20 Thrilling European Adventures to Experience

From the frozen shores of Greenland to the beaches of the Mediterranean, fascinating European adventures await.

With its bustling cities, sparkling islands, deep fjords, and dramatic landscapes, this part of the world is packed with thrills.

Whether riding the waves, climbing mountains, cycling around the countryside, or discovering the sights by high-speed RIB, one thing is for sure: your Europe adventure will linger in the memory long after you return home.

Climb Lycabettus in Athens

The best views over ancient Athens are not from the famed Greek landmark, the Acropolis, but rather the summit of Mount Lycabettus, just across the city center.

This pine-covered limestone hill is central Athens’ highest point at 908 feet and affords incredible vistas from the surrounding mountains of Penteli, Hymettus, Parnitha to the Athenian Riviera to the south.

As the metropolis spreads below, the Parthenon and other key sights including Hadrian’s Arch, the 1896 Kallimarmaro Olympic Stadium, and Syntagma Square can all be picked out.

The summit is home to a small chapel and a café/restaurant, while there’s an open-air theater midway up the switchback roads to the top. Visitors looking to reduce the strain of a visit can also summit Lycabettus via funicular railway.

Take a Speedboat Tour of the Thames, London

Zipping through central London via speedboat allows visitors to the British capital to make like the country’s most famous spy on His Majesty’s Secret Service.

As the high-powered boats bounce along the water to the envy of those on slower vessels, some of the best sights of this European capital city flash by. You’ll see the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, and what was the Millennium Dome (now the O2 Arena). This European adventure is the perfect way to see London at high speed without getting snarled in traffic.

Explore Drach Caves, Mallorca

Outside the town of Porto Cristo on the east coast of Mallorca lies one of Spain’s most beguiling tourist attractions, the magnificent Drach Caves.

Lined with incredible limestone formations and some 3,600 feet in length, the caves are the location of Lake Martel, one of the largest underground lakes in the world.

Rowboat tours take visitors silently over the water while classical music plays in the background and strategic spotlights illuminate the cave’s eerie beauty.

Cycle Through the Countryside of Provence

There are many ways to experience the gorgeous Provençal countryside that spreads out from the port city of Marseille. But few are as in keeping with the serene surroundings than discovering this prized landscape by pedal power.

Cycle tours take to winding country roads through olive groves and past lavender-scented fields, allowing visitors to discover some of the underrated wineries, agro-farms and artisan cheesemakers in Provence along the way.

Cross Two Continents in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

Iceland’s geothermal nature means the countryside around the capital, Reykjavik, resembles a lunar landscape, dotted with vast waterfalls, steaming lakes, and exploding geysers.

Some of Iceland’s most beautiful places lie in Thingvellir National Park, northeast of the city and once home to the Althing, the country’s parliament for more than 800 years until the 18th century.

This craggy landscape, part of the Atlantic Ocean ridge, is also home to a unique geographical phenomenon.

Here, the tectonic plates that separate North America from Europe are gradually tearing away from each other at a rate of about an inch a year, resulting in the great rift Almannagjá. So after a visit, you can safely say you’ve stood on two separate continents in a matter of minutes.

Take a 4×4 Ride in Teide National Park, Tenerife

With a summit of some 12,000 feet and Spain’s highest point, volcanic Mount Teide dominates the landscape of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, an archipelago that lies off the coast of northwest Africa.

The national park that surrounds this towering peak begs to be explored with its otherworldly landscape dotted with peaks and surreal rock formations. One of the best ways to discover this vast moonscape is by 4×4 jeep, reaching otherwise inaccessible parts of the park on the way.

Kayak the Zrmanja River, Zadar

Part of the Velebit Nature Park, the Zrmanja River near Zadar cuts through a wild and untamed landscape: vast canyons, emerald waters, deep pools, rapids, and waterfalls.

Kayaking trips allow the chance to sample the park from the river itself, including the opportunity to potentially spot varied wildlife that Croatia is known for including rare subterranean olm (a type of salamander), tortoises, brown bear, and even lynx.

Climb Mount Etna, Sicily

Towering over the east coast of Sicily at a height of around 11,000 feet, fiery Mount Etna is Europe’s most active volcano.

It spews the occasional bursts of lava, ash and smoke into the air and leaves the tang of sulfur on the lips of all who visit. Ascending this moody mountain is one of the great European adventures.

There are a number of ways to explore this fiery Italian natural wonder, including 4x4s, cable car, and hiking, for which a knowledgeable local guide is a must.

Going by foot provides access to the four steaming summit craters, as well as far-reaching views over Sicily and as far as the Aeolian Islands on a clear day.

Take a Boat Ride Through the Blue Grotto, Malta

The coastline of Malta is dotted with cave complexes, none more stunning than the Blue Grotto, a series of nine caves, the walls of which can glow red, mauve, green, or orange depending on the mineral makeup of each one.

Despite this rainbow of color, the caves take their name from the seawater that reflects off the cave roofs, bathing them in deep azure. Some boat visits offer the chance to snorkel in the surrounding waters, while dive operators provide scuba drips to the nearby wreck Um El Faroud.

Read: Best Caves in the World

Walk to the Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy

Sitting atop a crumbling rock formation in the Calanchi Valley between Rome and Orvieto, Civita di Bagnoregio is one of Italy’s prettiest and most unique villages.

