Europe consists of 49 internationally recognized countries, each with an official capital city.
Most European nations have a single official capital. However, the Netherlands is a special case: its constitution names Amsterdam as the capital, while the seat of government, parliament, and most embassies are located in The Hague. As a result, Europe has one more capital city than it has countries.
While many European capitals, such as Paris and Rome, are well known, others are less familiar or are sometimes confused with larger or more prominent cities.
Capital cities of Europe
Below is an alphabetical list of European countries and their capital cities.
Several countries in this list are transcontinental, meaning they are located in more than one continent.
Download: List of European capital cities.
Geopolitically European cities
The following cities are geographically located in Asia but are geopolitically connected to Europe. They have strong historical, cultural, and political ties to Europe.
Read next: The 49 European Countries (And Why Some Sources Say 50+)
Map of European capital cities
The map below shows the geographic locations of the capital cities in Europe.
Printable European maps are also available for download to help you study or memorize the capitals.
Capital cities quiz
Match the capital city with the correct European country.
Finished learning? Test your knowledge with the world’s capital cities or browse the complete list of countries.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. With seven years of teaching experience and a background in educational content, she specialises in creating clear reference resources about countries, geography and global topics.