Europe's Most Iconic Sights...???????
 

for the average traveler - I got to thinking 'what are Europe's top top must must see' sights average travelers want to see when first going to various countries.

* iNDICATES 'MAYBE MAYBE NOT'

I'd like to get your thoughts too! What do you consider to be such sights in Europe -not necessarily what you wanted to see first tjmes?

U.K.
STONEHENGE
*EDINBURGH CASTLE
LONDON:
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
TOWER OF LONDON
DOUBLE-DECKER BUSES
BIG BEN - THE TOWER NOT THE BELL
*BRITISH MUSEUM

PARIS:
EIFFEL TOWER
THE MONA LISA (AND LOUVRE TOO)
CHAMPS-ELYSEES
NOTRE-DAME CATHEDRAL
*VERSAILLES

FRANCE
*MONT-SAINT-MICHEL

BARCELONA
*FAMILY SAGRADA CHURCH

GERMANY
NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE

VENICE
SAINT MARK'S SQUARE
GONDOLAS

ROME:
COLOSSEUM-FORUM
VATICAN- ST PETERS
TREVI FOUNTAIN

SWITZERLAND
MATTERHORN

POLAND
AUSCHWITZ

ATHENS
PARTHENON-ACROPOLIS

THAT'S IT - 19 ABSOLUTE MUSTS - Couple of maybes

YOUR OPINION PLEASE?

My thought is that anyone can easily come up with "iconic" or (spare me) "must see". A far more interesting list for regular and occasional (average?) visitors alike would be the most interesting seldom-visited places. A slow post day, PQ?

Agree totally with MmePerdu. Why on earth do you want to add to the over supply of top ten and must see and UNESCO heritage lists? As far as I am concerned the only things those lists are good for are letting me know where I'm likely to find the worst crowds. And if you actually want such a list, any guidebook will provide one.

BTW, I grew up in England and lived in London for two years as a graduate student. I didn't bother with any of those sights (except the BM) until a number of years later when I was escorting Americans. Oh, and I rode the buses on occasion, but not because they were a 'sight'. They were transport.

Oops - made a mistake -I agree with you but wondered what folks consider the blockbuster sights that most people go to Europe to see. Curious about that.

Thread ended!

Cheers!

Well, you did ask for their thoughts.
I would add:
Norway - fjords;
Several museums including Musee D'Orsay; Rijksmuseum and van Gogh; Prado (and Sorolla and Thyssen- Bornemisza while in Madrid); National Gallery, Tate, V&A (London);
Keukenhof;

Threads like these, no matter how nonsensical they may be, are like avalanches. Say "avalanche ended" and see what happens.

dweislaw-Yes Tulips and flower fields is certainly one iconic sight many go to Holland to see, more than Amsterdam.

There is a good reason for such a list. Haven't you noticed that there are many people here who have a very short time in various places who ask what they should see. True, these places are crowded but so what ? Perhaps guidebooks are passe or perhaps people are just plain lazy but so what ? Such a list can help them. My list would include:-
Great Britain -
Tower of London
Westminster Abbey
British Museum

France -
Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame
Winged Victory at Louvre

Venice -
St. Marks
Grand Canal

Florence -
Duomo
Uffizi

Rome -
Colesseum
Forum
Vatican

Spain -
Alhambra
Mezquita
Prado

Moscow -
Red Square
Kremlin
R

Ah Grand Canal for sure - don't know how I missed that one and Alhambra too.

Makes 21 so far for my list.
23 if including Russia which I did not but Kremlin and Red Square are musts.

I guess Florence Duomo and Uffizi should also be on my list
now 25!

I was thinking Tivoli Gardens for Copenhagen???

Oops, forgot
Athens
Parthenon
National Archaeological Museum

Amsterdam -
Canals
Rijksmuseum
Tulips

"...guidebooks are passe..."

I didn't realize. Apparently replaced by websites catering to the clueless. Indescribably dull.

"Such a list can help them."

Click on the Fodor's destination links above and they're all listed right there. Pick up a hotel map and they're all marked. Our job is, I thought, to go beyond the obvious. But apparently not.

Well I am enjoying reading what people think are iconic, and must sees in different places.
It is a bit of fun, nothing more, nothing less.

Me? I avoid icons and must sees as much as possible. I hate cities and crowds.

Germany is a Little bit short.
Lorelei Brandebourg door.
Reducing Poland to auschwitz is hard too.
But I agree wit London and Paris.
You should have it into a quiz : name x iconic sights.

Bedar thanks for adding Spain, and to that I add Sagrada Familia, though def not my favorite.

PalenQ Although I know it's difficult to pick favorites, but I would find interesting the question, What is your personal top favorite site in Europe?

It's probably been done before though. I remember a thread, what do you personally consider the most beautiful piazza in Italy, or Europe? Can't remember, but it was interesting...

**Apparently replaced by websites catering to the clueless. Indescribably dull.**

Oh mmePerdu, maybe Pal is bored today...but maybe you are too?

"Oh mmePerdu, maybe Pal is bored today...but maybe you are too?"

No doubt.

adding to list off the top of my head:

Alcazar in Sevilla, Spain
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
Melk Abbey, Austria
St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague
Palacio Real in Madrid, Spain
St Paul's Cathedral, London, England
Bayeux Tapestry, Bayeux, France

and, of course...

The Buza Bar in Dubrovnik, Croatia (The 8th Wonder of the World)

((H))

"What is your personal top favorite site in Europe?"

That is one of the silliest questions I have seen. ONE top sight? Out of hundreds? There are a number of sights I have enjoyed seeing. There are a number of sights I have not seen and would like to. There a number of sights I have seen and would like to see again. But ONE top sight? You have to be joking.

It is a bit of fun, nothing more, nothing less.>

That's what I thought and think.

One wonders why a Lost person keeps trying to rain on others' parades?

she has missed the obvious fun part of it and reduced it to something negative -this is not a guidebook list- even their lists are very subjective:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...efore-you-die/ (One wonders why the Telegraph would waste ink on that - something so boring and inane?

https://www.explorra.com/travel-guid...n-europe_25203

Here's a whole book on it: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Sights-.../dp/1569520135

http://travel.usnews.com/rankings/be...ope_vacations/

And even fodors.com decided to waste space and time on it
http://www.fodors.com/news/photos/th...pean-landmarks

and on and on

to me it is fun to compare what we as individuals think and others and 'experts'

but I think all is lost on some.

Bayeux Tapestry, Bayeux, France>

subjectively would not quite make my list for what first-time travelers would link but made me forget that the Normandy D-Day Beaches certainly would.

"What is your personal top favorite site in Europe?">

Great question as it is so hard to answer but if you HAD to chose one such sight what would it be?

I guess I would chose Venice's Grande Canale by boat at night when all the ancient palazzo facades -part crumbling - pass so sublimely and magically by!

Not a silly question at all but one that takes a lot of thinking and rationalizing to yourself.

Oh dear, now someone's feelings are hurt. I didn't say the obvious is a waste time, just that it's obvious. And readily available, as you've just proved. I acknowledge that we all have very different ideas of fun.