Amiens & Rouen, Normandy, France
An easy day-trip by train north of Paris will bring you to the cathedral towns of Amiens and Rouen, the gem of Normandy. Amiens has an attractive pedestrian zone running through the modern downtown, and an interesting, if small, Old Town, but it is the cathedral we have come to see the largest gothic cathedral in France, the land that invented this enduring form. Not only large, but perfect in form with all the standard gothic design you could hope for. From here we continue by train to nearby Rouen, which has the largest collection of half-timbered medieval buildings in France. Easy to explore on foot, start out from the train station and keep on going through one historic lane after another. Here too you will find a famous cathedral but in this case the town itself is the main attraction, its narrow streets lined with thriving shops and historic monument, including the place where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. Photographed during the Christmas season when tykes are skating in the main square and colorful lights line the shop fronts, this is a special time and place to enjoy.
New Mexico part 3 Taos and Albuquerque:
Morning visit to the Kit Carson Museum, in his former house, then to the Martinez Hacienda, and continuing to one of the nations great monuments, the Taos Pueblo, which is probably the oldest continuously occupied residence in North America. Then we stop at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge for a dramatic view, on our way to Albuquerque, where we visit the Anthropology Museum at the University of New Mexico, and look around their lovely campus.
new Mexico Taos and Albuquerque Taos Pueblo Rio Grande Gorge Bridge University of New Mexico
Salzburg
Salzburg is a town of castles, church towers, horse-drawn carriages and pedestrian alleys lined with appealing shops, but its sound is the divine music of favorite son Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and yes, the hills are still filled with The Sound of Music. Nestled in the Alpine foothills of north-central Austria, this cozy town and surrounding scenic areas have so much to offer that you could easily spend three enjoyable days here, especially if you venture into the lake and mountain district for day-trips. Or if you have less time, squeeze our suggestions together and you can still get a lot out of one or two days visiting this UNESCO World Heritage Site, recently ranked among the worlds top 20 cities by Conde Naste and Travel & Leisure magazines. If forced to choose only one word to depict Salzburg, it would have to be Mozart. Then as now we are talking about a city of serious music. There are always performances of various types to enjoy, but coming right up at the end of July and throughout August is the annual Salzburg Festival, one of the worlds top music events that you could still get to, if you make plans immediately. (See our listings.) To summarize the essence of Salzburg in a nutshell: At the center of town is the Getreidegasse, a narrow pedestrian street lined with medieval-facades that shelter modern shops and which leads past Mozarts house towards the great Cathedral, a masterpiece of the Italian Baroque. Towering above it all on a hilltop is the castle that <b>...</b>
Budapest-3
www.tourvideos.com The Royal Palace of Budapest has several museums, including the National History Museum with many informative displays. Driving to the nearby Citadel, we get the postcard view of the city spread out below, and find vendors eager to sell locally-made fabrics, toys and other attractive items.
Budapest Hungary Dennis Callan tourvideos Royal Palace of Budapest National History Museum Citadel
Scottish Highlands
tourvideos.com Scottish Highlands Scotland, Loch Ness, Caledonian Canal, Inverness
Budapest-2
www.tourvideos.com Downtown Budapest is a classic urban neighborhood. We see the Hotel Astoria and New York Café, with an amazing detailed décor. Gypsy music at dinner sets a lovely tone for the evening. We take a walk through this busy commercial district, then peek into the National Gallery.
Budapest Hungary denniscallan Dennis Callan Hotel Astoria New York Café
Capri, Italy
tourvideos.com Capri, Italy We take you into the Blue Grotto and walk through the villages of Capri.
Bern 93A
train from Lucerne to Bern, walk in Old Town on main street, Clock Tower, open market, parks, arcade streets, street trams.
Clock Tower open market parks arcade streets street trams. Bern Switzerland
Arles, in the heart of Provence
Begin at the most prominent landmark, the Roman amphitheater, or arena, called the Arènes dArles, one of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in town. Rue de la Calade brings us to the center of the Old Town, the Place de la République. Nearby, the Musée de lArles Antique displays treasures from the Roman period. We see everything in this detailed visit, including a look at the underground Cryptoporticos Museum of Arles.
