Things to Do in Europe

Kilchurn is for anyone who has ever dreamed of having a ruined Scottish castle all to themselves, with no tourist trinket shops around. There isn’t even an attendant at the door of this picturesque ruin, but despite being unmanned, there are plenty of information boards throughout the castle. Climb to the top of its four-story tower for views of the loch and surrounding hills, and remember to say hi to the sheep on your way out!

The Kellie Castle and Garden is located in Fife, about three miles northwest of Pittenween in eastern Scotland. Built in the 14th century, the castle was home to the Oliphant family for 250 years and is pretty much  the same today as it was when the family departed in 1613. The library ceiling is one of the oldest ornamental ceilings in Scotland and the dining room features paneling painted in the 17th century. In the stables, you can see an exhibition on the life and work of Hew Lorimer, a 20th century Scottish sculptor who took over the leads of the castle in 1937.

Outside of the castle, the Arts & Crafts Garden is full of old fashioned roses, herbaceous plants, fruits and vegetables and the Kellie Wood boasts a large pond, adventure playground and bird hide and is home to foxes, badgers, deer and rabbits.

Housed inside a striking sandstone Victorian edifice, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of Scotland’s most-visited cultural attractions. Works by Dali, Botticelli, and Monet are counted among its collection, alongside more eclectic items such as a taxidermy elephant, a Spitfire airplane, and a magnificent Lewis pipe organ.

Glasgow has a reputation as being a cultural powerhouse, with vibrant art, design, and music scenes. For visitors hoping to tap into the cultural side of the the city, a visit to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a must. Music fans will enjoy the daily organ recitals, which are followed by a short tour led by the museum’s music director.

You can visit the museum independently or as part of private tours, during which a dedicated guide leads you to the highlights of the museum’s 22 galleries, which cover themes ranging from natural history to French impressionism, Dutch and Flemish Old Masters to Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The museum also runs free hour-long guided tours twice a day, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is situated on Argyle Street, near the River Klein in Kelvingrove Park. Take the subway to Kelvinhall station and walk five minutes to the museum. Alternatively, First Bus lines 2, 3, and 77 all stop outside the museum. 

The museum is busiest on weekends. If you’re visiting on a Saturday or Sunday, get there early to avoid the crowds. Organ recitals are held on the premises at 1pm Monday through Saturday, and at 3pm on Sundays. 

Among the standout exhibits on show at the museum are the Spitfire LA198, which is suspended from the ceiling, and the Milan-made 15th-century Avant Armour, one of the oldest near-complete sets of armor in the world. The jewel in the museum’s art collection is surrealist Spanish painter Salvador Dali’s Christ of St. John of the Cross, a controversial work depicting a bow-headed Christ on the cross above a boat-dotted body of water. In 1961, the painting was vandalized by a visitor to the gallery, though it has since been restored. 

Drive along the Vale of York on the boundary of the North York Moors National Park and you won’t be able to miss the Kilburn White Horse, a gigantic artwork of a horse etched into the limestone cliffs of the Sutton Bank. Formed using more than 6 tons of limestone chalk chips to whiten the natural grey rock and featuring a lone grass patch for the ‘eye,’ the White Horse was designed by local businessman Thomas Taylor in 1857, inspired by similar designs in south England.

It might not have been the original, but it is the biggest – the Kilburn White Horse measures an impressive 97 meters long and 67 meters high, covering a plot of around 1.6 acres. Hiking routes and lookout points run along the hilltop around the White Horse (although walking on the horse is frowned upon as it damages the surface), but the most impressive views are from the bottom of the hill and on clear days, the landmark equine can be seen from as far away as North Leeds.

As the official London home of Britain's favorite royal couple, Prince William and Kate Middleton, along with little Prince George and Princess Charlotte; Kensington Palace's fame rivals that of Buckingham Palace. Will and Kate aren't the only members of the royal family to walk the halls of Kensington Palace, though—King George II, Queen Victoria, Queen Anne, Princess Margaret and Princess Diana have all also called the palace home.

While the royal living quarters are off-limits, a large portion of the palace is open to the public, with multiple exhibit spaces plus the renowned Orangery café. Visitors can admire the 16th-century King's Staircase; peek into Queen Mary's State Apartments; learn more about Queen Victoria in the Victoria Revealed exhibition; and explore Queen Caroline's Cabinet of Curiosities, all before strolling the landscaped palace gardens. You can also admire a collection of iconic dresses worn by Princess Diana in the Diana: Her Fashion Story exhibit.

