice famous giant Ferris wheel.




010-017_EW_Europe.indd 17 14/07/16 10:23 am

18  VISITING EUROPE

Putting Europe on the Map Tromsø

The continent of Europe stretches as far east as Narvik
Russia’s Ural Mountains, a total surface area of
10.4 million sq km (4 million sq miles). However, the
20 countries covered in this guide occupy a much
smaller area, being concentrated in the northwestern
and central parts of the continent and along the
Mediterranean coast in the south. These countries
are shown on this map in dark green. They include
18 of the nations that make up the European Union, FINLAND
the political association of European states, based Faroe Trondheim Vaasa
Islands
in Brussels (see p222). The map also shows the Sundsvall
principal international airports and the major NO RW A Y
road links. Europe’s rail network is shown on Shetland Bergen Turku
the map on the inside back cover. Islands SWEDEN Helsinki St Petersburg
Orkney Oslo Tallinn Yaroslavl
Nizhny
Islands Örebro Novgorod
Stavanger Stockholm ESTONIA
Atlantic Inverness
Ocean Aberdeen Kristiansand Moscow
Hirtshals Gothenburg Gotland Riga LATVIA
Glasgow Edinburgh Aalborg RUSSIAN Samara
North Baltic FEDERATION
Belfast Newcastle Sea Copenhagen Sea LITHUANIA
Galway DENMARK Malmö RUS.
Dublin GREAT Kaliningrad FED Minsk
IRELAND BRITAIN Lübeck Gdansk BELARUS Voronezh
Cork Birmingham Hamburg POLAND
Amsterdam Bremen Berlin
Harwich
Cardiff Hanover Poznan Warsaw
London NETHERLANDS Kharkiv
Southampton Dover Düsseldorf GERMANY Kiev Volgograd
Calais Brussels Wroclaw
Le Havre BELGIUM LUX. Frankfurt Prague Krakow L'viv UKRAINE
St-Malo Luxembourg CZECH Rostov-na-Don
Paris Metz REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
Rennes
Stuttgart Kishinev
0 km 250 Nantes Tours Dijon Munich Linz Vienna Krasnodar
Zürich Budapest MOLDOVA
0 miles 250 Bay of FRANCE Bern AUSTRIA
Biscay Niort SWITZ. Innsbruck HUNGARY ROMANIA
Lyon
Geneva SLOVENIA Zagreb
Bordeaux Milan Venice
A Coruña Trieste CROATIA Bucharest Constanta
Santander Turin Bologna BOSNIA- Belgrade Black Sea
Oporto Genoa HERZEGOVINA
Bilbao Toulouse Florence Sarajevo SERBIA BULGARIA
Marseille Nice Livorno Ancona
SP AIN Zaragoza Corsica IT AL Y MONTE- KOSOVO Skopje Sofia Istanbul
NEGRO
PORTUGAL Barcelona Ajaccio MACEDONIA
Madrid Rome Tirane
Bari Thessaloniki Bursa Ankara
Lisbon Naples ALBANIA
Valencia Brindisi
Key Palma Menorca Sardinia Lárisa TURKEY
Mallorca Corfu
Highway Seville Ibiza Cagliari Konya
Faro Alicante
Major road Granada Kefalloniá Athens Izmir Adana
Mediterranean Sea Palermo
Ferry route Gibraltar Málaga Zákynthos GREECE Antalya
International boundary Tangier Sicily Catania SYRIA
Algiers Rhodes
Melilla Tunis
CYPRUS
MOROCCO ALGERIA TUNISIA Malta Crete LEBANON
Mediterranean Sea
ISRAEL
For keys to symbols see back flap
018-019_EW_Europe.indd 18 14/07/16 10:08 am

PUT TING EUROPE ON THE M AP  19


Tromsø Distance chart
Athens Distance by road in kilometers
Narvik Distance by road in miles
2564 Berlin
1593
3023 782 Brussels
1878 486
3227 1057 327 London
2005 657 203
3883 2342 1568 1732 Madrid
2413 1455 974 1076
2967 1076 302 415 1267 Paris
1844 669 188 258 787
1902 1520 1501 1802 2093 1460 Rome
FINLAND 1182 945 933 1120 1301 907
Faroe Trondheim Vaasa 3650 1035 1594 1820 3222 1861 2622
Islands 2268 643 991 1131 2002 1156 1629 Stockholm
Sundsvall
NO RW A Y 2188 589 1335 1838 2932 1623 1834 1601 Warsaw
830 1142 1822 1009
1140 995
1360 366
Shetland Bergen Turku
Islands SWEDEN Helsinki St Petersburg
Orkney Oslo Tallinn Yaroslavl
Nizhny
Islands Örebro Novgorod
Stavanger Stockholm ESTONIA
Atlantic Inverness
Ocean Aberdeen Kristiansand Moscow
Hirtshals Gothenburg Gotland Riga LATVIA
Glasgow Edinburgh Aalborg RUSSIAN Samara
North Baltic FEDERATION
Belfast Newcastle Sea Copenhagen Sea LITHUANIA
Galway DENMARK Malmö RUS.
Dublin GREAT Kaliningrad FED Minsk
IRELAND BRITAIN Lübeck Gdansk BELARUS Voronezh
Cork Birmingham Hamburg POLAND
Amsterdam Bremen Berlin
Harwich
Cardiff Hanover Poznan Warsaw
London NETHERLANDS Kharkiv
Southampton Dover Düsseldorf GERMANY Kiev Volgograd
Calais Brussels Wroclaw
Le Havre BELGIUM LUX. Frankfurt Prague Krakow L'viv UKRAINE
St-Malo Luxembourg CZECH Rostov-na-Don
Paris Metz REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
Rennes
Stuttgart Kishinev
Nantes Munich Linz Vienna Krasnodar
Tours Dijon MOLDOVA
Zürich Budapest
Bay of FRANCE Bern Innsbruck AUSTRIA ROMANIA
Biscay Niort SWITZ. HUNGARY
Lyon
Geneva SLOVENIA Zagreb
Bordeaux Milan Venice
A Coruña Trieste CROATIA Bucharest Constanta
Santander Turin Bologna BOSNIA- Belgrade Black Sea
Oporto Genoa HERZEGOVINA
Bilbao Toulouse Florence Sarajevo SERBIA BULGARIA
Marseille Nice Livorno Ancona
SP AIN Zaragoza Corsica IT AL Y MONTE- KOSOVO Skopje Sofia Istanbul
NEGRO
PORTUGAL Barcelona Ajaccio MACEDONIA
Madrid Rome Tirane
Bari Thessaloniki Bursa Ankara
Lisbon Naples ALBANIA
Valencia Brindisi
Palma Menorca Sardinia Lárisa TURKEY
Mallorca Corfu
Seville Ibiza Cagliari
Faro Alicante Konya
Granada Izmir Adana
Mediterranean Sea Palermo Kefalloniá Athens
Gibraltar Málaga Zákynthos Antalya
Tangier Sicily Catania GREECE SYRIA
Algiers Rhodes
Melilla Tunis
CYPRUS
MOROCCO ALGERIA TUNISIA Malta Crete LEBANON
Mediterranean Sea
ISRAEL
018-019_EW_Europe.indd 19 14/07/16 10:08 am

20  VISITING EUROPE


PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Millions of visitors travel to Europe for of Europe is more accessible. This section
reasons many Europeans take for granted – gives information on practical matters,
the rich diversity of history, architecture, such as passport formalities and how to
art, and landscape. In Western Europe, get around. Many countries are members
tourist facil ities are generally of a high of the European Union, with certain laws
stan dard, while in the former Communist in common, but there are also notable
countries of Eastern Europe their scope differences. In each country chapter a
and quality have improved significantly Practical Information section gives
over the past decade. As a result, the whole specific details for visitors.

When to Go two hours ahead (+2). In Europe Information sections in each
The best time to visit Europe the clocks go forward by one chapter for full details.
depends on your itinerary, but hour in March (Daylight Saving),
most people prefer the summer and go back usually in October. Student Cards
months, between May and
September. Due to the diverse Passports and Visas As well as various bus and rail
geography of Europe, the tickets that offer discounts on
weather has wide variations. Most western European European travel (see p26), students
Summers in northwestern countries belong to the Euro­ with a recognized student card
Europe can be cool and rainy, pean Union. Based in Brussels, may be eligible for a wider range
while in the east they can be this European authority has the of discounts. The best card is the
unbearably hot. The Mediterr­ power to pass certain laws International Student Identity
anean, with its hot, dry summers affecting all member states. Card (ISIC), which gives dis­
and mild winters, has the There are currently 28 member counts on all kinds of goods and
balmiest climate, but crowds are states, with five more on the transport, as well as reduced
a major drawback, parti cularly in road to EU membership. admission to many museums,
July and August, making May There are no passport controls galleries, and other sights. Most
and June better times to visit. between the following EU students can obtain this card
August is the busiest month members: Germany, France, from their educational esta blish­
because this is when most Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, ment at home, but it can also be
French, Italian, and Spanish Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, obtained abroad from an ISIC­
citizens take their vacations. and Austria. In theory, it is issuing office or from branches
The climate of parts of sufficient to carry an identity of STA Travel (see p25). For US
Scandinavia is extreme: in winter card when traveling between students, this card also includes
in the north the sun rises only these countries, but it is worth some medical cover.
for a few hours and the roads carrying your passport just in
can be blocked by snow, while case. The other EU countries have
summertime attracts many yet to sign up to this agree ment, Customs and Duty-Free
visitors, drawn by the prospect and so passports are needed by Duty­free goods are not
of enjoying the “midnight sun”. everyone entering or leaving. available for purchase when
The mountainous areas of If you are arriving in Europe traveling between EU countries;
Europe have unique climates. from a non­EU country, a pass­ these goods can only be bought
The Pyrenees, Alps, and port is required. However, on entry to, or exit from, the
Apennines all have short visitors from the United States, European Union as a whole.
summers and long winters with Canada, Japan, Australia, New The allowances are as follows:
heavy snowfall. Consequently, Zealand, Norway, and Switzer­ tobacco (200 cigar ettes, 50 cigars,
these regions offer wonderful land, amongst others, no longer or 250g of loose tobacco); alcohol
opportunities for skiing. require visas for visits under (1 liter of strong spirits, 2 liters of
three months to countries in the alcohol under 22 percent proof,
EU. Check this with the embassy and 4 liters of wine); coffee
European Time Zones of the country you plan to visit. If (500g), and perfume (60ml).
The 20 countries covered in this you have a visa for one of the When entering a country, you
guide fall across three time zones. Schengen countries, you are will be asked to declare certain
Great Britain, Ireland, and Portugal permitted to visit all of the items from abroad and pay duty
are on GMT (Greenwich Mean countries in the agreement. on any amount that exceeds
Time), while the other European Some countries require a visa that country’s allowance; the
countries are one hour ahead regardless of length of stay; refer nature of these goods will vary
(+1), except for Greece, which is to the individual Practical from country to country. This