Arles Provence France Arènes darles Place de la République Musée de larles Antique
Brugge, Belgium
Although most travelers skip Belgium there are some wonderful towns to see here, especially Brugge, one of the best-preserved historic places in Europe. Six hundred years ago Brugge was the most powerful trading city in northern Europe but it was cut off when the harbor silted up in the 15th century. As a result everything was left intact, sealed in a time capsule of ancient brick buildings, canals and cobblestone lanes, yet with the modern conveniences of numerous restaurants, shops and places to stay. We visit the 14th century City Hall, eat Belgian waffles, take a morning stroll, check out the flea market, watch the bicycles glide by, observe the park and take a boat ride through the scenic canals.
Cornwall, England
We travel by train south to Penzance and further to the southern tip of England at Lands End. You can easily take the public buses to explore some smaller coastal villages including Mousehole and St. Ives, then across the inlet to the island of Mt. St. Michael.
Chester, England
Chester has a delightful mix of Victorian, Gothic and modern styles and is easily reached as a lovely day-trip from London, just 2 hours by train. Downtown Chester has an unusual two-level system of shops called The Rows that will double your enjoyemtn. We take a walk with local guide Thomas Hands who shows us the Roman ruins, cathedral, encircling wall and much more.
Brussels, Belgium
Capital of Belgium, this major city is mostly modern but if you find the right neighborhood you will discover the historic heart of town all around the Grand Place. Like all European cities, it has many attractions including restaurants, shops and historic sites. Perhaps the most famous feature is the Manekin Pis, the statue of a little boy taking a constant pee. They claim the worlds oldest shopping mall, dating back nearly 2 centuries and still thriving today. Dont miss the excellent Museum of Ancient Art, with at least 40 masterpieces by important European painters, along with sculpture and decorative arts in a grand setting. We finish with a stroll along the Rue de Bouchers, lined with colorful but touristic restaurants, on our way to the Grand Place for an outdoor performance of Beethovens 9th Symphony by the Belgian National Orchestra.
Bangkok
tourvideos.com "canal boat ride" "motorcycle taxi" "Golden Temple" "Grand Palace" Chinatown "Patpong night market" kickboxing.
canal boat ride motorcycle taxi Golden Temple Grand Palace Chinatown Patpong night market kickboxing.
Interlaken.mov
tourvideos.com Lauterbrunnen Valley is gateway to the Jungfrau Mountain, one of the great train rides in the world. Interlaken is a nice home-base for exploring this scenic region.
Cotswolds
One of Englands most beautiful regions is home to several small towns you would love to visit including Cheltenham, Bourton-on-the-Water and Winchcombe.
Cotswolds England Cheltenham Bourton-on-the-Water Winchcombe.
Sedona
Sedona is located in the scenic red rocks region of Arizona, one of the most beautiful landscapes you could imagine. We see the iconic sights and visit typical shops and restaurants, then take the famous drive up Oak Creek Canyon. A hike in Boynton Canyon delivers all four seasons in one hour and one mile of easy walking. At Christmas the town puts on a huge exciting display of lights and scenarios that create a winter wonderland.
Lucerne.mov
tourvideos.com Dinner by the river then a surprise hail storm livens up our visit to this favorite Swiss town.
Amazon
Journey up the Amazon river in Brazil from Manaus to the Ariau Lodge, deep in the rainforest.
