My Europe Bucket List

1,001 Things.

Events

January

• Lerwick Up Helly Aa (Jan-Mar, Shetland, Scotland)
• Northern Lights Festival (Tromsø, Norway)
• IHF Handball Championship (various)
• La Tamborrada (San Sebastián, Spain). 24/7 drum festival!

Febuary

• Carnival of Venice (Venice, Italy)
• Yacht Week (Croatia)
• Maslenitsa (Russia)
• Carnaval (Maastricht, Netherlands)
• The Carnival Of Ivrea (Ivrea, Italy). Orange-throwing.

March

• St. Patricks Day (Ireland)
• Starkbierfest (Munich, Germany). Strong beer festival.

April

• Paris–Roubaix (Roobaix, France)
• Feria de Abril (Seville, Spain)
• Venice Biennale (Apr-Nov, Venice, Italy)
• London Marathon (London, England)
• Koukenhoff Tulip Gardens (Amsterdam, Netherlands). Ride the “Tulip Route.”
• King’s Day (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

May

• Eurovision Song Contest final (various)
• Monaco GP
• Roland-Garros (Paris, France)
• Cannes Film Festival (Cannes, France). No entry for non-industry.
• Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake (Gloucester, England)
• Venice Vogalonga (Venice, Italy)

June

• 24. Calcio Storico (Florence, Italy). Gruesome sporting tournament that’s a mix of fighting, rugby and handball.
• Champions League final (various)
• Art Basel (Basel, Switzerland)
• Royal Ascot Races (Berkshire, England)
• Melt Festival (Gräfenhainichen, Germany)
• Glastonbury Festival (Somerset, England)
• Rock Im Park (Nuremberg, Germany)
• Lavender Mob (Digne, France)
• Sankt Hans Festival (Skagen, Denmark)
• Le Mans 24-Hour Race (Le Mans, France)

July

• EURocks (Malsaucy, France)
• TomorrowLand (Boom, Belgium)
• Tour de France (various, France)
• White Night Festival (St. Petersburg, Russia)
• Bregenz Festival (Bregenz, Austria)
• The North Sea Jazz Festival (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
• Salzburg Festival (Salzburg, Switzerland)
• The Open (St. Andrews, Scotland). Oldest golf course.
• GAA Hurling All-Ireland Championship (Dublin, Ireland). Gaelic games.
• 14th. Bastille Day (Paris, France)
• San Fermin (Pamplona, Spain). Running of the bulls.
• Dead Good Fun (Galicia, Spain). Open coffin funeral procession for those who survived a near-death experience!
• L Burro i L Gueiteiro (Douro, Portugal). Donkey march between villages.
• Czech Ukulele Festival (Unetice, Czech Republic)
• Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series (various)
• Latvian Song and Dance Festival (Latvia)
• Wimbledon (London, England)

August

• Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Edinburgh, Scotland)
• Amsterdam Pride (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
• La Tomatina (Buñol, Spain)
• The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (Edinburgh, Scotland)
• Street Parade (Zurich, Switzerland). Techno parade.
• Leeds & Reading Music Festivals (Leeds & Reading, England)
• World Bog Snorkelling Championships (Powys, Wales)
• Lucerne Festival (Lucerne, Switzerland)
• Palio di Siena (Siena, Italy). 90-second bare-back horse race since 1644.
• Les Joutes (Sete, France). Water jousting!
• Creamfields (Daresbury, England)
• Mad For Folk (Arsita, Italy)
• Festas do Pereiro (Pereiro, Portugal)
• La Ducasse d’Ath (Wallonia, Belgium)
• Medieval Week (Gotland, Sweden)
• Atonal (Berlin, Germany)
• Døds World Championship (Stockholm, Sweden)
• Sziget Festival (Budapest, Hungary)

September

• Oktoberfest (Munich, Germany)
• Venice International Film Festival (Venice, Italy)
• Coupe Icare Masquerade (Saint-Hillaire, France)
• Fiesta de Cascamorras (Granada, Spain)
• Hafengeburtstag (Hamburg, Germany)
• Sagra dell’uva (“Noble Grapes”) (Sardinia, Italy). 10-day grape harvest celebration since 1787.
• Pizzafest (Napels, Italy)
• Bratislava Music Festival (Bratislava, Slovakia)
• Flamenco Fair (Villamartín, Spain)
• Pálava Wine Harvest Festival (Mikulov, Czech Republic)
• Largs Viking Festival (Largs, Scotland)

October

• El Concurs de Castells (Torredembarra, Spain)
• Rubber Duck Race (Tübingen, Germany)
• Wexford Festival Opera (Wexford, Ireland)
• Cork Jazz Festival (Cork City, Ireland)
• ADE: Amsterdam Dance Event (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
• Marino Wine Festival (Marino, Italy). 4-day wine festival, free wine from fountain!

