Most memorable European moments
 

Hi,

My husband and I were talking about some of the most memorable times we have had during our various trips to Europe and thought it would be very interesting to hear what other people thought were theirs. This might give everyone some great, new ideas on places we should all consider visiting.

Here are five of ours (among so many others):

1. Taking in a Vivaldi concert in a small, gorgeous church in Venice on a warm, summer evening
2. Being at the top of the Eiffel tower one evening, in a light rain, with fog and low clouds all around us
3. Taking a horse and carriage to reach the Neuschwanstein Castle (in southern Germany)
4. Walking through San Gimignano's cobblestone alleys late in the evening, when most tourists have left
5. Biking through Berlin's Tiergarten one afternoon, on a warm summer's day.

Have a great day!

Thanks.
Good moments get imprinted in our minds and never leave us after. Seems you collected quite a lot !

Hello WoinParis,

Everyone has these type of memories and what is great about sharing them is that others can get to know many lovely and interesting outings and places in Europe they may not have considered doing and visiting before.

What are yours memories?

Some of my most memorable have been:

1. Years ago when I took my sister to see the Eiffel Tower for the first time during dusk. We were on the metro going across the Seine when the tower suddenly started twinkling.

2. Taking my sister, mom and SIL to lunch at the Eiffel Tower last December. Touristy yes but they said it was the best Christmas gift.

3. Driving up to our hotel in Vienna. Our hotel was across from St. Stephen's Cathedral. The driver said prepare to be amazed and boy he was right.

4. Driving up to and seeing Mont St. Michel's from a distance. I will get back there again someday.

Some of my travel memories :
- The sun setting down on river Saguenay
- a stunning view from midpoint at grand Canyon
- a stop along the road from Nice to Cuneo, whilst eating a sandwich
- a 360 degrees view in the alps, skis at my feet
- meomories of hikes on rough paths about every time we are on holidays :-)
- some diving in Guadeloupe
- disembarking from some kind of pirogue at a Thai village
- and about everyday I am in Paris, stopping and looking at some building/place/monument. Not that Paris is the only place you can have these feelings, but I'm there every week.

Hello sofaraway,

Our most memorable moments from our various trips to Europe over the last few years are the following (not in any particular order):

- Waking up in the Hotel Le Calendal in Arles, France and opening the shutters on our first morning, seeing the beautiful Coliseum right outside our window.
- Having dinner for our son's 15th birthday in a beautiful restaurant in Noli, Italy, our table on a terrace overlooking the mediterranean as evening turned into night.
- Our first night in Rhodes Old Town, walking down the gorgeous Street of the Knights, feeling as though we were back in the 15th century.
- Standing beneath the Leaning Towers of Bologna, at night, with the imposing and gothic architecture of the surrounding buildings adding to the mystique of this great city.
- The walk through the Pine forest, which opened up to the beautiful beach on the Adriatic Sea, just outside Otranto, Italy.


This is a great post and I cannot wait to read what other travellers post.

Andrea

In chronological order:

Sleeping on the beach in St. Tropes and being invited to a beach-side BBQ.

Renting a motorbike in Nice, and taking the Basse Corniche to Monaco, going into the hills and coming down the serpentine roads with the motor turned off, no helmet, just wind in my hair and a gorgeous view.

Walking the streets of Florence.

Seeing the Belgian countryside from the bridge of a 15000 ton cargo ship sailing on the Gent Canal.

Walking along Juno Beach, at late dusk, sea fog rolling in, not another person in sight just hundreds of hares scattering in the field.

Mark

..that should be Saint-Tropez.

Seeing the Pieta for the second time. First was in the US when I was a teen. Next at St. Peter's. Now I am a mother who has lost a son. Couldn't stop crying.

In an underground wine tasting room in San Gimignano with an alumni tour group, spontaneous singing of our Alma Mater.

Just a week or so ago, the first view of Jungfrau with the sun shining from our hotel balcony.'

Having been a Monet fan for many years, finally seeing the Musee d'Orsay and all of his magnificance.

On our first European trip many years ago, being welcomed to the Hotel Merion in Dublin by a dude in top hat and tails.

Such great memories, I am sure.
rncheryl, so very sorry to hear about your son. May peace be with you.

Here are just a few of mine:

The illumination of the moon over the coliseum in Roma.

The giant grapefruits dangling from the trees in Sorrento, Italy.

Church steeples peaking above the trees in an Austrian countryside.

Horse and buggy ride through the Swiss forests, and hearing cowbells off in the distance.

The various shades of rolling green hills in Ireland.

Saint Peter's Basilica.

The many colors of gelato seen throughout Italy.

mcheryl--just keep thinking of all the great memories of your son and his spirit will be with you forever.