Avignon
Home to nine popes during the 14th century and one of the most beautiful cities in France today, Avignon is a treasure house of palaces, museums and meandering lanes, surrounded by an old fortified wall that still protects it from modernization. This city in the heart of beautiful Provence lays claim to dozens of historic monuments, especially the great Palace of the Popes which was gradually enlarged into an imposing fortification during the 60-year papal residency and is now a museum open to the public. Stroll over to Rue Joseph Vernet, perhaps the prettiest street in town, lined with lovely shops, galleries and restaurants. Detour a few blocks up and down Rue St. Agricol, which offers a similar environment of pleasant shops and leads to the main square of town, Place de lHorloge. Continue with a stroll along the main street of Avignon, Rue de la République, which extends through the center from the train station nearly to the Popes Palace in a straight line about a mile long. Look for one of the most picturesque streets in town, Rue des Teinturiers, the street of the tinters. Several ancient water wheels along this cobbled lane are still turning, pushed along by a quaint little, tree-lined canal. The wheels were once used to provide power for the manufacturing and dyeing of textiles. Now this is a trendy street, with cafes, boutiques and a small theater, a mere ten-minute walk from the town center.
Avignon France Rue des Teinturiers Palace of the Popes Provence
Munich-3.mov
www.tourvideos.com Munich walking tour continues with a look at the Glockenspiel putting on its hourly show, then climb to the top of St. Peters Church looking back down on Marienplatz, the center of town, which also has some very modern shops.
Munich Germany Bavaria tourvideos Dennis Callan Glockenspiel St. Peters Church Marienplatz
Venice, my walk
tourvideos.com Venice, my walk. Personal walking tour of back lanes in Venice, by Dennis Callan.
Lucerne 3 Dennis story-93B.mov
www.tourvideos.com Lucerne Dennis Callan talks about his early experiences as a child traveling in Europe visiting Switzerland and Italy while living in London for three years.
Budapest-1
www.tourvideos.com Music in the restaurants is one of the many treats of Budapest. We head up the Buda hill to the Fishermans Bastion for the view, then explore the Old Town on this side of the Danube. Back to Pest, we walk through Vorosmarty Square and along the main pedestrian lanes, with a return visit to the covered food market.
Budapest Hungary denniscallan Dennis Callan Vorosmarty Square Pest Fishermans Bastion
Munich-6-restaurants
www.tourvideos.com Sampling some fine restaurants including Orlandos, Pfistermuhle, Haxnbauer, Hofer, Ratskeller, Allois Dallmayr, Donisl, the Viktualienmarkt, and the Englisher Garten Chinese Tower.
Munich Germany Bavaria Dennis Callan tourvideos Orlandos Pfistermuhle Haxnbauer Hofer Ratskeller Allois Dallmayr Donisl the Viktualienmarkt
Heidelberg00-4
www.tourvideos.com Boat trip on the Neckar River brings us to Neckarsteinach where we walk and visit four different castles in various states of repair. Back in Heidelberg we enjoy wine-tasting in a friendly cellar and more walks in town. Next day we depart by train for another adventure.
Heidelberg Germany tourvideos denniscallan Neckar River Neckarsteinach
Nice.mov
tourvideos.com Nice With it's user-friendly modern downtown and extensive Old Town pedestrian zone, Nice is the largest city along the Cote d'Azur and makes an ideal home-base for seeing all the nearby sights. features three video screens running simultaneously
Vienna part 1
Vienna is a historic yet modern city -- a living museum of monuments and memories connected to a long rich history, but also a sophisticated place with glamorous shops and cutting-edge design. It is a romantic place alive with the music of Mozart, Haydn, Strauss and Beethoven, enriched by the legacy of the immensely wealthy Hapsburg dynasty who created some of the worlds finest palaces, opera houses, museums, parks, fountains, public architecture and grand promenades. The Hapsburgs ruled over much of the Western world during several centuries from their huge palace, which today is one of Viennas main visitor attractions with its many museums and several concert halls. As always in our three-day approach, we present the major tourist sights that you should not miss, then point you to the little back alleys and minor attractions where you can get away from the tourist mobs and discover the real heart and soul of the city. Wandering in the little quiet lanes can be a profoundly moving experience -- if you pick the right places and dont just randomly get lost in some boring streets, so come along with us as we show you the best routes for making the most of your time