One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.
— Henry Miller
This post is part of my 33 Days in Europe series. Visit the hub page to follow along, see the full itinerary, and sign up for email updates.
Day 11 turned out to be a little bit of everything.
It was only a half sailing day, but it included all the right elements: a medieval town, time on foot, lunch on the river, and then a long, easy afternoon of sailing. We were, after all, on a cruise, and relaxing while taking in the unassuming river felt like perfect timing in our trip.
Guided Tour
Thank goodness for our Viking Cruises tour guide.
Without his knowledge, we would have meandered aimlessly and missed all the stories that makes Speyer special.
Instead, we learned the historical significance of so many different things, from the spectacular cathedral to the path of the cobblestones. Weathered stone statues came alive with meaning; cobblestone paths transformed into stories and context. Viking offers free tours almost every day on the cruise, and some of these guides have PhDs in history, so the information isn’t surface-level. It’s rich and credible.