9 Reasons Why Europe is the Best Continent in the World

Did you know that it takes 6 and a half hours to fly from the East coast to the West coast of America? Did you know that you can fit the whole of the UK into the state of Texas 3 times? Did you know that it would take 45 hours to drive from Brisbane to Perth?

As a Brit, facts like this blow my mind. I’ve only just learned them recently and they have helped me to get my head around the sheer size of Australia and the USA. I never really appreciated how long it takes for people in these countries to land on foreign soil.

In comparison to these countries, The size of the UK is a drop in the ocean. I absolutely love travelling to exotic and far-flung destinations, but a few of my recent trips have reminded me how amazingly fortunate I am to live in a country that is so close to so many other countries. This is the beauty of Europe, and these are endless reasons why why Europe is the best continent in the world. Here are 9 of them…

Why Europe is The Best Continent in The World

  1. The Epic Travel Opportunities

Living in Europe means that so many other countries are quite literally on your doorstep. Think of how many countries are a 2 hour flight away from where you live? With such short flight times, you can even fly to a new country and back in one weekend (no annual leave required!) I do this often and still come home feeling as if I had spent some quality time exploring both cities.

For longer travel stints, you can also make the most of the amazing Eurostar and inter-rail train networks and hop from country to country by road with ease. Book cheap European train tickets with companies like Rail Europe. In a nutshell, Europe has amazing travel opportunities for both long and short term travel.

the-travelista-jess-gibson-lisbon

  1. Experiencing So Many Diverse Cultures

Whilst countries on the continent lay side by side, the diversity in cultures is fascinating. Each country has a unique culture that is intrinsically woven into their way of lives and it is fascinating to learn how each of them differ. Italy is known for it’s food, France is known for it’s fashion. Without relying on stereotypes, the point I am making is that each country holds it’s own identity and traditions. No two countries are the same. Another reason why Europe is the best continent in the world.

  1. Realising The History Surrounding You

Our roads, monuments and buildings are beautiful because they are OLD. They have stood the test of time and you can find photos from 100 years ago of people walking down the exact same streets without them looking any different. The more you learn about European history the more you realise how many famous European landmarks, cities and areas were part of huge historical events. Getting to see these things and places with our own eyes is remarkable in itself.

Read my 15 reasons to visit Ancient Athens on a city break.

  1. Bargain Fares with Low Cost Airlines

Along with many other Brits, I LOVE a bargain, especially when it is to do with travel. Airlines like Easy Jet and Ryan Air get hounded for their tenuous delays and bad service but lets face it, we’re all going to keep booking with them. Why? Because they are amazingly cheap and provide an affordable gateway into and around Europe. These airlines make European travel easy and guilt free. I always search for the best cheap European flights with SkyScanner.

Sardinia Archipelago Islands

Sardinia’s Archipelago Islands

  1. Hopping on The Eurostar

In my option, the Eurostar is seriously underrated. Did you know that The Eurostar can take you from London to Paris in just 2 hours and 20 minutes? Not only that, but you can also get to many Belgian cities via Eurostar too including Bruges, Antwerp and Brussels. The Eurostar is a great option for people with a fear of flying or families travelling in young groups. When I lived in London, it’s crazy to think that I could get to Paris quicker than I could drive to my parents house in York.

  1. The Romanticism

I have always appreciated that many European cities are seen as romantic destinations, but I’ve never truly realised until recently just HOW romanticised and glamorous that Europe is perceived by people from further afield. To many Americans (for example) Europe is the ultimate travel experience. I suppose an element of this is due to the fact that they are long-haul destinations for them (anywhere far away is bound to be more exciting and exotic) but the Yanks are on to something, Europe really is the most romantic continent on earth. The romance is definitely another reason why Europe is the best continent in the world.

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Romance in Paris on the Pont des Arts

  1.  The EU

If you have residency in an EU country, you have the freedom to travel, live, work, study and retire anywhere in the Europe. You can stay in any European country for up to 3 months without any complicated visas, and if you want to stay longer, you can! Unfortunately the UK is no longer part of the EU, but I am still grateful to be geographically part of Europe and so close to the wonderful continent. All countries within the EU also use the Euro, making travel and currency exchange very simple.

