Every country has a claim to fame. Whether it’s for having the tallest building in the world (UAE), for having the highest life expectancy (Monaco) or for having the most attractive accent (that accolade surprisingly belongs to the UK). However, it is not always that obvious what a country is best at, so here are a few things that you probably didn’t know about our European neighbours.

Spain Has The Most…Blue Flag Beaches

As well as having one of the highest numbers of sunshine hours in Europe and being one of Britain’s favourite holiday destinations, Spain has the most Blue Flag beaches in the world. Last year a whopping 577 ‘playas’ were given the coveted award, making it the safest and cleanest place to take a dip in the sea.

Switzerland Has The Most…Expensive Big Mac

Whilst Switzerland is widely accepted as having the most extensive transport system in the world, with an impressive network of trains, buses, ferries, funiculars and other vehicular services shuttling people around the country, it is also home to the world’s most expensive Big Mac. The Big Mac Index was created by the Economist to make exchange-rate theory easier for people to understand. It allows goods to be easily compared in different countries and shows that this McDonalds favourite will set you back 6.50 Swiss Francs (£4.40). That’s about ten times the amount you’d pay in Venezuela (45p).

France Has The Most…Foreign Tourists

Last year France was crowned the most visited country in the world, having welcomed more than 83 million tourists through its borders in 2014. The country can also boast the highest amount of Michelin stars given for fine dining, just one of the many reasons why holidaymakers are flocking to this part of the world.

Iceland Has The Most…Tractors Per Capita

As well has having some of the cleanest energy and most active volcanoes in the world, it seems that Iceland has an intriguing number of tractors. Studies suggest that the country possesses more farm machinery per capita than anywhere else, a statistic that becomes even stranger when you learn that Iceland also has the second lowest amount of arable land of all the countries in the world that carry out agriculture.

Denmark Has The Most…Breweries Per Person

After a sudden boom of microbreweries in the last ten years, Denmark now has the most beer producing companies per person in the world. The rise of these smaller breweries has created a shift in the market share, meaning that larger names such as Carlsberg have had to rethink their prices. In 2014, it was noted that there were more than 1,000 different Danish beer brands available in the country.

Belgium Has The Most…Castles Per Square Metre

As well as bringing us plastic, roller skates, asphalt roads and Audrey Hepburn, Belgium is the place where you will find the most castles per square metre. Within its borders, there are around 300 different castles, ranging from those built in medieval times to more modern chateaux inspired by France’s King Louis XIV.

Norway Has The Most…Electric Vehicles

Most of us know Norway as the home of spectacular landscapes, quaint fishing villages and the stunning Northern Lights, but it is also where you will find the most electric vehicles. Thanks to a mix of high petrol prices and great government incentives, Norwegians have taken to environmentally friendly cars like Arctic char to water. EVs, as they are called, now make up 10% of the market in Norway.

If you would like to visit any of these countries and see their claims to fame for yourself, we can help to plan your perfect trip. Just call our helpful team and we’ll tailor-make everything to your needs.