Bamberg - Germany

Bamberg – Germany

Post published:6 November 2016
Post category:Europe Germany Western Europe

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The City on Seven Hills

As originally planned for this weekend to Nuremberg, we would not leave this place without the mandatory visit to nearby jewel city of Bamberg. At just 63 kilometres north, a short 40 minutes commuter train ride from Nuremberg, this was the perfect place to spend the entire Sunday before heading back for the late evening flight back to London. Way more than enough time to completely enjoy the city and sparing some time for great lunch and dinner, coffee and cake and some gingerbread cookies. Both Nuremberg and Bamberg are great cities and compliment each other. While an entire weekend at one of them could be too much, visiting both is the most logical way, not to mention that if you count with an extra day to spare, then do not hesitate in including the other World Heritage city of Regensburg.

The city has by nickname the “Franconian Rome” because it is built on 7 hills, like Rome is. Each of the hill crowned by a church, being the most important Cathedral Hill. Although Bamberg is small, it is home to an enormous historic patrimony and an almost intact medieval core and appearance. This has lead it for being included in the UNESCO list as a World Heritage Site. A “little” over 1000 years of history since its foundation in 973, and an incredible rich history with an ever increasing eager to built better and grander through the centuries, where now most of its sights are still there to enjoy and admire.

As opposed to majority of other cities where you can follow a well defined route when doing your sightseeing tour, here in Bamberg this is a bit more complicated to do. There are too many places you could go, and every of them is full of history and sights therefore the best and only option is to make a route of loops and zig-zags, back and forth’s. Don’t just concentrate in the key sights because the city is way much more than that with absolutely every street worth the walk.
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Nuremberg - Germany

Nuremberg – Germany

Post published:5 November 2016
Post category:Europe Germany Western Europe

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The Centre of the German Renaissance

Just 2 weeks since the last time we’ve been to Germany, in Stuttgart, we return to another of the cities we’ve never been before taking advantage of these really cheap low season flights right before the Christmas peak when the costs increase dramatically. Unfortunately we knew we would not be able to enjoy the world famous Christmas market in this occasion, as it was due for opening in 3 weeks after our visit, but at least we finally managed to come to this beautiful city avoiding a hefty cost.

I must say after this weekend I might have found some of my all-time favourite big cities in Germany, especially for adding the nearby “cake-dream” masterpiece city of Bamberg, an UNESCO World Heritage listed. Nuremberg is one of the most historic and traditional, where bearing the lost of 90% of its buildings during the WWII bombing raids, it was rebuilt afterwards to its pre-war medieval look. Not in full since half of its original historic centre was lost forever, but greatly enough comparing to all other cites of similar size that suffered the same fate. While there are hundreds of smaller cities so beautiful, with their typical timber-frame colourful houses towards the east and south of the country, and the brick Gothic Hanseatic cities of the north; Nuremberg is in the other hand a good combination of both, containing a wide variety of architectural styles from every epoch. In a sense like Bremen is, but larger and even more imposing.

A weekend is perfect and good enough to visit every bit of Nuremberg and nearby Bamberg without any rush but giving you plenty of time to also enjoy some nice food, cake and coffee or some beer at any of the nice Bavarian breweries yet beware of the sizes! In this part of Germany a litre glass is the usual; not that I would mind but it gets you drank without realising. (more…)

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Dublin - Ireland

Dublin – Ireland

Post published:30 October 2016
Post category:Europe Ireland Northern Europe

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Irish Baile Atha Cliath

Time to return to one of our the less visited European capitals, Dublin. That has been a long time, it was back in May 2009 since the first and only one time we’ve ever come to this city, so it was well overdue the return for what is actually a fascinating city full of history, heritage, beautiful architecture and amazing nightlife; yet thriving day and night, any time. Why it’s been such a long time, over 7 years for not coming back, that I do not know any longer after this visit. The true fact is a wrong image I took with back in 2009: an expensive city, it was cold and rainy all day, and failed to impress me; however I must have been blind or my appreciation has changed a lot because this time we really love it and had a great time, looking forward to return soon.

