Ferrara - Italy

Ferrara – Italy

Post published:16 April 2016
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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City of the Renaissance

Continuing our tour for today after visiting the city of Ravenna and at only 70 kilometres to the north we arrived in Ferrara. Another jewel city in Italy, and UNESCO World Heritage Site listed as: “City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta”. While Ravenna, although of the same size as Ferrara in population number it seemed smaller, and with the fact of having less to see bearing its 8 UNESCO buildings, here in Ferrara you will need to plan a bit more time to be able to visit all the sights since the city is more grand and with many more elegant streets and buildings all around.

Ferrara is also an important tourist centre, where majority of visitors are day-trippers from “nearby” touristy-on-mass Venice or Bologna with Modena and Parma. It is a very worthy city to visit and with the more and more trips we are continuously doing where we are “running out” of destinations it is great to see how many hundreds of secondary cities are all over across Europe still to visit; so this will still keep us going for some years.

The good side of smaller cities like Ferrara, yet packed with history and sights, is that you won’t need long time for visiting it as opposed to larger cities where you will need minimum the entire weekend. This was for us already the second city we visit today after Ravenna, and I can ensure you there was good time for both cities without rush; but what made the difference in saving us a lot of time commuting between the cities was having a rental car. It is anyway possible to do the same by train or bus Bologna to Ravenna, Ravenna to Ferrara, and back from Ferrara to Bologna in the night if your base is there as was our case and all in one day. (more…)

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Ravenna - Italy

Ravenna – Italy

Post published:16 April 2016
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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Seat of the former Byzantine government in Italy

Another weekend starting with a flight to Bologna, the nearest international airport to Ravenna, our first of the three cities planned this time, all of them UNESCO World Heritage sites. A bit exceptional in the case of Parma which we would visit the following day, since it is the first city in Italy to be awarded UNESCO’s Creative City for Gastronomy. From the beautiful city of Bologna it’s 84 kilometres to the east to Ravenna, right by the Adriatic coast of Italy; and it’s the perfect start of the day to later continue visiting the city of Ferrara, 78 kilometres northwest along the beautiful drive by the coast for the first section.

Ravenna is a very small city, and as such, easy to visit quick without hassle hence why it is worth to include other places nearby to complete the day. The main reason to visit this city are the eight early Christian monuments inscribed in the World Heritage List. And since the old city centre is very compact, half a day visit is good enough for seeing everything.

Other than the important monuments, the city itself is as of any Italian city, nice and beautiful, with plenty of cafes and restaurants serving great and inexpensive food. Finding a good place it not difficult at all; all of them are great, and none of them seemed to be any tourist trap. After all, the city is quite overseen by tourists, so do not expect to see here hordes nor groups as you would expect in other cities. (more…)

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Rennes - France

Rennes – France

Post published:20 March 2016
Post category:Europe France Western Europe

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Roman Civitas Redonum

Our first weekend trip to France so far in 2016. Still, one of the largest countries in Europe with the most places to see and cities to visit which we still missing greatly, specially central France. While we’ve been to the entire Mediterranean coast, southeast and northwest, getting to find a good flight to any other destination is what is pushing us back from coming more often to France. Either there are no daily flights, or no flights returning Sundays; flight times not working at all in order to be able to manage a nice weekend, or sky high air fares. Thankfully, slowly, there are more airlines seeking the potential of such destinations as is the case of Rennes.

Surprisingly this time, with FlyBe from Southend Airport was really a bargain (although let’s better say not so bargain when considering how expensive was the train from central London to the airport, and the time it all took having to change trains). Anyway, well worth it.

