{"id":24549,"date":"2023-08-22T12:45:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-22T11:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/?p=24549"},"modified":"2025-08-15T12:36:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T11:36:09","slug":"facts-about-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/facts-about-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"25 random fun facts about Europe you never knew"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Classy, diverse, and filled with the world&#8217;s most unique attractions, a continent that is pretty fascinating to explore on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/en-us\/destinations\/europe\">European tour<\/a>. On Earth&#8217;s smallest continent, you&#8217;ll find the smallest town in the world. The biggest church on earth. A knighted penguin. And 200 unique languages. Truth be told, there are hundreds of random fun facts about Europe \u2013 we&#8217;ve somehow whittled them all down to 25 of our favorites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-the-notre-dame-is-the-most-visited-attraction-in-europe\">1. <strong>The Notre Dame is the most visited attraction in Europe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2023\/08\/sid-verma-yaAud5QYX84-unsplash-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-874678\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/sid-verma-yaAud5QYX84-unsplash-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/sid-verma-yaAud5QYX84-unsplash-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/sid-verma-yaAud5QYX84-unsplash-220x330.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/sid-verma-yaAud5QYX84-unsplash-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/sid-verma-yaAud5QYX84-unsplash-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What do you think is the most visited attraction in Europe? The Colosseum? The Eiffel Tower? Disneyland Paris? All of these are close guesses, but it\u2019s actually the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris! With almost <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelocal.fr\/20190415\/14-million-visitors-a-year\">14 million people visiting yearly<\/a>, the cathedral is well on the way to recovery after the devastating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.friendsofnotredamedeparis.org\/notre-dame-cathedral\/fire\/\">fire of 2019<\/a>. while Disneyland Paris gets close to 10 million, the Eiffel Tower sees around 7 million, and the Colosseum gets 6 million. It&#8217;s wonderful that so many people keep visiting the cathedral after the fire, helping contribute to its rebuild. Take the ultimate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/en-gb\/tours\/london-and-paris-explorer\">London and Paris vacation<\/a> and visit the Notre Dame, the grand Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es, Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde. See how they compare with London&#8217;s Big Ben, the imposing Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>We think you&#8217;ll also like: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/european-landmarks-to-tour-with-trafalgar\/\">10 amazing European landmarks to tour with Trafalgar<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Visit the Notre-Dame on<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/en-gb\/tours\/wonderful-france\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Wonderful France<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-iceland-doesn-t-have-mosquitos\">2. <strong>Iceland doesn\u2019t have mosquitos<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2020\/12\/seljalandsfoss-waterfall-iceland-1024x576.jpeg\" alt=\"waterfall greenery Iceland fun facts about Europe\" class=\"wp-image-24553\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/seljalandsfoss-waterfall-iceland-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/seljalandsfoss-waterfall-iceland-330x186.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/seljalandsfoss-waterfall-iceland.jpeg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although there are more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/animals\/invertebrates\/group\/mosquitoes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3,000 types of mosquitoes<\/a> in the world, Iceland doesn\u2019t have any at all. Amazingly, Iceland is believed to be completely clear of any mosquitoes, thanks to the cold temperatures and lack of shallow ponds that mosquitoes love. So if you\u2019re prone to mosquito bites, you better head to Iceland!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>We think you&#8217;ll also like: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/facts-about-iceland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">13 strange and interesting facts about Iceland<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-you-can-get-mail-from-the-king-of-england\">3. You can get mail from the King of England<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2024\/06\/debbie-fan-KVmKINrtLVk-unsplash-edited.jpg\" alt=\"Buckingham Palace with crowds walking in front of it \" class=\"wp-image-877564\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/debbie-fan-KVmKINrtLVk-unsplash-edited.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/debbie-fan-KVmKINrtLVk-unsplash-edited-330x186.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/debbie-fan-KVmKINrtLVk-unsplash-edited-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/debbie-fan-KVmKINrtLVk-unsplash-edited-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most random facts about Europe is that if you live in the Commonwealth, you can get a letter from the King of England! If you celebrate your 100th and 105th birthday and every year after, or your 60th, 65th, 70th anniversaries and every year after, you\u2019ll get a congratulatory card from King Charles himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>GET INSPIRED BY: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/tours\/britain-and-ireland-grandeur\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Britain and Ireland Grandeur<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-more-chocolate-is-bought-at-brussels-airport-than-anywhere-else-in-the-world\">4. <strong>More chocolate is bought at Brussels Airport than anywhere else in the world<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2024\/06\/belgian-chocolate-box-edited.jpeg\" alt=\"box of Belgian chocolates\" class=\"wp-image-877565\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/belgian-chocolate-box-edited.