One of the things I love about travel in Europe is that you can hop on a train, ride it for a few hours, and by the time you get off, you find yourself surrounded by a different culture, language and landscape. There is so much diversity across the continent and you don’t even have to travel very far to find it!
I have now been to Europe around 5 times, yet I still feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. I’ve travelled to places like Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Finland, Estonia, England, Scotland, Bulgaria and Turkey, but there is still so much left to see! I’m hoping to return to Europe once again later this year, but in the meantime I wanted to share a few of my favourite photos – I hope they’ll give you a little bit of inspiration for your own travels!
Looking out over the Alfama district in Lisbon, Portugal.
The day we got lost in Germany and ended up at a monastery in Bebenhausen.
This shot from Strasbourg’s old town makes me feel like I’m in a Disney movie.
A regal visit to Hampton Court Palace in England.
The triumphal arch of Rua Augusta in Lisbon, Portugal.
This is springtime in Freiburg, Germany. Could those flowers be more beautiful?
Summer picnics at Esplanade Park in Helsinki, Finland.
The Rotunda of Saint Martin in Prague, Czech Republic.
Enjoying cafe culture and the art of outdoor dining.
The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.
Horse riding through the forest in Kimito Island, Finland.
Along the banks of the Neckar River in Tuebingen, Germany.
The gardens of Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Germany.
Mauerpark on a Sunday afternoon – picnics, flea markets and karaoke. That’s Berlin in a nutshell.
That iconic view of Galata Tower in Istanbul, Turkey.
Climbing the steps up Helsinki Cathedral, Finland.
Rose gardens, because this is England.
Meandering down Vitosha Boulevard in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Freiburg Minster and rooftops as seen through the foliage, Germany.
The shimmering mosaics inside Hagia Sofia, Istanbul.
Looking beautiful even in the rain; this is Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland.
Travelling Europe by train is one of the best ways to experience it.
On a boat tour down the Rhine in Strasbourg, France.
Morning light streaming in through a stained glass window.
The iconic Tower Bridge (which is not the same as London Bridge!)
Marble sculptures so gentle and lifelike.
The little known neighbourhood of Novy Svet (New World) in Prague, Czech Republic.
Days filled with art galleries and museum visits.
The calm of nature in Nuuksio National Park, Finland.
Architectural details in Prague, Czech Republic.
Kreutzigerstrasse, the most colourful residential street in Berlin, Germany.
Beach huts along the Baltic Sea in Hanko, Finland.
How can buildings looks this beautiful? See it for yourself in Prague, Czech Republic.
Dining at Olde Hansa, a medieval establishment in the heart of Tallinn, Estonia.
A moving history lesson in the Culloden Battlefield, Scotland.
A sunset over the harbour in Helsinki, Finland.
Wandering the Old Town in Prague, Czech Republic.
Looking up at Edinburgh Castle from the graveyard in Edinburgh, Scotland.
This sweet little cat lives inside Hagia Sofia. Istanbul’s cats are well looked after.
A uniquely designed stone church in Ekenäs, Finland.
Cafe hopping for giant cups of hot chocolate in Tallinn, Estonia.
Charlottenburg Palace, the only surviving royal residence in Berlin, Germany.
This astronomical clock has been ticking for 600 years in Prague, Czech Republic.
Driving through the fog in the Isle of Skye. Scotland is such a great country for a road trip!
Where else is absinthe readily available if not in Prague, Czech Republic?
Tiny cottages on the Golden Lane, which once housed alchemists in Prague, Czech Republic.
The ever impressive Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Empty champagne bottles from a fun night out on the town in Tallinn, Estonia.
The fields in bloom in the island of Högsåra, Finland.
A cute little cottage offering room and board and cakes in Prague, Czech Republic.
Hopefully this post has shown you that there is something in Europe for every type of traveller. Whether you want to walk down Prague’s romantic streets, visit the castles and the equally impressive gardens scattered around England, or enjoy the sounds of nature along Finland’s archipelago, there is something in Europe that’s just right for you.
