Famous landmarks around Europe you can see when booking a cruise

By Guest Contributor

If you have been longing for the open seas, but have limited time to plan for your exclusive experience, why not book a spontaneous getaway to treat yourself and your family to an unforgettable cruise vacation.

Whether its the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Rome, you can hardly turn a corner in Europe without stumbling upon an incredible landmark.

So go ahead and browse the cheapest option with last-minute cruise deals which will whisk you away on an unforgettable adventure to some of the most sought-after destinations of Europe.

1:

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

An unparalleled achievement of the famous Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, La Sagrada Familia is the most grandest of all landmarks in Europe and probably on the planet as well.

The stunning exterior is a vivid display of spires, towers, sculptures and carvings that extend skywards to heights of 566 feet while the interior is reminiscent of a forest canopy. Scheduled to be completed in 2026, it will mark the 100 th death anniversary of Gaudi, buried in the script underneath.

2:

Colosseum, Rome

Constructed more than two thousand years ago, the enormity of the Colosseum in Rome can be envisaged by its look which even resembles what it was when originally built, just east of the Palatine Hill.

This incredible engineering feat can be felt when walking the perimeter of this massive stone and concrete structure and its elliptical bowl shape. Note the retractable awning above which acted as as a shield from the elements for the 50,000 spectators who watched the brutal combat scenes.

3:

Eiffel Tower, Paris

The 1063 feet high Eiffel Tower stands like a beacon over the City of Lights and has become a landmark synonymous not only with Paris, but the whole of France as well. Initially a concept of Gustave Eiffel, a French engineer, for the 1889 World Fair, it only escaped demolition as it was considered to be a potential telecommunication tower.

No visit to Paris can be deemed complete without a selfie against the backdrop of this colossal iron frame towering in the distance. Moreover, the views of the city from the top, accessed by a combination of lifts and stairs, are unsurpassable,

This incredible engineering feat can be felt when walking the perimeter of this massive stone and concrete structure and its elliptical bowl shape. Note the retractable awning above which acted as as a shield from the elements for the 50,000 spectators who watched the brutal combat scenes.

4:

The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Built way back in 1173, this unique bell tower built for the Pisa Cathedral was lopsided right from the start due to the uneven settling of the foundation below it. Despite efforts from architects to correct the tilt, this 185 tower still leans today to about 4 degrees off the vertical.

Alas, this engineering destabilization, has made the tower one of the most significant landmarks in Italy and one of the most famous monument in Europe. Thankfully, the white marble arcades have ensured that it is very much stable still and safe to climb its 251 steps as well.

Visitors are rewarded with excellent views of the entire cathedral complex and the surrounding Tuscan scenery from the top.

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Lego house and Lalandia

The next morning once we’d got the kids ready, they sat nicely and played with the Lego that was provided in the room, which meant we were able to get ready in peace – this is not something to be underestimated! Then we headed downstairs for the hotel breakfast, it was a buffet with plenty of choices. Scheduled for our first day was a trip to Lego house and Lalandia – which is home to Scandinavia’s largest water park. We decided to go to Lego House first, thinking it was probably best for them to go swimming towards the end of the day. The hotel reception staff had informed us that Lego House was approximately a 20 minute walk from the hotel, and just as the nine of us were about to set off the heavens opened! Even though we all had coats on, the rain was so heavy that we decided to buy some of the yellow Legoland ponchos for backup. In hindsight, instead of the ponchos we probably would have been better off getting a taxi there. The rain didn’t dampen the children’s spirits though and they couldn’t wait to dive into all of the various activities that greeted you as soon as you entered Lego House. There was an array of mind blowing Lego models from huge dinosaurs, and miniature villages, to a tree that was the centrepiece of the staircase that went up three floors! The children were thoroughly entertained throughout their time at Lego House and it was so refreshing to see them diving into Lego bricks to build things and not once asking for any kind of technology. As we prepared to leave Lego house to go to our next destination, we couldn’t believe it had started snowing! Only when team brood go somewhere at the end of April, could it snow! So we figured out how to get a taxi and went straight to our next destination Lalandia – which was only a two minute walk from our hotel, so it was very handy to go back there for changes of clothes, etc. As well as being home to Scandinavia’s biggest waterpark, Lalandia was also filled with restaurants, trampolines, soft play areas and shops, including a supermarket – which was very handy to get the children’s drinks and snacks from. 

