subject: Reserve Low-cost Winter Vacations To Europe And Find Tips On Favorite Beaches And Activities In Euro [print this page] European Vacations to Picturesque Edinburgh
Your European vacations cannot go wrong with a visit to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland since the 15th century. Edinburgh is divided into two main areas: the medieval fortress of Old Town and the New Town with its neoclassical influence that has become a blueprint for European urban planning since the 18th century. The medieval Old Town stretches along a ridge from the Castle to the Palace of Holyrood. Here you will see houses of merchants and nobles during the 16th and 17th centuries, unique tenements, and early public buildings including St. Giles Cathedral and Canongate Tolbooth. The Georgian New Town, built between 1767 and 1890, is a collection of seven new towns to the north of the Old Town. Integrated with neoclassical buildings are gardens that take advantage of the areas topography. In the Age of Enlightenment it was a major center of thought and learning, and today continues its cultural and political links with mainland Europe. Recognizing this unique and surprisingly harmonious blend of old and new, the UNESCO has named Edinburgh a World Heritage Site.
Monaco Honeymoon European Vacations
The fairy-tale setting of Monaco is a top destination of choice for honeymooners on European vacations. With less than two square miles to its name, the elegant little country in Southwestern Europe has the House of Grimaldi, its own royal family, the Paris Opera House, and the Monaco Grand Casino with its verdigris cupolas, rococo turrets and golden chandeliers that date back to the baroque period. Overlooking the vast Mediterranean Sea, this tiny city-state is an excellent harbor for the world's most luxurious yachts. In the Old Town, the architecture dates back to the medieval times. Navigate through the vaulted passageways and narrow streets branching off the main avenues. Visit the Rock of Monaco, where his Serene Highness Prince Rainier III fell in love with Grace Kelly. Stop and smell the flowers -- all 7,000 of them -- at the Jardin Exotique, where the exquisite Princess Grace Rose Garden is well kept.
European Vacations to Amsterdam
If you are spending your European vacations in Amsterdam, they will surely be full of color. The area is rife with clogs, cheeses, tulips and windmills. Check out the eight windmills in Amsterdam, especially the famous De Gooyer where its location next to the prize-winning brewery Brouwerij t IJ makes it ideal for having a beer. Along the Singel, the Bloemenmarkt is the place to buy tulips, and the Wegewijs emporium is where you can taste and purchase the flavorful cheeses. There is a clog-making museum just outside the city called Klompenmakerij De Zaanse Schans where visitors can learn about the history and symbolism of the clog. More on the theme of colorful shoes, Amsterdams Historisch Museum displays objects like 700-year-old footwear pairs, demonstrating the urban evolution of the past eight centuries. There are 165 canals encircling the city and the sea at bay which you can explore. The most charming is Prinsengracht with its green shades and fun houseboats. If you walk in this area you will be able to spot the house of Anne Frank.
European Vacations to Medieval Stockholm
Since Stockholm was founded more than 750 years ago, there has been a settlement in the Old City of Gamla Stan. As early as 1252, pillaging raids have been spotted ravaging the narrow medieval alleys, old churches, town squares, and of course, the Royal Palace. Nowadays, instead of horses or donkeys with carriages on the streets, you can find bus tours galore with tourists from all over the world. You can easily avoid them by keeping off the main streets and instead taking the quaint side streets during your European vacations. Celebrate how far the country has gone by visiting the Stadshuset, the City Hall. It is Stockholms most prominent landmark that hosts some of the worlds most respected individuals at its annual Nobel Prize banquet. See the 10,000-piped organ, the impressive Golden Hall where Swedish history is depicted on wall mosaics with 18 million pieces in gold leaf, and the Council Chamber, which resembles the open roof of a Viking longhouse.
