Life around the world of Europe

A day around the world: school, food, homes, games, weather and getting around, in real places.

5 to explore

Watch Life around the world A day on the London Underground The London Underground, or the Tube, began in 1863 as the world's first underground railway. In the year 2025/26, people made about 1.2 billion journeys on its 11 lines. Its famous map, first sketched by Harry Beck in 1931, shows how stations connect rather than how far apart they are.
Watch Life around the world A school day in Helsinki, Finland In Helsinki, Finland's capital, a lesson usually lasts 45 minutes, and pupils spend recess in the school yard. Every pupil gets a free warm lunch each school day. The 2026-2027 school year began on 12 August, and from 2026 every school is making a plan to help children move more.
Watch Life around the world Getting around Amsterdam by bicycle Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is flat and crossed by canals. In 2017, about 35 out of every 100 weekday trips made by people who live there were by bicycle, more than by car, bus, tram or metro. The city has added thousands of bike parking places, including a garage under the water by Central Station.
Watch Life around the world The polar night in Tromsø, Norway Tromsø lies far north of the Arctic Circle. From about 26 November to 17 January the sun stays below the horizon all day, a time called mørketid in Norwegian, the dark time. Around midday there are still a few hours of twilight. People wear reflectors on dark roads, and a study found that people farther north in Norway tended to feel more positive about winter.
Watch Life around the world Water buses of Venice, Italy Venice is spread over 118 small islands in a lagoon in northern Italy. Cars cannot drive into the old city, so people walk over its 400 or so bridges or take a vaporetto, a public water bus. The canals also carry water taxis, gondolas, and boats for fruit, garbage, ambulances and police.