Option Trading Europe Style

IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Tom Porter O mercado de dólares norte-americanos mostrou-se mais do que um fósforo para US18.05bn de bancos europeus que absorvem a dívida na semana passada, vislumbrando o ano à frente, à medida que os bancos se reúnem para o mercado de títulos mais profundo Para atender aos novos requisitos regulamentares. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Alice Gledhill Intesa Sanpaolo e Santander aproveitaram as condições de emissão próspera para vender os títulos subordinados em grande parte sindicados da Europa do Sul desde maio de 2016, sinalizando uma mudança de fortuna para os credores das regiões. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Helen Bartholomew O presidente da CFTC, Timothy Massad, demitirá-se em 20 de janeiro, abrindo a porta para um desmantelamento parcial das regras de Dodd-Frank, já que Christopher Giancarlo, comissário da CFTC e crítico franco das regras de derivados defeituosos, é amplamente aditado Para assumir o controle. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Robert Smith As diretrizes de empréstimos alavancadas propostas pelo Banco Central Europeu poderiam forçar empréstimos mais arriscados em canais não regulamentados e criar oportunidades não desejadas para a arbitragem, bem como produzir distorções do mercado. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Graham Fahy Os 19 subscritores da emissão de direitos autorais da UniCredits 13bn devem aproveitar ao máximo suas taxas de gordura, pois haverá poucos outros dias de pagamento em Itália nos próximos meses, com uma série de recapitalizações bancárias italianas prováveis Para ser orquestrada pelo estado a portas fechadas, como no caso de Banca Monte Dei Paschi di Siena deixando pouco mais no pipeline. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por John Weavers Dois bancos australianos superaram a intensa competição na semana passada para acessar o dinâmico mercado de títulos em dólares norte-americanos, onde os investidores aproveitaram as ofertas mais recentes dos emissores classificados com classificação Double A bem conhecidos. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Fiona Lau Após uma difícil 2016, as perspectivas estão buscando os mercados asiáticos de capital próprio este ano, de acordo com banqueiros da ECM. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Ina Zhou Um escândalo que ameaçou paralisar a negociação no mercado de títulos domésticos da Chinas foi interrompido após uma suspensão de tempo prolongada quando uma corretora finalmente reconheceu contratos de títulos falsos supostamente celebrados por dois Ex-funcionários. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Keith Mullin O cancelamento de resgate do Banca Monte Dei Paschi di Siena, detentor de títulos de varejo do Banca Monte Dei Paschi di Siena recentemente anunciado e o fiança limitada de titulares institucionais de Nível 1, lançou uma disputa amarga em torno do apagamento De acionistas e detentores de títulos subordinados em seis bancos eslovenos que foram resgatados pelo estado em 2013 e 2014. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Will Caiger-Smith O ano novo começou com uma explosão no mercado de títulos de investment grade dos EUA, que Registrou sua terceira semana mais movimentada na história na semana passada com quase US $ 55 bilhões em emissão. Os empréstimos sindicados na região EMEA caíram para US914bn em 2016, mostrando uma queda de 21 anos a ano, à medida que a atividade de refinanciamento caiu e as aquisições permaneceram irregulares. O volume total de EMEA em 2016 foi o mais baixo desde que o US703bn aumentou em 2012, uma vez que os desenvolvimentos econômicos e políticos globais tornaram as empresas relutantes em enfrentar a volatilidade do mercado. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Lynn Adler Os ganhos do banco em empréstimos de alavancagem de subscrição afundaram em uma queda de quatro anos em 2016, como um estourar no quarto trimestre de negócios de refinanciamento que tipicamente pagam taxas mais baixas do que os novos empréstimos seguiram três quartos de negócios lentos Antes da eleição presidencial dos EUA, de acordo com Freeman Consulting Services. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Lynn Adler Uma onda de compras e refinanciamento de empresas no mercado no quarto trimestre, à medida que os mercados se aproximavam das perspectivas de regulamentos financeiros mais flexíveis ao abrigo de uma administração Trump, puxaram o volume de empréstimos sindicados dos EUA em 2016 para corresponder ao ritmo dos anos anteriores. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Prakash Chakravarti Os volumes de empréstimos sindicados na Ásia-Pacífico, excluindo o Japão, caíram pelo segundo ano consecutivo, passando para um mínimo de três anos, uma vez que um crescimento econômico mais lento e turbulência geopolítica reduziram os empréstimos bancários, apesar de um aumento MampA atividade na China. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 O HarbourVest Global Private Equity renovou sua atual facilidade de crédito rotativo de múltiplas moedas US500m com o Lloyds Bank eo Credit Suisse. O financiamento foi ampliado para dezembro de 2020 a partir de setembro de 2019. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 O comerciante e processador de produtos agrícolas Louis Dreyfus ampliou o prazo de validade de sua atual facilidade de crédito rotativo e aumentou a facilidade para EU1bn de US800m anteriormente. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 O negócio de comércio eletrônico polonês Allegro atribuiu um empréstimo de Z5.14bn (US1.2bn) apoiando sua compra US3.25bn por Cinven, Permira e Mid Europa. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Cinco bancos e um fundo alinharam cerca de 750 milhões de financiamentos de dívida para apoiar a aquisição da Onexs Parkdean Resorts, operador de parque de férias britânico. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Helen Bartholomew O presidente da CFTC, Timothy Massad, demitirá-se em 20 de janeiro, abrindo a porta para um desmantelamento parcial das regras de Dodd-Frank, já que Christopher Giancarlo, comissário da CFTC e crítico franco das regras de derivados defeituosos, é amplamente aditado Para assumir o controle. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 Por Helen Bartholomew O grupo de câmbio pan-europeu Euronext fez uma oferta em dinheiro de 510 milhões para assumir o controle da LCH. Clearnet SA, subsidiária do grupo de compensação LCH, de Paris, de propriedade total da London Stock Exchange Group. IFR 2164 17 de dezembro a 6 de janeiro de 2017 Por Helen Bartholomew As anomalias de preços nos swaps de inadimplência de crédito referentes à Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena indicam expectativas crescentes de que os detentores de títulos seniores evitarão ser resgatados depois que o banco reabreu um swap de dívida por capital expandido sobre dívida subordinada . IFR 2164 17 de dezembro a 6 de janeiro de 2017 Por Helen Bartholomew IFR 2164 17 de dezembro a 6 de janeiro de 2017 Por Helen Bartholomew Um novo comitê da indústria responsável por identificadores de produtos derivados iniciou o primeiro de uma série de consultas, pois examina um lançamento de testes de abril de 2017 para testes Um serviço automatizado de criação ISIN para swaps de balcão. Acesse uma edição digital da última revista impressa aqui. Para ler o IFR Magazine Digital Edition, você precisará inserir seus detalhes na seção de login. Se você esqueceu sua senha ou gostaria de saber mais sobre inscrições IF, envie um e-mail para rm. clientsupportthomsonreuters. IFR Review of the Year 2016 Por Keith Mullin O mercado bancário e de capitais certamente não faltou drama em 2016 à medida que a indústria lutou contra um ambiente operacional complexo e volátil, enquanto empresas individuais avançaram com recalibrações estratégicas e se esforçaram para melhorar os retornos. Talvez não tenha havido nenhuma epifania deslumbrante, mas uma empresa continuou decididamente seu progresso constante e fez passos impressionantes. Citigroup é IFRs Bank of the Year. IFR Review of the Year 2016 Leia a revisão do ano de 2016 incluindo artigos sobre cada um dos vencedores do Prêmio IFR aqui Relatórios especiais Revisão IFR do ano de 2016 É normalmente justo dizer que banqueiros que resmungam sobre o estado dos mercados merecem a mesma simpatia que Agricultores gemendo sobre o clima. Vai com o território. E cabe a eles simplesmente seguir com isso. IFR Americas Review of the Year 2016 Os mercados são mais agnósticos em relação às eleições do que o público em geral. Mesmo quando a metade (ou mais) da América estava batendo os dentes sobre a eleição do primeiro presidente não-político do país desde Eisenhower, o Trump Rally estava em pleno vôo. IFR German Corporate Funding Roundtable 2016 A IFR convocou a sua quinta mesa-redonda anual de financiamento corporativo alemão em Frankfurt, em meados de novembro, assim como os mercados obrigacionistas, liderados pelos títulos do Tesouro dos EUA, estavam começando a reescrevê-lo com base nas maiores expectativas de inflação e no dinheiro dos EUA mais apertado. IFR Indias Caminho para o Crescimento Sustentável Mesa redonda 2016 O IFR convocou recentemente uma discussão de mesa redonda altamente perspicaz em Washington DC, intitulada Caminho das Indias para o Crescimento Sustentável: Desafios e Oportunidades. A cadeira do Banco do Estado da Índia, Arundhati Bhattacharya, emitiu alguns comentários de abertura afirmativos que moldaram eloquentemente a discussão que se seguiu. IFR 2165 7 de janeiro a 13 de janeiro de 2017 BANCOS QUE SÃO pensando em mudar suas operações de Londres para Paris pós-Brexit pode querer pensar novamente após A França introduziu sua nova regra 8220droit a la deconnexion8221 - um direito 8220 para desconectar8221 dos e-mails de trabalho - que entrou em vigor no dia 1º de janeiro. Falei com um amigo do cliente do cliente privado meu há alguns dias que estava muito ocupado escrevendo o final do ano Avaliações de desempenho para seus clientes. Nós trocamos algumas perguntas sobre como nem sequer conseguiram todas as chamadas, embora seu portfólio de indivíduos com alto patrimônio líquido esteja repleto de clientes