Norwegians invented skiing

The national symbol of Norway is the Lion

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo

Norway invented the Cheese Slicer

The Colonel-in-Chief of The Norwegian Kings Guard is a Scottish King Penguin!

The City of Oslo sends Britain a Christmas Tree every year for their help in World War 2. The Norwegian Spruce is placed prominently in Trafalgar Square

The Swiss eat more chocolate than any other nation in the world!

There are more than 1500 lakes in Switzerland

In Switzerland it is illegal to keep just one Guinea Pig - they must be kept in pairs!

The Swiss have the 2nd longest life expectancy in the world after Japan

The Pope's personal bodyguards are the Swiss Guard and are really from Switzerland

Lapland have more reindeers than human inhabitants!

Northern lights are from the end of August to the end of April - the best times being September and March

The sun never sets in the Summer

Finns are the biggest consumers of coffee in the World

There are only 3 or 4 Gondoliers a year!

Did you know that you need a professional licence to become a Gondolier. After centuries where the profession was handed down from Father to Son, there is now a Gondolier course.

However only about 3 or 4 new licences are granted each year. The course involves 400 hours of training to learn the skills needed to be a Gondolier. Candidates must also study an take an exam on Venetian history and landmarks.

Immediately north of Treviso are the rolling hills that produce prosecco, recently given Unesco world heritage status.

Treviso may not have gondolas, but within the medieval fortified walls, the city is crisscrossed by narrow canals and two fast-flowing rivers, the Sile and Cagnan.

According to UNESCO, 60% of the world’s most important art pieces of all time are located in Italy. One half of them are in Florence’s museums. This means that roughly one-third of the world’s most important art can be seen in only one city!

Florence Nightingale, arguably the world’s most famous nurse was born in Florence on the 12th of May, 1820. 

There are strict laws about Cognac

Here are a few: Cognac must be made from one or a combination of just three types of grapes . It must be aged for at least two years. It must be double-distilled in copper pot stills of a particular shape and configuration . Its grapes must be harvested only in October, and it must be distilled only from November 1st to March 31st.

There are several historical sites in Normandy, thanks to the events that happened here. One of the most popular sites includes the D-Day beaches. This is where the largest military landing happened in 1944.

Along the beaches, you will find monuments, museums, bunkers and cemeteries that commemorate the battle of Normandy.

Lake Como is one of Europe’s deepest lakes, travelling over 400 metres into the earth and 200 metres below sea level at its deepest point.

Kilkenny is known as the Marble City because of its distinctive black marble.