Cosmopolitan Barcelona is the gateway to Spain’s Mediterranean coast, and has so much to offer, whether you have a day or a week in this fabulous city. You’ll find world-class museums, including the Museu Picasso, with some of this artist’s most interesting works. Or perhaps you’d prefer to wander the narrow streets of the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter) filled with medieval buildings. Barcelona also has some of the most interesting architecture in Europe, especially the structures designed by Antoni Gaudí. Don’t miss the indescribable and uncompleted La Sagrada Família (Church of the Holy Family), Barcelona’s most recognizable landmark. Barcelona is an easy city to get around on foot. So, we've included walking tours of the interesting neighborhoods of this fantastic destination. And get ready to stay up late in Spain’s second-largest city, because Barcelona is known for its vibrant nightlife. ​If you have only a few days, we’ll make it easy for you to truly experience Barcelona. Our walks are designed for you to see the most sights in the shortest time. So forget those large, bulky travel books. This handy little guide to Barcelona is all you need to make your visit enjoyable, memorable—and easy. Barcelona Made Easy is now available on amazon.com in paperback and ebook.

Notre-Dame is one of the greatest achievements of Gothic architecture. Construction took nearly 200 years, and it has had a tumultuous history. Many treasures of the cathedral were destroyed at the end of the 18th century during the French Revolution. At one point, it was even used as a food warehouse.


On your right when you’re facing the church is the statue of Charlemagne (“Charles the Great”). On the left doorway is St. Denis holding his head. He was the first martyr of France, decapitated by a jealous king for preaching Christianity. Legend has it that he picked up his head and walked to the village of St. Denis (head in hand) where he is now buried. In the center is Christ Sitting on the Throne of Judgment with those damned to hell on the right in chains and those destined for heaven on the left. The twin towers are 226 feet high. You can climb the 387 steps of the north tower for a grand view of Paris. The famous gargoyles are found between the towers. The 295-foot-tall spire was added in 1860. Along the spire’s base are apostles and evangelists (and the architect looking up to his spire). On the sides of the church are the famous “flying buttresses” (50-foot beams that support the Gothic structure).  


The cathedral is so huge that it can accommodate over 6,000 visitors. The interior is dominated by three beautiful (and immense) rose windows, and has a 7,800-pipe organ. Inside along the walls are individual chapels dedicated to saints. The most famous chapel is that of Joan of Arc in the right transept. The sacristy houses relics, manuscripts and religious garments. On Good Friday, what is said to be the Crown of Thorns and a piece of the cross on which Christ was crucified are put on public display. The Crown of Thorns is also displayed every 1st Friday of the month as well as Fridays during Lent. The reliquaries for the Crown (which has lost all of its thorns to different religious sites around the world) are on display daily in the treasury. 


Events of note here include the crowning of Napoléon as emperor and the funeral of Charles de Gaulle. For more information on the cathedral and other sights in Paris, check out our Paris Walks and Paris Made Easy guides.

​Wine being delivered canal-to-canal in Venice. Planning a trip to Italy? Check out our new "Italy Made Easy" and "Eating & Drinking in Italy" guides.

Our new Italy Made Easy guide is now available. Perfect for planning your first trip to Italy.

Do you really want to spend your vacation in Italy hauling around unwieldy, outdated travel books? Instead of being weighed down with a lot of useless information, we created this concise little guide to give you the best Italy’s top destinations have to offer—and make your visit fun, memorable…and easy. 
    

Most Europe Made Easy travel guides are under $10! Go to www.eatndrink.com or amazon.com to purchase guides for your favorite travelers.

We've added two new destinations to our "Europe Made Easy" series of travel guides! Now available in Kindle and paperback are "French Riviera Made Easy" and "Oslo Made Easy." You can check these new guides out at amazon.com or our website at www.eatndrink.com.

It’s called the City of Light, but perhaps it should be called the City of Promise. Around every corner is the promise of another beautiful street, another bistro filled with people eating delicious food (Paris is a city where you have to work at having a bad meal), another building that in any other city would be remarkable, but in Paris is just another building. Walk down practically any block in Paris, and the sights, smells and sounds will excite you. Grab this little guide and experience the top sights and great neighborhoods of Paris! Paris Walks features: • Six walks through the Islands, Left Bank, Marais, Major Sights, Montmartre, and Culinary Walks • Street-by-street directions • Detailed Maps • Travel Tips

You can find it on amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1721624120/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529595072&sr=8-1&keywords=paris+walks+neighborhood​

We're heading to Oslo, Norway, so let's take a look at its top five sights.

• Opera House (Operahuset)
The roof of this fantastic building angles to ground level (as if it rises from the water). It invites visitors to walk up to the roof and enjoy the panoramic views of the city.

​• Oslo City Hall (Oslo Rådhus)
The Nobel Peace Prize Award is awarded in the impressive Central Hall decorated with murals depicting scenes from Norwegian history. 

 • Viking Ship Museum (Vikingskipshuset)
One of the many great museums found on the Bygdøy peninsula, this museum is home to three Viking ships dating back to the 9th century.