Things to Do in Europe

The Egyptian Obelisk is also known as the Obelisk of Theodosius or the Obelisk of Thutmose III. The Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III originally ordered the construction of the obelisk in the 15th century B.C. at the temple of Karnak, near present-day Luxor. The Roman Emperor Constantius II transported the obelisk up the Nile River to Alexandria in the year 357 to commemorate his twentieth year in power. It remained there until Byzantine Emperor Theodosius moved it to Istanbul in 390 and erected it what was then known as the Hippodrome of Constantinople.

Built at the same time as the Lateran Obelisk that stands in the Circus Maximus in Rome, the Egyptian Obelisk was made of red granite from Aswan and once stood 30 meters tall. Due to damage to the base during transport, today it stands just under 20 meters high, not including its pedestal. The four sides of the obelisk feature inscriptions celebrating a military victory by Thutmose III in 1450 B.C.  and carvings on the marble pedestal date back to 390, when it was re-erected in the Hippodrome.

Originally built in the 13th century as a defense against Vikings, Eilean Donan Castle is one of Scotland’s best-known architectural treasures. It last played a historical role during the 18th century Jacobite uprisings, and was subsequently left in ruins until it was rediscovered and lovingly restored in the early 20th century.

The castle sits proudly on a peninsula in Loch Duich, ringed by rugged hills, and you can immediately see why this is one of the most-photographed sites in Scotland. Walk the shore of the loch to find your own vantage point and then explore the castle itself, where you can visit the banqueting hall, kitchens and bedrooms.

Responsible for protecting, maintaining and promoting Edinburgh’s Old and New town UNESCO world Heritage sites, the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust (EWHT) is one of the city’s principal cultural centers. In 2011, the EWHT moved into the Acheson House, next door to the Museum of Edinburgh in the Old Town and its ground floor is now linked to the museum and a 17th-century style garden courtyard. Built in 1633 for Sir Archibald Acheson, the grand townhouse was restored by the Marquess of Bute in the 1930s and now forms one of a cluster of grade A listed buildings on Canongate, the lower part of the famous Royal Mile.

The Edinburgh World Heritage Trust also organizes city heritage tours and the 2-week Edinburgh Old Town Festival each June, which features dozens of tours, art shows, exhibitions and storytelling events, celebrating the rich history and heritage of the Old Town.

Snuggled up against the Guadalqivir River’s east bank and set amidst some of Seville’s most storied streets, you’ll wander upon El Arenal. Its name (arena means sand in Spanish) tells the story of its past, when, during the 16th and 17th centuries, the sandy-banked neighborhood was used as Seville’s port, making it one of the most important port cities in the world. From its shore, boats set off west for the New World, or east for spices, and returned with grand treasures.

These days, the neighborhood, which sits within the city's historic quarter, is especially known for its residents' passion for bullfighting and also religion. Their faithfulness is evident in the abundance of Arenal brotherhoods, whose devotion can be seen during Holy Week each year, when Seville’s Catholicism comes to life in colorful processions that take over the city streets.

Within El Arenal you’ll also find some of the Seville's most notable sights, such as the 13th-century Torre del Oro, erected as a watch tower under Muslim rule; the royal shipyards of the Real Atarazanas; and the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza, the second-most important bullring in Spain after the one located in Madrid.

With its famous tapering cast iron tip, the Eiffel Tower is not just the symbol of Paris but of all of France. Erected by Gustave Eiffel to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution in 1889, the 1,050-foot (320-meter) tower once held the title of the world's tallest structure. Despite having been dwarfed by Dubai's Burj Khalifa and The Shard in London, the Eiffel Tower remains one of the most recognizable landmarks on the planet. View the architectural icon from afar, or stop in at the three observation levels for stellar city views.

One of a trio of famous peaks that dominate the Bernese Alps, the Eiger, along with the neighboring Jungfrau and Mönch, is one of Switzerland’s most recognizable mountains, towering 3,970 meters above the resort town of Grindelwald. Notorious among climbers, scaling the 1,800 meter near-vertical North Face of the Eiger is one of the country’s most challenging feats, first accomplished in 1938 and claiming a number of lives over the years. It’s perhaps for this reason that the mountain was named – ‘Eiger’ translates from the German word for ‘Ogre’.

Thankfully, less-skilled mountaineers can still enjoy a number of hiking and climbing trails on the Eiger, the most famous of which is the Eiger Trail, which runs along the foot of the famous North Face. The dramatic landscapes of the Eiger can also be viewed by taking the scenic train ride to Jungfraujoch, where Europe’s highest train station and observation deck is aptly nicknamed the ‘Top of Europe’.