TravelEuroCities TravelEuroCities Europe - a continent rich in history, diverse cultures and fascinating cities and architecture. In TravelEuroCities blog, we take a more in-depth look of Europe's many interesting and beautiful cities. Articles
A Visit to Fiesole, Tuscany
2008-04-09 20:04:00 It will come as no surprise that much of the Roman character of Tuscany has been preserved. One special example of that fact is to be found in Fiesole . A superb respite from busy Florence below, Fiesole offers views of the city, the Arno and much more from atop its peak. The town itself far predates the Roman period, going back to the country's Etruscan era in the 9th century BC. From here, high More About: Visit
The Gothic Quarter in Barcelona
2008-03-30 22:30:00 Between Las Ramblas and the Passeig de Picasso lies one of Barcelona 's most famous areas: Barri Gotic, the Gothic Quarter . Its fame is well deserved. For, here, visitors can find streets and buildings from the Middle Ages that will provide hours of fascinating exploration. There are small winding alleyways where tourists can find all manner of Gothic-era buildings, shops housed in centuries-old
Check out the Vatican Museums
2008-03-24 18:27:00 An entire article could easily be taken up solely by listing the names of all the galleries and museums comprising the Vatican Museums . Naming the artists and their works would take up several more. Describing them takes entire catalogs, held in the Vatican Library. Growing from humble beginnings with Pope Julius II's 1506 acquisition of the sculpture of Laocoön and his sons in the grips of a More About: Check , The Vatican
The Fountains of The Eternal City of Rome
2008-03-06 23:52:00 The fountains of Rome have an ancient and glorious history. Examples range from the Eternal City 's glory days in the 1st century AD to its even more glorious days during the Renaissance to the 18th century and beyond. Other cities offer fountains that are barely beyond the utilitarian. But not Rome. Rome must have a water display that is a work of art, because Rome is itself one enormous museum.
Barcelona - La Boqueria
2008-03-05 21:35:00 La Boqueria, Mercat de Sant Josep, St. Joseph's Market.... Whatever name you use to describe it the sights and smells will be the same. This bustling conglomeration of food stalls, restaurants and tapas bars is one of Barcelona 's most often visited attractions. That last fact is all the more interesting since relatively few tourists seek fresh produce on their wanderings. But here one can find
A Visit to San Gimignano in Tuscany
2008-02-28 13:42:00 Once an ancient Etruscan settlement, San Gimignano's first walls were erected much later, in 998 AD. It became one of Italy's smaller city-statues in the 12th century. Featured in fictional form in E.M Forster's 1905 novel Where Angels Fear to Tread, this Tuscany town provides the perfect backdrop for a modern visit as well. Situated roughly halfway between Florence and Siena, San Gimignano is More About: Visit
Poble Espanyol (The Spanish Village)
2008-02-21 08:37:00 One of the most popular shopping areas of Barcelona, the Poble Espanyol is an array of houses, shops and other buildings done in every style seen across Spain. Enter through the gateway simulated to look like the great walled city of Avila and experience the many sights within. Built in 1929 as part of the International Exhibit, it provides delightful crafts and entertainment, while giving a More About: Spanish , Village
Barcelona Zoo
2008-02-20 07:36:00 Barcelona Zoo receives over a million visitors per year. It isn't hard to see why, once you know about all the things it has to offer animal lovers. Built in 1892 these 13 hectares located in Ciutadella Park house thousands of animals from 400 different species, many of whom are not typically found at other conservation facilities. There are programs that stock and protect the Gila Monster ( More About: Barcelona
Cortona, a town in Tuscany
2008-02-18 15:40:00 Cortona is a Tuscan town once little known to travelers booking for Florence. After the publication of Under the Tuscan Sun (and the subsequent film and follow-up books) it garnered a place on every visitor's agenda. Justifiably so. In this Italian hilltop town of 30,000 there are more sights than a visitor could see in three vacations. Located about half-way between its much more famous More About: Tuscany , Town
The Seine River in Paris
