Rabies has always been a disease that has attracted the attention of the public eye. Due to the high case fatality rate of infected humans and animals, government authorities have always invested resources for its control and prevention. It is necessary to keep a close watch for outbreaks of the virus, to ensure rapid implementation of control measures and reassess disease epidemiology. This article's intention is to give an updated assessment of the status of rabies in Europe, focusing on distribution, risk, diagnosis and prevention.