que parecem se esforçar para entender esse fato único. Antes de se perguntar como é que, apesar de alguns números bastante inconclusivos nas feiras das sextas-feiras de dezembro, o Dow atingiu 19.999.63 no mercado das sextas-feiras e, à luz da abertura do Salão do Detroit Motor hoje, talvez devêssemos refletir sobre o fato de que era um Há apenas 10 anos que o falecido Steve Jobs revelou o iPhone. Enquanto uma série de mercados serão encerrados hoje para o dia da festa do Epiphany, nos EUA, eles arent e ficamos sujos com o primeiro relatório de folha de pagamento do novo ano. Os mercados de ativos de risco podem ter sido incendiados nas últimas oito semanas, mas a liberação dos minutos de dezembro dos FOMC nos dias de hoje certamente prejudicou as coisas. O maior gerente de qualquer organização de vendas e comércio no mundo, como o Bono, se juntou à sua banda de rock. O Japão voltou a trabalhar hoje com o Nikkei colocando mais de 2,5 em uma única sessão, não só jogando catch up, mas assumindo a liderança. Não há como parar este rali. Primeiro, claro, permita-me desejar a todos os meus leitores, sejam profissionais do mercado ou apenas observadores interessados, um Ano Novo muito feliz e próspero. Então, estamos 2016 é tudo, mas feito e espolvoreado e tem, para ser franco, não foi um grande ano. Assim, o FOMC fez o seu negócio e os mercados de ações foram negociados. Eventos correlacionados mal. UBS e Morgan Stanley devem amar Jean Pierre Mustier. À medida que o CEO da UniCredit define a tarefa de classificar o banco com uma urgência impressionante e rápida, eles estiveram no local de direção de um grande número de negócios bancários de investimento, o banco pagou carteira nos últimos meses. A Europa engloba uma área de 10.180.000 Km (3.930.000 milhas quadradas), que se estende da Ásia ao Atlântico, e da África ao Ártico. Os países europeus recebem mais de 480 milhões de visitantes internacionais por ano, mais de metade do mercado global e 7 dos 10 países mais visitados são países europeus. É fácil ver por que - um patrimônio cultural bem preservado, fronteiras abertas e infra-estrutura eficiente tornam a Europa visitante uma brisa, e raramente você terá que viajar mais do que algumas horas antes de poder mergulhar em uma nova cultura e mergulhar em uma outra livro de frases. Embora seja o continente mais pequeno do mundo na área da superfície terrestre, há profundas diferenças entre as culturas e os modos de vida em seus países. A fronteira oriental da Europa, por exemplo, não está bem definida. Os estados de Caucausus às vezes são considerados parte da Ásia devido à geografia, e grande parte da Rússia e quase toda a Turquia são geograficamente asiáticos. O Reino Unido, a Irlanda e a Islândia conseguem se esgueirar. Muitos países europeus são membros da União Européia (UE), que tem sua própria moeda (o Euro) e as leis. Não existem controlos nas fronteiras entre os países signatários do Acordo de Schengen (apenas nas fronteiras externas). Note-se que nem todos os membros da UE adotaram o Acordo de Schengen (fronteiras abertas) ou o Euro, e nem todos os países que adotaram o Schengen ou o Euro são membros da União Européia. Confuso Apenas espera Regiões editar Mapa das regiões da Europes Balcãs (Albânia, Bósnia e Herzegovina, Bulgária, Croácia, Macedônia, Moldávia, Montenegro, Romênia, Kosovo e Sérvia). Os Balcãs têm uma história rica, embora frequentemente turbulenta, com uma natureza maravilhosa, cidades multiculturais encantadoras , Impressionantes monastérios e citadelas espalhando as encostas e montanhas com belas florestas, lagos agradáveis ​​e praias deslumbrantes. Estados bálticos (Estónia, Letónia, Lituânia). Três estados fascinantes que possuem praias maravilhosas ao longo de um extenso litoral, cidades antigas medievais e belas paisagens naturais. A Estônia tem laços linguísticos e culturais com a Finlândia. Benelux (Bélgica. Luxemburgo. Países Baixos) A Holanda é conhecida por seus tamancos, queijos, tulipas e moinhos de vento e por suas atitudes e pintores liberais. A Bélgica é um país multilingue com belas cidades históricas, na fronteira com o Luxemburgo nas colinas das Ardenas. Reino Unido e Bretanha é um mosaico variado de culturas nativas e imigrantes, possuindo uma história fascinante e uma cultura moderna e dinâmica, que continuam a ser extremamente influentes em todo o mundo. A Irlanda tem paisagens ondulantes e costumes, tradições e folclore característicos. Europa Central (Áustria, República Checa, Alemanha, Hungria, Liechtenstein, Polônia, Eslováquia, Eslovênia, Suiça). A Europa Central é a região onde a cultura germânica atende a cultura eslava. É o lar de inúmeras cidades históricas, castelos de conto de fadas, cerveja, florestas, terras virgens e muitas cadeias montanhosas, incluindo os poderosos Alpes e Cárpatos. França e Monaco A França é o destino turístico mais popular do mundo conhecido por sua gastronomia, história, cultura e moda. Algumas das suas atracções turísticas incluem Paris, a Riviera Francesa, as praias do Atlântico, os Alpes, os castelos do Vale do Loire, a Bretanha, a Normandia e a paisagem rural da Provença. Mônaco é um principado bonito e ultra-rico com vista para o Mediterrâneo. Grécia. Chipre e Turquia Contando a maior quantidade de horas de sol na Europa, o Mediterrâneo Oriental é um paraíso para os adeptos da praia, as pessoas de festa e os entusiastas da cultura. Cáucaso (Geórgia, Arménia, Azerbaijão) Uma região que apresenta uma mistura notável de paisagens, que vão desde picos de alta montanha e vales vitivinícolas até os exuberantes resorts do Mar Negro. Como os Balcãs, o Cáucaso está na interseção das culturas cristãs e islâmicas e está entre as áreas mais exóticas do continente Iberia (Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, Espanha). Os países ibéricos são ótimos destinos para suas culturas ricas e únicas, cidades animadas, Belo campo e habitantes amigáveis. Itália (Itália. Malta. San Marino. Cidade do Vaticano) Roma, Florença, Veneza e Pisa estão em muitos itinerários de viajantes, mas estes são apenas alguns dos destinos da Itália. A Itália tem mais história e cultura embalada nela do que muitos outros países combinados. Rússia. Ucrânia. E a Rússia da Bielorrússia é um país de grandes extensões vazias que abrange todo o caminho do leste até o Oceano Pacífico. A Ucrânia é um país diversificado que tem muito a oferecer, dos resorts de praia do Mar Negro às lindas cidades de Odessa, Lviv e Kiev. O norte da Ucrânia reside na Bielorrússia, um país diferente de qualquer outro lugar na Europa. Países nórdicos (Dinamarca, Ilhas Faroé, Noruega, Finlândia, Islândia, Suécia). Espectacular cenário de montanhas, lagos, geleiras, geysers, cachoeiras e vulcões. A Finlândia é culturalmente distinta, pois tem um idioma diferente das línguas escandinavas. Principais cidades editar Como você escolhe algumas cidades para representar um continente cheio de história profunda e cultura profunda Isso mudará ao longo do tempo, mas heres nossos dez melhores: canais de Amsterdã, Rembrandt, hachís e lanternas vermelhas, o epicentro das atitudes liberais Atenas - o Acrópole, templos antigos, igrejas medievais, primeiras mansões neoclássicas modernas, o local de nascimento da civilização ocidental com uma história de 3.400 anos. A casa cosmopolita de Barcelona Gaudis na costa mediterrânea de Berlim, a capital da Alemanha reunificada desde 1990, foi dividida por força durante 45 anos durante o frio Guerra e surgiu como um centro cultural internacional e uma área de rápido desenvolvimento desde a queda do Muro de Berlim, Istambul, a única grande cidade a atravessar dois continentes e um fascinante caldeirão de Londres e leste da capital britânica vibrante, uma verdadeira cidade global Moscou A maior cidade da Europes é famosa por sua vida noturna e o icônico Kremlin Paris, a capital do romance (e a França) nas margens de t A cidade mágica de Sena, Praga, com suas famosas pontes que abrangem o rio Vltava, Roma, a cidade eterna de sete colinas e dois mil e setecentos anos de história. Outros destinos notáveis ​​editam a fortaleza da parte de Alhambra, parte do palácio, parte do jardim e parte da cidade do governo, um impressionante meio-dia Complexo com vista para a cidade de Granada, na Espanha Alpes, uma cordilheira muito popular para skiboardsnowboarding e montanhismo, com o Mont Blanc como seu pico mais alto Cinque Terre um lindo parque nacional, que liga cinco aldeias pitorescas no parque nacional da Itália Biaowiea na Polônia as últimas e maiores partes restantes Da imensa floresta primordial que uma vez se espalhou pela planície europeia Blue Lagoon fantástico spa geotérmico com a temperatura da água em torno de 40 ° C durante todo o ano, mesmo nas condições de congelamento da Islândia Meteora seis mosteiros ortodoxos gregos construídos em pilares de rochas de arenito natural Castelo de Neuschwanstein o bem conhecido Castelo de conto de fadas nos Alpes bávaros na Baviera Plitvic Parque nacional e belos lagos colorados de turquesa rodeados por um grande complexo florestal na Croácia Stonehenge, o famoso monumento de pedra do Neolítico e da Idade do Bronze localizado na planície de Salisbury, Inglaterra Entenda editar A história edita Florença, o local de nascimento do Renascimento com uma herança cultural surpreendente. Os primeiros sinais concretos de cultura europeia escrita podem ser encontrados na Grécia helênica. Homer (c. 800160BC), Hesiod (753160BC) e Kallinos (728160BC) são três dos poetas mais antigos da Europa. Os romanos acreditavam que sua cidade foi fundada em 753160BC, enquanto os arqueólogos e historiadores modernos acreditam que a área da moderna Roma tem sido habitada desde pelo menos 1000 a 800160 aC. A partir de 300160AD, o cristianismo na Europa começou a se espalhar. Cerca de 500, o Império Romano entrou em colapso, com a França naquele momento sob o domínio dos merovíngios, a Espanha ocupada pelos muçulmanos berberes do norte da África e outros países essencialmente invadidos por vários grupos bárbaros. Em 714, o império carolíngio foi fundado e durou até 911 ocupando grandes partes da Europa Ocidental. O período posterior a esta data é freqüentemente chamado de alta e idades médias e durou até cerca de 1300, que viu uma mudança para a urbanização em toda a Europa, iniciando na Europa Ocidental e originando