One of the advantages of running small group tours to Europe, is that we get to visit a variety of different places. Sometimes we do it with our small group tours, sometimes we visit these small cities when doing research for a tour. In today's blog post The Traveling Professor tells you about his favorite small cities in Europe, one each in France, Italy, and Norway and two in Austria.
We've spent the last two Christmas seasons in Bavaria and Austria. We've enjoyed it very much with all of the traditions and special customs. In today's blog post, I will try to describe how the holiday season is celebrated in these different countries, according to our experiences in our small group tours to the Bavarian and Austrian Christmas tours that we have done in the past. My overall comment about how Christmas is celebrated in this part of the world is that it is less commercial than what we do in the United States. Of course there are malls and gift giving, but in Bavaria and Austria it seems to be more of a social event. See my blog post for more details.
Last year, The Traveling Professor ran the inaugural Christmas Markets of Austria and Bavaria tour. Our journey was like going back in time, to the Christmas you remember as a child. Local markets with hand-made crafts, hot mulled wine, horses clip-clopping on the cobblestone, trumpeters in the evening, carolers, and lots of good cheer. This year we go back with a slightly modified itinerary. See my blog post on what its like to visit Austria and Bavaria for at Christmas time.
The Traveling Professor just returned home from our inaugural small group tour to the Christmas Markets of Bavaria and Austria. Ten travelers joined us for a over a week of Christmas scenery, foods, traditions and fun. We started our small group tour in Vienna, worked our way to Salzburg via Steyr, spent time in Salzburg and finished up in Munich. See the blog post for details on our tour.
This past December and January, The Traveling Professor toured Germany and Austria as part of doing research for his upcoming "Bavarian and Germany Christmas Markets" tour. I had the opportunity to spend some time in Salzburg, Austria. You know it as the home of Mozart and "The Sound of Music". We toured with professional and licensed guide, Michaela Muhr of Salzburg Experience who showed us a side of this wonderful city that we never thought existed. Not only did we see the major sites, but she introduced us to the wonderful people of Austria like shop owners, friends, and the charming people who make this small city their home. I thought it best for Michaela to tell you about Salzburg and today's blog post is authored by her.
On our small group tours to Paris, Italy, Norway, Austria and Germany, and Peru, part of the travel experience is the food. It is ALL good. But what's the best? Every country has wonderful food. But which country has the best food? Everyone is going to have their own opinions but in this blog post, The Traveling Professor gives his opinion on which country has the best food.