Things to Do in Europe

Guimaraes Castle is a medieval castle in the city of Guimaraes in the northern part of Portugal. Built in the 10th century to defend against attacks from the Moors and Normans, it was expanded during the early Gothic period of Portuguese architecture. The walls of the castle form a pentagram, with eight rectangular towers, a military square and a central keep, which was added in the 13th century. Visitors can walk along the castle walls and visit the chapel of Sao Miguel inside.

Legend has it that Portugal's first king was born at Guimaraes Castle and it is considered one of the country's greatest historical symbols. The castle was declared a national monument in 1910 and the town as a whole is a UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as a former European Capital of Culture. Visitors can stay overnight in a pousada in Guimaraes or visit as a day trip from either Porto or Braga.

The Hafenmuseum Hamburg is located in the remaining historical part of the free port built over a hundred years ago and showcases the history and operation of this important harbor. Due to container shipping, the look of the port has changed profoundly over the last several decades, but the museum has rented one of the last remaining wooden quai sheds, number 50A, and has worked hard to keep the history of the Hamburg harbor alive. On 2500 square meters, topics ranging from cargo handling, shipping and ship building to marine engineering are explained to the visitors. Outside the shed, the more heavy machinery is showcased. Highlights are a floating crane, a steam-powered suction machine, a barge and a mooring car.   

 

The collection is located in the heart of the hustle and bustle of today's hectic harbor and just as authentic as the location are the experts doing the explaining on what equipment is used and how the vessels are constructed in the shipyard. Every weekend between 10am and 6pm, former harbor workers and ship experts who have spent their whole lives around the port are available to teach visitors about the inner workings of a busy harbor and answer questions. 

Built in 1629 and known simply as Stortorget (Big Square) for two centuries, Gustaf Adolf Square gets its name from the plaza's statue of Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden from 1611 - 1632. Notice how the statue's finger points to the ground. Story goes, the king rode up Otterhällan Mountain and pointed to the fields surrounding the canal below, saying "The city shall be placed here." 

Snap a pic of yourself doing the same pose as Gustaf, and you won't be the only one. Said to be one of the great military leaders of European history, the king is said to have steered Sweden to greatness in the Thirty Years War, so Gothenburg's main square seems a fitting place for his statue.

On the north side of the square, see Gothenburg City Hall, a neoclassical dream of gleaming white pillars, and a popular place to get married. Also look out for the city's law court. Its 1934 extension, by leading Swedish architect Gunnar Asplund, has been much lauded by fans of his modernist style.

At Christmas, a huge Christmas tree lights up the center, and Gothenburg's most famous winter market fills the plaza, harking back to the 17th century when farmers' carts filled the square and boats filled with food for sale jammed the canal.

HAM Helsinki Art Museum is one of the largest museums in all of Finland, featuring its main venue in Helsinki's historic Tennis Palace complex; a regional outpost in Uusimaa; the HAM Gallery (formerly known as the Kluuvi Gallery); and much of the city's public domain art. All in all, the art museum has a collection of nearly 9,000 pieces, most of which are of the modern Finnish variety.

Both contemporary and modern works are displayed at the museum, and pieces are often brought in on exchange from partners in the Americas, Asia, Africa, and elsewhere in Europe. The works cover a wide variety of regions, genres and history.

Bern's closest mountain sits some 856 m (2,804 ft) above the city's southern suburbs and enjoys 360° views across the Bernese Alps and the Jura, across to the Jungfrau and Eiger on clear days. Accessed by the Gurtenbahn funicular railway "“ first opened in 1899 "“ the slopes of the mountain became parkland in 1999, and on summer weekends the residents of Bern decamp there en masse for family-friendly days out in the sharp, fresh Swiss air. Gurten's amenities include playing fields, an observation tower, a miniature railway and play areas for kids as well as picnic spots, BBQ grills, an hotel and two panoramic restaurants; the mountain is also a springboard for signposted walks and cycle rides in the Alpine foothills. 

