Rome - a traveler favorite in 2008
After much pummeling of calculators and mashing of spreadsheets, we’ve calculated our Top 25 Things to Do in Europe for 2008. As always there are some surprises on the list as well as some notable absences. In the former category: Rome and Paris. Both of these great cities continued to dominate travelers’ itineraries in Europe. In fact, given the overwhelming popularity of Rome and Paris amongst Viator travelers in 2008, we could probably have renamed this list as the “Top 25 Things to Do in Paris and Rome”.
But we digress.
We’re happy to see London, Florence, Venice and Munich on the list this year. And the absences? We’ll admit it, we have a soft spot for Istanbul, Dublin, Granada and Madrid. Yet none of these cities made it onto our list. Let’s agree to disagree for the time being, Viator travelers. And let’s work on broadening your travel itineraries in 2009. (We’ll tackle these cities - and why you should factor them into your 2009 travels - in a future post.)
Anyway, enough of the overview let’s get into the winners…
Viator’s Top 25 Things To Do in Europe: 2008
25. Ancient Rome Half-Day Walking Tour, Rome, Italy
Walk through Rome’s 2,000 years of history with an entertaining and informative guide, to relive life in Ancient Rome as a Gladiator, Emperor, Slave, Vestal Virgin, Merchant or Goddess!
24. Versailles by Bike Day Tour, Paris, France
Take to your bicycle and discover the full expanse of the gardens after your tour of the Palace, taking a picnic lunch at the end of the Grand Canal in the spot favored by Kings.
23. Versailles Half-Day Trip by Minivan, Paris, France
An intimate insight into the magnificent grandeur of Versailles on this small group guided tour will give you time to explore the Palace and gardens.
22. Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade, Venice, Italy
You’ll be captivated by the glamour and elegance of Venice as you glide along the Grand Canal in your shared gondola, complete with serenade.
21. Skip the Line: Guided Tour of the Louvre Museum, Paris, France
Head to the front of the line for your guided tour of Paris’ Louvre Museum, to focus on the Venus de Milo, the Victory of Samothrace and Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
20. Giverny and Versailles Day Trip, Paris, France
See the water-lily garden that inspired Monet in Giverny, and lunch at Versailles before entering the gilded world of this fabulously opulent Royal palace.
19. Royal Castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Day Tour, Munich, Germany
The French Rococo hunting lodge of King Ludwig II boasts a fantastic grotto and Moorish pavilion, while Neuschwanstein is a magnificent neo-Romanesque style fairytale castle.
#4 in 2008 - Stonehenge & Bath day trip from London
18. Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Rome Walking Tour, Rome, Italy
Discover the hidden secrets of the Vatican in this guided walking tour, exploring Christian Rome’s most inspirational sites and an extremely impressive collection of fine art.
17. Eiffel Tower Dinner and Seine River Cruise, Paris, France
A magical evening with dinner at the Eiffel Tower, followed by a leisurely cruise on the Seine admiring the gorgeous lights of Paris.
16. Bateaux Parisiens Dinner Cruise on the Seine, Paris, France
A fabulous three-course French dinner aboard the unique Bateaux Parisiens glass roofed boat with panoramic views of the illuminated riverside sights, and sophisticated musical entertainment.
15. Pompeii and Amalfi Coast Day Trip, Rome, Italy
Visit the charming fishing town of Positano, sample Limoncello liqueur in the labyrinth of Amalfi, see Moorish-style Paradise Cloister, and take a walking tour in Pompeii’s ancient ruins.
14. Paris City Hop-On Hop-Off Tour, Paris, France
Discover Paris at your leisure over 2 days, making your own itinerary between the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Champs Elysees, Grand Palais, Musee du Louvre, Musee d’Orsay and the Trocadero.
13. Skip The Line: Florence Accademia and Uffizi Gallery Tour, Florence, Italy
Immerse yourself in the world of Michelangelo at the Accademia Gallery, and take the special entrance to the Uffizi Gallery for superb paintings by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and more.
12. Paris Illuminations Tour and Moulin Rouge Show, Paris, France
Paris is unforgettable at night, and even more so with the spectacular Moulin Rouge Cabaret.
11. Dinner and Show at The Moulin Rouge, Paris, France
Marvel at the essence of Parisian cabaret in the lavish Moulin Rouge Cancan show, enjoy traditional French Food and fine wine and a coach ride home.