It was not an easy task touring a city being 8 of us on this occasion, but we managed well. Of course this can only work with a rather small city with a very compact old town and city centre as I cannot imagine moving 8 people through a big city, that would have easily been mission impossible with some wanting to visit and sightseeing across with others wanting to do shopping and the rest wanting to maybe party, you never know. Nevertheless, it’s a good plus being in the position of revisiting a city than coming for the very first time, this way we took it very relaxed and lose, no rush anywhere and letting everyone enjoy because there was time for everything.

The good news is that a weekend is good enough to enjoy the city in full, including a short trip to the Baily Lighthouse and cliffs of Howth if you want, and a mandatory visit to the Guinness Storehouse. After all anywhere within the city centre are small distances easily covered on foot as the best way to explore the city, while for the few sights farther away there’s a tram stop next to them. (more…)

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Stuttgart - Germany

Stuttgart – Germany

Post published:23 October 2016
Post category:Europe Germany Western Europe

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Cradle of the Automobile

One more time back in Germany this year onto another city I’ve never been before, said to be one of the most friendly in the country, and for a good reason. While it is true that very near the city there are many great places to visit, with a numerous bunch of UNESCO World Heritage Sites at the brink of a short drive away and within them, for this weekend the plan would be simply. Visiting just the city and also get to see and spend some time with one of our friends who lives there. Now, knowing there are great flight connections from London and having visited the city, we can easily plan another trip to Stuttgart in the near future to reach all these destinations nearby.

The city benefits from a rather unique location, as opposed as any other large German city. It sits in the middle of a lush valley by the Neckar River completely surrounded by vineyards. Quite a different view as to what many people think of Stuttgart, as an industrial city where one of it’s nicknames actually comes from: the cradle of the automobile. This is just in part true, and so was some decades ago. Nowadays, it is a vibrant transforming city very welcoming to the tourist.

With regards to the car industry, Stuttgart is the birthplace of the car and the motorcycle. Invented by Karl Benz and subsequently industrialised from 1887. The headquarters of giants Mercedes-Benz and Porsche are in the city, and are an unmissable sight not only for car lovers but to anyone, for both the building’s architecture and the impressive history and unique collections on display. (more…)

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Santander - Spain

Santander – Spain

Post published:16 October 2016
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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Roman Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium

A short visit to another of the cities I have less travelled too, however good enough to be back after probably 7 years if not more since the last time. Although we planned this weekend for visiting Burgos and Atapuerca, we actually ended up with enough time to head back to Santander from where our plane would depart later at night to London, and enjoy a stroll remembering the beautiful and elegant capital city of the autonomous community of Cantabria in northern Spain, right by the Atlantic coast (the Cantabrian Sea).

Not only that we had a nice time in Santander, but also stopped along the way from Burgos at the birthplace of the River Ebro in Fontibre. That was truly unique to be honest, or at least for myself. I’ve never seen before the very beginning of an important river as Ebro is, and it is actually shocking how this all happens. From that tiny river with water coming from under the earth, to what then becomes the second largest river to flow in the Iberian Peninsula and its large delta by the Mediterranean coast at Amposta, Tarragona.

When visiting Santander, however, it is highly unlikely you will be coming here to Fontibre unless you are doing a bigger tour through Cantabria or northern Spain, but hey, if you are on your way to/from Burgos or other places in norther Spain and you have the chance, do not hesitate in sliding off the motorway, it is less than 5 minutes on the national road. (more…)

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Burgos - Spain

Burgos – Spain

Post published:16 October 2016
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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Head of Castile, Royal Chamber, First in Voice and Fidelity

Finally making it to one of the most desirable cities of the list of my less travelled areas in Spain, I start with Burgos for now. Although we landed in Santander, the nearest airport, we made our way to Burgos straight after leaving the chance open if time permitting for Sunday, to return to Santander after many years since the last time. That I can recall I’ve only been once to Burgos when I was too little to even remember anything other than a huge Gothic cathedral and all black because of centuries of dirt. Many years have passed and of course, the cathedral is not black anymore, but spotless clean and fully restored after many years of ongoing works. Nothing else I did remember from the past, nor even a picture I have, so this trip was as exciting as for any new city I visit from scratch.

