A classical itinerary, going further back in history than the Historical Western Europe itinerary by including the civilizations of Ancient Greece and The Roman Empire. When in Rome, consider taking the time to visit the buried towns of Pompei and Herculaneum, close to Naples.
When Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned emperor of France, and France was turned into an empire after about a century of democracy, France began looking outside its borders for expansion and political influence, and the Napoleonic Wars began, affecting all of Europe. Today the wealth and power of France is mirrored through the architecture and cultural influence seen throughout Europe and very much in the French capital of Paris itself.
The Roman Empire was a major political and economical factor in the World from two hundred years before Christ until about the fifth century after Christ. Since then Rome and the Vatican State has been the center of Catholicism and home of the Pope, adding to the importance and cultural influences of Rome and Italy.
The Greek culture has had a profound effect on today's understanding of democracy and culture. The many small city states that made up ancient Greece contributed much to Western civilization and our way of life today.
Until a few centuries ago, what we know as Germany today was a lot of small city states wih a common base in language and culture. When the German Empire emerged, the political situation in all of Europe changed. Two World wars with Germany as a main participant later, Germany has become a powerful influence in Europe through its political work in the European Union. Berlin, once again the German capital, bears witness to the greatness and turmoil Germany has gone through.
Denmark was an important part of viking society from 800-1050AD. The famous viking raiders that ravaged the European coasts came from Denmark, for example from the Trelleborg and Fyrkat viking fortresses. Seeing the viking exhibit at The Danish National Museum and visits to locations like a viking ship burial mound and a viking fortress offer a comprehensive insight into the fascinating viking culture and its traditions. Present day Copenhagen is a laid back and cosmopolitic yet easily overseeable city with quite a distance to Denmark's sword swinging, slave taking viking past.
England was conquered several times, first by the Romans, then the vikings and finally the French, who were really vikings that had settled in France. With the expansion of its naval power and a chain of conquests and colonizations of territories in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, North America and the Caribbean, the power of the United Kingdom made it a major World player, and a large influence politically and economically around the World for several centuries.
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