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Bath, England Abergavenny, Wales London, England Paris, France | October 1999
Munich, Germany Salzburg, Austria Hallstatt, Austria Vienna, Austria Budapest, Hungary |
| Well, as I mentioned on the main page, I've been dreaming of a trip to Europe for years, but time and money never seemed to coincide -- you know how that goes! I really thought a trip to Europe would cost thousands and thousands of dollars. BUT, once we bought a home computer and I began to surf the net extensively, I realized that I could plan my own affordable, independent trips without the help (or expense) of a travel agent or a group tour package, so I decided to just go for it! After budgeting and saving for about a year, I had the funds I needed for the trips.
I love to study and read about history, art, and architecture, and I'm especially interested in the empires of antiquity, so I really wanted to view the art and artifacts of the ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian civilizations. I also knew I wanted to visit the great museums, cathedrals and palaces of Europe, so I chose most of my destinations in order to visit as much of all of the above (in a limited time frame) as I could. London, Bath, Paris and Vienna were must-sees, and Budapest was an exotic side trip from Vienna. Pete visited the little town of Abergavenny, Wales during his college years, and he was anxious to return, so we included it on the intinerary as well. Salzburg was my pilgrimage as a Mozart fan, and I'd heard enough about Hallstatt to know that I didn't want to miss this magical little town in the Bavarian Alps. And Munich....O.K., I chose Munich for Oktoberfest, and not much else! Hey, sometimes you need a break, even on your vacation. :) Pete and I made our first trip to England, Wales and France in May, and although he planned to come along on the second trip, his work schedule didn't allow it, so I went solo instead. I visited Germany, Austria and Hungary in September/October. Our independent, budget travel style meant one carry-on suitcase apiece, two or three star hotels, lots of picnics and market food instead of restaurants, metros and buses instead of taxis, and second class train passes (with the notable exception of the TGV train -- the first class ticket is well worth the splurge). This style of travel may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it was fine with us and it helped keep expenses down. We did everything we wanted to do and did not sacrifice health, safety or comfort. With that said, below are the links for all the main attractions in each city we visited. These were invaluable in my planning, and I hope they help you too. |
 Bath, England
City of Bath This is Bath's visitor and information site. Good resources here.
This interesting little museum features period European clothing. To preserve the fabrics, the lights are kept at very low levels, so this site may offer you a better glimpse of the collections.
Official site for some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in Britain. Bath, known in Roman times as the city of "Aquae Sulis", is named for these ancient spas and bathhouses.
Abergavenny, Wales
Abergavenny UK I just double checked this link and discovered that the site has expanded tremendously and is now the official site for Abergavenny! Lots of good info for this small Welsh town.
Abergavenny - Gateway to Wales This site contains a little more sightseeing info, including a short history of the Norman castle ruins. London, England
Mike's English/American Dictionary Very funny site written by a Brit who was transplated to the U.S. and found himself wondering if everyone was speaking the same language!
Virtual tour and information about the museum's vast collections. This is the home of the Rosetta Stone.
Lovely collection of paintings from 1260 to 1900 A.D. What would a trip to London be without a stop at the famous Harrods department store? The food courts alone were worth the visit, and there's a permanent shrine to Dodi and Di on the lower level. Official site for Shakespeare's Globe Theater, including both tour and production information. Yes, all the great churches of Europe seem to have their own web sites now! Lots of good information here about the abbey's history, the kings and queens who are buried there, and the ancient coronation chair. Official site for the city's public transportation system. Start here for information about the tube and the variety of passes offered, and if you have any questions, these webmasters will return your e-mail promptly. Here's another amusing Brit who details the good, the bad and the ugly of the London Tube. Mind the gap! Official site of the British railway. Just enter your destination information and this site will give you the train schedules and information. Visit this site for train schedules and class compartment descriptions, but if you're purchasing any other train passes, you may be eligible for discounted Chunnel tickets at Rail Europe. Check it all out before you buy. This is the official site for all the comings and goings of the British Royal Family. Interesting online histories plus tour information for all the royal palaces. Even the bloody tower has its own site! This is the home of the crown jewels and the gregarious Beefeaters.
Paris, France
Musee de Louvre If the museum workers are on strike again (like they were when we were there), this virtual museum tour at the Louvre's official site is the next best thing.
History of the Sun King and his palace here, plus all of the tour information.
French Government Tourist Office France's official tourist information site. Lots of sightseeing info.
This site has everything you could want to know about Paris.
Munich, Germany
English Speaker's Guide to Munich Good overall resources here, especially the guide to the Munich airport under the Transportation section.
Like the British Railtrack site, this site allows you to plug in your destination info and receive train schedules and information.
Munich - The City with a Heart
Very detailed site, including Oktoberfest and beergarden information.
Salzburg, Austria
Salzburg A to Z here -- hotels, restaurants, sightseeing info, etc.
Austrian National Tourist Office The Austrian government's official tourist site. More Salzburg information here, along with plenty of resources for all of Austria
Hallstatt, Austria
Terrific travel article written by a man who was forever changed by the beauty and magic of Hallstatt.
Click on the upper left corner of this site to convert it from German to English. Some additional sightseeing infomation here.
Vienna, Austria
Lots of helpful information about all the sights in Vienna, including the museums and the Hofburg palace complex.
Official site for the palace of the "beautiful spring", the Versailles of Austria.
Budapest, Hungary
Globewalkers Guide to Budapest Great site! Very detailed sightseeing info and lot of other resources as well.
Mainly a site of links here, but it has some particularly good hotel, spa and theater information.
Another detailed tourist info site, but this one includes all of Hungary.
Nice little travel article about the cafes of Budapest. Includes photos and directions to all cafes mentioned.
This is part of About.com , a huge internet resource for all kinds of things. Click on the Budapest link in the upper left corner and you'll find all the links and resources you could ever hope for.
The Danubius hotel chain seems to own all the thermal and spa hotels in Budapest. Many spas are accessible even if you're not staying in the hotels. Visit the individual hotel sites for more information. |