The four-day Gurten Music Festival takes place annually in mid July and when there is a covering of snow in the winter, a toboggan run opens down to the funicular's Grünenboden middle station, a bunny tow operates for children and cross-country 

trails open for Nordic skiers.

Haddo House is an impressive stately home in Scotland that was built in the 1730s. The estate was owned by the Gordon family for centuries, and they lived there even before the current house was built. It was designed by William Adam for William Gordon, the 2nd Earl of Aberdeen, and it was refurbished in the 1880s. The house is a blend of Georgian architecture and late Victorian interiors. Throughout the house, visitors can admire antique furniture, portraits, ceramics, and other memorabilia from the Gordon family. Hundreds of years of history can be found inside the walls of this home. 

The grounds of Haddo House include a formal terrace garden with geometric rosebuds and a fountain, trees and an herbaceous border, and peaceful hills. The surrounding area of Haddo Country Park, which can be reached by an avenue that is lined with lime trees, has lakes, monuments, woodland walks, and a deer park. 

The zoo's lovely gardens are also exotic, recreating the ambiance of countries such as Japan and Nepal. Take a ride around the gardens by horse and carriage to explore the private zoo, run by the Hagenbeck family since 1907.

Known as the student and art quarter, and Barcelona's hippest neighborhood, Gràcia is home to the Plaça del Sol, which is lined with Catalonian tapas bars, terraced restaurants, flower shops, and trendy boutiques. Once its own village, Gràcia also features the UNESCO-listed Park Güell, designed by Antoni Gaudi.

 

Gràcia is one of the city's most atmospheric and decidedly Catalonian neighborhoods. Tour the area on an e-bicycle tour of Barcelona to cover more ground; these tours typically visit other neighborhoods such as Raval, Eixample, the Gothic quarter, and Barceloneta as well. Foodies interested in Catalonian gastronomy can explore the local culinary scene on a guided food and wine tour.

 

 

Gràcia is connected to the rest of the city via the wide and posh Passeig de Gràcia. You can get there on foot from the old town, or ride the Barcelona metro to Fontana Station (Line 3).

 

Head to Gràcia during the day to have lunch at one of the trendy local cafes or shop the neighborhood boutiques. Come at night to enjoy the cocktail bars and tapas restaurants; this area is popular for a late-night dinner. Expect many local shops and restaurants to be closed during the month of August.

 

You haven't experienced Gràcia until you've seen it during its annual neighborhood festival, the Festa Major, each August. During this popular summer event, each street in Gràcia seeks to outdo the next with over-the-top decorations, and at night the entire neighborhood turns into one giant block party.

For every visitor who rolls their eyes at the newest addition to the Promenade des Anglais, there is an equal number of visitors"“and locals "“ who are thrilled at the recent arrival of a Hard Rock Cafe in Nice. Its exterior blends in quite nicely with the facades along this famous strip, and its location ensures that it will be around for the long haul.

Unlike many American-style restaurants in France, this is the real deal; there are no French concessions to the American palate, and it can be a welcome treat for Americans to have a taste of home after days of the finest the Riviera has to offer. And as usual, plenty of memorabilia is on display here "“ although the big draw is the "Rock Wall Solo," which allows visitors to take an interactive, virtual tour of Hard Rock Cafes around the world and the memorabilia they have as well.

Although the menu doesn't vary greatly from city to city, there are some differences here; to make sure your favorite dishes are on the menu in Nice, make sure to check on the restaurant's website, where all dishes are listed and explained. Also, the outdoor seating is ideal for good weather, but it's best to reserve, as there are only 30 places compared to the 200 inside.

With its natural fjords encircled by lava fields and bustling port bobbing with fishing boats, Hafnafjörður makes a lively alternative to neighboring Reykjavík and at just a 20-minute drive from the capital, it's become a popular retreat for both locals and tourists. As the gateway to the scenic Reykjanes peninsula, Hafnafjörður's spectacular surroundings are its main draw and hiking, bird watching, horse riding and whale watching cruises are all popular activities.