020-021_EW_Europe.indd 20 14/07/16 10:12 am

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  21


process applies on returning to insured before you leave home. sea food shacks, regional rest-
your home country with goods Keep valuables well concealed, aurants, and Michelin-starred
acquired in Europe. especially in crowds. fine dining. For the best of each
country, look out for entries
Insurance and Medical designated as DK Choices. Each
Value Added Tax Treatment
of these has one or more
In the EU, all goods and services Travel insurance is essential to exceptional features, such as a
(except certain items, such as cover any loss or damage to your stunning location, a compelling
food and children’s clothes) are possessions and for unexpected history, or a special ambience.
subject to a Value Added Tax, medical treatment. Many credit
known as VAT in the UK, which is cards offer some insurance if you Conversion Chart
included in most prices. If you purchase your flights or vacation
are not a European Union citizen, package with them, so check this Officially, the metric system is
you may get a refund of this tax. before buying a separate policy. If used throughout Europe, but in
Britain imperial measures are
The easiest way to do this is to possible, buy one which pays for also used. British pints and
shop where you see the “Euro medical treatment on the spot, gallons are 20 percent larger
Free Tax” sign, although the rather than a policy which re- than US measures.
stores that offer this service may imburses you later. Most general
be expensive or sell only luxury policies do not cover potentially Imperial to Metric
goods. After showing your dangerous activities, such as 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
passport to the shop assistant climbing, skiing, or scuba diving – 1 foot = 30 centimeters
and completing a form, the VAT these cost extra. 1 mile = 1.6 kilometers
will be deducted from your bill. 1 ounce = 28 grams
In certain countries you need Recommended Hotels 1 pound = 454 grams
to keep your receipts and VAT 1 US pint = 0.47 liter
forms and present them at the and Restaurants 1 UK pint = 0.55 liter
Tax Refund desk with your The hotel and restaurant options 1 US gallon = 3.8 liters
unopened purchases when you in this guide have been selected 1 UK gallon = 4.6 liters
leave the country. These forms across a wide range of prices and
are processed and a refund will locations. Hotels have been Metric to Imperial
1 millimeter = 0.04 inch
be sent to your home address. chosen for their excellent 1 centimeter = 0.4 inch
facilities and good value, and vary 1 meter = 3 feet 3 inches
from five-star luxury retreats to
Travel Safety Advice 1 kilometer = 0.6 mile
boutique hotels, humble B&Bs, 1 gram = 0.035 ounce
Visitors can get up-to-date safety and historic lodgings. The 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds
information from the Foreign selected restaurants adhere to a 1 liter = 2.1 US pints
and Commonwealth Office in criterion of great food and atmo- 1 liter = 1.76 UK pints
the UK, the State Department in sphere. These include no- frills
the US and the Department of
Foreign Affairs and Trade in The Climate of Europe
Australia.
As a continent that ranges south from the Arctic Circle to just north
Personal Security of the tropics, Europe experiences a diversity of climates, yet because
Europe is one of the safest places it is influenced by the warm Gulf Stream, its climate is, overall, much
more temperate than other areas at the same latitudes. The Practical
to travel, but you should always Information section for each country contains a panel, like the one
take safety mea sures. If you are below, giving details of average temperatures, rainfall, and sunshine
traveling alone, it is best to avoid for each season of the year.
deserted and poorly lit buildings
and back streets. If you should
be a victim of crime, report it ROME
immediately to the police. Pick- Average daily maximum temperature
pockets are common through-
out Europe, but certain crimes °C/ºF 29/84
are worse in certain countries – 19/68 22/72
specific infor mation is given in 18/64 Average daily minimum temperature
the Practical Information section 9/48 13/55 12/54
of each country chapter. 4/40
The safest way of carrying 6 10 7 5 Average daily hours of sunshine
money is in the form of traveler’s hrs hrs hrs hrs
checks (see p22), which allow 51 21 95 87
you to keep your cash to a mm mm mm mm
minimum. Never leave your month Apr Jul Oct Jan Average monthly rainfall
belongings unattended, and
make sure they are adequately



020-021_EW_Europe.indd 21 14/07/16 10:12 am

22  VISITING EUROPE

Communications and Money (smart phone, tablet, or laptop)
should not have any trouble
In the 21st century, communications are developing quickly accessing email accounts or
and evolving constantly. Cell phones and other mobile connecting to the web. Check
devices, social-media platforms, and the availability of Wi-Fi in advance if there is a charge
hotspots mean that communicating is now easier than ever, for using Wi-Fi. Although not
as popular as they once were,
as well as being relatively cheap. Many hotels and restaurants Internet cafés can still be found
readily accept most credit cards, so cash is normally only in many towns and resorts.
needed for smaller transactions or in remote spots. Having In Internet cafés, you normally
a common currency (the euro) in some countries has also pay a fee for a fixed amount of
made life much easier for travelers touring Europe. time, which varies accor ding
to local use and rates.
VoIP (Voice over Internet
Telephones networks, email, or Skype. Protocol) is a way of
These days, when most people Alternatively, buy a SIM card communicating telephonically
have a cell or mobile phone, the in the country you are visiting via your computer. In order to
need for a public telephone is and use it in your own phone. use it, you will need a Skype
less urgent. Most US cell phones Most European countries are account (free to set up), a set of
work in Europe and vice versa – in the process of phasing out headphones and a microphone
but using them can be public telephones. (these are often, but not always,
expensive. US companies will provided by the café). Calls are
also rent cell phones for use free between Skype users, but
while in Europe. If your network Mail Services there is a charge to land lines
provider is either T-Mobile or Mail services are generally fast and cell phones.
AT&T, you will have a GSM and efficient, with letters and
phone that is compatible in cards typically taking five days
Europe. In order to use it, simply to reach North America, or a Changing Money
ensure that it is unlocked, dual week to get to Australasia. The Now that 19 countries take
band (so that it uses European mail service does vary across the euro, there is no need to
frequencies), and that it has the continent, however, and in change money so frequently.
been set up for roaming. If your some areas, such as Eastern Check within each area chapter
home operator does not offer Europe and in remote parts of of this guide to see which
coverage in another country, Greece, the service may be countries participate.
your phone will usually roam much slower. Currency exchanges (bureaux
into a host operator’s network de change) can be found in
automatically. Be aware that most towns – particularly
roaming can be costly. A Internet Access within banks or post offices.
cheaper solution to stay in Wi-Fi hotspots are widely Banks usually tend to offer
touch with family and friends available in every major city the best rates. Most airports,
back home is to turn off across Europe. Often hotels central train stations, large
roaming and instead use and restaurants offer wireless hotels, and border posts also
Wi-Fi, which is usually free, Internet access, too, so visitors have currency exchanges.
to communicate via social with their own mobile device Many visitors use traveler’s
checks when abroad because,
unlike cash, they can be
International Dialing Codes
replaced by the bank if they are
The list below gives the international dialing codes for the countries lost or stolen. However, if you
covered in this guide. When calling from the US and Canada prefix all have a plastic card with a pin
numbers by “011;” from Australia by “0011;’’ from New Zealand by “00.’’ number for your bank account
When calling from within Europe, use the “00’’ prefix. If you are unsure, or credit card, and as long as
call international directory inquiries. you belong to a global network
such as Plus/Visa, or Cirrus/
• Austria 43 • Luxembourg 352 Mastercard, ATM machines can
• Belgium 32 • Netherlands 31 provide instant access to your
• Czech Republic 420 • Norway 47 funds. Be aware that credit
• Denmark 45 • Poland 48 cards charge interest if you take
• Finland 358 • Portugal 351 out cash. You can find ATM
• France 33 • Spain 34 machines in banks, shopping
• Germany 49 • Switzerland 41 malls, and stations. When
• Greece 30 • Sweden 46 paying by card, note that many
• Hungary 36 • United Kingdom 44
• Ireland (Republic) 353 (Great Britain and European countries use “chip
• Italy 39 Northern Ireland) and pin” so swipe debit/credit
cards may be refused.



