INSPIRATION & EXPERT ADVICE FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS
Perhaps no other region we visited during our 5 weeks in Europe had a more romantic atmosphere than Bavaria in Germany. From fairy-tale castles, idyllic villages, and unspoilt countryside, there were plenty of lovely places to visit in Bavaria during our honeymoon. In addition to Bavaria’s more romantic locations, the state is also home to...
Cologne Cathedral is a fine example of German Gothic architecture, famous for its extravagant architectural details. The exterior of Cologne Cathedral is heavily decorated with stone statues and delicate tracery. Every steep gable, flying buttress and lofty spire has some sort of artistic element competing for your attention. What caught my eye the most though...
Of all the cities we visited during our 5 weeks in Europe, Munich had some of the most fascinating stories. We took part in two different themed walking tours- one was a general tour of the Old Town and the other was all about Hitler and the Third Reich. It was incredibly interesting to learn...
Nearing the end of our European honeymoon, we decided to make a stop in Würzburg, Germany specifically to see the city’s World Heritage-listed palace. The Würzburg Residence is widely considered to be one of the most important Baroque palaces in Europe. As the former residence of the Würzburg prince-bishops, its design is over-the-top luxurious, exactly...
When I was researching Regensburg as a possible destination for our European honeymoon, I kept seeing it referred to as “Germany’s best-preserved medieval town”. Hmm…now that’s a lot to live up to. Somewhat skeptical, but still intrigued, I added Regensburg onto our itinerary. I went to Regensburg expecting to be transported back to another time...
On our way from Füssen to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, we decided to take a short detour off Germany’s Romantic Road to visit the Wieskirche, an important pilgrimage church and UNESCO World Heritage Site. A pretty country lane led us to the small hamlet of Wies. As we walked from our car to the church,...
Füssen is the ending point (or starting point, in our case) for one of Germany’s most famous drives- the Romantic Road. It’s a picturesque town with colourful architecture, charming old town squares and even a hilltop castle. Füssen is not only beautiful, it has a lengthy history dating back to Roman times. Interestingly, it was...
I took this photo early in the morning when we were racing up the hill to Neuschwanstein Castle. We were on a mission to get there before the fog rose and completely covered the castle, which was the case the day before. I didn’t stop long to admire the view, just quickly took this picture...
Standing alone in the middle of a green meadow near Schwangau, Germany, is the pretty little Pilgrimage Church of St. Coloman. The church was named after an Irish pilgrim who, en-route to the Holy Land, is said to have rested and grazed his cattle here. St. Coloman is now honoured as the patron saint of...
Every so often, I like to do a collection of travel photos in black and white. This ongoing series of mine started when I did a post of Rome in Black and White and then continued with Paris in Black and White. I wasn’t sure if black and white would look good on Germany, since...
For the most part, travel is about having fun- exploring beautiful places, enjoying new foods and meeting new people. But travel can, and sometimes should be, so much more than that. Our visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial was one of those times. We knew it was not going to be a fun day....
Situated on the slopes of Königstuhl Hill, Heidelberg Castle stands majestically over the historic Old Town below. This sandstone palace, well revered throughout history for its beauty, now exists in partial disrepair. A collection of roughed-up buildings remain, each at one time an extraordinary example of Renaissance architecture. The palace’s romantic location on a forested...
The energy in Munich during Oktoberfest is palpable- everyone is buzzing with excitement. Carnival rides, traditional food, music, and of course, beer, attract millions of people from all over the world eager to experience this famous festival. Oktoberfest is so much more than just the world’s largest folk festival. It’s a celebration with historic roots,...
This blog post about Neuschwanstein Castle is Part Two of a two part series about Bavaria’s fairy tale castles. In Part One, we explored the village of Hohenschwangau then toured Hohenschwangau Castle. Neuschwanstein Castle One of the world’s most iconic palaces, Neuschwanstein Castle has captivated well over 61 million visitors with its romantic, storybook appearance...
This blog post about Hohenschwangau Castle is Part One of a two part series about Bavaria’s fairy tale castles. In Part Two we will visit Neuschwanstein Castle. The Fairytale Castles in Hohenschwangau Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles are well known for their fairy tale-like appearance, but it’s their surreal location in Bavaria, Germany, that markedly enhances...
We only visited Cologne very briefly, stopping in for about four hours on our way from Bruges to Nuremberg. We came specifically to see the ambitious Cologne Cathedral, a World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, I wasn’t overly impressed with the cathedral itself. We were in Strasbourg a few days earlier, and the cathedral there blew my...
Germany definitely has no shortage of endearing, lovable medieval towns and Bamberg is no exception. Barely touched in World War II (only 4.6% destroyed), Bamberg offers authentic beauty and charm. I was shocked that this World Heritage Site was not mentioned in our guidebook. Luckily, I didn’t rely heavily on that silly book when planning...
Nuremberg, out of all the places we visited during our five weeks in Europe, surprised me the most. It was a place I hadn’t done much research on, for some strange reason. When I decided to stop in Nuremberg, it was mainly because it was a convenient location for making a day trip to Bamberg,...
Our favourite stop along Germany’s “Romantic Road” was Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Historic, enchanting and unchanged throughout the centuries, Rothenburg just might be the most beautiful medieval town in Germany. We were so charmed during our one day in Rothenburg ob der Tauber that we wish we had stayed longer. To help you make the...
Neuschwanstein Castle is the theatrical creation of King Ludwig II, also known as “mad” Ludwig. He ordered it to be built in 1869 on a craggy hill in Hohenschwangau, Germany, using his own personal fortune to pay for the project. Unfortunately, King Ludwig died mysteriously at Lake Starnberg in 1886 before the castle’s completion. Neuschwanstein...
We are Rhonda and Mike, a Canadian couple who make it a priority to travel every chance we get!
We describe our travel style as "laid back luxe" and enjoy a mix of outdoor adventures and historic sites.
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