Stories Behind the Sights
Leaf through the pages of Europe to see what you know.
The dream of European travel is easily turned into splendid reality with our broad range of Europe vacation packages across a continent of distinctive cultures. When it comes to experiencing Europe, we take you there in a variety of new ways. To truly experience a desirable place is to do it at the most desirable pace.
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| Italy |
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You can't miss a close look at Rome's single most impressive monument: the awe-inspiring Colosseum.
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| England |
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With its famous clock tower and "Big Ben" bell, the Houses of Parliament is the preeminent symbol of London.
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| Ireland |
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Wine-lovers flock to the vineyards of France, but for beer connoisseurs, Europe's sacred site is the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.
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| Scotland |
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Crowned Queen of Scotland at less than a year of age in 1543 and heralded at age 15 as the true Queen of England by many Catholics.
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| France |
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Europe's most famous cathedral actually owes a lot of its international success to author Victor Hugo.
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| Germany |
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As it rises from its alpine backdrop, Neuschwanstein Castle near Füssen has all the drama of a well-planned stage scene.
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| Spain |
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With his wildly inventive design sense, architect Antonio Gaudí is revered in Barcelona as the ultimate Catalan genius.
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| Greece |
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Throughout antiquity, Athens was described as the most serene city on earth with the Parthenon-crowned Acropolis.
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| Holland |
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Nothing symbolizes the Netherlands like the tulip, a magically bright flower that can be seen in almost every window box in the country.
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| Austria |
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No visit to Vienna would be complete without an afternoon spent lazing in one of the ornate Kaffehaüser or coffee houses.
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| Switzerland |
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Few mountains have exerted such a magnetic attraction as the Matterhorn, the 14,690-foot-high crag.
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| Czech Republic |
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Every hour, hundreds of visitors gather in Prague's Old Town Square to witness the tolling of the Astronomical Clock.
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| Scandanavia |
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Their story begins in raiding, slave-taking, trading and settlement and ends in eventual assimilation into Slavic culture.
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| Grand Canyon |
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The raft journey through the Grand Canyon is one of the West's great white-water thrills. John Powell first attempted it in 1869.
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| Yellowstone |
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Every 90 minutes, hundreds of onlookers admire the gush of Old Faithful in Yellowstone, the world's most famous geyser.
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| Mount Rushmore |
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The four presidential faces, carved 60-feet high in the granite of Mount Rushmore, comprise one of America's most revered images.
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| Yosemite |
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Even the most jaded traveler will let out a cry of glee when first seeing Yosemite Valley. This has always been the case since 1869.
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| Los Angeles |
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The famous HOLLYWOOD sign has a less glamorous origin than people think. It was actually a publicity stunt.
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| San Francisco |
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It's hard to recall today that the gracious harbor city of San Francisco was actually born out of chaos, sin and violence.
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| Las Vegas |
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The coolest era in Las Vegas history began on January 20, 1960, when Dean Martin was joined onstage by Frank Sinatra.
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| Peru |
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All over the Andes, Spanish colonial buildings are supported by the foundations of Inca masonry, relics of the conquest of Peru.
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| Galápagos Islands |
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If the giant tortoise is the symbol of the Galápagos Islands, then Darwin's finches must be the symbol of evolution in the Galápagos.
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| Brazil |
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Looming above Rio de Janeiro's most famous beach, the Copacabana Palace became one of the world's most infamous hotels.
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| Argentina |
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You don't have to be in Buenos Aires long before you hear the Tango or see the notorious dance itself.
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| Chile |
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Thanks to the country's isolation on the fringe of South America, its vineyards played an unexpected part in saving the wine industries.
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| China |
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Xi'an, one of the most important cultural cities in China, was the capital of the Chinese empires for more than 1,500 years.
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| Australia |
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Aussies celebrate the foundation of their country with fireworks displays and picnics, but the actual event was a more dubious and chaotic affair.
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| New Zealand |
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Most of the world has come to recognize New Zealand's majestic landscape without even realizing it, thanks to The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
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| Tanzania |
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Rising sheer from the grassy plains at the rim of the Equator is one of the most famous sights in Africa; Mount Kilimanjaro.
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