  1.  The Beautiful Languages

Europe is home to some of the most beautiful languages in the world. Whilst English is so commonly spoken across the whole of Europe, living so close to so many different languages gives us a real reason to try and learn to speak them (or at least master the basics). I took a French A Level and have recently decided to enrol on a brush-up French Language course as it’s a skill I would hate to loose and know I will always use.

     9.  The Food (and WINE)

Last but by NO means least come the food. We cannot fail to appreciate the mind-blowingly delicious food on the continent. Creamy goats cheese salads and slow cooked duck that falls off the bone in France. Olive-oil infused foccacia breads and freshly cooked pastas in Italy. Succulent bratwurst sausages and cheeses in Germany. Each country has signature dishes that are world-famous, not to mention our amazing wines and of course, champagne!

My amazing Goats Cheese Salad!

A delicious goats cheese salad in Paris

I think everyone can be guilty of taking the place they live for granted, but writing this post is a result of my own recent realisation about the amazing benefits of living in Europe and being European. Whether you travel once a year for a family holiday or you’re a travel addict looking for regular spontaneous adventures, Europe offers diverse, accessible and spectacular opportunities to travel.

This is why Europe is the best continent in the world and why you should feel like one smitten kitten right now if you are reading this and live in Europe.

Want to read more about Europe? Check out these blog posts:

7 Reasons to Discover Almunecar, Spain
My Italian Adventure from Naples to Amalfi, Italy
Split to Hvar, My First Time in Croatia

What did you think of my European post? Are you proud to live in Europe and do you feel lucky to live here? Perhaps this post has made you realise the perks. If you enjoyed this post, please leave me a comment in the box below! Thank you x 

Jessica Ruth Gibson is the Founder and Editor of Travelista and an award-winning travel content creator of 10 years. She lives in York, UK with her son and has travelled to over 50 countries; her favourites being Italy, Canada and Vietnam.

35 Comments

  • rannanjay

    asia is the best

  • I can’t wait to travel again so I can visit Europe again. Getting me inspired!!

  • very well written

  • You can trust your spouse but never trust European weather. Because, Every two hours its changing. Specially in Netherlands. Always keep an umbrella and rain coat with you while you are traveling Europe.

  • European people are the most fortunate in the world ^_^ all of them are beautiful & handsome ^_^ smells like a milk ^_^ very rich ^_^ their place are very clean ^_^ very safe place ^_^ all are educated & have a good work ^_^ there are no poor or beggar ^_^ in short when God showered a blessings, most of it were poured out to Europe ^_^ but I’m very happy on where i am right now even though I’m not from Europe ^_^

  • With the exception of #’s 5 and 7, everything else is found in my home town, NYC. 😉

    • Hey Yves,
      I must agree with you, a lot of things could be found in NYC, yet it is not the greatest. The diversity of culture that you get in Europe is so beautiful to experience and live in, that it is arguable that New York can boast of the same. I love Europe with all my heart and it took me travelling to States to realize that. The miniature cozy cafes, and the relaxed atmosphere anywhere you go, cannot be compared to the insanity of living in a large metropolis such as NYC. Don’t get me wrong, I think NYC is a great city, but one cannot compare a single city with all the diversity life has to offer outside of it.

  • I’m American and live in the south. I long to visit Europe! There’s just not that much history here that I care to explore. My fascination is around historic architecture, such as meticulously designed cathedrals and fortified castles. The culture, various dialects, and general diversity would be a much welcomed experience. Unfortunately, you are so right. It’s difficult to travel here. If I want to pay less than 1k for an airplane ticket, I have to fly to a state and city that has those deals. You have to live in the big cities to have those opportunities to travel. Otherwise, you’re paying extra for a domestic plane ticket, having to extend your vacation and travel plans to accommodate this. Additionally, it’s rare to get more than two weeks of paid time off to travel unless you’ve been working with an American company over 20 years.

  • I’ve enjoyed your post. I’m Spanish and I love travelling. I’ve been to different countries in Europe and that’s what I like of Europe: you never get enough countries. There is always a new country to travel to and a culture to know (and food, of course). I totally agree with you: we are blessed to be European.
    I’m glad to know that there are British people that want to be a part of the EU.