The kids absolutely loved it in the waterpark and spent around two hours in there up and down slides, in and out of the pool, riding the waves. The youngest two couldn’t go in for that long, but there was a seating area with a viewing platform which had an enclosed play area so they were equally as happy as the older ones. It was a great afternoon and afterwards, we all enjoyed pizza from the takeaway pizzeria, which was really reasonably priced, and a few pizzas to share with drinks from the supermarket was perfect for us all.

After their tea settled, we let the kids go into the soft play area and ensured that they were worn out in time for bed. As we came out of Lalandia to go home the sun was shining and it was really warm – we’d enjoyed all four seasons in one day!

We were up early again the next day as the children were super excited to go to Legoland Park, which was once again just two minutes from our hotel, with just one road to cross, that was a zebra crossing so it was nice and easy. There was so much to do at Legoland Park, we started by asking all the children what was the one thing that they most wanted to visit that day, and taking into account the two little ones Iris, 2 and Hartley, 4, would most love the new Peppa Pig land. We visited attractions like the Ninjago Land and a host of different rides that were all suitable for all different ages. Archer at only five-year-old proved to be the biggest daredevil of them all! We actually got to see an awful lot in one day and packed in lots of activities. Legoland Park doesn’t stay open too late either, which we only realised as it approached 5 o’clock that the park was starting to close rides – which helped us to get the children out of there and wind down for teatime. We knew we had the next day in the park to continue the fun which definitely helped take any stress off trying to cram everything in, so I would definitely recommend having two days in the park if you can. It’s definitely worth having a buggy for the little ones too, you can hire from Legoland, although I’d say whenever you travel anywhere having a little buggy at the airport for any child even under the age of five is super helpful. Our five year-old wanted to hop in it occasionally as you do end up doing an awful lot of steps in one day. I think we counted 16,000 steps one day, and 17,000 steps the next, so definitely get prepared in that sense. 

The next day we visited the sea life centre inside Legoland Park, as we hadn’t got around to that the day before, which the kids loved and we also had the opportunity to revisit some of their favourite rides and places, which cemented that Ninjago Land and Peppa Pig World were right up there. Then of course came the gift shop, but as they had all been so well behaved we did promise them that they could pick something out of the gift shop on the last day. The choice was overwhelming for them, so I would allow plenty of time for them to keep changing their mind and decide on what they want, especially when you are sticking to a budget. 

Is Legoland Billund worth it?

Absolutely! The children all enjoyed Legoland so much that they got quite teary when they were leaving and we had to make a promise that we would one day all go back together. And as adults, although it was tiring, it was so worth it. The children’s faces were lighting up each and every day with all the different things that were going on and we would all highly recommend Legoland Billund. We will definitely be returning and it would probably be nice to add on a few extra days to explore some of Billund as well. The Danish people and teams at Legoland were particularly helpful, and it felt very clean and safe. So if you’re looking for a fun mini break with the children, then I would put Legoland straight to the top of your list!

https://www.legoland.dk/en/

Disneyland Paris 

If you’re looking for an extra special holiday to enjoy with the children, then it really is hard to beat a Disney holiday. We’ve been on two Disney holidays now and both were filled with lots happy tears. Our first trip was on a Disney Cruise back when we only had our oldest two children, so this year we did decided to give Disneyland Paris a go, to see how our little ones tolerated the flights and the rides. 

Although most of the rides you can queue for, there are some of the attractions that require booking in advance such as the shows, and the Marvel Avengers Hero Training Centre – so be aware of this to avoid disappointment! It’s worth noting that if you’re pregnant or you have any children with a disability then you can access the special assistance which will mean you don’t have to queue for any where near as long, but once again you will have to book in advance and make sure you have all the correct documentation with you. 

If you don’t want to eat fast food or snacks the whole time that you’re there, you’ll need to book the restaurants in advance 

As much your days at Disneyland will be fun packed, they will also be tiring for everyone in the family, but especially the little ones, so a buggy is an absolute must. We hired one, but as you can’t take them out of the park it meant we ended up carrying our two little ones at the end of the day to get back to the hotel which wasn’t ideal, so if you can I would recommend taking your own if you can. 

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If you don’t have park passes for each day of your trip you can still take in some Disney magic by spending some time in Disney Village. You don’t need a park pass to wander around, it right by both parks and it’s filled with Disney themed restaurants, bars and shops, so save your money on your park day visits and let them know they can pick up their favourite toy on the Disney Village day. If you are staying in any of the Disney Hotels than you can get access to the Avengers centre, within the 5*Marvel Hotel, which is really fun and filled with fab photo opportunity’s that the kids will reveal in. 

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