Pack Your Bags, and Join Us for an Exciting European Adventure!

From ancient standing stones to towering modern skyscrapers; and from the icy slopes of the Alps to the sun-soaked beaches of the Mediterranean, the 27 Member States of the European Union have something to entice every traveler.

Visiting Europe is easy. American citizens who are on vacation in the EU for 90 days or less don't need a visa, just a valid U.S. passport, and within Europe's 25-country Schengen area, national border controls have disappeared, so visitors can travel from country to country without systematic passport checks. (A passport is still required to cross the borders between the Schengen area and the non-Schengen countries of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania, and the United Kingdom.) And 17of the 27 EU Member States share the same currency, the euro, saving you both time and money.

European Capitals of Culture 2012

As of 1 January, the Portuguese city Guimarães and Slovenia's Maribor became the European Capitals of Culture 2012. The official programme of events begins on 13 January in Maribor and 21 January in Guimarães. More on the programs of the European Capitals of Culture on the Maribor 2012 and Guimarães 2012 websites.

Download our new EU Insight on travel in the European Union for more information and details.

Visit Europe!

Visit Europe offers a comprehensive guide to visiting Europe, including the 27 EU countries as well as other European destinations.

Visa-Free Travel!

The unified Schengen area allows travelers to enter one country and travel freely throughout the EU Schengen zone.

The Euro!

Seventeen of the 27 EU Member States share the same currency, saving you both time and money. No more separate wallets for different types of cash!