The Zentralfriedhof (main cemetary) in Vienna lies on the edge of the city not far from the Vienna airport. With a “population” of over 3 million, it houses twice as many people as currently are alive in the city. But why would you ever want to visit a cemetery when you go to Vienna? Maybe…
Category: Europe
Pen y Fan, Wales – At the head of the Valleys
In the centre of Wales lies Brecon Beacons National Park, which contains a mountain range of the same name (Brecon Beacons). One of these mountains is Pen y Fan. Pen y Fan is the highest mountain in central and southern Wales. It sits just southeast of the town of Brecon, which is related to the…
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Vienna Wine Hiking Day (Wiener Weinwandertag)
Although you wouldn’t necessarily associate Vienna with wine (or “Wein” and “Wien” in German), it is amazing how much wine this part of Austria produces. As a result, Vienna has a day known as the Vienna Wine Hiking Day (Wiener Weinwandertag). I had the opportunity to do the Vienna Wine Hiking Day when I went…
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Arduaine Garden, UK – A slice of the world in Scotland
Just south of Oban lies the Sound of Jura. Overlooking the Sound is Arduaine Garden, which contains plants from around the world. Established in 1898, it was a time when people were becoming very interested in plants from other parts of the world. Here native plants mix with those from the tropics and Asia. Tropical…
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Ardchattan Priory, UK – A garden of contemplation
Ardchattan Priory sits approximately 10 miles/16 kilometres outside the port city of Oban in Scotland. Its history dates back to its founding in 1230. History Ardchattan Priory resulted from Duncan MacDougal, the Lord of Argyll, located in Dunollie Castle. He invited the Valliscaulian Order to set up a local priory. They had been given a…
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Bridge Over The Atlantic, UK – Clachan Bridge to the Island of Seil
Just south of Oban in Scotland lies a bridge built in 1792. Connecting the Island of Seil to mainland Scotland, the bridge is known as Clachan Bridge. It gets its name from the body of water it crosses, which is the Clachan Sound. However it has a second name, which is the “Bridge over the…
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Falkirk Kelpies, UK – A tribute to Scotland and strong horses
Situated between the towns of Falkirk and Grangemouth in Scotland, the Kelpies are an art installation by Andy Scott, an artist of renown famous for his other installations around the UK. This installation is of two “kelpies”. The myth behind the Falkirk Kelpies A kelpie is a mythical creature said to be like a seahorse…
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Rest and Be Thankful – Scotland A83
In 1753 there had been a recent Jacobite rebellion; General Wade had the task of subjugating Scotland. One of the many things they built were roads to improve connectivity, This would allow troops to move faster and react to these crises in the future. One of the results was Drover’s Road (the old A83) and…
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Tintinhull Gardens – Weekend Paradise
Set amongst the rolling farmland of Somerset, TIntinhull is a house/gardens combination; it sits in the tiny village of the same name. To visit the house you have to rent it from the National Trust and stay there for at least 3 days. As a result it is not open to the general public. The…
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Zurich – General Information
Zurich, the city My adventures so far in the Canton of Zurich have been confined only to the city of Zurich, which is the largest city in Switzerland. I went to Zurich back in 2016. I was doing an internship in Freiburg im Breisgau with two friends from the US visiting me. Since Zurich was…
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Austria – General Information
My first experience in Austria was moving there as part of my Master’s programme. I had to go to two different foreign universities as part of my studies at Swansea University. Since I was doing German and Spanish, I went to Vienna and Barcelona. Overall I had a great time in Austria although I had…
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Asturias – General Information
I have only visited Asturias once so far but it was amazing. My previous adventures in Spain were either when I had lived in Barcelona or in Granada. I had travelled around the country between these places; I was not necessarily prepared for how different Asturias is from the rest of Spain. How is that?…
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Aragon – General Information
Moving farther inland, Aragon is an interesting place with lots of varying topography: lots of valleys and mountains farther south but flatter areas in central and northern Aragon. Then you hit the Pyrenees. M experiences here range from Loarre Castle and Roda de Isábena in the north to Teruel in the south. I generally went…
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Andalucia – General Information
Andalucia is an amazing place. Located in Southern Spain, the province of Andalucia contains some of Spain’s best-known cities, including Granada, Málaga, Seville and Cádiz. The adventures I’ve had primarily cover the areas of Granada and Jaén. My first ever adventure here was when I was 16 in 2009. As a birthday present my aunt…
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The Principality of Andorra – General information
Located in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, the Principality of Andorra is a very mountainous country that is popular for skiing. I visited Andorra for a long weekend when I was on a long Western European trip. We had just come from Île-de-France and were heading towards a town near Barcelona where my travel…
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Brean Down, UK – Down to the Sea
On the Somerset coast just outside Weston-Super-Mare is a small holiday village: Brean. Apart from the beach and holiday homes, there really isn’t much there. There is just one exception: Brean Down. History Brean Down formed about 60,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age in southern England. Glaciers retreated across the…
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Zurich, Switzerland – The most expensive city in the world
If you are looking for somewhere in Europe with history, Zurich is your one-stop shop. From Roman foundation over 2000 years ago to modern history, Zürich covers it all. If you want to shop, Zürich has one of the best (and most expensive) shopping districts. If you need to deal with finances, Zürich is one…
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Lytes Cary, UK – A bite-size manor in Somerset
In the backcountry roads in Somerset on a single-track line lined with hedges on both sides winding through farmland lies a couple of houses. Collectively these houses are “Lytes Cary”. It is easy to miss due to the hedges but if you notice the low stone walls on either side of an unassuming (with the…
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A classic recipe for a Dark Forest Gateau (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte)
Typically I am not a cake person but there are definitely exceptions. The Dark Forest Gateau (German: Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, literally “Black Forest Cherry Cake”) definitely falls into those exceptions! A wonderful mix of chocolate, cherries and rich cream is a great ending to any traditional meal from Baden-Württemberg (especially Maultaschen or Spätzle). You can find…
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Warnemünde (Rostock), Germany – That’s one busy port!
