Europe
Passau, Germany November 10, 2025
Passau is a very common port on Danube cruises, and many ships embark or disembark at this port. AmaWaterways includes at least one shore excursion in each port, and we took a walking tour of Old Town. The area along the riverfront is lined with art studios, and the cobblestones are painted in a rainbow … Continue reading
Vilshofen an der Donau, Germany November 9, 2025
We flew to Munich this morning and then drove 1.5 hours to Vilshofen to board AmaWaterways’ Magna, the largest river cruise ship sailing on the Danube River. We are sailing for 14 nights from Vilshofen an der Donau, Germany to Giurgiu, Romania on AmaMagna’s Grand Danube itinerary. This particular sailing is a special wine-themed cruise … Continue reading
Monte Carlo, Monaco May 9, 2024
We took the train from Nice to Monte Carlo this afternoon. It was fairly small (only 2 miles across) and easy to explore on foot. We walked around the casino and the marina. Formula One Grand Prix will be held in 2 weeks, so they are constructing stands and blocking roads.
Eze, France May 8, 2024
We took the tram and bus from Nice to Eze, a medieval village just outside of Nice. Eze reminded me of Mont Saint Michel and San Marino’s Old Town. It had narrow streets winding their way up the cliffside. We had a nice lunch and ice cream at a small cafe and shopped in small … Continue reading
Grasse and Cannes, France May 7, 2024
We took the train from Nice to Grasse, a medieval town know for their perfume factories. I really liked shopping in the beautiful shops and smelling the amazing lotions and perfume while my husband patiently waited outside. The narrow streets in Old Town were lined with pink umbrellas for shade. We stopped in Cannes on … Continue reading
Nice, France May 6, 2024
We took the train from Sestri Levante to Nice this afternoon. We walked from our hotel near the main train station down to the Promenade along the seafront. There is a huge pebble beach and wide promenade where families were walking and people were jogging and skating. Luxury hotels, plazas, and fountains line the oceanfront … Continue reading
Portofino, Italy May 4, 2024
Another gorgeous spring day in Italy – sunny and high 60s! We took the train from Sestri Levante to Santa Margherita Ligure and then the ferry to Portofino. There was a sailing regatta, so a lot of ships were in the harbor and their crews were all over town. We walked back to Santa Margherita … Continue reading
Cinque Terre, Italy May 3, 2024
We took the train from Sestri Levante to Monterosso al Mare, the closest Cinque Terre village, and ate lunch, then the ferry and train to Riomaggiore, Manarola, and Vernazza. I thought we might walk the trail between two of the towns, but it looked like more of a hike than a simple walk. The towns … Continue reading
Sestri Levante, Italy May 1, 2024
I chose Sestri Levante as our base for exploring the Italian Riviera. It has great beaches on the Mediterranean, oceanfront hotels and restaurants, and lots of gelato. The weather is beautiful – sunny and 70 – but it’s fairly quiet since it’s still spring. You can tell the shops, restaurants, and beach clubs are getting … Continue reading
Jerez and Seville, Spain April 29, 2024
We spent last night in Jerez at the Royal Andalusian School for Equestrian Arts, where they train the famous Andalusian horses. The grounds of the school were beautiful. Today we explored Setas de Seville, Plaza Espana, and the Cathedral in Seville. On to the Italian Riviera tomorrow!