This wonderful trip began with the idea of a two week river cruise from Budapest, Hungary to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. As has been my traveling habit lately, I thought I'd spend a few extra weeks exploring the countries on each end of the river cruise. Sooo, I arrived in Prague, Czechia three weeks before our departure date and visited interesting and amazing places there and in Slovakia, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, and Croatia before arriving in Budapest. I also decided to stay for an extra three weeks after the cruise to explore the Netherlands and Belgium. Linda joined me for five of the eight weeks of this excellent adventure. In the course of this trip, we spent time in twelve countries, eight capital cities, six national parks, four big rivers, six great art museums, and met many interesting new friends along the way. Here are a few highlights of the trip
Czechia & Slovakia
It began with a week of getting to know a little bit about the two countries that used to be Czechoslovakia. I spent time in and around the capital cities of Czechia and Slovakia, and thoroughly enjoyed it all.
The Old Town Hall and its famous astronomical clock in Prague, Czechia
Got up to the Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral, seen here from my boat hotel on the Vltava River in Prague
Got out of town to do a fun hike on Gabriela's Trail to Pravčická Gate, Europe's largest sandstone arch, in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park in northwestern Czechia
Also made it to the Bastei Bridge, a cool hiking destination in the Saxon Switzerland National Park in southeastern Germany
Then I hopped on a train to Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. This is the New Bridge, aka the SNP Bridge, (with the UFO Tower on top) crossing the Danube in downtown Bratislava. The UFO Tower is nestled between two support pylons; it has an observation deck
Bratislava and the Danube from the UFO Observation Deck on top of the SNP Bridge. We'd be sailing along this section of the river in about three weeks
Night time at the Grassalkovich Palace near my BnB in Bratislava. The water feature is called the Planet of Peace Fountain
I signed up for a tour of three castles in central Slovakia, partly to see a few castles and partly to see some of the countryside outside of Bratislava. For our third castle, we visited these ruins at Beckov. Our group hiked up to this spot to enjoy the view at sunset and to sample a few kinds of wine as we toasted our guides, our interesting day, and our new friends. Photo by Michal
More about Czechia & Slovakia here:
https://lotsofamazingplaces.blogspot.com/2025/07/czechia-and-slovakia-2025.html
Vienna and A Railway Tour of the Austrian Alps
We started by exploring Old Town Vienna. This is St Stephan's Cathedral, one of the biggest, most visible buildings downtown
We visited the Vienna City Hall
Attended a "Four Seasons" (Vivaldi) concert at St Charles Church, Vienna
Then we boarded a train from Vienna to Villach, along the Semmering Railway, one of the oldest, most scenic railroads in Austria and a UNESCO site
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semmering_railway
Vienna to Villach via the Semmering Railway
Vienna to Villach via the Semmering Railway
Church of the Holy Cross, along the Drava River, Villach
Then on another train, from Villach to Innsbruck
From Villach to Innsbruck
From Villach to Innsbruck
In Innsbruck, we attended a Tyrolean Dinner Show with traditional Austrian singing, dancing, and music. Food was good; show was great!
The next morning, we were off again, this time from Innsbruck to Zurich via the Arlberg Railway, a high elevation, scenic route. This is the Inn River (for which Innsbruck was named) at Landeck
From Innsbruck to Zurich via the Arlberg Railway
From Innsbruck to Zurich via the Arlberg Railway
When we arrived in Zurich, we began our visit with a ferry tour boat trip on Lake Zurich. We then explored the city on foot, by train, and by water taxi
Here's a Zurich street and canal scene near the waterfront
Then it was back on the road again, this time traveling by overnight bus from Zurich to Ljubljana, in Slovenia. Here's a stunning alpine view near Salzburg
From Zurich to Ljubljana, near Salzburg
From Zurich to Ljubljana, near Salzburg
More about the Austrian Alps;
https://lotsofamazingplaces.blogspot.com/2025/07/an-alpine-railroad-tour-vienna-to.html
