Discover the age-old continent through these Europe travel stories, its curious, unsung places as well as its more familiar spots.
You may notice a few countries that may not traditionally be considered European. Europe’s borders are never easy to define. So I’ve decided to go by the old definition I learned in school: In the east, Europe ends at the Ural Mountains. That means the Caucasian countries are part of Europe, according to Sophie’s World. This is probably also according to the countries themselves: they are all members of the Council of Europe and cooperate with the European Union with a view to future membership. Also, they all countries participate in the Eurovision Song Contest; can’t argue with that.
- Albania
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- British Isles
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Faroe Islands
- Greenland
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Holy See (Vatican)
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Kosovo
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Türkiye
- Ukraine
Latest Europe travel stories
Edvard Munch’s house of happiness
There are some places where history feels carefully preserved behind glass. And then there are places where it feels as though the owner has only just stepped out for a walk. Edvard Munch’s house in Åsgårdstrand is one of those places. Or... that is what I thought until the guide told us Munch was messy. So messy, in fact, that when the municipality [...]
Siena: faded facades and slightly surreal relics
Been focussing a bit on facades lately and stumbled across a few photos from way-back-when the girls and I were wandering in Siena – way-back-when being circa 2007. I used a proper camera back then, see, but must have left it at the ancient farmhouse just outside San Gimignano that day, because all I can find from that day trip to [...]
Rome: ancient wonders and everyday magic
There are cities you visit, and then there are cities that just take hold of you. Rome does that almost immediately. I never tire of walking around this city for hours on end. It feels like I am moving through several layers of civilisation all at once. Is it the way ancient ruins appear without warning between busy streets and [...]
Vintage Versailles
Versailles is one of those places that manages to live up to the lofty expectations and mythology that surrounds it. You will have seen photos of the glittering Hall of Mirrors or the endless gardens, but nothing quite prepares you for the scale of it all when you arrive in person. From the golden gates outside to the enormous chandeliers [...]
Along the banks of the Seine
The Seine feels instantly familiar, doesn't she? The river and the banks - Rive Gauche and Rive Droite - they are timeless and cinematic, and very much alive. Every time I return to Paris, I somehow find myself back beside the river, on either bank. Often both. I have walked here often: sometimes early in the morning hurrying to a [...]
Florence inspired by a fun & easy read
Florence made an unexpected literary reminder for me today. Not through a guidebook or a blog, but through Alexander McCall Smith’s 44 Scotland Street series, which you know I really enjoy. I love getting a feel for the atmosphere, and getting to know the characters who live on this Edinburgh street, all with various delightful quirks. Well... perhaps not all [...]
Facades of Prague: history written in stone
Some cities wow you with big, dramatically designed monuments (looking at you, Rome!) But Prague? Prague kind of flirts with you through its walls. Sure, you'd expect magnificent castles, cathedrals and grand squares - and yes, Prague has those in spades, and yes, they are magnificent. But what sticks with me after many visits through the years to the Czech [...]
Fjords and waterfalls in Norway
Growing up in Norway, we tend to take the extraordinary beauty of our country for granted. Mountains, forests, fjords, waterfalls - they're all a part of the background of daily life. Something you pass on family road trips, and see through a ferry window. As children, we assume everywhere is like this. It's first after travelling abroad, or seeing friends [...]
Reykjavik’s delightfully weird side: 2 cultural curiosities and a space-adjacent sleep
What do you think of when you hear the name Reykjavik? Glaciers, geothermal pools and good-natured locals who survive winter darkness with alarming emotional stability? Yep, it’s all there. But what you might not know, is how weird Reykjavik is. It doesn't shout about its quirks, this little city. It hides them underground, on side streets, and in unexpected buildings, [...]
THEN & NOW: Nagorno-Karabakh is Artsakh is Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh: what images or memories does that name conjure up for you? Perhaps news from the 1990s, stories of war and upheaval, and again in the 2020s, when conflict flared once more? To me, it always evoked a strange combination of fear and fascination; a name that carried both a whisper of peril and the thrill of the unknown. It [...]
Landwasser Viaduct: nature, culture and engineering
Many years ago, I was in St Moritz on a work trip. To get there, I took the narrow-gauge Bernina Express from Chur. Gorgeous views all the way, but that's nothing special in Switzerland; almost everywhere is gorgeous in this little country. (And yes, it is little - about half the size of Scotland.) What I couldn't see from the [...]
Liechtenstein: where everything works
Vaduz, Liechtenstein 8 October 2025 This year, I have prioritised visiting new countries, which for the most part means countries that are challenging, both politically and practically: visas are hard to get, things are generally unpredictable (power cuts included), rubbish is thrown about haphazardly seemingly without any care, and the wheels of everything move slowly and inefficiently. In short, the [...]