The main aim for this weekend trip was getting to Mont Saint-Michel which we did the day before. And while other airports “nearby” are either much farther than Rennes, or with poor flight connections as is the case of Dinard airport, all makes up the reason why we could not come here before, but with Rennes it worked perfectly! You kill two birds in a shot, or three if you have time (if including Saint Malo in your plan). A very beautiful and historical medium-size city, worth an entire day, and at barely 1 hours by bus/car, the Mont Saint-Michel. (more…)

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Saint Malo - France

Saint Malo – France

Post published:19 March 2016
Post category:Europe France Southern Europe Western Europe

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Not French, not Breton; but Malouin

Our next stop-over for today coming from Rennes and after the Mount Saint-Michel was the city of Saint Malo. Because of it being quite near Saint-Michel and because there is enough time to visit both cities on the same day, we could not leave the occasion pass and complete this area by coming here too. That was in fact a great decision! But I cannot imagine having to do the same we did if you are not having your own transportation (rental car) and depending instead on public buses or trains. Still feasible but stressful and way much shorter time to enjoy the places.

I could not imagine myself having to spend a full day in Saint Malo anyway, I would not know where else to go, unless heading across the Bassin de la Rance to Dinard which in any case, apart from luxurious mansions there’s no more. That’s why when you plan to come here, try to include either Saint-Michel if you’ve not been before, or other cities nearby to make the most out of the day, otherwise coming only just here is not that worth it. Yes it is a pretty city, but not one of the really must-dos if I am to be honest.

Saint Malo was in origin an island-city, but for many years not anymore although it is still surrounded by water at all sides, with a very strong tide, on the same way as it happens with Mont Saint-Michel, you can have 2 different views of this city either at high or at low tide, whichever is the case, the beauty of the city still there, and the number of tourists speak for themselves. It’s the most visited place in Brittany. (more…)

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Mont Saint Michel - France

Mont Saint Michel – France

Post published:19 March 2016
Post category:Europe France Western Europe

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Saint Michael in peril of the sea

Directly after landing in Rennes we finally made it to Mont Saint Michel; the true reason for this weekend’s trip. Long time in the wish list, but for many reasons it has never worked out either because of flight routes and times or by high air fares. Surprisingly this time, with FlyBe from Southend Airport was really a “bargain” (although let’s better say not so bargain when considering how expensive the train from central London was to the airport, and the time it all took having to change trains). Anyway, it was well worth it.

From Rennes, our base, we rented a car. Not that you would need it since there are frequent buses and trains between both Rennes and Mont Saint Michel, but our plan was a bit wider for today in not just visiting the Mount, but also nearby Saint Malo. Also possible to do everything on public transportation, but way much more time consuming. Both places are very small, so you do not need to stress about in not being possible to visit everything, because there is plenty of time, even during winter months that the days are shorter, as our case was.

The iconic island-village with its monastery at the top is one of the most renown tourist attractions in France, and also one of the most visited. Its beauty and perfection coupled with the idyllic location by the bay is not only a major tourist draw, but an UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you are lucky enough to have the chance to see it at high tide, it is something truly memorable and impressive. We only saw it at very low tide, also quite unique image to see from the top of the Abbey with the emptiness of the tidal area. (more…)

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Bilbao - Spain

Bilbao – Spain

Post published:13 March 2016
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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Very Noble, Very Loyal and Unbeaten

It’s been a long time since I did not return to Bilbao, the city I used to be at least once a year when I was a kid because part of my family used to live there. The last time was in 2009 already! True that a year ago we flew to Bilbao, but to go to Vitoria instead. It was really about time to be back at one of my favourite cities in Spain without any doubt, and see how much it has changed from the already better that was, to great that is now. Although this time the visit was quite explicit since the main reason for this weekend was getting to San Sebastian the day before, we actually had enough time to walk the entire city because I am very familiar with it and know how to move fast without the need to look for a map.

I do still remember many years ago how industrial the city once was. And I do still briefly recall in my memory the Euskalduna ship building complex in what is today the Guggenheim Museum and Euskalduna Concert Hall. It was all so grey and dark, smokey and run down, yet still back then I was only starting to appreciate architecture, and knew how beautiful the late 19th century extension was with the elegant buildings along the perfect orthogonal urbanism. Nowadays who could even imagine how a city can re-invent itself that dramatically to become a hot spot worldwide known for its architecture, cultural heritage and art!

