Fun European Travel Destination Trivia and Quiz

Paris

Paris is among the world’s top places to visit, and the Eiffel Tower is the most photographed landmark on Instagram with 4 million images on the social networking site. The stunning piece of architecture was only supposed to be a temporary installment for twenty years when it was constructed in 1889, but it has stood tall ever since. The French are probably glad that it stayed up as well, as it has been incredible for tourism. If you plan to walk all the way to the top, make sure you are wearing your Fitbit - there are 1,665 steps to climb.

While hanging out in the city, don’t forget to impress your French friends by saying the original Roman name for the city - Lutetia. The Notre Dame Cathedral is another hugely impressive landmark to visit. Construction of the amazing piece of architecture began in 1163, but it wasn’t completed until 1345 – nearly 200 years later.

Barcelona

Barcelona is arguably the best-known city in Spain and receives the highest number of international visitors each year. More than 100 million people each year, in fact. If you want to join that number of multicultural tourists, you can find out how to travel here on your selected dates and with your preferred method of transport. A lot of backpackers choose to use the train but, if you would rather be in more luxurious surroundings, you could fly.

The city is harboring a few secrets, which some tourists may not be aware of. For instance, did you know that all the beaches along the coast were man made? Prior to the Olympics in 1992 the seaside was taken up with industries. They were moved for the event and replaced with artificial beaches. The architecture in the Catalan capital is regarded as some of the best in the world. Indeed, it is the only city to receive the Royal Gold Medal for architecture. Barcelona was awarded the accolade in 1999, and the city is still a major attraction for those interested in unique building design.

Venice

One location in Europe which has to be described as completely unmissable is Venice. The city is one of the only built up places in the world to exist on water, with the whole place being divided up by canals. The city in Northeastern Italy in the Veneto region is made up of 118 small islands and there are 417 bridges linking them all together. There are a total of 177 canals in Venice, with the Grand Canal being the biggest. The S-shaped waterway splits the city in half. To get around, residents and visitors need to make frequent use of gondolas on the canals. There are around 350 of these stunning boats in the city, and the average length of one is 11 meters.

The population of Venice is rapidly declining. In fifty years, it went from 120,000 to 60,000. This could be down to the fact that the city is sinking and gradually becoming less inhabitable. Scientists have stated that Venice is sinking by about 1-2 millimeters per year, and they predict that it could be a ghost town by the year 2030. For this reason, it may be wise to go and visit now before it’s too late.

These are three of the most popular destinations, but there are plenty of others to suit everyone’s taste. Prague, Antwerp, and Rome are all great places to visit as well, to name but a few.

Now try and test yourself with this short Quiz. No cheating!

Questions:

1. What was Paris initially called and who named it?
2. How long did construction of the Notre-Dame Cathedral take?
3. When were the Olympics held in Barcelona?
4. What accolade did Barcelona win in 1999?
5. How many bridges can be found in Venice?
6. What are the boats in Venice called?
7. How many millimeters does Venice sink each year?

Answers:

1. Lutetia, the Romans.
2. 182 years.
3. 1992.
4. Royal Gold Medal for architecture.
5. 417.
6. Gondolas.
7. 1-2 millimeters.