universidades. Isto foi seguido pela Idade Média tardia, que terminou por volta de 1500, dando origem a um período de história européia normalmente referido como o Renascimento ou o recém-nascimento. O povo deste período redescobriu ativamente a cultura greco-romana clássica e foi seguido por uma reforma do cristianismo, com o surgimento de novas seitas na Europa, principalmente o protestantismo. A União Européia Europa, antes da conclusão da Segunda Guerra Mundial, era uma região devastada por uma guerra total em larga escala. Os líderes nacionais perceberam após a Segunda Guerra Mundial que era necessária uma integração socioeconômica e política mais próxima para garantir que tais tragédias nunca mais acontecessem. Começando com os começos humildes, a primeira criação da UE foi a Comunidade Europeia do Carvão e do Aço (CECA) em 1951. O grupo fundador das nações era a Bélgica. Alemanha Ocidental. Luxemburgo. França. Itália e Holanda. Impressionados com os resultados da união, os seis países pressionaram e, em 1956, assinaram o Tratado de Roma, com o objetivo último de criar um mercado comum da Comunidade Econômica Européia (CEE). Em 1967, a união foi formalizada ainda mais com a criação de uma única Comissão Europeia, bem como um Conselho de Ministros e o Parlamento Europeu. De 1945 a 1990, a Europa Ocidental foi dividida pela Cortina de Ferro da Europa Oriental. Em 1989, os protestos em toda a Europa levaram a revoluções principalmente não violentas e, em 1991, a União Soviética foi dissolvida e a Guerra Fria terminou. Pós-1967, a UE continuou a crescer rapidamente a Dinamarca. A Irlanda e o Reino Unido se juntaram em 1973. A Grécia se juntou em 1981, Espanha e Portugal em 1986 e na Áustria. Finlândia e Suécia em 1995. Até à data, a Noruega e a Suíça resistiram à adesão por razões históricas e econômicas, embora ambos tenham relações estreitas com a UE. A UE prosseguiu com a integração econômica e lançou o euro () em várias nações em 1 de janeiro de 2002. Atualmente, 18 nações usam o euro como moeda oficial. Além disso, São Marinho, Vaticano, Mônaco, Andorra e Montenegro, que também não são membros da UE, receberam permissão oficial para usar o euro. Em 2004, outros 10 países se juntaram à UE. Estes foram: Chipre. a república Tcheca. Estônia. Hungria. Letônia. Lituânia. Malta. Polônia. Eslováquia e Eslovênia. Em 2007, a Bulgária e a Roménia juntaram-se à Croácia juntaram-se em Julho de 2013, enquanto a Albânia, a Islândia, a Macedónia, o Montenegro, a Sérvia e a Turquia são todos candidatos oficiais. Geografia editar Mapa topográfico da Europa A Europa compõe o ocidente um quinto da massa terrestre euro-asiática. Está delimitada por corpos de água em três lados: o Oceano Ártico ao norte (o Nordkapp sendo o ponto mais norte), o Oceano Atlântico a oeste e o Mar Mediterrâneo ao sul. O Mar Mediterrâneo é um popular destino de praia devido ao seu clima. As fronteiras do leste da Europa são mal definidas e se movem para o leste ao longo da história. Atualmente, as Montanhas Urais e do Cáucaso, o Mar Cáspio e os mares negros e o Estreito do Bósforo são considerados sua fronteira oriental, tornando Istambul a única metrópole no mundo em dois continentes. Chipre também é considerado parte da Europa. A Europa é um continente geograficamente diversificado. O ponto mais alto da Europa é Russias Mt. Elbrus nas montanhas do Cáucaso. Que eleva-se para 5.642m (18.510160 pés) acima do nível do mar. O ponto mais alto das Europes Ocidentais é o Mont Blanc nos Alpes com 4.810 m (15,771160 pés) acima do nível do mar. Outras cadeias de montanhas importantes incluem os Pirenéus entre a França e a Espanha e os Cárpatos que atravessam a Europa Central para os Balcãs. A maioria das regiões ao longo dos mares do Norte e do Mar Báltico são planas, especialmente os Países Baixos, o norte da Alemanha e a Dinamarca. As costas dos mares do Norte e do Mar Báltico apresentam centenas de quilômetros de praias e resorts de areia, embora em climas mais frios. O rio mais longo da Europa é o Volga, que serpenteia 3.530 km (2.131 milnios) através da Rússia e flui para o Mar Cáspio. O Danúbio e o Reno formaram grande parte da fronteira norte do Império Romano e foram importantes vias navegáveis ​​desde os tempos pré-históricos. O Danúbio começa na Floresta Negra na Alemanha e passa pelas cidades capitais de Viena. Bratislava. Budapeste. E Belgrado antes de esvaziar no Mar Negro. O Reno começa nos Alpes Suíços e causou as Cataratas do Reno. A maior cachoeira simples da Europa. A partir daí, compõe a fronteira franco-alemã que atravessa a Alemanha Ocidental e os Países Baixos. Muitos castelos e fortificações foram construídos ao longo do Reno, incluindo os do Vale do Reno. Clima editar O farol no Cape Talk (Gelidonia), que se expande para o Mediterrâneo ao sul de Antalya, o clima da Europa é temperado. É mais suave do que outras áreas da mesma latitude (por exemplo, no nordeste dos EUA) devido à influência do Gulf Stream. No entanto, existem profundas diferenças nos climas de diferentes regiões. O clima da Europes varia de subtropical perto do Mar Mediterrâneo no sul, até o subártico perto do Mar de Barents e do Oceano Ártico nas latitudes do norte. As temperaturas extremas são apenas encontradas no norte da Escandinávia e partes da Rússia no inverno. A precipitação anual média diverge amplamente na Europa. A maioria das chuvas ocorre nos Alpes. E em uma banda ao longo do Mar Adriático da Eslovênia até a costa oeste da Grécia. Outras regiões com abundante precipitação incluem o noroeste de Espanha, as Ilhas Britânicas e o oeste da Noruega. Bergen tem a maior quantidade de chuvas na Europa com 235 dias chuvosos por ano. A maioria das chuvas ocorre no verão, devido aos ventos do oeste do Atlântico que atingiram as Ilhas Britânicas, o Benelux, a Alemanha Ocidental, o norte da França e o sudoeste da Escandinávia. A melhor época para visitar a Europa é no verão. Em agosto, as ilhas britânicas, o Benelux, a Alemanha e o norte da França têm níveis médios de cerca de 23 a 24 ° C, mas essas temperaturas não podem ser consideradas como garantidas. É por isso que, no verão, muitos vôos vão do norte ao sul da Europa, enquanto os habitantes do norte fogem da chuva e podem ter temperaturas menores que a média. O Mediterrâneo tem a maior quantidade de horas de sol na Europa e as temperaturas mais altas. A maior temperatura média em agosto é 26C em Budapeste. 28C em Barcelona. 30C em Roma, 33C em Atenas e 39C em Alanya ao longo da Riviera turca. Uma regra geral é que quanto mais o sul e o leste se vão, mais quente se torna. Os invernos são relativamente frios na Europa, mesmo nos países do Mediterrâneo. As únicas áreas com máximos diários em torno de 15C em janeiro são Andaluzia na Espanha, algumas ilhas gregas. Sicília no sul da Itália e a Riviera turca. A Europa Ocidental tem uma média de cerca de 4-8C em janeiro, mas as temperaturas caem abaixo do frio ao longo do inverno. As regiões a leste de Berlim apresentam temperaturas particularmente frias com altos médios abaixo do congelamento. A Rússia é um caso excepcional, já que Moscou e São Petersburgo têm níveis médios de -5 ° C e baixos de -10 ° C em janeiro. Algumas atividades são realizadas melhor no inverno, como esportes de inverno nos Alpes. Os picos mais altos dos Alpes têm neve perpétua. O site da Rede de Serviços Meteorológicos Europeus fornece informações atualizadas sobre clima extremo, abrangendo a maioria dos países da UE. Países editam Europa é um continente de muitos países extremamente diferentes. Um subconjunto desses países está no lento e doloroso processo de se juntar como União Européia (UE). Nem todos os países da UE adotaram o euro (8364), a moeda única da União Européia (ver Buy), enquanto alguns países fora da UE o adotaram. Do mesmo modo, a maioria dos 8212, mas não todos os 8212 membros da UE e alguns países não pertencentes à UE aderiram ao acordo de Schengen. Que aboliu os controles de fronteira entre eles (veja Get in). Aqui está uma tabela de referência acessível, atualizada a partir de 2013: 185 países candidatos oficiais da UE. 179 Horário de inverno. No verão (último domingo de março a sábado antes do último domingo de outubro): WEST 8594 WEST (UTC 0 8594 1), CET 8594 CEST (1 8594 2), EET 8594 EEST (2 8594 3) 4 A Rússia usa vários fusos horários. EET em Kaliningrad Oblast, MSK (UTC4) em Moscou, até UTC12 em Chukotka e Kamchatka. 5 Oficialmente, não um membro Schengen, mas os titulares de vistos Schengen são geralmente autorizados a entrar. 6 Independência disputada. 7 Certos Passos EuRail cobrem esses países (e apenas o passe Alemanha-Polônia cobre a Polônia), mas o passe geral de 21 países não. Editar regras para entrar na Europa dependem de onde você está indo. Os cidadãos da EUEFTA podem viajar livremente por todo o continente (com exceção da Rússia, Bielorrússia e Cáucaso), pelo que o seguinte se aplica apenas aos cidadãos não EUEFTA. Estes visitantes não-EUEFTA sem visto podem não ficar mais de 90 dias em um período de 180 dias no Espaço Schengen como um todo e, em geral, podem não funcionar durante a sua estadia (embora alguns países Schengen permitam que certas nacionalidades funcionem - ver abaixo). O contador começa quando você entra em qualquer país da Área Schengen e não é reiniciado deixando um país Schengen específico para outro país Schengen, ou vice-versa. No entanto, os cidadãos australianos e neozelandeses podem permanecer por mais de 90 dias se eles apenas visitarem determinados países Schengen8212, veja a explicação dos governos da Nova Zelândia. Enquanto as pessoas britânicas com direito de residência no Reino Unido e os cidadãos dos Territórios Britânicos Ultramarinos ligados a Gibraltar são consideradas nacionais do Reino Unido para fins da União Européia e, portanto, elegíveis para acesso ilimitado aos cidadãos do Território Ultramarino de Schengen, sem o direito de morar em O Reino Unido e os assuntos britânicos sem o direito de residência no Reino Unido, bem como cidadãos britânicos ultramarinos e pessoas protegidas britânicas em geral, exigem vistos. No entanto, todos os cidadãos dos Territórios Ultramarinos britânicos, exceto aqueles unicamente ligados às Áreas de Base Soberana de Chipre, são elegíveis para a cidadania britânica e, posteriormente, acesso ilimitado ao Espaço Schengen. Além disso, note que () os nacionais da Albânia, da