Only Americans With a High IQ Know the Capitals of All These European Countries
by Carolyn Fleming
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Learning about new places is always exciting, whether you're planning a trip or hoping to win big at your next trivia night. Can you name all of the capital cities of Europe? A few are famous, but you may be surprised to find that some are new to you. Take this quiz to travel without leaving home!
1: Which of these cities is the capital of Greece?
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Athens, the largest city in Greece, is known as the Cradle of Western Civilization and the birthplace of democracy. Many architectural wonders of Ancient Greece remain in Athens today, including the Acropolis and the Parthenon.
2: Do you know the capital of France?
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Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France during the French Revolution, is frequently misquoted as saying about the peasants, "Let them eat cake." She did not say those words, but when you visit Paris, try the cakes: financier, galette des rois, Saint Honoré cake, fraisier, and, at Christmas time, bûche de Noël.
3: Which of these cities is the capital of Germany?
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Berlin is the capital of Germany. After World War II, Germany was divided, and in 1961 the Berlin Wall was erected. It came tumbling down again in 1989, reuniting East and West Berlin into one city.
4: Warsaw is the capital of which country?
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Warsaw, on the Vistula River, is the capital of Poland. The city's motto is "It defies the storms," for the residents' determination to rebuild after the devastation of war. A resident of Warsaw is called a Varsovian.
5: Which city is the capital of both England and the U.K.?
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London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom. The U.K. as a country includes all of Great Britain—England, Wales, and Scotland—plus Northern Ireland. Confusing, yes. London's famous clock, Big Ben, is located in Elizabeth Tower.
6: Which of these cities is the capital of Spain?
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Madrid's Royal Palace, with 3,418 rooms, is the largest royal palace in all of Europe. Although it is the official residence of Spain's royal family, today it is only used for state ceremonies.
7: What city is the capital of Italy?
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Rome is known as the Eternal City, where visitors can admire the Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel. Rome's Trevi Fountain collects over a million dollars' worth of coins per year, all donated to charity.
8: Stockholm is the capital of which country?
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Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, only sees about six hours of daylight in winter, but up to 18 hours of sunshine in the summer. The city includes 14 islands with 57 bridges, inspiring residents to call their city "Beauty on Water."
9: Vienna is the capital of which country?
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Vienna is the capital of Austria, not Australia. Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, and Schubert lived here, in the City of Music. Erwin Perzy accidentally invented the snow globe in Vienna, while he was trying to improve the light bulb by adding water and semolina flakes.
10: What is the capital of Russia?
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Moscow, home of the Kremlin and gorgeous onion domes, is the capital of Russia. Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, is buried at the Kremlin.
11: Can you name the capital of Belgium?
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Brussels is the capital of Belgium, and it is sometimes called the capital of Europe because it is the seat of the European Union. Brussels has three official languages: French, Dutch, and German. You may be inclined to like or dislike Brussels, based on your feelings about Brussels sprouts.
12: Do you know the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
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Sarajevo is the capital of this country named for its two regions, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The country has three presidents, representing the Bosniak, Serb, and Croat ethnic groups. Sarajevo hosted the Winter Olympics in 1984 when the city was part of Yugoslavia.
13: Which of the following is the proper spelling for Iceland's capital city?
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Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is the world's northernmost capital city. (Greenland's capital, Nuuk, is further north, but it does not count in this stat because Greenland is technically part of Denmark.) Reykjavik is famous for its huge puffin colony and a massive cat population. It is the only Western European capital that has neither a Starbucks nor a McDonald's.
14: Do you know the capital of Finland?
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Helsinki is the capital of Finland. While visiting, be sure to try the lingonberries, cloudberries, reindeer meat, kalakukko (pie filled with small fish), korvapuusti ("slapped ears," or cinnamon buns), and leipäjuusto (squeaky cheese).
15: Podgorica is the capital of which country?
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Podgorica is the capital of Montenegro, which was formerly part of Yugoslavia, then part of the federated union of Serbia and Montenegro. Europe's largest single vineyard is the Plantaže in Podgorica.
16: Can you guess which is the smallest capital in the EU?
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Valletta, the capital of Malta, is the smallest capital city in the EU. The Knights of Malta built the city, beginning in 1566, in a grid pattern designed to promote airflow from the sea. The entire city is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
17: What is the capital of Hungary?
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Budapest, the capital of Hungary, got its name when the cities of Óbuda, Buda, and Pest decided to merge. The Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest is the largest synagogue in Europe, but, by law, no building in the city can be more than 96 meters tall. That's a tribute to the year Hungary was founded—896.
18: What is the capital of Monaco?
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The capital of Monaco is Monaco. Similarly, the capital of San Marino is San Marino, and the capital of Luxembourg is Luxembourg. However, in the case of Monaco, the city and the country are one and the same. A staggering number of Monaco's citizens are millionaires.
19: Which European capital is home to the Little Mermaid?
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Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is home to the Little Mermaid statue, commemorating the famous Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. It is one of the most photographed statues in the world. Sometimes people dress the mermaid to support a sports team, celebrate a holiday, or make a political statement.
20: Which capital city hosts the award ceremony for the Nobel Peace Prize?
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Oslo, the capital of Norway, hosts the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony every year, and Oslo hosted the Winter Olympics in 1952. Oddly, the city's nickname is Tiger City, or Tigerstaden.