Opt for a priority-access ticket to save time, or book a Royal Palaces Pass that allows entry to three royal London attractions: Buckingham, the Tower of London, and Hampton Court Palace. Some tours to Buckingham Palace also stop by Kensington Palace, while others pair a palace visit with an indulgent afternoon tea experience in the palace gardens.

Kensington Palace is located at the west end of Hyde Park in central London. The nearest tube stations are Queensway and High Street Kensington, each about a 10-minute walk from the palace.

Kensington Palace is open all year round, but special events are held throughout the year, including fashion exhibits, the open-air Luna Cinema in August, and Queen Caroline's annual garden parties.

Some call it an educational theme park, some call it a child-sized city, but the reality remains: KidZania is not for parents. Located inside one of London’s largest shopping malls, this whimsical center (and also quite large, at 75,000 square feet) invites children aged 4 to 14 to empower themselves by trying out over 60 different professions – surgeon, firemen, fashion stylist, engineer, receptionist, bank clerk, award-winning singer – through role-playing games and true-to-life situation. Each job is carefully crafted to provide kids with a variety of life skills, such as teamwork, confidence and financial independence.

They even get to open their own bank accounts to save money and later on gain access to different games. As KidZania is primarily oriented towards kids, parents get to sit back, relax, and enjoy their day by watching their kids empower themselves through viewing windows, or by meeting other adults in the dedicated parents space.

Killiecrankie is a small village near Pitlochry in Perthshire, sitting close to a wooded gorge formed by the River Gary in a region of spectacular Highland scenery. Close by is the National Trust for Scotland’s Killiecrankie Visitor Centre, nestled in the scenic Killiecrankie Pass and marking the site of an historic battle that took place on 27 July, 1689, during the first Jacobite Rebellion. As well as information on the flora and fauna of the area, the Visitor Centre has plenty of gory detail about the battle and several of the way-marked walks from there lead to Soldier’s Leap, where legend holds that a Jacobite soldier leapt across the river gorge to escape English troops. Other outdoor activities include the Highland Fling bungee jump descending 40 m (130 ft) into the gorge, kayaking, cycling, and wildlife spotting; deer and elusive red squirrels are seen in the dense woods in fall, wrens and dippers in winter, and carpets of wild flowers in spring. Summer brings flycatchers and warblers – and bats in the evening – as well as hosts of butterflies and bees. A five-km (three-mile) section of the Killiecrankie Walk leaves Pitlochry next to the fish ladder and heads via viaducts, forest walks and tunnels to the dramatic viewing point at Soldier’s Leap.

More than 40 million people from across the world have visited Kiev Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO-listed golden-domed Orthodox Christian monastery that is the holiest place of pilgrimage in Ukraine. Translating into English as the ‘Monastery of the Caves’, Pechersk Lavra has its origins back in 1051, when an Orthodox monk founded an underground sanctuary in a cave; many monks gravitated to this subterranean hermitage and eventually began to construct an over-ground church. The caves where the hermits lived were subsequently used for burials and many mummified remains can be seen today by guided tour. 

From the 11th century onwards the monastery played a central role in Ukrainian life; it was here that the first national printing presses was used and many famous scholars passed through its doors. A fire destroyed the original complex in 1718 and the monastery, its cathedral, church and refectory were all rebuilt in Baroque style with gilded domes and portraits of the saints adorning the exterior; a 30-hectare estate surrounding the complex overlooks the River Dnieper. The fortunes of Pechersk Lavra waxed and waned with the political upheavals of the 19th and 20th centuries, but in 1988 the monastery and caves were returned from state control to a newly thriving community of monks.

Dublin’s Kilmainham Gaol is a sobering reminder of Ireland’s fight for independence. Built in 1787, the damp cells of this former jailhouse held many prominent Irish nationalists before the gaol was closed down in 1924. Today, visitors can tour the eerie building and explore its storied past through a number of onsite exhibits. 

Once one of Europe’s largest jails, Kilmainham Gaol and its bleak, echoing interior transports visitors to a time of Irish political upheaval. Take a guided tour of the gaol to learn about the prison’s history, gain valuable insight into the experiences of prisoners who were once held here, and peruse onsite exhibits detailing Irish history and the country’s long fight for independence from Britain—including the 1916 Easter Rising revolt in which 14 political prisoners were executed at the gaol. With the prison’s  tumultuous past, it’s no wonder Kilmainham Gaol has featured in numerous ghost stories over the years—hear tales of the gaol’s resident hauntings and visit other creepy sites on a Dublin ghost tour. Or, visit Kilmainham Gaol on a hop-on hop-off bus tour to also see other city highlights such as the Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College, and the National Gallery. 