Bósnia e Herzegovina, da Macedónia, do Montenegro e da Sérvia precisam de um passaporte biométrico para desfrutar de viagens sem visto, () cidadãos sérvios com passaporte emitidos pela Direcção de Coordenação da Sérvia (residentes do Kosovo com passaportes sérvios) Precisa de um visto e () os cidadãos de Taiwan precisam de seu número de identificação para serem estipulados em seu passaporte para desfrutar de viagens sem visto. Países não-Schengen. Por outro lado, mantenham suas próprias políticas de imigração. Consulte o artigo do país em questão para obter detalhes. Se você deseja visitar um país não Schengen e retornar à área de Schengen, você precisará de um visto de entrada múltipla. A Bulgária, a Roménia, a Irlanda e o Reino Unido são membros da UE, mas não fazem parte do espaço Schengen. Para adicionar confusão na Suíça. Liechtenstein. A Islândia e a Noruega não são membros da UE, mas fazem parte do espaço Schengen. As implicações disso são simples: os países da UE mantêm controles aduaneiros similares. Portanto, você não precisa passar por costumes completos quando viaja para um país da UE não-Schengen, mas talvez seja necessário passar por controles de imigração. O inverso é verdade para os países Schengen não pertencentes à UE: você deve passar pela alfândega (às vezes duas vezes), mas não pela imigração. Se já forem efectuados controlos aduaneiros ao viajar entre dois países da UE, a prioridade dos funcionários aduaneiros em tais casos é impedir que itens proibidos e controlados (ou seja, aqueles que representam uma ameaça para a segurança pública, segurança e saúde) atravessam a fronteira. De acordo com o plano, os maiores centros de viagens aéreas da Europa são, em ordem, Londres (LON: LCY, LHR, LGW, STN, LTN), Frankfurt (FRA, HHN), Paris (CDG, ORY), Madrid (MAD), Bruxelas (BRU) e Amsterdã (AMS), que por sua vez têm conexões praticamente em toda a Europa. No entanto, quase todas as cidades europeias têm vôos diretos de longa distância, pelo menos para alguns destinos em outros lugares, e outros aeroportos menores podem ter sentido para conexões específicas: por exemplo, Viena (VIE) tem uma rede muito boa de vôos para Oriente Médio e Leste Europa, enquanto Helsinque (HEL) é o lugar geograficamente mais próximo para transferir se vier de Ásia Oriental. De trem editar A Estrada de ferro Trans-Siberiana de Pequim e Vladivostok para Moscou é uma jornada ferroviária clássica. Also after the finalized construction of a railway link between Kazakhstan and China. the Historic Silk Road is becoming increasingly popular with adventurers, trying to beat down a new path, this new Almaty - Urumqi service runs twice per week, and Almaty is easily reached from Moscow by train. Other options include several connections to the middle east, offered by the Turkish Railways (TCDD). There are weekly services from Istanbul via Ankara to Tehran in Iran. and Damascus in Syria. as well as a sketchy service to Baghdad. By ship edit It is still possible, but expensive, to do the classic transatlantic voyage between the United Kingdom and the United States. The easiest option is by the historic, and only remaining Ocean Liner operator, Cunard Line. but expect to pay USD1,000-2,000 for the cheapest tickets on the 6 day voyage between Southampton and New York done around 10 times per year in each direction. If your pockets are not deep enough for this price range, your only other options of crossing the North Atlantic are pretty much limited to Freighter travel. Most major cruise ships that ply the waters of Europe during summer (June - September) also do cruises in Latin America and Southeast Asia for the rest of the year. That means those ships have a transatlantic journey twice per year, at low prices when you consider the length of the trip (at least a week). These are often called positioning cruises . MSC has several ships from the Caribbean to Europe in April and May. There are several lines crossing the Mediterranean, the main ports of call in North Africa is Tangier in Morocco and Tunis in Tunisia (See Ferries in the Mediterranean for more details), but there is also a little known option of going via Cyprus where you can use Louis Cruises crossings to Port Said in Egypt and Haifa in Israel as a regular ferry service. Keep in mind though, that you can only do this on routes out of Cyprus, and it requires special arrangements - Varianos Travel in Nicosia seem to be the only tour agency offering this option. Get around edit Ryanair, Europes largest low-cost carrier There are virtually no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented the Schengen Agreement . except under special circumstances during major events. Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen Agreement signatory country is valid in all other countries that signed and implemented the treaty. Be careful: not all EU members have signed the Schengen treaty, and not all Schengen treaty countries are members of the European Union. See the table above for the current list and the article Travel in the Schengen Zone for more information. Airports in Europe are thus divided into Schengen and non-Schengen sections, which effectively act like domestic and international sections elsewhere. If you are flying from outside Europe into one Schengen country and continuing to another, you will clear passport control in the first country and then continue to your destination with no further checks. However, if travelling within the Schengen Area to or from one of the Schengen countries outside the EU, customs controls are still in place. Travel to and from a Schengen Agreement country to any other country will result in the normal border checks. Note that, regardless of whether you travelling within Schengen or not, at some airports, airlines will still insist on seeing your ID card or passport. As an example of the practical implications on the traveller: Travel from Germany to France (both EU, both Schengen): no controls() Travel from Germany to Switzerland (both Schengen, Switzerland not in EU): customs checks, but no immigration control Travel from France to the United Kingdom (both EU, UK not in Schengen): immigration control, but no customs check() Travel from Switzerland to the United Kingdom: immigration and customs checks Whilst in theory the EU means no customs checks for the movement of goods for trading, you may still encounter customs officers when travelling between two EU countries. When such happens, their priority is to prevent illegal or controlled items (i. e. items that pose a safety, security, health or environmental risk) from crossing the border. By train edit A German high-speed ICE train Especially in Western and Central Europe, the trains are fast, efficient and cost-competitive with flying. High-speed trains like the Italian Frecciarossa, the French TGV, the German ICE, the Spanish AVE and the cross-border Eurostar and Thalys services speed along at up to 320kmh (200mph) and, when taking into account travel time to the airport and back, are often faster than taking the plane. The flip side is that tickets bought on the spot can be expensive, although there are good discounts available if you book in advance or take advantage of various deals. In particular, the Inter Rail (for Europeans) and Eurail (for everybody else) passes offer good value if you plan on travelling extensively around Europe (or even a single region) and want more flexibility than cheap plane tickets can offer. Beware, however, that it is necessary to make reservations for all high speed trains in many countries and the number of seats for rail pass holders is very limited, and in addition to having to make these reservations in person at the station in certain countries it is often times difficult to go where you want on high speed train using your pass, especially on the weekends. Unfortunately there is no single international on-line source of information, especially one that includes new privately run competitors and pricing. One of the most extensive and reliable train travel planners for Western Europe is DB German railways. By plane edit EU Passenger Rights European Union (EU) Regulation 2612004 of 17 Feb 2005 gives certain rights to passenger on all flights, schedule or charter and flights provided as part of a Package Holiday. It only applies to passengers flying from an EU airport by whatever carrier, or from an airport outside the EU to an EU airport on an EU carrier. you have a valid ticket you have a confirmed reservation you have checked in by the deadline given to you by the airline Then you are entitled to a compensation, which is: 250 if the flight is shorter than 1500km (932 mi) but only 125 if it is delayed less than 2 hours 400 if the flight is between 1500km (932 mi) and 3500 km (2174 mi) but only 200 if it is delayed less than 3 hours 600 if the flight is longer than 3500km (2174 mi) but only 300 if it is delayed less than 4 hours and a refund of your ticket (with a free flight back to your initial point of departure, when relevant) or alternative transport to your final destination. The airline also have to cover the following expenses: two telephone calls or emails, telexes or faxes meals and refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time. hotel accommodation if you are delayed overnight. Usually they will give you a prepaid phone card, and vouchers for a restaurant and a hotel. Refund for delayed flight If your flight is delayed 5 hours or longer you can get a refund of your ticket (with a free flight back to your initial point of departure, when relevant). Like the US, All flights within and from the European Union limit liquids, gels and creams in carry-on baggage to 100mL (3.4 US Fl Oz) containers, carried in a transparent, zip-lock plastic bag no larger than 1L (33.8 US Oz). The bag must be presented during security checks and only one bag per passenger is permitted. Discount airlines edit Dozens of budget airlines allow very cheap travel around Europe, often much cheaper than the train or even bus fares for the same journey. Currently the cheapest flights are offered by low cost airlines such as AirBerlin, Germanwings, EasyJet, Tuifly, Ryanair and WizzAir. All of these flights should be booked on the internet well in advance, otherwise the price advantage may become non-existent. Always