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/belgian-chocolate-box-edited-330x186.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/belgian-chocolate-box-edited-1024x576.jpeg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ve probably heard about Belgian chocolate. It\u2019s famed as some of the best chocolate in the world, and travelers obviously know it, as Brussels Airport sells more of the sweet stuff than anywhere else on earth. Over 800 tonnes of chocolate is sold every year at the airport, and we know we can\u2019t resist picking up a box or two on our way through Brussels!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>We think you&#8217;ll also like:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/captivating-facts-about-luxembourg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The average minimum wage, and other interesting Luxembourg facts<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-norway-knighted-a-penguin-more-than-once\">5. <strong>Norway knighted a penguin<\/strong>. More than once. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large essb-block-image\" data-essb-pin-description=\"Penguin in the arctic with sunburst in the background\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1079\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2024\/06\/ian-parker-TLcLDigmTKE-unsplash-edited.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-877567\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/ian-parker-TLcLDigmTKE-unsplash-edited.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/ian-parker-TLcLDigmTKE-unsplash-edited-330x185.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/ian-parker-TLcLDigmTKE-unsplash-edited-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/ian-parker-TLcLDigmTKE-unsplash-edited-1536x863.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know there\u2019s a penguin more aristocratic than you? One of our favourite fun facts about Europe is that Scotland\u2019s Edinburgh Zoo is home to a knighted penguin named Brigadier Sir Nils Olav III. He\u2019s the mascot and colonel-in-chief of the Norwegian King&#8217;s Guard and he\u2019s the third king penguin to serve. The first Sir Olav penguin served between 1972 and 1987.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-st-peter-s-basilica-is-the-largest-church-in-europe\">6. <strong>St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica is the largest church in Europe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2020\/12\/st-peters-basilica-rome-1024x550.jpeg\" alt=\"St Peter's Basilica Vatican City Rome Italy\" class=\"wp-image-24555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/st-peters-basilica-rome-1024x550.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/st-peters-basilica-rome-330x177.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/st-peters-basilica-rome-840x450.jpeg 840w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/st-peters-basilica-rome.jpeg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking for impressive churches? It\u2019s got to be St. Peter\u2019s Basilica in Vatican City, in Rome. Standing at 222 metres long, 152 metres wide, 137 meters tall, and with a capacity for 60,000 people, this is not only the largest church in Europe but the whole world. Seems fitting that the church is in Vatican City, the home of the Pope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>We think you&#8217;ll also like: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/fun-facts-about-italy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Italy\u2019s free wine fountain, and other bizarre Italian facts<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-the-kingdom-of-denmark-is-the-oldest-monarchy-in-europe\">7. <strong>The Kingdom of Denmark is the oldest monarchy in Europe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Founded in 935 by Viking kings Gorm the Old and Harald Bluetooth, the Danish Monarchy has been ruling Denmark for over 1,000 years. From Gorm the Old to the current Queen Margrethe II, this royal family is the oldest in all of Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another random fact about Europe\u2019s monarchies is that there are still ten European countries with royal families. Although most of the attention goes to King Charles and his family in the UK, there are also monarchies in Spain, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Monaco, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Andorra and Denmark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>We think you&#8217;ll also like: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/fun-facts-about-the-netherlands\/\">13 usele<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/fun-facts-about-the-netherlands\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ss but fascinating facts about The Netherlands that may surprise you<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-8-never-clink-your-glasses-in-hungary\">8. <strong>Never clink your glasses in Hungary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2024\/06\/glasses-clinking-6-edited.jpeg\" alt=\"hands clinking beer glasses\" class=\"wp-image-877568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/glasses-clinking-6-edited.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/glasses-clinking-6-edited-330x186.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/glasses-clinking-6-edited-1024x576.jpeg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you may be used to saying cheers and clinking your glasses with friends, you should never do this in Hungary. This custom goes back to 1848 when Austria defeated Hungary in the revolution. The Austrians celebrated by clinking their beer glasses while toasting their victory. Ever since, Hungarians have not clinked their glasses during a toast. Instead, you should say &#8220;Eg\u00e9szs\u00e9gedre&#8221; and look your Hungarian friends in the eye before taking a drink.