The best things to do across Europe for tourists have been unveiled based on TripAdvisor’s best-rated ‘Thing To Do’ for every country.
The list provides the perfect inspiration for travellers unsure of how to plan their activities on holiday this summer.
Mobile voucher platform VoucherCloud has created a map which contains the top listing from every country in Europe, including natural, historic, tourist and religious attractions.
But while some of the top sights seem obvious choices on the continent, a few come as a surprise, particularly for the UK.
Forget London and its Big Ben, Buckingham Palace or the London Eye, the main attraction in the UK, according to TripAdvisor, is the Harry Potter Studio Tour.
The attractions is a behind-the-scenes walking tour featuring authentic sets, costumes and props from the Harry Potter film series in Leavesden, southeastern England.
The Harry Potter Studio Tour welcomes up to 6,000 visitors a day during peak time.
Germany’s top choice is also intriguing. Just like the UK, Germany is similarly well regarded for its history and architecture, yet visitors hold the ‘Miniatur Wunderland’ – the World’s largest model railway, housed in Hamburg – in the highest regard.
According to TripAdvisor, visitors can “see trains running through recreations of Hamburg and the coast, Austria, the Grand Canyon and Scandinavia.”
The ‘Miniatur Wunderland’ was begun in 2000 and they say “further theme worlds” have been planned until 2028.
Slightly higher culture reigns over in France where the top attraction is the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, France.
The 19th century museum is housed in a former railway station and boasts works of art by Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh.
No surprise is St Peter’s Basilica being the top attraction in Vatican City, the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Spain and the Colosseum in Italy.
Further top things to see in Europe include the Acropolis Museum in Greece, the Grand Palace in Belgium, Bratislava Old Town in Slovenia, the Matterhorn in Switzerland and Gulfoss in Iceland.
Head of Operations at VoucherCloud, Chris Johnson said of the findings: “It’s a slight shame that, compared to the rest of Europe, few of the attractions are focused on nature.
“We’re obviously struggling to compare to the New Zealands and Canadas of the world but you think one European destination might be down to its natural beauty.
“However, between a model village, the Harry Potter Studio Tour and some other truly historic monuments – said with a tongue in cheek, of course – Europe has put in a good showing, staking a claim to some of the most respected tourist spots around the world.”
TripAdvisor also looked at the top attractions in the rest of world which featured tourist favourites the Taj Mahal in India, Central Park in the USA and the Temple of Karnak in Egypt.
Also included were the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood in Russia, the Great Wall of China and Sydney Harbour in Australia.
Twenty four beaches made the cut around the world, alongside 19 museums, 19 national parks or nature reserves, 10 castles or fortresses and nine waterfalls.
Top things to do in Europe
Albania – Butrint Ruins
Andorra – Grandvalira Ski Resort
Armenia – Monastery of Geghard
Austria – Historic Centre of Vienna
Azerbaijan – Old City Baku
Belarus – Brest Hero-Fortress
Belgium – Grand Palace
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Gallery 11/07/95
Bulgaria – Nessebar Village
Croatia – Ancient City Walls
Cyprus – Fig Tree Bay
Czech Republic – Old Town (Stare Mesto)
Denmark – Nyhavn
Estonia – Tallinn Old Town
Finland – Fortress of Suomenlinna
France – Musee d’Orsay
Georgia – Gergeti Trinity Church
Germany – Miniatur Wunderland
Greece – Acropolis Museum
Hungary – Parliament
Iceland – Gullfoss
Ireland – Killarney National Park
Italy – Colosseum
Kosovo – Ethnographic Museum
Latvia – Old City Riga
Liechtenstein – Vaduz Castle
Lithuania – Vilnius Old Town
Luxembourg – American Cemetery Memorial
Macedonia – Lake Ohrid
Malta – Mdina Old City
Moldova – Stefan cel Mare Park
Monaco – Private Antique Car Collection of Prince Rainier III
Montenegro – Bay of Kotor
Netherlands – Rijksmuseum
Norway – Geiranger Fjord
Poland – Main Market Square
Portugal – Quinta da Regaleira
Romania – Peles Castle
Russia – Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
San Marino – Guaita
Serbia – The Belgrade Fortress
Slovakia – Bratislava Old Town
Slovenia – Lake Bled
Spain – Basilica of the Sagrada Familia
Sweden – Vasa Museum
Switzerland – The Matterhorn
Turkey – Hagia Sophia Museum
Ukraine – Gorky Central Park
United Kingdom (UK) – Harry Potter Studio Tour
Vatican City (Holy See) – St. Peter’s Basilica
