Europe Up Close

Touring King Arthur’s Labyrinth in Wales

Published/Revised June 12, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

As you drive through the lush green Welsh countryside you’ll see gray, slate-covered hillsides towering over misty valleys. These Welsh mountains are riddled with abandoned mine shafts that penetrate deep into their heart. This atmospheric backdrop, and the crumbling stone castles that dot the Welsh countryside, have fuelled many ancient Welsh legends. It doesn’t take much imagination to see red ... Read Full Article

Eclectic Erfurt, Germany

Published/Revised June 8, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

You’ll find an Eclectic Mix of Attractions in Erfurt: A Rich Religious History, Awesome Outdoor Operas, a Formidable Fortress, and an ancient Merchant Bridge. Oh Yes, . . . and a Puppet Maker and Delicious Dumplings. I’ll always remember the ancient city of Erfurt for its sheer variety of jaw dropping sights packed into a small area. One minute you’re crossing a medieval bridge with dozens ... Read Full Article

A Book Lover’s Tour of London

Published/Revised July 2, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

The English do love to read. And nowhere is this more evident than in London Town’s plethora of bookshops. Although I long ago tapped out London’s most noteworthy tourist sights (and many of a lesser degree) I still schedule a hedonistic day or two taking a book tour of London when I’m passing through. My Book Tour of London Bookshops are spread widely throughout London’s suburbs, so you can ... Read Full Article

A Memorable Stay at Ruthin Castle in North Wales

Published/Revised April 13, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Sometimes it’s where you stay that makes traveling so memorable. I often remember more about my hotel or resort than I do about my actual destination. And this is especially true of my stay at Ruthin Castle, an ancient luxury hotel on a brilliant green Welsh hilltop, overlooking a delightful, tiny stone village. There’s something relaxing and inspiring about staying in a castle where ... Read Full Article

In Dublin’s Fair City You’ll find Guinness and Beer Aplenty

Published/Revised March 28, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Faith and begorrah! Conquering Dublin’s renown Temple Bar pubs just can’t be done. To be sure, it’s not really the sort of place where you should attempt to stagger from bar to bar, slugging back a quick beer at each (although many have tried and failed). It’s more the place where you go to sit and enjoy the friendly ambience of an authentic Irish pub for an evening, before trying another on the ... Read Full Article

Luxury Hotel Barge Cruising on France’s Beautiful Burgundy Canal

Published/Revised August 23, 2018 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

I pedal leisurely along the towpath beside the Burgundy Canal, past neat rows of old oaks, maples, and poplars that form a tall, shady green cathedral along the flanks of the shallow canal. My bicycle’s tires crunch on the white limestone. Coming to a lock I stand on a small stone bridge that crosses over the canal. I’m waiting for La Belle Époque — the luxury hotel Barge that will be my home for ... Read Full Article

Edinburgh’s Rose Street—A Beer Aficionado’s Nirvana

Published/Revised February 27, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

The medieval stone city of Edinburgh boasts a staggering 700 pubs for its population of just under 500,000, the highest concentration of pubs in Great Britain. And the epicenter of Edinburgh’s beer sampling scene, as any local will tell you, is Rose Street, only a brisk 10-minute walk down the hill from the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle. Now a lively pedestrian walkway, Rose Street lies between ... Read Full Article

The Spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Published/Revised February 13, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

The opening sights and sounds of the Edinburgh Tattoo are spectacular, set against the backdrop of ancient Edinburgh Castle. In the distance, behind the castle walls, I hear the sinister rattle of dozens of snare drums followed by the wail of a single bagpipe. Then, suddenly, 600 pipers fire up their instruments in a loud cacophony of noise that echos across the esplanade. The excited crowd goes ... Read Full Article

Spa Hopping and Beer Tasting in Germany’s Black Forest

Published/Revised February 6, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

The Romans had a terrible time marching through the dark masses of spruce, pine, and fir in the aptly named Black Forest. They said it was impenetrable and inhabited by wild beasts and barbarians. And sensibly they—like their fierce predecessors the Celts—seldom ventured far into its depths. But today, I’m pleased to report that although 81% of the Black Forest area is still covered with ... Read Full Article

Seligenstadt: SW Germany’s Undiscovered Gem

Published/Revised January 23, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Now and then, travel writers in Europe stumble across a unique place that has somehow remained undiscovered by the teeming tourist masses. So it was with my random visit to the small, perfectly preserved medieval town of Seligenstadt. Lying only 25 kilometers southeast of Frankfurt am Main, this intriguing town—with a population of only 20,000—packs more sights into a small area than you might ... Read Full Article