The sound of beans grinding, and frother frothing combined with the fragrance of a fresh brew. These characteristic can be found gathered in one place in many parts of the world.

Coffee shops have been putting smiles on faces and warmth in hearts for a long time. Although coffee shops aren't thought to originate in Europe, the first one was thought to be established in 1529.

The catch is that these coffee shops didn't serve fancy espresso drinks until the espresso press was invented in 1946. From this point forward, the world as a whole came together for the love of coffee.

As for America, the popular chain coffee shop, Starbucks first opened their Seattle doors in 1971. Ever since then coffee shops have been popping up all over the nation.

This is a fortunate occurrence for those who need a change from their regular old cup-of-joe. You can drink your coffee local and visit coffee shops to add a little quirkiness to your caffeinated experience, or you can take the safe road and find the closest Starbucks! All over the globe you can make this choice, but there are differences between coffee shops in America and in Europe.

1. Lounges

Most coffee shops that are visited in the United States, are notoriously used for college student study nooks. Compared to what most American coffee shops have to offer for seating and relaxing space, most coffee shops in Europe win, hands down. What do you know, I can actually find a spot to study here in Europe. You can actually have room to breathe, and have space to converse with your friends!

2. Pastries

Some people go to a coffee shop for breakfast, or get hungry during the duration of their time there. Often times in America, coffee shops either have limited food or they don't have it at all. In Europe you will be blown away by the difference that you see.

This doesn't occur in just the local places, but even in the foreign Starbucks often times have beautiful cases of fresh pastries.

3. Often serves alcohol.

In America, coffee is generally separated from the alcohol. In Europe it is very common to see a coffee shop serving champagne on the menu alongside their version of a skinny vanilla latte.

This leads to the conclusion that European coffee shops seem to be more diverse in the drink types that they offer.

4. Coffee stands/drive-throughs.

In Europe, the lack of cars helps explain why there are no coffee stand drive throughs anywhere to be seen. In America, a lot of places that you go to, have at least one. And if all else fails, a drive through Starbucks is probably around the corner.

5. Want some ice to refresh?

Hold the ice? No thank you. In Europe it seems that having ice in anything is a very rare occurrence. If you normally are used to having a blended chai or a lot of ice in your iced coffee, you might want to rethink that before you go to Europe. They seem to have a limited selection when it comes to frappuccinos, and other icy goodness.

Going to Europe gives ample opportunities to explore and learn new things. Just beware that ordering coffee here might be a little different than what you are accustomed to.

So go out and try an espresso shot from a bakery in Paris, or a latte from Italy. Don't be surprised if your coffee drink is different than your regular at Starbucks. You never know, you might discover something you never knew about the little bean that makes the brewed goodness that these shops are centered around.