compare prices with major carriers like British Airways, Austrian Airlines or Lufthansa Only in very few cases prices are higher than 80 on any airline when booking a month or more ahead of time (except on very long routes e. g. Dublin - Istanbul). You should also make sure where the airport is located, since some low cost airlines name very small airports by the next major city, even if the distance is up to two hours drive by bus (eg Ryan - and Wizzairs Frankfurt-Hahn. which is not FrankfurtMain International). By bus edit For very long distances, travelling by bus may actually be more expensive than travelling by plane. However, bus travel is generally advantageous for shorter trips, trips on short notice, if wish to see the countryside you are travelling through, if you have heavy luggage, or if you are a proponent of Ecotourism. New bus services are being permitted based on the EU privatization scheme, offering point-to-point services between major cities on new, very comfortable buses with internet connections, reclining seats, etc at very low rates. Eurolines edit Eurolines connects over 500 destinations, covering the whole of Europe and Morocco. Eurolines allows travelling from Sicily to Helsinki and from Casablanca to Moscow. Eurolines buses make very few stops in smaller cities and are generally only viable for travel between large cities. Through fares are available to destinations on the national networks of some companies, including Touring in Germany and National Express in the UK. Other long-haul companies edit Megabus - serves various destinations in the UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. Often has the cheapest fares - prices start at 1.50 if booked far ahead in advance. Through fares are available from continental Europe to destinations on the companys domestic networks and vice versa. As of 2016, continental services are now operated under contract to FLiXBUS. OUIBUS - owned by the SNCF, the French state railway company, OUIBUS serves various destinations in France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. PolskiBus - operates buses from Poland to Berlin, Prague, Bratislava, Vienna, Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn. Prices start at 2 zoty if booked far ahead in advance. Student Agency - based in Prague, serves destinations across Europe. FLiXBUS - based in Germany with a sizeable domestic network, also has international services serving France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Sweden, Denmark, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Austria and the United Kingdom. BerlinLinienBus - owned by Deutsche Bahn, serves much of Germany in addition to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK. Postbus - owned by Deutsche Post, serves much of Germany in addition to Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Switzerland. Various Eastern European bus companies operate trans-European bus services that are orientated towards Eastern European nationals many of these companies come and go. By ship edit The Baltic sea has several lines running between the major cities (for example Gdansk. Stockholm. Helsinki. Tallinn. Riga etc). Most ships are very large, and parallel Caribbean cruise liners in size and in service. In the Atlantic . Smyril Line is the only company sailing to the rather remote North Atlantic islands of Iceland and the Faroe Islands. It sails from Denmark. which also host numerous lines to Norway and Sweden. From the British Isles a large number of lines still cross the English Channel to France, despite the opening of the Channel Tunnel. There are also a considerable number of ferries from Ireland to both Britain and France. There are also numerous services to Denmark. the Benelux and even across the Bay of Biscay to Spain. Further south there is a weekly service from Portimo to the Canary Islands via the remote volcanic Madeira island. In the Mediterranean Sea a large number of ferries and cruise ships operate between Spain. Italy and Southern France. And across the Italian peninsular ferries also ply across the Adriatic sea to Croatia and Greece. with Bari as the main terminal (out of many). And finally The Black Sea also has several ferries plying across its waters, albeit service can be fairly sketchy at times. Poti. Istanbul and Sevastopol are the main ports, but nearly all the Black Sea ports has a ferry going somewhere, but rarely anywhere logical - i. e. often along the coast. There are also various ferries on the larger lakes and for crossing rivers. Furthermore, there are several regularly running cruise-lines on the larger rivers like the Rhine. Danube and the Volga. And boating excursions within Europe, particularly along the scenic rivers and between many of the islands in the Mediterranean. are an excellent way to combine travel between locations with an adventure along the way. Accommodations range from very basic to extremely luxurious depending upon the company and class of travel selected. Another famous line is the Hurtigruten cruise-ferries which sails all along Norway s amazing coastline and fjords. By car edit The ease of driving on the continent varies greatly, and as a general rule east and west of the old iron curtain are two different worlds. Western European countries for the most part have good road conditions and extensive and well developed highway networks, whereas Eastern European countries are still working hard on the great backlog left behind from communist days. During vacations, especially during summer and Christmas vacations, driving on the highways can be hellish, particularly in Germany (listen for the word Stau traffic jam in the automated traffic broadcasts). Road rules edit Europabrcke (Europes bridge)is a 777m (2,549.2160ft) long bridge spanning the Wipp valley just south of Innsbruck. Austria . There are no uniform speed limits across the union, the fabled limitless German autobahn is now limited to mostly rural sections. The majority of motorwaysfreeways have a 110-130kmh (70-80mph) speed limit, while the limit on undivided highways varies between 80 and 100kmh (50-65mph). For North Americans, a major difference is the left lane on highways where traffic drives on the right, which are not the fast lane youre used to, but rather the passing lane and its illegal to overtake on the right, so you should only occupy the inner lane when you are overtaking someone stay there, and you will have other vehicles tailgating while flashing their lights in annoyance and traffic police eager to fine you. Remember to use turn signals when changing lanes. Except for priority streets (check the symbol in the table) there is a general duty to give way to traffic from your right in crossings and intersections that are not marked, and other drivers have every expectation you adhere to this. This also applies to unmarked T-intersections, unlike in North America where the ending road should normally yield to the through road even if unmarked. But in the ubiquitous roundabouts (circles) you find everywhere across the continent, cars already in the circle have the right of way when indicated by triangular give way signs aimed at drivers approaching the roundabout (check the symbol in the table), this is practically always the case. Remember to indicate when youre leaving a roundabout. Dont do right turns on red lights (unless the light features a green right arrow sign, in which case right turns on red are permitted), its illegal, and because its not common practice, also dangerous. Bicycles have the same status as cars, though this may vary a bit per country, a cyclist coming from the right for example has right of way. Markings and signs are similar throughout Europe but variations in design and interpretations exist so it may be very practical to research each country individually before you travel Avoid large cities . for example London. Paris. Rome. Athens. Belgrade and Moscow. if you are not used to driving in Europe. Their centres were built long before the introduction of the automobile, and were not meant to cope with the levels of traffic common these days. The streets are often narrow and difficult to drive on. So for the most part it may be a slow, frustrating and potentially dangerous experience, and even then, finding a parking spot can potentially take a long time and cost an arm and a leg when you find it. Instead, park at the outskirts of town, where it is often free, and use the typically extensive and efficient public transit system to reach the centre. In some cities, there are good parking spaces near major public transport stations marked PR or Park and Ride for free or a symbolic price when you have a valid public transport ticket (however they are also often full during work hours). If you are renting, try to work around having a car while visiting large cities. Age . Almost everywhere, especially in the EU, you need to be 18 years old to drive, even supervised, and in countries with Learning schemes, its usually an exhaustive procedure to get a permit, and rarely applicable to foreign citizens anyway. Exceptions include Portugal, Ireland and the UK. Equipment A warning triangle is compulsory nearly anywhere, and so is using it in case of breakdowns. Hi-Visibility (reflective) vests are compulsory in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Spain and gaining popularity elsewhere. Headlamp Adjusters are also compulsory equipment in most countries, but in the U. K. and Ireland only if you are driving a continental car. Paperwork Original Registration Document is compulsory Motor vehicle insurance certificate is compulsory A black and white, 1-3 letter country identity sticker is compulsory for cars without EU license plates. International driving permit, while its not compulsory for certain nationalities in some European countries, its cheap, and could potentially save you from nasty incidents with authorities. A vignette is required for highways in some countries this is usually marked on border crossings but NOT on entrance ramps If you want to cross a border with a borrowed car, in most countries you need to have a written consent with you. This applies to rented cars as well as cars borrowed from your friend if that friend is not travelling with you. Safety Most european countries require all passengers to