What are some of your favourite European destinations?
Where are you looking to go in 2015?
Stunning collection of photos, definitely a great idea for putting together all that diversity!
I LOVE train travel.
I’m most looking forward to going to Ireland for my friend’s bachelorette party; all my other plans have yet to form.
Ireland for your friend’s bachelorette sounds like so much fun! The first thing that popped to mind was that scene from “Made of Honour” where the bride-to-be goes to the pub with her friends to collect kisses…but then I realized that was Scotland, haha. I’m sure Ireland has its own traditions that are just as fun! I wouldn’t expect anything less from the Irish. 😉
Lovely photos! I’ve only been to the UK, and I’m seriously itching to explore more of Europe! Will you be focusing on a specific region when you visit this year? Or just going to wing it?
We don’t have much of any itinerary yet, but I have a feeling we may start with Western Europe since Sam hasn’t done much travels there, and then slowly work our way over to Eastern Europe and then down to the Balkans.
Absolutely love this! I had been thinking about a visit to Lisbon this year and those pictures have made me want to go even more now 🙂
Lisbon is really pretty! I loved all the colours and the buildings covered in elaborate tiles. It’s very affordable compared to most of Western Europe.
Like you I find the diversity of language, culture, and sights intoxicating. Europe might be my favorite region in the world.
Wow! I’m so excited to go to all these places since we’re now based in Europe. Stunning photos as always Audrey!
Wow!! These are all INCREDIBLE! I’m in love with Europe and will be returning for my 5th time in late February. I’ll be going all around and visiting friends until late May. So far I have Spain, Germany, England, France, and Italy on my list 🙂
Happy travels!
Well, I’m sold. Get me back to Europe ASAP! (Good thing I’m going at least twice this year!)
Ah Europe, my favourite place to explore. I don’t think I could ever see enough despite living and travelling there for 7 years, I will still always go back for more 🙂
I love the first 3 pics! Now I have to add Finland and Portugal to my “to-do” list. Thanks for nothing 😉
Cool post, thanks!
Well, it’s a treat to go through such photos! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing! Europe is perhaps every traveler’s dream. Italy is on top of my bucket-list! I guess, even you haven’t been there yet. But you have an impressive list of European countries under your belt. Some of the photos that you showed here are so different – the one of ‘Empty champagne bottles from a fun night out on the town in Tallinn, Estonia’. And the last photo from Prague looks straight out of a story-book!
Fantastic photographs Audrey. Absolutely fantastic!
I’m British and I live in Germany so I’m biased as I think that Europe is the best place in the world to live in and of course my absolute best destinations are my own country: England, other parts of the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
Where am I looking to go in 2015? Scandanavia, the Balkan and the Baltic regions.
I’m already plenty a Europhile, these photos are a beautiful kind of torture – and making me want to revisit my own archives.
You make me lovesick for Berlin. Definitely got me thinking about booking a flight in one of the many airline sales on at the moment!
Great reminder of how beautiful Europe is!
My European 2015 destination plans are Berlin, Stuttgart (for the beer festival Volksfest!) and some travel around Spain that’s not very defined yet. If I find a cheap flight to Rome, I’ll add that to the list too.
And I love traveling by train, if it’s feasible in terms of costs I’ll always choose a train over any other method of transport.
Love these photos so much audrey ! i simply CAN NOT wait to visit Portugal – those buildings look amazing . Best wishes for 2015
Amazing photos – there’s so much to see in Europe, and such diversity. I also love the train systems there, making it super easy to get around. Unfortunately, no plan to travel there yet this year, but I’m only just now planning for next month!
Lovely photo essay Audrey. It makes me realize that I need to get to Romania soon!
