Europe travel bucket list: Northern Lights, Pompeii and Lake Como among top 50 destinations and experiences

The European travel bucket list for people in the UK includes seeing the Northern Lights, the Eiffel Tower and - closer to home - Loch Ness.

Hotpots in Italy took three of the top four slots in a poll of 2,000 adults - Pompeii, Lake Como and the Colosseum in Rome.

Destinations such as Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, Germany’s Black Forest and our very own Stonehenge are also sought after.

Three in 10 adults currently have a bucket list of sites and places they want to visit, which they predict will typically take 11 years to complete.

The research, commissioned by ALL – Accor Live Limitless - Accor’s lifestyle loyalty program, found seeing the Northern Lights was the bucket list experience most people are wander-lusting for, and top destinations people want to visit include Rome, Athens and Barcelona.

Travellers want to do more than just see a place, they want to be part of the destination and dream of experiences including travelling on the Orient Express, sledging with huskies in Lapland and sailing around Greek islands.

Castles are the number one landmark people are most interested in seeing when they travel, followed by wild nature, and bodies of water.

On average, 37% of the typical bucket list is European and 34% admitted there are plenty of places in Europe they are yet to explore.

Accor’s spokesperson, Luc Gesvret, said: “It’s great to see how much of a Brits’ bucket list is inspired by Europe and the desire to discover incredible destinations and experiences just a few hours away.

“Now travel is back people want to travel more than ever and have been dreaming of bucket list experiences which they can now, finally, make happen.

“People agree that having a travel wish list inspires them and gives them something to look forward to and one in five polled Brits already have bucket list trips planned and booked in the next year.

“Whether your travel is food focused, you’re motivated by adventures, or you prefer to see historical sites, there is something for everyone to explore and enjoy in Europe. ”

Luc Gesvret, from Accor, which is offering a giveaway where members can win a million points – worth €20,000, added: “Seeing as the average bucket list will cost over £13,000, that’s a lot of bucket list travel to enjoy in Europe.”

European bucket list top 50:

• 1. Northern Lights – Iceland/Norway
• 2. Pompeii – Italy
• 3. Lake Como – Italy
• 4. Colosseum – Italy
• 5. Giant’s Causeway – Northern Ireland
• 6. Acropolis of Athens – Greece
• 7. Eiffel Tower – France
• 8. The Blue Lagoon – Iceland
• 9. Leaning Tower of Pisa – Italy
• 10. Auschwitz – Poland
• 11. Vatican City - Italy
• 12. Loch Ness – Scotland
• 13. Lake Geneva, Switzerland
• 14. Trevi Fountain – Italy
• 15. The Black Forest – Germany
• 16. Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle) – Romania
• 17. Grand Canal – Italy
• 18. Stonehenge – England
• 19. The Azores – Portugal
• 20. Geysir – Iceland The Matterhorn – Switzerland
• 21. The Roman Baths – Bath, England
• 22. Anne Frank Museum – Amsterdam
• 23. Arthur's seat Edinburgh – Scotland
• 24. The Duomo, Florence – Italy
• 25. Tivoli Gardens – Denmark
• 26. Brandenburg Gate – Germany
• 27. Mermaid Statue – Copenhagen
• 28. Durdle Door – England
• 29. Buckingham Palace, England
• 30. Normandy Beaches, France
• 31. Neuschwanstein Castle – Germany
• 32. Caucasus Mountains – Georgia
• 33. Shakespeare’s Stratford – England
• 34. Landwasser Viaduct Bridge – Switzerland
• 35. Arc de Triomphe – France
• 36. Sagrada Familia – Spain
• 37. Checkpoint Charlie – Berlin
• 38. Lake Constance - Austria
• 39. The Hague – Netherlands
• 40. Montmartre – Paris
• 41. Lokrum Island – Croatia
• 42. The Vienna Hofburg – Austria
• 43. Ancient city of Caceres – Spain
• 44. Cliffs of Moher – Ireland
• 45. Duomo di Milano Milan – Italy
• 46. Park Guell – Barcelona
• 47. Vipava Valley – Slovenia
• 48. Maritime Greenwich – England
• 49. Szechenyi Bath – Budapest
• 50. Comporta, Portugal

Top 10 destinations people want to visit:

• 1. Rome, Italy
• 2. Florence, Italy
• 3. Athens, Greece
• 4. Venice, Italy
• 5. Barcelona, Spain
• 6. Vienna, Austria
• 7. Naples, Italy
• 8. Madrid, Spain
• 9. Lisbon, Portugal
• 10. Amsterdam, Netherlands

Top 10 experiences people want to have:

• 1. See the Northern Lights
• 2. Travel on the Orient Express
• 3. Stay in an ice hotel in Norway
• 4. Sledge with huskies in Lapland
• 5. Sail around Greek Islands
• 6. Climb the steps at Giant’s Causeway in Ireland
• 7. Ride a water Taxi in Venice
• 8. Pay respects at Auschwitz
• 9. Swim in the Blue Lagoon Iceland
• 10. Tour a vineyard in Italy