022-023_EW_Europe.indd 22 14/07/16 10:09 am

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  23

The Euro Eurozone countries. The coins, out of joining this common
Entering circulation in 2002, the however, have one side identical currency, such as the UK. For
Euro (€) is the common currency (the value side), and one side currency infor mation for
of the European Union (EU). with an image unique to each nations that are not part of the
Countries that use the Euro as country. Both notes and coins Eurozone nor EU members refer
sole official currency are known are exchangeable in each of the to the Practical Information
as the Eurozone. Euro notes participating Euro countries. sections found at near the end
are identical throughout the Several EU members have opted of each country’s chapter.

Bank Notes
Euro bank notes have seven
denominations. The €5 note (grey in
color) is the smallest, followed by the
€10 note (pink), €20 note (blue), €50
note (orange), €100 note (green), €200
note (yellow), and €500 note (purple).
All notes show the stars of the 5 euros
European Union.


10 euros





20 euros


50 euros


100 euros







200 euros

500 euros







2 euros 1 euro 50 cents 20 cents 10 cents
Coins
The euro has eight coin denominations: €1 and
€2; 50 cents, 20 cents, 10 cents, 5 cents, 2 cents,
and 1 cent. The €1 and €2 coins are both silver and
gold in color. The 50-, 20-, and 10-cent coins are
gold. The 5-, 2-, and 1-cent coins are bronze.




022-023_EW_Europe.indd 23 14/07/16 10:09 am

24  VISITING EUROPE

Europe by Air cheaper. With these there is
a minimum stay requirement
With its network of international flights, Europe is one of the of 7 days, but they can still be
most accessible parts of the world to reach by air. Compared good value. It is cheaper still
with North America and Australasia, European flights are a to buy air tickets through a
relatively cheap, quick and convenient way to get to and travel agent. Be aware, however,
that the cheaper the ticket, the
around Europe. In an industry previously dominated by more inflexible it usually is. You
state-run carriers and major private airlines, the recent rise may not be able to alter,
of budget airlines offering “no-frills” flights has opened up transfer, or cancel your flight,
many new destinations and made air travel more affordable. or if you do there may be
stiff penalties, so check the
conditions beforehand.
Flying to Europe
(the Netherlands), Lufthansa It is always cheaper to book a
If you are traveling from a major (Germany), Alitalia (Italy), and return (round-trip) ticket with
international airport, you will SAS (Scandinavia). fixed dates rather than an “open”
usually be able to find a direct return. You can also get an
flight to many European cities. Flight Times “open jaw” return, which allows
Main destinations include you to enter via one city and
London, Paris, Amsterdam, As a rough guide, flights from exit via another (not necessarily
Rome, Milan, and Frankfurt. New York to London take about in the same country). This is
Most of the major North 6 hours 30 minutes, to Paris and useful if you are doing a grand
American airlines, such as Delta, Frankfurt 7 hours 30 minutes, tour, but “open jaw” tickets are
Air Canada, American, and and to Rome 8 hours 30 often more expensive than
United Airlines, have frequent minutes. Flights from Sydney to regular returns. Companies
flights to all parts of Europe, as London take around 23 hours such as Trailfinders in the UK,
do Qantas and Emirates from via Bangkok, to Paris 23 hours and STA Travel offer their own
Australia. For more details on via Singapore, to Frankfurt 22 versions of these.
flights to specific destinations, hours via Singapore, and to Depending on how far you
see the Travel Information Rome 25 hours via Bangkok. have to travel, round-the-world
sections for individual countries. Flights from Auckland to (RTW) tickets can also work out
Although most major airports London take about 24 hours, cheaper than the standard long-
are based on the outskirts of and to Frankfurt 23 hours. haul returns. These enable you
European capitals and other to fly around the world on
big cities, all can be reached specified routes, as long as you
by efficient train, bus, taxi, and Keeping Costs Down don’t backtrack on yourself.
sometimes subway services. As a rule, European air fares are Look out for good deals from
Many of the smaller airlines use cheaper between November established travel agents and
less convenient airports, with a and March (with the exception package operators that are
longer transfer time, but this is of Christmas and Easter weeks), advertised in newspapers and
reflected in their cheaper fares. while the high season is from travel magazines. Airlines will
June to mid-September. A quote you the regular price
“shoulder season” of moderate for a ticket, but they can often
European National prices exists between these reduce this if they have unsold
Airlines months. Try, if you can, to seats. Consolidators, or “bucket
Most European countries have travel mid-week, because shops”, buy unsold tickets in
a national carrier which serves tickets are cheaper and bulk (often for off-season travel)
international destinations, and airports are less busy. and sell them at cheaper rates.
these usually offer frequent Whatever season you travel, Standby tickets are also
flights per day to their home there are ways of saving money economical, but you have to
countries at convenient times. on air fares. A good way to start be flexible about your date
Scheduled flights on national is to contact a travel agent that and time of departure; be
airlines usually provide more specializes in budget travel, aware that you sometimes
legroom (essential on long such as STA Travel. If you are have to wait (possibly for
flights) and a better quality of young (under 25), a student, or days) for a cancellation.
in-flight service than charter a senior citizen, you will usually
airlines, with complimentary find special reduced-fare air
items such as headphones tickets. Otherwise, you save Charter Flights
and drinks. Fares can be more money when you book in It is always worth investigating
expensive, but it is worth advance. If you can book 14 to charter-flight fares. There are
shopping around for the best 21 days ahead, APEX (Advanced quite a few companies that
deals. The largest national Purchase Excursion) or Super book whole planes or blocks of
carriers include British Airways, APEX tickets are available direct seats in advance, then resell the
Air France, Iberia (Spain), KLM from the airlines and are much tickets at more competitive




024-025_EW_Europe.indd 24 14/07/16 10:12 am

TR A VEL INFORM A TION  25

Fly-Drive
rates. The main drawback with can be the least expensive way
these tickets is that they are Many airlines, as well as to go. Indeed, if you want to get
usually non-refundable. They numerous travel companies, to destinations such as Portugal
also tend to land at remote offer fly-drive packages, which or Greece quickly, flying is almost
airports and at wildly unsocial combine air fares and car rental. the only option. However,
hours. The level of in-flight These deals are often worth between major cities, such as
service and comfort is usually considering, as they give you Berlin and Paris, you could go by
lower, too. flexibility and offer a saving train, which is almost as quick
over arranging the two and cheap, and saves the trouble
parts separately. of getting to an airport (see p26).
Package Deals It is best to avoid flying
One of the easiest ways to Internet Booking between major cities on
arrange your visit to Europe is Friday evenings and early
to book a package vacation. The Internet is also a popular Monday mornings because
These are offered by all the way of booking tickets. Two these flights can be crowded
major airlines, as well as various of the best sites for this are with European commuters.
reputable independent Expedia and Opodo. Expedia As with transatlantic flights,
companies, such as Central has a system called a “Fare you can get cheaper tickets by
Holidays and American Tracker” whereby you fill in a booking early. The best cities
Express. They normally form online and they email for finding good deals from
include flights, transfers, you information when tickets “bucket shops” are London,
and accommodations, and become available. The US Athens, and Amsterdam.
sometimes side trips and food, company Europebyair also
and the cost can be far less provides excellent deals on Low-Cost Airlines
than if you were to buy these flights to Europe. It offers a
separately. While an excellent Flight Pass for non-European Recent years have seen the
way of reducing the strain of citizens, valid for 62 European emergence of so-called “no frills”
organizing your vacation, the cities and one-way flights airlines in Europe, such as
downside with a package between these destinations, Ryanair, easyJet, Air Berlin, and
tour is that it usually involves for a very reasonable price. Eurowings, which offer very
traveling in large numbers on competitive prices. A return
specific flights to a hotel which, Flights Within Europe flight from London to Berlin, for
because the price has been example, can cost as little as £50
pared to the bone, may not There is an extensive flight ($70). To keep prices down, there
offer a high standard of food network serving most major is usually less legroom, on-board
or facilities. On the other hand, cities, making it quick and easy catering, and checked luggage
there are specialist package- to fly within Europe. If you are costs extra. Outlying airports
tour operators that do offer traveling some distance, and may also be used. Unless you
top-quality hotels and use especially between Great Britain must have these benefits, the
scheduled flights. and other parts of Europe, flying price justifies the inconvenience.
DIRECTORY
European KLM Trailfinders Internet Booking
National Airlines Tel 1-866 434 0320 (US). 194 Kensington High St, Europebyair
Tel 01300 392 192 (Aus). London W8, UK.
Air France ∑ klm.com Tel 020-7938 3939 ∑ europebyair.com
Tel 800-237 2747 (US). Lufthansa (for long-haul travel). Expedia
Tel 1-300 39 01 90 (Aus). Tel 800-645 3880 (US). Tel 020-7937 1234 ∑ expedia.com
∑ airfrance.com Tel 1-300 655 727 (Aus). (for European travel). Opodo
∑ lufthansa.com ∑ opodo.com
Alitalia ∑ trailfinders.com
SAS
Tel 212-903 3568 (US). Low-Cost Airlines
∑ alitalia.com Tel 800-221 2350 (US). Package Deals
Tel 300 727 707 (Aus). Air Berlin
British Airways ∑ flysas.com American Express ∑ airberlin.com
Tel 800-247-9297 (US). Travel Agents Tel 1800-297 2977 (US). easyJet
Tel 1-300 767 177 (Aus). ∑ americanexpress. ∑ easyjet.com
∑ britishairways.com STA Travel com/travel Eurowings
2871 Broadway,
Iberia New York, NY 10025, US. Central Holidays ∑ germanwings.com
Tel 800-772 4642 (US). Tel 212-865 2700. Tel 800-539 7098. Ryanair
∑ iberia.com ∑ statravel.com ∑ centralholidays.com ∑ ryanair.com





