Lausanne - Switzerland

Lausanne – Switzerland

Post published:8 June 2014
Post category:Europe Switzerland Western Europe

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Civitas Lausanna

Continuing on our second day for this weekend in this region and after visiting Geneva the day before, we took the short train ride that takes to the city of Lausanne, right by the shores of Lake Geneva. It was at this point where I had to stop and think back which of both cities I would like the most by the end of the day, but since it’s quite a hard decision to be honest, I will keep both at the same level. Still, and don’t get me wrong, both cannot compete with the beauty that Basel and Zurich are for example.

As you can also image, the train ride was great with nice landscapes and views of the lake. Certainly we could have managed it better perhaps by having a rental car and being able to stop wherever we wanted and visiting many other places along the route. But well, it was already quite an expensive weekend altogether and a rental car would have set us on even higher costs. At the end of the day, it was not even a month ago since we were by Lake Constance all around, where the architecture, nature and landscapes were really similar to those in here.

For the size, it is smaller than Geneva, but divided in two different areas, therefore not as compact as it might look. In any case it will not require too much time to visit everything. Don’t rush nor wake up early to get here should you have enough time until leaving the city. For us, we had until 21.30pm until our plane departure therefore giving us the full day to enjoy Lausanne. After such a crazy weekends over the past months before this, it was actually a nice treat to have a rather lazy and slow one. (more…)

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Geneva - Switzerland

Geneva – Switzerland

Post published:8 June 2014
Post category:Europe Switzerland Western Europe

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Medieval Pagus Major Genevensis

Not even a month since our last time in Switzerland when we used Zurich as our base airport for visiting Liechtenstein and Lake Constance, we came back but this time to spend the weekend in Geneva and Lausanne, cities that we did not visit before and that we were looking after a while awaiting for a good flight deal to come. Well, basically booking flights elsewhere, as it was always cheaper going to other countries and cities than coming to Geneva.

Knowing that Geneva is pretty small and that for sure we would visit everything on the first day, the plan for the next day was to reach Lausanne. Coincidence-wise, another weekend by one of the greatest lakes in Europe. First, Lake Constance a month ago, then Lake Garda merely 2 weeks ago and now Lake Geneva. All of them with something in common, the Alps. Same landscapes and same beautiful small villages all around.

Geneva is the second largest city in Switzerland and also one of the most important ranking among the top 5 for the highest level of life of any other city in the world. Having that in consideration, you can imagine how expensive everything is. We already had our experience in Zurich and Basel previously, but here in Geneva seemed to be even more expensive than the others. Bear this in mind as this won’t be a cheap weekend. The worst part comes the moment you need to find something to eat… Well, McDonald’s was thankfully there to our rescue. Lunch and dinner on Saturday, dinner on Sunday. A variation for Sunday lunch? Burger King. Well, obviously not everything in their menus is bad and unhealthy. It is either that or paying almost 25£ for a ridiculously small Margarita pizza in the cheapest place we saw! No thank you, for great pizza at normal prices I can go elsewhere in Europe and of course Italy for the best. (more…)

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Verona - Italy

Verona – Italy

Post published:18 May 2014
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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Fictitious city of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

Too many years have passed after my first and only time in beautiful Verona, but finally returned, and not only once, but couple more times through the years. Of course much more knowledgeable and appreciative to the architecture and arts than how it was my first time, a rushy few hours stop-over along the way travelling between Venice and Milan on what was the end of high school trip. Nowadays, much more prepared and organised, and adding more notes revamping this guide after the latest trip, although with other plans in mind included: visiting the neighbouring cities of Vicenza, Padua, Mantua and Sabbioneta.

From the very first time I could perfectly still remember parts of the city like the Arena and Juliet’s House, but not much more, and what a surprise that was! The city is so pretty, with so much to see and do that definitely it won’t be long until I book another weekend city break here. There’s always so much more to discover along its large UNESCO World Heritage Site listed old town.

But even with so much history and sights, the city is actually more known for something that it is not even real. Juliet’s House. It has no connection whatsoever with Shakespeare’s fictional characters, furthermore to mention that the balcony was added in 1936 to further emphasise it as a tourist destination. Nevertheless this place will be of course a mandatory stop over along your sightseeing route and believe me, it will pretty much disappoint you. (more…)

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Mainau and Konstanz - Germany

Mainau and Konstanz – Germany

Post published:11 May 2014
Post category:Europe Germany Western Europe

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Roman Constantia

Heading to our last city for this trip, just a short ferry crossing from Meersburg are those 2 beautiful places right where Lake Constance splits into 2 and the river Rhine flows into the lake right through the city. The first of them, Mainau, is an island referred to as island garden because all that is there are impressive landscaped gardens and palaces, all of which listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. And the second, the beautiful city of Konstanz, some 5 kilometres away from Mainau.

