Things to do in Europe

From mountain bike riding through the Catalan Pyrenees, to sea kayaking round Croatia’s illustrious archipelago, and husky sledding through the Narnia-esque landscape of magical Lapland, Europe really is one giant playground for activity vacations, encapsulating every type of environment you could wish for within mere hours of the UK. 

Montenegro is a Balkan bounty of boisterousness where you can try kayaking and wild swimming on freshwater Lake Skadar, or ramp up the adrenalin with a day white water rafting on the thrilling Tara River. The age-old and refreshingly untouristy Peloponnese region of Greece is a sailing and windsurfing utopia; or why not head to Spain and mix it up a bit with a guided star gazing tour, or a lesson in traditional Andalucian cookery.

The very fabric of many European destinations seems woven from a colourful cloth of distinctive history, culture, and pastimes. Take Italy’s island neighbour for example, which boasts over 7,000 sites dating back six millennia, or Rome’s Coliseum, undoubtedly one of the world’s most iconic archaeological symbols, and the Parthenon, which sits high on the incredible Athenian Acropolis and is widely considered the most important surviving emblem of Western civilisation. European cultural tours encompass much more than history too, whether that’s guided wine touring in Croatia, learning the local lingo as you walk in Spain, or splitting your time between painting and cookery lessons in the bucolic Umbrian hills.