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Top-rated destinations in Europe

Top-rated European travel destinations

Introduction

Eupedia is committed to delivering impartial and objective ratings for destinations and attractions featured in its travel guides, employing a set of well-defined criteria. Our evaluation process is comprehensive, comparing sights not only within specific regions or countries but also across European nations. This approach ensures consistency in ratings across all locations, maintaining a uniform standard of assessment.

The rating system is designed to identify and highlight truly exceptional destinations, regardless of their geographical location. As a result, the distribution of highly-rated attractions may not be uniform across regions. Some areas may lack top-tier attractions, while others may boast numerous must-see locations.

Eupedia prioritizes objectivity in its assessments, eschewing a "politically correct" approach that would artificially balance the number of highly-rated attractions across regions. This commitment to unbiased evaluation allows travelers to make informed decisions based on the genuine appeal and significance of each destination, rather than on a predetermined quota system.

By maintaining this rigorous and impartial rating methodology, Eupedia aims to provide travelers with reliable and valuable information to enhance their European travel experiences.


5 stars Cities

In our travel guide, the prestigious 5-star rating is reserved for Europe's most exceptional cities. These rare gems exemplify architectural harmony, rich historical significance, thriving cultural and culinary scenes, and an abundance of world-class museums and attractions. The depth and diversity of these metropolitan treasures are such that a brief 2-3 day visit merely scratches the surface; to truly appreciate all they offer, visitors would ideally dedicate several weeks to exploration. This highest accolade is awarded sparingly, acknowledging only those urban centers that consistently deliver outstanding experiences across all evaluated criteria, truly representing the pinnacle of European destinations. Very few cities outside Europe would be rated 5 stars according to these criteria. The most obvious one would be New York City.

Florence (Firenze)
Sunset on Florence, Tuscany (© Fyle - Fotolia.com)
best in Europe Florence
London
Tower Bridge at dusk (© Nina Matthews | iStockphoto.com)
best in Europe London
Madrid
Madrid cityscape and aerial view of of Gran Via shopping street (© Robert Zehetmayer | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Madrid
Paris
Eiffel tower, Paris
best in Europe Paris
Rome (Roma)
Piazza Navona, Rome (ID 120695489 © F11photo | Dreamstime.com)
Best in Europe Rome
Stockholm
Gamla stan, Stockholm (© Kalin Eftimov - iStockphoto.com)
best of Europe Stockholm
Venice (Venezia)
Canal in Venice, Veneto (© Vladimir Khirman - iStockphoto.com)
best in Europe Venice

4.5 stars Cities

Cities rated 4.5 stars are truly exceptional destinations, distinguished by remarkable architecture and world-class museums. These cities offer a wealth of attractions and experiences, providing visitors with enough to explore and enjoy over the course of several days. These are often capitals, former seats of independent republics or kingdoms (e.g. Genoa and Dresden), or former royal cities (e.g. Potsdam and Sintra).

Amsterdam
Aerial view of Amsterdam at night (© Rob Harpenau | iStockphoto.com)
must-see Amsterdam
Barcelona
Park Guell, Barcelona (© MasterLu - Fotolia.com)
must-see Barcelona
Berlin
Reichstag, Berlin (© pp76 - Fotolia.com)
must-see Berlin
Brussels
Grand Place, Brussels (© Eupedia.com)
must-see Brussels
Budapest ※
must-see Budapest
Dresden (※)
Dresden (© S Hagebusch - Fotolia.com)
must-see Dresden
Edinburgh
Edinburgh (© shaiith - Fotolia.com)
must-see Edinburgh
Genoa (Genova)
Historical centre of Genoa, Liguria (© antonio scarpi - Fotolia.com)
must-see Genoa
Lisbon
Lisbon (© MF - Fotolia.com)
must-see Lisbon
Potsdam
Potsdam
must-see Potsdam
Prague
must-see Prague
Sintra
Pena National Palace, Sintra (© Frédéric Prochasson - Fotolia.com)
must-see Sintra
Vienna
Austrian Parliament, Vienna (© World travel images - Fotolia.com)
must-see Vienna
Zürich
Zürich (© Combo Design - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Zurich

4 stars Cities

Cities rated 4 stars are top destinations within their respective countries. These are typical well-preserved historical cities with homogeneous architecture and a pleasant atmosphere.