024-025_EW_Europe.indd 25 14/07/16 10:12 am

26  VISITING EUROPE

Europe by Train between four and 11. Children
under four travel for free. What
Trains are generally a popular, reliable, and comfort able you pay depends on the number
means of travel, and also give visitors the chance to of zones you want to travel in
enjoy the passing countryside. Avoiding air travel doesn’t and the length of your stay.
need to limit destination options – with the Channel Tunnel,
it is possible to travel all the way from Scotland to mainland Eurostar/Eurotunnel
Greece by rail alone, and the number of passes and discounts Connecting London’s St. Pancras
on offer ensure that costs need not be high. International Station to Lille and
the Gare du Nord in Paris, the
Eurostar foot-passenger train
Types of Train passes do not include the service provides the fastest link
All kinds of train serve the supplements payable on many between the two capitals. It also
railroad network in Europe, from of the faster trains: the EC operates to Brussels’ Gare du
the slow local lines of remote (EuroCity), IC (InterCity), and Midi. These journeys take less
regions to fast diesel-powered EN (EuroNight) trains. You must than two and a half hours. A
intercity expresses. For the latter, pay these before boarding – if year-round direct service calls at
such as the French TGV (Train you don’t and are caught by a Lyon, Avignon, and Marseille,
à Grande Vitesse), the Spanish conductor you will then have to while another connects with
AVE (Alta Velocidad Española), pay the supplement plus a fine. Geneva via Lille.
and the German ICE (InterCity The Eurailpass offers unlimited The Eurotunnel company
Express), you usually need to travel in 28 European countries, operates a service between
reserve a seat in advance, and including Austria, Belgium, Folkestone in Great Britain and
they are more expensive. Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Calais in France that has drive-in
There is no such thing as a Denmark, Finland, France, compartments for vehicles. For
pan-European railroad system; Germany, Greece, Hungary, a day trip, it costs a set price per
however, the French operate TGV Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, car with passengers. Daytime
trains to Zürich, Bern, Turin, and Norway, Portugal, Romania, journeys are more expensive.
Milan, where they link up with Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and
Italy’s Pendolino trains; Brussels is Switzerland. It is available as a DIRECTORY
connected to Paris, Amsterdam, consecutive-day pass if you want
Cologne, and Geneva by the to make frequent short hops by Rail Passes
high-speed Thalys network, train, or as a flexipass if you are on Eurail
while Germany’s ICE system a trip with extended stop-overs. ∑ eurail.com
also runs to Bern, Switzerland. It is also valid for some ferries. Official US website.
Overnight trains are popular, Other variations on the ∑ railpass.com
offering couchettes, or bunks Eurailpass include the Saver Tel 877-RAILPASS (US).
(usually four or six per Flexipass, which gives at least Booking and information.
compartment), or the more a 15 percent reduction per
desirable sleepers (usually two person when two or more Voyages-SNCF
or three beds per compartment). people are traveling together. Travel Centre, 193 Piccadilly,
The price of a sleeper tends The Youth Flexipass is an option London W1J 9EU.
to be higher (three times the for those under 26 years of age. Tel 0844-848 5848
couchette price), but it is worth For further information on (US: 1-800-622 8600).
it if comfort is important. national train services and Open 10am–6pm Mon–Fri,
10am–5pm Sat.
passes in individual countries
see the Travel Information ∑ voyages-sncf.com
Rail Passes for section for each country. For Eurailpasses.
Non-Europeans ∑ interrail.eu
For Inter-Rail passes.
The cheapest way of seeing
Europe by train is to buy one Passes for Europeans Eurostar/Eurotunnel
of the many passes available. For Europeans, the best pass is
For non-Europeans, the most the Inter-Rail, which is available Eurostar
popular of these is the Eurailpass from Voyages-SNCF or from Tel 08432-186 186 (UK).
from Eurail, or if you are under main train operators in individual Tel 01233-617 575 (outside UK).
26, the Eurail Youthpass. It is countries. The pass divides 30 ∑ eurostar.com
best to buy these tickets in the countries in Europe into eight For foot passengers.
US or Australia before traveling zones and is for any one who Eurotunnel
because they can be 10 percent has been resident in a European Tel 08443-353 535 (UK).
cheaper than if you wait and buy country for at least six months. Tel 0810-63 03 04 (France).
them in Europe. You can also buy There are discounts for people ∑ eurotunnel.com
these on the Internet through under 26, the over-60s, and for For cars & buses.
Eurail and Voyages-SNCF. These families with children aged



026-027_EW_Europe.indd 26 14/07/16 10:12 am

TR A VEL INFORM A TION  27

Europe by Road and Ferry example, Eurolines, offers
passes that allow you to visit
While many prefer the ease of traveling by train when they want more than 50 European cities
to get somewhere fast, traveling by car gives you the chance over a 15- or 30-day period.
to stop at will and explore many areas of Europe on the way.
Car ferries and the Channel Tunnel have extended Europe’s Traveling by Ferry
boundaries into the Scottish Hebrides and down to the Aegean. Once in Europe, you may need
to go by boat to get to the
more outlying areas. Many
Driving Permits are by far the cheapest, while of the islands of Greece and
Many non-European licenses France, Italy, the Netherlands, Scotland, for example, are only
can be used in Europe, but an and Great Britain are the most accessible by sea. Or, if you start
international driving permit is expensive, with Spain and your trip to Europe by flying
worth having, if only to make life Switzerland somewhere in into Great Britain, it is possible
easier when renting or leasing a between. The difference in price to continue by ferry, catamaran,
vehicle (you have to be at least can be up to 30 percent. or hydrofoil to Ireland, France,
21 years of age when renting). Unleaded gas is used almost Belgium, the Netherlands, and
Be aware that it is mandatory to exclusively in Scandinavia and Spain. Companies operating
have an international permit in Western Europe, but it is rarely regular ferries from Great Britain
parts of Eastern Europe. The available in the east. are P&O and DFDS Seaways.
permit lasts for one year. It can also be easier and
cheaper to travel by sea than by
Car Rental
Driving In Europe Car rental is a competitive air from Spain to the Balearic
Islands, from Italy to Sardinia
In Great Britain, Northern Ireland, business in Europe, so prices are and Sicily, and to Greece from
the Republic of Ireland, Cyprus, generally quite affordable. The Italy. For further details, see the
Malta, and Gibraltar people drive biggest car rental companies in Travel Information section of the
on the left-hand side of the road. Europe are Europcar, Avis, Hertz, individual countries.
The rest of Europe drives on the Sixt, and Budget, all of which
right. Remember that in most of offer an excellent level of DIRECTORY
Europe, distances are measured service. Local contact details are
in kilometers (1 km equals given in the Travel Information Car Rental
0.6 miles). The exceptions are section for each country. There Auto Europe
Great Britain and Ireland, which are also US companies that
work in both metric and Imperial specialize in European car Tel 888-223 5555 (US).
measurements. Most highways rentals. These include firms such ∑ autoeurope.com
have a speed limit of around as Europcar, Kemwel, Europe Europcar
100–135 km/h (60–80 mph). The by Car, and Auto Europe. Tel 877-940 6900 (US).
fastest roads are in Germany, ∑ europcar.com
where the speed limit is 210 km/h
(130 mph) on the Autobahnen. Traveling by Bus Europe by Car
Roads are very congested during Domestic bus services provide Tel 800-223 1516 (US).
August, the vacation month, an alternative to the rail network ∑ europebycarblog.com
especially during the first and throughout Europe, and while
last week ends and on routes these are cheaper, they are also Kemwel
to the coast. generally much slower and offer Tel 877-820 0668 (US).
The cost of driving in Europe less in terms of comfort and ∑ kemwel.com
varies from country to country. amenities. The exceptions are
Italian autostrade, French Portugal, Greece, and parts of Traveling by Bus
autoroutes, Spanish autopistas, Spain, where buses have Eurolines
and Portuguese autoestrada are superseded trains, and Hungary, Tel 08717-818 178 (UK).
regularly punctuated by toll which has a bus system that is
booths, while a one-time fee as good as the rail network. In ∑ eurolines.co.uk
must be paid on entering most European countries, buses Ferry Services
Switzerland and Austria. are best used as extensions of
However, the vast majority of the railway, affording access to DFDS Seaways
roads are free in the villages and remoter regions. Tel 0871-574 7235 (UK).
Netherlands, Great Britain, and Advance bookings for these ∑ dfdsseaways.co.uk
Germany, although tolls are are rarely needed.
charged on certain bridges. International buses are P&O
Fuel prices vary enormously also a second-best to express Tel 08716-642 121 (UK).
across Europe. Gibraltar, trains, but the tour options ∑ poferries.com
Andorra, and Luxembourg are worth considering. One




026-027_EW_Europe.indd 27 14/07/16 10:12 am

028-029_EW_Europe.indd 28 14/07/16 10:44 am

EUROPE AT


A GLANCE





The Landscapes of Europe 30–31

Great Museums
and Galleries 32–33
The History of Europe 34–39


















































028-029_EW_Europe.indd 29 14/07/16 10:44 am

30  EUROPE A T A GLANCE

The Landscapes of Europe

A wide range of climatic and geological conditions has
forged an impressive variety of landscapes in Europe.
Although the appearance of much of the land has
changed dramatically since mankind began to cultivate
it around 7,000 years ago, there are still many remote
and wild regions, such as the spectacular peaks of the
Alps and the Pyrenees. As well as being simply beautiful
in their own right, Europe’s diverse landscapes offer
endless opportunities for outdoor activities. Norway
Indenting the country’s west coast,
the wild and rugged Norwegian
fjords are a truly spectacular sight,
offering some of the most
breathtaking scenery in Scandinavia.
FINLAND