2008-02-14 09:35:00 Whether seen by a long, leisurely walk or from one of the many excellent tour boats, the view along the Seine in Paris is a delight. The river flows nearly 800km (480mi) from Dijon through Paris and into the English Channel. But even the short section through the city provides enough sights to satisfy the most discerning traveler. La Tour Eiffel can be seen changing shades from cocoa to gold as More About: River
Domus Aurea: The Golden House of Nero in Rome
2008-02-14 09:28:00 One of the more recent attractions in Rome is actually one of the more ancient. The Golden House of Nero , what remains of it, has been excavated and the ruins are now available for public viewing. Though re-discovered during the Renaissance, they were the subject of a massive restoration project near the end of the 20th century. Constructed in 64 AD after the devastating fire that burned More About: Aurea
The Eiffel Tower in Paris, quite simply the most romantic location on earth
2008-01-16 16:02:00 Originally intended as a structure to commemorate the French Revolution, who could've guessed that 100 years later The Eiffel Tower would become the symbol of Paris itself? But, judging by the six million annual visitors and the millions of photographs, that's what it has become. To date the tower has received over 200 million visitors since its completion in 1889. For two years, three hundred More About: Earth , Romantic , Location , Simply
Las Ramblas in Barcelona
2008-01-16 15:57:00 Once exclusively a flower market, the bustling Las Ramblas area of Barcelona is the perfect place for shopping and people watching. Once lined with convents and churches, the streets are now thronged with performers, magazine vendors and a hundred other things. The convents and monasteries were all closed by 1830. There are no cars allowed in the central sections. They are constrained to two
Montmartre of Paris!
2008-01-12 20:29:00 Montmartre is a fascinating mixture of old and new, seedy and sacred, bizarre and blasé. Within this section of Paris , technically the 18th arrondissement, there is everything from Moulin Rouge and Musée d'Erotisme to the Sacré Coeur Basilica. There are several art shops, a Dali museum and even a winery. (Note: An 'arrondissement' is a district, laid out around Paris clockwise, with the 1st at
Barcelona, the city of Gaudi architecture
2008-01-12 20:24:00 The architect Antonio Gaudi (1852-1926) didn't create Barcelona . The city is over 2,000 years old and the famed artist was active around the end of the 19th century. But much that is worthy in this Spanish city is the result of his efforts. Just a list of the works he created that are still extant here would fill pages. To describe them would take volumes. Unquestionably the most well known of More About: Architecture , City
The Uffizi Gallery in Florence
2008-01-07 20:56:00 It's rare for an art museum to have too many masterpieces to display. That happy fate befell the Uffizi Gallery in Florence when the last of the Medici, Electress Anna Maria, willed the entire family collection to the gallery in 1743. The results, collected over several centuries, provide a view of one of the finest treasure troves of art anywhere in the world. The Uffizi occupies a building
A visit to Maison de Victor Hugo in Paris...
2008-01-07 20:48:00 'Maison' is French for 'house'. In this case the word is slightly misleading. While no palace, though sited in the Place des Vosges - originally known as Place Royale - the site is no simple domicile. These sprawling apartments were the home of the famed writer between 1832 and 1848. Hugo fled from the revolution in that year. Hugo was the author of such well-known (if less widely read) works More About: Paris , Visit , Victor
The Romun Forum - A center of political and cultural life
2008-01-02 03:31:00 Located in a valley between Palatine Hill and Capitoline Hill, the Forum Romanum is one of the foremost archaeological sites in the world. Long before the first millennium the forum was the center of political and cultural life for the Roman Empire. Under construction for centuries, by the 7th century BC it was already a major part of Roman culture. It grew into final form under Octavian, son of More About: Life , Political , Center , Cultural
Notre Dame - The timeless symbol of France
2008-01-02 03:22:00 Second only to the Eiffel Tower as the recognized symbol of France , the Cathédrale Notre Dame is both a tourist destination and a working church. Built between 1163AD and 1345AD the Gothic masterpiece remains today one of the world's great structures. The enormous interior can seat 6,000 at the base. But, for many, the major attraction is the 387-step climb to the top of the famous towers. Once More About: Timeless , Notre-Dame
Just cruising along Port Vell, Barcelona...