wear seat belts at all times. In many countries children under 12 years of age have to use a child safety seat. If you plan on renting a car for driving across Europe, it often makes sense to check the rates in different countries rather than just hire a car in the country of arrival. The price differences can be very substantial for longer rentals, to an extent where it can make sense to adjust your travel plans accordingly. Isto é, if you plan on travelling around Scandinavia by car, it will often be much cheaper to fly into Germany and rent a car there. Beware that you usually need a written consent before you can cross a border with a rented car and some rental companies do not provide that (and their insurance is not valid abroad) while others charge extra. Compared to North America, you should be prepared for smaller but more efficient cars, and most of them have manual transmission, so dont expect an automatic without requesting one while placing your order (and often paying extra). In any case driving in Europe is an expensive proposition, gas prices hover around 1.30-1.80 per litre (USD7-8 per US gallon) in much of Europe, while often somewhat cheaper in Russia. Rentals are around 2-3 more expensive than in North America. Highway tolls are very common and a variety of systems is being used, city centre congestion charges increasingly so, and even parking can work up to 50 (USD70) per day in the most expensive cities. Driving can be an enjoyable and feasible way to see the countryside and smaller cities, but most Europeans would find a vacation to say, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, in a rented car completely laughable. By bike edit European cycle route network Eurovelo consists of 14 routes linking virtually every country on the continent. Some of these routes are not finished yet, plan is to have 60,000 km of bike lanes, now around 45,000 is in place. Eurovelo 6 - Rivers Route. By thumb edit Liftplaats at Prins Bernardplein Hitchhiking is a common way of travelling in some parts of Europe, especially in former eastern bloc countries. It can be a pleasant way to meet lots of people, and to travel without spending too many euros. Dont forget to check out the tips for hitchhiking. Note that in the former Eastern bloc, you may run into language problems while hitchhiking, especially if you speak only English. It is not advisable to hitchhike in former Yugoslavia, for example between Croatia and Serbia, because you could run into big problems with nationalists. Between Croatia and Slovenia its usually not a problem. In Moldova, Romania and Ukraine, hitchhiking is a common way of transport (you might even have to queue up). Its easier to take train or bus because of the low rates and the fact that drivers usually expect to be paid. In Western Europe, especially in the Netherlands and Germany, its highly uncommon (the Dutch and many German county governments issue free public transport to students enrolled in local universities) but easy and fast to hitchhike. In most countries it is forbidden to hitchhike on highways. Talk edit English proficiency varies greatly across the continent. In the United Kingdom. Ireland. Gibraltar. Chipre. Malta. the Netherlands and Scandinavia. nearly everyone is able to communicate in English with varying degrees of fluency. German-speaking areas (particularly in Austria. German provinces of Switzerland and the former West Germany) and the Flanders region of Belgium are also good bets for English, though you may need to bear with heavy accents. Outside these areas, English proficiency will primarily be a function of age, educational attainment (i. e. those who are currently studying at or have recently graduated from university will likely be more proficient), proximity to the city centre and whether they work in tourism-related industries. A bit of German and Russian may be known by older generation of people who grew-up in the former Eastern Bloc. If you can read German reasonably well, you may also be able to understand the writings in Dutch and Scandinavian languages. Speaking or reading Latin or one of the Romance languages will likely help you a great deal in Portugal. Spain. France. Italy and Romania. while the same is true if you speak one of the Slavic languages in the East. If you need assistance, look for someone young, under the age of 40 or even better under the age of 30, as this greatly increases your chances of locating an English speaker, although in Scandinavia English is spoken by nearly everyone regardless of age, and many older German and Dutch speakers know some English as well. Alternatively, hotel staff can be another option, especially in areas where few locals speak English, even if you dont stay at their hotel. Hiring a tour guide will also help you overcome the language barrier so arrange for one while preparing a trip, especially if youre travelling in groups and visiting far flung rural areas where English or your preferred language will be more unlikely to be understood. See edit add listing The all too common concept of trying to do Europe is pretty unrealistic, and might make it less enjoyable for some. While it is true that Europe is compact and easy to get around with efficient infrastructure set up everywhere, as previously mentioned, it also has more preserved history packed into it than virtually anywhere else. There are more than 400 world heritage sites on the continent, and that is just the very tip of the iceberg. So, depending on your travel style, you might consider foregoing the mad dash through Europe in an attempt to get the ritual photos of you in front of the Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben etc. over and done with. The key is to prioritize, pick 2-3 sights you really want to see per week, and plan a route from that. There are likely to be some amazing, world class sights and attractions that you havent even thought about somewhere in between two given cities, and finding those will be infinitely more rewarding than following the beaten down post card route if thats what you prefer. Use your best judgment. Historical and cultural attractions edit Europe was home to some of the worlds most advanced civilisations, which has led to an astonishing cultural heritage today. Ancient Greece has been credited with the foundation of Western culture, and has been immensely influential on the language, politics, educational systems, philosophy, science, and arts of the European continent. Ancient Greek structures are scattered over Greece and Turkey. including Delphi. Olympia. Sparta. Ephesus. Lycia and of course the Parthenon in Athens. Ancient Greece was followed by the Roman Empire . one of the greatest civilisations in the world that took hold of large swathes of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Visiting Roman ruins in Rome is a no-brainer, with the magnificent Colosseum . Pantheon and the Roman Forum . Many Roman ruins can also be found in Spain. such as the remains at Merida. Italica. Segovia. Toledo and Terragona. With 47 sites, Italy has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites of any country in the world, directly followed by Spain with 43. Rail edit Itineraries edit Do edit add listing Music edit Despite an ever growing competition from the United States and nations with new found wealth, Europe is still the spiritual home of classical music and Opera, and the various European capitals are home to some amazing old world opera houses, where the hundreds of years of history, often enhances the experience into something otherworldly. But if opera singers give you a headache, and you would much rather head-bang, fear not, Europe has more music festivals than your liver will ever hold up to the Roskilde Festival in Roskilde. the Sziget fesztivl in Budapest and, finally, the reigning champion Glastonbury in England weighing in at 195,000 drunk souls, are widely considered the 3 big ones, but many other ones are not the slightest bit small. Alternatively, there is the revival festival in Poland, Woodstock while it doesnt boast the star-studded line-up of some commercial festivals, is great for those who want to do it on the cheap (there is no ticket to buy) and attracted 700,000 music fans in 2011. Sports edit Perhaps no other field has seen stronger European integration than sports, most professional sports have Europe wide leagues in place, and nearly every sport has a bi-annual European Championship. Football (always means soccer in Europe) If you are already a football fan the game hardly gets any better than watching your favourite team battle it out against the worlds greatest football clubs in the Champions League or the Europa League . Football fans gather together in pubs or at home to watch the games, often wearing scarves of their favourite teams. Games in the pan European leagues usually takes place mid-week to allow for games in the national leagues to take place during the weekend. For the popular teams the tickets are often sold out weeks in advance. Basketball The pan European Euroleague is the highest tier of professional basketball in Europe, featuring teams from 18 different European countries and some of the best basketball youll find outside the NBA. The regular season runs Oct-Jan and play-offs takes place between Jan-May. Handball Also sees a annual pan European tournament, the Champions League taking place every year. While the sport is little known outside Europe, its one of the most popular sports on the continent. Two teams with seven players each pass and bounce a ball to throw it into the football-style goal of the opposing team. Cycling Is another sport the enjoys much wider popularity in Europe, than virtually the rest of the world. paragliders view in Praia a Mare, Italy Hundreds of competitions takes place every year, but the 3 unrivalled events of the year is the Tour de France. the Giro dItalia and the Vuelta a Espaa. where thousands of thousands of spectators line up along the often hundred kilometre plus routes. The whole season is managed in a league like format called the Protour . Volleyball is also a very popular sport with European Volleyball Championship organized biannually. Paragliding Europe is home to some of the most popular paragliding sites in the world. Oludeniz in Turkey, Interlaken