Europe

For traveling to Europe and the Schengen area, you will need a valid visa. Which type of application is suitable for your travel plans depends on a few factors. We explain everything about the new ETIAS travel authorization for Europe.

Are you planning a vacation in Europe? Then, look forward to cultural highlights, breathtaking architecture, and sensational food! But before you dive into the rich history of old lady Europe, we have some important travel tips for you!

• Area: 10,523,000 km²
• Countries: 47
• Population: approx. 746 million

The climate in Europe is mainly temperate but varies greatly between countries and regions. Especially in the east and the Arctic north, you can expect very long and cold winters.

However, around the Mediterranean Sea, you will experience a Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers and mild winters. Many other parts of Europe tend to have a lot of precipitation throughout the year.

In Europe, you will see many different types of landscapes. These include majestic mountains as well as rolling plains, rugged coastal areas, flat beaches for swimming, deep forests, and crystal clear lakes. In short, Europe truly has something for every traveler's heart.

In the future, you will be able to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization to travel to Europe. However, the Schengen visa will remain in force. Also, before you travel, find out about the current entry requirements for your particular destination in Europe.

Europe has an excellent infrastructure of air routes, train lines, and bus companies. Roads are also immaculate in most countries, and you can take a relaxing road trip through Europe in a rental car.

In Europe, you still need cash in many places. However, in larger hotels, restaurants, and stores, you can pay with your credit card.

Since the local security situation can change spontaneously, keep up to date with current events and forecasts during your trip by reading the news and the weather report.

Europe may be a small continent in terms of area, but no other region is as diverse and rich in culture and sights. If you want to get to know the "old continent," you should take plenty of time, because a tour of the most beautiful sights in Europe is packed with things to discover.

The "Grande Nation" France is known for architectural masterpieces and cultural treasures. All of Paris, with its beautiful Beaux-Arts architecture, resembles a giant museum. Millions of visitors come to the French capital every year to marvel at attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Élysées boulevard with the Arc de Triomphe, the Sacré-Cœur, the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles. Apart from Paris, France has plenty more magnificent sights to offer: Strasbourg Cathedral, the Papal Palace in Avignon, and Mont-Saint-Michel are just a few of them.

Italy has produced many of the world's most spectacular sights, from Roman antiquity to the Renaissance. The "Eternal City" of Rome impresses with unique structures such as the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Forum Romanum, the Spanish Steps, and Castel Sant'Angelo. In Tuscany, travelers can visit Renaissance treasures like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, as well as the Uffizi Galleries and Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral in Florence. The stunning lagoon city of Venice stands out with attractions ranging from St. Mark's Square with St. Mark's Basilica to the Rialto Bridge and the Doge's Palace, as well as more than 200 palazzi along the Grand Canal.

The fact that ancient Greece was the "cradle of European culture" can still be seen today in monuments such as the Acropolis and Parthenon temples in Athens, the Knossos Palace on Crete, and the sanctuary of Olympia, where the Olympic Games of antiquity were held. Other very impressive sights include the monastery of Meteora and the volcanic island of Santorini.

Spain's Barcelona welcomes travelers with creative buildings like the Sagrada Familia Basilica and Park Güell, while you can visit Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, and the Prado in the chic city of Madrid. Each year, there are hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world who walk the Way of St. James, which takes them all the way to the imposing cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

The Gothic Cologne Cathedral, Munich's posh Marienplatz, the fairytale-like Neuschwanstein Castle, Dresden's rebuilt Frauenkirche, or the Berlin icons TV Tower and Brandenburg Gate – Germany in the heart of Europe awaits with a mix of sights from different eras and styles.

The Alpine country of Austria is full of beautiful churches and palaces. Among the biggest attractions are St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Hofburg Palace, and Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, as well as Hohensalzburg Fortress. The epitome of the Austrian mountain idyll can be seen on a tour of the picturesque town of Hallstatt in the Salzkammergut region.

Scandinavia is not only full of coziness and welcoming people but also fantastic sights such as Rosenborg Castle and Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, the gigantic Öresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden, the Stockholm Archipelago, and the North Cape in Norway.

There is also much to discover in Eastern Europe: magnificent monuments, including the Charles Bridge in Prague, the Parliament Building in Budapest, or Malbork Castle, picturesque towns like the Polish Hanseatic city of Gdansk and the Mediterranean beauty of Dubrovnik, and natural wonders such as the Giant Mountains and the High Tatras.