Then we were on our way to explore Slovenia and Croatia, two of the countries that were formed out of the former Yugoslavia. Slovenia, a small country nestled between Austria, Italy, and Croatia, prides itself on being green and eco-conscious. We spent a day in Ljubljana, the capital, to explore urban life in this interesting city, and three days in Bled, in the nature-oriented northwestern part of the country. Along the way, we also had the opportunity to visit the Triglav National Park and the spectacular Soca River
Franciscan Church of the Annunciation along the Ljubljanica Canal in Ljubljana, capital city of Slovenia
Bled Castle and St Martin's Parish Church, Lake Bled, Slovenia
The Soča River, Triglav National Park, Slovenia
The Soča River, Triglav National Park, Slovenia
Bohinj Lake, near Lake Bled
Fruits, veggies, flowers, and lots of socializing at the Zagreb Central Market, Croatia
The distinctive St Marks Church in Zagreb was closed for renovation and repairs after the devastating earthquake of 2020
Upper Waterfall at Plitvice Lakes National Park
"Large Waterfall" at Plitvice Lakes National Park (one of the Lower Waterfalls)
After that fabulous day in Plitvice, we left Croatia to head to Budapest, capital of Hungary. Since we arrived a few days before the river cruise began, we explored parts of Budapest on our own. We visited many places, including the Castle District on the Buda side of the city. Here's a fun night shot of The Buda Castle and St Matthias Church
"The Shoes on the Danube Bank," is a sobering memorial on the Pest side of the Danube, installed "to honour the Jews who were massacred by fascist antisemitic Hungarian militia in Budapest during the Second World War" (wiki)
Heres the Hungarian Parliament, along the Danube. It was designed and built to rival London's parliament building
It was finally time to board our ship and start our long and leisurely westward journey. We traveled on a Viking riverboat like this, which carried about 200 passengers and 50 crew members
We followed this 14 day route, beginning in Budapest, Hungary, then cruising through Austria, Slovakia, and Germany, on the way to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. We cruised up the Danube and Main Rivers to a high water point near Regensburg, Germany, then down the Main, Rhine and Waal Rivers to Amsterdam. We visited fascinating old cities, castles, cathedrals, and UNESCO sites and made good new friends along the way!
Our first port of call was Vienna, a city we'd already visited. However, there was plenty more to see and do in this gem along the Danube. We spent some time on a walking city tour, and spent about a half day visiting Vienna's wonderful Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Art)
Here's a statue of the Maestro, one of many famous musicians and composers who spent time in Vienna
We left Vienna and sailed up the Danube through the scenic Wachau Valley, near Melk, Austria...
We visited the stunning baroque Abbey at Melk, a working abbey for monastic women that was established in 1089
Altogether, we stopped in about a dozen river towns and cities along the way, including historically rich places like Nuremberg, pictured above. In each port we had enough time to explore the place on our own or participate in introductory walking or riding tours (generally focused on history and culture) organized by Viking. We also sailed up and down a total of 67 locks!
This is the picturesque Old Town Hall in Bamberg, along the Main Canal and River
Here are castle ruins overlooking Wertheim, also along the Main
Shortly after the Main River flows into the Rhine, we sailed through some of the most beautiful scenery of the trip. This is the Rhine Gorge, near Bacharach
Here is the Koblenz Castle, along the Rhine
We stopped in Cologne where, among other things, we spent time in the Old Town, the Lindt Chocolate Visitor Center, and this majestic cathedral
We left Cologne after dark, and said "So Long" to one of our favorite cities on the trip
When we got to the Netherlands, we had a fascinating stop at Kinderdijk, a UNESCO site near Rotterdam. Kinderdijk is a village that protects and preserves a system of 19 windmills that were built around 1740. This group is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands
Fourteen days after we left Budapest, we arrived in Amsterdam. After we said our goodbyes to friends we made on the trip, we got off the boat and spent about a week in and around Amsterdam, the official capital city of the Netherlands.
