The Best Museums in Europe

Some of the world’s most famous museums are found in Europe. With collections that span centuries, world-class museums boast rich exhibits with historical documents, unique art and artefacts from the world’s many cultures. From Berlin to Paris to London, many of the best museums are found in Europe’s historic capital cities.

Louvre
One of the world’s grandest and largest museums is the Louvre. It is here where you can gaze upon the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and Winged Victory. These are just three of the priceless artefacts housed within a dazzling former royal palace, which stands on the site of a 12th century fortress. There are some 35,000 objects dating from prehistory to the 21st century exhibited at the Louvre, which attracts millions of visitors each year.

British Museum
The British Museum has one of the world’s most comprehensive collections. Popular exhibits include the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon, the Rosetta Stone and mummies from Ancient Egypt. Founded in 1753, the vast collection features art and artefacts from around the world. Best of all, the British Museum is free. Regular special exhibitions, displays and events add to the experience by enriching visitors’ understanding of cultures from prehistory to today.

Museumsinsel
Berlin has a prolific collection of museums. With over 150 museums, the German capital has some of Europe’s best collections. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is home to five state museums with collections that range from classical antiquities to contemporary art. Visitors can explore the Egyptian and antique collections at the Altes Museum and prehistoric, Neanderthal, Egyptian and Ancient Greek collections at the Neues Museum. Other museums include the Alte Nationalgalerie and the Bode Museum with sculpture collections and late Antique and Byzantine art, while the Pergamon Museum showcases reconstructed historical buildings.

Museo del Prado
Madrid’s Prado Museum exhibits some of Spain’s most renowned and beloved masterpieces. Thought-provoking and inspiring, the museum’s collection has grown into one of the world’s best since opening in 1819. Historical documents and artistic works from the 12th to early 19th centuries can be found within the sprawling museum, including stunning artwork by Francisco de Goya, Diego Velazquez, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens and Hieronymus Bosch.

Vatican Museums
Although getting into the popular Vatican Museums can be a challenge, the wait is well worth the patience. Among the masterpieces found here is the dazzling Sistine Chapel decorated by Michelangelo. Founded in the early 16h century, the museum also includes Raphael’s Stanze della Segnatura. The museum’s also features a vast collection classical sculptures and some of the most important Renaissance art found in Europe, as well as modern religious art.

Galleria degli Uffizi
Florence was where the Italian Renaissance flourished. As a result, the city is home to several exciting museums and art galleries. The Uffizi houses one of the most important Renaissance collections found anywhere in the world. Works by Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio, Giotto, Sandro Botticelli, Titian, Leonardo da Vinci and many others are all found is this stunning 16th century building in the heart of the city.
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The Horse Riding is Something Has Always Interested Humanity

The horse riding is something has always interested humanity, we have many manuscripts left by those who were interested in horse riding, mainly military or knights, dating back as early as 1350 BC with the manuscript "The care and feeding of horse chariot". The eldest manual is "About horse" of Xenophon. Analyzing the Greek and Roman history we find that knowing how to “Equitare” was an added value to rise in society, so Knights gained a certain nobility, and as consequence nobles were forced to learn to ride a horse to participate in the political and military life. The demonstration of the importance of knowing how to ride a horse at that time, is given us by the huge amount of in-depth texts on the subject, but with the advent of the internal combustion engine the relationship between man and horse changed greatly, as well at the beginning the 900 humanity stopped using horses to war and riding became a recreational and sport activity.

We can roughly define the following types of horse to be ride:
Work: this includes all the types of riding a horse carrying a type activities working for the breeding of cattle are mainly: American Cowboys’ Western; Butteri Maremmani from Maremma and Vaquera of the Spanish and Argentine gaucho.

Sports or English: includes those types of mounts that have to do with sports and the Olympic disciplines such as show jumping, dressage, cross country, endurance.

Riding classical equestrian art: that goes back to riding as the written texts of the old masters tells.

The main gaits of the horse are:
The pace is slower gait of the horse. The horse brings forward the whole body by performing a vertical movement with the neck and rests limbs one at a time, one after the other, so as to recognize four strokes. The step can be long or short; it can be distinguished by the fact that the socket back rests on the clue left by the front hoof, while the long wheelbase rests in front of the hoof clue rear of the front.