Oh, so many. If I had to pick 10 that I wish I could experience all over again, they would be...

1. Walking through San Galgano Abbey in Tuscany when a woman with a gorgeous voice spontaneously burst into song. Everyone froze on the spot and just listened, enraptured. It was so right and so unearthly; a perfect moment.

2. Drinking cocktails on a rooftop terrace in Luzern at dusk, watching the purple glow settle over the city and the lights flicker on in windows all around.

3. Seeing the double helix staircase at Chateau de Chambord in the Loire Valley, with a cool spring breeze blowing through.

4. Rounding the corner at the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence and coming face to face with Michelangelo's David.

5. Encountering Charlemagne's throne on a tour of Aachen Cathedral.

6. At the Mauritshuis in The Hague, studying Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring at close range. Those eyes will haunt you.

7. Wandering through the gardens at Hampton Court Palace outside London on a perfect, cloudless September day.

8. Evening views over the red rooftops of Prague while climbing Nerudova Street.

9. A snowball fight at the top of Germany's Zugspitze - in June.

10. The train ride between Luzern and Interlaken, passing by the most gorgeous turquoise lakes.

It is interesting, but profoundly sad that AirBalloon has such clear recollections of specific moments from prior travels, when she can’t remember what trip she last took. Don’t you agree, SoFarAway?
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...r-vacation.cfm

Seeing 100's of storks sitting and flying around the cathedral in Palencia. Best moment of my Camino last year. Simply thrilling.

To clarify: I am certainly not challenging someone who is honestly losing her memory, and regret if it seemed that way.

In contrast, I happen to believe that there are reasons for Fodor’s rule that people may not establish and use multiple simultaneous screen names, and I believe I have made my position very clear to AirBalloon, MyBeautifulBalloon, / SoFarAway. Posting on the SAME thread under different screen names strikes me as particularly offensive. JMO.

losing control of my Segway in Paris and heading across an immaculate lawn scattering "keep of the grass" signs in all directions, then getting control, reversing and then heading back off across the lawn leaving deep ruts.

Take that over-tippers, I can damage things too!

Oh yes, straight after that explaining to two Texans, that no, 20% is not mandatory on everything you buy and had the whole "lawyer tip" discussion. :-)

Oh that wouldn't have gone down well at all Bilbo, I can see their faces now... Thanks for the chuckle.

Getting lost at dusk in the alleyways of Venezia and feeling like I had the whole world to myself.

Taking the boat over to the Isola di san Michele and the eerie beauty/quiet that settles over everything.

Seeing the rooftops from my hotel in Firenze in the early morning haze

Every corner I rounded in Roma

Stumbling swollen legged and jet lagged a few miles down the promenade after arriving in Sydney at 8am (after a 20hour flight) to find myself greeted with the Sydney Opera house.

Same trip ^^ hiking around Glass house mountains and sneaking up on a few roo's!!

Getting engaged on Moloa'a beach in Kauai during a 7am swim. The whole beach was ours!

Getting lost while trying to find a family memorial on Sky Road in Clifden Ireland and finding myself on a cliff with a field full of sheep. Nothing but the cool Irish breeze, the slate grey of the ocean and the green of the fields to distract me from my thoughts.

Any time I am sitting on a plane and it begins to take off to a new adventure.

Dancing with a man I just met on the top of a ferry between Reijka and Dubrovnik under the stars.

Bicycling down the road following the Centovalli rail line from the border of Italy into Locarno.

Docked at the pier in Hydra on a sailboat we chartered, drinking wine, listening to jazz and greeting all the other sailors who had to cross our boat to go into town.

Walking along the Seine by myself on a cool crisp December night, enjoying the magic of Paris when the lights on the Eiffel Tower start twinkling. And feeling so lucky to be me.

Two having to do with fireworks. Hmmm.

Wandering down to the beach in San Sebastian at midnight each night for the international fireworks competition during Semana Grande.

Sitting on the rock wall at La Roque-Gageac watching the canoers drum and wave their torches as they came down the Dordogne, and having the fireworks start right across the river as soon as they left.

Arriving by train to Sarlat for the first time, after dark, and on what was only my 3rd night in France ever. Eating what was then the finest dinner of my life, soaking in the warm evening air, with lights and noises of the Theater Festival not far away with the shadows of a nearby juggler on a wall. And my host telling me, "Oh, you'll have better meals than this while you're here for sure."

The first time I just booked a ticket somewhere without accommodation - an overnight train ticket, London to Venice - and, still rather groggy first thing in the morning, stepping out from the station straight on to the Grand Canal.

Viewing the traffic round the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, from the roof of the arch, as dusk fell, and then seeing the Eiffel Tower light up.