10. Skip the Line: Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Tour, Rome, Italy
Jump the queue and head straight to the wonders of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, enjoy an indulgent Italian lunch and finish with a tour of Christian Rome and the Catacomb’s.
Venice - #22 and #9 in 2008
9. Venice in One Day - The Original Venice Walk and Grand Canal Boat Tour, Venice, Italy
Walking is the best way to see this magical city, from San Marco Square to the Rialto Bridge, then relax as you cruise along the Grand Canal sipping prosecco.
8. Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Entrance Tickets, Rome, Italy
Save your hours for visiting the art in the Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s rooms, enjoy no standing in line and wander at your leisure through the magnificent Vatican Museum.
7. Sightseeing Tour including il Cenacolo - Da Vinci’s “Last Supper”, Milan, Italy
Reserve your place at Leonardo’s famous Last Supper, visit the glamorous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping gallery and Sforza Castle, the Duomo and La Scala opera house.
6. Rome Hop-On Hop-Off Double Decker Bus Tour, Rome, Italy
Explore the Eternal City at your own pace, in an open top bus with 360 degree views as you travel with personal audio commentary, between the Vatican, Colosseum, Piazza’s and more.
5. Skip The Line: Ancient Rome and Colosseum Half-Day Walking Tour, Rome, Italy
Spend the morning in Ancient Rome, from Colle Oppio to the Colosseum, admire the views of the Forum and Circus Maximus and stroll the Via Sacra ‘Sacred Way’.
4. Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Georgian Bath, London, England
Visit the Royal Family home and witness the Changing of the Guard, travel back in time to the mysterious enthralling Stonehenge, and finish with a panoramic tour of elegant Bath.
#1 in 2008 - Rome & the Vatican
3. Eiffel Tower Dinner and Moulin Rouge Show, Paris, France
Bohemian cabaret, spectacular views and cruising on the Seine make this an unforgettable evening in Paris, with Cancan at the Moulin Rouge and dinner at the Eiffel Tower.
2. Naples and Pompeii Day Tour, Rome, Italy
Experience the drama of Mount Vesuvius and the wonder of Naples on this fascinating day trip into art, history and archaeology, with the sights of Naples, lunch and a walking tour in Pompeii.
1. Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Walking Tour including Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s Rooms and St Peter’s, Rome, Italy
Don’t wait in line to see the world’s most extensive collection of art in 2000 rooms stretching over nine miles, in a small guided walking tour of the Vatican Museums and St Peter’s Basilica.
Do you have your own list of favorite things to do in Europe? We’d love to hear about them. Simply leave us a reply below and we’ll add them to the list.
Stay tuned for our final ‘Best of’ lists in the coming days, to help you plan your next trip across the globe. In the meantime, if your curious about the top things to do last year in Europe, keep on reading…
* * * * * * * * * *
What were the big surprises in 2007? Certainly the popularity of hop-on hop-off bus tours across Europe. These aren’t every travelers cup of tea, and few people would argue that a hop-on hop-off bus tour will change your life or blow your travel socks off.
That said, we were pleasantly surprised by the consistently positive reviews these bus tours received: travelers love the geographical and historical orientation they provide, not to mention the low-cost and easy on, easy off transport the buses offer.
So without further ado, may I have the envelope please, and the winners for 2007 are…
Viator’s Top 25 Things to Do in Europe: 2007
25. Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Entrance Tickets, Rome, Italy
24. Capri and the Blue Grotto Full Day Tour, Rome, Italy
23. Florence Day Tour, Rome, Italy
22. Skip the Line: Guided Tour of the Louvre Museum, Paris, France
21. Eiffel Tower Dinner and Seine River Cruise, Paris, France
20. Chianti Region with Wine Tasting Afternoon Tuscany Tour, Florence, Italy
19. Alhambra and Generalife - UNESCO World Heritage Site, Granada, Spain
18. Giverny and Versailles Day Trip, Paris, France
17. Bateaux Parisiens Dinner Cruise on the Seine, Paris, France
16. Royal Castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Day Tour, Munich, Germany
15. Siena and San Gimignano Full Day Tuscany Tour, Florence, Italy
14. Florence City Sightseeing Morning, Afternoon or Full Day Tour, Florence, Italy
13. Paris City Hop-On Hop-Off Tour, Paris, France
12. Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Walking Tour including Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s Rooms and St Peter’s, Rome, Italy
11. The Paris Pass, Paris, France
10. Venice in One Day - The Original Venice Walk and Grand Canal Boat Tour, Venice, Italy
9. Dinner and Show at The Moulin Rouge, Paris, France
8. Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Rome Walking Tour, Rome, Italy
7. Paris Illuminations Tour and Moulin Rouge Show, Paris, France
6. Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Georgian Bath, London, England
5. Rome Hop-On Hop-Off Double Decker Bus Tour, Rome, Italy
4. Sightseeing Tour including il Cenacolo - Da Vinci’s “Last Supper”, Milan, Italy
3. Eiffel Tower Dinner and Moulin Rouge Show, Paris, France
2. Naples and Pompeii Day Tour, Rome, Italy
1. Skip the Line: Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Tour, Rome, Italy
There you have it, Viator’s list of Top 25 Things to Do in Europe for 2007. This list showcases the tours and activities that were most popular on Viator.com in 2007.
