Jungfrau

Top European Natural Wonders (Part 2)

Published February 25, 2016 | By Clark Norton

Santorini’s harbor is part of an ancient volcanic caldera that wiped out Minoan civilization. Photo from Visit Greece.

Here’s Part 2 of our two-part series on Ten Top European Natural Wonders, starring five more incredibly scenic spots on land, on water, and up in the sky:

The Greek Island of Santorini

If you bypass the often-crowded Aegean island of Santorini — also known as Thira or, in ancient times, Thera — due to its popularity as a sun-soaked tourist destination, you’ll also be missing one of the most memorable and expansive seascape panoramas in all of Europe.

Few views can compete with those from a terrace perched high atop the cliffs overlooking Santorini’s deep, seven-by- four-mile circle-shaped lagoon, formed from a mostly underwater caldera left by a titanic volcanic explosion some 36 centuries ago. One of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in history, it wiped out the island’s… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Countries, Europe, river cruises, Wildlife | Tagged Abisko Sweden, Alps, Atlantis, Aurora borealis, Austria, Chamonix, Denmark, Douro Valley, Eiger, Faroe Islands, France, Greece, Greek Islands, Italy, Jungfrau, Matterhorn, Mönch, Mt. Blanc, Northern Lights, Porto, Portugal, Santorini, Sweden, Switzerland, Thira | 2 Comments

Under the Spell of Switzerland’s Jungfrau

Published July 21, 2014 | By Clark Norton

On the hike up the Mannlichen. Photo from Swiss Tourism

Though it lacks the glitz and glamour of St. Moritz, Gstaad, or Zermatt, the Jungfrau region may be the most truly “Swiss” of any alpine resort area in Switzerland.

All the prototypical Swiss images are here: the towering snow-capped peaks, the glacier-cut valleys, the flower-blanketed meadows, the rushing rivers and thundering waterfalls, the neatly trimmed A-frame chalets, the colorful little cogwheel trains chugging up the hillsides.

If you encountered Heidi on your morning walk, you wouldn’t blink twice.

And while towns like Wengen, Mürren, and Grindelwald may not be household names in the U.S., the Swiss know them well. The Jungfrau was one of the first alpine resort areas in Europe, and the Swiss have flocked here for outdoorsy vacations for more than a century.

While no area of Switzerland is exactly a budget haven, the Jungfrau region – situated… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Countries, Hiking | Tagged Grindelwald, Jungfrau, Jungfraujoch, Männlichen, Mürren, Switzerland, Wengen | Leave a comment

According to government and private surveys:

Leading-edge baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1955) and seniors account for four out of every five dollars spent on luxury travel today.
Roughly half the consumer spending money in the U.S.--more than $2 trillion--is in the hands of leading-edge baby boomers and seniors.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) travel more than any other age group.
When asked what they would most like to spend their money on, baby boomers answered “travel” more than any other category, including improving their health or finances.