Most visited European cities for 2017 /Part 1/

1. London

London is the capital of the United Kingdom and it’s the most visited city for 2017 with almost 20 million tourists. The English city has an area of 1572 km² and a population of more than 8 500 000 people. There are several landmarks in London which attract millions of tourists – Big Ben, House of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, London Eye and many others. The museums and parks of London are also popular among the tourists. Here are some interesting facts about the city:

• London has been called Londonium (around 43 A.D.), Ludenwic (during the 7th to 11th centuries), and Lundenburg.
• In 2016, London was ranked the 6th most expensive city to live in.
• It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.
• Big Ben is not the clock tower, but the bell inside it.
• The world’s first public zoo was opened in London in 1829.
• London is also the first city which installed a traffic light in 1868.

2. Paris

Paris is the capital and one of the most popular cities of France. The city has an area of 105 km² and a population of more than 2 200 000 people. Also known as “City of Light” or the “City of Love” Paris is the most popular city among the travelers with more than 14 million registered tourists in 2017. Paris is a symbol of love, art, beauty, good wine and food. The Eiffel Tower is the most iconic landmark of Paris. Here are some interesting facts about the City of Love:

• The Eiffel Tower was supposed to be a temporary installation for the World Fair in 1889. The French wanted an impressive monument to be built to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.
• The Eiffel Tower has 1665 steps;
• In Paris there are three replicas of Statue of Liberty. In fact, the Statue of Liberty of New York is a gift from France;
• The Louvre in Paris is the world’s largest art museum and a historic monument;
• Some people believed that there is only one stop sign in Paris.

3. Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and one of the most popular tourist destination in the world. The population of Rome is more than 2 800 000 people and it has an area of 1285 km². In 2016, Rome ranked as the 14th most visited city in the world. In 2017, Rome was visited from 9 600 000 tourists. Many things attract the tourists in the Italian capital – ancient culture, fashion, delicious food, monuments, museums and the unique atmosphere. One of the most visited and famous monuments of the world is the Colosseum, attracting millions of tourists each year. Let’s have a look at some interesting fact about Rome:

• Rome has 280 fountains and more than 900 churches. Nearly 700,000 euros worth of coins are tossed into Rome’s fountains each year.
• Rome became a capital of Italy in 1870 after taking the tittle from Florence.
• Rome’s symbol is a she-wolf that took care of the brothers Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome.
• Over 500 000 people lost their lives during the battles at the Colosseum.
• The first shopping mall was in Rome and it was built between 107 and 110 AD.
• Julius Caesar is the creator of the modern 12-month calendar.

4. Istanbul

Istanbul, historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople, is the famous tourist destination in Turkey. Istanbul has area of 1 539 km² and a population of around 15 million residents. The previous capital of Turkey is very beautiful and every tourist who has been there knows that. Istanbul is located on both sides of the Bosphorus, surrounded by the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara and between two continents – Europe and Asia. In 2017, Istanbul attracted more than 8,6 million tourists. The climate, the food, the sea and some landmarks like  Hagia Sophia, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Topkapı Palace and Grand Bazaar are the reason for this success. Istanbul has some facts which will surprise you:

• The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered bazaars in the world, with over 4 000 shops and it attracts between 250 000 and 400 000 people daily.
• Istanbul has more than 3 000 mosques.
• Bosphorus separates Europe from Asia and that makes Istanbul one of the few cities in the world that span two continents.
• Istanbul was a capital city of three different empires – Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman. Now Istanbul is not the capital of Turkey but it’s the largest city in the country.
• Istanbul has the same population as Belgium.
• In fact, Istanbul is the fastest growing tourism destination in the world. In 2014, Istanbul was the world’s top destination according to Travelers’ Choice Destinations Awards.