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>We think you&#8217;ll also like: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/interesting-prague-facts-how-much-beer-is-drunk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How much beer is drunk annually (hint \u2013 a lot) and other interesting Prague facts<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-9-the-czech-republic-has-the-most-castles-in-europe\">9. <strong>The Czech Republic has the most castles in Europe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Love castles? You\u2019ll adore the Czech Republic. The country has 932 castles and 1,187 stately homes &#8211; that\u2019s more than any other country in Europe. Even if you visited one castle a day, it would take you over 2.5 years to see them all, so you better get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Discover Czech castles and more on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/tours\/highlights-of-eastern-europe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Highlights of Eastern Europe<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-10-you-ll-find-europe-s-tallest-building-in-russia\">10. <strong>You\u2019ll find Europe\u2019s tallest building in Russia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know that the tallest building in Europe is in St. Petersburg in Russia? Soaring into the sky like a glass shard, the Lakhta Center is a whopping 462 metres in height. There are 87 stories and you\u2019re sure to get some spectacular views from the top of this incredible building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2020\/12\/lakhta-centre-russia-4-1024x577.jpeg\" alt=\"Lakhta Center Russia fun facts about Europe\" class=\"wp-image-24584\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/lakhta-centre-russia-4-1024x577.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/lakhta-centre-russia-4-330x186.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/lakhta-centre-russia-4.jpeg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-11-there-are-more-than-200-languages-spoken-in-europe\">11. <strong>There are more than 200 languages spoken in Europe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What is Europe unique for? Cultural diversity, for one. With dozens of unique cultures and countries across Europe, there are over 200 languages spoken on the continent, although only 24 are recognised as the official languages of the European Union. Of the 24, three are designated as &#8220;procedural&#8221; languages, including English, French and German. Also, the most common language spoken in Europe is English, and 38% of the European population can speak it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Discover different cultures on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/tours\/grand-european-end-paris\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Grand Eu<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/en-us\/tours\/grand-european\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ropean<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-12-norway-has-the-longest-coastline-in-europe\">12. <strong>Norway has the longest coastline in Europe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2024\/06\/red-cottages-northern-lights-coastal-norway-9-edited.jpeg\" alt=\"red cottages Northern Lights over rocky coastline Norway\" class=\"wp-image-877569\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/red-cottages-northern-lights-coastal-norway-9-edited.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/red-cottages-northern-lights-coastal-norway-9-edited-330x186.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/red-cottages-northern-lights-coastal-norway-9-edited-1024x576.jpeg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Made up of stunning fjords, rugged islands and windswept rocky shores, Norway\u2019s coastline is the longest in Europe and the second-longest in the world (after Canada). It\u2019s over 100,000 kilometers long and you\u2019re sure to have some amazing adventures exploring this Scandinavian coast. However, when it comes to land area Russia takes the top spot with over 17 million km\u00b2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-13-the-smallest-town-in-europe-is-in-croatia\">13. The smallest town in Europe is in Croatia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One fun fact about Europe is that it&#8217;s home to the smallest town in the world! The little town of Hum is found in the Istria region northwest of Croatia and the population is only 30 people (according to the 2011 census). Along with its tiny size, Hum is also famous for its mistletoe brandy called biska. Legend says that ancient Celtic Druids left the biska recipe in Hum around 2,000 years ago. Another interesting fact about Hum in Europe is that the majority of the population speak Italian, thanks to their close proximity to Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>We think you&#8217;ll also like: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/10-fun-facts-you-never-knew-about-croatia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10 Fun Facts You Never Knew About Croatia<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-14-la-sagrada-familia-is-taking-longer-to-build-than-the-pyramids\">14. <strong>La Sagrada Familia is taking longer to build than the pyramids<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1079\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2024\/06\/sagrada-familia-barcelona-spain-edited.jpg\" alt=\"La Sagrada Familia Barcelona Spain\" class=\"wp-image-877570\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/sagrada-familia-barcelona-spain-edited.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/sagrada-familia-barcelona-spain-edited-330x185.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/sagrada-familia-barcelona-spain-edited-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/sagrada-familia-barcelona-spain-edited-1536x863.