NOR WAY

SWEDEN



Great Britain Baltic
Dartmoor in southwest England is a wilderness of great North DENMARK Sea
natural beauty. The windswept open moorland at the Sea
area’s bleak and isolated heart has inspired many IRELAND
romantic tales. GREAT
BRITAIN
POLAND
NETHERLANDS
GERMANY
France BELGIUM &
The wine-producing LUXEMBOURG
regions of France, such CZECH
as Champagne, boast REPUBLIC
lush, fertile vegetation,
with row upon row of
neatly planted vines. AUSTRIA HUNGARY
SWITZERLAND
Bay of
Biscay FRANCE
ITALY
PORTUGAL
SP AIN


Mediterranean Sea GREECE


Portugal
The interior of southern Portugal is
largely characterized by parched plains
dotted with cork oaks and olive trees, 0 km 250
and vast dusty wheat fields stretching
uninterrupted to the horizon. 0 miles 250

St Peter’s Square in the Vatican City, with Rome in the background, Italy



030-031_EW_Europe.indd 30 14/07/16 10:12 am

THE LANDSC APES OF EUROPE  31



Hungary
North of the Hungarian
capital, the Danube
flows through a verdant
landscape of vineyards,
orchards, and thickly
wooded hills. Known as
the Danube Bend, this is
one of the river’s most
beautiful stretches.






FINLAND

NOR WAY

SWEDEN



Baltic
North Sea
Sea DENMARK
IRELAND
GREAT
BRITAIN
POLAND
NETHERLANDS
GERMANY
BELGIUM &
LUXEMBOURG Switzerland
CZECH Switzerland’s landscape is dominated by the Alps,
REPUBLIC Europe’s highest mountain range. Dramatic,
snow-covered peaks, stunning vistas, and a range
of first-class winter sports facilities draw millions of
AUSTRIA HUNGARY visitors to this part of Europe every year.
SWITZERLAND
Bay of
Biscay FRANCE
ITALY
PORTUGAL
SP AIN


Mediterranean Sea GREECE


Greece
The Greek mainland and islands have some
of Europe’s finest coastal scenery. There are
thousands of beaches, ranging from small
rocky coves backed by pine-clad cliffs to
broad swathes of golden sand.





030-031_EW_Europe.indd 31 14/07/16 10:12 am

32  EUROPE A T A GLANCE

Great Museums and Galleries

The museums and galleries of Europe include national
collections, the former collections of Europe’s royal and
noble families, and a whole host of smaller local institutions.
The museums highlighted here are those with the largest and
richest collections, which ought to be included in the itinerary
of every visitor to Europe. Between them, they contain many
of the world’s best-known and best-loved artistic
treasures. These range from archaeological finds Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
from the early civilizations of the Middle East, The Rijksmuseum (see pp248–50) is
through pieces from Egyptian, Greek, and Roman known for its Rembrandts and other
great Dutch paintings of the 17th
times, to masterpieces of the Renaissance and century. Frans Hals’ Wedding Portrait
other great periods of European art. is a joyful celebration of Dutch life.






British Museum, London
A vast collection of
antiquities and other
artifacts from all over the
world is housed inside
Britain’s national museum
(see pp60–61). There is a
fascinating display of
mummies and other exhibits
from Ancient Egypt.





Louvre, Paris
The celebrated home of
the Mona Lisa and the
Venus de Milo, the Louvre
also houses Jean
Watteau’s melancholy
study Gilles or Pierrot
(c.1717), one of many
French works on display
(see pp158–60).










Prado, Madrid
The former royal collection in Madrid
(see pp278–80) contains the finest
assembly of Spanish paintings in the
world. Of many highly individual works,
Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son is one
of the most powerful.




032-033_EW_Europe.indd 32 14/07/16 10:09 am

GREA T MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES  33

Pergamon Museum, Berlin
This fabulous collection of antiquities includes the
famous blue-tiled Ishtar Gate from Babylon, dating
from the 6th century BC (see p504).




The Hermitage,
St. Petersburg
The Hermitage (see
p658) houses an
impressive collection
of Impressionist
paintings, such as
Woman Combing
her Hair (c.1885)
by Edgar Degas.








Kunsthistorisches
Museum, Vienna
Based on the imperial collections
of the Habsburgs, the museum
(see p562) houses archaeology,
paintings, and sculpture, such as
this woodcarving of the
Madonna (c.1495) by Tilman
Riemenschneider.













Uffizi, Florence
The Uffizi (see pp404–6) was built originally as
the “offices” of the Medici rulers of Florence.
Transformed into a gallery in 1581, the building
now displays such masterpieces as The Annunciation
by Leonardo da Vinci.

0 km 250
0 miles 250

Vatican Museums, Rome
Classical and Early Christian statues excavated in Rome
over the centuries include this charming Good Shepherd
(4th century AD). The vast papal museum (see pp378–80)
also holds great paintings by Michelangelo and Raphael,
commissioned during the Renaissance.




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34  EUROPE A T A GLANCE

The History of Europe 451–429 BC The great general
Perikles presides
as uncrowned king of
In this timeline of European history, important political and Athens. He establishes
social events appear on the upper half of the page, while the democracy in the city
lower half charts contemporary developments in art and and commissions great
buildings, such as the
architecture. In the art and architecture section, the emphasis Parthenon (see pp454–6).
is on structures and works of art that both illustrate major However, he also
involves Athens in
historical trends and can still be seen today. They are described Peloponnesian Wars
in more detail in the main sightseeing section of the book. (431–404), in which
Sparta and its allies
defeat Athens
From Prehistory to the Early
Middle Ages
c.1500 BC Mycenaean culture
From prehistoric times, Europe saw dominates mainland Greece.
a succession of civilizations that This gold death mask from
Mycenae, known as the “Mask
flourished then collapsed. Much of of Agamemnon,” is on display
our knowledge of the period comes at the National Museum of
only from archaeological remains, Archaeology in Athens (see p452)
although the Mycenaeans did leave
written inscriptions. Later periods 750–600 BC Greek
are chronicled in Greek and Roman colonists spread to
histories. However, many of these Sicily, southern Italy, 509 BC
were written long after the events Marseille, and Spain Romans
they describe and tend to be a blend expel
of legend and fact. c.800 BC Rise of Etruscan
Etruscans in Italy kings
2000–1100 BC and
c.2300 BC Start of Series of Minoan c.1000 BC Iron- found
Bronze Age civilizations in working reaches republic
in Europe Crete
central Europe from
the Near East
Prehistory Classical Greece
2500 BC 2000 BC 1500 BC 1000 BC 500 BC
Minoan and Mycenanean Greek and Etruscan Hellenistic and Roman
447 BC Work
c.1200 BC begins on the
Collapse of Parthenon, the
Mycenaean great temple
culture
dedicated to
Athena on the
6th century BC Etruscan Acropolis in
sarcophagi topped with lifelike Athens (see
terra-cotta sculptures of the pp454–6)
deceased (see p387)
c.1450 BC Mycenaeans (see p467) 4th century BC
take over palace of Knossos. Magnificent Greek
Palaces in mainland Greece start theater built
to exhibit pillared, frescoed halls; at Epidaurus
ideas borrowed from the Minoans (see p467)
c.1700 BC First Minoan palace at Knossos on Crete 6th century BC Greek vases of the
destroyed. A new palace was immediately built to replace red-figure type start to appear. The
it. This colorful scene is one of many fine Minoan frescoes figures are left in the color of the clay,
in the Irákleio Archaeological Museum in Crete (see p476) silhouetted against a black glaze. They
often show scenes of myth and legend,
such as the Trojan War
Art and Architecture
Artistic styles in prehistoric Minoan and Mycenaean cultures were
strongly influenced by Egyptian and Middle Eastern models. However,
during the Hellenistic period the trend was reversed. Following Alexander
the Great’s conquests, Greek styles of sculpture, temple architecture, and
ceramics were exported to Egypt and as far east as Afghanistan. The
Romans were great admirers of the Greeks and the growth of the Roman
Empire helped spread the Greek aesthetic throughout western Europe.


