Call it city break with a twist or a romantic escape; a mini cruise could be the perfect addition to you existing holidays.
A mini or short cruise is perfect for beginner cruises and travellers who are on a short visit or for tourists who are short on time. Typically, mini cruises may range from 2 to 5 nights. It is a great opportunity to unwind and enjoy nature up close.
Mini cruises provide a sneak peek into cruising and help you get a taste of all traditional cruise facilities, without being too time consuming or costly. Warm welcomes, luxurious dining and bars, mini cruises offer more of a thrilling, fun-filled feel. Compared to traditional cruises, they are a bit more relaxed/
Perhaps the biggest challenge planning a European cruise is narrowing down the places you want to visit. A Western Mediterranean tour typically includes stops in Monaco, Barcelona and Spain, and sometimes Italy; whereas Eastern Mediterranean Cruises typically includes stops in Greece, Croatia and Italy and sometimes includes Israel and Turkey. Besides that, you can explore the rich history of Baltic States on a Baltic Sea cruise. British Isles cruises are also worth mentioning. And if you are a sun lover, you’ll absolutely love Canary Islands.
Best Mini Cruise Destinations in Northern Europe
The romance of travel for some people is at the heart of romance itself. For adventure seeking couples who share the feeling, a mini cruise may be ideal way to begin with. A romantic gateway to a magical place, where love is in the air, the waters and everything in between!
A mini cruise to northern parts of Europe offers everything from gorgeous lakes to picturesque beaches. Not only will you be thrilled by the splendor of this natural landscape, you will get a chance to explore their eccentric and exciting cultures as well.
Amsterdam
The capital of Netherlands, Amsterdam is offers a number of exciting locations for you to explore. To be outright honest, if you are short on time, pre-planning your itinerary will be crucial. Amsterdam is the one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Other than that, the Rijksmuseum that has been opened 10 years after refurbishment in 2013 is another great place to visit in Amsterdam. The place still has that famous Night Watch painting is still in the same place even after refurbishment. So if you visited these place years ago, you’ll absolutely love it. Online bookings can be done to avoid disappointments.
Furthermore, Amsterdam cruise terminal is an easy walk away from the city center. You will easily find trams outside the main building to the main railway station and get other trains from there.
Antwerp
Due to the fascinating beauty of Antwerp, small cruise vessels are sailing increasingly down the River Scheldt from Northern Sea to Antwerp. Home to popular artists, tourists can enjoy a visit to the home of Peter Paul Rubens that was built in seventeenth century and witness his beautiful paintings. The tomb of this great artist is in St. James Church. Some of his paintings are displayed in the largest Gothic cathedral of Belgium in the Cathedral of our Lady.
If you are an art lover, you’ll absolutely love this place. You can see art work of famous artists like Jordeans, Dyck and Rubens displayed in St. Paul’s Church – near magnificent square – Grote Markt. For a little something extra, you can visit the Diamond museum to explore how diamonds make it from the mine to the market. Waterloo is one hour away. This place was chosen by the Duke of Wellington as headquarters about 200 years ago when his army defeated Napoleon in 1815.
Zeeburg
Though not a very famous port, Zeeburg has a lot to offer to those who want to explore. The place is located at short distance from Bruges, with some cruise lines providing shuttle services to the Belgium’s chocolate capital.
The place has been listed as a UNESCO heritage site and offers a fascinating mix of exciting places including restaurants, historic buildings, cafes, shops and bars. You can literally spend hours just looking around the vast central market square and relatively smaller but superb Burg Square, where the blood drop of Jesus from the crusades has been preserved in the Basilica of the Holy Blood.
A number of canal boat trips are also offered to tourists. The place is also in close proximity of the Tyne Cot Cemetery. Besides that The Flanders Field museum describes the story of the war in West Flanders.
Cherborg
The town still has an amazing feeling attached to it. The place offers incredible opportunities for tourists. If you are a shopaholic, you’ll find this place very interesting as the place is lined with boutiques and shops. The place has quite a few historic buildings and monuments.
Honfleur
Honfleur is one of the most beautiful ports of the world. The place has quite a few cafes, restaurants and interesting places for you to explore. If you are a foodie, you will definitely have a great time here. Don’t forget to pay a visit to the Eugene Boudin Museum. It has a collection of beautiful paintings.
Planning your next holiday trip? Enjoy travelling to and love exploring places that are breathtakingly beautiful? If yes, then we say plan you trip to Europe.
In addition to having some great places to visit, the place also offers a plethora of fun-filled activities to enjoy and submerge in. The place is renowned for its beauty and exclusivity. Whether you are looking to wind down after a long day, watch the sun go down the horizon or just have a great time, the place will mesmerize you with its beauty.
If you want to make your trip one of the most wonderful and exciting trips you have ever taken, don’t forget to visit Door2Tour.com.