Maastricht - Netherlands

Maastricht – Netherlands

Post published:6 February 2011
Post category:Europe Netherlands Western Europe

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The oldest city in Holland

Continuing to take some advantage from living these past months in Dusseldorf due to the work contract, it’s great to take the chance for visiting that many cities all around, most of which really important and not only in Germany, but across the border into the Netherlands or Belgium. Distances from this part of Germany are really small to be honest, not to mention how easy is to reach a place or the other with such a great railway and road network.

So for today it was the turn of Maastricht, some 100 kilometres west of Dusseldorf. The oldest city in Holland, one of the most beautiful and historical retaining much of its original medieval fabric unchanged; although it’s difficult to find any city in the Netherlands which do not fall under the same beauty circumstances, no matter how modern and futuristic some are turning nowadays. And as a good note in here, the small size and short distances mean a day is well more than enough for visiting absolutely every sight. It is the fact that you could easily visit both Maastricht and Eindhoven in the very same day for example.

This is a very traditional city, you can feel the “real” Netherlands and its people, its culture. Quiet and laid back as opposed to what you will find in Amsterdam and Rotterdam where majority of tourism go. The Meuse River splitting the city in two, and the Jeker River cutting through the historical old town with two branches create great perspectives from the many bridges and the ancient houses built literally on top of the river. There is without doubt a great collection of renaissance style houses scattered all over the city, truly worth to come and enjoy.

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Eppstein and Diez - Germany

Eppstein and Diez – Germany

Post published:1 August 2010
Post category:Europe Germany Western Europe

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German Fairy Tale Land

Leaving behind Heidelberd in the south of Germany which we visited during the morning and continuing our weekend road trip heading back direction towards Dusseldorf, we stop at a must see destination on the proximity of Frankfurt: Eppstein and Diez. This would be the second time for us here and also, unfortunately, another time where the time was quite rushed, not even an hour at each. I must remember for the next time to calculate a proper stay and in the entire region since everywhere you go it’s just full of such beautiful villages.

For me, small towns and villages like these are what comes to my mind when imagining Germany. Small timbered colourful houses and a castle on the hill, more typical of a Hansel and Gretel fairy tale. Well, they do exist almost everywhere in the region of Hesse, and all of them with a castle in a hill! Other such beautiful tows nearby are Idstein and Limburg for example.

The best (and I would say only) way to visit them is by planning these as a second part of a trip. This is, spending a day or two to explore Frankfurt as a good example, then using one more day to get to these small towns. Of course, without a car that would be challenging as you will need to invest a lot of time to commute between them. For us and as the first time we came here, being on the route between North West Germany and the South West, it was a big temptation passing by and not stopping for a little walk. It does not really take too much time and will surprise you for its beauty.

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Zurich - Switzerland

Zurich – Switzerland

Post published:31 July 2010
Post category:Europe Switzerland Western Europe

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Downtown Switzerland

For a very long time Zurich was in the bucket list awaiting for a good occasion, and finally the time came. Quite unexpectedly I have to say. We planned the weekend for a long drive from Dusseldorf to Heidelberg at the south of Germany, farther beyond Frankfurt, and visiting on the way back both Eppstein and Diez. However things got in our usual crazy travelling way and noticed we were merely 300 kilometres away from Zurich. Let’s say no more, temptation is our weakness, but always plays in our favour.

Now that was a well worth decision, although very tiring too. 610 kilometres is what we did in total just on a Saturday since the very early morning, arriving to Zurich right in time for lunch. And what a day! Over 30 degrees and sun, that is a rare sight on its own. Rearranging the rest of the weekend was the less difficult. Since the cities we would be visiting were very small, reducing time here and there was indeed a good decision or we would have ended up with too much time not knowing what to do or where to spend. Zurich in any case deserves much more time than what we spent in all and will plan in the near future a full weekend only for this city and its lake. (more…)

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The Ruhr Industrial Area - Germany

The Ruhr Industrial Area – Germany

Post published:24 April 2010
Post category:Europe Germany Western Europe

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Bauhaus and Modernist Coal Mines

Over the next 3 weekends spamming between March and April, all the trips to Dusseldorf in Germany had the very same purpose: visiting the Ruhr Valley Industrial Area, landmark in the European Route of Industrial Heritage, right in coincidence with the celebrations of the “European Capital of Culture 2010: Essen and the Ruhr area”. In total we would visit 3 iconic places, symbols of a bygone industrial era where this coal-rich region was once one of the most important high quality steel producers in the world.