November

• Whirling Dervishes (Nov-Dec, Konya, Turkey)
• Christmas Markets (Berlin, Cologne, Salzburg, Vienna)

December

• The Ashes (London, England)
• Fête de l’Escalade (Geneva, Switzerland)
• Amsterdam Light Festival (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Netherlands-Specific

• Where the Sheep Sleep Festival (Zeewolde)
• Oerol Festival (Terschelling)
• Knapsack Festival (Delft)
• Wadden Sea (mudwalk)
• The Gardens of Babylon (Goch)

Do

• Monaco casino
• Northern Lights
• drink: Herberg Vlissinghe (Bruges, 1515), Al Brindisi (Ferrara, 1435), Brauhaus Sion (Cologne, 1318), Kyteler’s Inn (Kilkenny, 1263), Ye Olde Man & Scythe (Bolton, 1251), The Brazen Head (Dublin, 1198), Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (Nottingham, 1189), Gasthaus zum Riesen (Miltenberg, 1150), The Bingley Arms (Bardsey, 953), Sean’s Bar (Athlone, 900)
• trappist breweries: Chimay, d’Orval, La Trappe, Engelszell (Austria), Mount St Bernard (England), Rochefort, Tre Fontane Abbey (Italy), Westvleteren, Westmalle, Zundert (Netherlands)
• wineries: Staffelter Hof (Germany, 862), Château de Goulaine (France, 1000), Schloss Johannisberg (Germany, 1100), Barone Ricasoli (Chianti, 1141), Schloss Vollrads (Rheingau, 1211), Frescobaldi (Tuscany, 1308), Karthäuserhof (Germany, 1335), Antinori (Florence, 1179), Can Bonastre (Montserrat, 1548), Codorníu (Barcelona, 1551), Schloss Vollrads (Germany, 1211), Fonjallaz (Switzerland, 1552), Dopff-Au-Moulin (France, 1574)
• eat: Mont des Cats (France, trappist cheese), Stiftskeller St. Peter (Salzburg, 803), Zum Franziskaner (Stockholm, 1421), La Tour d’Argent (Paris, 1582), Zur letzten Instanz (Berlin, 1621), A la Petite Chaise (Paris, 1680), Sobrino de Botín (Madrid, 1725)
• sports: bandy (like ice-hokey), pétanque (boules)
• soccer: AC Milan, Ajax, Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, PSG, Real Madrid
• trains: Chocolate train (Switzerland), Jacobite train (Scotland), Trans-Siberian (Russia)

Visit

• Albania:
• Andorra:
• Austria: Salzberg, Vienna
• Belarus:
• Belgium: Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Ghent, Leuven (Stella Artois)
• Bosnia:
• Bulgaria:
• Croatia: Dubrovnik, Korčula, Pag, Zagreb
• Cyprus:
• Czech Republic: Moravia (wines), Prague
• Denmark: Copenhagen, Faroe Islands, Freetown Christiana
• Estonia:
• England: Bath, Brighton, Liverpool, London, Manchester
• Finland:
• France: Alsace, Bordeaux, Camembert, Champagne, Colmar, Dunkirk, Loire Valley (wines), Mont Saint-Michel, Nice, Paris, Roquefort, Saint-Marlo (Le Grand Hotel Des Thermes) Strasbourg, Vichy (Vichy Celestins Spa Hôtel, Vichy Pastilles)
• Germany: Berlin, Coburg (Prince Albert and Princess Victoria born there, Landestheatrer opera, Coburger bratwurst grilled over pinecone fire), Eltz Castle, Mosel (Riesling), Munich, Neuschwanstein Castle, Rothenburg ob der tauber (“Romantic Road” drive)
• Greece: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini
• Hungary: Balaton Region (wines), Budapest
• Iceland: Blue Lagoon, Ice ring road, Reykjavik, Silfra Fissure (snorkel)
• Ireland: Dublin (Guinness), Cliffs of Mother
• Israel*:
• Italy: Amalfi Coast (drive), Bologna (Ferrari factory), Chianti, Dasa (stay here), Dolomites mountains (many different parts), Florence, Lake Como, Naples, Parma, Piedmont (Barolo and Barbaresco), Rome, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany, Venice
• Latvia:
• Liechtenstein:
• Lithuania:
• Luxemburg:
• Malta: Blue Lagoon
• Moldova:
• Monaco:
• Montenegro:
• Netherlands: Amersfort, Amsterdam, Appingedam, Delft, Doesburg, Giethoorn, Gouda (cheese market), Haarlem, Harlingen, Kinderdijk, Leiden, Maastricht, Naarden, Oudewater, Rotterdam, Streefkerk (Booij Kaasmakers, cheesemakers for over 300 years), The Hague, Thorn, Valkenburg, Utrecht, Volendam, Zierikzee
• North Macedonia:
• Norway:
• Poland: Krakow, Warsaw
• Portugal: Duoro (wines), Lisbon, Porto
• Romania: Bran Castle
• Russia: Red Square, St. Petersburg
• San Marino:
• Serbia:
• Slovakia:
• Scotland: Isle of Skye
• Slovenia: Lake Bled
• Spain: Asturias (cheese), Barcelona, Gibraltar, Girona, Ibiza, La Rioja (wines), Malaga, Madrid, San Sebastian, Seville
• Sweden:
• Switzerland: Alps, Basel, Emmental, Gruyères, Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Zurich
• Turkey*: Blue Mosque
• Ukraine:
• Vatican:

* Not actually Europe.

TODO

• Oldest/best: winery, brewery, cheese, restaurant, bar, Michelin, hikes