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THE HIST OR Y OF EUROPE  35


27 BC Augustus becomes c.AD 481–511 Franks under
first Roman emperor. This Clovis conquer much of
sculpture in the Vatican present-day France
Museums (see pp378–80)
shows him in a
traditional Greek AD 493–526 Kingdom of Italy
heroic pose ruled by Theodoric the Ostrogoth
from Ravenna
201 BC Rome
defeats
Carthaginians
and expands
rapidly to
dominate
Mediterranean
AD 476 Fall of
Western Roman
Empire 6th century AD Byzantine
338 BC Philip II
defeats Greeks, mosaics in church of
making Macedon Sant’Apollinare Nuovo in
great power Ravenna (see p425). Ravenna
AD 117 Roman Empire at remained an outpost of the
greatest extent on death Byzantine Empire until AD 752
of Emperor Trajan
323 BC Death of
Alexander the AD 395 Division of Roman
Great. His empire Empire into eastern and 6th century AD Byzantines
stretches from western halves reconquer much of Italy, but
Macedon to then lose most of their gains
northern India AD 313 Edict of Milan: to the Lombards
Christianity favored by
Roman emperor AD 711 Moorish
Constantine invasion of Spain
Classical Greece Roman Empire After the Fall of Rome
250 BC AD 1 AD 250 500 750
Greek and Etruscan Hellenistic and Roman Byzantine
AD 118 Building of 8th–10th centuries AD
AD 30 Amphitheater magnificent domed Churches in distinctive pre-
built at Verona (see p412) temple, the Pantheon Romanesque style built in
in Rome (see p382) Asturias, part of northern
Spain never conquered by
AD 72 Work starts on 4th century AD Christian the Moors. Examples survive
the Colosseum in Rome motifs start to appear in in Oviedo (see p293)
(see p385) Roman art; building of St.
Peter’s and other Christian
basilicas in Rome 7th century AD Sutton Hoo ship
burial. Over much of Europe,
AD 81 Arch of Titus 5th century AD relics from this era are rare. One
(see p384) erected Apse mosaics in exception is the treasure found
in Rome to church of Santa buried with an Anglo-Saxon
commemorate Maria Maggiore, leader, who died c.625. The
crushing of Jewish Rome (see p386) hoard can be seen at the British
Revolt in AD 70. Museum (see pp60–61)
It served as a
model for later
triumphal arches
c.330 BC Start of Hellenistic period. The Dying
Galatian was a famous Greek sculpture
dating from the 3rd century BC. It was
frequently copied in the Hellenistic
period. This Roman copy is in the
Capitoline Museums in
Rome (see p383) 5th century AD Visigoths take control of Iberian
Peninsula. The Roman aqueduct at Segovia (see
p284) survived both the Visigothic and the
subsequent Moorish invasion of Spain



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36  EUROPE A T A GLANCE

From the Middle Ages to the 18th Century
During this period, many of the states of present-day Europe gradually
took shape, with powerful centralized kingdoms, notably Spain, Portugal,
France, and England, emerging from the medieval feudal system. The
Middle Ages were marked by wars between kings and nobles and even
between popes and emperors. The Catholic church owned extensive
lands and was a powerful political force. However, its influence over
much of northern Europe was lost in the Reformation of the 16th century,
with the emergence of Protestantism.



1096–9 First Crusade; knights
of northern Europe capture 12th and 13th centuries
Jerusalem Emperors and popes fight for
control of Germany and Italy.
Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy
1066 Norman Roman Emperor, quarreled
conquest of England frequently with the pope but
9th century Vikings terrorize Europe, set off on the Third Crusade,
gaining control of much of England, only to drown in 1190 before
Scotland, Ireland, and northern 896 Magyars reach eastern he reached the Holy Land
France. The Isle of Lewis chessmen Europe, laying foundation
(11th century) give a striking picture of present-day Hungary 12th and 13th centuries
of the members of a Viking court. Gradual reconquest
Carved of walrus ivory, they can 1054 East-West Schism: of Spain and Portugal
be seen in the British Museum Roman Church splits from the Moors
(see pp60–61) definitively with Eastern
Orthodox Church 12th century Venice
800 The grows rich supplying
Frankish king, 955 Saxon king Otto the crusades and
Charlemagne, is defeats Magyars trading with the east
crowned Holy
Roman Emperor
Early Middle Ages Middle Ages
800 900 1000 1100 1200
Byzantine and Romanesque Gothic
c.800 Book of Kells, 1064 Work begins on Pisa’s
the greatest of the Duomo (see p393), a
Irish illuminated magnificent example c.1194 Chartres
copies of the Bible of Italian Romanesque Cathedral, France
created (see p127) (see pp180–81)
1071 Completion of rebuilt in new
St. Mark’s, Venice’s Gothic style.
great Byzantine Pointed arches
10th century basilica and ribbed
Beginnings of (see pp416–17) vaulting create
9th and Romanesque possibility of
10th architecture, soaring height in
centuries characterized by church design
Irish High rounded Roman
Crosses arches, delicate 11th century
(see p126) arcades, and tall Christianity reaches
bell towers Norway – building
of striking wooden
c.785 Start of building of the “stave” churches
Mezquita in Córdoba, capital (see p618)
of the Moorish Caliphate in
Spain (see pp316–17). The Late 11th century
mihrab (prayer niche) is framed by a beautiful horseshoe Building of Durham
arch. Spanish buildings retained Moorish features like this Cathedral (see p85),
even after the completion of the reconquest of Spain in 1492 England’s finest Norman
(Romanesque) church
Art and Architecture
The Middle Ages in Europe produced remarkable ecclesiastical
architecture: first in the Romanesque style, then the even more c.1267–1336 Life of Giotto, who
spectacular Gothic. The Renaissance turned its back on the Gothic introduces a new realism to Italian
with the rediscovery of Classical principles, while Renaissance painting. St. Francis appears to the
Monks at Arles is one of a series of
art was based on scientific understanding of perspective and frescoes he painted for the Basilica di
anatomy, and also on the idealism of Classical sculpture. San Francesco in Assisi (see pp388–9)
036-037_EW_Europe.indd 36 14/07/16 10:44 am

THE HIST OR Y OF EUROPE  37


1618–48 Thirty Years’ War: religious
differences and territorial ambitions
embroil most of northern Europe
1386 Union of
crowns of Poland
and Lithuania,
which together 1517 Martin Luther
form largest state condemns church
in Europe in his 95 Theses,
sparking
Reformation.
Protestantism
sweeps across
much of northern 1715 Death of Louis XIV.
1347–51 Black Europe
Death kills The “Sun King” made
perhaps a France the most powerful
third of the 1492 Spanish expel 1683 Defeat state in Europe and
population Moors from Granada; of Turks at presided over the great
of Europe Columbus’s first voyage siege of age of French Classical
to America 1520s Charles V, Vienna allows culture. However, his
expansionist policies
Holy Roman expansion of were largely thwarted
Austrian
1458–90 Emperor, defeats Habsburg by the British, Austrians,
Hungary at its François I of and Dutch
1337–1453 height in reign France in war for empire
Hundred of Matthias control of Italy
Years’ War Corvinus
between
England and 1453 1740–86 Rise
France Collapse of of Prussia
Byzantine 1609 Dutch gain under Frederick
Empire effective 1622 Battle II “the Great”
increases independence of Mohács;
Turkish from Spain Kingdom of
threat to Hungary
eastern falls to Turks
Europe
Late Middle Ages Reformation Age of Enlightenment
1300 1400 1500 1600 1700
Gothic Renaissance Baroque Rococo
1436 Completion of dome 1519 Château 1730s Light,
of Florence Cathedral de Chambord, decorative
(see pp398–9) François I’s Rococo style,
magnificent most popular in
1441 Death of great Flemish Renaissance France, southern
painter Van Eyck, who perfected château in the Germany, and
oil-painting technique Loire Valley Austria
(see p179)
1483–1520 Life of
Raphael, painter of the 1704 Start of building of
Raphael Rooms in the Blenheim Palace, grandest
Vatican (see p380) of the stately homes of
18th-century Britain
(see pp82–3)
1598–1680 Life of Gian
Lorenzo Bernini, leading
architect and sculptor
of the Roman Baroque
1606–69 Life of
Rembrandt, greatest
1452–1519 Life of Leonardo of the 17th-century
da Vinci, multi-talented Dutch masters
Renaissance genius. There are
two versions of his Virgin of
the Rocks: one in the Louvre, 1661 Enlargement of French
Paris (see pp158–60), and royal palace at Versailles
one in the British Museum, (see pp168–9) begins
London (see pp60–61)
1675–1710 Building of
1475–1564 Life of painter, sculptor, Christopher Wren’s St. Paul’s
and architect Michelangelo Cathedral in London (see p66)
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38  EUROPE A T A GLANCE