The Medieval city of Konstanz will impress any visitor. Larger than all the other cities we visited you will definitely need more time to enjoy and properly visit, something that unfortunately we could not count with any more as we would have loved to. But in any case was “just” enough to enjoy all the beauties of the city and finalise such a wonderful trip all together.

After all, there is not really much to see and do other than walk around the nice streets admiring the architecture and nature around you, hence straightforward and easy to navigate. Then if you do a similar tour as the one we did this weekend, driving back from here to Zurich airport is very quick at not even 80 kilometres distance. For us it was just arrive, drop the rental car and board minutes after, as simple as that. We take planes that often as people who gets on the metro.

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Meersburg - Germany

Meersburg – Germany

Post published:11 May 2014
Post category:Europe Germany Western Europe

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Burg on the Sea

Driving from Friedrichshafen towards Konstanz we found along the way what I would consider to be the most beautiful village in this trip. Not only that the little over 25 kilometres drive that separate both places is one of the best, crossing through many vineyards and apple plantations, with their respective mansions and cellar houses overlooking the lake down below, but the village of Meersburg came out of sudden unaware to us this place was existing.

It is maybe for this reason that we ended our trip in Konstanz a bit rushing as we spent quite a good time in Meersburg also having lunch in there. So great food for such great prices! Incredible. Really don’t go for a pizza, as you might be thinking after you see how good they look and how little they cost, but instead go for something more traditional and local; take your chance while you are here.

The village is also one of the main ports in the north of the lake. The ferry crossing to Konstanz saves a long way driving around the northernmost area of the lake to just come back down. Don’t take me wrong, if you have the time you should definitely drive all the way, otherwise in just 10 minutes you will be at the other side. (more…)

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Friedrichshafen - Germany

Friedrichshafen – Germany

Post published:11 May 2014
Post category:Europe Germany Western Europe

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The Home of Ferdinand von Zeppelin

So here we are at the following morning ready for our second part of this busy weekend. Friedrichshafen, located at middle distance from Bregenz than Konstanz, it’s only 28 kilometres far from our previous destination, Lindau. And although being what is perhaps the city with the less sights to see and less charm if compared to the neighbouring cities, it is worldwide famous for being the hometown of Ferdinand von Zeppelin, and his arch-known invention, the Zeppelin.

And what is the highlight thrill you could do? Getting on a Zeppelin flight! As you hear. They do frequent flights through the day, weather permitting, and will take you around the lake and mountains. Obviously such an unique experience comes at a price. Unfortunately I did not take a flight this time. You need to book well in advance and of course count with much more time than the little we had.

Visiting the museum will be a great attraction on itself. They have a huge exhibition which is a true reconstruction of part of the Hindenburg, full with some of the rooms, lounges and smoking room, and the structure so you will get a great idea, knowledge, and history. (more…)

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Lindau - Germany

Lindau – Germany

Post published:10 May 2014
Post category:Europe Germany Western Europe

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Bavaria’s only Lighthouse

Moving on to the next city after Bregenz crossing the border between Austria and Germany to Lindau, well, an almost imaginative border since the only clue that we are in the next country is a welcoming sign. It’s only 10 kilometres what separate both cities, and as I will explain in the following guides as well, distances between the cities along the lake are really small. It’s just matter of minutes until you are in the next and so on, hence the easiness for doing a tour similar to what we did. It works perfectly and you will enjoy lots.

The full of the historical city is an island connected to mainland by a road and rail bridge. Lindau is the main port on the southern side of the lake, being one of the major landmarks itself with the beautiful sculpture and the only lighthouse in Bavaria. But it’s not only by the port where you will enjoy the sights and instead all scattered around the island, with many imposing buildings such as the City Hall with the famous decoration of painting the façades Bavaria region is famous for.

Walking the entire city won’t take too long for what you could easily visit almost every street. We spent no more than 2 hours and visited everything. I agree we rushed a little bit but it was just in order to catch the last of the sun light. (more…)

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Bregenz - Austria

Bregenz – Austria

Post published:10 May 2014
Post category:Austria Europe Western Europe

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Roman Brigantium

Continuing on this weekend trip after visiting Vaduz, the capital city of the 4th smallest country in Europe, Liechtenstein, we arrive at Bregenz by the Lake Constance, which boundaries are shared between Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Considering that the cities around the lake are very small, with some of them being island-cities, you can perfectly visit as many as time you have by simply stopping along the way. Not to mention the nice advantage viewing points you will have along the way driving.

Being able to visit all these places can only be really possible if having a rental car. Depending on public transportation means you will need much more time than just a weekend. At least, you can count with a good train network connecting most of the important cities.

Our first city by the lake was Bregenz on the southern tip, the westernmost city in Austria, minutes away from the Swiss and German borders. Austria after all, is the country with the less portion of border by the lake.
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