After a long day's journey on the ferry from Athens, coming up on deck as we approached Mykonos and seeing the night sky full of stars.

This is so great.

Trips are meant to create memories that last a lifetime. They are not taken to just tick off a checklist of things and sites visited.

It is amazing to read how different people feel about the same place depending on what is happening in their lives at that time. Also great to read about the different places people have seen and been.

Please keep sharing.

Enjoying a cup of tea on a café bench overlooking the stunning scenery along Slea head drive, Ireland

Gazing upon the imposing grey peaks of the Dolomites jutting up from flower filled meadows, N. Italy

Experiencing the tranquil beauty of the Logarska Dolina valley, Slovenia. I will be forever grateful to have shared that experience with my parents.

Enjoying wine in the worlds first official designated wine region, Douro valley, Portugal

Enjoying every shade of blue/green in the Azores Islands, Portugal. One of the highlights is the blue/green crater lake of Sete Cidades, Ponta del gado

Cable car up to First, Bernese Oberland, Switzerland

Experiencing the secluded and stunning beaches of the Bahama out islands (Our fav: tropic of cancer, Exuma; Cape santa maria, Long island and Shannas Cove, Cat island)

Being mesmerized by the highest sea cliffs in Europe, Sleive league, Donegal county, Ireland

Did I mention catching the sunset from Marvao, a medieval wall hilltop village in Portugal's Alentejo region

Taking in the sight of dozens of (very fit) men windsurfing on the Northern end of Lake Garda

I can go on....but these sights are first come to mind....

I like that thread and realize how fortunate I am to have been to almost all the places mentioned but finding them rather 'normal' having been to most when a kid.

I remember staring at the whispers bridge or sigh bridge with my brother whilst our mother explained it and then running ahead of our parents to the hotel to retrieve the keys. Proudly asking 'quaranta cinque and Sei'.

Indeed keep posting.

Standing on the Rialto bridge early in a weekday morning watching the commercial boats making their deliveries

Riding in the front of a vaparetto on the Grand Canal

Horse and buggy ride through forest near Seefeld Austria

Visiting house where my great grandmother was raised in Vickersund, Norway

Trollsteigen road in Norway

Bamafan(Go OSU!), so agree with that first sight of The David. I was busily looking at all the Slaves, showing off to my husband that I had read about them.

BAM, look ahead of you, silly girl. Magnificent

Most memorable but not a great one:

Switzerland's outdoor heroin markets where folks legally could buy and shoot up- saw lots of all-American looking kids (though Swiss) - late teens early adults shooting up- heating the stuff up in the spoons of their Swiss Army Knives.

Sad memory but one of the most memorable.

Driving my VW van along the Dalmatian coast when I was 18. Amazing views around each bend.

First glimpse of the Parthenon in Athens.

Standing in the Lion Gate at Mycenae. Agamemnon once trod here!

Walking on the sands of Dunkirk.

Walking up to the incredible Vimy Memorial and hearing complete silence, not even a bird singing.

Taking a cross channel ferry for the first time and having the white cliffs of Dover appear.

And so many more!

Attending a concert by the famous Breton Celtic folk musician Alan Stivell on a cold and misty January 1976 night in Edinburgh. The Usher Hall was at capacity-plus, and after three encores the management shut off the power to the stage to get the performers to stop. (Stivell was backed up by the amazing Dan Ar Bras who went on to a big career of his own.)

The hell with that, the band marched up the aisle, bagpipes wailing, took the concert out onto the plaza on Lothian Road, and kept playing. People were waving Saltires, dancing and shouting and no doubt the wifeys in Cambridge Street were quite put out.

They played the Ian Morrison Reel over and over. It still makes me want to dance in the street.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEuuUF882YQ

Here are a few of mine:

Seeing Albrecht Dürer's Hare, the original watercolour painting, at the Albertina in Vienna.
A sunny morning on Toompea hill in Tallinn, overlooking the lower old town.
Shopping at the market hall in Florence, with my beginner's language course Italian, flirting with the elderly merchants and returning home with a full shopping bag that contained much more fruit and veggies than I had paid for.
Swimming in the Aegean Sea at sunrise.
A butterfly from a rare species that sat down on my hand for some warmth, by the seashore at Altja, Estonia.
Seeing large rays (fish) swimming next to our ferry in the Adria.
Riding in a horse-drawn carriage along 13 kms of dry sea bottom at low tide from Cuxhaven to the island of Neuwerk.

On a train in Germany- night train at midnight when Germany was officially re-unified around 1991 or so and I was standing at the window and the conductor said at the stroke of midnight:

"Ah It's finally over" in English to me.

Just returned from a trip! So many unique moments...but just a few:

In Jersey, seeing old farmhouses and hedgerows that once belonged to my ancestors.