From the French Revolution to the Present
The French Revolution established a supposedly democratic 1901 First award of Nobel prizes
republic, but the need for a central authority allowed the in Sweden and Norway
brilliant general Napoleon to take power and proclaim him-
self Emperor. The Old Regime died hard and after Napoleon’s
defeat, many of the old rulers of Europe were restored to their
thrones. In time, however, birthright and tradition had to give
way to technological progress, the growth of capitalism, the
rising power of the bourgeoisie, and the spread of workers’
movements. Greater democracy gave the vote to more and
more of the population, but wherever democracy broke
down, there was the danger it would be replaced by a
totalitarian regime, such as the Nazis in Germany and
the Communist regimes of the old Soviet Bloc. 1830–40 George Stephenson’s Rocket becomes the
prototype for steam locomotives. Following the
1805 Napoleon defeats success of the Liverpool–Manchester line, opened in
1804 Napoleon Austrians at Austerlitz; by
crowns himself 1807, he controls most of 1930, the spread of railroads speeds the Industrial
Emperor of the western and central Europe Revolution in Britain
French 1838–1901 Reign of Queen Victoria:
1812 Defeats in apogee of British Empire
1789 French Peninsular War and
Revolution Russia weaken French 1848 Year of revolutions
leads to hold on Europe throughout Europe
execution by
guillotine of 1815 Napoleon 1852 Napoleon III becomes
Louis XVI and defeated at Waterloo; Emperor of France
Reign of Terror Congress of Vienna 1860 Unification of most of Italy
in 1793 more or less restores
status quo in Europe
1870 Franco-Prussian War;
German victory allows
1831 Creation Bismarck to achieve
of Kingdom unification of Germany
of Belgium
Age of Enlightenment Industrial Revolution Age of Imperialism
1775 1800 1825 1850 1875 1900
Neoclassical Empire Regency Realism Impressionism Art Nouveau
1785 The Oath of the c.1814 Goya’s paintings 1874 Claude
Horatii by Jacques recording atrocities in the Monet uses the
Louis David, French Peninsular War, May 2, 1808 and word “Impression”
Neoclassical painter. May 3, 1808. They hang in the in title of a
This incident from Prado, Madrid (see pp278–80) painting, giving
early Roman history c.1800 Empire style in fashion and rise to the term
extols the republican furnishings. Many aspects of design Impressionism
spirit that would in Europe influenced by Napoleon’s
inspire the French Egyptian expedition 1883 Gaudí begins
Revolution work on la Sagrada
1841–1919 Life of Pierre Auguste Família cathedral in
Renoir, one of the greatest of the Barcelona (see
artists associated with the pp302–3)
Impressionist movement
1890 Suicide of Dutch painter
Van Gogh, unrecognized in his
1852–70 Second Empire lifetime, now the most sought-
style; rebuilding of Paris by after of Post-Impressionist
Haussmann (see p164)
painters (see p251)
1857–65 The Ringstrasse built
Art and Architecture in Vienna, an example of grand
19th-century city planning
Revivalist styles dominated 19th-century
architecture, with imitations of Classical, 1890s Era of Art Nouveau.
Gothic, and Renaissance buildings. The posters of Czech-born
In contrast, painting evolved radically following Alfons Mucha typify the style,
the example of the French Impressionists. In the also known as Jugendstil or
20th century, new building materials – steel, Secession. Many artists break
away from the official
concrete, and glass – were the inspiration of academy of their country,
Modernism. Modern art, meanwhile, notably in Vienna and Berlin
experimented with every conceivable form of 1907 First exhibition of Cubist
expression, from Surrealism to Conceptual Art. works by Picasso and others
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THE HIST OR Y OF EUROPE  39

1989 Collapse of
Communism in
Eastern Europe.
Poland, Hungary,
Czechoslovakia, and
other countries oust
Communist rulers.
Reopening of Berlin Wall
1914 Outbreak of World War I. Millions leads to reunification
die as trench warfare along Western of Germany in 1990
Front reaches stalemate
1939 Outbreak of 1944 Normandy Landings. Allied
World War II. forces create second front, which
Germany overruns leads to eventual defeat of 1995 Membership of European
Poland, then, in Germany in 1945 Union reaches 15, with entry of
1940, France Sweden, Finland, and Austria
1949 Berlin Air Lift stops Russian
blockade of West Berlin
1918 Defeat of 2002 Introduction of common
Germany, following 1956 Hungarian uprising against currency, the euro, in 12 countries
American entry into Communist rule crushed by of the European Union
war in 1917 Russian tanks
2004 Ten more countries join
1936–9 Spanish 1957 Treaty of Rome: European the European Union
Civil War Economic Community marks
beginning of European Union
1933 Hitler comes 2007 Bulgaria and Romania
to power in 1968 Student join the European Union
Germany protests in France
and many other
parts of Europe
1919 Treaty of 2010 Five more
Versailles (1919) countries wait to
creates new states, 1973 join the EU
including Poland, Carnation 2013 Croatia joins the
Czechoslovakia, Revolution European Union
Hungary, and in Portugal
Finland
Age of Imperialism The European Union
1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 2025
Art Nouveau Art Deco and Modernism
2012 The Shard opens in
1970 Post-Modernist art London, becoming the tallest
challenges viewers to building in the European Union
question “what is art?”
1999 Sir Norman Foster’s striking
additions to the old Reichstag
building in Berlin (see p502)





1937 Guernica painted by Pablo
Picasso in reaction to bombing of
Basque civilians in the Spanish Civil 1997 Astonishing sculptural forms
War. The painting is currently on used by American architect Frank
show at the Centro de Arte Reina Gehry for new Guggenheim Museum
Sofía, Madrid (see p281) in Bilbao (see p294)
1992 Barcelona Olympics. The city’s
1920s and 1930s The term Art Deco
is given to design and architecture glorious 20th-century buildings by
using modern materials and clean, Gaudí and others are restored and the
geometrical shapes old port is transformed (see pp296–305)
1977 Opening of the Centre Pompidou in Paris
1919 Foundation of Bauhaus in Weimar (see p153). The design by Renzo Piano, Richard
(see p515), which exerts worldwide Rogers, and Gianfranco Franchini places service
influence on architecture ducts and escalators on the outside of the building




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BRITAIN AND


IRELAND





Britain and Ireland
at a Glance 42–43
Great Britain 44–109
Ireland 110–139


















































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42  BRIT AIN AND IRELAND

Britain and Ireland at a Glance

The islands of Great Britain and Ireland lie to the northwest
of continental Europe and have remained relatively isolated
throughout their history. Great Britain consists of three
countries – England, Scotland, and Wales – each with a
distinctive way of life and traditions. These three, together
with Northern Ireland, form the United Kingdom. In the south
of Ireland, the Republic of Ireland is a separate country.
London, one of Europe’s liveliest cities, offers the greatest
range of cultural attractions. The islands have a rich variety
of landscapes, from rolling green hills and windswept moors, Inverness
to rocky coastlines and craggy mountains.
Aberdeen
Fort William





Edinburgh
Glasgow


The Highlands (see p95) is an area prized for its
beauty and diversity of wildlife. This region of Derry
mountains and glens is home to many animal Carlisle
species that are rarely found living wild elsewhere Newcastle-
upon-Tyne
in the British Isles.
Belfast


IRELAND York
(see pp110–39) Leeds
Galway Manchester
Dublin Liverpool
Caernarfon
GREAT BRITAIN
(see pp44–109)
Limerick Norwich
Birmingham
Waterford
Dublin (see pp114–23), Killarney Cambridge
Ireland’s capital, has a lively Cork
atmosphere. Many of its
finest public buildings, such Swansea Oxford
as the Custom House, date Cardiff Bristol
from the 18th century. London
Bath
Southampton Brighton
Killarney (see p129) is a typical, friendly Exeter
Irish town in County Kerry. The Plymouth
surrounding area is renowned for
its spectacular scenery, with three
huge lakes, waterfalls, and some of
the country’s highest mountains.
Beautiful landscape of Loch Shiel in Glenfinnan, Scotland



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A T A GLANCE  43

Edinburgh (see
pp90–94) is the
administrative and
cultural cap ital of
Scotland. Its castle,
which dates back
to the 12th century,
gives spectacular
views of the
entire city.
Locator Map



Inverness York (see pp86–7) is a city of historical
treasures, with many relics from the
Aberdeen Roman and Viking ages. Its magnificent
minster has the largest collection of
medieval stained glass in Britain, and
Fort William
the city walls are well preserved.



Edinburgh
Glasgow



Derry
Carlisle Newcastle-
upon-Tyne
Belfast



IRELAND York
(see pp110–39) Leeds
Galway Manchester London (see pp50–71) was founded
Dublin Liverpool by the Romans in the 1st century
AD. The oldest part of the capital is
Caernarfon the City, where Sir Christopher
GREAT BRITAIN Wren’s masterpiece, St. Paul’s
(see pp44–109) Cathedral, stands.
Limerick Norwich
Birmingham
Waterford
Killarney Cambridge
Cork
Swansea Cardiff Oxford
Bristol
London
Bath
Bath (see pp78–9) is
Southampton Brighton named after the Roman
baths that stand at the
Exeter heart of the old town,
Plymouth next to the splendid
0 km 75 medieval abbey. The city
is full of elegant Georgian
0 miles 75
terraces, built in local
honey-colored limestone.



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BRIT AIN AND IRELAND  45


GREAT BRITAIN


Separated from the rest of Europe by the English Channel, Britain has been
assiduous in preserving its traditions. However, the island can offer the visitor
much more than stately castles and pretty villages. A diversity of landscape,
culture, literature, art, and architecture, as well as a unique heritage, results
in a nation balancing the needs of the present with those of the past.

Britain’s character has been shaped by The long, broad beaches of East
its geographical position as an island. Anglia contrast with the rocky inlets
Never successfully invaded again after along much of the west coast.
1066, the country has developed its Despite the spread of towns and
own distinctive traditions, and although cities over the last two centuries, rural
today a member of the European Union, Britain still flourishes. The countryside
Britain continues to delight in its is dotted with farms and charming
nonconformity. Britain’s heritage can villages with picturesque cottages and
be seen in its ancient castles, cathedrals, lovingly tended gardens. The most
and stately homes, with their gardens prosperous and densely populated
and parklands. It is also evident in the part of the nation is the southeast,
many age-old customs played out across close to London, where modern office
the nation throughout the year. buildings bear witness to the growth
For a small island, Great Britain of service and high-tech industries.
encompasses a surprising variety in its
regions, whose inhabitants maintain History
distinct identities. Scotland and Wales Britain began to assume a cohesive
are separate countries from England, character as early as the 7th century AD,
with their own legislative assemblies. as Anglo-Saxon tribes migrating from
They also have their own surviving the continent absorbed existing Celtic
Gaelic languages and unique traditions. and Roman influences and finally
The landscape is varied, too, from the achieved supremacy in England.
mountains of Wales, Scotland, and the However, they suffered repeated Viking
north, through the flat expanses of the incursions and were overcome by the
Midlands and eastern England, to the Normans at the Battle of Hastings in 1066,
soft, rolling hills of the south and west. when William the Conqueror founded the



















