Viator offers quite an array of tours that showcase the magnificent castles and chateaux of Europe, and they are consistently amongst our highest rated tours. What is it about a day spent wandering around old buildings that people find so appealing? I decided to investigate; here are my findings…
The Guard at Windsor Castle
It’s just so different
It doesn’t matter where you live: the suburbs of Sydney, the centre of San Francisco, the middle of Manchester or the outskirts of Oslo: nothing can help you imagine what life must have been like for the residents of a place like Versailles, Vaux-Le-Vicomte, Cesky Krumlov, Linderhof or Windsor… to name only a few. Each of these superb “residences” — a word that strains under the weight of any of these places — has a magic and grandeur that sets it completely apart from our everyday existence.
Not the view from your office window…
It’s not just the buildings: after all, some of the architecture is decidedly stodgy (Windsor?) while some (Versailles?) can be just a little over the top. The interior design, furnishings, scale, gardens and surrounding villages all add to the realization that this is not your life, never was, probably* won’t ever be!
No matter how hard-bitten, cynical or world-weary you may have become, a day-trip to these destinations provides a chance to travel back to those days of princes, princesses and fairy tales that were part of your childhood. That’s not a bad thing, and it certainly provides a partial explanation for the wildly enthusiastic reviews we often see for these tours. But that can’t be the only reason, can it?
Away from the City
Buckingham Palace, you say, is right smack in the middle of London! I concede this point… let’s move on! Because most castles and chateaux are anything but central; they demand you leave the city and all its pressures and people behind, immersing you instead in the countryside, in tiny villages and rural surroundings where your mind turns to crops and wines and local cheese and the simpler things of life.
Don’t worry; it’s only for a day. But what a release, to escape the built-up for a moment, to breathe the fresh air of the Loire Valley, enjoy the serenity of a Bavarian lake, or feel the wind as it blows through the Blansky Forest. You can’t experience any of these things in your day to day life, and that’s exactly what makes these tours so precious. A change — even if just for a day — is as good as a rest.
We make it easy
Viator iPhone Application
Listening to our customers talk about why they like these day trips so much, another one of the consistent messages is that Viator makes it all so easy. So, some patting of our own back is necessary here:
- Our mobile app means you can relax at a Left Bank cafe, browse tour choices, find special deals and discounts, and travel in the following days. If you’re the type who doesn’t plan ahead, Viator’s a lifesaver!
- You can drive to any of these places, or take the train in some cases, but it’s usually easier to let an air-conditioned coach pick you up at your hotel and do all the work for you. Depending on how snobbish you are, we offer small-group tours in mini-vans and limos as well.
- Skip the line, skip the hassles: our tours allow you to skip the long entrance lines that are a feature of popular destinations like Windsor and Versailles, and not just throughout the summer. That’s a benefit that will make you feel a little snobbish!
I could go on, but I think that’s a good enough wrap up of my investigation. Next time you’re in Europe, take the chance to escape the city and submerge yourself in another time and place. We’ll help make it a great experience; it’s what we do best.
- Rod Cuthbert
* Probably? Well, consider the case of Mary Donaldson, account director at an advertising firm in Sydney, Australia, who went for drinks with friends one night in 2000, met a nice young man, and was married to him in early 2004. Now, as Crown Princess of Denmark, she has a number of rather grand residences, too numerous to mention here. For the hopeful dreamers out there: fairy tales do happen.
Like hardly any other region of Italy, Tuscany unites art, nature and culture. Numerous art treasures, beautiful landscapes and the famous Tuscan cuisine await discovery and make this region of Italy one of the most popular destinations for relaxation seeking tourists and art lovers. Cities such as Florence, San Gimignano and Pisa with their breathtaking Italian Medieval and Renaissance architecture attract travellers interested in European cultural assets and heritage.
If you’ve been to Madrid, you know the enormous selection of activities and sightseeing treasures the city has to offer you. If you haven’t, make Madrid your travel destination for a touch of the art world. If you’re an art lover like many tourists that travel to Spain, you won’t have far to look to find some of the best art in the world. After enjoying some of the local recipes for sangria, visit The Queen Sofia Art Museum, located near the metro stations and the Atocha train. It has such an abundance of famous art works; you’ll need more than one day to view everything. Some of the featured art works are by greats like Miro, Picasso or Solana.