Walking from the train station in Florence to my pensione, and noticing the color and angle of the light against the warmth of those beuatiful ancient buildings. Then catching my first glimpse of the Duomo, after so many photographs. Hard to explain; I was awestruck, yet felt inexplicably "home."

Flying to Naples, the plane came up from the bottom and saw the "boot" shape...cool. <BR><BR>Travelling to Paris by train from Andulucia. My, then 9 years old son, bugging me about "where is the Eiffel Tower..where is the Eiffel Tower"? Trying to settle him down I replied, "honey it's probably across town, after we get to the hotel, we'll go see it". As soon as I finished that sentence, the train popped out of the tunnel on the river and there it stood, big as day. The bug-eyed looked on his face was precious

On our first trip to Europe and Paris, we took the metro, came up the stairs, and there in front of us was the Arc d Triomphe!!! It was about 9pm and lightly raining. Beautiful!! Everything I had ever dreamed Paris should be.<BR><BR>Michelle

I would have to say driving towards Mont St. Michel in Normandy, France. This medieval castle sits on a hill surrounded by sand and water. It was the most beautiful sight I've ever seen with the sun behind it. I was speechless!<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/postreply.jsp?fid=2&start=0&tid=8396323<BR><BR>

Hi y'all. Did we all arrive in the rain? Well I did on my first visit to Gerra Gambarogno on Lago Maggiore, wet like a duck but not as sleek. Anyway, when I figured out how to raise the metal blinds of my room window at Albergo Panorama and gazed out at the drizzle on the lake and the palms and the red tile roofs just below me, I was captured. And then later in the evening, it cleared a bit and I could see the lights of Brissago and Ronco and Ascona. Wellllll. (Clive, your memory is not pedestrian.) J.<BR><BR>

I have a few:<BR>St. Basil's in Moscow with the snow falling.<BR>The Eiffel tower with the twinkle lights on.<BR>The view from the tower in Seina.

Hi jb:<BR>I think walking up the Graben in Vienna and seeing St. Stephen's Cathedral in the early evening was inspiring. Just awesome.

One more please: walking into San Miniato after hiking up from a brutally Florence on the back path from the Ponte Vecchio into the coolness of the church to find it totally empty save the chanting of the monks back in the crypt. Just very beautiful.

In 1981, I was a student working towards a degree in Architecture. After graduation, I decided to travel around Greece. <BR> After a miserable flight from JFK to Athens, I checked into a small hotel in the Palaka(?); falling immediately to sleep. I awoke about 5 AM, suprisingly recovered from the flight, and eager to get out and about.<BR> It was Sunday morning. I remember walking through dark winding streets as the city came to life. Chanting was coming out of numerous Byzantine chapels from robed morning worshipers; clouds of incense billowing from the doorways and small windows. I walked without plan; but found myself, alone, at the bottom of the Acropolis as the sun began to rise. I cannot tell you what a glorious sight that was as the golden morning light burst upon the ruins of the Parthenon. The utter perfection and beauty of the sight has never left my mind.

We have had many wonderful first impressions of different areas in Europe. The first time I saw the beautiful moutains around Fussen is memorable. It was a beautiful fall day with the air crystal clear. I think the best "take your breath away" memory was walking into St. Mark's square in Venice the first time. We entered the square and saw this most beautiful church with all the pigeons in front. It was so beautiful.

ttt

I go with Cass on this one -- looking out the window of the airplane on my first trip right before we touched down in London, and seeing Windsor castle and all that green scenery. So very different from L.A., yet, so very near what I had always imagined from all of the fiction I had read. SO Jane Austen, SO Dickens. My years of imagination were dead-on right!<BR><BR>Every time I go to Europe, to some new place, there's always something else that seems to bring fact and fiction together. Like others have said, the Eiffel Tower, and that first vapretto ride in Venice from the train station. You don't need to pinch yourself to know it's real, and you're THERE.

When we arrived in JFK last year (Feb) it was about 3pm. We were driven in by taxi and the sight of Manhattan with the Twin Towers was unbelievable. They really were incredible buildings. By the time we arrived in the hotel, booked in and got to our room it had gotten dark. We went into the room and without turning the lights on, opened the curtains (drapes) and saw the awsome sight of NYC lit up.<BR>To all you New Yorkers - you have the most incredible city in the world.

Walking the edge of the Lauterbrunnen Valley from Wengen after an allnight flight from NYC and watching the clouds open to reveal the Jungfrau. ASTOUNDING!!

Waking up at dawn on a rickety old bus in the desert, coming back from the Oasis of Siwa, Egypt. All of the window at my seat had scratches that cancelled out any visibility except for a small circular area that was probably the size of my head. Through the circular area the orange dawn was rising as 20-30 bare backed camels were running together along side of the bus. Not sure what got me up at that exact moment but it felt like a dream, will never ever forget. <BR><BR>Not my first moment but certainly one of the most powerful. <BR><BR>Good thread can't wait to read what everyone else wrote!

Talking of Egypt, we were on our first day in Cairo and went to Muhammad Ali's mosque and citadel. There is an amazing view of the city from up there. The tour guide then pointed out that on the horizon in the haze, we could see the pyramids. It was our first sight of them and made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. Nothing else has done that - before or since.

simple stuff but true: the adventure of my first trans-atlantic flight. bad movie, mediocre food and no leg room. but a lasting, exciting memory nonetheless. and i cannot wait to do it again!

Drinking hot coffee and listening to the sounds of a million animals, while watching the sun rise over the masai mara in Kenya. ****Sigh...<BR>Also, that first view of the Grand Canal.. nothing prepares you for it.. breathtaking. <BR>Of course, the sparkling streets of Paris after a thunderstorm...Where is my passport??? Let's go!

Topping this EXCELLENT thread!!