The village is approached only via a suspended walkway from neighboring Bagnoregio. The erosion of the hill on which it sits means there are now just a handful of residents left living among the medieval buildings and flower-filled walkways of this iconic hamlet.

Go Sea Kayaking in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

The southernmost part of the historical region of Dalmatia, the Bay of Kotor (also known as the Boka) is a winding bay around 17 miles long, surrounded by two mountain ranges: the Orien mountains to the west, and the Lovćen to the east.

The steep foothills of the mountains make for a dramatic fjord-like landscape, dotted with beaches and craggy bays, as well as medieval towns including Kotor itself, Risan, Tivat and Perast.

The snaking bay, with its many inlets, is perfect for exploring from the water. Gliding along the ocean by sea kayak allows you to appreciate the stillness of the gorgeous surroundings.

Practice Yoga in Ibiza

Ibiza may now have a reputation as the Mediterranean’s party capital, but it was not always this way. In the 1950s and 60s, the “White Island” had a distinctly hippy vibe and that remains today outside of the capital, Ibiza Town, and bustling party hub San Antonio.

Es Vedra, a small rocky island off the south coast, is said to be the third most magnetic point in the world and, according to legend, gives rise to the island’s vibrant energy.

It’s one of the reasons so many flock here to take part in yoga classes, either on the beach across from Es Vedra or even in “secret” caves with views over this Ibiza icon.

Read: Best Beaches in Ibiza

Admire Icebergs in Greenland

Part of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland has a number of unique firsts. Sitting in the Arctic Ocean, it is the world’s largest island, the northernmost area of the globe, and the least densely populated region in the world.

Close to the North Pole and almost entirely covered in ice, Greenland’s seas are dense with icebergs, some the size of houses. A boat tour is a great way to admire the shapes and colors of the bergs, and you may spot whales and polar bears, too.

Read: Things to Do in Greenland

Stand on Pulpit Rock, Norway

Towering 1,800 feet above the Lysefjord, Preikestolen, or Pulpit Rock, is a flat, rocky outcrop with jaw-dropping views over some of Europe’s most unique and breathtaking scenery. It’s a five-mile hike to the top that starts with a steep climb, followed by gentle slopes through woods.

While challenging, the rewards are unique. At its summit, there’s an incredibly sheer drop-off on three sides, allowing those who are vertigo-immune to get close to the edge for the ultimate shot of the Norwegian fjord below.

Swim in the Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Iceland’s volcanic nature makes for an incredible geothermal landscape unlike that of any country in the world. Despite that, one of its must-sees has a man-made element.

The Blue Lagoon, and open-air spa between Reykjavik and the airport at Keflavik sees water from the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power station gather in a dip in the land to form a naturally heated lake.

The waters of this Icelandic hot spring are rich in silica algae and minerals thought to help heal a number of ailments. A dip here also provides one of Europe’s most unique experiences, thanks to mineral-rich mud face masks and steaming milky-blue waters.

Boat on Loch Lomond, Scotland

Northwest of Glasgow, Scotland’s other most famous loch sits at the heart of Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, home to oak woodlands, red deer, and pretty stone villages.

Boat trips tend to start and end in Balloch, a small village by the River Leven on the southern shore, passing by notable sights including Balloch Castle, Inchmurrin Island, and the Loch Lomond Golf Club. Back in Balloch after a cruise, visit the Loch Lomond Aquarium and the Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Center.

Tour Rome on a Vespa

The Colosseum, Circus Maximus, Saint Peter’s Square, the Vatican… the key sights of Rome are many and varied. Getting around them all in quick succession can be a challenge thanks to the city center often being snarled with traffic.

The best way then to see the Eternal City is to jump on a vintage Vespa scooter and zip around like a native, with the benefit of a local guide. Gelato and coffee stops on the way are as “must-do” as ticking off the Roman landmarks themselves.

Climb the Arc de Triomphe in Paris

One of the most famous landmarks in Paris, the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile towers over the western end of the city’s legendary Champs-Élysées Avenue at the heart of Charles de Gaulle Square.

Built between 1806 and 1836 in honor of those who fought and died in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, it stands 160 feet and 284 steps above the streets below and offers fabulous views over the city, especially at night when the 12 avenues that radiate from the surrounding square light up.

While visiting, the base of the Arc is also worth a look. It is home to four groups of sculptures, including La Marseillaise, whose heroine Marianne is seen urging her countrymen and women into battle.

Gaze Into the Past at Stonehenge, England

A World Heritage site and famed across the globe, Stonehenge, set on Salisbury Plain, is a testament to the ingenuity of humans.

Dating from around 3100 BC, the European landmark consists of a series of standing stones around 13 feet high and weighing 25 tons each, topped with a series of connecting stones.

While its exact origins remain a mystery, likely explanations include it having some kind of religious or mystical use, or it being an early form of astronomical observatory. Whatever the reason for it being constructed, one cannot help but feel a spiritual connection with the early Britons who would once have visited here in their droves.

Set your heart aflutter with a European adventure on your next cruise vacation with Celebrity Cruises. Browse our cruises to Europe and book your adrenaline-filled getaway today.