What is a visitor to Europe hoping to see? Museums and art galleries? Beaches, mountains and beautiful scenery? Important historical monuments dating back hundreds, even thousands of years?

All of the above no doubt, because Europe is a treasure trove containing all these things and much, much more. But assuming you only have limited time available for a visit and you want to see as much as possible, where should you include? The following is a short list of just five of the unmissable highlights:

Stonehenge

Located in south-west England near Salisbury, Stonehenge is an immediately recognisable ring of prehistoric stones. Their beauty is greatly enhanced by the mysteries that surround them - why are they there and how were they put in place 4,000 years ago? It is worth remembering that originally the stone circle at Stonehenge was surrounded by dense woodland (now long gone) which would have given it a very different characteristic to the one it has today.

The Roman Colosseum

Head to the capital of Italy and you will be almost overwhelmed by the number of historical monuments in the city centre, chief among them the Roman Forum region. A little apart from the forum stands the greatest of all the Roman monuments - the Colosseum.

While it is impossible to imagine the brutality of the tournaments that were held here, we can still by impressed by the engineering feat that allowed such an impressive building to be constructed, and the sheer size and scale of the monument.

Italian Coast

Leaving ancient history behind for a while, explore the Italian coastline. Two choices stand out among many possibilities - the coast to the north, around the group of fishing villages known as the Cinque Terre; and the Amalfi coast closer to Sorrento. The first has prettier harbours and architecture, and is a lovely place to wander, whereas the second has one of the most beautiful coast roads to be found in Europe.

Eiffel Tower

From many places in Paris you will see the Eiffel Tower. Not perhaps the most beautiful building in the world, it deserves attention for being the most instantly recognisable building in France, if not the world. Originally built as a temporary structure, it is now as much a permanent feature of Paris as the Arc de Triomphe or the Champs Elysees.

And even if the Eiffel tower itself doesn't quite warrant being on the 'top five places in Europe' list, the city of Paris as a whole certainly does.

Dordogne

One of the most interesting regions for lovers of medieval history, the Dordogne was the frontier between the English and the French during the middle ages, and each built numerous castles along the border to defend their territory.

The border has of course now disappeared, after Joan of Arc led France to victory in the Hundred Years War, but the castles and history remain, and the Dordogne is a fascinating region to explore.

Summary

It is impossible of course to even begin to scratch the surface of a continent by choosing five places - even fifty wouldn't be enough highlights. But visit those listed above and you will at least feel that you have had a taste, however small, or what Europe is really like.

Discover lots more ideas for travel in Europe or see more Dordogne castles (and many other chateaux across France) at Castles in France. http://www.castles.francethisway.com/