I began my journey at 8 a.m in Missoula on Friday and arrived at 8 a.m in the Amsterdam Airport on Saturday. The journey brightened half way through as I was able to meet my best friend in Dulles and finish my flight with her.

We ended up taking a nap at the hotel on Saturday afternoon and then went out to see Christmas lights in the city and get …

After cruising through the night, we arrived in Cologne on Tuesday. After all the traveling to get to Europe, it was so nice to relax on the boat Monday afternoon and evening. It really helped me recharge and be ready for our afternoon excursions in Cologne.

Cologne has 10 Christmas Markets and I was able to visit four of them. My friend and I …

Wednesday morning may be one of my favorite memories from the cruise. I rolled out of bed, grabbed some breakfast and went up to the sun deck to enjoy a few hours of castle viewing. It was chilly but everyone put on their coats, grabbed a blanket and enjoyed the beautiful views. Our cruise manager, Fredericko, would pipe through the speakers and …

Whenever you see Mannheim or Ludwigshafen on an itinerary, you will most likely be visiting Heidelberg. Heidelberg is a beautiful city with castle ruins overlooking from the mountain. I quite enjoyed my tour of castle with our very knowledgable tour guide. After the tour we made our way down for more food tasting and exploration at the Christmas …

I was more than excited to visit Strasbourg, France on day six of my cruise. It was nearly 10 years ago when I lived and studied abroad in Strasbourg. The city is filled with history, charm, culture and modern amenities. Strasbourg has been Germany and France many times over the century and because of this has such a unique blend of the two …

On the last full day of the cruise, there are two cities you have the option of visiting, Frieburg, Germany or Riquewihr, France. Because of my love of all things French, I quickly chose Riquewihr and I am so glad I did! It is the only city that was completely untouched by both WW1 and WW2. Other than the city wall, the city is in the same …