The trot is a gait to jump in two times, at this pace the horse reaches a speed that varies from 10 to 55 km / h.

The gallop is actually the fastest pace in three steps with variations relating to speed.

You can do many things riding a horse: there are sports as Polo, rehabilitation after injuries, help people with difficulty socializing with other people such as those suffering from Asperger's syndrome, have fantastic safari holidays and many other holidays’ type.

Many horses’ owner develop a very strong relationship with their horse: they talk, hug and take care personally of the horse needs. Of course if you live in a city you have to leave your horse in a stable with someone who will feed and keep your horse clean. A horse is not exactly what we call a pet. Never less as I said before very strong relationship often born between the horse and its rider.

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My Trip to Gibraltar

About Gibraltar- the tiny British colony of Gibraltar, nicknamed Gib to the locals, or even the rock. The impressive silhouette dominates the strait between Spain and morocco; it was once one of the Pillars of Hercules, marking the western limits of the known world and in an ace position commanding the narrow pathway between the Mediterranean and Atlantic oceans. I like to think of Gibraltar as Britain, but with a suntan, how it should be. There are double decker buses, policemen in traditional helmets and even the bright red mail boxes. Gibraltar was ceded to Britain way back in 1713 and Spain have been trying to claim it back ever since, but recently Spain and Britain have been having talks about a joint angle-Spanish sovereignty, imagine that all the humble trinkets of Britain with the prowess of Spain. The best thing about coming to Gibraltar is the fact you don’t have to exchange anything, everything is in pound coins!

Coming ashore- as you can probably tell, I came to Gibraltar on a cruise holiday a few months ago, I am determined to come back again, hopefully on Cunard’s queen Victoria in 2014 . Gibraltar has a dedicated cruise terminal in the commercial port. There are a range of facilities, a bar, a café, a souvenir shop (in case you’ve forgot a present for your mum on the way home!), an information desk, a bank and currency exchange and loads more, everything is here really if you have forgot anything or are in desperate need for something! It’s a straight walk into the main part of Gibraltar or take a taxi if you’re feeling lazy for around £2.40 a pickup and 15p per 200m, about the cost of an average taxi in the U.K!

What to do in Gibraltar - Gibraltar has a crazy mount of things that you can do, for such a small place, the two places that I like the best are- visit the Barbary macaques! These little monkeys are the most annoying, mischievous, cutest little things on the planet; you instantly fall in love with them. It is said that as long as the apes stay in Gibraltar, Britain will own the rock. You can feed them at either 8 or 4, where they will climb over you, be warned though, hold onto your handbags and try to avoid sunglasses etc. as they may decide to steal them! They are cheeky little creatures.

I love to take the cable car up to St Michaels cave, its super relaxing and thrilling at the same time. As soon as you can even see a glimpse of Gibraltar you notice the huge cliff and you instantly want to go onto the top (well I do anyway!) with views of Spain and Africa from the rocks pinnacle, I don’t think you can get a better view even if you tried, super romantic too.

Where to eat in Gibraltar- food in Gibraltar is amazing, imagine the belly of an Englishman, with the culinary skills of a Spanish man. There are two places that you must go to the first is called 14 on the quay and the second sacarello’s.

14 on the way is a new restaurant and are very sophisticated. The menu changes with the seasons, but starters such as lemon risotto and seared scallops and mains like roasted wild boar and the good old fashioned bubbled and squeak is all served throughout the year. The dessert here is the reason I’d come back, the creamy malt flavoured mousse with a chocolate crust and shortbread was sublime.

Sacrellos is Right Off Main Street, it is renowned for its exquisite coffee and cakes and for its awesome adjacent restaurant. There is a lavish daily salad buffet, as well as baked potatoes filled with many things, pan-fried noodles with broccoli, chicken, mussels etc., you could have the rack of lamb with wine and fine herbs. To end you must have a coffee with cream and vanilla, I don’t know what they do to it, but in my opinion, it’s the best coffee in the world. It looks like a traditional British pub with all the cosy fittings you’d expect.

Overall Gibraltar is the perfect home from home, it’s like Britain, but with added little extras like the sun, the sea and the views.