Mt. Pilatus: a voyage on a boat, train, cable cars and a bus
During our visit to Lucerne we rode a classic steamboat across the lake to the world’s steepest cogwheel railway at Mt. Pilatus.
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Yverdon-les-Bains, thermal capital of the Lavaux region of Switzerland
The little town of Yverdon-les-Bains is the Swiss Lavaux region’s thermal capital on the southwestern tip of Lake Neuchatel.
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The Swiss Lavaux region: A votre sante!
“The land of three suns” is sun-drenched from the sky, the reflecting lake, and the stone walls that release stored heat when temperatures drop.
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Worth the hike: dining at breathtaking heights at Berghaus Ӓescher
Dining at Gasthaus Äescher is an experience that goes far beyond the meal.
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Appenzell: A taste of traditional Switzerland
Appenzell, in the eastern part of Switzerland, is hill country at its finest with colorfully painted wooden buildings, cows and dairy farms, and the musical sounds of yodelers, dulcimers, giant-sized cowbells, and alphorns.
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Guinness: It’s good for you!
In 1759 Arthur signed a 9000 year lease on four acres at James’s Gate, in the heart of Dublin. It included a dilapidated brewery and free access to a water source for 45￡a year.
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A Taste of Germany on our Viking River Cruise
Taste of Germany night was a fun fest, with staff in dirndls and lederhosen, kitchen tours, and local musicians. ...
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An Untours apartment stay in Meiringen, Switzerland
This was our second Untours apartment stay in Switzerland. This time we chose to stay in Meiringen, in the Swiss Heartland, an alpine and lakes region in the middle of Switzerland.
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Säumerfest in Meiringen, Switzerland
One afternoon, as part of an event called Säumerfest 2016, a group in traditional attire arrived with donkeys and mules laden with wooden cheese boxes to parade through town.
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Castles of the Rhine
While palaces and their treasures were magnificent status symbols, castles were built to protect against medieval invaders.
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Viking River Cruises’ culinary tours: the flavors of Vienna
For this visit to Vienna we opted for Viking River Cruises’ “Best of Culinary Austria” excursion, tasting and learning to prepare regional specialties.
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Alpkäserei Handegg: a Swiss cheese hut
We rode a post bus ride to Alpkäserei Handegg, a cheesemaker’s hut in the Grimsel region of Switzerland.
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A peak experience from Meiringen, Switzerland: Reuti, Mägisalp, and Planplatten
The series of three gondolas took us through forests, past gushing waterfalls, over chalets on rolling hills and to the alpine terrain of the summit.
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The Sherlock Holmes Museum, Meiringen, Switzerland
Readers of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes books know it as the place where Holmes was said to meet his demise, Reichenbach Falls in Meiringen.
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In Meiringen, Switzerland, history and legends come right from the oven
Banners strung across the streets proclaim that Meiringen is the birthplace of the confection known as meringues.
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Best day trips in Switzerland: the castle, lake and vineyards of Spiez
We spent a beautiful sunny day in Spiez. The most leisurely way to get there is by boat on beautiful Lake Thun.
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The Grand European Tour: A Viking River Cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam
European river cruises have surged in popularity with good reason. Everything is taken care of while passengers travel from destination to destination with ever-changing scenery and the comfort and convenience of a luxurious floating hotel.
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Through the Heart of Europe: the second time around
Fourteen years ago we took our first Viking River Cruise to celebrate a special birthday. Our journey along the Danube, the Rhine, and the canal that connects them was one of our best trips ever, something so many of our fellow passengers said, as well. Would the Grand European Tour from Budapest to Amsterdam be as much fun the second time around?
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Legendary and mystical: Ireland’s County Meath
This land of monks and abbeys, Druids and fairies, and kings and castles was ancient Ireland’s capital and the seat of the Irish High Kings. This is where Ireland’s religions began and where the foremost battle in Ireland…
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Sláinte Dublin! the Guinness connection
Kegs were piled high for delivery in this city known for its pubs. This was the first of many reminders of just how intricately the Guinness name and product has been woven into the fabric of Ireland’s capital city.
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