Europe

Posts from our Grand European River Cruise are complete. This post provides an outline what we experienced and links to posts about each stop.

We disembarked the Skadi and started our "post"-extension for two nights in Amsterdam (which were not nearly enough).

We saw 19 windmills and guides explained how an entire family would live inside and were required to keep their windmill in working order.

A walking tour and a drive to my favorite palace of the trip. Actually a hunting lodge on the edge of a secluded grove, it was just gorgeous!

Today our journey to see the Marksburg Castle in Braubach is the highlight of our day – with a scenic cruise along the Middle Rhine River.

Wertheim is a tiny little town of 54 square miles that is squeezed into a triangle at the "Mainspitze", where the Tauber flows into the Main.

The wall around this town was amazing. We walked along the cobblestones and admired the gothic, renaissance, and baroque houses and fountains.

We spent nearly 5 hours on a walking tour of Bamberg, exploring the well-preserved buildings along the city's winding streets.

Even though we chose a tour that didn't delve too far into history, the tour took us by sites that weren't easy to see or hear about.

Today we'll go back in time on a walking tour. Untouched by bombing during WWII, Regensburg is one of Germany's most well-preserved cities.

A bus ride through the Bavarian countryside took us back into Austria, to a place with lots of flowers and rows of different-colored houses.

We walked through this colorful town with lovely facades to St. Stephen's Cathedral for a concert on Europe's largest pipe organ.

With several hours in Melk – where the Danube and Melk Rivers converge – a visit to the renowned 900-year-old Melk Abbey was a must-see.

This post begins with a tour of Schönbrunn Palace and ends with a slideshow that lasts as long as one of my favorite songs from the past.

Our guided bus & walking tour took us along Ringstrasse, thru Heroes' Gate, Heldenplatz Square, Joseph Square, St. Michael's Square & more.

The views leaving Budapest & Tea Time w/Apple Strudel made for a pleasant 24-hour trip to Vienna for a fabulous concert at Palais Auersperg.

A bus tour of Pest started our day, then we crossed over the Danube to the Buda side. Later... a Budapest thermal bath... ahh... relaxing...

We settled into our cabin and explored a bit. After dinner we were treated to a scenic evening cruise to see the lights of Budapest.

Our road trip thru the Czech countryside brought us to the Sedlec Ossuary. Decorated with human skeletons, it sounds gruesome, but it wasn't.

We continue our day in Prague with a visit to the John Lennon Wall, the Prague Castle Complex, Lobkowicz Palace and a whole lot more!

We were a tad overzealous with three excursions today, but we have to see as much as we can while we're here! This post covers the first.

Although a nap sounded good after our long flights (it was 3am at home), we took a short walk to Old Town to acclimate to our new timezone.

This is an introduction to our Grand European Cruise with our itinerary, and our thoughts behind doing as much as we can while we're here.

Blogposts from our 2013 Med Cruise are complete. This post provides an outline of where we went, what we saw and links to posts associated with each stop.

La Sagrada Familia was our grand finale in Barcelona and grand doesn't even begin to cover it! A fabulous creation by the brilliant Antoni Gaudi.

On a full day in Barcelona, we put on our walking shoes to enjoy some works of art designed by some fabulous architects around the year 1900.

Barcelona's Park Güell was fascinating! Fabulous structures with gleaming, multi-color mosaics were surrounded by flowers and lush greenery.

We decided on this excursion because it was FANTASTIC and because of the ease of the final disembarkation with an excursion involved.

The Port of Palma offered a stroll thru its narrow streets, a tour of a cathedral, and a drive to the country for just a taste of Spain.

In Monaco we drove past famous Riviera resorts, along the tree-lined Promenade des Anglais and arrived in a most lovely corner of France.

Considered one of the holiest and greatest churches of all time, St. Peter's Basilica touched my soul with the history and beauty that surrounded me.

The Vatican Museums with some of the most renowned sculptures & important masterpieces in the world & the Sistine Chapel? This is one day I'll never forget!

The Vatican is a walled area within Rome. St. Peter's Square is its gathering spot & St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums surround it.

On this great walk-about in Rome, we saw twin churches, an Egyptian obelisk, marble statues, lots of steps, an ugly fountain and so much more! Take a look!

In Italy, Stone Pine Trees have been a fabulous landscape element since the Italian Renaissance garden period, planted in gardens & parks around the world.

When in Rome... Take lots of pictures! This post is full of great buildings seen from our tour bus enroute to our excursion. Don't worry, they're fabulous!

Pisa, Italy – So much more than just a leaning tower, this complex called Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), set on lush green grass, is fabulous!

Herculaneum was engulfed by a torrent of mud flowing down from the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius as it erupted in the year 79, preserving it for centuries.

Naples, Italy is chock-full of fabulous old buildings, churches and history. We just skimmed the surface and could definitely find more things to do here.

Sicily, Italy – In the port you'll see a statue of the golden Madonna which offers protection with the words "Vos et opossum civitatem benedicimus".

The Walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia have helped to protect the freedom & safety of this peaceful & prosperous republic for centuries – even as recently as 1992.

Murano & Burano are two of many islands in the Venetian lagoon. Beautiful blown glass, fabulous hand-made lace and brightly colored houses await your visit!

St. Mark's Square – from the Doge's Palace and the Basilica to the Astronomical Clock and the Bell Tower – this place was fantastic! Check it out!

Venice, Italy – Sometimes I had to pinch myself just to see if I was awake. I couldn't believe we were standing here, with so much history all around us.

Our 2013 Mediterranean Cruise aboard the Carnival Sunshine was unforgettable. Thousands of years of history at our disposal for 12 straight days. Amazing!