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Antoni Gaudi\u2019s enchanting La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is a true architectural masterpiece\u2026 which explains why it\u2019s taking so long to finish! While the extraordinary ancient pyramids of Egypt were constructed in 85 years, between 2589 and 2504 BC, La Sagrada Familia has been under construction for the past 138 years. Construction first began on the famous basilica in 1882 and although Gaudi didn\u2019t get to see his extraordinary work completed, Barcelona is aiming to complete it by 2026, for the 100th anniversary of Gaudi\u2019s death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>We think you&#8217;ll also like: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/fun-facts-about-portugal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>17 fun facts about Portugal you probably never knew<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-15-denmark-has-7-000-approved-baby-names\">15. <strong>Denmark has 7,000 approved baby names<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Denmark has some unusual baby naming laws. New parents must name their child one of the 7,000 pre-approved names, like Benji or Molli. Creative spellings of common names are also not permitted under these laws. Want to name your kid something unique? You\u2019ll need to get permission from the government. There\u2019s also some banned names too, so if you\u2019re from Denmark, don\u2019t even think about naming your baby Pluto, Anus or Monkey. They weren\u2019t our first choices either!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\nPlease select a post.\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-16-it-s-illegal-in-switzerland-to-mow-your-lawn-on-sundays\">16. <strong>It\u2019s illegal in Switzerland to mow your lawn on Sundays<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2020\/12\/stanserhorn-lucerne-switzerland-6-1024x576.jpeg\" alt=\"green fields Mount Stanserhorn Lucerne Switzerland\" class=\"wp-image-24599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/stanserhorn-lucerne-switzerland-6-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/stanserhorn-lucerne-switzerland-6-330x186.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/stanserhorn-lucerne-switzerland-6.jpeg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can probably get on board with this fun fact about Europe. In Switzerland, you\u2019re not allowed to mow your lawn, build anything, wash your car or hang clothes out to dry on Sundays. The Swiss believe Sunday is a day for rest and noisy and annoying household chores shouldn\u2019t interfere with everyone\u2019s relaxation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>We think you&#8217;ll also like: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/facts-about-switzerland-never-find-guidebook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">12 facts about Switzerland you\u2019ll never find in a guide book<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-17-bulgaria-is-the-oldest-european-nation-by-name\">17. <strong>Bulgaria is the oldest European nation by name<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You may know that the Republic of San Marino is the oldest independent state in Europe (dating back to 301 AD!), but another fun fact about Europe is that Bulgaria is the oldest European country by name. While dozens of countries in Europe have chopped and changed their names over the years, Bulgaria has stuck with the same name since it adopted it in 681 AD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>We think you&#8217;ll also like:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/georgia-country-facts-never-knew\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>9 fun Georgia country facts you probably never knew<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2020\/12\/mountains-bulgaria-1024x576.jpeg\" alt=\"green forests mountains Bulgaria\" class=\"wp-image-24602\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/mountains-bulgaria-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/mountains-bulgaria-330x186.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/mountains-bulgaria.jpeg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-18-there-is-a-rainforest-in-europe\">18. <strong>There is a rainforest in Europe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you think of Europe, you probably imagine snowy Alps, lush pine forests and winding rivers, but did you know that there is one last remaining rainforest in Europe? Found in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Peru\u0107ica Rainforest is a <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/whc.unesco.org\/en\/tentativelists\/6260\/\" target=\"_blank\">tentative UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/a> and one of the most precious green lungs in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-19-only-1-of-the-british-museum-s-collection-is-on-display\">19. <strong>Only 1% of the British Museum&#8217;s collection is on display<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The British Museum in London is one of the most-visited in the world, with around six million visitors every year. They come to admire the impressive collection of eight million artworks and antiquities\u2026 But did you know you\u2019re only seeing around 1% of the collection at any time? There\u2019s only room for around 800,000 objects to be displayed, so let&#8217;s hope you catch your favorites when you visit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2020\/12\/the-british-museum-museum-7-1024x580.jpeg\" alt=\"The British Museum London \" class=\"wp-image-24601\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/the-british-museum-museum-7-1024x580.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/the-british-museum-museum-7-330x187.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/the-british-museum-museum-7.jpeg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-20-wales-has-a-town-with-57-letters-in-its-name\">20. <strong>Wales has a town with 57 letters in its name<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Think you\u2019re good at tongue twisters? Try pronouncing the name of this Welsh town &#8211; \u201cLlanfairpwll-gwyngyllgogerychwyrndrob-wllllantysiliogogogoch\u201d. It might look like someone dropped something on their keyboard, but it\u2019s a real name, and it means \u201ccave\u201d. The name is 58 letters long, making it the longest name of any town in Europe, but you can call it Llanfairpwll, or Llanfair PG for short. If you want to see how it\u2019s pronounced, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/channel-4-weatherman-pronounces-58-letter-town-name-on-tv-2015-9?IR=T\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">check out this weatherman<\/a> nailing it during a broadcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-21-10-scandinavian-villages-have-names-that-are-just-one-letter-long\">21. <strong>10 Scandinavian villages have names