The horizontal and vertical attenuation of the aerosol, the sky radiance, and the light absorption coefficient of the aerosol have been determined at wavelengths in the visible. From this set of data the following optical characteristics of the atmospheric aerosol could be derived: vertical optical depth, horizontal extinction and absorption coefficient, scattering phase function, asymmetry parameter, and single scattering albedo. Campaigns have been performed in Almer¿a, Spain, and Vienna, Austria. The aerosol undergoes a considerable variation, as experienced by many other studies. Sometimes the vertical and the horizontal measurements gave similar data; on other days the aerosol at the surface and the aerosol aloft were completely different. The clearest aerosol always had the smallest single scattering albedo and thus relatively the highest light absorption. The optical characteristics of the aerosol in the two very different locations were very similar. Using the measured optical data, a radiative transfer calculation was performed, and the radiation reaching the ground was calculated. Comparing the values for the clear aerosol and the days with higher aerosol load, the radiative forcing due to the additional aerosol particles could be determined. The forcing of the aerosol at the ground is always negative, and at the top of the atmosphere it is close to zero or slightly negative. Its dependence on wavelength and zenith angle is presented. The preindustrial aerosol in Europe was estimated, and the forcing due to the present-day aerosol was determined. At the surface it is negative, but at the top of the atmosphere it is close to zero or positive. This is caused by the light absorption of the European aerosol, which is higher than in most other locations.