Things to Do in Europe

The ancient city of Olympos lies in ruins in a picturesque valley southwest of Antalya.

Founded in Hellenistic times and becoming part of the Roman empire in 78 BC, the city is believed to have taken its name from nearby Mount Olympos, one of many mountains across Turkey and Greece named after the heavenly abode of the Gods.

The city ruins lie scattered near the village of Olimpos, in an area known for its rich plant life – wild grapevines, oleander, bay trees, wild figs and pines – and are a short walk from pretty Olimpos beach.

Visitors making the trip to the ruins of Olympos also include a visit to the nearby Chimaera (Yanartas). Sitting on a rocky mountainside above the village of Cirali, these seemingly eternal flames (fuelled by natural methane leaking from the earth) have been burning non-stop for thousands of years.

Expect bright lights, extravagant costumes, and raucous music at the world-famous Moulin Rouge. Opened in the Belle Epoque of 1889 to celebrate Paris' thriving creative scene and the end of the civil war, the windmill-cum-cabaret hall has never stopped basking in fun and frivolity. As a staple of Parisian nightlife, an unforgettable evening at the Moulin Rouge is a must on any traveler's France itinerary.

Msida town was originally a little fishing village but now straggles into smart Ta’xbiex, the wealthy enclave that is home to the majority of Malta’s diplomats and embassies. Msida’s biggest claims to fame today are a prestigious university and the mammoth yacht marina stretching along the north side of Marsamxett Harbour right up Msida Creek. It is Malta’s biggest and most sheltered harbor and the place to head to see the sleek super-yachts of the super-wealthy Euro-glitterarti.

The marina has berths for 720 boats and can accommodate vessels up to 72 ft (22 m) in length along pontoon and breakwater moorings. A cluster of restaurants and stores have appeared around the marina, which following a period of updating is now open for business once more. A sprinkling of traditional fishing luzzus provide a splash of cheery color among the smooth lines of the contemporary sailing craft moored up in the marina.

Salzburg is immensely proud of its most famous son, and Mozartplatz is just one of the city’s many tributes.

The square, with its elegant statue of a youthful Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, dates back to 1842 and was partly funded by Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria, who was a big fan.

One of Salzburg’s most famous squares, it is a popular spot for a photo stop and a stroll.

Rising to heights of over 1,000 meters and surrounded by forested foothills, Mount Medvednica (‘Bear Mountain’), looms over the city of Zagreb and makes an easy escape from the capital. Sljeme is the highest point at 1,033 meters and while hiking the scenic route to the summit is a popular choice, the peak is also reachable by road and cable car, making it the focal point for most day-trippers. The wooded slopes around the summit make up the protected area of Medvednica Nature Park, crisscrossed with hiking and mountain biking trails, as well as restaurants, traditional mountain lodges and a winter ski area.

Another key attraction of Medvednica is the medieval fortress of Medvedgrad, originally built in 1242 and now home to the Altar of the Homeland memorial, a poignant dedication to the local soldiers who fought and died in the Croatian war of independence. Alternatively, pay a visit to the Veternica Cave, one of the largest in Croatia, or tour the historic silver mining area of Zrinski Mine.

Mount Medvednica also serves as the backdrop for a number of annual events, including medieval reenactments and knights’ tournaments held in the grounds of the historic castle and the winter Snow Queen festival, held in honor of legendary Croatian skier Janica Kostelic, who first learned to ski on the slopes.

At 12,198 feet (3,718 meters) above sea level, Mount Teide is the highest peak in the Canary Islands and all of Spain. The towering peak in Tenerife tempts visitors with the chance to stand atop a volcano and look out over the nearby islands of La Palma, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, and El Hierro — if the clouds cooperate. Adventurous travelers opt for an intense five-hour hike to the summit, while many other visitors prefer to ride the Teide cable car to the observation deck just shy of the mountain's highest point.

Often classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France, Moustiers Ste-Marie lies at the western entrance of the majestic Verdon Gorge National Park, and is built on 300-foot (100-meter) platform terraces up the side of limestone cliffs.

Malta is famous for the lavish scale of its many scores of churches (there are 25 in Valletta alone) but Mosta’s Neo-classical parish church of St Mary stands out even among all this grandeur. Its eponymous, self-supporting dome measures 121 ft (37 m) in diameter and is 220 ft (67 m) high – bigger than St Paul’s in London – with every inch of the interior covered in gilt, frescoes and marble flooring. The church was designed by Maltese architect Giorgio Grognet de Vassé in the style of the Pantheon in Rome but built by solely by local parishioners and volunteers between 1833 and 1860.

The interior houses Malta’s biggest, most flamboyant organ, with 2,000 pipes, but the church is better known for a miraculous escape the congregation had in 1942 during WW2. On Sunday, April 9 the church was packed with 300 worshippers when three Luftwaffe bombs hit the dome. Two bounced off but one crashed through into the nave; amazingly it failed to explode, saving scores of lives. The legend of the miracle of Mosta Dome was thus born and a replica of the unexploded bomb can be found in the sacristy.