Travel/Tourism
TOP 7 Schengen Countries to Visit in 2024
Schengen attracts tourists with the opportunity to visit many countries with one visa: Norway to Greece, Spain to Estonia. Every year, more and more tourists visiting EU countries are thinking of reclassifying from ordinary travelers to owners of real estate in the territory of European countries. It is difficult for many foreigners to choose one of the many countries. Not to mention citizenship, when you choose thoroughly and hope for the best conditions. We have selected the best seven among 27 republican territories based on statistical data and according to Polly Johnson (agency My Schengen).
We offer you a short list of 7 Schengen lands you should apply without thinking about. The most popular are Italy, France, and Spain, but there is a risk of rejection and quite privileged requirements.
Overview of Schengen Visa
Visas for travel and work (C or D) can be short-term or long-term. In any case, this stamp on the passport gives many advantages. You can rest and enjoy the views and cross the borders of neighboring states, which also signed the treaty of 1985. However, which power’s embassy is the first to apply if a multi-trip is planned? If the trip covers several lands and it is impossible to determine the main one, it is necessary to obtain Schengen Visa of the country that is the first on your way. In practice, it means the following: if you travel to Hungary while transiting through Germany, you must obtain a Hungary Schengen Visa.
The list of documents may vary depending on the country the tourist is traveling to, but the package in most countries is as follows:
- foreign passport;
- travel insurance;
- proof of financial security; some countries may even require a bank statement;
- return ticket (if the tourist is not traveling by his transport);
- proof of accommodation (booked room or official invitation).
Here are the top best destinations regarding the standard of living, attractions, appropriate housing prices, and favorable citizenship conditions in the long run.
Italy
Schengen area traveling in 2024 includes Italy, famous for historical sights and shopping tours. Everyone dreams of seeing Rome, the Colosseum, the Vatican, the residence of the Pope. People go to Venice to ride the gondolas and participate in the carnival. In Milan – for shopping. Over the year, 1.85 million people applied for an Italian visa, and 92.3% received it.
Spain
Spain has 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, stunning beaches, fantastic food, incredible museums, and impressive stores. It hosts numerous festivals that bring people worldwide together on the Atlantic and Mediterranean, making it the favorite country among foreign tourists. The state is also known for its culinary arts and bullfighting. The country hosts the world’s largest tomato battle every year in August. Spain’s soccer team is one of the most famous in the world.
Greece
The territory has a unique coastline, many beaches, and small islands. A bonus to vacationing at sea is a rich cultural program, delicious and healthy cuisine, and low prices for recreation. Greece welcomes tourists warmly. The country issued almost one million visas last year. And the refusal rate is low – 3.88%.
Portugal
Popular places such as Lisbon, Porto, Algarve, and Madeira attract tourists worldwide. Favorable climate, beautiful beaches, and mountainous landscapes make Portugal an attractive vacation destination at any time of the year.
France
France is Europe’s most popular country for traveling, at least among those who need a visa. Both adults and children enjoy going to Disneyland. A Million people visit the Louvre Museum, Picasso Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art every year. There are ski resorts (Chamonix, Courchevel, Mirabel), historical centers (Paris, Versailles, Rambouillet), and of course, the beaches of the Cote d’Azur. The result of France is 3.1 million visas. However, the requirements of this country are strict, and 13.6% of applicants receive a refusal.
Netherlands
The capital attracts tourists – Amsterdam, where there are rich cultural and historical monuments (Van Gogh Museum, State Museum of the Netherlands, Rembrandt House Museum), and such “cult” places as the red-light district and many others.
Germany
You only need to travel to Germany to visit Hohenzollern Castle, which rises to the clouds, and to see the remains of the Berlin Wall, one of the symbols of the Cold War.
Travel Tips and Planning for 2024
So, if you plan to travel without any problems or set a goal to get a visa, you need to arrive at the embassy of any country of the union. It is important to apply to an area where there is no tourist rush. Choose the right country for you from the above list of best Schengen countries and start the application process. The immigration company is always happy to help you obtain a Schengen visa. One of the peculiarities of applying to the center is the urgency of the permit stamp in the passport for the whole family. In this case, there is no need for personal presence, and you pay for the service only after issuance.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A travel card designed for tourists, business visitors, Diaspora returnees has been launched by Verve in partnership with Providus Bank.
Known as the ProvidusVerve Travel Card, the Naira-based travel card will allow inbound travellers to enjoy a smooth, secure, and convenient payment experience throughout their stay in Nigeria. It was powered by Verve’s secure.
Created to support the surge of tourists, expatriates, business visitors, conference delegates, and returning diaspora expected during the festive Detty December season, the ProvidusVerve Travel Card enables seamless payments for transportation, hotels, dining, shopping, entertainment, and everyday essentials nationwide.