that are just one letter long<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Wales might have the longest town name, but Scandinavia takes the crown for the shortest town names. There are 10 villages across Denmark, Sweden and Norway that have names just one single letter long. Most are named&nbsp; \u201c\u00c5\u201d, meaning &#8220;small brook or river&#8221; in Scandinavian languages, while one village is named \u201c\u00d6\u201d meaning \u201cisland\u201d in Swedish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"tf__card-wrapper related-blog-2\">\n    <div class=\"tf__post-card\" style=\"background: linear-gradient(\n        rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.44), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.44)), url(https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Large-Unlock-Your-Best-Self-Balkan-Delight-146-1.jpg) no-repeat center center \/ cover;\">\n        <div style=\"padding-top:50px; padding-bottom:50px;\" class=\"tf__post-card-content\">\n            <span>Related blog<\/span>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/being-a-trafalgar-coach-driver\/\" title=\"This is the reality of being a Trafalgar coach driver in Europe\">\n                <h2 style=\"max-width: none;\">This is the reality of being a Trafalgar coach driver in Europe<\/h2>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-22-there-are-more-than-400-unesco-world-heritage-sites-in-europe\">22. There are more than 400 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Europe is full of incredible things to see, with some of the most famous <a href=\"https:\/\/whc.unesco.org\/en\/activities\/875\/\">UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe<\/a> including the Acropolis of Athens (Greece), the historic center of Rome (Italy) and the Palace of Versailles (France).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1439\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2025\/06\/ahmed-5Gd9UCUk0Yo-unsplash-edited-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"train going through subway \" class=\"wp-image-882479\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahmed-5Gd9UCUk0Yo-unsplash-edited-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahmed-5Gd9UCUk0Yo-unsplash-edited-330x186.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahmed-5Gd9UCUk0Yo-unsplash-edited-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahmed-5Gd9UCUk0Yo-unsplash-edited-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahmed-5Gd9UCUk0Yo-unsplash-edited-2048x1151.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-23-kissing-is-banned-on-french-train-platforms\">23. Kissing is banned on French train platforms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Since 1910, kissing has been banned from all French train platforms \u2013&nbsp;the law was made to ensure passengers were boarding swiftly to keep the trains running on time, so it only applies when a train is arriving! When there are no trains in sight, you&#8217;re free to do as you please.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"tf__card-wrapper related-blog-2\">\n    <div class=\"tf__post-card\" style=\"background: linear-gradient(\n        rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.44), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.44)), url(https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/yorkshire-countryside-2.jpeg) no-repeat center center \/ cover;\">\n        <div style=\"padding-top:50px; padding-bottom:50px;\" class=\"tf__post-card-content\">\n            <span>Related blog<\/span>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/items-pack-trip-uk-every-season\/\" title=\"Key items to pack for a UK trip (in any season)\">\n                <h2 style=\"max-width: none;\">Key items to pack for a UK trip (in any season)<\/h2>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-24-vatican-city-is-the-smallest-country-in-europe\">24. Vatican City is the smallest country in Europe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While it says &#8216;city&#8217; in the name, Vatican City is actually a country \u2013 the smallest country in the world! At just 0.02 miles, Vatican City (officially the Vatican City State) is also (unsurprisingly) home to Europe&#8217;s smallest population, most famously as the official residence of the Pope, head of the Roman Catholic church. It has its own mint to print Euros, issues its own passports and even has its own stamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-25-europe-is-where-the-olympic-games-began\">25. Europe is where the Olympic Games began<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We have Ancient Greece to thank for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/ioc\/ancient-olympic-games\">Olympic Games<\/a>, which were first held in Olympia over 2,700 years ago. Like today they took place every four years, and unlike today they were a religious festival held in honor of Zeus, king of the Greek gods. Ancient Greek winners were seen as touched by the gods and awarded a wreath of leaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Do you know any random fun facts about Europe? Let us know in the comments below!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Classy, diverse, and filled with the world&#8217;s most unique attractions, a continent that is pretty fascinating to explore on a European tour. On Earth&#8217;s smallest continent, you&#8217;ll find the smallest town in the world. The biggest church on earth. A knighted penguin. And 200 unique languages. Truth be told, there are hundreds of random fun [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":24585,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/facts-about-europe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"21 random fun facts about Europe you never knew\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From the world&#039;s smallest town and the biggest church, to a knighted penguin and a mosquito-free country, here are 21 fun facts about Europe.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/facts-about-europe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Real Word\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-08-22T11:45:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-15T11:36:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" 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