Travel

Amsterdam

Yes, Amsterdam has its hash-selling coffee shops, but they are just a small part of this city. This famous port is studded with historic canals and bridges. Top tourist destinations include the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum, the Waterlloplein flea market, and the floating flower market.

A trip for the senses, Catalonia's capital city, Barcelona, has a distinctly Mediterranean feel. Revitalized for the 1992 Olympics, this picturesque city is one of Europe's best-loved vacation destinations. The well-preserved Gothic Quarter, Gaudi's delightfully cheeky architecture, and galleries with the treasures of Miro, Tapies, and Picasso make Barcelona visually stunning, both indoors and out.

For a bird's-eye view of London, take a spin on the London Eye, the large Ferris wheel overlooking the Thames. An English vacation isn't complete without a tour of landmark destinations like Big Ben, the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Globe Theatre. Thirsty? Enjoy a pint at the local pub, or relax with a cup of well-brewed tea.

Enjoy a vacation getaway in beautiful Madrid. Mark your spot at Puerta del Sol (Sun's Gate) in the center of Spain. Take a stroll through the Royal Palace and the old Moorish quarter of Moreria. Enjoy art at the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza, and Reina Sofia museums. Plan a family boat ride at the Retiro Park.

Plan a vacation getaway to Paris. Stroll the Seine, stopping at a city sidewalk cafe to watch stylish people pass by. Explore the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, and the Louvre. Delight in culinary feasts, cultural sights, haute couture, and heady romance. This truly is the city of love.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans." That classic advice leads to a wealth of options on your vacation getaway. Should you follow Augustus and Caesar, whose Rome is filled with spectacular ancient structures? Or Michelangelo and Da Vinci, whose city invites artistic pilgrimage? Rome encompasses all this and so much more.

Venice is a city of great art and grand old masters. In Venice, every form of transportation floats (cars are banned ), from the vaporetti (the public "bus" ferries) to ambulance speedboats. Visitors flock to this canalled wonder on vacation getaways for very good reasons: Venice is extraordinary, it is magical, and it is worth a trip.