The card also works on select global merchant platforms that accept Verve, including Netflix, Google Play, and other digital services, ensuring travellers enjoy uninterrupted access to familiar services.
The ProvidusVerve Travel Card eliminates the hassle of sourcing naira or converting foreign currency on arrival. It enables instant, secure transactions, reduces reliance on cash, and supports compliance with the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
It also mitigates the risks associated with carrying physical cash such as loss, theft, or fraud, offering a safe, regulation-aligned option for both online and in-person payments.
“The ProvidusVerve Travel Card is a timely solution for inbound travellers seeking reliability, security, and simplicity while navigating Nigeria.
“Together with Providus Bank, we have created a product that eliminates the friction traditionally associated with accessing local payments.
“Whether for tourism, business, or festive activities, this card ensures a smooth financial experience from the moment visitors land,” the Vice President for Issuing and Acquiring Management for Africa at Verve International, Mr Paul Ohakim, stated.
On his part, the Divisional Head for Product Management and Solution Delivery at Interswitch, Mr Ademola Adeniran, described the partnership as a reflection of “Verve’s commitment to designing products that respond to real user needs.”
“The ProvidusVerve Travel Card supports everyday experiences — from booking rides and hotels to shopping, streaming, and dining. It provides inbound travellers with a secure, compliant, digital-first way to experience Nigeria without financial barriers,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, has disclosed that the federal government may recover and sell the assets of Dana Air to refund passengers and travel agents whose funds remain trapped following the suspension of the airline’s operations.
The Minister disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday at the Ministry’s fourth quarter stakeholders’ engagement to enhance governance for effective service delivery in aviation.
Speaking at the event themed “leveraging public feedback to drive excellence in aviation services, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will be directed to probe why funds trapped by the airline are yet to be refunded.
He revealed that the authority suspended the operations of the airline as a matter of choice between safety and disaster.
“For Dana, the problem is that it was a choice between safety and disaster. So we didn’t take the commercial thing as priority. The priority was safety, and we all looked at the damning reports that we had met on the table.
“It was a decision of the NCAA to suspend them, but I pushed them to say, look, these are the reports we are seeing on the table about safety record, about lack of standards that put the lives of Nigerians at risk. If they continue flying, I don’t know whether most of us will be here. Many of us would have been victims of one of those flights. God forbid.”
According to him, “I have asked Najomo (NCAA director general) to dig deep to find out how those passengers and agents will be refunded. He has to dig deep on that.
“One solution will also be that if that same individual or those entities are trying to come back to aviation under any guise, whether to go and register a new AOC or use any business within the aviation sector, they have to go and settle their debts first.
“We should look at their assets. There are assets that are still available. Let them sell their assets. Let’s cannibalize their revenue and pay people. Let’s find a way to go after their assets and get money to pay Nigerians who are owed.
“NCAA should do that because they can’t get away with it.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said it has imposed a N5 million penalty on Qatar Airways for consumer protection violations.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Mr Michael Achimugu, on X, adding that there may be other sanctions depending on how the airline treats other cases.
“Glad to announce that, today, the NCAA has sanctioned @qatarairways to the tune of five million naira being penalty for consumer protection-related infractions. In addition, the letters of investigation (LOI) written to the airline over other cases may lead to further sanctions if not treated satisfactorily,” Mr Achimugu wrote.
The fine followed an incident when a Nigerian passenger was accused by a Qatar Airways cabin crew member of sexual harassment during boarding in Lagos for a flight to the United States via Doha, Qatar.
The allegation was only reported in Doha, where the passenger was arrested, detained for 18 hours, fined, and compelled to sign a document written solely in Arabic.
Qatar Airways allegedly refused to continue his journey, forcing him to purchase another ticket at considerable financial and reputational cost.
The NCAA said it invited Qatar Airways’ country manager to a meeting over the incident, but he failed to attend, sending subordinates instead.
“I understand that some countries do not have advanced aviation consumer protection regulations like Nigeria does. In certain cases, some countries don’t even have any. This creates a situation where airlines operating out of those countries (mostly national carriers) act with disdain towards consumer protection enforcement in Nigeria.
“This is not a situation that we would accept here. It is against the law for ANY Airlines not to respond to the NCAA. It is against the law to provide false information to the NCAA. It is against the law to fail to comply with the provisions of Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023,” Mr Achimugu said in an earlier post.
In September, the NCAA accused Qatar Airways of mistreating Nigerian passengers and failing to comply with consumer protection regulations under Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.
The regulator then threatened stiff penalties against the airline for repeatedly disregarding its directives.
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