Europe, a continent of record

1The largest island (Great Britain, United Kingdom) When we imagine an island, we usually think of a territory with sandy beaches, palm trees and umbrellas. In Great Britain, the largest island in Europe and the ninth largest on Earth, the sun may not shine all year, but in return there is an imperial metropolis like London, the world's most famous royal family and 60 million population. Added to this are stone constructions built in the Neolithic (Stonehenge, in the south of England), lakes with monsters (Loch Ness, in Scotland), tabloids, thousands of 'pubs' and rich pints of beer, legendary football and a lot of tea . Getty images

2The smallest house (Bregenz, Austria) The house at number 29 Kirchstrasse, in the Austrian town of Bregenz, is size XXS: its main façade is barely 57 centimeters wide, while the rear is comparatively ostentatious– - 6 meters. Actually, the house, which is more than 200 years old, is larger, since it includes the adjoining number 27 and in total it occupies more than 300 square meters. So is it really the tiniest house in Europe? The rest of the candidates –– in Valencia with 97 centimeters; in Bratislava (Slovakia), with 130; in Kiel (Germany), with 80, or in Amsterdam, with 99–– the truth is that they are wider. Viktor Fischer ALAMY

3The highest volcano (Etna, Italy) The most explosive attraction, in the literal sense, of Europe is in Sicily. Etna is the highest volcano on the continent (3,323 meters), a seething caldera that has held its region in suspense for millennia. The fault is –– according to mythology–– the jealousy of the god Hephaestus, who supposedly makes a tremendous flash out of his forge every time Aphrodite, his wife, betrays him. The numerous eruptions in recent years suggest that the goddess of beauty is just as hungry for love as ever. Antonio Zanghì GETTY IMAGES

4The largest thermal lake (Héviz. Hungary) Whoever immerses himself in these waters with temperatures that vary, depending on the season, between 23 and 36ºC, will discover a good remedy against rhema, arthritis, arthrosis and other ailments that affect the bones. This legendary thermal center is home to fine water with thermal properties that is renewed every three days, the time it takes to replenish its contents in Lake Héviz, which is four and a half hectares in size. Every second 410 liters of water gush out of a crater located 38 meters deep, while the steam that surrounds this huge bag of water provides an environment without dust and allergies. You have to avoid, of course, staying inside too long, since hot water causes fatigue. Manfred Bortoli GETTY IMAGES

5A place between two continents (Istanbul, Turkey) The city of Istanbul, which has 15 million inhabitants, does not walk with small things: its history spans three millennia and treasures what for more than a thousand years was the largest church in the world, the Basilica of Santa Sofia, as well as dazzling sultans' palaces. As if that weren't enough, ancient Constantinople –– formerly Byzantium–– is the only city in Europe and the world that is between two continents: three bridges over the Bosphorus connect Europe and Asia. jp uyttersprot GETTY IMAGES

6 Record bridges (Hamburg, Germany) What would the German city of Hamburg be without its bridges? It would be reduced to a handful of peninsulas. But it turns out that there are thousands, pedestrian and open to traffic, on the Elbe, Alster and Bille rivers. They also fly over railways and green areas. Although it is true that many of these bridges are simple, with little attraction, others are icons of the city. For example, that of Köhlbrand, the Hanseatic counterpart of the Golden Gate in San Francisco (California), or the old Elbe bridge, from the 19th century. alxpin GETTY IMAGES

7The Largest Fountain (Bad Ragaz, Switzerland) 200 years ago, the modest town of Bad Ragaz, in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen, was nothing more than a peasant town where nothing extraordinary happened rarely. But in the surrounding natural gorge they found a thermal spring from which between seven and 10 million liters per day emanated, making it the largest in the world. The place thus became an internationally renowned spa. Today, this prodigious water –– at 36.5 ºC–– is channeled to the Tamina baths, frequented by visitors from all over the world. Karl Eichinger / EyeEm GETTY IMAGES

8The oldest ferris wheel (Vienna, Austria) What would Vienna be without its huge Ferris wheel in Prater Park? It was not the first in Europe, but it is the oldest preserved: it has been offering splendid views since 1897. This gift that they made to Emperor Francisco José I for his 50th anniversary on the throne measures no less than 65 meters and in its moment it was a masterpiece of engineering. In World War II it was destroyed, but it was quickly rebuilt. And it remains, as then, one of the icons of Vienna. Simone Crespiatico ALAMY

9The Biggest New Year's Eve Party (Edinburgh, Scotland) When it comes to New Years Eve, Scots in Edinburgh are coughing up no one. They begin to celebrate the end of the year on December 30 with a parade of torches; before continuing, a day later, with Hogmanay –– that's what they call New Year's Eve–– and a merry street party. The final touch is the Loony Dook: bathing on January 1 in the icy River Forth. The echoes of Edinburgh's New Year's Eve have reached many corners of the globe. A knock-on effect that has caused 400,000 people to gather in the city years ago. Currently, for security reasons, the number of visitors has been restricted, to which this next year will be added, with a high probability, more sanitary restrictions due to covid-19. However, that record of influx remains until today in the Guinness Book. ChrisHepburn GETTY IMAGES

