Book Deluxe Summer Vacations To Europe And Learn Tips Familiar Sights And Festivities In Europe

Admire the Beauty of Rome on European Vacations

Your European vacations would be richer and more meaningful with a visit to some of Romes most beautiful churches. The city has five patriarchal basilicas, ceremonially assigned to one of the patriarchs. Designated to St. John Lateran is the San Giovanni in Laterano, the ecclesiastical seat of the Pope. This Baroque-style church is Rome's cathedral. Exquisite 5th century biblical mosaics, marble floors, spectacular ceilings and a bell tower are things you will see when you visit the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, for St. Mary Major, the Patriarch of Antioch. San Pietro in Vaticano, for St. Peter's Basilica, the Patriarch of Constantinople, is in the Vatican City. This is the church of the current pope, and is one of the biggest and most important churches to Catholics all over the world. Inside the large interior, you can see a lot of marble, bronze, and gold artwork, not the least of which is Michelangelo's Pieta. San Paolo fuori le Mura, St. Paul Outside the Walls, the Patriarch of Alexandria, is Romes second largest and is said to be the Apostle Paul's burial site.

Explore Stockholm on European Vacations

Since Stockholm was founded more than 750 years ago, there has been a settlement in the Old City of Gamla Stan. Beginning way back 1252, pillaging raids proliferated the winding medieval alleys, the town squares, the old churches, and the Royal Palace. Today, the horses and donkeys with carriages have been replaced by dozens of bus tours carrying tourists from around the world. To see the sights at your own pace, stay away from the main streets and explore the quaint side streets on your European vacations. Be amazed at how far Sweden has gone by taking a peek at City Hall, locally known as Stadshuset. Stadshuset is Stockholm's most prominent landmark and one of the most important too, as it hosts the Nobel Prize banquet every year. Other must-see attractions in Stockholm include the 10,000-pipe organ, the inspiring Golden Hall where Swedish history is depicted by 18 million gold leaf pieces on wall mosaics, and the Council Chamber which looks like an open roof of a Viking longhouse.

European Vacations to Romantic Venice

Have romantic European vacations in Venice, which has been known worldwide as the City of Water, City of Canals and City of Bridges. The beauty of Venice is world renowned; it is made up of 117 little islands set on the Venetian Lagoon extending from the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. Begin your tour of the city by visiting a handful of its numerous museums. The Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, the National Library of St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice, has one of the greatest collections of classical texts in the world. The museum gallery of Gallerie dellAccademia displays art pieces from ancient times up to the 18th century. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection displays the work of prominent American modernists and Italian futurists such as Picasso and Dal in the cubism, surrealism and abstract expressionism genres. Make a quick stop at the beautiful Palazzo Ducale; the facade of the Doge's Palace is visible from the picturesque St. Mark's Square. Stroll along the romantic Rialto Bridge with your loved one; with many jewelry shops around, it can be the perfect setting for a proposal or anniversary celebration.

Monaco Honeymoon European Vacations

What better way to start off your honeymoon European vacations than with a stay in a fairy-tale setting such as Monaco?Monaco is governed by the House of Grimaldi, the royal family that rules this quaint Southwestern European country that boasts of the Paris Opera House and the Monaco Grand Casino with its baroque-style verdigris cupolas, rococo turrets and golden chandeliers. Overlooking the vast Mediterranean Sea, this tiny city-state is an excellent harbor for the world's most luxurious yachts. A great architectural find, the Old Town has buildings that date back to the medieval times. Navigate through the vaulted passageways and narrow streets branching off the main avenues. His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III fell in love with the late Grace Kelly in the Prince's Palace within the Rock quarter. Stop and smell the flowers -- all 7,000 of them -- at the Jardin Exotique, where the exquisite Princess Grace Rose Garden is well kept.