Europe 2015 Recap

Day 20 of our European adventure is nearly in the books as we are in the final stretch of our flight from Reykjavik to Minneapolis. With only the most minor of exceptions, the trip has gone as well as expected and hoped. A few thoughts along with links to each individual posts are listed below.

Canada
A start in Toronto helped break up the flying and get us one time zone closer to Europe while taking in some superb activities.

• Day 1 – Destination: Toronto
• Day 2, Part 1 – Toronto
• Day 2, Part 2 – Toronto
• Day 3 – Niagara Falls

Iceland
Iceland was rainier and colder than we had anticipated but the weather was offset by the absolutely stunning scenery we experienced during every moment in the country.

• Day 4 – Arrival in Iceland
• Day 5 – Iceland
• Day 6 – Heimaey Island
• Day 7 – Last Day in Iceland

Germany, Part 1
From cobblestone streets to castle-lined hills, Bacharach, Germany was the perfect home base to experience the Rhine and Mosel Rivers and visit our two favorite castles from the trip.

• Day 8 – Arrival in Germany
• Day 9 – Burg Eltz

France
Extreme western France brought visits to impressive sites from both World Wars plus a charming gondola ride and generally good time in the lovely city of Colmar.

• Day 10 – Fort Schoenenbourg
• Day 11 – Colmar, France

Switzerland and Liechtenstein
Riding a cable car to reach Ebenalp in the Appenzell District of Switzerland provided one of the most serene nights imaginable in a quiet guest house with incredible views from every direction.

• Day 12 – Appenzell, Switzerland
• Day 13 – Liechtenstein, Etc.

Austria
We spent four nights in Austria, including two at an all-time favorite bed and breakfast; joining our friends Heidi and Willi and their family relieved some homesickness for Noah and Emmie.

• Day 14 – Bavarian Castles
• Day 15 – Luge, Zoo, Salzburg
• Day 16 – Salzburg

Germany, Part 2
Spending time with Heidi, Willi, Sophia, and Olivia made for the perfect ending to our vacation; we hit some big sites in Munich while getting off the beaten path a bit around Ingolstadt and Eichstätt.

• Day 17 – IKEA, Eichstätt Arrival, Milk Tasting
• Day 18, Part 1 – Dachau Concentration Camp
• Day 18, Part 2 – Munich
• Day 19 – Ingolstadt

Day 20 – The Return
Our final day began with the hardest rain we had experienced on the trip and a bit of traffic getting to the Munich Airport. Despite a small holdup in opening the gas tank to fill up before returning the rental car, we were to the airport in plenty of time, which turned out not to be the worst thing given the long line at the airport’s lone food spot near the “D” gates in Terminal 1.

We were nervous about the 45-minute layover in Reykjavik but were able to get through customs efficiently and boarded the plane to Minneapolis with plenty of time to spare. All-in-all, we’ve had an excellent experience with Iceland Air and will definitely consider using them again (and planning another Iceland stopover) for future European travel.

Itinerary
While we missed a handful of items on our ambitious itinerary, we made it to every major attraction on the schedule, from the CN Tower in Toronto to the Golden Circle in Iceland to King Ludwig II’s castles in Germany.