Things to Do in Europe

The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum is the resting place for some 1.5 million people, as the site once served as a concentration camp and extermination site of the European Jewish community during World War II. Today, Auschwitz-Birkenau is an important historical area, allowing visitors to reflect on the monumental horrors that occurred during the genocide.

The Basics

Auschwitz-Birkenau tours take visitors through some of the 13 surviving prison blocks that now feature museum exhibitions, many dedicated to victims and displaying documentary photographs and historical artifacts. In addition the main camp, a much larger camp called Birkenau (or Auschwitz II) sits about 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) to the west. This site has been left almost exactly as it was when the Nazis abandoned it at the end of the war, complete with gas chamber ruins, and is also considered a part of the UNESCO-listed Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. An official visitor’s center can be found at the entrance to Auschwitz I.

The two sites are often visited together on group or private tours from Krakow Old Town, available in a number of languages and generally including transport between the memorial areas, plus hotel pickup and drop-off or airport transfers. It's recommended that travelers allot about 90 minutes for each of the sites. A visit is also sometimes combined with a trip to the nearby Wieliczka Salt Mine.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Cell phones are not allowed in the permanent exhibition buildings.
  
• The ability to take photos varies by area, although it is not allowed in Room 5 of Block 4 or in the cellars of Block 11. Flash units and tripods are not allowed.
  
• The maximum size of any baggage carried in is 11.8x8x4 inches (30x20x10 cm).
  
• The museum discourages visits from children under the age of 14.
  
• While wheelchairs are available for use at the visitor's center, strollers may only be used outside of the blocks and other structures in Auschwitz I.
  
• The memorial is closed on January 1, Easter Sunday, and Christmas.
  

This alien-looking and vast silvery sculpture near the Bruparck was created in 1958 for the Expo 58 and represents a iron molecule magnified 165 billion times. A mesh of nine corridors leading to nine giant spheres, it was destined to be demolished after the exhibition but proved such a hit with the Bruxellois that it was reprieved and has become a national icon.

Reaching up to 335 feet (102 m) the Atomium underwent a much-needed and rigorous facelift in the early 2000s; the spheres were originally made of an aluminum skin but this has been replaced by stainless steel. An elevator shoots up the central column to the five spheres that are currently open to the public; three provide a permanent record of Expo 58 and two host temporary interactive art and science displays.

The highest sphere stands at 300 feet (92 m) above the ground and now has a glass roof, allowing 360° views across the Heysel Plain towards Brussels; on a clear day Antwerp’s cathedral spire can be spotted on the horizon. This level is also home to Atomium Restaurant, which serves brasserie-style dishes with the finest views in Belgium. At night all nine orbs are illuminated with nearly 3,000 twinkling lights.

Also known as Attendorn Dripstone Cave, Atta Cave is located in Attendorn, Germany, and is the country’s largest dripstone cave. Filled with stalagmites and stalactites that appear to be dripping from the ceiling, visitors can meander the cave’s 262-foot (80-meter) natural corridor below ground. It’s fun to think about what these otherworldly formations resemble: People, animals, castles and anything else your imagination can come up with.

You’ll be immersed in a bizarre yet beautiful world of stalagmite and stalactite striped curtains, pillars and forest, with the highlight being the otherworldly Kristallpalast (crystal palace) chamber. The startlingly beautiful natural attraction is thought to be over 400 million years old, formed when impure carbon dioxide-rich waters covered the water-soluble rocks. Interestingly, Atta Cave is thought by some to have therapeutic properties for certain ailments like asthma, bronchitis and insomnia.

With its sweeping white façade looming over the waterfront of Santa Cruz harbor, the Auditorio de Tenerife (Tenerife Auditorium) is an instantly recognizable landmark of the Tenerife capital. The futuristic design by architect Santiago Calatrava has drawn comparisons to the Sydney Opera House and its signature white concrete arc looks particularly spectacular at night when the rooftop is lit up from beneath.

Although guided tours are a popular way to admire the interiors of the Auditorio de Tenerife, the best way to experience the famous venue is to book tickets for a show. There’s a varied schedule of music and dance performances throughout the year, with highlights including the Tenerife Opera, the Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife and special Christmastime musicals.

At over 400 sq km (154 sq mi) and dense with pine, spruce and deciduous trees, Aukstaitija National Park is a real breath of fresh air.

The park’s forests attract deer, elk and wild boar but its biggest appeal, is its large number of lakes and rivers that make up 30% of the park’s total area. There are 30 rivers and 126 lakes in total and it is possible to explore many of them by boat or kayak. One of the prettiest lakes is Lake Baluosas, which has seven islands, one of which has a lake of its own.

There are over one hundred villages within the park, six of them protected as architectural monuments. Sights of interest within the villages include, the 19th century Ginuciai watermill, the bizarre Beekeeping Museum in Stripeikiai and an old wooden church (1750) and bell tower at Paluse.

AT 175m (574ft) the Ladakalnis peak offers breathtaking panoramic views of the forests and lakes below.

Designed by Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar in the mid-16th century and later extensively remodeled under Grand Master Manuel Pinto da Fonseca – who also commissioned the original warehouses that now form Valletta Waterfront – the Auberge de Castille has pride of place at Valletta’s highest spot and owns one of the most strikingly ornate Baroque façades in the city. It was built for the powerful Spanish and Portuguese members of the Knights of St John when they were constructing the fortified city of Valletta; it was customary to have separate lodging for each nationality within the order.

Following the enforced departure of the Knights of St John from Malta in 1798, the Auberge became headquarters to occupying French forces and then British troops. Symmetrical and well proportioned, the elegant façade was badly damaged during the bombing raids of WWII but has been beautifully restored; it now houses the offices of the Maltese Prime Minster, Joseph Muscat, and is beautifully floodlit at night.