There are more than 60 miles / 100 km of canals in Amsterdam. We explored them by walking or biking along some of them and taking a canal boat cruise
Slovenia & Croatia
Then we were on our way to explore Slovenia and Croatia, two of the countries that were formed out of the former Yugoslavia. Slovenia, a small country nestled between Austria, Italy, and Croatia, prides itself on being green and eco-conscious. We spent a day in Ljubljana, the capital, to explore urban life in this interesting city, and three days in Bled, in the nature-oriented northwestern part of the country. Along the way, we also had the opportunity to visit the Triglav National Park and the spectacular Soca River
Franciscan Church of the Annunciation along the Ljubljanica Canal in Ljubljana, capital city of Slovenia
Bled Castle and St Martin's Parish Church, Lake Bled, Slovenia
The Soča River, Triglav National Park, Slovenia
The Soča River, Triglav National Park, Slovenia
Bohinj Lake, near Lake Bled
Next, we moved on to Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia. We explored the city by tram, on foot, and on a guided tour, concentrating on the Old Town area, where we stayed. There was a lot of repair and reconstruction going on in town, aftermath of a serious earthquake that hit Zagreb in March of 2020. We found the people in Zagreb to be friendly and the city itself to be safe and easy to get around in using mass transit. In addition to exploring the city, we spent a day at the spectacular Plitvice Lakes National Park, a few hours south of Zagreb, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina
Fruits, veggies, flowers, and lots of socializing at the Zagreb Central Market, Croatia
The distinctive St Marks Church in Zagreb was closed for renovation and repairs after the devastating earthquake of 2020
Upper Waterfall at Plitvice Lakes National Park
"Large Waterfall" at Plitvice Lakes National Park (one of the Lower Waterfalls)
More here:
https://lotsofamazingplaces.blogspot.com/2025/07/slovenia-and-croatia-2025.html
Budapest and the European River Cruise
After that fabulous day in Plitvice, we left Croatia to head to Budapest, capital of Hungary. Since we arrived a few days before the river cruise began, we explored parts of Budapest on our own. We visited many places, including the Castle District on the Buda side of the city. Here's a fun night shot of The Buda Castle and St Matthias Church
"The Shoes on the Danube Bank," is a sobering memorial on the Pest side of the Danube, installed "to honour the Jews who were massacred by fascist antisemitic Hungarian militia in Budapest during the Second World War" (wiki)
Heres the Hungarian Parliament, along the Danube. It was designed and built to rival London's parliament building
It was finally time to board our ship and start our long and leisurely westward journey. We traveled on a Viking riverboat like this, which carried about 200 passengers and 50 crew members
We followed this 14 day route, beginning in Budapest, Hungary, then cruising through Austria, Slovakia, and Germany, on the way to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. We cruised up the Danube and Main Rivers to a high water point near Regensburg, Germany, then down the Main, Rhine and Waal Rivers to Amsterdam. We visited fascinating old cities, castles, cathedrals, and UNESCO sites and made good new friends along the way!
Our first port of call was Vienna, a city we'd already visited. However, there was plenty more to see and do in this gem along the Danube. We spent some time on a walking city tour, and spent about a half day visiting Vienna's wonderful Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Art)
Here's a statue of the Maestro, one of many famous musicians and composers who spent time in Vienna
We left Vienna and sailed up the Danube through the scenic Wachau Valley, near Melk, Austria...
We visited the stunning baroque Abbey at Melk, a working abbey for monastic women that was established in 1089
Altogether, we stopped in about a dozen river towns and cities along the way, including historically rich places like Nuremberg, pictured above. In each port we had enough time to explore the place on our own or participate in introductory walking or riding tours (generally focused on history and culture) organized by Viking. We also sailed up and down a total of 67 locks!
This is the picturesque Old Town Hall in Bamberg, along the Main Canal and River
Here are castle ruins overlooking Wertheim, also along the Main
Shortly after the Main River flows into the Rhine, we sailed through some of the most beautiful scenery of the trip. This is the Rhine Gorge, near Bacharach
Here is the Koblenz Castle, along the Rhine
We stopped in Cologne where, among other things, we spent time in the Old Town, the Lindt Chocolate Visitor Center, and this majestic cathedral
We left Cologne after dark, and said "So Long" to one of our favorite cities on the trip
When we got to the Netherlands, we had a fascinating stop at Kinderdijk, a UNESCO site near Rotterdam. Kinderdijk is a village that protects and preserves a system of 19 windmills that were built around 1740. This group is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands
More here:
https://lotsofamazingplaces.blogspot.com/2025/07/a-european-river-cruise-budapest-to.html
The Netherlands and Belgium
Fourteen days after we left Budapest, we arrived in Amsterdam. After we said our goodbyes to friends we made on the trip, we got off the boat and spent about a week in and around Amsterdam, the official capital city of the Netherlands.
These are called "the dancing houses," named because of how they lean. Like Venice, most of Old Town Amsterdam is built on posts and pilings driven into the ground. This contributes to uneven settling of many of these old houses. Kind of amazing that so many of them are still standing
After our time in Amsterdam we visited a place called Andijk, north of the city. Andijk is the small village where my dad and his family lived before they emigrated to Canada. After a short but interesting visit there, we traveled to Utrecht for a couple of days. We happened to be in town during the Pride Canal Parade, part of a weekend of activities celebrating and supporting diversity. Lots of fun and lots of support from local people as well as from visitors from around the world. The city was jammed!
