Travel to Europe for vacation

To top the visit to France would be a visit to Paris, the capital, described as the most romantic city in the world. It attracts honeymooners, artists, literature buffs, fashion gurus and foodies. The converted Paris sewers are worth a visit and so are romantic walks along the Siene. Absorb the art at the Louvre, gaze at the Paris landscape atop the Eiffel Tower and dance to some jazz at the Montparnasse.

Italy is a feast for your senses, intellect and heart. It is rich with art and architecture. Rome, Venice, Florence and Milan are the top destinations famous for history and the modern fashion industry. Also attractive are the small villages along the Riviera and near the shores of the northern lakes. The north is home to the Lake District, cosmopolitan Milan, the unique island empire of Venice and the Dolomites, Italy’s very own Alps. In central Italy are the Renaissance capital of Florence and the quaint hill towns of Tuscany and Umbria. Then there is the Italian Riviera dotted by villages and the South, home to the Eternal City, Rome and the dramatic coast of Amalfi.

In Rome, explore 3,000 years of history from the Colosseum and and the Sistine chapel, in the St. Peters Basilica in Vatican City. Also savor the bubbling Benini Fountains, the coffee shops and fashion boutiques of modern Rome. Take a romantic walk to Trastevere, the center of the town, or the Botanical Garden. Shop at Portaportese, the biggest flea market. Florence is another classic Italian citywhich was the centre of the flowering of the artistic renaissance, which has left its evidence in the Uffizi Gallery. Not to miss is Michaelangelo’s David. Florence is an art lover’s paradise and also a growing fashion label city.

Venice, Italy’s pride, is perfect for romantic dreamers who like strolling through automobile-free streets or laze in gondolas, watching the setting sun against the beautiful architecture.

Amsterdam in Holland is another pretty and interesting place to visit. Amsterdam has a relaxed, laid-back style of life with a17th century air about it. Physically, it is built on millions of pilings but it thrives on the good living - cozy cafes, street corner jazz, great art, rich history and lazy canal cruises. It has as many canals as Venice and as many tourists. Art lovers of the Dutch masters of painting especially, zero into Amsterdam. They head for the Rijks Museum and the Van Gogh Museum. In 2006, these two museums are hosting an exhibition of the works of Rembrandt. Another favorite memorial is the Anne Frank exhibit in the Amsterdam Museum. Beer, homemade by monks and served in classic cafes, is a big draw. The Bicycle is the favorite mode of transport. Boat rides through the canals are a good experience, especially the Southern Canal Belt.

Germany is at the heart of Europe. Tour along the romantic Rhine and come down to Bavaria, the spot of the Oktoberfest, the wild beer festival of Germany. Travel from ancient ports in the North, across the fields of open German plains, down through the Ruhr region, and on to the forests and mountains and cosmopolitan cities of the South. Cologne city is highly industrialized and rich in historic monuments. Munich boasts the best of museums and galleries, beer, fashion and sport. Frankfurt is the economic dynamo of the country. Berlin is heavy with history- especially the World Wars and the unification of the two Germanys. It has a memorial to the Jews tortured in the war in Europe - a reminder of the genocide by the Nazi regime. The more pleasant scenic spots include the Bavarian Alps, Lake Constance, the Black Forest, and the valley of the Rhine.