Even nowadays steel production still strong, of course using much modern techniques without the use of coal for heating and melting, the coal era died at the beginning of 1990 leaving dozens of coal mines and industries abandoned. In many cases, their remains have been erased forever with the regeneration of their former sites back to nature or new constructions; but in other “lucky” cases, the most important for their architecture and engineering have been preserved and are now great museums.

One of them, the largest of its kind in Europe was designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site for its engineering achievement and its incredible design; the largest Bauhaus style building ever created: the Zeche Zollverein. Another, the Zeche Zollern, is in the other hand a masterpiece in the Art-Nouveu style. Equally beautiful.

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Lubeck - Germany

Lubeck – Germany

Post published:17 January 2010
Post category:Europe Germany Western Europe

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The Former Capital of the Hanseatic League

Coming to the second day for this weekend trip we headed towards Lubeck from Hamburg, this time to enjoy this incredibly beautiful city and also because my returning flight to London was departing from here. At only 65km one to another, it is not even one hour train ride centre to centre. Either if you fly to Hamburg or to smaller Lubeck airport for visiting Hamburg, you really must consider and plan some time for this Hanseatic jewel, often bypassed by the average tourist.

It won’t take you any longer than half day to visit the city if I am honest. Its small size and organisation of the streets plus the compact historical centre means any longer than half a day will already be too much. It’s perfect for a day trip from Hamburg where you don’t need to start your day very early nor return late at night; just have a perfect relaxing day, or as it was in my case, sightseeing and enjoying it before heading to the airport.

The city is an UNESCO World Heritage Site listed for it’s former importance as the capital of the Hanseatic League, and for having preserved it’s Medieval old town unaltered ever since, built between the 12th until the 16th centuries. The constructions in this city are among the finest and most incredible from any of the former Hanseatic cities. The stunning Brick Gothic architecture will captivate any visitor. Without any doubt and hesitation, it did to myself, although I do admit I am a fan lover of the Hanseatic Gothic architecture. (more…)

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Salzburg - Austria

Salzburg – Austria

Post published:2 August 2009
Post category:Europe Austria Western Europe

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The birthplace of Mozart

Countless years have passed since the first and only time I travelled to Salzburg, of course way before I started to create a site and travel guides, so finally this is the great chance for a well awaited return and thereafter creation of a proper guide for this so famous destination. One of the most beautiful, complete and most visited city in Europe, full of 17th century Baroque architecture wherever anyone look. It is one of these places where surprisingly, when looking in a map it is small, yet when walking along the streets the sights do not stop to succeed, like an open museum indeed and in fact, very overwhelming. One does not know where to look nor how to walk the most appropriate route, however, a day is good enough to fully explore all the sights and monuments while a second day would be nice to have and therefore enjoy the city at a much more relaxed pace.

If back at the first time I’ve ever visited Salzburg it was on a guided day tour from Vienna hence super short and very rushy, considering the 4 hours bus journey per way, on this occasion it turned out to be quite different. What originally though would be a long day trip to spend the Saturday away, due to some airline cancellations and re-schedule it worked in our favour in the sense that we gained an extra day and flew back the following day in the evening. Being a nice group of friends in this trip then was nice to also get to know the great thriving nightlife of the city.

From the city’s foundations little remain other than knowing from what’s been found, it was likely a Neolithic settlement before becoming a Roman post and still, almost no trace from the Roman period stands out today. We need to go forward to the 11th century AD when it was part of Bavaria (Germany) and the Festung Hohensalzburg, the city’s fortress, was built thus gaining importance and wealthiness from the salt trade coming directly from the mines not far south. It is this reason from what the name Salzburg derives, Salt Fortress.

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