England

Cambridge
King's College, Old Schools & Clare College, Cambridge University (© oversnap | iStockphoto.com)
must-see Cambridge
Oxford
Bridge of Sighs, Oxford (© Arsty | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Oxford
York
York Minster (© Andyrogers23 | Dreamstime.com)
must-see York

Belgium

Bruges ※
Provincial government building at night, Bruges (© Eupedia.com)
must-see Bruges

Spain

Bilbao (Bilbo)
Cathedral of Bilbao (© Borjalaria | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Bilbao
Cáceres
Plaza de Santa Maria, Caceres (© PHB.cz - Fotolia.com)
must-see Caceres
Cordoba
Arabic arches hallway in Corodoba's mosque (© Jose Ignacio Soto - Fotolia.com)
must-see Cordoba
Granada
Lions Patio at the Alhambra, Granada (© Rafael Ramirez - Fotolia.com)
must-see Granada
Salamanca
Town Hall on the Plaza Mayor, Salamanca (© Matt Trommer)
must-see Salamanca
San Sebastián (Donostia)
Aerial view of San Sebastián at sunset (© Amartphotography | Dreamstime.com)
must-see San Sebastián
Santiago de Compostela
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela at night (© Luxian - Fotolia.com)
must-see Santiago de Compostela
Segovia
Roman Aqueduct, Segovia (© esp2k - Fotolia.com)
must-see Segovia
Seville
La Torre del Oro and la Giralda, Sevilla (© Alcerreca - Fotolia.com)
must-see Seville
Toledo
Toledo (© novales5 - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Toledo

Portugal

Porto
Porto (© neirfy - Fotolia.com)
must-see Porto

France

Annecy
Annecy, Rhône-Alpes (© L.Bouvier - Fotolia.com)
must-see Annecy
Bordeaux
Bordeaux, Aquitaine (© Claude Coquilleau - Fotolia.com)
must-see Bordeaux
Dijon
Dijon, Burgundy
must-see Dijon
Lyon
Lyon, Rhône-Alpes (© raoulgalop - Fotolia.com)
must-see Lyon
Nice
Nice, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (© TMAX - Fotolia.com)
must-see Nice
Strasbourg
Strasbourg, Alsace
must-see Strasbourg

Switzerland

Berne
Berne (© swisshippo - Fotolia.com)
must-see Bern.
Geneva
Geneva (© Mihai-Bogdan Lazar - Fotolia.com)
must-see Geneva
Lucerne
Chapel Bridge, Lucerne (© Roman Beer | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Lucerne

Italy

Milan (Milano)
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan, Lombardy (© Ivan Floriani - Fotolia.com)
must-see Milan
Naples (Napoli)
Bay of Naples, Campania (© Sergiogen - Fotolia.com)
must-see Naples
Palermo
Palermo, Sicily (© emicristea - Fotolia.com)
must-see Palermo
Syracuse (Siracusa)
Fishing boats moored in the harbour of Ortigia island, Syracuse, Sicily (© Arsty | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Syracuse
Trani
Trani, Apulia (photo by Sergio Santamaria - CC BY-SA 4.0)
must-see Trani
Turin (Torino)
Royal Palace, Turin (© vivienne bellini - Fotolia.com)
must-see Turin
Verona
View of Verona from Castel San Pietro (ID 169668165 © Paolo Tralli | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Verona

Denmark

Copenhagen (København)
Nyhavn in Copenhagen (© fotofreakdgy - Fotolia.com)
must-see Copenhagen

Estonia

Tallinn
must-see Tallinn

Latvia

Riga
must-see Riga

Poland

Gdańsk
must-see Gdańsk
Kraków ※
must-see Kraków
Warsaw ※
must-see Warsaw

Germany

Nuremberg
Nuremberg (© Mario Carbone - Fotolia.com)
must-see Nuremberg
Schwerin
Schwerin (© schlichteasy - Fotolia.com)
must-see Schwerin
Würzburg
Würzburg (© vom - Fotolia.com)
must-see Würzburg

Austria

Salzburg
Old Town of Salzburg at night (photo by Jiuguang Wang - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
must-see Salzburg
Graz
Town hall of Graz (photo by Tamirhassan - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
must-see Graz

Slovenia

Ljubljana ※
must-see Ljubljana

4 stars Towns (< 75,000 inhabitants)

Little gems that are must-see attractions despite their small size. Several of them are among the most visited places in their respective countries (e.g. Mont-Saint-Michel, Carcassonne, Rothenburg, Český Krumlov, Dubrovnik).

