Best Vacation Spots in Europe
What makes a city one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world? Europe is a continent full of cities that travelers flock to year round for several reasons. Solo travelers, as well as families, are drawn to European cities because of the many things they have to offer. With their rich cultures, unique food, and abundant history, European cities offer some of the top vacation spots in the world.
From one side of Europe to the other, and from Spain to Turkey, Europe has many places worth visiting. Barcelona, Spain is a big city mostly without the big city feel, meaning that it does not feel overcrowded or suffocating like many other large cities. There is unusual architecture in Barcelona as well as Gothic architecture that is well worth seeing. One of the most famous structures in Barcelona is La Sagrada Familia. It is still under construction, but follows the guidelines that Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi initially set forth.
Gaudi is most known for his famous architecture that is scattered throughout the city, but he also designed furniture and landscaped around Barcelona. Building of La Sagrada Familia began in 1882 and has been funded by donations ever since. When the church is finished, it will have 18 towers and be an iconic building in the center of Barcelona.
On the other side of Europe, Istanbul is a city also rich with culture. It straddles both east and west, with one side of the city in Asia and the other in Europe. Although it may not be considered one of the top beach vacation spots in Europe, Istanbul’s location on the Bosporus and close to the Black Sea as well as the Mediterranean, makes it a city close to many of the beautiful beaches Turkey has to offer.
There is plenty to do in Istanbul as well. From the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Empire to modern Turkey, Istanbul is a testament to Turkey’s vast history. For example, the Hagia Sofia (Ayasofya in Turkish), was originally a church built in 550 A.D. that was later converted into a mosque by the Ottomans in 1453. Currently, researchers are attempting to uncover old church paintings beneath the mosque’s walls that were displayed in the original church.
Just across the street from the Hagia Sofia is the other famous mosque, the Blue Mosque. Built by Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent in the 1500s, it is one of the biggest mosques in the world and entry is free. Everyone is required to take their shoes off before entering and women need to be modestly dressed and cover their heads to enter. The architecture and fine details of the Blue Mosque are worth seeing.
Barcelona and Istanbul are just two of many cities in Europe that have a lot to offer travelers. Learn about why Constantinople changed to Istanbul or why La Sagrada Familia has been under construction for over 100 years by paying a visit to Barcelona.
