World Walker

Every city has that one street that owns the spotlight; in Zagreb, an increasingly popular European city, that street is Illica.

Illica stretches from the Trg Ban Jelecica, Zagreb’s main square and furls forward, creating a vibrant, high energy corridor. The street is lined with ornate old buildings (some in perfect condition, others with peeling paint) that house boutiques, stores, cafes, offices and hotels and apartments.

The street isn’t large, but it balances trams, new and old, along with cars and bikes and pedestrians with ease. Its sides are lined by stores and boutiques – you can find everything from high fashion to groceries, and shop windows are stocked with the lasted trends, with a ‘popust’ or ‘discount’ banner always tacked on. Even if you aren’t one to shop, the bright windows ensure an interesting walk.

You might be able to resist the shopping, but not the bakeries and pastry shops that pop up at intervals; the warm aroma of fresh baked goods waft and tempt with ease along this street. Here, you’ll find one of Zagreb’s most favoured stops, Slasticarnica Vincek, a pastry shop. At times the line waiting to get in can stretch along the pavement, but once in, try the Kremšnita (a vanilla custard pastry) with a cup of coffee and the effort will seem well worth it.  Coffee stops are an integral part of Zagreb’s culture.

The monotony of buildings is broken by compact, cafe dominated squares. These cafes are usually the place to share coffee and cigarettes and meet for drinks later in the day. My Europe travel tip is that very few Zagreb cafes provide eating options – Daily Fresh opposite the main square is one such exception with a good breakfast menu. Otherwise you have the bakeries and sandwich shops.

The squares are also where most of the city’s street celebrations take place. It is the preferred venue for high profile events – from election battles, film shoots, promotional events, Croatian Idol performers to street carnivals and festivities, they all begin here.

I lived in an apartment close to Illica when I first moved to Zagreb, and as enjoyable as it was, sitting at the balcony with a coffee, watching the city play out the day, it wasn’t easy to get any sleep as sounds of late night revelries floated around. I moved to a quieter street, but I make my way Illica practically every day; sit at a cafe and watch the city play out the day.

Considering the street’s location and proximity to the city’s main sights, Illica is the preferred accommodation option for tourists due to ease of Zagreb sightseeing from the central location.

I feel slightly disingenuous writing this as I’m off to warmer climes for a conference. But I do LOVE Edinburgh in the Spring.  I’d encourage you to visit the Scottish capital, one of the most popular Europe destinations in Spring, if you can. Here’s why.

• Nobody’s Here. It’s not as quiet as Jan/Feb, but it’s still quiet here. That means good hotel rates while everything is open and waiting.
• The Days are Getting Lighter. After the winter equinox, we tend to see the daylight get longer quite quickly. That makes the sunrises and sunsets more accessible, and they are truly incredible.
• Spring Flowers. I love seeing little patches of flowers budding out of the ground in hidden places. The grass is green and lush and stretching out ready for summer.

It’s still a touch chilly sometimes right about now, but here are my Edinburgh travel tips for the Edinburgh Spring:

• Watch the sunrise (or sunset) from Arthur’s Seat. It is truly incredible. Bring a torch to get up (or down), a warm jumper, and be careful. Ask your hotel to check the times for you.
• Go to the Royal Yacht Britannia down in Leith. It’s so crowded in summer, but now you can get in no problem, linger and enjoy yourself, and even nab a table at their new cafe which serves up some amazing soups and sandwiches.
• Walk along the Water of Leith. It is my favourite thing here and I will recommend it whatever the season.

So you’re in Europe travel planning mode whether that be a quick weekend city break or a week exploring both Edinburgh and the Highlands (which can be chilly/wet but still enjoyable in Spring), now’s the time to visit.  Although there’s so much to do and see in Edinburgh, there are also many great Edinburgh day trips.

Photo by the yes man

I’ll be spending three nights in Glasgow next month.  I thought it was time I had more Glasgow travel tips on the Europe a la Carte Blog.  I really enjoyed my visit to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum last time I was in the city, so resolved to return soon.  Andy has given his Europe travel tips about the Glasgow attractions of music, art and food and I’d like to sample some more for myself.

Hanging heads at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum

So if you have any tips on what I should do and see in Glasgow please leave a comment on the blog.  Once I’ve been to Glasgow I’ll write a UK Travel Tips ‘n’ Tweets post containing all the tips I’ve received on the blog, Facebook and on Twitter with links to the contributor to help readers get the most out of their Glasgow sightseeing.

My accommodation host is the Marriot Glasgow arranged through Hotels.com from their selection of Glasgow hotels.

Facebook Tips

Earlier this week we spent the day in the Scottish Borders one of the best places to visit in Europe if you enjoy history and beautiful countryside. I thought that the best way to illustrate why I love the Scottish Borders was in a photo tour.

