Most Visited Countries in Europe

Tourism has become a culture in the human race. The art of tourism is an act of appreciating nature and art and exploring historical times. In essence, it is an acknowledgment of beauty. Among all places in the world, Europe is the most visited. It is recorded that over 50% of the world’s tourists visit Europe, giving a statistic of about 200 million visitors yearly.

Despite being the second smallest continent globally, its high influx of tourists is owed to its terrains, civilization, architecture, and weather conditions, among others. In Europe, certain countries attract the most foreigners. This attraction is because they have more ecstatic features than other European regions. This article highlights the top most visited countries in Europe.

The most visited country in Europe is France, with about 100 million tourists. In 2018, it recorded more than 88 million tourists. It had had this ranking record since the mid-90s when it recorded a tourist visit of more than 61 million visitors. France is filled with many attractions that cannot be exhausted in just one year. Among all its visited sites, the 320m high Eiffel Tower is the most prominent, and it is located in the country’s capital, Paris. It was constructed with 8000 metallic parts, having three different levels to capture the city’s amazing views and relaxation.

Due to France’s ancient history and culture, the country is characterized by substantial monumental palaces like the Palace of Versailles, pristine castles and chapels like the Notre-Dame Cathedral, middle-age villages like St-Émilion, high places, and notable markets. Any visitor in France cannot miss all these places and many more.

The country of Spain enjoys a large stream of visitors each year, with an inflow of about 83 million guests. It is found on the Iberian Peninsula and is filled with unique places to visit. In Spain, every new place you visit is in immense awe, compared to the previous. The beauties of Spain cannot be mentioned entirely without including its many coasts on its ocean and sea, several indigenous carnivals, and tropical islands. Without forgetting to mention that UNESCO has 47 of its heritage sites in Spain. The list of Spain’s glamours cannot be ended if its tasty delicacies and excellent performances at sports events are excluded.

The most visited place in Spain is Barcelona. It has gained huge visits from worldwide because of its beautiful coastlines, famous stadium “Camp Nou,” enormous religious structure known as the “Sagrada Familia, and other incredible sites.

Italy ranks third on the list of the most visited countries in Europe. In Italy, it is a traditional practice for every person to eat Pasta and Pizza. It applies to both residents and visitors. Between 2016 and 2018, Italy has recorded a total of about 180 million tourists. The country contains globally recognized sites like the ancient arena called “The Colosseum” built-in 80 AD, the glamorous “Cinque Terre” with colorful buildings hanging on a cliff, and the mysterious Leaning Tower Pisa many other fabulous places.

In Italy, the most visited city is its capital, Rome. Rome in ancient times was a powerful empire and ruled over many regions. Among its attractions are Vatican Museums and innumerable ancient arts and cultures. Italy generally is not left out on mansions, churches, waterfronts, and arts.

Turkey, formerly known as the Ottoman Empire, is a country that hosts at least 50 million guests. In Turkey, the primary destination for travelers is its capital, Istanbul. Istanbul alone hosts about 20% of Turkey’s visitors. The city was created about 2600 years ago and has been a converging spot for western and Asian countries. Due to its history in its government, it still holds artworks from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. Also, it is a home of salivatory dishes from the middle east, regulated by favorable weather conditions and domesticated friendly animals roaming through its streets.

Historians are primarily interested in its historical artifacts and regions. Examples are the rock valleys of Cappadocia, the ancient Ephesian Greek city, and many more. Tourists in Turkey often enjoy their visits by lodging in its superfluous hotels and viewing its history in its utmost beauty.

Most of the German budgets are funded by tourism. It welcomes up to 37.9 million visitors each year. Germany is a must-stop location for visitors in Europe and has a robust industry for tourism. Germany is surrounded by several countries on its cardinal points, beginning from Denmark on its North, the Czech Republic and Poland on its east, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands on its west, and Switzerland and Austria on its south. All these countries are accessible by rail or air.

Berlin accounts for more visitors in Germany than other cities, with more than 400 art galleries and 100 museums. Some of Berlin’s most loved sites are the Museumsinsel and the Berlin wall. There are different sites to see and places to visit in Germany. Visiting Immigrants in Germany would have heard of places like the Cologne Cathedral, the Zoological Garden in Leipzig, and even the Reichstag building. The stories told of these places are a drive for curiosity for visitors. Also, Germany is well known for its festivity. Usually, Germans celebrate events like the Cologne Carnival and the Berlinale movie festival.

The UK has been a very significant country in the European continent. It is home to more than 36 million tourists and comprises Wales, Northern Ireland, England, and Scotland. The UK is an ancient kingdom. And as expected, it contains notable archaic places like cathedrals, castles, royal homes, and many other remarkable ancient structures that pique tourists’ interests. The Stirling Castle, the Roman Baths, the Georgian City of Bath, and more buildings are the most prominent structures.

In the UK, London ranks as the most visited city, with over 21 million visits. London is peculiar for its art, designs, eatables, style, language, and civilization. It is the most global city on earth. Most times, the United Kingdom has more tourists during bank vacations and summer periods.

Austria receives more than 30 million visitors. It is a planet of art and nature. Most of its castles were erected during the reign of Habsburg. The gardens and castles of Baroque, the remains and memorials from the Middle Ages, and many more are the beauties of Austria. Austria’s prominent buildings are so many and detailed that it would take months to have a satisfactory visit to all of them. Austria provides a lot of relaxation with its winter games like the Austrian Alps, ski sports at Innsbruck, and many other recreational games.

In Austria, the most visited municipality is the capital city, Vienna. In Vienna, you would find the remains of the golden empire, like luxurious palaces and impressive opera houses. More so, Vienna has a culture of making extraordinary cuisines in its top-notch restaurants and producing the best coffees in its coffee buildings littered all around the city.

ETIAS is known as the European Travel Information and Authorization System. It is a plan that requires visitors to travel into some European countries without a visa. Instead of a visa, they will apply for an ETIAS. This process is intended to safeguard the European borders, and these chosen countries are known as the Schengen Areas.

The scheme was intended to have begun in 2021, but for proper preparation, the implementation of the ETIAS scheme will take place towards the end of 2022. Nonetheless, it might not be compulsory until the following year. The ETIAS scheme is strictly meant for travelers with tourism and business intentions with a stay period of up to 3 months.

There are 26 ETIAS countries that are part of the Schengen Area. Some include Italy, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia, Germany, Finland, Greece, Latvia, France, Liechtenstein, Belgium, etc. Currently, over 60 countries have been included to take part in the visa waiver process. Some are Bahamas, Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Barbados, etc.