Western Europe Travel Itinerary
+ Top Attractions (By Train)

Among Dublin's top attractions is the country's largest church, the 800 year old gothic St. Patrick's Cathedral. Nearby are several stunning medieval structures, including the Christ Church Cathedral and Dublin Castle. Adjacent to these historic structures is the popular Temple Bar District, which is known for its many pubs and thriving nightlife scene.

In Central Dublin you'll find the Irish Whiskey Museum offering tours and tastings, the incredible Trinity College Book of Kells Library with its famous Long Room, and the marvelous 17th century St. Stephen's Green, a beautiful tranquil park in the middle of the city. Nearby is the National Museum of Ireland Archaeology featuring many important artifacts and treasures, as well as the National Gallery of fine art.

The iconic Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's most popular tourist attractions, featuring trails along the edges of these lush steep cliffs from which you can enjoy gorgeous views above the rugged coastline. Many tours to the CLiffs of Moher also include a stop in the picturesque seaside town of Galway, which is known for its vibrant green scenery and lovely historic buildings.

London is a massive urban metropolis with thousands of years of history and countless things to do. The city is also known for its extremely diverse cuisine offerings from around the world, which includes an amazing variety of street food as well.

You'll find many of London's most iconic sights in the Westminster neighborhood, including the Big Ben clock tower, the breathtaking Palace of Westminster, and the royal Buckingham Palace where you can witness the changing of the guard. Be sure to also visit the magnificent 900 year-old Westminster Abbey, which hosts the tombs of Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, and more. Just across the River Thames from Big Ben is the famous London Eye Ferris Wheel, which offers stunning views high above the city.

In the City of London neighborhood you'll find the famous riverfront Tower of London, a royal fortress and castle with an extensive 900 year-old history. Here you'll find many exhibitions and rooms to explore, including the priceless Crown Jewels collection.

Adjacent to the Tower of London is the iconic Tower Bridge, which hosts a transparent glass floor you can walk along suspended between the bridge's towers. This area also hosts the Leadenhall Market, which was used portrayed as Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films, as well as the colossal and extravagant St. Paul's Cathedral, which offers amazing views from the top. Just across the river is the tallest building in the European Union, the London Shard, which hosts incredible views over the city.

Note that it's possible to visit Stonehenge (along with Salisbury) via an inexpensive tour directly from London or Bath. Alternatively you might choose to visit the site via public transportation and include a few more sights along the way.

Salisbury is home to the impressive Salisbury Cathedral, which houses the best surviving copy of the Magna Carta document, a very important historical document. You'll also find a beautiful ornate cloister here, which is the largest in England. Salisbury also hosts the Salisbury Museum, displaying archaeological finds from Stonehenge.

Amsterdam is a stunning city consisting of countless lovely canals lined with many charming historic buildings. Most of the city's sights are concentrated around the city's center and the Museumplein square. The best ways to enjoy the city are to walk or bike around and enjoy the beautiful scenery and canals, and to also take a boat tour through the canals. Amsterdam is also the city of bikes, and many sightseeing tours via bike are available.

Just outside of Amsterdam are many amazing attractions which are easily reached via public transportation or car. Additionally, tours from Amsterdam are available which combine several of these popular attractions.

One of the most iconic sights of the Netherlands is Zaanse Schans, which hosts many historic windmills and houses along the Zans River, set amongst the idyllic Dutch countryside and many small canals.

The capital city of Belgium is known for its stunning architecture representing various time periods from the medieval era to the neoclassical and present. While in Brussels be sure to indulge in delicious Belgian waffles.

The UNESCO listed Grand Place Square is the city's most iconic sight and is considered to be one of the finest squares in Europe, surrounded by strikingly elaborate and opulent medieval buildings, many of which are embellished with gold. A bit northeast of Grand Place is the decadent Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert, an elegant 19th century arcade-style shopping mall. Nearby is the St. Michael & St. Gudula Cathedral, a marvelous gothic medieval church.

Just east of Grand Place is the Mont des Arts (Hill of Arts), a sloped urban complex built around a park and gardens which offers stunning views over the city. Nearby is the grandiose neoclassical Royal Palace of Brussels, an 18th century palace which you can tour in late Summer. The area around the Royal Palace also hosts the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Musical Instruments, and the beautiful Eglise Notre Dame du Sablon, a highly ornate gothic church.

