People have lots of emotions when that last child leaves the nest. And not all of them are bad. Many people find a lot of advantages in the Empty Nester lifestyle. In fact there's more freedom to come and go, more time to do the things they enjoy, and often, more money to spend on guilty pleasures and postponed plans like bucket-list travels.
If you’re an empty nester who has put off personal dreams for the needs of your kids, there’s something you should know. Now is the perfect time to take that once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe! Here are five reasons why it’s going to be better than you ever imagined, now that you’re on your own ...
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Visit the Reichstag and marvel at the huge glass dome
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Walk through the Brandenburg Gate
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Take your picture at Checkpoint Charlie
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Explore the bombed tower of Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
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Meander through the Kurfurstendamm and do a little shopping
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Tour the Jewish Museum and the Topography of Terror — or any of Berlin’s amazing museums
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Enjoy a romantic dinner at the Restaurant Hof Zwei or other swanky inn
Take in the cabaret in Paris, a flamenco dance in Spain, a fado performance in Portugal or a theater production in London.If you’re on a guided tour, go ahead and book that optional excursion to visit the Linderhof Palace in Bavaria or enjoy a Tyrolean Show. Marvel over the crown jewels in the Tower of London, glide along in a riverboat cruise on the Seine, or listen to a fascinating explanations of Pompeii. Buy yourself something fabulous from a fashion house on the Rue Saint Honore or the Boulevard Saint Germain in Paris. Have your portrait drawn at the Tuileries outside the Louvre. Purchase a painting from a sidewalk artist or gallery.
Indulge your interests and, visit a vineyard, tour a sherry bodega, or learn how Waterford Crystal is made.Treat your European tour like the once-in-a-lifetime adventure it is and enjoy every minute with yourself as the star. That’s something only an empty nester can do.