Kilmainham Gaol is located on Inchicore Road, roughly 20 minutes by road from central Dublin. The site does not have a dedicated public parking lot, but parking is available at the nearby Irish Museum of Modern Art. The gaol is also accessible via Dublin’s public bus system and the Luas tram. 

The museum is open year-round, except December 24–25. Summer is the busiest time to visit, when visitors may experience long wait times. To avoid waiting, pre-book your tickets and opt for an early morning or weekday visit. Winter visitors should dress warmly; Kilmainham Gaol is not heated and can be very cold. 

Film buffs will recognize the exterior of Kilmainham Gaol from movies such as The Italian Job (1969), The Adventures of the Young Indiana Jones (2000), and The Babe (1992). The jail’s interior was featured in Michael Collins (1996), starring Liam Neeson, and In the Name of the Father (1993), starring Daniel Day-Lewis.

Kecskemet is the eighth largest city in Hungary, located about 50 miles from Budapest in the center of the country. With a population of just over 100,000, it is known best for its museums, apricot brandy and secessionist and art nouveau architecture. While it makes a nice day trip from Budapest, it is also a good jumping off point for trips to nearby Kiskunsag National Park.

One of the must-sees in Kecskemet is the Ornamental Palace, which is a prime example of Hungarian secessionist architecture. Completed in 1901, it is now home to the Kecskemet Gallery, which is worth a visit as much for the art as it is just to experience the impressive Decorative Hall inside. The city has more than a dozen other museums to occupy your time, including a photography museum, a toy workshop and museum, a museum of Calvinist ecclesiastical history, a Hungarian folk arts and crafts museum and a musical instrument museum.

Kekova Island is located just off the coast near the town of Demre, Turkey. It's about halfway along the famous Lycian Way hiking trail that runs from Fethiye to Antalya. The Kekova region includes the island of Kekova, the villages of Kaleköy and Üçağiz and the ruins of several ancient Lycian villages. An earthquake in the 2nd century caused much of the area to sink into the nearby water. Today this is a popular spot for boat trips that will take you around the island to see the sunken remains. Some buildings are completely submerged while others are partially under water. There is also a Lycian necropolis that spreads out along the coastline, revealing half-sunken tombs. 

Kayaking tours and glass-bottomed boats are a good way to explore the area and get an up-close look at the underwater ruins. The island is a specially protected area, so swimming is not allowed. However, most boat trips will stop a bit farther from the sunken ruins so you can swim or snorkel outside of the protected zone. 

If you don’t believe in love at first sight then you’ve never been to Kilkenny. As the smallest city in all of Ireland (there are 25,000 residents), Kilkenny swaps the traffic and crime for cobblestones and medieval charm. It’s a place most visitors instantly love the moment they drive into town. Impeccably clean and impossibly friendly, it’s a city that’s famous for its historical sites by day and dining and pub life by night. Most visits begin at the Kilkenny Castle—a towering, stone, Norman edifice that’s been standing for 800 years. Wander the alleyways past colorful storefronts selling fine, locally made crafts, or have a drink in a traditional pub where locals have drank for centuries. Take a long, romantic stroll along the banks of the River Nore, or tour the impressive Black Abbey—a Dominican Abbey by the original city walls that dates to 1255. Finish the day at one of Kilkenny’s award winning contemporary restaurants, and submit to being completely enamored with this jovial inland city.

This discount designer outlet center is a favorite among fashion-conscious tourists, who can join shopping day trips from Dublin or Belfast to search for cut-price clothing, accessories, and homewares. With around 90 boutiques at the outdoor village-like complex, and a range of cafés and restaurants, Kildare Village attracts bargain hunters.

 

Kildare Village is a popular half-day or full-day trip from Dublin. Opt for a comfortable round-trip bus excursion. You can also upgrade to include extras, such as a two-course lunch, gift cards, and VIP discount cards that offer bonus savings. Bus service to and from Kildare Village is also available from Belfast in Northern Ireland. Brands with outlets at Kildare Village include Anya Hindmarch, Barbour, Jaeger, Longines, Mulberry, and Nike.

 

 

Kildare Village is situated near Kildare town, less than an hour’s drive from Dublin Airport or Dublin city center. Free parking is available at the site. Regular trains depart from Dublin Heuston station and stop at Kildare town. Complimentary shuttle buses run between the station and Kildare Village.