Bruges is a stunning city with countless medieval structures, best enjoyed by walking around and exploring. The large city center is the historic medieval area of Bruges, consisting of many islands created by many winding canals and rivers.

A very popular activity in Bruges is to take a small boat ride along the medieval city's canals for a scenic sightseeing tour. Two of Bruges' most gorgeous canal viewpoints include the Brugge Fotoplaats Photo Point and the Wollestraat Bridge, which both overlook elegant medieval buildings along the canals, with the bridge offering picturesque views of the Church of Our Lady of Bruges.

The French capital of Paris is a massive city full of striking monuments, world-class museums, and lovely historic buildings. Paris also offers an amazing array of cuisines from around the world, especially from Southeast Asia. For several popular attractions it's necessary to book tickets in advance, including the Eiffel Tower's elevator, the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay Museums, and the Paris Catacombs.

The iconic Eiffel Tower is over 1,050 feet (320 m) tall, hosting observation decks from which you can enjoy incredible panoramic views over the city. Visit the Montparnasse Tower's observation deck for stunning views high above the city and of the Eiffel Tower. Enjoy picturesque views below the tower from the expansive Champ de Mars park and the beautiful Trocadero Gardens.

The magnificent Arc de Triomphe also hosts an observation deck towering above the famous Champs-Elysees, a grand avenue lined with high-end shops and boutiques. Just outside of Central Paris is the gorgeous and highly ornate Sacre-Couer basilica, which offers amazing views over the city.

Paris's Ile de la Cite island in the Seine River hosts the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, an elegant and highly elaborate medieval church. Also on the island is the ultra-lavish 13th century Sainte-Chapelle, a former royal chapel with breathtaking stained-glass windows. Adjacent is the castle-like Conciergerie, a medieval royal palace later used as a prison, which features Marie Antoinette's preserved prison cell on display.

In the area surrounding Paris you'll find several prominent attractions, including grand castle-like chateaus, Disneyland Paris, and the UNESCO-listed Chartes Cathedral. Among these attractions however, the most popular is the iconic Palace of Versailles, which is also the nearest to Paris and can be quite easily reached by car or public transportation.

Be sure to purchase tickets for the Palace of Versailles at least one week in advance as it is extremely popular and impossible to visit without an advanced reservation. The Palace of Versailles is truly massive, hosting many highly ornate decadent rooms, most notably the Royal Apartments and opulent Hall of Mirrors.

Surrounding Versailles is a seemingly endless expanse of landscaped gardens and parklands, which host many grandiose fountains, sculptures, several smaller lavish palaces, a towering artificial waterfall, and a gigantic man-made lake which you enjoy in a paddle boat.

Barcelona is a massive city and the capital of Catalonia and is best known for its many wondrous and highly intricate structures designed by the famous Antoni Gaudi, which comprise many of Barcelona's top attractions. Be sure to make advanced reservations for Gaudi's most popular attractions, including La Sagrada Familia, Casa Battlo, Casa Mila (or La Pedrera) and Parc Guell.

The fairytale-like Casa Batllo is a highly eccentric building featuring many fantasy-like elements, with very trippy and colorful rooms. Nearby is Casa Mila (or La Pedrera), a tall building known for its fantastical spire-covered roof, which features winding walkways and terraces set amongst surreal architectural features.

La Sagrada Familia is a towering basilica that's nearly 560 feet (170 m) tall and has been under construction for nearly 140 years. The basilica's exterior showcases a hyper-complex mix of gothic and art nouveau architecture, with multiple giant towers. This basilica's interior is breathtakingly aesthetic, with vibrant rainbow-colored stained glass windows, and massive white columns that support highly intricate geometric flower-like patterns on the ceiling.

In the foothills of Barcelona is Gaudi's iconic Parc Guell, a fantasy-like park with many amazing and colorful unique structures, including the famous mosaic tile terrace overlooking Barcelona. The park also hosts oddities such as it gingerbread-like houses, Doric column rooms, and palm tree-like colonnaded footpaths.