  • Great post, I’m from Gran Canaria (Spain) who lives in UK and often travels to France because my father side lives there. I can’t explain to some people that I’ve got family who just speaks the language where they live in. It’s amazing all these and cheap to travel to. I feel really grateful of being part of this !

  • I’ve been always living in spanish with not a great currency for traveling, but once I went to Switzerland I realized how easy is to travel anywhere from the center. It was like… I can take a flight or train to Hungary, Germany, France, Italy and it’s cheaper than from Madrid to Barcelona O_O

  • So true! European here also 🙂 Love traveling and being from Belgium it’s very easy to travel to different places as we’re a very small country on our own hehe, I love it! The Eurostar is a blessing, takes me to London or Paris in only 2 hours! 😀
    Great article by the way!

  • Rodary Emmanuel

    Europe is great

    I hope European will understand it and unite to save
    Freedom of speach
    Freedom of travelling in Europe
    Easy access to visa for travelling in most countries out of Europe
    Freedom of media
    Welfare
    Democracy
    Peace
    And so on…

  • I have searched for reasons why Europe is the best & i found this blog. I’m European & proud. Great history, nature, people, languages, countries, climate conditions are awesome, i just have to say ’Ty God for letting me live here, in this beautiful continent. We all cant live here’. I adore my country though its not in the European Union yet. Your blog is fantastic! Greet from European too

  • I definitely agree with these points! I’m American and everyone scolds us for not frequently traveling outside of our borders, but it costs nearly $400 for one plane ticket a few states away and in Europe it can cost significantly less, and you actually get to head to a different location with different food and beautiful languages 🙂 I actually live in Germany now (Norway before) and miss the US every day of my life- but I appreciate living here like none other for the sheer fact of having Europe at my fingertips 😉 Great post!

  • Great post Jessica,

    FYI I got here from the repost on Adriana Kupresak’s website 🙂

    My comment comes to you as a view from one of the others countries you mention, Australia, where the nearest city is mostly at least a couple of hours away (if you’re lucky), travelling to other countries for us is always a big trip, but something we Aussies do often.
    A few years ago I travelled to Europe and from the time I set foot in the first country there (Germany) I fell in love with the place. The traveling distances between countries is relatively nothing compared to Australia was my first realization, the next was history, buildings, roads and villages, WOW some of these were built years and years before Australia was discovered.
    So much more, most of which you have covered and I agree with…
    Anyway, long story short, I now go back to a little village in the French Alps every year for a minimum of 2 months (during the Aussie winter which of course is European summer), to ride my bike up the mountains, immerse myself in the local community and culture and work from there on my businesses.
    Thanks for sharing 🙂
    Andy

  • I agree with so much of this Jess – it’s ridiculously easy and cheap to travel to other countries in Europe compared with living on other continents that can be so far away from anywhere. Oh yes and the food of course!

    But no matter how much I love Europe and you are totally right with everything you say, I have to disagree with it being the beset continent in the world! Sorry, but Africa will always have my heart!

  • As an American with a strong appreciation for all of the amazing places in the US that I’ve visited (the natural wonder of the Grand Canyon, the big cities of New York & San Francisco, white beaches and crystal waters in Florida, the history and the culture of the South), I have to agree with your points. It takes SO long to get anywhere in the US. I love the ease of travel throughout Europe and the amazing history!
    Kari
    http://www.sweetteasweetie.com

    • Hi Kari! Thanks so much for the comment. It’s really interesting to hear your views as an American, I didn’t know if this post would cause controversy with people from the rest of the world, but I think that Europe is regarded for these benefits internationally. I am dying to travel through the USA and hopefully I will get to do it one day soon 🙂 x

  • You are so right!I am from the Czech Republic and I always love to travel far far away as it is so exotic and so different from what I know, but everytime I come back I am so happy to live in Europ!One of the best thing in Europe in my opinion is that so many nations are able to live together without any wars.
    Travel notes

    • Hi Michaela, thanks for your comment! It’s great to hear your views as a European from the Czech Republic. I like that we can all appreciate these benefits whilst all living in different countries. and Yes! Good point – NO WARS! We are blessed to live here 🙂

  • All so beautiful!!
    Leonie ♥ IkonikBeauty

  • Reblogged this on Adriana Kuprešak .

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