France

Carcassonne
Carcassonne, Languedoc-Roussillon (© Barkin Vitaliy - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Carcassonne
Colmar
Colmar, Alsace
must-see Colmar
Dinan
Dinan, Brittany
must-see Dinan
Mont Saint-Michel
Mont-Saint-Michel, Lower Normandy
must-see Mont-Saint-Michel

Germany

Bamberg
Bamberg (© Edler von Rabenstein - Fotolia.com)
must-see Bamberg
Celle
Town hall of Celle (© Mapics | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Celle
Quedlinburg
Quedlinburg (© Klaus Rose - Fotolia.com)
must-see Quedlinburg
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Siebers Gate near the intersection of Plönlein and Kobolzeller Steige, Rothenburg ob der Tauber (© XtravaganT - Fotolia.com)
must-see Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Czechia

Český Krumlov (Krumau) ※
must-see Český Krumlov

Croatia

Dubrovnik ※
Dubrovnik (© Fotolia.com)
must-see Dubrovnik

Italy

Pompeii
Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius against a vibrant sunset (© Simon Taylor | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Pompeii
Taormina
Taormina, Sicily (© Francesco83 - Fotolia.com)
must-see Taormina

4 stars Castles & Palaces

These are the very best castles, châteaux and palaces in Europe. We only included those that can be visited (excluding those that are only open to visitors a few days of the year on special occasions like heritage days).

England

Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle (© Klaas Lingbeek- van Kranen | iStockphoto.com)
must-see Alnwick Castle & Garden
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
must-see Blenheim Palace
Buckingham Palace
must-see Buckingham Palace
Burghley House
Burghley House (photo by Anthony Masi - Creative Commons Licence)
must-see Burghley House
Castle Howard
Castle Howard (photo by chris - Creative Commons Licence)
must-see Castle Howard
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House (photo by Rob Bendall - Creative Commons Licence)
must-see Chatsworth House
Hampton Court Palace
must-see Hampton Court Palace
Holkham Hall
Holkham Hall (photo by Hans A. Rosbach - CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported license)
must-see Holkham Hall
Stowe House & Gardens
Stowe Landscape Gardens (© patrickw - Fotolia.com)
must-see Stowe House & Landscape Gardens
Waddesdon Manor
Waddesdon Manor (© Peter Clark | iStockphoto.com)
must-see Waddesdon Manor
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
must-see Windsor Castle

Scotland

Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle (photo by Snowmanradio - CC-SA 2.0 Generic license)
must-see Dunrobin Castle
Floors Castle
Floors Castle (© Gail Johnson - Fotolia.com)
must-see Floors Castle
Hopetoun House
Hopetoun House
must-see Hopetoun House

France

Chambord Castle
Chambord Castle, Centre
must-see Chambord Castle
Chantilly Castle
Chantilly Castle, Picardy (© 2005 Idarvol - CC BY-SA 2.0 France)
must-see Chantilly Castle
Compiègne Palace
Compiègne Castle, Picardy (© 2005 Idarvol - CC BY-SA 2.0 France)
must-see Compiègne Castle
Fontainebleau Palace
Château de Fontainebleau, Ile-de-France
must-see Fontainebleau Castle
Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle
Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, Ile-de-France
must-see Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle
Versailles Palace
Palace of Versailles, Ile-de-France
must-see Palace of Versailles.