10The largest cave (Sgonico, Italy) If someone had to hide in a cave with their entire relatives, in this giant grotta near Trieste they would find plenty of room. Its largest room is a huge lobby, longer and wider than a football stadium, and with a height of almost 100 meters. Of course, it has long since stopped being lonely and dark. alamy

11The smallest city (Hum, Croatia) Who said that a place with only 30 inhabitants cannot be a city? The proof is in Croatia, whose town of Hum, in the heart of Istria, the suggestive Croatian peninsula bathed by the Adriatic, proudly holds the title of being the smallest city in the world. With its medieval charm, its narrow alleys and its stone houses, it is not only small, but also beautiful. GETTY IMAGES

12The highest mountain (Elbrús, Russia) The controversy comes from afar. Does Mount Elbrús belong to Europe or Asia? The solution depends on where we locate the border between Asia and Europe. Let's say this 5,642-meter Caucasian peak stays in Europe. In this case, it would be its highest peak –– above Mont Blanc––, as well as one of the Seven Summits, that is, one of the highest mountains on the seven continents. Climbing Elbrús on foot is not a game for beginners; better not to try it if you are not an experienced mountaineer. Others can take the cable car up to 3,847 meters and enjoy phenomenal views. Xavier Varela GETTY IMAGES

13The highest roller coaster (Salou, Spain) It may be good to get a medical check-up before going up to this attraction of the PortAventura recreational park, as it is capable of accelerating the pulse of the most hardened astronaut: 180 kilometers per hour, 112 meters high and 880 long are the data for this catapult-roller coaster, called Red Force, which since 2017 has made those who ride it stomach tighten, as it is the fastest of its kind in Europe. PortAventura has a tradition when it comes to roller coaster records: the highest, the fastest, the longest… Panagiotis Kotsovolos ALAMY

14The highest and lowest population density (Monaco and Iceland) If the area of ​​Monaco was distributed equally among its 38,000 inhabitants, each would have about 50 square meters, the equivalent of a modest apartment. But this city-state is anything but. And it owes it, above all, to its beautiful location on the Côte d'Azur, its rich history as a mercantile port ... and its wealthy citizenship (no other city in the world has so many millionaires). At the opposite extreme, when it comes to population density, is Iceland (pictured). It is the Nordic country, each of its 364,000 inhabitants would correspond almost 300,000 square meters of territory. Marco Bottigelli GETTY IMAGES

15The youngest capital (Cardiff, Wales, UK) Not that Cardiff, located on the south coast of Wales, has not experienced an awful lot. It's just that it took a long time before, in 1955, it was declared the capital of the Welsh nation. Which makes this city, founded by the Romans, colonized by the Normans, later destroyed and later prosperous thanks to coal, the youngest of the European capitals. Anna Stowe ALAMY

16The smallest country (Vatican City) Greatness is not measured in square meters. And, indeed, this small Roman enclave whose supreme head is the Pope does not have too many. Vatican City, the smallest state in the world, measures 44 hectares. Among its 10,000 inhabitants, a few thousand tourists mix every day, eager to contemplate the artistic wonders of St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, inside the Vatican Museums (in the photo its famous Bramante staircase). Otherwise, the official language here is still Latin. Pascal Boegli GETTY IMAGES

17The longest beach (Curonian Spit, Lithuania) Sand, sand, sand… and waves. The Curonian Spit, on the north coast of Sambia –– peninsula east of the Baltic Sea––, stretches for 98 kilometers between the Russian city of Lesnói, in the south, and Klaipėda, in Lithuania; it is the longest beach in Europe. 52 of its kilometers make up the so-called Lithuanian Sahara, a natural environment of special beauty and can be wonderfully explored by bike: high dunes like buildings, endless beaches, pine forests and, dotting the landscape every bit, colorful wooden houses. ALAMY

18The tallest outdoor elevator: Switzerland Whoever likes to go up in an elevator, how about the tallest outdoor elevator in Europe? We must not forget, of course, to check the weather forecast: we may find ourselves, literally, in the middle of the clouds. But if the sun is shining, after the roughly 160-meter ascent in the glass-enclosed lift in Hammetschwand (Switzerland), wonderful views of Lake Lucerne await. ALAMY

19The longest road tunnel (Norway) To cross the Lærdal tunnel, the longest in the world by road, west of Norway, it is preferable not to be prone to claustrophobia because it awaits a windowless 24.5 km route, although , yes, artistically illuminated. To break the monotony that may increase drivers' sleepiness or fatigue, a glacier-like lobby breaks into space every four miles. This underground route has a key advantage: unlike an alpine road, it also allows driving in winter. Its construction began in 1995 and was completed in 2000. It is part of the E16 route between Oslo and Bergen. ALAMY

20The deepest gorge (Tara, Montenegro) The Tara River, the longest in Montenegro, with 146 kilometers of route that also enters Bosnian territory, has done an admirable job: drilling one of the deepest gorges in the world. With its unfathomable 1,300 meters of abyss, this great European canyon seems to have no bottom. At the foot of the gorge, dark blue water coils through a rugged rocky landscape for about 50 miles. From the Durdevica Tara bridge you get a magnificent panoramic view. GoodLifeStudio GETTY IMAGES