In Paris a magical first night; a warm evening along the Seinne where young people were sitting along the riverbank with picnics, wine and of course cigarettes to enjoy the sunset. We stopped to watch a game of petanque along the way back to the hotel, and were offered food and wine while we tried to understand the rules.

Hearing the church bells on Mont Saint Michel, and going to mass there.

In Dinan, sitting under an awning and people watching with a cidre and beer for hubby while it rained.

Seeing Philippe Petit rope walk from Palais de Chaillot to the first level of the Eiffel Tower.

I can't stop thinking. New: cemetery at Colleville sur Mer. The heartbreaking sacrifice they made. We were there for flag lowering and TAPS. None of our group were able to speak for several minutes.

My wife's face when she saw her Father's painting in Estonia.

We were in Estonia in May to visit my wife's relatives and gather family history. Her cousin, while showing us his home, pointed to a framed picture on the wall and said to her, "That was painted by your father before he left for America in 1924."

My wife, an artist, was stunned. She had no idea her father had had artistic abilities. She only knew he had left Estonia at age 19 with no money and had immigrated to the States via South America as a youth, and had worked his entire short life in Brooklyn as a house painter to support his three kids and send them to college.

Her wonderful Estonian cousin has since boxed and sent the watercolor landscape to us. It arrived yesterday, and there were tears in my eyes as I watched Annette's face as she reverently unpacked it.

What a fun idea! Ahhh so many, too many to name but...

Some notable memories from Europe for me are

~ Hiking in the Austrian Alps with my kids up to a little quaint restaurant then just watching them run and play and pick flowers, with the tinkling of cow bells in the distance

~ exploring the streets of Venice at midnight with just my husband. Taking the last Vaparetto of the night up the Grand Canal ( we were the only ones) then seeing St Marks square totally empty and lit up. I would highly recommend it!

~Having the thickest darkest hot chocolate at the cafe behind the clock in The Orsay, looking out on a rainy day in Paris.

~ A night time walk in Chianti after the most superb meal from a very remote but fantastic restaurant, and the unique smells of the vineyard and all of the wonderful foliage... there is nothing like that smell.

~ Gliding down the staircase of the Paris Opera House, with all of those giant candelabras.

~ Driving down the gorgeous winding road that leads into Florence with it's Villas and umbrella trees. Stopping on the way at the Piazzale Michelangelo for that view of Florence! Florence seen from above is a singular experience. Then upon entering the city and being lost, having a kind Florentine tell us "follow me because I live right by the car rental place" we couldn't find, on a drive which could only be described as akin to a Jason Boune chase through the streets of Florence! My husband loved it!

~ Seeing the Sistine Chapel and too many other amazing pieces of art to name, all over Europe, live and in color, makes my heart beat fast and brings tears to my eyes. I never tire of experiencing all of that genius!

~ the heart wrenching, yet spiritual experience of Dachau concentration camp, especially with my children

~ And this is kind of cliche, but sitting on the Spanish steps with a gelato, people watching.

Well, at this point there are hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands, but if I had to pick it was the day I walked up the hill that is now down the hill from my back yard and saw the house that I now live in and the view of the Vézère Valley that it affords and said to myself "I'm going to live there one day."

It seemed a particularly odd act of courage at the time, maybe even a weird one, but it seemed right, and it was oh so right.

Being in the Sassi in Matera at night. From one side of the Sasso Caveoso, one can see across to the Sasso Barisano, irregular shapes outlined and highlighted by strategically placed lighting. Just a few decades ago, there was no electricity, and the light would have been from lanterns, or perhaps cooking fires. The animals would have been bedded down for the night inside the farthest reaches of the caves, and the sound of sick children crying would have echoed across the chasm.

But this night, a band is playing rock songs from U2, Led Zeppelin and other groups from the Seventies and Eighties, and it is filling the Sassi with familiar sounds from our past.

We stood and listened while we contemplated how a place once so full of horrors could be so beautiful now.
One of our most evocative experiences...

Our visit to Cinque Terre, 2007 i think. We had no idea that the waves licking the breakwater in Vernazza were just a small taste of the storm to come. The fishermen, indeed it seemed every able bodied person in the village, were helping to pull the colorful fishing boats out of the water and tie them up on the little "beach" which is between the breakwater and some restaurants and shops.

The wind whipped up into a frenzy, and we watched the storm as huge waves crashed up against and over the lookout tower on the water's edge. Very dramatic! We could hear them crashing as we slept in our b and b, and next morning could see that the waves had been hitting our window.

I suppose two pieces of history:

- going through the Berlin Wall in 1969, and then comparing before and after on subsequent visits - "If I'd walked there then I'd have been shot", or whatever

and

- Auschwitz.