2007-12-28 22:04:00 Barcelona is a city by the sea, the Mediterranean Sea to be exact. Like most coastal towns its history and ambiance are affected by that fact. For centuries the harbor was the scene of seafarers and townspeople bustling about on the traditional business that takes place at any port. But Port Vell fell into disuse over the generations. Its warehouses fell empty, its railroads less traveled, its More About: Barcelona
Appreciating the Piazza del Duomo in Pisa
2007-12-28 21:49:00 The Leaning Tower of Pisa may be the most famous landmark of this Tuscan city. But, there are many other stellar sights to see in the Piazza del Duomo where the tower is located. Scattered around lush green lawn lie some of the world's finest architectural achievements. There's the famed campanile, of course. But there is also the Duomo or cathedral itself to which the leaning tower is 'merely' More About: PISA
Peace and quiet in Rome at Villa Borghese
2007-12-26 20:38:00 Like every metropolitan city, Rome is a bustling, buzzing hive of outdoor activity. While much of that is naturally a source of excitement for tourists, there comes a time when anyone will want to find some peace and quiet. No spot in Rome could serve that purpose better than Villa Borghese . Moderate-sized by some standards, the Villa Borghese is 148 acres (80 hectares) of greenery containing More About: Peace , Quiet
Disneyland in Paris!
2007-12-26 19:50:00 Affectionately known as DLP by Mouseketeers the world over, Disneyland Paris is a cornucopia of rides, restaurants, exhibits and all out fun for everyone. And in the last few years the fun has been doubled as Disney added the Walt Disney Studios park to an already jam packed adventure. Many of the traditional rides from the California theme park were recreated (with some French twists) at the
Romantic vacations in villas in Tuscany
2007-12-23 18:03:00 The Bed and Breakfast scene in Tuscany is booming. For good reason, since it offers something considerably different from its counterparts in other countries. Here, one can stay in a huge castle over 1,000 years old, or a tiny villa a 'mere' 100 years of age. Add in the surrounding countryside with its million and one things to see and you've got some very impressive numbers. You can find More About: Romantic , Vacations , Villas
While in Tuscany, do visit the Galleria dell'Accademia
2007-12-23 17:49:00 The Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze, or Academy of Beautiful Art of Florence, as it's more formerly known, is just what the name states: a school of art. And it's true that students do study art here. They have since the Grand Duke of Tuscany , Pietro Leopold, gathered several schools under one roof in 1784. The roots of the school go back further, however, to the Academy of Art Design, founded in More About: Galleria , Visit
In Rome, there is the Spanish Steps!
2007-12-21 13:45:00 Though the name may not be entirely accurate (they were built by the French), the Spanish Steps in Rome deliver true delight to visitors of any nationality. 'Ah,' some will say, 'they are just stairs'. A way to get from the Villa Mèdici to the Piazza di Spagna. But, as any traveler knows, it's how you get there that counts as much as the destination. Constructed between 1723 and 1725 the Spanish
Parc Guell - The park that is a work of art...
2007-12-21 13:43:00 Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Parc Guell is yet another of architect Antonio Gaudi's great gifts to the city of Barcelona. Built between 1900-1914, this 20-hectare park sits on the hills to the north of Barcelona's main areas. It provides a peaceful oasis of lush greenery and outstanding architectural elements. On the northern edge of town, visitors have a spectacular vista to see More About: Work , Park
The unique architecture of The Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges-
2007-12-18 08:11:00 Known to Parisians simply as Beaubourg (after the neighborhood), The Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges-Pompidou is a museum of modern art rivaling the best in New York or London. By design, so to speak, the architecture of the 1977 building is in sharp contrast to the traditional surrounding houses of Paris' oldest district. Looking like a cross between a hyper-modern factory joined More About: Architecture , Unique |
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