The seaside resort of Warnemünde is located on Germany’s Baltic coast, just above the city of Rostock. History Founded in approximately 1200, it has been a fishing village for most of its history. The city of Rostock financed a harbour near the village, signing a contract with the patrician of Rostock to maintain the waterway…
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Maultaschen (“mouth pockets”) from Swabia, Germany
(The photo of the Maultaschen in broth is by Matthias Haupt) When I lived in Germany, my favourite cuisine from the country was easily that of Baden-Württemberg. As I am someone who eats little meat, I loved the vegetarian options from the region, including some variety of spätzle and the vegetarian Maultaschen. Maultaschen, which translates…
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Grutenhäuschen (near Trier), Germany – A temple with a view
On the bank of the river Moselle not far upstream from the city of Trier lies a Roman temple with a beautiful view of the Moselle valley just before the Saar and Moselle rivers merge. This Roman temple (Grutenhäuschen) dates back to the 3rd/4th century AD to the time after Trier had become one of…
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Bismarckturm Schoden, Germany – A silent sentinal
Standing on a hill above the Saar river in Germany near the town of Schoden in Rheinland-Pfalz/Rhineland-Palatinate stands a Bismarckturm (Bismarck tower); a standardised monument built to honour Germany’s first chancellor, Otto von Bismarck. These towers were built around the turn of the 20th century to honour him; They conform (more or less) to a…
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Bohus Fästning, Sweden – Protecting the Old Swedish-Norwegian border
Back in February 2016 I visit Sweden for a couple of weeks (Sweden in winter?!? Don’t ask) and I had the opportunity to visit Bohus Fästning (Bohus Fortress), a 14th century fortress on the former Norwegian-Swedish border just north of the city of Gothenburg. History The fortress was built around the year 1308. It was…
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Austria has no more fucks to give – Fucking (Upper Austria) name change
It is not often that I write about current event, especially in a setting such as this website. While linguistics and language are often in the news, it is not often for a sad reason. As you may have seen in the news, the town of Fucking in Upper Austria decided on 27 November 2020…
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Caumasee, Switzerland – Ice blue water in winter
Like the Rheinschlucht nearby, the Caumasee was also formed due to the largest known pre-historic landslide in the Alps. The lake itself (which is how See translates from German in this case) sits upon the debris deposited by the landslide. The lake is located near the ski resort town of Flims in the Canton of…
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Rheinschlucht, Switzerland – The Grand Canyon of Switzerland
The Ruinaulta or Rheinschlucht is a large canyon in the Canton of Grisons in Switzerland. It formed approximately 10,000 years ago. when a landslide brought millions of tonnes of debris into the valley, creating this canyon area. The term Ruinaulta refers to this high heap of rubble (the literal meaning), while the name Rheinschlucht translates…
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Stralsund, Germany – The gateway to Scandinavia
Stralsund is a town with a population of just over 60,000 on the coast of northern Germany. It is the fourth largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Stralsund is a Hanseatic city: it was part of the Hanseatic League. It certainly reflects that and the wealth that it brought from the historical buildings that still exist in…
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Eltz Castle, Germany – A Living Castle
Eltz Castle is a majestic little castle. It sits on a rock in a small wooded valley in Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) in Germany. Although definitely among the lesser-known castles (unlike Hohenzollern or Neuschwanstein), it is extremely appropriate for its location and has a few unique features, both physically and as well as features of its history….
