Booking a European summer getaway used to be as simple as picking a spot on the map, but the reality of traveling in 2026 requires a different strategy. While travelers are all chasing that perfect historic plaza or alpine horizon, the reality is that the “safety” of a destination now depends as much on digital …

I’ll never take for granted how lucky I am to call Europe home. Being based in Paris, with a good few London and Ireland years under my belt before that, I basically grew up hopping countries and crossing borders like it was no big deal. In the Schengen era, it’s not like there are even …

Let’s cut right to the chase: yeah, that headline is a bold claim. Visiting 100+ medieval European towns takes years of obsessive travel, and a borderline-nerdy passion for Gothic history that’d make most big-brained Oxford scholars jealous. I’m no prof, but I’ve always loved getting lost in the shadowy alleys of a 15th-century walled town. …

If you think of fairytale castles, cobblestone towns frozen in time, and picturesque plazas lined with cafés, chances are you’re imagining Western Europe. As much as security has taken a turn for the worse in recent years—especially compared to the Eastern front—there’s no denying the West is absolutely stunning: from the canal-crisscrossed cities in the …

Let’s face it, as beautiful as those Mediterranean beaches may be, and as jaw-dropping as alpine peaks are, the primary reason why millions of travelers flock into Europe year in, year out is not the continent’s natural wonders: We’re here for the ancient culture, baby. Cobblestone streets that look like they’ve barely changed an inch …

We’re sure you’ve heard that old proverb ‘kill two birds with one stone’ at some point? If we’re thinking international travel, there’s nowhere better to apply it than Europe, a continent that has, for the most part, completely abolished internal passport checks, and where crossing internal borders feels as smooth as riding the Amtrak from …

From the fairytale castles that look like they’ve been cropped straight out of a storybook scene, to the cobbled streets lined with half-timbered houses and quirky shops, to the beautiful, ornate architecture of the medieval cathedral in the town center: Nothing says ‘magical’ quite like a European village frozen in time (in the best possible …

Europe’s Railway Renaissance keeps charging ahead in full speed, and after other recent excitement announcements, from a new scenic route traveling from Paris all the way to the Amalfi Coast, to a sleeper connecting Switzerland to Scandinavia, there’s now more to look forward to: From next month, an overnight train traveling through a handful of …

Sipping a caramel hot chocolate with views of majestic peaks for days, strolling an ancient cobbled town dusted in snow, and breathing in the fresh mountain air: there’s nothing quite like a frosty escape to the European Alps. However, if all you can think of is an overpriced ski resort in Chamonix, France, or the …

You probably grew up listening to stories about how Western Europe is the pinnacle of human development: safe and clean streets, an abundance of resources, beautiful architecture, and, of course, a fascinating culture. Meanwhile, Eastern Europe was the ‘bad cousin’, always fighting wars, decades behind in growth, and in a permanent communist chokehold—but oh, how …

Europe’s pro-mobility scheme is the gift that just keeps on giving: Following a spate of exciting new launches, from the low-cost train from Paris to Brussels, to Germany’s extremely popular, $65 train pass, Deutschland Ticket, yet another European city is hopping on the bandwagon and luring tourists with transport incentives. Except this time, it’s not …

Though some may disagree, there’s no better time to visit Europe than winter: between the little to no crowding and the snow-dusted church spires that look almost like they’ve been cropped out of a storybook, it’s nothing short of magical. Plus, some countries are just made to be experienced in winter. Austria is one such rare example, …