Montmartre and the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur in Paris, France

One of the most popular destinations to visit in Paris is the Montmartre District. With the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur (Sacred Heart) sitting on top of the hill with incredible views of the city, it is certainly worthwhile to put it on your itinerary. There are plenty of restaurants and cafés in the area and many people go there just to sit on the steps of the basilica and look out at the wonderful views. We didn’t make it there until our second visit to Paris, which was in the winter and unfortunately it was a cloudy and rainy day, which did diminish the views a bit.

The Front of the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur
Cloudy View of the City
Tomb Inside of the Church
Even With the Rain, It Was Busy
The Bell Tower

The inside of the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur is certainly quite beautiful and might be even more popular with Notre Dame still being repaired. The area is very busy, even on the rainy day that we visited, so be prepared for large crowds when you visit. We only had a few hours in the area during our visit, so we’ll have to take the time to go once again on our next trip to Paris when hopefully the weather will better.

Looking Up at One of the Statues
Entering the Basilica
Making the Most of a Wet Day
Imagine if It Was a Sunny Day
Angel Statue and Stained Glass Windows

The City of Bucharest in Romania

Bucharest is the capital of Romania and was the first city that we visited during our trip to Romania before heading to Brasov. We were there in winter and the streets were covered with snow, but we still found it interesting. Bucharest became the capital of Romania in 1862 and was, at one time, considered to be “little Paris” because of its architecture and culture, but due to the wars, much of the architecture was destroyed. Although many of buildings have been restored, the city has evolved over time.

The University Building
One of the Interesting Churches
Dome at a Church Entrance
Museum of Art
Interesting Artwork in the Monastery

Like most historic cities, walking the streets of the old town area is certainly a worthwhile experience. You will find many restaurants, some old churches and buildings, as well as some modern shops and adult stores. Although there is a definite mix of utilitarian buildings as well as historic buildings, we definitely saw several very interesting buildings. It is certainly worth visiting the Galeria de Arta Romaneasca and the Central de la Universidad de Bucharest, with its statue of Carol I on horseback, has wonderful architectural features. The area is also known as Revolution Square and there is an interesting obelisk that is a monument for the anti-communist revolution of 1989.

Monastery Exterior
Walking the Streets of Old Town
Unique Architecture
Snow Covered Statue
More Traditional Church

There are several old churches that you can visit as well that are very interesting. One of the most interesting is the Church of Stavropoleos Monastery in old town Bucharest. With interesting murals inside on the walls and ceilings, its architecture is done in the Byzantine tradition. It is certainly quite a contrast to the buildings that surround it. We went to a couple of restaurants and found the people to be very friendly, but be sure to always have small change with you as the waiters are likely to tell you that they don’t have change in hopes of getting you to pay more than the actual price. We were fortunate enough to have musicians playing local, folk music at one of the restaurants that we visited.

Monastery Entrance
Ceiling in the Monastery
Spicy Beef with Polenta

In general, we found Bucharest to be a city of contrasts. It was our first experience in an Eastern European country and it was very fascinating. Bucharest is the sixth larges city in the European Union with almost 2.5 million residents, so it can certainly be busy. After leaving Bucharest, we went to Transylvania and the city of Brasov, which was quite different than the capital city and something that we would highly recommend. We will be visiting the neighboring country of Hungary and the city of Budapest in a couple of months and are anxious to compare our different experiences.

Revolution Square Statue
Culturally Important Statues
Monastery Dome
Interesting Architecture
Sweet Dessert
Statue of Carol I

The Granada Cathedral and the Royal Chapel

Granada is a historic city located in Southern Spain and many people visit there to see the Alhambra Palace and Fortress complex. It is equally important to visit the Granada Cathedral, or the Cathedral of the Incarnation, and the Royal Chapel, which is adjacent to the church. The cathedral has an interesting architecture that represents the changing styles that were occurring during its construction in the mid-16th century. There are some gothic features, but it is mainly in the Spanish Renaissance style with elements of Baroque.

Looking Up at the Dome
Entrance to the Royal Chapel
Massive Organ
Walking Through the Cathedral

The cathedral features a large organ, high domed ceilings, white marble pillars, and a black and white checkered floor. The main dome, with its green background and gold stars, certainly draws the attention of anyone who visits the cathedral. In addition to all of the golden features throughout the interior of the cathedral, beautiful pieces of art adorn the walls of the church. Although the exterior is not as impressive as some of the other gothic cathedrals that can be found all around Europe, it is still quite worth visiting.

Golden Details
Impressive Artwork
Front of the Cathedral
Cathedral Courtyard

Located next to the cathedral is the Royal Chapel, which is the burial place of the Spanish Monarchs, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand. It was Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand who famously funded Christopher Columbus’ venture that led to the European colonization of the Americas. Construction of the Royal Chapel began in the early 1500’s and was built in the gothic style. The highlight of visiting the Royal Chapel is seeing the tombs, which are protected by a glass wall.

Narrow Streets Near the Cathedral
Tombs in the Royal Chapel
Giant Columns
Cathedral Doors

The Granada Cathedral is certainly gorgeous and is a highlight of any visit to Granada. In addition to the cathedral and the Royal Chapel, there are many small streets that wind all around the heart of the old town area with plenty of small restaurants and shops.