My Trip of Europe, Pt. 1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bayeux

Bayeux is a gorgeous town on the banks of the Aure. Home to the ancient Bayeux tapestry, which chronicles the Norman Invasion of Britain in 1066, it is also home to a beautiful cathedral and also a Commonwealth War Cemetery, the entire town being rebuilt after World War II to recapture the ancient feeling.

Bayeux is also the perfect base to explore Normandy. There are numerous museums dedicated to D-Day, numerous graveyards containing servicemen from the US, Canada, UK and Commonwealth, and even in the depths of an early European autumn, it can be utterly beautiful at times.

Answer: Le Mans

Located in the Pays de la Loire region of France, Le Mans is famous for its incredibly well preserved old town (Cité Plantagenet) and the enormous Cathedral St-Julien...

But Le Mans is known worldwide for the 24 Heures du Mans (24 Hours of Le Mans), a race first held in 1923, and held every year since except for a break during World War II. The circuit itself is a mixture of public roads and private circuit, only a few kilometres from the centre of the city. Le Mans is also home to an impressive museum, which hosts a collection of racing vehicles, and it is possible to drive sections of the circuit outside of race weekends.

Answer: Orléans

Orléans is an absolutely gorgeous town, and no matter where you go, you will find streets, places, shops, parks named after Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orléans. Aside from a number of statues around the city of her, the most iconic of her being on horseback in the Place du Martroi, you can also visit the house in which she resided during the Siege of Orléans.

A visit to the cathedral, Of the Holy Cross of Orléans, is also a must as the stained glass windows depict her life story. Most cathedrals in France will also have a statue of Joan of Arc, as she was canonised as a Saint in 1920, and is now a patron saint of the country.

Answer: Oradour-sur-Glane

Many English speaking people would have only learned of Oradour-sur-Glane from the opening of the documentary series 'The World at War', which was released during the 1970s. The original town was inhabited by less than 1000 people at the time of June 10th, 1944, when troops of the 2nd SS Panzer Division arrived and proceeded to murder 642 men, women and children.

The French government chose to leave the town as it was the day the massacre happened as a memorial to all the victims of war. There is an adjoining museum which tells the story of the town itself, those who lived in it, what happened on June 10th, and how the story of what happened became known.

A new town was built a kilometre or so away from the memorial.

Answer: Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Nouvelle-Aquitaine is a relatively new region of France, the amalgamation of Aquitaine, Limousin and Poitou-Charentes. Aquitaine is a historical region of France, and was actually ruled by the English for 300 years during the Middle Ages. Though the English disappeared over 600 years ago, the fact there are many pubs in the city would suggest the English influence has remained!

As for Bordeaux, its city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with the most preserved historical buildings in France outside Paris. Bordeaux is known as one of the major wine regions, particularly in regards to the production of red.

Answer: Bilbao

Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque region and is unlike any other region in Spain. A fiercely independent people, though everyone can speak and understand Castillan Spanish, all locals will speak Basque first, and any attempt at trying to speak a few words is definitely appreciated.

The Guggenheim Museum is one of many to visit during any stay in Bilbao. But make sure to also eat plenty of pintxos (tapas) and drink a lot of kalimotxo (equal parts red wine and cola).

Answer: Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela is the capital city of Galicia. The Way of St. James, or the Comino as it is also known, is a pilgrimage which takes place all year round, with people walking or cycling from all over Europe, ending at the Praza do Obradoiro. Santiago itself is a small but ancient city, generally full of pilgrims, and the centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is also a good base for those who wish to tour the north-west of the country. Those who are willing may keep walking all the way to Fisterra, which was once considered the end of the world, as it is (or was) the most westerly point of continental Europe.

Answer: Sintra

Sintra was once one of the homes for the Portuguese Royal Family until they were ousted in 1910. Aside from the Palace of Pena and the Covento, there is Sintra Palace, which was the summer residence for the royal family, and also the Castle of the Moors, a fort built by the Muslim rulers in the 8th century.

Answer: 1996

Porto is a huge city, 50 kilometres in radius, though not densely populated, so it doesn't feel too crowded. Originally called Portus Calle by the Romans, the city has been inhabited since the fourth century. It has a proud maritime tradition, and it is rather obviously home to port wine.

Though the centre is full of museums and magnificent buildings line the streets, main reasons to visit Porto are the sun, the sea, and the sunset.

Answer: Great Britain

Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain in 1713 under conditions of the Treaty of Utrecht. Since that time, it has become an important base for the British Royal Navy and remains important in regards to sea-borne traffic passing through the Strait of Gibraltar.

Obviously, the status of Gibraltar remains a contentious issue between the British and Spanish governments. A 1967 referendum rejected Spanish sovereignty, while a 2002 referendum rejected shared British-Spanish sovereignty.

As for Gibraltar itself, it is tiny, only 2.6 squared miles big and consistently in the top ten for highest population density in the world (alongside other tiny enclaves such as Monaco and Singapore.)