This paper will discuss about the cultural routes of Europe and its impact on tourism. Cultural routes primarily affect the development of cultural tourism, which is one of the selective forms of tourism. Through cultural tourism activities, tourists acquire special impressions and experiences of a particular destination by introducing traditional culture, tangible and intangible heritage, which often decides on longer stays and returnees. With the goal of developing cultural tourism, each destination creates cultural routes with interesting and attractive contents. Tourists are particularly interesting cultural routes of Europe today. Creating cultural routes is also supported by international cultural organizations such as the Council of Europe, UNESCO and ICOMOS. The paper will discuss the impact of culture on tourism in the European Union, the development of the project "European Cultural Capital", the words about cultural tourism in the European Union countries, which also belongs to the Republic of Croatia, and will talk about the position of cultural tourism in the same. The development of cultural tourism influences the creation of cultural routes in Europe that are numerous and operate under the aegis of the European Institute of Cultural Routes. For example European cultural routes will be shown cultural routes "Silk Road" and "Destination Napoleon".