Me with Eildon Hill in the background

Our first stop was at the Leaderfoot viewpoint, just off the A68 (the Edinburgh to Jedbrugh trunk road), where 3 bridges span the River Tweed. The oldest is Drygrange Bridge constructed in 1780, closed to vehicles after the construction of the modern road bridge in the early 1970s.  The Leaderfoot Railway Viaduct opened in 1860s but has been redundant since the branch line closed in the late 1940s.  Unfortunately you can’t walk across the viaduct.

Leaderfoot Viaduct

Just up the from the bridge are the not very obvious remains of  Trimontium a Roman fort.

Me on the viewing platform for Tritontium

Next stop was Melrose, also on the Rvier Tweed. It’s said that Melrose Abbey is the burial place of Robert the Bruce’s  heart.

Melrose Abbey

There’s a circular walk along the banks of the River Tweed in Melrose.

River Tweed at Melrose

The town of Kelso where the 1803 bridge spans the Tweed, was on our way back.

River Tweed at Kelso

Kelso Abbey dates from the 12th century.

Kelso Abbey

I hope that you’ve enjoyed my photo tour of a day trip to the Scottish Borders and will visit soon to see it for yourself. You can see all my photos from our day out here.

Whenever I visit a European city, I am on the look out for museums. Of course, nobody should bypass such prestigious institutions as the British Museum in London or the Louvre in Paris, but what I enjoy most are smaller, more picturesque places – in short, museums where you can get close to the exhibits and preferably crawl around among them. That’s why I was thrilled when I heard about the replica of the sailing ship ‘Pinta’ anchored in the port of Baiona in Galicia. If you have a chance to visit this wonderful province in the Northwest of the Spanish peninsula, don’t miss one of my favourite Galicia attractions.

Baiona is located on Galicia’s Atlantic coast about 2 hours drive from the important city of Vigo. Dominating the town, sitting on a rocky promontory is the Castillo de Monte Real which is also an elegant Parador. The views from the fortress walls stretch far into the Atlantic, the Islas de Cies and the Ria de Vigo.

Castillo and Parador Monte Real

It’s also from this vantage point, that you spot the yacht harbour below and, nestling forlornly among all the big, white yachts, the historical highlight: a replica of the caravel ‘Pinta’ which is permanently anchored there.

Walking along the promenade you really have to watch out, because, surprisingly, there is no sign indicating the way to the ‘Pinta’.

Caravel 'Pinta' in the port of Baiona

The ‘Pinta’ was one of the three sailing ships (caravels) with which Columbus set out on his first voyage to discover the New World in 1492. The other two where his flag ship the ‘Santa Maria” and the ‘Nina’. Although the ‘Santa Maria” being Columbus’ command post, is better known, it was the ‘Pinta’ which made history.

Rodrigo de Triana, a crew member of the ‘Pinta” first spotted the New World on 12^th October 1492. Again, it was the ‘Pinta’ under her captain Martin Alonso Pinzon, which first brought the news back to Spain. Having been separated in a storm southwest of the Azores, Captain Pinzon and his men made it back to Baiona on 1^st of March 1493, beating Columbus my several months. A lot of enmity between the two followed, but that’s another story.

Captain Pinzon writing in his logbook

When you walk along the planks leading to the ‘Pinta’ you can’t help but be amazed by how small she is. It’s hard to believe that a ship which is all of 20 meters long and 7 meters wide has withstood storms and waves and made it across the Atlantic and back without the help of radar and other nautical instruments of modern times.

I came on a rainy day and rather early which meant that I was the only visitor and had the whole ship to myself. There is a guide who accepts your €1 admission and is happy to tell you all the history.

But the most fun is below deck. Greeting the visitor, hunched over his charts and looking decidedly grumpy is Captain Pinzon, carved in wood.

Behind him are the quarters of the crew and then you descend into the depth of the hull via a very small and steep wooden ladder which can only be navigated backwards. The replicas of sailors, provisions they carried with them and the treasures they brought back are so vivid and brightly painted you can imagine hearing them mutter and curse.

Meet the crew of the 'Pinta'

Spanish hams and black beans – provisions for the journey

Treasures they brought back

A visit to the ‘Pinta’ provides a unique insight into the hardship, courage  and spirit of adventure of those explorers who roamed the seas centuries ago.

Whilst in Baiona make a small detour to another sea-related monument. Already from the distance you notice an enormous statue of the Virgin Mary on another promontory overlooking the sea not unlike Christ of Rio.

Drawing nearer, you realize that the statue is hewn out of the rock with only the face and hands added. Maria de Afuera  stands  in the middle of a nature park, Parque de La Roca and the base can only be approached by foot. A small donation of €1 is requested and then you can climb up a spiral staircase in the statue’s interior which is so narrow, that only one person is allowed at a time.

At the top, you step out onto a sailboat which Mary holds in her hand and, windblown, enjoy another spectacular view of Baiona and the ocean beyond.

Maria de Afuera

So you can see why a visit to the Pinta in Baiona is one of my top Europe travel tips.

