Art treasures from the Pompeii and Herculaneum excavations, including the best mosaics and frescoes, and the giant Farnese sculptures from ancient Rome are the top highlights in the magnificent MANN National Museum of Archaeology in Naples, Italy. The National Museum of Archaeology in Naples (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli — MANN) is one of the … Read more
Visit the enormous Monument to the Battle of the Nations memorial (Völkerschlachtdenkmal) and Forum 1813 museum commemorating the centenary of the defeat of Napoleon in Leipzig in 1813. The Battle of the Nations Memorial (Völkerschlachtdenkmal) on the outskirts of Leipzig in Saxony, Germany, is the largest monument in Europe. It opened in 1913 on the … Read more
Visit the wonderful MusĂ©e de Cluny French National Museum of the Middle Ages in Paris to see medieval history and art, including The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry series. The Cluny Museum National Museum of the Middle Ages (MusĂ©e de Cluny-MusĂ©e National du Moyen Ă‚ge) is one of the finest museums in Paris and home … Read more
Napoleon’s monumental tomb is in the crypt of the DĂ´me des Invalides in Paris and is seen when visiting the Army Museum (MusĂ©e de l’ArmĂ©e). The Tomb of Napoleon I Bonaparte is in the crypt of the DĂ´me des Invalides in the larger HĂ´tel National des Invalides complex of the MusĂ©e de l’ArmĂ©e, one of the … Read more
Buy the cheapest tickets for the Alhambra, Nasrid Palaces, and the Generalife in Granada online in advance to ensure admission with skip-the-line timeslot reservations. Tours and combination tickets may give access on busy days. Tickets for the Alhambra in Granada, one of the top sights to see in Spain, often sell out. It is highly … Read more
The Københavns Museum is the local history museum of Copenhagen. It is a small museum but fun to visit. The Museum of Copenhagen (Københavns Museum) covers the history of the city from prehistoric times to the present. It reopened in 2020 with a modern, well-presented exhibition that is easy to follow and a good introduction … Read more
Frederiksborg Slot is the largest Renaissance castle in Scandinavia and has the Museum of National History of Denmark – a popular day-trip from Copenhagen Frederiksborg Castle is home to the vast Museum of National History (Det Nationalhistoriske Museum). The rooms of this former royal palace are filled with portraits, history paintings, furniture, and decorative art … Read more
The Hällisch-Fränkisches Museum in Schwäbisch Hall in southern Germany is a free and fun local history museum to visit. Schwäbisch Hall is a picture-perfect German town in Baden-WĂĽrttemberg complete with many half-timbered houses, a large Gothic church in front of a market square with cafes, a modern art museum, and a river flowing through it. … Read more
The torture instruments and shame masks in the Medieval Crime Museum are among the top sights to see in Rothenburg ob der Tauber on the Romantic Road in Germany. The Medieval Crime Museum (Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum) in Rothenburg ob der Tauber is most famous for its large collection of historic torture devices and public humiliation masks. … Read more
The German Tank Museum (Deutsches Panzermuseum) has around 150 tanks and related vehicles on display from the earliest examples to modern NATO equipment. The German Tank Museum (Deutsches Panzermuseum Munster) explains the history and development of tanks from the First World War to the present. The museum has around 150 tanks and similar armored vehicles … Read more
The Swedish History Museum is one of the top sights to see in Stockholm. Exhibitions include the Vikings and a lot of treasure – all seen for free. The Swedish National History Museum (Historiska Museet) in Stockholm covers the period from pre-history to the present. The Vikings section is arguably the most interesting to foreign … Read more
The Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin covers escapes from East Germany in the Cold War and non-violent struggles for human rights worldwide. The most-popular items in the museum are related to successful escapes from Communist East Germany to the West whether over or under the Berlin Wall, smuggled through border checkpoints or escaping … Read more
The National Maritime Museum (Het Scheepvaartmuseum) in Amsterdam has a large collection of shipping-related items and a replica of a Golden Age sailboat. Het Scheepvaartmuseum in Amsterdam has the world’s second largest collection of historic maritime objects. The museum displays cover many aspects of The Netherlands’ glorious naval history using paintings, shipping equipment and instruments, … Read more
The Moesgaard Museum near Aarhus in Denmark is one of Scandinavia’s best with prehistory (Bronze / Iron / Vikings Ages) and anthropology exhibitions. The Moesgaard Museum (MoMu) is a superb archaeological and ethnographic museum near the city Aarhus on the Danish Jutland peninsula. The prehistory exhibitions concentrate on especially Danish archaeology with superb displays on … Read more
Schloss Thun, an authentic medieval castle, towers over the old town high above the Aare River and the Thuner See.Visiting Schloss Thun is fun. Visiting the castle requires more of a physical than mental workout with many stairs, prime views, and only a few exhibitions. The white, square castle dates from the late twelfth century … Read more
Getting to Waterloo and battlefield sights in Belgium is easy by car, train and bus (W or 365) for day trips from Brussels and Charleroi. The battlefield of Waterloo is a popular day-trip destination from Brussels and Charleroi. Transportation options include driving (plenty of parking), the train or the bus. Bus W and 365 offer … Read more
Getting to Château de Chambord is easiest by car but buses and especially day-trip excursions to various chateaux in the Loire valley are also available. Château de Chambord is the largest castle in the Loire region of France. As a hunting lodge, Chambord was in a forest and as this forest mostly survived as a … Read more
The free Museum in der Kulturbrauerei in Berlin explains everyday life in East Germany (Alltag in der DDR) and the influences of Communist party planning. The museum shows how the Socialist United Party was involved in every aspect of life in East Germany. It also illustrates how this collective approach came into conflict with individual … Read more
The Topographie des Terrors is a free documentation center, memorial and museum in Berlin on the regime of official state terror during the Nazi period. The permanent exhibitions focus on the period 1933 to 1945 when the headquarters of the Gestapo and SS were located here. The longest surviving piece of the Berlin Wall is … Read more
The Tränenpalast at the FriedrichstraĂźe S-Bahn train station was the main departure point for travelers from the former East Germany to West Berlin. During the Cold War, travelers crossed the border here rather than at the far more famous Checkpoint Charlie. A free museum in the Tränenpalast – literally Palace of Tears – explains the … Read more