Amazing photos, and so cool that you’ve traveled to all those places. Would definitely love to travel around Europe on of these days 🙂
First of all, really nice photos, they inspires me to travel even more.. I could see that you have visited Finland which is a nice destination.. Another suggestion is Stockholm/Sweden, especially summer time, here are some suggestions for what to do: http://www.etravelclouds.com/category/sweden/
I have never been that impressed by Europe. Maybe because I was bought up in the UK. Briefly did Germany, Spain, and France and then decided to head further afield
Really nice photos, you had a couple of destination above that are in our “bucket list” for 2015. Turkey and Istanbul was one of my favourite destinations from 2014. If you are going back to northern Europe, don’t miss Sweden. Have recently made a story of “seven thrilling things to do in Stockholm”
Europe is so beautiful in summer! Having lived in Europe most of my life, I was never really attracted to it as a travel destination. I need to move to Asia for a year to start appreciate Europe’s character and beauty. Haven’t done a real “Euro-trip” yet, but looking at these pictures really inspires me to plan one soon!
Audrey, I love your photos…It really shows some beautiful parts of this lovely continent. I think I’ve got to get to Finland this year…just gotta!
Nice photo essay. Living in the UK I do feel quite lucky that within an hour flight, I can be in a number of countries, that have a completely different language and culture. Something I think Europeans tend to take for granted.
Amazing pictures!! It really makes me wanna travel Europe more! As Germans we sometimes need to be reminded how lucky we are living in the heart of Europe, only hours away from many other beautiful countries and cultures! Thanks for reminding me 🙂
And this is why I spent all my breaks and free time in europe 🙂 Awesome Photos!
Being from Europe, I normally want to visit other continents when travelling but seeing your amzing pics makes me believe that I missed out! Seems like I will have to pursue some travelling closer to home!:)
Hey Audrey!! I love all your photos… and it really just make me want to travel even more!
You are right, there is so much to see here in Europe, and so many amazing places! I live in Europe for 4 years now and still have a lot to visit 😀
This year I will visit Denmark for the first time, and I am very excited 😉
I dont know if you have ever been to Stockholm… its amazing!
If you ever come to Munich let me know if you want to meet!
Allane.
Lovely! I am already in Europe but I definitely want to travel around our beautiful continent more! In 2015 I am looking forward to a couple of trips to London and Sussex, and a weekend somewhere in northern Italy in the spring!
Sold! Especially like the photo of Kreutzigerstrasse. Great list!
This type of picture post is one of the reasons I shouldn’t be trusted with my own savings… I’d buy plane tickets with every penny if I stayed on your blog for too long 🙂
Lovely pictures!! I’ve been in many places you talk in Europe and are quite well represented. I write a travel blog: sweetale.es.
Congrats from Spain!!
Beautiful photos! I love the mix of landscapes, architecture and the more intimate moments that make travel so unique. This post was a little bit too inspiring – I hear my savings account crying a little bit now….
I always want to travel to Europe. So many interesting places and cultures to explore. Not sure if I’ll make it back in 2015, but my trip to Amsterdam and Frankfurt in 2014 was amazing!
These places are so beautiful! I’m glad that Sofia, Bulgaria (the city I live in now) is among them 🙂 Prague and Edinburgh are first on my list, I hope I will visit them soon.
Great shots! I’d love to visit Estonia and Croatia. So much to see in Europe. I have lived in the foothills of the French Pyrenees for the past 8 years and know the SW of France very well. You simply *must* include this area in your 2015 Western Europe itinerary, Audrey! The mountains are *very* accessible, the scenery is breathtaking, the culture and history fascinating and the food and wine … well, I don’t need to tell you! Do drop me a line if I can help you plan your trip, won’t you?
Even though I live in Europe, this just reminds me how much more of the continent there is to see! Now off to research plane tickets… 🙂
Lovely. So you went to Freiburg too? We brought along our folding bikes and used trains. Strasbourg was great as well as Prague, Copenhagen, etc. https://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/category/european-trip-2010/
No Cracow photos ? One of most buitifull city in eastern Europe. Definitly worth to check 🙂
Of all the pictures I think the one from Prague are the best. Can’t wait to go there this summer !!!
Amazing photos! I lived in Europe for about 3 years, but have never truly backpacked through the continent. Now that I’m based in Asia, these photos are making me wanna head back and explore the parts I haven’t been to already!