Europe
The Many Faces of Europe
Europe is the world’s second-smallest continent, and it is debatable how many counties are in Europe. If you consider the transcontinental countries, there are 50 countries in Europe located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and can be divided into seven geographic regions:
Scandinavia – Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark
Northern Europe – the United Kingdom and Ireland (in the English Channel and the Baltic Sea)
Western Europe – France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Monaco
Southern Europe – Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Italy, Malta, San Marino, and Vatican City
Central Europe – Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary
SE Europe – Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and the European part of Turkey
Eastern Europe – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, the European portion of Russia
Apart from the regions, Europe is home to five transcontinental countries between the borders of Europe and Asia. They include Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey.
Everyone dreams of travelling to Europe to experience deep-rooted history, stunning architecture, and picturesque countrysides together with the diverse culinary of each region. It is an incredible destination year-round, and it’s certainly a place that needs to be explored.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT
Europe makes an excellent year-round destination, depending on where you want to go.
Late March to early June and September to November are the best times to visit in the Summer when the weather is warmer.
Climate
It varies in each country, and the time of year you are travelling.
Most airlines fly into many major hubs of Europe, depending on which direction you are coming.
Etihad Airways, Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways offer great prices and connections.
Check Skyscanner for great airfares.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Language:
The most spoken languages in Europe are Russian, German, French, Italian, English, Spanish, Polish and Dutch (to name a few).
Currency: EURO (EUR)
The following countries use the Euro: Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.
Countries that use other currencies:
Bosnia Herzegovina (BAM), Bulgaria (BGN), Croatia (HRK), Czech Republic (CZK), Denmark (DKK), Hungary (HUF), North Macedonia (MKD), Norway (NOK), Poland (PLN), Romania (RON), Serbia (RSD), Sweden (SEK), Switzerland (CHF), Turkey (TRY)
Banks & ATMs:
ATMs are the easiest and smartest way for travellers to get cash throughout Europe.
Plugs and Sockets:
Europe generally uses Type C, E, and F.
Type C consists of two round parallel pins, while the wall plug has two holes where it is connected.
Safety: Travelling to Europe is generally easy, safe and fun. But be vigilant as petty crimes such as pickpocketing can happen in popular cities like London or Paris.
Practice common sense and avoid dark alleyways at night, especially if you travel as a solo female.