There's plenty to see and do in the town itself too, and visitors can soak in one of Hafnarfjordur's three thermal pools, learn about the town's history at the Hafnarfjordur museum, explore the bubbling mud pools at Hellisgerdi Lava Park or visit for one of the many atmospheric seasonal events, like the annual Viking Festival in June or the festive markets held over the Christmas period. 

What are the origins of Hamburg, what happened to the Hanseatic League and how did the HafenCity district evolve? All these questions and more are answered in the Hamburg Museum. The museum opened in 1922 as the Museum of Hamburg History and has since been able to amass the largest permanent city exhibition in Germany. 

The historical tour of the Hamburg Museum leads from the Middle Ages to the present day, covering how the small fort Hammaburg turned into one of the biggest and most important ports in Europe. Numerous exhibits on shipping, port and emigration, bourgeois home decor, fashion and culture help make the rich history more comprehensive. But apart from the major exhibits covering the past 1,200 years, there are also annual exhibitions, museum festivals, events and Hamburg's largest model railway to see and attend. The railway is especially interesting for train enthusiasts, as there are regular showings of how train traffic between the Hamburg Main Station and Hamburg Harburg operates. Additionally, a big courtyard under a massive glass dome makes the building one of the finest and most coveted event venues in Hamburg.

Sometimes called the Gross Monster by English-speaking locals, Grossmunster is a Romanesque-style Protestant church in Zurich. According to legend, Charlemagne discovered the graves of the city's patron saints, Felix and Regula, and ordered a church to be constructed on the spot. Construction of Grossmunster began in 1100 and was finished around 1220, with the core of the building built on the site where Charlemagne's church stood. The only original decorations that remain today are some faded frescoes in a side chapel and a depictions of battle scenes and Charlemagne's discovery of Felix's and Regula's graves. The church's crypt is the largest in Switzerland and dates to the 11th and 13th centuries. Modern stained glass windows were added to the church in 1932 and bronze doors were added in 1935 and 1950.

Also known as the starting point of the Reformation in Switzerland in the 16th century, Grossmunster's twin towers make it one of the most recognized landmarks in Zurich. Visitors can climb the nearly 200 stairs up the north tower for sweeping views of the city. The cloister features a museum about the Reformation and the annex to the cloister is home to the theological school of the University of Zurich.

From the legendary Changing of the Guards ceremony to the foot guards in their bearskin hats outside Buckingham Palace, London's Royal Guards have become an iconic symbol of the city. The Guards Museum tells the story of Her Majesty's guards "“ which include five regiments of Foot Guards and two Household Cavalry regiment "“ from the 17th century the present day, as well as displaying a fascinating collection of military artifacts.

Visitors can admire historic uniforms, headdresses, ceremonial dress, and weapons; get an insight into the life and training of a Royal Guard; learn more about England's military history and the role of the guards; and even try on one of the guard's famous bearskin hats.

Located at the Salzburg Airport, Hangar-7 is a one of-a-kind aircraft hangar and transport museum that comes in at 44,130 square feet and offers ever-changing exhibitions in addition to upwards of five restaurant and lounge options. In addition to the aircraft and cars on display, there are also contemporary art exhibitions and air shows on occasion.

Though its main attractions are Flying Bulls historical aircraft and fleet of Formula 1 cars, many visitors come to the hangar simply to admire its architecture, the work of Salzburg architect Volkmar Burgstaller. The landmark's exterior can look like a glass aircraft wing when admired from the outside, and Hangar-7 also has a sweeping 131-foot (40-meter) entrance with two cylindrical towers. There are 1,754 panes of glass of different sizes, providing a view of the nearby mountain panorama.

As you exit onto the back terrace of the Palace of Versailles, the breathtaking view of the royal gardens is dominated by the Grand Canal, which leads your eye to the farthest perimeter of the grounds. But although it is a spectacular feature of the park, it was designed and is used today as a practical feature of the gardens.

