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10. Traveling
during December – avoiding tourist season and getting such an authentic feel
for an amazing country
9. Experiencing the nightlife of Temple Bar and its cobblestone streets in the heart of Dublin
8. Renting a car and learning to drive (and shift) on the opposite side of the road (fun and scary)
7. GALWAY – fabulous city, culturally rich and vibrant in the music and arts
6. Taking the Kilkenny Castle tour and learning the history of the 14th century building
5. Live Irish music and good food at the pub in the tiny town of Doolin
4. Receiving the “gift of gab” after kissing the Blarney Stone at the top of Blarney Castle
3. Breathtaking views of the majestic Cliffs of Moher
2. Stopping in tiny towns along the road to refuel with hearty Irish stew and welcoming fireplaces
1. Making friends with the lighthearted locals over pints (and pints) of Guinness
Yumiko's Top 10 Highlights of Paris
10. Spend all day at Marche aux puces
de St Ouen in Paris --1000's of
antique shops/flea shops to browse.
Many shops that sell hundreds of 100
year-old door knobs - that's French!
9. Savor the Hot Chocolate at Angelina in Paris (and you need no more meals for the rest of the day!)
8. Spend afternnon in The Catacombs of Paris ~ where the gate reads, "ARRET! C'EST ICI L'EMPIRE DE A MORT" -- walk among the 300+ year old bones -- no air conditioning needed.
7. Visit Fragonard Museum - not the Fragonard Museum with perfumes - this Fragonard Museum is at the National Veterinary School (suburb of Paris)-- for something stranger than The Catacombs
6. Tea time at Galleries Lafayette --enjoy the sun-filled cafe under the beautiful dome - perfect place to rest your tired body after shopping all day!
5. Go have lunch at Kunitora (Japanese Noodle House) on Rue Sainte-Anne EVERYDAY while in Paris
4. If you are with kids -- spend a day at Jardin d'Acclimatation in Bois de Boulogne -- old time rides, small zoo, and park... it is charming (because it is in Paris!)
3. Go see 'old world' circus at 150+ year old Cirque d'Hiver
2. Shopping for Chapeaux at Hermes on Georges V with Master Hat Maker in a white lab coat!
1. Feast at Ledoyen - Michelin 3-Star restaurant a block off Champ-Elyees -- perfect place for dinner after spending all day shopping on Rue Faubourg St Honore
Sarah's Top 10 Highlights of Italy
10. Staring up at
the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, wandering through St Peters Basilica and
standing in front of Michelangelo’s Pieta. In wonder of the amazing
architecture and man power that it took to build these huge structures so long
ago.
9. Walking endlessly through the winding narrow streets of Rome and coming upon one historical attraction after another. Stopping occasionally at a café for a glass of wine and a bruchetta that just knocks you socks off every time.
8. Walking through the olive tree groves and vineyards in a tiny Tuscan village on a perfect September morning. The sun is shining and you can see the rolling hills and other farms and villas in the distance.
7. Visiting a different Tuscan Hill town every day and discovering the shops, restaurants, churches, and museums. Of course driving on the small windy roads to get there and back was always breathtaking.
6. Eating tomato basil soup and drinking a fine Brunello wine at a lovely outside café in Montacino.
5. Arriving in San Marco Square on a vaporato after cruising down the Grand Canal. In total amazement of how one lives in a city surrounded by water.
4. Climbing 463 steps to the Duomo’s Dome in Florence. Narrow climb with moment of panic but once I was at the top I was glad that I had done it. The views of Florence were fabulous and seeing the ceiling of the dome up close gave me a whole different perspective.
3. Standing in front of Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia museum in Florence. The details and beauty of the statue can only be appreciated being there.
2. Buying a fabulous pair of fine Italian boots.
1. My favorite memory of Italy was sharing an evening meal with the folks that looked after our agriturismo. We cooked chickens and potatoes in a big wood burning oven outside and they brought lasagna, wine from the vineyard and Grappa! We also provided the music and they adored Bob Marley!
Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door has announced tour dates for 2012! Call us to price the airfare or...
In less than eight hours, you could be in one of the most refreshingly different countries in all of Europe. From rugged white glaciers and relaxing hot springs to the brilliant splashes of the Northern Lights, Iceland has something for everyone. With free stopovers and easy connections to Northern Europe and Scandinavia, now is the perfect time to visit Iceland for the first time or add it to your European itinerary.
- 1-night stopover packages with entrance to the Blue Lagoon start at $109 per person
- 3-night Relaxing City Breaks with entrance to the Blue Lagoon start at $184 per person
- 3-night Next Door to Nature tours with Northern Lights tour start at $586 per person
- 3-night New Year's Celebration packages start at $490 per person
- 5-night Glaciers, Geysers, and Waterfalls tours start at $1,109 per person
Prices are based on double occupancy and subject to change and availability.
Combine
your two favorite loves: golf and
travel! Embark on a 10-day Danube River Golf Cruise
aboard the River Cloud II or a 10-day
Adriatic Golf Cruise aboard the Sea Cloud
II. These small-ship experiences
feature all-inclusive cruises with an equal mix of day tours to historically
and culturally significant sights and golf outings at professionally designed
courses throughout Europe. Imagine
playing golf at courses that host European Tour events or in the dunes of a
former Venetian fort! Everything is
taken care of, from your spacious stateroom to succulent meals and local wines
to your golf cart and bag…ready and waiting for a totally unique experience. Call us to get started!
The lush lavender fields of Provence in June, the grape harvest in October, Christmas markets in Prague, New Year’s Eve under the Eiffel Tower in Paris…when is it not a good time to go to Europe? We can all think of many excuses to make another trip to Europe; perhaps reminiscing over that wonderful pasta in Como or the best bottle of wine we ever had in Burgundy. Europe beckons us for a repeat 
visit.
Our largest market is Europe, and we know it like the back of our hand. We will help plan your trip and suggest itineraries that might make the trip perfect. Many travelers are under the impression that it is more economical to fly in and out of the same city. This is not necessarily so. Using open jaw fare construction, it is possible to fly into one city and return from another city just as cheaply, or sometimes even for less. Tell us what you would really like to do, and we will help construct your perfect itinerary.
Along with your airfare we can help you with car rentals, rail passes, or air passes –- we are "know it alls" for Europe.
Why wait? You could be having dinner in Paris tomorrow evening.
We’ll even give you some tips for packing in a hurry!