in Switzerland, Praia a Mare in Italy just to mention a few. American football is almost non-existent in Europe, the closest popular sport being rugby. Skiing amp Snowboarding edit Skiiing with the iconic Matterhorn as the backdrop Europe is home to some fantastic ski resorts the Alps are home of some of the best ski resorts in the world, and there are more here then anywhere else. Austria and Switzerland, contain hundreds of resorts alone. Other Alpine ski destinations include, France, Italy, Slovenia, Germany (Bavaria) and even tiny Liechtenstein. The largest area is Les Portes du Soleil . made up of 13 linked ski resorts in Switzerland and France, boasting over 650km of marked runs. But the fun doesnt stop in the Alps The Scandinavian Mountains features some of the worlds most civilized and family oriented Skiing areas, but the lower altitude also means its a trade-of for shorter runs - re is the biggest, while way up north Riksgrnsen allows skiing well into the summer. Scotland is home of 5 ski resorts: Nevis Range has the highest vertical drop at 566 metres, while Glenshee is the largest. A surprising option is Sierra Nevada in Spain. fairly large, just hours drive from the Mediterranean coast, and with a season often running into May - you can ski in the Morning, and chill on the beach in the afternoon. To the North the Pyrenees shared with France and Andorra also offers excellent skiing in up to 2,700m (8,000 ft) altitude, Domaine Tourmalet is the largest resort in the area with over 100km of pistes. Eastern Europe is seeing increasing popularity since prices are much lower than elsewhere on the continent, the downside is that facilities are not as expansive or modern as elsewhere in Europe, but things are rapidly improving. Slovenia is cheap alternative in the ber - expensive Alps, Kranjska Gora is the largest resort in the country. The Carpathian mountains with the highest runs at almost 2200m (7200 ft) is another popular area Poiana Brasov (Romania, 20km, 11 lifts 1 ) Zakopane 2 (Poland, 30km, 20 lifts) and Jasna (Slovakia, 29km, 24 lifts) are the largest and most popular areas in the respective countries. National Parks edit There are more than 360 national parks 3 on the continent, which is not a surprise since Europe is the worlds second-most densely populated continent. Many parks are small, some less than a single square kilometre, but there are also some expansive national parks to explore. The Vatnajokull National Park on Iceland is the largest, covering around 12,000km (7,500 square miles), and the fascinating national parks of the Arctic Svalbard are not far behind, while Yugyd Va National Park in the Russian Urals is largest on the mainland itself. In total the national parks of Europe encompass an area of around 98,000km (37,000 sqare miles). Outdoor activities edit Many cities in Europe are great for cycling. Europe has several places for whitewater sports and canyoning. Buy edit add listing The euro (Symbol: , ISO 4217 code: EUR) is the common currency of many countries of the European Union. One euro is divided into 100 cents sometimes referred to as euro cents to differentiate them from their US and other counterparts. Established in 1999 and introduced in cash form on 1 Jan 2002, the euro removes the need for money exchange. As such it is not only a boon to pan-European business, but of course also to travellers. It is interesting that each member nation has a unique design at the back of the euro coins minted in their country. Rest assured that regardless of the origin of the designs at the back, the euro coins are legal tender anywhere throughout the Eurozone. The euro has not been adopted by all EU countries. Those countries which have replaced their own national currencies are commonly called the Eurozone . By law, all EU countries (except Denmark and the United Kingdom ) have to eventually adopt the euro. In practice, though, plans for this in the remaining newcomer EU states are often put on hold pending the outcome of the current economic crisis facing Europe. Outside the EU, Andorra. Kosovo. Monaco. Montenegro. San Marino and the Vatican have unilaterally adopted the euro. All of these nations, except Kosovo and Montenegro, are allowed to mint a limited amount of national Euro coins. Because these are so rare, they are often worth more than their face value, so are prized by collectors. Andorra was due to release its own Euro coins in July 2013, but this has since been delayed. All other countries in Europe still retain their own currencies. Euros are widely accepted in European countries outside the Eurozone, but not universally, and at shops and restaurants the exchange rate is rarely in your favour. Many hotels, however, price and accept payment in euros. Also, a large number of filling stations and motorway service areas in European countries outside the Eurozone accept the euro, and both Croatia and Serbia allow payment of highway tolls in euros. Money changers will generally give good to excellent exchange rates for the euro, and in a pinch they will be accepted by nearly everybody. Do not accept any of the obsolete currencies. While several countries banks will still change them into euros, its a lot of hassle and there is no guarantee that this will be possible everywhere or on short notice. You should also expect to leave your personal information with the bank as a precaution against money laundering. ATMs edit Throughout Europe, automatic teller machines are readily available. They will accept various European bank cards as well as credit cards. However, be prepared to pay a fee for the service (usually a percentage of the amount withdrawn, with a minimum of few euro) which may be in addition to the fees your bank already imposes on foreign withdrawals. Read the labelsnotices on the machine before using. European ATMs do not usually have letters on the keypad. PINs longer than 4 digits are generally no longer a problem. Creditdebit cards edit Creditdebit card acceptance is not as universal as in the United States, especially in Eastern Europe, but growing steadily. VISA and MasterCard acceptance is most widespread in the UK, France, Norway and Sweden. In mainland Europe, merchants, if they accept creditdebit cards, may require you to spend a minimum amount. Even if you see a card machine at the till, it doesnt mean that an internationally-recognised card like VISA or MasterCard will be accepted a number of merchants in mainland Europe only accept local cards (ie without the AmEx, MasterCard or VISA logo). Some countries mandate that merchants check your ID for purchases of as little as 836450, and many shops will insist on ID for any credit card transaction. If your credit card is billed in a different currency or debit card is linked to a bank account also of a different currency to the country you are visiting, you may face foreign exchange transaction fees so check your card issuer. An increasing number of European countries, notably the UK, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and the Nordic countries, have moved to a chip and PIN system, where credit cards all have a chip built in and you have to punch in your PIN code instead of signing a receipt. Any store that displays Visa, MasterCard, Amex etc logos is required to accept traditional sign-and-swipe cards, so be persistent if they initially refuse, although you may need to escalate the problem to the manager. (With most terminals, swiping your card and simply waiting 20 seconds without entering the PIN will cause them to print out the signing slip.) However, with self-service like gas pumps and ticket vending machines, you may be out of luck. Exchange edit With 50 intricately linked countries and 28 currencies squeezed into an area roughly the size of Canada or China, the planets largest diaspora due to the continents colonial ties with virtually the entire world, and more tourism arrivals than anywhere else, currency exchange is a fact of life in Europe, and the market is probably better established than anywhere else in the world, and readily available nearly everywhere. Banks will nearly without exception exchange all European currencies, and within the European Union banks will accept nearly any currency that is legally traded abroad. Specialized currency exchange companies are also widespread, especially in major tourist destinations, and are often slightly cheaper than banks. However, with ATMs accepting all major credit and debit cards available everywhere, many visitors simply withdraw money electronically to get as close to the real exchange rate as possible. Costs and taxes edit The EU is generally expensive for most visitors. When buying souvenirs, it costs substantially less to purchase from smaller stalls than the stores affiliated with to larger establishments. As for dining, most service items that are complimentary in your home country (e. g. water, bread) may not be so in this continent. However most goods and services offered in the region are required to include value added tax (VAT) in their published prices, especially the large print. The VAT is (at least partially) refundable if you are a non-resident, spend a minimum amount in a particular shop in one day, and intend to export the goods you purchased outside the EU just make sure you request for a voucher from the store and show them to customs at your exit point. To be safe, be on the lookout for a VAT refund sticker at the door or window of the store and bring your passport (sometimes a photocopy will suffice) during shopping trips. In some cases, tax free agents such as Global Blue and Premier have in-town offices where you can advance your tax refund in cash: have a credit card, passport and vouchers ready, and you still need to have paperwork processed at your airport of departure from the EU (otherwise, your credit card will be charged accordingly). Eat edit add listing Drink edit add listing Traditional alcohol belts in Europe red indicates wine, brown indicates beer, and blue indicates vodka or other spirits Europeans generally have liberal attitudes towards drinking, with the notable exception of Scandinavia (excluding Denmark). The legal drinking age varies between 16-18 in most countries, often with differentiated limits for beer and spirits. In most places in western Europe