Constructed over the course of a decade in the late 17th century under the reign of Louis the XIV, its original name "“ Little Venice "“ came from the canal's inaugural gifts from the Doge of Venice: a full set of gondolas, complete with Venetian gondoliers. Also moored there were various ships and yachts built to the scale of the canal and used in elaborate water shows and recreations of famous battles. But the canal is also the main feature of the irrigation systems for the gardens, used to drain off water from the higher elevations and pumped back uphill to re-water them "“ a genius move for its time.

Today the Grand Canal is not only the jewel of the gardens of Versailles, but thanks to row boats for rent, it also provides a unique view of the palace as it has been viewed for centuries. And watching the summertime fountain shows and fireworks reflected in the Grand Canal is a memory that lasts a lifetime!

Just across Piazza Bra from the Arena, the majestic Gran Guardia Palace (Palazzo della Gran Guardia) is one of Verona's most important historic buildings. Today a popular venue for exhibitions and cultural events, the palace had been used for various military purposes for centuries.

This large palace was designed in the early 17th century by Domenico Curtoni, but work was not completed until the mid-19th century under Giuseppe Barbieri. The facade combines elements of two different historical periods"”baroque and neoclassical"”with a row of arches on the ground floor that mirror those of the Roman amphitheater on the opposite side of the square. Originally intended as a covered space for soldiers to train in inclement weather, the palace also served as temporary housing for the Austrian military during Italy's first struggle for independence in 1848. Palazzo della Gran Guardia is open to the public only for exhibitions or other events like art shows and Vinitaly, Verona's wine conference. 

Walking tours of Verona almost always stop in Piazza Bra to see both the Arena di Verona and the Gran Guardia Palace, with its adjacent Portoni della Bra city gate, before continuing on to nearby attractions like Piazza delle Erbe, the Castelvecchio Bridge (Ponte di Castelvecchio), and Castel San Pietro.

Verona is a major city in the Italian region of Veneto, and well connected by train to Milan, Florence, and Venice. Piazza Bra is in the city's historic center, a short walk from the main train station.

Though the palazzo does not hold scheduled visiting hours, its full calendar of events means it is open to the public almost daily throughout the year.

Verona is most famous for being the backdrop for one of the greatest love stories of all time, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. As a result, two of the city's main attractions are Juliet's House (Casa di Giulietta) and Romeo's House (Casa di Romeo).

A large part of the opera house's popularity is due to its varied roster of entertainment and the 1,300-seat stage plays host to an array of operas, musicals, classical concerts and ballets throughout the year.  Behind-the-scenes tours are also available, offering visitors the chance to peek into the dressing rooms, watch the expert wigmakers, stage designers and costume tailors at work, and browse the extensive library, said to contain over 15 tons of sheet music.

At the heart of Barcelona, the Gran Teatre del Liceu is one of the most important opera houses in all of Europe and one of the most impressive sights of the city. Since its opening on La Rambla in 1847, it has been a cultural, artistic, and political hub for Catalonia. The theater was originally opened as a music conservatory and performance venue for students. It was kept up by private shareholders as opposed to government or monarchy for many years. It survived a major fire in 1994, after which the building was fully restored, updated, and transferred to public ownership. The original foyer, staircase, and main facade are still intact.

The theater is a major venue for classical music, opera, and dance in Barcelona. Many of the world's most famous opera singers have performed on its stage. Its beautiful interior is worth seeing even if you're unable to attend a show.

Join the city's creative types for a stroll around Haga and once you've finished browsing the shops and admiring the unique architecture, stop by the legendary Cafe Husaren, famous for its giant cinnamon rolls "“ a Swedish specialty "“ or relax at the stylish Hagabadet Spa. Another popular pastime is climbing the nearby RisÃ¥sberget hill, where the 17th-century Skansen Kronan fortress offers stunning views over Haga below.