|
If Western Europe were in high school, she’d be the girl that all the other students love to hate. She has a voice crafted by the likes of Verdi and Mozart. When she opens her mouth in class, pearls of wisdom from Dante, Sartre, and Kierkegaard drop forth. She was a classic before the word had meaning, and the rest of the class hurries frantically to copy her style. She wore a toga in the court of Caesar, and now adorns herself in the more terrestrial chic of Chanel and Armani. She moves from sipping ambrosia to champagne with seamless grace but isn’t above tossing back a few pints of Guinness, or screaming herself hoarse at a football match. Why waste the time envying a creation this divine when Western Europe is there for the taking, an inexhaustible supply of art, music, and natural beauty? This is one Homecoming queen who is far from unapproachable. So ask her out. Go.
Facts and Figures
Population: 371,100,000.
Land mass: 2.5 million sq. km, almost equal to the Sahara Desert.
Highest point: Mont Blanc, France (4807m above sea level).
Lowest points: Lemmefjord, Denmark and Prins Alexander Polder, The Netherlands (7m below sea level).
Fact: Every year the average Western European drinks 82L of beer and 17L of wine and consumes 19kg of cheese.
Fact: If a colony of honeybees has an average wing length of larger than 9.5mm, it is known as a European colony.
Fact: The world’s largest pair of jeans (23m long) was created by Lee Jeans Europe and displayed at the Atomium in Brussels, Belgium in 1992.
When To Go
The Renaissance masterpieces of Italy, the ancient ruins of Greece, and the medieval castles of England know no season—they are timeless. However, more pragmatic concerns emerge regarding the most opportune time to visit Western Europe. Summer is the high-season for travel in Western Europe. Throngs of tourists fill hostels and crowd museums, particularly during the months of July and August; you may find June or September a better time to travel. Additionally, climate can serve as a very good guide for the best time to travel in certain areas. |
