Europe is the second smallest continent and even though it is usually considered a continent, it is actually 1/5 of the continent of Eurasia. There are about 33 countries in Europe. The most northern part of the European mainland is Norway; the southernmost is Spain. From west to east the mainland ranges from Portugal, to Russia.

Europe has a long tradition of distinction in literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and dance. In the late 20th century Paris, Rome, London, Madrid, and Moscow were predominantly famous as cultural centers.

Europe is physically distinct for its jagged coastlines, peninsulas, islands, mountains and rivers so they take advantage of natural waterways and highways. The present road network has been developed through the centuries, with rail systems expanding quickly in the 19th century and air travel in the 20th. Over the past 30 years, Europe built most of its present modern airports, a remarkable web of modern highways and a new high-speed rail system. So, with travel easily accessible, you can explore all of their wonderfully diverse attractions from the incredibly magnificent Alps, to the London Bridge, to the Eiffel Tower, to the gondolas of Venice and the columns of Rome and much, much more. The possibilities are unlimited.

Attractions:

• Eiffel Tower: Completed in 1889, this colossal landmark, although initially hated by many Parisians, is now a famous symbol of French civic pride in Paris.
• Grand Canal: Venice's main water thoroughfare, lined with great Renaissance palaces, is a colorful and busy spectacle of gondolas and vaporetti.
• Mount Etna: Sicily's greatest natural attraction is also its highest mountain. Mount Etna, at 10,990 feet, is the most active volcano in Europe and the oldest recorded active volcano in the world.
• Mount Vesuvius: The only active volcano on the mainland of Europe, Mount Vesuvius is famous for the catastrophic eruption in 79AD, which buried the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii.
• Plaza Monumental de Toros de las Ventas: Spain's largest bullfighting ring.
• Red Square: Once the site of executions and military parades, the square sits smack in the middle of Moscow, bounded on one side by the Kremlin walls and Lenin's tomb and on the other by GUM, the country's largest department store.
• Spanish Riding School: The performances of the horses trained by this famous equestrian school in Vienna have astonished audiences for over 400 years.
• Westminster Abbey: An architectural masterpiece of the 13th to 16th centuries, the Abbey has been both the coronation and burial site of English monarchs since William the Conqueror.