 

The outlet is busiest on weekends, and during the weeks leading up to Christmas. To avoid crowds, plan your shopping trip for midweek when the boutiques are quietest.

 

You’ll find several worthwhile sights to explore near Kildare Village. Visit the Kildare Town Heritage Centre to learn about local history, or the grounds of the Norman-era St. Brigid's Cathedral, where you’ll find a 12th-century round tower. Climb up to the top of this tower for views of the rolling green countryside. Visitors can also join guided tours of the Irish National Stud, where many prizewinning racehorses are bred.

Opened in 2011, the KGB Museum in Prague is a small museum dedicated to displaying memorabilia related to the activities of various national security authorities, including the KGB, the Cheka and the NKVD. Items on display include spy cameras, weapons, electrical interrogation equipment and other equipment from KGB laboratories. Of particular interest to visitors are Vladimir Lenin’s death mask, the weapon used to kill Leon Trotsky and the personal belongings of Lavrentiy Beria, the head of the NKVD.

A separate room of the museum features a collection of photographs taken in Prague in 1968 by KGB officers, while other rooms give visitors a sense of the offices and everyday work environments of the officers. It is said that some of the materials on display are still officially classified.

With 7 million flower bulbs planted every year across 79 acres (32 hectares), Keukenhof Gardens is a colorful sea of 800 varieties of tulips and other spring flowers, attracting visitors from around the globe who want to see the Netherlands' iconic tulip fields. More than 9 miles (15 km) of footpaths provide space to stroll around the park, take photos of flowers in bloom, and enjoy this favorite Holland tradition.

Keukenhof is open for just two months each spring, making the annual event one of the most popular in Europe. In addition to the flower fields, the park is a kid-friendly venue home to canals, restaurants, a picnic area, a maze, a playground, and a windmill, providing plenty to see and do as you walk around. Consider booking a tour or ticket with skip-the-line access to ensure you get to experience the flowers in bloom, and plan to spend a half or full day exploring the park. Combo tours are available if you'd like to check out additional locations in Holland such as Marken and Volendam fishing villages or Zaanse Schans.

 

• Keukenhof is only open from mid-March to mid-May.
  
• Lockers are available to store luggage.
  
• The park is wheelchair accessible.
  
• Wi-Fi is available throughout the park.

Keukenhof is located in the town of Lisse, about an hour southwest of Amsterdam in the Dutch countryside. Booking a Keukenhof Gardens tour or ticket package with included transportation and admission is the most convenient way to get there, although public transport is also available from Amsterdam city center if you plan to visit on your own.

 

Keukenhof is open from mid-March to mid-May each year. Special events such as the flower parade and exhibitions are held during these two months, so check the Keukenhof website for a calendar if you're interested in timing your visit appropriately.

While the park is open, about 20 rotating flower and plant shows take place inside the park's pavilions, allowing travelers to see and learn about specific varieties of flowers such as orchids, lilies, and, of course, tulips.

Recognized as the widest canal in the city, Keirzersgracht is part of a picturesque network of waterways that wind through Amsterdam city neighborhoods, lending a quiet charm to otherwise bustling streets.

Travelers looking for a taste of old world Amsterdam can experience the past with a little new world charm, too, while on a visit to Keirzersgracht. From the historic Greeland Warehouses—once used to store whale blubber, but now luxury apartments—to the Rode Hoed, which served as a secret Catholic church but is now home to a television recording studio—the canal is filled with character and history that is not to be missed.

Rome was a popular stop for artists and writers during the Italian Grand Tour of centuries past. The Keats-Shelley House pays homage to a particular group of Romantic poets—specifically John Keats, who briefly lived in the house at the end of his life—who resided in Italy’s Eternal City during the early 19th century.

English poet John Keats moved into this house at the base of the Spanish Steps in Piazza di Spagna in late 1820, and died from tuberculosis here just a few months later. While the objects in his room were burned after he died, a replica of his bed and his death mask are now on display. The rest of this small museum contains letters, art, and other objects related to Byron, Elizabeth and Robert Browning, Oscar Wilde, and Percy Bysshe Shelley (whose name is on the house, though he never lived here). The historic site is managed by the Keats-Shelley Memorial Association, which often holds literary events in English at the museum.

Rome walking and bike tours that include a stop in Piazza di Spagna can include a visit to the Keats-Shelley House, as well as other city highlights like the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum.

The Keats-Shelley House is at in Piazza di Spagna, on the right side of the base of the Spanish Steps. It is easily reached from metro line A’s Spagna stop. 