I love the city of Lisbon, it’s one of my favourite Europe destinations. I love walking its charming streets, climbing up to the Castle for gorgeous views, observing the colourful tiles, eating delicious fish stew at open-air tables, eavesdropping on conversations and trying – mostly unsuccessfully – to make out a few words in Portuguese.

My family and I were invited recently to a Portuguese-Brazilian wedding and we were happy for an excuse to get back to this beautiful city. We were even happier when we found out the unusual location of the wedding and reception – in the Ruinas do Convento e Igreja do Carmo (Ruins of the Convent and Church of Carmo) a popular Lisbon sightseeing location.

Photo courtesy jimpereira100

The ruins of the 14^th century Carmo Church are a familiar landmark in Lisbon. The Carmelite church was built on a slope overlooking the Baixa area of Lisbon. At the time of its construction, in the late 14^th century, it was the largest church of Lisbon.

Disaster struck the Carmo Church – and all of Lisbon – on 1 November 1755. The church was filled for a mass on that holiday morning, All Saints Day, when the tragic earthquake struck. Although the epicentre was close to the Algarve, it was Lisbon that was most severely affected by the quake. In the Carmo Church on that terrible day, tons of stone and masonry collapsed, killing the parishioners celebrating mass below.

The Carmo Church was one of over 20 churches in Lisbon to be destroyed that day. Half of the city was reduced to rubble; fires broke out and a tidal wave from the Targas River flooded the lower areas of the city. In all, it is estimated that 15,000 people died in Lisbon on that dark day. Reconstruction work got underway rather quickly and much of Lisbon’s striking architecture dates back to those ambitious rebuilding efforts, but the Carmo Church remained a shell of its former self as a fitting reminder of the tragedy that befell Lisbon and its residents that day. Today, the Carmo Church ruins are a recognizable landmark in Lisbon to residents and visitors alike.

Needless to say, the church ruins were a stunning setting for the wedding ceremony and the reception, which started in daylight and continued on into dusk and late into the night. It was wonderful to see the church ruins illuminated in the evening and to enjoy dinner and dancing under the stars in such a dramatic setting.

A word about the dancing, since I did mention that this was a Portuguese-Brazilian wedding. I have always considered myself a decent dancer, but that impression was quickly shattered the moment I was sharing the dance floor with Brazilians. The Portuguese guests and I quickly moved aside to watch. And when my young sons eagerly asked me to teach them to dance the same way, I quickly declined and sought out a young Brazilian woman who agreed to dance with them and taught them far better than I could have. In no time at all, they were dancing like pros.

So, if an invitation arrives in the mail for a wedding held at the Igresia do Carmo, my advice is to snap it up right away. Even without the wedding, be sure to make a visit to the striking ruins of the church, now an archaeological museum housing statues, sarcophogi and mosaics in a stunning setting. Enjoy your time in beautiful Lisbon!

The southern French city of Nîmes, on the border between the Provence and Languedoc regions, is famous for two things: Romans and denim. In the early nineteenth century this European city’s textile mills created denims, or de Nîmes – literally ‘from Nîmes’, for the slaves of southern USA. And, from a bit further back in time, the city boasts the most extensive and impressive Romans ruins in Europe outside of Italy. The well preserved and extensive Roman remains are not an accident of history. Nîmes’s obvious prosperity extends back to Roman times when it was a major stop on the Via Domitia, the main Roman road from Italy to Spain. But Nîmes is definitely not stuck in the past, the contemporary architecture of the city is designed by such greats as Sir Norman Foster, and like most French cities it has vibrant restaurant and café scene.

There are a number of interesting Nimes museums, and if during your stay there you will want to visit each one – head first to the Tourist office and get yourself a 3 day Forfait Museum Pass, which allows you a single entry into each of the main museums. One not to miss, if only to contrast with the abundant Roman architecture, is the Carrée d’Art; designed by Norman Foster this striking building aptly houses a collection of European and French contemporary art. Do not miss the roof-top café, which allows a wonderful view of the Maison Carrée; the amazingly preserved Roman temple built in 5 AD.

You will not miss Les Arènes, the first century Roman arena is still the focal point of the city. As far as Roman arenas go this one is in pretty good shape and well worth a visit. Once the stage for the typical Roman gladiatorial events, this arena now plays host to a more recent spectacle – the annual Nimes bullfighting feria, and has done so since the mid 1800s. Nîmes is well-known for its bullfighting fairs, and the most popular of these takes place over a five day period during the Whitsun weekend.

If these Nîmes attractions do not satisfy you, head out of the city to the Pont du Gard. Originally built as an aqueduct to bring water to Nîmes from Uzès, the 49 meter high construction was built entirely without the use of mortar – all the more impressive when you consider that some of the stones weigh up to 6 tons. The Pont is 49 m high, and the longest of the three level is 275 m long – the highest arches are 22 m high. Not surprisingly, today the Pont is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The photographs here are taken from Wolfgang Staudt’s photostream on flikr, where you can see many more spectacular images of this truly great European city.