drinking in public is both legal, and a common warm weather activity, and police are more likely to give you a warning and send you on your way to bed, than issue fines for drunken or rowdy behaviour. In most Eastern European countries drinking in public is forbidden, although still pretty common. Except on the British Isles, the nightclubs rarely gets going until past midnight, head for the bars and restaurants to find people until then. Wine edit Europe is by far the biggest wine producing region in the world, France is the biggest and most famous, but 5 of the 10 largest wine exporters are European Nations France is followed by Italy. Spain. Germany and Portugal. and nearly all European nations have wine production of some scale. Wine production was started 4000 years ago by the Minoan civilization in present day Greece, and was spread across Europe by the Phoenicians and later the Romans. Unlike other regions, European wine producers place much more emphasis on tradition and terroir than on the grape variety, and wines in Europe will typically be labelled by region rather than by its grape variety (such as Chardonnay), unlike the common practice elsewhere. This is because European wine producers claim that their long history have allowed them to adapt production techniques to the unique conditions of their particular region, and things like the soil composition for a region also has much influence on the taste of the wine. Some of the best and most famous wine regions of Europe includes Bordeaux . whose name is as synonymous with its wines as the large city. Another famous French region producing excellent wines is Burgundy ( Bourgogne ) around the city of Dijon. it produces both red and whites - the most famous ones, often referred to as Burgundies, are red wines made from Pinot Noir or white wines made from Chardonnay grapes. Further north, the Alsace region close to the Germany, and Mosel across the border - grown on some of the continents most dramatic wineyards on very steep hills, are above all known for their excellent white wines. Further to the south, Tuscany in Italy is famous for its Chianti wines made from Sangiovese grapes, while La Rioja is arguably the most popular, and certainly among the best, Spanish wine regions. In fact, many wine names indicate the place where the wine comes from, with EU laws forbidding use of the name unless it is from a specific place. Examples include Champagne, which has to come from the Champagne region of France, Port which has to come from Porto. Portugal. Sherry which has to come from Jerez de la Frontera. Spain. as well as Tokaji which has to come from Tokaj. Hungary. Beer edit While wine is the most popular alcohol in Southern Europe, beer is the national drink for much of Western Europe. Germany. the Netherlands. Belgium and the Czech Republic makes some of the finest brews in Europe and maybe the world. Visitors from many countries, especially those from East Asia or North America will find that European lagers have a richer stronger taste, and often a higher alcohol content than found at home. In Europe as elsewhere, the most popular beers are lagers . also known as Pilsner after the Czech city of Pilsen that originated the style. The United Kingdom. Ireland and partly the Belgian abbey breweries, on the other hand have strong brewing traditions in ale . which is brewed using quickly fermenting yeast giving it a sweet and fruity taste. Wheat beers are very popular in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, and come in many varieties of their own. Traditional German hefeweizen is unfiltered and cloudy, while kristall is filtered and looks much like lager. Belgian witbiers like Hoegaarden are often gently flavored and popular in summer, sometimes with a slice of lemon on the side. And in a class of their own are spontaneously fermented lambics . which are very sour and not to everyones taste Stout (porter) is a British and Irish speciality, with Guinness available around the continent. Made from roasted malts, stout is dark and strong in both taste and alcohol content, hence the name. Most European nations have a national brand like Carlsberg, Heineken or Stella, sold most everywhere - but the really good beers are often the smaller brands, which doesnt try to appeal to everyone. In recent years microbreweries have had a huge revival shooting up everywhere around the continent. If you really want to indulge, try one of the beer festivals, held in many German cities, the most famously Munich Oktoberfest (where they start drinking already in late September). Another northern European favorite is cider . most commonly brewed from apples and sold both bottled and on tap in pubs. Taste and alcohol content can vary widely, from dense, cloudy and strong (8 or more) to light, weak (under 4) and occasionally even artificially flavored. Spirits edit Like elsewhere on the planet Vodka, Rum and Gin is available everywhere. Scandinavia (except Denmark), Eastern Europe and Russia especially have an affection for Vodka . and if youve so far only tried the usual suspects like Smirnoff or Absolut you should try the Vodka there, you may just end up surprised at how tasty the stuff can actually be. Elsewhere, most regions have a local speciality that local drinking comrades will happily fill in you, and eagerly wait for your funny faces when your throat and taste-buds screams in agony. Most likely it will be Slivovitz (also called Rakia) in South-eastern Europe and the Balkans (especially in Serbia), a strongly tasting and fruity brandy, usually made from plums. Other forms of brandy, made from grapes instead, such as traditional Brandy . Cognac or Port wine are popular in the UK and South-western Europe. Greece and Italy makes the popular Ouzo Sambuca which along with the related, resurgent Absinthe . is made from star anise and sugar, giving it a liquorice like taste - watch for the many party fire tricks related to those drinks. In northern Europe youll likely be served Schnapps (or Snaps, Aquavit), usually made from fermented hops or potatoes accented by traditional herbs like dill or sloe, be careful, it suddenly kicks in without much warning. Finally, it will hardly come as a surprise to many that Whiskey (or Whisky ) is popular with the Scots and Irish. While all these drinks have strong regional roots, youll generally find one or two types of each, in virtually any bar on the continent. Sleep edit add listing There are 4 major types of accommodation: Apartments Small private hotels Two - and three-star hotel resorts, for typical mass tourism Five-star luxury hotels Stay safe edit For emergencies you can dial 112 in any EU member nation as well as most other European countries - even when it is not the primary number for emergency services. All 112 alarm centrals within the EU are legally required to be capable of patching you through to an English speaking operator. 112 can be dialled from any GSM phone, even locked phones or, in most countries, phones without a SIM installed. The biggest risks to your safety in Europe like in any major tourist area are pickpockets and muggings. Using common sense and being aware of your surroundings can help to greatly reduce the risk of these occurrences. Remember alcohol is an integral part of many European cultures but overuse can lead to violence and poor judgement In general, bars and pubs are not a place where alcohol causes these problems in Europe but it can end up being a big problem on the roads. Most European countries have very low levels of violence compared to the United States. The main issues are drug use and gang related violence which is most likely in Britain and France. but its virtually unheard of for any tourists to be involved in such issues. The few trouble areas that should be avoided are the run-down suburbs of certain urban areas (particularly in Europes largest cities) and some places in eastern and southern Europe do have much higher violent crime rates, and can be very dangerous for non locals, but these areas shouldnt be of interest to the average tourist. Central and Western Europe are generally the safest regions. Europe may be very urban and densely populated in general but as always when travelling in rural and forested mountainous areas take the proper precautions. All it takes is one wrong turn down a ski piste and you are stranded. Time to take out the mobile phone. Did you bring one For more information see Common scams which contains many Europe-specific scams. Stay healthy edit There are no specific precautions required for staying healthy in Europe as most restaurants maintain high standards of hygiene and in the majority of countries tap water is safe to drink. However, for more precise details on these matters as well as for general information on emergency care, pharmaceutical regulations and dentistry standards etc, please consult the Stay safe section on specific country articles. EUEEA citizens should apply for (or bring) the free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which grants you access to state-provided healthcare within the European Union as well as Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein either at reduced cost or free of charge, under the same terms as a resident of the country you are visiting. If you are used to free healthcare in your own country, remember that some member states expect patients to pay towards their treatment, and you may be expected to do the same. And do remember that the EHIC does not equal a travel insurance it doesnt cover private healthcare, the cost of mountain rescues or repatriation to your home country. Neither does it allow you to go abroad specifically to receive medical care. If you are not a EUEEA citizen, remember to buy a travel insurance policy, while some countries do provide free emergency care for visitors, any follow-up treatment and repatriation is your own responsibility, and some countries expect you to foot the entire bill for any treatment yourself - the fabled universal healthcare system does not equal free treatment for non EU citizens. Those who need a Schengen visa are required to get travel insurance that covers the entire Schengen zone for the duration of the trip and coverage for emergency care and medical repatriation must be a minimum of 30,000. Contact edit