Spain

El Escorial
Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial (© dasharosato - Fotolia.com)
must-see El Escorial

Czechia

Jaroměřice Palace
Jaroměřice Palace, Czechia (photo by JirKrato - CC BY-SA 4.0)
must-see Jaroměřice Palace
Valtice Palace ※
Valtice Palace, Czechia (photo by VitVit - CC BY-SA 4.0))
must-see Valtice Palace.
Lednice Castle ※
Lednice Castle, Czechia (photo by Creativfoto - CC BY-SA 4.0))
must-see Lednice Castle

Hungary

Eszterháza
must-see Esterházy Palace

Germany

Herrenchiemsee Palace
Herrenchiemsee Palace (© Bergfee - Fotolia.com)
must-see Herrenchiemsee Palace
Hohenzollern Castle
Hohenzollern Castle (© clearlens - Fotolia.com)
must-see Hohenzollern Castle
Linderhof Palace
Linderhof Palace (© Kurt MISAR - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Linderhof Palace
Ludwigsburg Palace
Ludwigsburg Palace (© clearlens - Fotolia.com)
must-see Ludwigsburg Palace
Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle (© Boris Stroujko - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Neuschwanstein Castle

Italy

Caserta Royal Palace & Park
Caserta Royal Palace, Campania (© Salvatore Pandolfi - Fotolia.com)
must-see Royal Palace of Caserta

4 stars Natural & Historical Destinations

For destinations that blend natural landscapes with historical architecture, our guide employs a star-based rating system rather than the leaf-based system used for purely natural attractions. The highest rating for this category is 4 stars.

Slovenia

Lake Bled
Lake Bled, Slovenia (photo by Arne Müseler - CC BY-SA 3.0 de)
must-see Lake Bled

Portugal

Algarve Coast
Praia da Marinha, Algarve Coast (© Anobis - Fotolia.com)
must-see The Algarve

Italy

Amalfi Coast
Positano, Amalfi coast, Campania (© jeremyreds - Fotolia.com)
must-see Amalfi Coast
Lake Como
Lake Como (© RUBEN GUTIERREZ - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Lake Como
Val d'Orcia
Valley D'Orcia between Pienza and San Quirico d'Orcia in Tuscany (© Lesley Jacques - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Val d'Orcia

Greece

Meteora ※
Meteora's monastery (photo by Stathis floros - CC BY-SA 4.0)
must-see Meteora
Corfu ※
Picturesque village of Paleokastritsa and its beach on Corfu Island (© Sorin Colac | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Corfu
Mykonos
Aerial view of the famous windmills above Mykonos town (© Sven Hansche | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Mykonos
Santorini
Traditional white houses in Oia, Santorini (© Maglara | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Santorini

4 leaves National Parks

4 leaves is the highest rating for natural attractions. These represent the best natural parks in Europe.

Iceland

Snæfellsjökull National Park
Mount Kirkjufell, Snæfellsjökull National Park (© Dieter Meyrl - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Snæfellsjökull
Vatnajökull National Park
Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, Vatnajökull National Park (© Rafa Irusta - Fotolia.com)
must-see Vatnajökull National Park

England

Dartmoor National Park
Dartmoor National Park (© Moorefam | iStockphoto.com)
must-see Dartmoor National Park
Lake District National Park
Lake District National Park (© andrewroland - Fotolia.com)
must-see Lake District National Park
Peak District National Park
Peak District National Park (© James Thew | iStockphoto.com)
must-see Peak District National Park
Yorkshire Dales National Park
Yorkshire Dales National Park (© Kevin Eaves | iStockphoto.com)
must-see Yorkshire Dales National Park

Spain

Bardenas Reales Natural Park
Castil de Tierra, Bardenas Blancas (© Grazia RUH - Fotolia.com)
must-see Bardenas Reales Nature Reserve
Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park
Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park (© Lukasz Janyst | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park
Picos de Europa National Park
Naranjo de Bulnes known as Picu Urriellu in Asturias, Picos de Europa National Park (© Antonpetrus | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Picos de Europa National Park
Teide National Park
Teide National Park (© pjmorley - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Teide National Park

Portugal

Madeira Natural Park
Madeira Natural Park (© felinda - Fotolia.com)
outstanding Madeira Natural Park

Wales

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Snowdonia National Park
Winter in Snowdonia, Wales (© Gail Johnson - Fotolia.com)
must see Snowdonia

