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Europe : Western Europe

Western Europe

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Western Europe is one of the regions of Europe. Most people coming from North and South America going to elsewhere is the world will likely fly via here from a stop or to catch an connecting flight. It has the most flights worldwide than anywhere else however most people find there is plenty to do here. It contains over 137,000,000 people in it and is one of the most densly populated areas in the world.

Countries

Other territories

Common sub-region names

Benelux:

Cities

In order of population

Understand

  • The Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Belgium, France,and Netherlands are members of the European Union; Channel Islands and Isle of Man are not.
  • Belgium, France, Republic of Ireland, Luxembourg, and Netherlands use the Euro.
  • Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and Netherlands are members of the Schengen Agreement [1], removing border checkpoints.

The region "Western Europe" is sometimes confused with the "Western Bloc", which was a Cold War name for the market-economy countries of Europe, as opposed to the Eastern Bloc of communist countries. "Western Europe" is used here more specifically.

Get In

By Plane

With 8 out of the 30 busiest airports of the world located here there are many flights and operators, including budget airlines, which can often be cheaper than bus or train. Major airports can be found for the following cities, however most cities all have good airports with many international connections:

By Train

There are excellent connections to and from Germany and Switzerland in Central Europe and good connections with Italy and Spain.

By Car

By Bus

Get Around

By Train

You can see the whole region by train. Cross border connections are very good between most EU countries. Paris and London are the main hubs in Western Europe and the Eurostar train takes just over 2 hours to travel between the two capitals.

By Car

By Bus

See

Do

  • Explore the creepy Tower of London
  • Ride the London Eye Ferris Wheel
  • Stroll in a London Park like Hampstead Heath, Regents, St. James, or Hyde
  • Zip through the chunnel on a high speed train from London to Paris or Brussels
  • Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
  • Stroll grand Parisian Boulevards
  • Climb Montmartre Hill in Paris
  • See a managable amount of art in the Louvre, or see the art in the Orsay Museum, in a former train station
  • See the surprisingly modern architecture in the business district of La Defense
  • See the Science Museum in Villette Park, and the other odd attractions assembled there
  • Stroll an old train viaduct on the Promenade Plantee in Paris
  • See the stunning, but crowded, Versailles Palace
  • Ride the TGV, one of the fastest trains in the world, from Paris to Lyon
  • Cross the beach at low tide and then climb to the top of Mont Saint Michel
  • See the D-Day Beaches of Normandy
  • Explore Chartres Cathedral
  • See the quaintness of the Alsace
  • Sunbathe on the beaches of the French Riviera
  • Eat Belgian chocolate, cheese, and beer
  • Take a canal cruise of Bruges
  • See the unusual atomium and nearby little Europe in Brussels
  • See the battlefield at Waterloo
  • Bike alongside or cruise the canals of Amsterdam
  • See Anne Frank's Amsterdam house
  • See, cautiously, Amsterdam's Red Light District
  • Bike through the tulip fields of Holland and its windmills
  • See the astounding architecture of central Rotterdam
  • Climb the tower of the Dom-church in Utrecht

Sleep

Eat

Drink

Get Out

With so many major airports, ports and railway stations the rest of Europe is never too far away.

Stay Safe

Despite its population density, the area is generally very safe, though this varies greatly depending on where you go. Obviously in most major cities you will find areas with high crime rates. These areas should be avoided by tourists. Same-sex couples and those identifying as LGBT should have no problems as this is one of the most tolerant regions in the world. In fact many people come from around the world because of the tolerant atmosphere. Illicit drugs can be a problem, but not one which should affect tourists.

This page was last edited at 19:25, on 22 January 2009 by Colin Jensen. Based on work by Jani Patokallio, Jesse Miers, Jim Nicholson, Jack Dann and David, Wikitravel user(s) Morph and Episteme, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.