Punting on the River Cherwell, Oxford
Fantastical gargoyles looking out from the Natural History Museum, London



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46  BRIT AIN AND IRELAND

royal lineage which still rules the country English sailors ranged far across the
today. The disparate cultures of the world. The total defeat of the Spanish
Normans and Anglo-Saxons combined Armada in 1588 confirmed Britain’s
to form the English nation, a process position as a major maritime power.
nurtured by Britain’s position as an island. The Stuart period saw the English and
Scotland’s four divided kingdoms had Scottish crowns unite, but internal
also unified under one monarch struggles eventually led to the
by this time, with the crowning Civil War in 1642. By the time of
of Duncan I in 1034. the Act of Union with Scotland
The next 400 years saw English in 1707, however, the whole
kings extend their domain at island was united and the
home as well as abroad. Wales foundations for representative
was conquered in 1282, and by government had been laid. The
1296 control was also gained over combination of internal security
Scotland. The Scots rose up and maritime strength allowed
again, however, winning back Queen Elizabeth I (reigned Britain to seek wealth overseas.
1558–1603)
their independence under By the end of the Napoleonic
Robert the Bruce in 1314. The Wars in 1815, Britain was the
Tudor monarchs consolidated England’s world’s leading trading nation. The
strength and laid the foundations for opportunities offered by industrialization
Britain’s future commercial success. Henry were seized, and by the reign of Queen
VIII recognized the importance of sea Victoria (1837–1901), a colossal empire
power and, under his daughter, Elizabeth I, had been established across the globe.
Challenged by Europe and the rise of
KEY DATES IN BRITISH HISTORY the US, and drained by its role in two
world wars, Britain’s influence waned
AD 43–410 Roman occupation of Britain
440–50 Start of Angle, Saxon, and Jute invasions after 1945. By the 1970s, almost all
1034 Duncan I becomes first king of all Scotland its former colonies had become
1066 William the Conqueror defeats King Harold and independent Commonwealth nations.
becomes the first Norman king of England
1256 First Parliament to include ordinary citizens Society and Politics
1533–4 Henry VIII forms Church of England British cities are melting-pots for people
1535 Act of Union with Wales not just from different parts of the country,
1558–1603 Reign of Elizabeth I but also from overseas. Irish immigration
1603 Union of English and Scottish crowns; James VI has long ensured a flow of labor into the
of Scotland becomes James I of England country, and since the 1950s, hundreds of
1642 Civil War breaks out thousands have come from countries in
1649 Charles I executed. Commonwealth declared Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, many of
by Parliament
1707 Act of Union with Scotland
1721 Robert Walpole becomes Britain’s first
Prime Minister
1837–1901 Reign of Queen Victoria. Industrial
Revolution leads to growth of British Empire
1924 First Labour government
1948 National Health Service introduced
1973 Britain joins European Community
1999 Formation of Scottish Parliament and
Welsh Assembly
2005 Terrorist attacks on public transport in London
2014 Referendum for Scottish Independence held The colorful costumes of Notting Hill Carnival, an annual
multicultural celebration held in London




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GREA T BRIT AIN  47















The Eden Project, an entertaining educational center devoted to mankind’s relationship with plants, Cornwall

which were former colonies are now Culture and the Arts
members of the Commonwealth. Nearly Britain has a famous theatrical tradition
five percent of Britain’s 62 million inhabi­ stretching back to the 16th century and
tants are from non­white ethnic groups – William Shakespeare. His plays have been
and about half of these were born in performed on stage almost continuously
Britain. The result is a multicultural society since they were written, and the works of
that boasts a wide range of music, art, 17th­ and 18th­century writers are also
food, and religions. frequently revived. Modern British
Britain’s class structure is based on a playwrights, such as Tom Stoppard,
subtle mixture of heredity and wealth. draw on this long tradition with their
Even though many of the great inherited vivid language and use of comedy
fortunes no longer exist, some old landed to illustrate serious themes.
families still live on their estates, and many In the visual arts, Britain has a strong
now open them to the public. The mon­ tradition in portraiture, landscape, and
archy’s position highlights the dilemma watercolor. In modern times, artists David
of a people seeking to preserve its most Hockney and Francis Bacon and sculptors
potent symbol of national Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth have
unity in an age when enjoyed worldwide recognition.
people are sus picious Britain has also become
of inherited privilege. famous for its innovative
Without real political fashion designers, such as
power, although still head Vivienne Westwood and the
of the Church of England, late Alexander McQueen.
the Queen and her family The national film industry
are subject to increasing regularly produces
public scrutiny. international hits, such as
Democracy has deep the Harry Potter saga and
foundations in Britain. With The King’s Speech. British
the exception of the 17th­ A cricketing pub sign showing the television is renowned for
century Civil War, power 18th-century version of the game the high quality of its news,
has passed gradually from current affairs, and nature
the Crown to the people’s elected repre­ programs, as well as for its drama.
sent atives. During the 20th and 21st The British are great sports fans. Soccer,
centuries, the Labour (left wing) and rugby, cricket, and lawn tennis are popular.
Conservative (right wing) parties have An instantly recognizable English image is
favored a mix of public and private owner­ that of the cricket match on a village green.
ship for industry and ample funding for the The British also make use of their national
state health and welfare systems. parks as enthusiastic walkers and hikers.




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48  BRIT AIN AND IRELAND
Orkney Isles
Exploring Great Britain
Port of Ness Durness Thurso
Britain’s main attraction is its capital, London, Isle of Lewis Wick
but there are many other noteworthy towns Stornoway A9
to explore throughout the country. Highlights Outer Hebrides
include the university cities of Cambridge Ullapool
Orkney Isles,
and Oxford, the historic centers of York and Tarbert A835 Shetland Isles
Bath, and Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Lochmaddy Uig A890 A98
North
In the sparsely populated regions of Northern Uist Inverness A96 Spey
England, Wales, and Scotland, the land itself South Isle of A82 A9 A96
Uist
becomes the center of attention – the Lake Skye A87 Cairngorms Aviemore Aberdeen
District, Snowdonia, and the Isle of Skye are Barra A93
Inner Hebrides SCOTLAND
all areas of outstanding natural beauty. Fort William A86 A9 A94
Sights at a Glance Mull A85 Perth Dundee St. Andrews
1 London pp50–71 u Cambridge Stirling M90 A91
2 Canterbury i Chester A82 M9
3 Brighton o Liverpool Jura A83 M8
4 Windsor Castle pp74–5 p Manchester Islay Glasgow Edinburgh
5 Winchester a York pp86–7 M77 A77 Tweed
6 Salisbury s Lake District Arran M74 A1
7 Stonehenge d Durham A76 A696 Amsterdam
8 Devon and Cornwall f Edinburgh pp90–94 A77 A7 Tynemouth
9 Bath pp78–9 g Glasgow Dumfries
0 Bristol h Stirling Stranraer A75 Carlisle A69 Newcastle- Sunderland NOR TH
q Cardiff j St. Andrews Belfast, A595 Tyne upon-Tyne Durham
w Snowdonia k Aberdeen Larne A66 A1(M) Middlesbrough SEA
e Caernarfon l Cairngorms Lake District M6
r Oxford z Inverness Isle of Man Kendal Swale A19 Scarborough
t Blenheim Palace pp82–3 x Isle of Skye Douglas A65 A64
y Stratford-upon-Avon Heysham Bradford A1
Leeds &
IRISH M6 York
Belfast, Blackpool Bradford Leeds M62 Kingston upon Hull
Dublin SEA Preston M62
Liverpool Huddersfield Grimsby
Anglesey Manchester
Dublin Holyhead Sheffield A16
Caernarfon A55 Chester A6 M1 A1 Lincoln Groningen
Snowdonia A5 Stoke-on-Trent Rotterdam,
Zeebrugge
Derby
Nottingham
A49 ENGLAND A47
A483 M54 M6 Leicester Peterborough Norwich Esbjerg NETHERLANDS
Cardigan Birmingham A11
Bay Severn A1 Amsterdam
Aberystwyth A49 Warwick Northampton A14 A12
Stratford- Cambridge The Hague A4 A12 Utrecht
Brighton’s Palace Pier, viewed from the promenade A487 W ALES upon-Avon M1 Ipswich
M5
Rosslare Fishguard Blenheim Luton M11 Harwich Arnhem
A40 Palace M40 Stansted Hoek van Rotterdam
Gloucester Oxford M25 Holland Eindhoven
A470
Pembroke M4 Swindon Chelmsford
Swansea Cardiff M4 Thames
Key Bristol Windsor LONDON Ramsgate Zeebrugge
Castle
A1
M2
Highway Bristol Channel Bath Stonehenge M3 Heathrow Canterbury Ostend N9 Antwerp
M25
Major road Taunton M5 Salisbury Winchester Gatwick Dover A14
A361 A303 Southampton Folkestone Dunkerque A10 Brussels
Railroad A35 Portsmouth A27 Calais BELGIUM
A30 Newhaven Liège
Channel Tunnel Exeter Bournemouth Brighton Boulogne
Devon and Cornwall A38
International border Weymouth Isle of Wight A26 A25 Lille
Newquay Plymouth
Administrative border
A39 Truro Engl is h C ha nn el FRANCE
Penzance N1
Isles of Scilly Caen, Dieppe Amiens
St. Malo, Le Havre
Santander Roscoff Channel Is. Rouen Paris
Cherbourg
For keys to symbols see back flap
048-049_EW_Europe.indd 48 14/07/16 12:15 pm