Old Continent: A Tour Around the Past, Tradition, & Beauty

The European continent is more than a simple landmass — rather, it functions as an active, breathing historical exhibition, a mixture that somehow balances historical depth, natural beauty, and urban vitality in equal measure. Covering ground that runs from the Atlantic-facing western extreme to the Black Sea-washed eastern reaches of the Balkans, traveling the length and breadth of Europe compares to leafing through a thousand-year chronicle of human experience, a story whose unfolding delivers one surprise after another: an unlearned language, an untasted recipe, an untraveled path. Extensive resources on finding verified escort girls in Prague can be found at the online resource.

Start your journey in Rome, the Eternal City. Here, history is not buried in textbooks — it rises before your eyes. Amble among the ruins of the Roman Forum, where emperors and orators once stood, enter the imposing Flavian Amphitheatre, better known as the Colosseum, and don't forget to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain; local belief says this simple action guarantees a return trip. A short distance from the center of Rome lies the planet's smallest independent state — Vatican City. Lift your eyes to the famous papal chapel ceiling, where Michelangelo's scenes from Genesis have awed visitors for five centuries. A short train ride northward brings you from Rome to Florence, where the modern world of art and thought began. The city's crossroads consistently present masterpieces from the hands of Da Vinci, Botticelli, and Raphael.

When your ideal vacation includes romantic moments and backdrops that could illustrate a Grimm story, Paris together with the Swiss mountains offers an almost unbeatable romance-and-fairytale package. Make your way up the Eiffel Tower during the golden hour for a view you will never forget, amble along the quays of the Seine, passing bouquinistes and historic bridges, and allow Montmartre's labyrinthine passages, staircases, and hidden squares to swallow you.

Then, hop on a high-speed train to Switzerland. Emerald valleys, snow-capped peaks, and crystal-clear lakes await. Riding the red cars of the Glacier Express through the Alps, alternatively visiting the mountain village of Grindelwald, will leave you convinced you are inside a picture. To truly have visited Europe, you must participate in its eating and drinking cultures.

In a bustling Barcelona produce-and-food market, you will learn that tapas are a social food — the more strangers involved, the better. Prepare to have your prior Italian food experiences invalidated; pizza in Naples and pasta in Bolognese are revelations that ruin the versions you left behind. Do not leave Germany without sitting at a long wooden table in the Hofbrauhaus, holding a stein of frothy Oktoberfest beer, and toasting "Prost!" to strangers.

Belgian Trappist breweries produce beers with remarkable depth and character; a single sip will explain why they are famous worldwide. Those who adore wine will find that navigating the curved roads of Tuscany's vineyards or visiting the chateau cellars of Bordeaux approaches a religious experience. If you count yourself among those who favor dramatic coasts and transparent ocean waters, travel toward the stretch of Croatia that fronts the Adriatic Sea — the Dalmatian Coast.