And remember: it’s never too early to start planning your next trip to Europe. And as much as we feel passionate about the Top 25 things to do listed above, we also think it’s important to strike off on your own, get off the beaten path, and find a quiet corner of Europe to enjoy.
One of the best pieces of advice we’ve heard is to split your trip in half, mixing a better-known destination or two with something less mainstream. This is doubly true if you’re planning to visit Europe in June, July or August when things are at their busiest.
A good example of this “mixed trip itinerary” are combinations like Italy and Malta, Germany and Poland, England and Scotland, Turkey and Greece, Spain and Portugal, France and Belgium. But as we say at Viator, it doesn’t really matter where you go, just go!
Happy travels in 2009!
December 21st, 2006 at 6:01 am
I was interested to read the your Top 25 Things to do in Europe. I observed that 4 out of the top ten were in Rome. I agree that many of these are worthwhile doing, I have done number 2, visiting the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. What I did not enjoy about the Vatican was the crowds (and this was in February), you couldn’t move at your own pace through the rooms, you were almost propelled forwards.
However I would say that you could get a lot more of out of trip in Europe if you just spend time wandering around, soaking up the atmosphere, going at your own pace, visiting some less well known destinations instead of rushing around on a tour or just sticking to tourist magnets.
I tried to think of my top 3 things to do in Europe. However it is difficult for me to say specific trips/attractions. For example, I spent 4 days in Rome and enjoyed the whole experience, I wouldn’t rate the Vatican as the number one thing I did, although it added to the overall experience. We literally walked around for 4 days. Rome really is a living museum, you can walk in an alley and suddenly you are in a beautiful piazza. You go to sit in cafe and watch the world go by.
January 26th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Nice bucket list! It’s a pity that Scotland didn’t have any entries on the top 25. Things like playing a round of golf St Andrews, virtually the birthplace of golf… Oh well, perhaps in 2008.
June 29th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
The Venice in one day tour is fantastic! I’m glad to see it on the list. You should consider doing a list of tours of Italy or something along those lines. Anyway, I did that Venice tour last year and highly recommend it. Great list! Thanks!
January 20th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Italy and France will be very happy to see the list
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:42 am
Dear Viator,
I was so happy to see that Granada made it on your list 2 yrs ago….but nowhere in Spain made it last year! My husband and I were shocked! We love Europe but can’t seem to get enough of Spain — Medieval Toledo, green and windy Galicia, the beautiful Andalucia and of course Barcelona and Catalunya, where we made our last trip. We stayed in BCN for a few nights at a beautiful hotel, Banys Orientals, in the Borne district, then rented an incredible house for a week on the cliffs in Begur, on the Costa Brava. Breathtaking. i hope this makes it into your blog next year! we booked thru http://www.trimodum.eu
thanks!
Suzanne F.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Hi Suzanne.
Yeah, we were surprised - and sad - too by the absence of Spain on this year’s list. Partly this is not Spain’s fault. The growth in travel for France and Italy this year by Viator travelers was large. On the flipside that shouldn’t have been enough to knock Spain completely out of the running. I don’t know about you, but Barcelona is one of the finest cities in Europe. Maybe this year, we can convince more of our travelers to check it out. That’s our hope, at least.
June 5th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Thanks for the great list. I am planning to go to Europe soon and France and Italy were the only confirmed places I was going to go. You have given me so many ideas. Thanks once again! Au Revior