Entertainment Magazine: Travel: International

International Travel: Western European Tours

By Fran Walker

Western European vacations offer a huge range of landscapes, cuisines, cultures and opportunities. A western Europe tour could include any of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands and Switzerland. 

Western European Vacation Ideas

Every country in western Europe is entirely unique. Boasting such delights as Paris, Amsterdam, Monaco and Vienna, Western Europe offers some of the best city tours in the world.

Choose from the finest art galleries and nightlife, or retire into the countryside for a more relaxing vacation experience. Western Europe also offers an excellent range of outdoor vacations and scenery. Highlights include the mountains of Austria, the castles and rivers of Germany and the millionaires’ playground that is Monaco. Switzerland is another popular location for a luxury western European vacation, also offering some of the finest skiing venues in the world.

France Tours

With cuisine and culture that are hard to beat, France is a great place to start your western European tour. Once the playground of the rich, the south of France offers 110 miles of beaches, historic villages and market towns.

Further north, wine lovers can enjoy some of the oldest and finest vineyards in the. With its museums, art galleries, world class restaurants and the Eiffel Tower, no tour of France could avoid the bright lights of Paris.

When you want to unwind, a villa in the beautiful French countryside is the perfect base for a relaxing tour.

France is renowned for its world class cuisine, opulent history and cosmopolitan present. Rich or poor, young or old, a sun lover or a culture vulture, there is something for everyone in French vacation.

French Highlights

With 22 distinct regions in France, each with their own charm, it is hard to categorize this amazing country. Invaded by the Vikings in the 10th century, and scene of the historic Normandy landings in 1944, Normandy has an immensely rich history and is a must-see for many tourists in northern France.

Travel a little further south to sample the delights of the castles and vineyards in the Loire valley, by cycle or on foot, and you many not want to go any further!

Further south in France, the weather gets hotter. There are many wonderful holiday homes where you can relax and enjoy the sun and the countryside. For the perfect beach vacation, the far south of France boasts 110 miles of coastline.

Paris

There is so much more to France than Paris, but a visit to this world-famous capital city during your French vacation is a must. Highlights include the Louvre museum, home to the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.

No vacation in Paris could avoid the doomed opulence of the Palace of Versailles. The Eiffel Tower; which dominates the skyline, is another plus. With regular arts and music festivals, fabulous restaurants and bars, any time is a good time to visit Paris. Even young children will be appeased by Disneyland Paris.

France really offers a multitude of different vacations in one.

Germany

From fairytales to snowboarding, a German tour offers several vacations in one. Like most countries in Europe, Germany boasts a rich culture and a range of very different landscapes to tour and explore. If you want to experience the whole country, allow a few weeks for your vacation in Germany.

German City Tours

Germany has a number of fascinating cities to explore, each with their own historical and cultural attractions. Berlin has been transformed since the fall of the wall and offers a cosmopolitan vacation spot.

Cologne famed gothic cathedral is awe-inspiring, while its annual festival is colorful and exciting. Nuremburg offers medieval grandeur and Munich and Frankfurt boast cosmopolitan nightspots and culture.

Fairytale Germany

No German tour would be complete without a visit to some of Germany’s classic, fairy tale castles. A Rhine cruise is an excellent way to sample the delights of a world like no other.

The Moselle Valley is less well-known, but also offers the opportunity to visit idyllic locations and enjoy peace and tranquility. Germany’s Black Forest is an area of great beauty with green valleys and thick conifer forests. It provides great opportunities for hiking and enjoying the outdoors while you tour.

Germany Skiing Tours

Germany enjoys excellent climates some parts in the summer months, but also offers great skiing resorts. Germany offers a wealth of classic Alpine skiing vacations, where you can choose from luxury or more basic venues.

As you can see, a German tour offers something for everyone.