France

Ardèche Natural Park
Pont d'Arc, Ardèche Gorges (© Robert Paul Van Beets | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Ardèche Gorges.
Calanques National Park
Calanques National Park (© Pat on stock - Fotolia.com)
must-see Calanques National Park
Vanoise National Park
Vanoise National Park, Rhône-Alpes (© Dga1958 | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Vanoise National Park
Verdon Natural Park
Verdon Gorges, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (© Richard Wöhrl | iStockphoto.com)
must-see Verdon Gorge
Volcanoes of Auvergne Natural Park
Puy Griou, Auvergne
must-see Volcanoes of Auvergne Regional Natural Park

Italy

Abruzzo National Park
Young chamois, Abruzzo National Park (© Excalibur - Fotolia.com)
must-see Abruzzo National Park
Cilento & Vallo di Diano National Park
Palinuro, Cilento & Vallo di Diano National Park (Photoworld.it - Fotolia.com)
must-see Cilento & Vallo di Diano National Park
Dolomites
Sella Pass in the Dolomites near Canazei (© antonio scarpi - Fotolia.com)
must-see The Dolomites
Gargano National Park
Tremiti Islands, Gargano National Park (© Vaclav Janousek - Fotolia.com)
must-see Gargano National Park
Maddalena Archipelago
Caprera island, Maddalena archipelago, Sardinia (© Susana Guzmán Martínez - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Maddalena Archipelago National Park

Sweden

Sarek National Park
Sarek Nature Park (© Tony Johansson - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Sarek National Park

Romania

Retezat National Park
must-see Retezat National Park

Poland

Tatra National Park
must-see Tatra National Park

Slovakia

Tatra National Park
must-see Tatra National Park

Czechia

Bohemian Switzerland National Park
must-see Bohemian Switzerland National Park

Germany

Berchtesgaden National Park
Berchtesgaden National Park (© Minnystock | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Berchtesgaden National Park
Saxon Switzerland National Park
Sunset on Saxon Switzerland, Saxony (© Fox497 | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Saxon Switzerland National Park

Slovenia

Triglav National Park
Triglav National Park, Slovenia (photo by Gunter Nuyts - pexels.com)
must-see Triglav National Park

Croatia

Krka National Park
Skradinski Buk Waterfall, Krka National Park (© Zdeněk Matyáš | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Krka National Park
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Plitvice Lakes National Park (© Artur Bogacki | Dreamstime.com)
must-see Plitvice Lakes National Park

Other 4 leaves Natural Attractions

These are other must-see natural attractions that aren't officially designated as national parks or natural parks.

Ireland

Cliffs of Moher
Cliffs of Moher (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
must-see Cliffs of Moher

Netherlands

Keukenhof Gardens
Keukenhof Gardens (© Nicole Aletta Planken-Kooij | iStockphoto.com)
must-see Keukenhof Gardens

Portugal

Lagoa das Sete Cidades
Lagoa das Sete Cidades (© Four888 - Adobe.com)
must-see Lagoa das Sete Cidades

Norway

Geirangerfjord
Geirangerfjord, Norway (© MicheleBoiero - Fotolia.com)
must-see Geirangerfjord
Lysefjord
Lysefjord, Norway
must-see Lysefjord
Sognefjord
Sognefjord viewed from Aureland, Norway (© Morten Normann Almeland - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Sognefjord

Switzerland

Bernese Oberland
Jungfrau and Grindelwald Village in Berner Oberland (© nevereverro - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Berner Oberland
Matterhorn
Matterhorn (© Leroy Julien - iStockphoto.com)
must-see Matterhorn

Italy

Aeolian Islands
Salina, Aeolian Islands, Sicily (© eyeworld - Fotolia.com)
must-see Aeolian Islands
Mount Etna
Mount Etna, Sicily (© Francesco83 - Fotolia.com)
must-see Mount Etna


Eupedia's Rating System

Cities, towns, villages & historic buildings

  • very good : Local interest
  • very good : Moderately interesting
  • outstanding : Outstanding place
  • must-see : Must-see in the country
  • best in Europe : Top cities in Europe

Natural attractions

  • : Local interest
  • : Moderately interesting
  • : Highly recommended
  • : World-class natural attraction
  • ※ : UNESCO World Heritage site