While there are many cities in Spain as beautiful and historical as Burgos, what makes it to stand out is the impressive cathedral, listed UNESCO World Heritage Site for its fine pure Gothic architecture, size, achievements, ornamental details and massive collection of art in every form inside and outside, with stunning glass works all over. There is such another cathedral with similar characteristics in Leon, northwest Spain, which to my taste (and not because I was born there), is more beautiful yet it does have a mix of architectural styles being Gothic the primary one.

At the footsteps of the historic old town at little over 15 kilometres lies another site, this time unique in Europe and of high importance to the world. The Atapuerca caves, home to the richest fossil record of the earliest human beings in Europe, from nearly one million years ago and extending up to the Common Era. Only for having the chance to come and visit this place on a guided tour, your trip to Burgos will be well worth it! And in combination with such a beautiful old town, you are guaranteed to have an unique city break. (more…)

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Lviv - Ukraine

Lviv – Ukraine

Post published:9 October 2016
Post category:Eastern Europe Europe Ukraine

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Latin Leopolis, The City of the Lion

Coming back to one of our less visited countries in Europe, Ukraine, also one of the biggest with so much to see and so much to offer. While we had a great time visiting the capital Kiev in other trips, it was about time to come to the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site listed city of Lviv. The most historical of any in the country and with such an incredible vast amount of old buildings, churches, palaces and monuments all over the city; many of which already perfectly restored to their former glory with many on the way. In this city you can still strongly feel its Soviet past with areas where it seems time stood still, but it is changing and redeveloping rapidly itself to become the next new major tourist spot in Eastern Europe.

The city’s potential is unquestionable. Through its history of invasions and different empires taking over this region it kept gaining strength and importance, and survived almost intact the Soviet invasion and both World Wars, unlike majority of its neighbours, or even Kiev that was severely destroyed to rubble.

Invaded by the Tatars in 1261 by King Daniel and completely razed to the ground, was rebuilt from 1270 by King Lev (Leo) who chose it as his residence, making it the capital of Galicia-Volhynia. Inherited by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1340, then Poland gaining control in 1349 with Casimir III becoming part of the Kingdom of Poland until 1772 with the First Partition of Poland and as such, the region annexed to Austria, Habsburg Empire. This would last until the end of WWI with the fall of the Habsburg Monarchy, leading to the Polish-Ukrainian War, when Poland retook control. As for the last years on the city’s recent history, at the brink of WWII the Soviets invaded the land and slowly annexed it to the Soviet Union, lasting until its complete independence in 1980. (more…)

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Arad - Romania

Arad – Romania

Post published:11 September 2016
Post category:Eastern Europe Europe Romania

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Westernmost part of Transylvania

On the following day after visiting Timisoara, our main destination for this weekend, and the beautiful city of Szeged right across the border in Hungary, all while enjoying a great time at the Spa Resort Hotel we booked for both nights, we spared Sunday to visit the small yet charming city of Arad, barely 60 kilometres north of Timisoara. The westernmost city in the Transylvania region, home to one of the fortresses built in the Vauban star-shaped style so typical in this area.

After all, we did have the time to visit in full every of the three cities we ended up going to in just 2 days, so the five of us decided it would be a great idea and a good opportunity while taking the chance to see more than originally we planned for this weekend. Distances are short in between the cities, and with a rental car booked for the length of our stay made it even much more convenient. However, after having visited both Timisoara and spectacular Szeged, our expectations were perhaps too high and did not see from Arad its beautiful historic centre as such but instead a more laid back place, where we were the only tourists in the entire city. We did not cross with any other foreigner at all! Not that we would mind, to be honest even better. You get the chance to take some nice pictures people-free.

Disregarding a bit my comment before, the city has charm and hosts a great collection of beautiful old buildings, more typical of a Central European city than East European, but as I described a bit on the Timisoara and Szeged guides, this was once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire hence such urbanism and architecture, same you see in Vienna or Budapest, the main cities by excellence back in these times. (more…)

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