Just a building changed it all. Almost 20 years old and still as striking as the first day. 1997, the Guggenheim Museum kicked off what is been described the best ever redevelopment of a city within budget and with clear views to the future. Ever since, almost every world renown architect have left a work in the city, with many more to come. Frank O’Gehry, Norman Foster, Santiago Calatrava, Arata Isozaki, Cesar Pelli, Alvaro Siza, Zaha Hadid, Juan Coll-Barreu and many more. Bilbao is known for its “signature architecture”, something few cities of its size can be proud of. (more…)

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San Sebastian - Spain

San Sebastian – Spain

Post published:12 March 2016
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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Motto: Earnt by fidelity, nobility and loyalty

While travelling to Bilbao this weekend was not only for revisiting the city itself, the main reason was to come to San Sebastian, 100 kilometres east of Bilbao right by the coast. Considered as the most beautiful and elegant city in Spain, it is indeed hard to argue that fact. From the very far away memories I have of the only time I’ve come here many many years ago, I always kept in my mind the grand buildings and fine architectural taste and perfect urbanism. Back then I was not even so much into architecture as I am now, nor I did ever think I would ended up studying architecture in the university; but after this weekend’s visit I can finally say I’ve really explored this jewel of Spain in full.

If if almost any city in Spain you can find ancient constructions, churches and cathedrals over 1000 years old, medieval old towns and 15th century palaces to give some examples, here in San Sebastian it is the opposite. For many centuries it survived in one or other form until 1813 when British and Portuguese troops besieged San Sebastian assaulting the town and burning it completely down. That event opened the view to rebuilding from the ashes, this time following a proper urban plan. From this era comes the current “old town”, with the Constitution Square built in 1817 and neoclassical austere buildings. Later one, with the selection of this city as the summer residence of the Royal Family of Spain, it quickly gained fame among the bourgeoisie and rich who built their mansions and palaces, most of which which you can still admire today.

It was, however, almost 100 years later until the masterpiece extension urban plan took over. With the rapidly growing population, it was needed to torn down the old city walls and build farther away from the river. This plan followed greatly the orthogonal Parisian Haussmannian style, where not only the avenues and tree-lined streets were copied, but also in the architectural style of the buildings, very Parisian influenced with a blend of traditional Spanish elements. (more…)

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Athens - Greece

Athens – Greece

Post published:6 March 2016
Post category:Europe Greece Southern Europe

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The birthplace of democracy

Another trip to Greece, just after 2 weeks that we’ve been to Thessaloniki. On this occasion, returning to Athens, city we’ve already been once precisely 4 years ago and on the very same dates! That’s a coincidence indeed. Back then we were 4 friends, this time again, another 4 different friends, but with the same intention, visiting the city all over again as if for the first time, as honestly is was great back then to have in the front of you the remains of capital of the once ancient civilization, birthplace of the democracy.

My impressions of the city have not changed in those four years, nor the city has changed to improve this over the time. This is translated in a rather ugly city everywhere around the proper sights. Of course exceptions apply, as are the ancient remains, some nice squares and streets in the old town and parks, but other than that, there is nothing else in between, only white and tasteless buildings, copy and paste everything looks the same everywhere. At least in the case of Athens it all looks in better shape that the otherwise depressing Thessaloniki.

Amazing to see is that a country where recession is so deep, at first look appears to affect no one, but instead, you will be asked to pay “exorbitant” prices for a coffee, like 4 Euros!. Let’s say it this way, the more expensive the place is, the more people coming there specially among the young. Their mentality is simple. Sitting at an expensive place trying to show off, so other people can see and think they can afford it. Well, I always hated such nonsense mentality and does not matter if I can afford a “show off ” place, I prefer to enjoy at more down to earth cafes and restaurants which you can find through the city and specially around Monasteriaki Square.

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