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When it comes to visiting a place on holiday, there are a lot of factors that make one place more or less desirable. Perhaps you’re a gastronome and want to sample the local cuisines at their most authentic. You may be a historian and fancy the opportunity to see the very places where pivotal moments went down. You may just be someone who loves beautiful scenery, which is not lacking in this world.
Whatever it is you crave, the chances are that Europe is at an advantage in providing it. With the continent closely connected in a political and transport sense, Europe is a place where you can hop from country to country. In each stop along the way, you will find each place has its own unique character. Europe has been a hub of population and travel for many centuries and, as such, has accrued a lot of culture and history.
Due to the gifts nature has bestowed, major European cities and holiday destinations are easy to reach in a number of ways. Perhaps the most rewarding way to see these is by river. One could argue for hours over which is the best European river cruise. Everyone will have their own opinion, and plenty of reasons to back it up. One thing is for sure, at the end of the conversation you’ll be struck with wanderlust.
River cruises are such a special way to see Europe because rivers played such a pivotal part in its history. As with anywhere else, towns and cities grew up around these, and in Europe they became home to such eras as the Renaissance.
Its modern history and the further-off periods have seen war, peace and industrial development. All of this has created cities with art, architecture and culture that must be seen.
A trip along the Danube, for example, will take you through such delights as Vienna, Budapest and Munich. The former two were once major centers of European power and although this has receded, the history remains. Spectacular views, sumptuous cuisine and wines. And if you visit at the right time, the chance to sample Munich’s famous Oktoberfest. All in all, it’s a trip of a lifetime.
Perhaps, though, your wanderlust will take you further West, to the delights of the Seine and the Rhone, from which you can see France and Spain. Trips to Paris are never wasted, and there’s much to see in Provence, a region that people visit once and then decide to move there. With Barcelona a short train ride away, you can experience some of Europe’s most unforgettable cities.
With the Rhine and the Mosel available too, you can see less talked about gems. The castles and cathedrals of Luxembourg, Nuremburg and Prague are all more than worth a visit. You’ll be well advised to pack extra film for your camera or a spare memory card for your phone. You certainly won’t run out of things to photograph, eat or visit.
In short, Europe is home to many countries, languages and ways of life. In one week or fortnight, you can take in enough for several holidays and you’ll still have more to save for your next trip. What more could a voyager ask for?
I would love to go to Europe and hope from country to country! There is so much to see and learn.
A friend of mine is going on a river cruise in France next month. I’d love to do this.