We also visited Holten, a town just west of the border with Germany; it was my mother's family's hometown. 1,355 Canadian soldiers were killed in the process of liberating the Netherlands at the end of WW II and are buried here in the Canadian War Cemetery. We were fortunate in meeting a guide who showed us around. In the process, I discovered the grave of a soldier from the Welland-Lincoln regiment, near where I grew up in Canada. Holten and other towns near it have been quite active in celebrating those liberation days, now 80 years later! Quite a moving experience for me.
Shortly after our visit to Holten, Linda returned to the US and I continued my exploration of the southern Netherlands and northern Belgium.
Rotterdam turned out to be my favorite city in the Netherlands. Though it was devastated by German bombing early in WWII, it was rebuilt as a modern and forward looking city during post war reconstruction. It had plenty of interesting art, architecture, urban design, and culture. It also happens to be the largest shipping port in Europe. The Erasmus Bridge, pictured here, spans the Maas River and connects the north and south sides of Rotterdam
This pretty canal scene in Delft features the New Church spires, first built in the 1300s. I attended a very good Organ and Chamber Orchestra concert there, and also climbed up to the top of the tower just for the WOW of it. From the top, I had great views of the neighborhood, including Rotterdam and The Hague skylines
In The Hague, the administrative capital of the Netherlands, I visited governmental buildings, an interesting art museum, a famous nearby beach, and, pictured above, the The International Peace Palace, home of the International Court of Justice
More here:
Belgium
This is the MAS, the Museum aan de Stroom (Museum on the Stream), a ten story Art Museum that is also an architectural gem in Antwerp, Belgium
Antwerp City Hall, another site included in UNESCO's "Belfries of Belgium and France" listing
One of Antwerp's charms involves legends about its origin and history. The Brabo Fountain in the Main Square (above) tells the story of how the city came to be called Antwerp. Druon Antigoon was a monster who cut off the right hand of anyone who refused to pay his costly toll for using the Scheldt River at Antwerp. After many such assaults, Brabo, a Roman hero, had a duel with Antigoon, killed him, and cut off his right hand The statue depicts the moment Brabo hurled Antigoon's severed hand into the Scheldt. The legend goes that this accounts for Antwerp's name. The claim is that the name Antwerpen is a combination of the Dutch words "(h)ant" (hand) and "werpen" (throw or launch). Probably not factually accurate, but a wonderful origin story, and one that has spawned hundreds of sculpted severed hands on display all over the city!
I had time to visit the city of Bruges, a UNESCO site famous for its well preserved medieval buildings and canals. Here is the main square, with colorful Guild Halls, in Bruges
And this is a typical canal scene, also in Bruges
This is The Krook, the Central Public Library in Ghent, near Antwerp. It was designed to resemble a stack of books. The thin horizontal lines represent pages; the floors represent books.. Krook means "the bend" in dutch; it was named for the bend in the river where it is located
The Belfry of Ghent, a UNESCO listed bell tower
During the last few days of the trip, I stayed in Brussels and explored the Old Town, the capital and palace complexes, and the EU Parliament. Here's one of my favorite spots, the Main Square, lined with shops, restaurants, city hall, the cathedral, and a beautiful group of Guild Halls
The Place du Luxembourg, home of the European Parliament in Brussels
More here:
https://lotsofamazingplaces.blogspot.com/2025/07/belgium2025.html
All in all, a fabulous trip with lots of variety in cities, countries, and regions. We learned a lot about European history and culture, saw places we'd only heard or read about, met up with wonderful people, and did fun things along the way. I loved how we traveled by train and other public transportation, carrying all our stuff in a backpack and a handbag, and mostly staying in BnBs with local hosts. We could easily have spent more time exploring the places we visited, but I'm thrilled that we had the time we did to get to know parts of central and western Europe. Such an amazing trip!
More pics and stories here:
Czechia & Slovakia:
https://lotsofamazingplaces.blogspot.com/2025/07/czechia-and-slovakia-2025.html
Austrian Alps Railway Tour:
https://lotsofamazingplaces.blogspot.com/2025/07/an-alpine-railroad-tour-vienna-to.html
Slovenia & Croatia:
https://lotsofamazingplaces.blogspot.com/2025/07/slovenia-and-croatia-2025.html
The River Cruise:
https://lotsofamazingplaces.blogspot.com/2025/07/a-european-river-cruise-budapest-to.html
The Netherlands:
https://lotsofamazingplaces.blogspot.com/2025/07/the-netherlands-2025.html
Belgium:
https://lotsofamazingplaces.blogspot.com/2025/07/belgium2025.html
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