Continental drift: 10 incredible reasons to visit Europe in 2024

Fancy whizzing around Norway's Alps in a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo - dubbed "the world's most exciting electric supercar"? Drive the Fjords is a new experience that propels you through spectacular mountain passes, by shimmering fjords and over the serpentine Atlantic Ocean Road that Daniel Craig's James Bond roared across in No Time To Die. Pit stops have you savouring Norwegian cuisine and hospitality, with top chefs crafting dishes from locally-foraged ingredients at rustic-luxe waterfront retreats. Itineraries span six days and you can also ski or cycle the fjords, if you prefer. 62.no/en

Nestled in Cyprus's rugged interior, Nicosia is split into "Greek Cypriot" and "Turkish Cypriot" zones (a partition fuelled by Turkey's occupation of the northern half of this Mediterranean island in 1974). A crossing point allows travellers to safely wander both parts of this ancient city, taking in Ottoman-era bazaars and Byzantine churches, while stylish new hotels are elevating Nicosia's visitor allure. Tucked in a converted villa inside the medieval walls on the city's Greek side, Amyth of Nicosia is due to open in October, when the island's weather is still pleasantly warm (and more comfortable for exploring than in steamy summer). visitnicosia.com.cy

Emerging from the shadow of Estonia's storybook capital, Tartu is relishing its stint as a 2024 European Capital of Culture. More than 1000 events are taking place in this leafy university city by the Emajogi River, inspired by the concept "Arts of Survival" - the knowledge, skills and values that will help us lead a good life in the future. There's everything from immersive theatre and surrealist exhibitions to biodiversity projects and sustainably-themed street art. Pastel neoclassical buildings pepper Tartu's centre, including an art museum even wonkier than Pisa's Leaning Tower, and alfresco bars and restaurants that buzz late on northern summer nights. tartu2024.ee/en

Although it was Paris that staged the first dedicated impressionists' exhibition in 1874, the spiritual home of this art movement is Normandy, where the coastline, cityscapes and countryside captivated Claude Monet and company. To mark impressionism's 150th anniversary, a special festival is taking place across the region (until September 22). Galleries, such as Caen's Museum of Fine Arts, are showcasing legendary impressionists - and contemporary talents they influenced - while open-air events include beachside painting workshops, and sound and light shows beaming multi-coloured rays onto the Gothic facade of Rouen Cathedral. en.normandie-tourisme.fr

Walking holiday fans will be royally intrigued by this circuit, years in the plotting and billed as the world's longest coastal trail. The England Coast Path will have unveiled most of its marked 4500km route by the end of 2024, though mercifully, it has more manageable multi-day sections, with the castle-dotted shores of Northumberland and Cornwall's cove-laced coast especially enticing. There are cosy inns, tearooms and seafood shacks along the way, and tour operators can transfer your luggage between overnight stops, leaving you lighter and free to soak up the often-spellbinding coastal vistas. visitbritain.com

Imagine going to bed in Paris and waking up with kaffee and fresh pastries in Berlin. Or setting off from Brussels and arriving in Prague without any airport hassles. These are just a few of the new overnight rail sleeper lines for 2024, boosting existing services like Vienna-Venice, Budapest-Bucharest and Hamburg-Stockholm, and making flight-free travel (and lower carbon footprints) a more realistic proposition for European trips. Don't expect Orient Express-style glamour, although most sleeper trains usually have a choice of compartments: from solo capsules and twin-bed ensuites to 4/6-berth, dorm-style couchettes (some women-only). nightjet.com/en

Already spoilt with ramble-worthy relics, Greece has a new golden oldie to check out near Thessaloniki, the country's second city and a popular cruise ship port of call. Once the largest palace in antiquity, the Palace of Aigai was where Alexander the Great was crowned in 336 BCE, sparking his unstoppable campaign of conquest across the Mediterranean and beyond. Destroyed by the Romans, this excavated UNESCO-listed site is greeting visitors again after a 16-year restoration. Gaze over the mosaic-blessed banquet halls and colonnaded courtyards, and discover myths, legends and history at Aigai's sleek new museum. aigai.gr

For an island-hopping adventure minus big crowds, head to the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago anchored in the Atlantic Ocean. Verdant, volcanic scenery awaits in the so-called "Hawaii of Europe", which promises rousing clifftop walks, swimming in crater lakes and wines made from grapes grown in lava fields. You can also go whale watching and amble through sleepy Baroque towns. Independent travel is possible with ferries and flights linking the nine main islands, but tour operators like Collette have Azores itineraries, too. visitazores.com

Bordered by France and Switzerland, the Aosta Valley attracts a fraction of Tuscany's crowds, but it's a year-round draw for outdoorsy types in the know, from summer e-bikers to winter snow bunnies, who are treated to pristine alpine landscapes. History enthusiasts, wellness seekers and gourmets will also be in their element thanks to the ancient Roman ruins and medieval castles, hot springs and thermal spas, and organic wines, fondues and charcuterie. Book into a boutique hotel or upscale B&B in Aosta, the valley's chief town, under two hours by road from Turin or Geneva. italia.it/en

Valencia is arguably Spain's most underrated city - and a balmy one at that with 300 days of sunshine annually. Flexing its sustainable muscles as the European Green Capital of 2024, this Mediterranean beauty boasts newly pedestrianised streets and plazas, cycle-friendly seaside promenades and boat trips and birding on the Albufera lagoon, which is edged by rice fields and regarded as the birthplace of paella. Savour farm-to-table tapas at Valencia's heritage-listed produce markets and trendy food halls like Mercado de la Imprenta - which occupies a former printing press - and admire striking contemporary architecture, including the just-refurbished Palau de la Musica concert hall. visitvalencia.com

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