This may seem like a weird question, but what do people do when they visit Europe? We are not big travelers at all. But part of us feels like we should see Europe some day. But now that we're talking about it seriously, I'm asking myself, what it is that I hope to get out of a trip to Europe? My sister is a huge traveler. When I look at her pictures of ancient castles, it bores me. I can maybe see visiting one castle (maybe) but she's really into it. So, then I think of museums. That puts my dh to sleep. We know that we would visit Italy. That's dh's choice. He says I can pick one other country. (I'm debate between England or France. But then again there's Germany...) Dh would like to sample food. Which is great. I like good food too. But that doesn't seem like enough to do. We have 4 kids (ages 19, 17, 15, and 12) so while they are great ages for traveling, I can't imagine only eating would satisfy them (or any of us really). Dh's idea of traveling is "immersing himself in the culture". I don't know how one does that in a weeklong trip. He likes the idea of biking throughout Europe, but I suspect that will only happen in some alternate fantasy world. So, if you've been to Europe, what were your favorite things to do or see?
Having traveled extensively in Europe, I'd suggest the following: - Experience the history. Whether it's the cobblestone streets of Lisbon, the cathedral in Milan, the canals of Venice, Westminster Abbey in London, or the remnants of ancient Athens and Rome, history is everywhere. Prepare in advance: For example, visiting Kilmainham Jail in Dublin meant so much more when I knew of Ireland's history. - Enjoy the museums. I used to spend at least one lunchtime a week at the National Portrait Gallery in London, because they give daily talks about a painting. There are museums and galleries everywhere. - Witness the different lifestyles. Personally, I sometimes take a bus to hear people talking in their language and seeing how they live. In northern Italy, I took the local ferry boat around one of the lakes. In Switzerland, it's so peaceful to walk beside Lake Geneva or to experience small towns in the foothills. The Alps, of course, are majestic. - Understand how different are the cultures. Watching locals pick grapes, or children going to school in uniforms, or the changing of the guard at Windsor Castle, and often the complete lack of billboards or fast food places or strip malls. Everything is so different. Shakespeare wrote in The Merry Wives of Windsor, if I remember correctly, that education is never complete until we've traveled. It's very true, and a trip to Europe would prove it correct. BTW, I wouldn't cycle anywhere near a city. There's a name for cyclists in London, for example: organ donors.
Do they still have a rail pass option? It's been almost 30 years since I was stationed in Germany but I know that was an option back then. One of our favorite things to do back then was to get on the train, ride to the small towns and just start walking. I have some amazing photos taken on back streets when we got "lost" just wandering. We got married in Denmark. We got there on a Monday and you had to wait until Thursday to get married so we did the same thing there but not by rail - we rented bikes. One day we got on the ferry and rode to a neighboring island and just had a good time sightseeing via bikes. Your kiddos are at a really good age to take a trip like this. Mine were born after we came back from the states and never got that opportunity.
I was going to suggest a train ride too. eat some local foods check to see if there are any festivals..... particularly any festivals that include the local foods..... sleep in and enjoy the night life