The museum is open 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm Monday to Saturday; it is closed Sunday as well as December 8 and December 24 through January 1. It’s busiest from Easter to October, when you should plan to arrive first thing in the morning to explore before the crowds arrive.  

Keats lived in the Rome house with artist friend Joseph Severn, whose portraits of the poet hang in various places around the museum.

One of the oldest towns in Lithuania, Kèdainiai is a photogenic Baroque relic of times gone by on the banks of the River Nevėžis. First mentioned in 1372, it may have been founded as a fishing village but grew quickly thanks to its position as the seat of the powerful Protestant Radziwiłł family. Kèdainiai soon became the cosmopolitan, tolerant home of Protestant refugees from all over Europe, an important trading center and the home of much-revered Lithuanian Jewish intellectual Vilna Gaon in the late 1720s. The town remained a successful melting pot until World War II, when the German army assassinated the town’s Jewish community on Aug. 28, 1941. Today Kèdainiai’s charmless 21st-century outskirts hide the best-preserved medieval center of any town in Lithuania, packed with multi-colored gabled Baroque townhouses, Protestant and Orthodox churches and synagogues, all built around a maze of market squares. 

The Kèdainiai Regional Museum incorporates three branches: the mausoleum of the Radziwiłł family, a museum of sculptures created by wood carver Vytautas Ulevičius and, in a gesture to the town’s polyglot past, a multi-cultural center housed in a former synagogue. A thought-provoking sculpture entitled The Eye of God stands outside to commemorate the massacre of Kèdainiai’s Jews in 1941, and a metal memorial at the mass grave records the names of those buried there. 

Killarney National Park, with idyllic lakes and ancient woodlands backed by the serrated MacGillycuddy’s Reeks mountains, is an area of stunning natural beauty. The park is also historically significant, with two heritage buildings on-site: Ross Castle, a 15th-century fortress-turned-hotel, and Muckross House, a stately Victorian estate. 

Covering around 25,000 acres (10,000 hectares), Killarney National Park is truly vast. Organized day tours can help ensure you get to see all the best parts of Ireland’s first national park. Choose between short 1- or 2-hour tours by jaunting car (a two-wheeled horse and carriage), guided walks, or boat cruises and kayak tours on the lakes of Killarney. Day tours depart from Killarney and Limerick, and include stops at key park attractions such as the Gap of Dunloe, Muckross House, Ross Castle, and the Ladies View scenic lookout. Some full-day tours combine Killarney National Park with the Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula, and Mizen Head. Multi-day tours depart from Dublin and incorporate sights in Cork, Kerry, and—during longer tours—the west coast of Ireland.

From Killarney town center, it is just a 10-minute walk or 5-minute drive to the entrance at the north of the park. Sights such as Torc Waterfall and Muckross House are farther from town (about 4.5 miles/7 kilometers), so it’s best to drive or go as part of an organized tour that offers transportation. 

Summer is the busiest season at the park, yet it is also the mildest and, therefore, best for outdoor activities. Early morning and late afternoon offer quieter visits, while fall and spring bring more opportunities for solitude. Winter can be cold—but starkly beautiful. 

Among the park’s biggest attractions is Muckross House, a 19th-century estate sitting upon the shore of the lake with which it shares its name. Queen Victoria stayed here during a visit to the national park in 1861. Today visitors can explore the impressive mansion’s interior, which is packed with period furnishings, as well as the manicured gardens and on-site farm dwellings that paint a picture of farming life in 1930s and 1940s Ireland. 

Like the Army Museum Žižkov, Kbely Aviation Museum (Leteckém muzeu Kbely) is one of four museums overseen by the Military History Institute Prague. It was founded in 1968 on an historic military airfield at Kbely on the north-eastern outskirts of the city, and — thanks to its spectacular collection of 275 aircraft — is one of the biggest and best aircraft museums in Europe. At any one time, 85 planes are on show in the museum’s vast hangars, with many more displayed in the open air.

The museum showcases the early days of Czech aviation, from World War I biplanes to Cold War Soviet spy planes, military helicopters to MIG-29s, supersonic jets to a (somewhat scorched) Russian Soyuz re-entry capsule. Most of the exhibits are related to Czech military aviation, but several Tupolev commercial airliners are on display and rare treasures from overseas include a South Vietnamese 5F Tiger II, a Swedish Saab 35 Draken fighter plane and a British Air Force F-4 Phantom II. Aircraft are displayed surrounded by period ephemera, including banners, medals, weapons and mannequins wearing military uniforms.