Q 01/05

Which city, known in the West as Constantinople until the 1930s, has the largest population of any in Europe?

A) Ankara

B) Istanbul

C) Thessaloniki

D) Antalya

Answer · why

B) Istanbul

Istanbul is home to over 15 million people, about two-thirds of them on the European side of the Bosphorus and the rest in Asia. Its Turkish name was ...

Q 02/05

Which Italian city is spread across 118 small islands, with canals and footbridges where streets would be?

A) Trieste

B) Ravenna

C) Genoa

D) Venice

Answer · why

D) Venice

Venice stands on tree trunks: its builders drove closely spaced alder piles through the lagoon mud into hard clay, then laid stone foundations on top.

Q 03/05

In which Spanish city did work begin in 1882 on the Sagrada Família, the basilica designed by Antoni Gaudí?

A) Barcelona

B) Zaragoza

C) Tarragona

D) San Sebastián

Answer · why

A) Barcelona

Barcelona is where Gaudí died in 1926, struck by a tram and at first taken for a beggar. Less than a quarter of his basilica was finished at the time.

Q 04/05

Which port city on the Mersey estuary was the birthplace of the Beatles, who formed there in 1960?

A) Liverpool

B) Newcastle

C) Sheffield

D) Southampton

Answer · why

A) Liverpool

Liverpool artists have had more UK number one singles than those of any other city in the world. Its 1960s sound, with the Beatles out in front, was k...

Q 05/05

Which German city hosts Oktoberfest, the giant beer festival that actually begins in the middle of September?

A) Stuttgart

B) Nuremberg

C) Munich

D) Dresden

Answer · why

C) Munich

Munich held the first Oktoberfest on 12 October 1810 to celebrate a royal wedding, and the festival ground was named Therese's Meadow after the bride.