In 2025, Shannon and I spent two weeks in Europe. I turned 50 and Shannon was insistent that we either had a party or traveled somewhere other than Massachusetts and Tennessee. Parties aren’t my thing, but I do love castles, WW2 history, and genealogy, so the choice was simple. We made a wish list of sites, narrowed them down into a workable route, and then she worked her travel planning magic to book flights, hotels, and a rental car. She kept us on task with the daily broad strokes and I pulled us around like an overly energetic beagle wanting to see all the things.

It would take me weeks to do a journal style write up of the trip, but below the itinerary followed by YouTube playlist containing 10 edited videos.

16 May 2025 [Friday] - US > Amsterdam
JetBlue overnight flight with fancy sleeper seats.

17 May 2025 [Saturday] - Amsterdam
24K steps of sightseeing throughout the city - canals, churches, old town, china town, red light district, etc.

18 May 2025 [Sunday] - Amsterdam
Vincent van Gogh Museum, walked the museum district, open boat canal tour [Flagship], Anne Frank House tour.

19 May 2025 [Monday] - Amsterdam > Germany
Amsterdam to Duisburg via train. Duisburg to Bad Sassendorf via rental car.
Explored a small section of Erwitte - church and Castle.
Explored Soest. Most things were closed, but we saw the exterior of three churches, several squares/buildings, and segments of the old city wall.
Explored the salt graduation tower in Bad Sassendorf.

20 May 2025 [Tuesday] - Germany
Bals-Lusebrink at 10am
We spent around 1.5 hours with Franz Josef and Heidi talking about family history.
Franz Josef then gave us an interior/exterior tour of the Chapel and told us a few stories from his childhood.
”The Feedening” was an unexpected lunch with Franz, Heidi, Andreas, Julia - schnitzel, potatoes, salad, tiramisu
It turned out it was Jasper’s birthday, so we were invited into the house to open presents, eat bamboozled beans, and erase that foul taste with spaghetti cake.
Andreas showed us several sections of the house and answered my never ending questions.
The party continued in Möhne with a walk on the reservoir damn, plunge in a lake, and a hike to lookout tower which was then ascended.
Andreas took use for a quick drive through Schmerlecke as the sun set were be briefly saw the athletic center, Siedhoff distillery, church, and WWI memorial.
Back at the house to eat burgers and facetime Ute until all the phone batteries died, followed by a quick tour of the BioGas facility and then an impromptu tractor driving lesson.
Shannon and I left the Bals-Lusebrink and headed back to the hotel at 10pm.
This was hands down the best day of the trip for me.

21 May 2025 [Wednesday] - Germany > Poland
Bad Sassendorf to Dusseldorf via rental car. Dusseldorf to Krakow via plane.
Explored old town - squares, churches, basilica, exterior and courtyard of Wavel castle, and Florian’s gate.

22 May 2025 [Thursday] - Poland
Krakow to Auschwitz via hired driver.
Guided tour of Auschwitz and Birkenau.
Guided tour of Wieliczka salt mine.
Wieliczka to Krakow via hired driver.

23 May 2025 [Friday] - Poland
Oskar Schindler’s factory guided tour.
Walked to an existing segment of the Ghetto wall and Ghetto Heroes square.
Explored Wavel castle with audio guided tour of the royal suites and renovation exhibit

24 May 2025 [Saturday] - Poland
Hired a private driver and spent the day exploring multiple castles on the Trail of the Eagles’ Nests - Bobolice Castle, Mirów Castle, Rabsztyn Castle, Ojców Castle.

25 May 2025 [Sunday] - Poland > Austria
Krakow to Vienna and Vienna to Salzburg via train

26 May 2025 [Monday] - Austria
Salzburg to Berchtesgaden, Germany via train.
Privated guided tour of SS related sites - SS commanders/gestapo/family barracks, coal storage bunker, and the site of Hitler’s house [destroyed].
Explored Hitler’s Eagles Nest, ascended the summit, gained access to the submarine engine room, and explored a section of the underground bunkers.
Explored a section of Berchtesgaden - few squares, shops, churches, a palace, and a cemetery.
Berchtesgaden to Salzberg via train.

27 May 2025 [Tuesday] - Austria
Toured all accessible areas of Fortress Hohensalzburg.
Explored old town - squares, churches, mozartplatz, and shops.
Walked/hiked along a section of the fortress wall encircling the Kloister behind the hotel - Shannon almost died and/or killed me.
Explored an urban shopping district, public gardens, more churches and walked along the river.

28 May 2025 [Wednesday] - Austria > Germany
Salzburg to Munich via train.
Explored old town - konigplatz, multiple churches, third reich admin building, marienplatz, and farmers market.

29 May 2025 [Thursday] - Germany
Munich to Dachau via train.
Dachau Concentration camp museum guided tour from 11am-2pm
Dachau to Munich via train
Explored more sections of Munich Most stores and even the outdoor market stalls were closed due to Ascension Day

30 May 2025 [Friday] - Germany
Munich to Füssen via train.
Explored sections of Füssen, specifically Hohenschwangau castle and Neuschwanstein castle.
Füssen to Munich via train - barely squeezed into one of the last buses to get to the train station.

31 May 2025 [Saturday] - Germany > US
Train to airport. Flight home to Boston

Total Steps Walked in Europe [iPhone Health App]: 229390
3mph pace = 102 miles | 4mph pace = 119 miles