Website Domains

In urban area rounds it is useful to spot websites on shop signs, billboards, or service vehicles. Most countries have their own unique domain at the end of web addresses, giving you a hint of where you are.

Website domains can be especially helpful in Europe, as many countries share common road signs, architectural styles, and even languages in some border regions. This can make it tricky to pinpoint the exact location based on visuals alone.

The URLs — like something.de or gov.pl — can be a giveaway. Here are a few examples:

• .fr → France

• .es → Spain

• .it → Italy

• .nl → Netherlands

Seeing a .pt on a road sign or building can instantly tell you you’re in Portugal, even if the rest of the scenery could also resemble Spain.

Be careful with Confusing Domains! Some country codes aren't as intuitive:

• .ch → Switzerland (from Confoederatio Helvetica, its Latin name)

• .za → South Africa (comes from its Dutch name, Zuid-Afrika. .sa was already taken by Saudi Arabia)

Also, sometimes they can even mislead:

• .si is Slovenia, not Singapore. Singapore’s domain is actually .sg.