Tag: religious places
-
Markets, Olympics, & Rooftops-Christmas in Milan {Italy}
After spending a few days around Rome and Vatican City, we made a quick stop in Milan. We arrived with no real expectations and no must-see list in hand. Beyond its reputation as a fashion capital, we honestly didn’t know much about what the city held in store for us. In truth, the main reason…
-
Experiencing Christmas, Holy Doors & A Jubilee Year {Vatican City}
Our visit to Rome and Vatican City happened to fall during an especially unique time. When we arrived, the Christmas tree was already standing tall in St. Peter’s Square, and workers were putting the finishing touches on the nativity scene beside it. We watched as Christmas market stalls slowly appeared along the sweeping colonnades, transforming…
-
History & Art in the Eternal City-Roaming In Rome {Italy}
Our European Christmas vacation began in the Eternal City of Rome. I’ll admit—Rome had never been on my travel bingo card. I’ve always felt a little intimidated by it: the layers of history, the art, the empire, the sheer magnitude of the city itself. Even though I love learning about those things, Rome felt unapproachable…
-
A day Around Amsterdam- Beauty Amid the Bustle {Netherlands}
Sometimes a new city becomes a new favorite. And sometimes, the city just doesn’t connect with us like others do. Amsterdam, we decided, is not really our scene. We truly enjoyed many of the places we visited in the city, but we just didn’t connect with Amsterdam itself. Part of it was the sheer busyness-…
-
Exploring Innsbruck {Austria}
We spent a few wonderful days exploring around Innsbruck. It didn’t take us long to realize that this could be a new favorite city. It is elegant, interesting, beautiful, and full of incredible mountain views. Innsbruck is a very historic town, dating as far back as the Stone Age. Around 1180 the town was first…
-
Perfect Views & Family Bones-Exploring Hallstatt {Austria}
For as long as I can remember, any idea I had about what Austria looked liked came from two places- Salzburg and Hallstatt. Salzburg of course from the hundreds of times I watched the Sound of Music. But whenever it was that I started looking through guide books and travel books, Hallstatt was always featured.…
-
Strolling & Surprises Through Salzburg {Austria}
We arrived in the beautiful city of Salzburg in the early morning. We dropped off our bags at the hotel. With comfy shoes and tired eyes, we left for a walk around the city. This was our first day of a two week trip. Because we love Salzburg, it seemed a perfect way to start…
-
Christmas Markets, Courtyards, & Wishes on a Tree in Basel {Switzerland}
Our last stop on this festive trip was to the city of Basel. Basel has an interesting position as it sits right on the border of France, Germany, and Switzerland. With that comes some strange logistical issues for visitors. The airport was in France, our hotel was in Germany, and the city was in Switzerland.…
-
Old Town Gates & Markets in Freiburg {Germany}
After spending some days in the Alsace region of France, we crossed the border into Germany to spend a day in the beautiful city of Freiburg. Freiburg came on our radar after seeing it listed in a Lonely Planet Offbeat travel book. Then my blogging friend Marion from Love Travelling Blog wrote a post about…
-
The Capital of Christmas in Strasbourg {France}
After leaving Paris, we made our way to the historic area of Eastern France known as the Alsace. Our first stop was to the city of Strasbourg. This ancient city has been through many transformations over the centuries. These days it is most known for being the seat of the European Parliament. But the title…