12 of the Best Free European Attractions | BootsnAll Travel Articles
12 of the Best Free European Attractions | BootsnAll Travel Articles.
Does being free make them good or over-rated? Enquiring minds want to know…
AND how many of them have you seen? We’ve only seen two so far, hoping to add more this trip!
Hi Maccy Pants, I’ve been to five of these places and I didn’t think any of them were over-rated.
St Peter’s really does take your breath away. I’ve been twice – the first time I lucked out big time and arrived as pope JP was taking mass! I didn’t understand much but he was a truly amazing speaker – he was so beautiful to listen to it didn’t matter, I was spellbound anyway. The space is so large it is awesome (in the old-fashioned sense of the word). It was definitely the best part of Rome for me. If you get to Rome, make sure you go dressed modestly – the guards really do turn people away if they’re wearing shorts, exposed shoulders etc.
The pantheon is a very interesting building architecturally. It’s made of concrete, and way ahead of its time in its construction. I’d love to see it done up as it would have been as a Roman temple! But it’ll probably never happen.
The British Museum only takes about six weeks to get around. I went there when I was a kid and don’t remember all that much. I think we mainly went around the military stuff (my DB was mad about war) and some of the portrait galleries. I’d love to go back and spend a month looking at all the antiquities etc!
Schonbrunn I missed out on as I was sick in Vienna and DH went while I clutched my guts. Too much coffee and creamy cakes at those gorgeous little cafes left me with a terrible case of gastritis.
Notre-Dame is a must-see, but make sure while you’re there to get to Sainte-Chapelle before the kids are churched out. It’s a more manageable size and full of fabulous stained glass and sculpture and it’s extremely beautiful. Unfortunately it’s only free for kids – adults are 8 euro each. In fact I’d go to Sainte-Chapelle first and poke your nose in Notre-Dame afterwards and see how much more the kids want. Traipsing around churches and chataeux can get a bit tiresome for them.
The Red Square was very interesting. I was there when the USSR was still the USSR – not sure how much it will have changed.
Oooh that is so helpful! Great tip about Sainte-Chapelle!