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Bautzen, Germany – The Land of Mustard
In the former East German state of Saxony (German: Sachsen) near the Polish and Czech borders lies the town of Bautzen, a medieval town that is famous across Germany for its architecture and its mustard (yes, mustard). The city centre of Bautzen sits up on a hill overlooking the more modern areas of the town…
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Bohemian Switzerland (Böhmische Schweiz), Czech Republic – A Walk in the Park
On the border between Germany and the Czech Republic lies a national park split by the two countries. The German side is Saxon Switzerland, named so by two artists employed by the court in Dresden who were from Switzerland (the Saxon part comes from the name of the state in which Dresden lies, Saxony). The…
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The Gardens of Versailles, France – Living Like Kings
While I have to admit that I usually cannot pass up seeing a garden when I travel (case in point: Parc del laberinth d’Horta in Barcelona), there are those that stand out from the rest. An example that I highly recommend on the European Continent (in this case excluding Great Britain and Ireland) are the…
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Quora – As a freelancer based in London, is there any way I can live in Spain for 6 months without becoming an ‘autonomo’? It’s a lot of hassle for just 6 months.
Read James Brooks‘ answer to As a freelancer based in London, is there any way I can live in Spain for 6 months without becoming an ‘autonomo’? It’s a lot of hassle for just 6 months. on Quora There is a way that you can live in Spain without registering there as a freelancer but…
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Quora – Is there a 2-year grace period before you have to register as an autónomo in Spain?
Read James Brooks‘ answer to Is there a 2-year grace period before you have to register as an autónomo in Spain? on Quora Unfortunately, there is no grace period before having to register as an autónomo. There is, however, a grace period once you become an autónomo. Rather than directly paying €250 into Social Security…
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Quora – How can I work legally as an independent videographer in Valencia, Spain?
Read James Brooks‘ answer to How can I work legally as an independent videographer in Valencia, Spain? on Quora Well, you first have to have permission to work in Spain. If you are an EU citizen then you have the right to live and work in Spain. Others will have to go through one of…
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Peak District, UK – The land of inspiration
The Peak District in England is a national park that draws an estimated 20 million people every year. They hike around the rural areas, including farmland, moorland, hills and the peaks themselves. History Historically this area has been very important to England and the UK as a whole. Settlements of the area have been dated…
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Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft, Germany – The sea is calm tonight
You may not connect Germany with the ocean in your mind. However you would be remiss to forget that Germany actually has two coasts. One the eastern side of the country, directly north of Berlin, lies the Baltic Coast. On the Baltic Coast lies the Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft, or the Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National…
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Cap Norfeu, Spain – A small peninsula in the large Mediterranean
If you are ever near Girona in Spain and have some time, check out Cap Norfeu! It is a area of natural beauty on the Mediterranean coast in Catalonia, Spain.
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Schiefergebirge, Germany – My Heart’s in the Highlands
The Thüringer Schiefergebirge, known as the Thuringian Highlands in English, is an area of the German federal state Thuringia (German: Thüringen) featuring steeply hilly areas on the border between Bavaria and Thuringia, through which the Saale River cuts. As the German name suggests, this area contains a large amount of slate rock. There are very…
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Crestasee & Felsbachschlucht, Switzerland – Winter Wonderland
When you say “Grisons, Switzerland”, what comes to mind? For most people this Swiss canton conjures up images of skiing in the Swiss Alps, for example the ski resort in Laax/Flims/Falera. But what happens when you can’t or don’t want to ski? What else is there to do? Here is one option:
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Monasterio de Obarra, Spain – Monastery in a valley
In the foothills of the Pyrenees lies a Romanesque monastery. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Santa Maria), mountains surround it on all sides and you can only access it by hiking or through a small road that goes between Ballabriga and Bonansa. Because it is difficult to access, not many tourists visit it each year,…
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Lakes of Covadonga, Spain – The Roof of Spain (Lagos de Covadonga)
High in the Picos de Europa National Park in Asturias, Spain lies the town of Covadonga. Near the town lies the Lagos (Lakes) of Covadonga. They form as due to glacial run-off at an altitude of over 1,000 metres. They consist of a series of three lakes (or two when not during the glacier’s melting…
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Covadonga, Spain – The village of Kings
Located on the northern Spanish coast, Asturias is one of the Spanish autonomous communities that lie to the west of Cantabria. Officially known as the Principality of Asturias, the area is well known for its mountains (the Picos de Europa). The mountains also set the culture apart from the rest of Spain. For example individual…
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Mariazell, Austria – A Pilgrimage in Winter
Nestled between mountains in the North Styrian Alps lies the small town of Mariazell. With approximately 3000 inhabitants, you may think that having to drive through valleys and around mountains to get to it, the town would be relatively unknown and easy to miss. You would also be wrong. Mariazell as a settlement probably dates…
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Hiddensee, Germany – Baltic Island Hideaway
In the Baltic Sea just off Germany’s northeastern coast lies the island of Hiddensee, an island known for its beautiful nature and for the fact that there are absolutely no cars on the island. As the island is long and thin with an area of 19 square km (7.34 square miles), the 1300 inhabitants and…
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Glastonbury Abbey, UK – Walking the ruins
Nestled in the sleepy, mystic town of Glastonbury in Somerset are the ruins of what was once one of the most powerful institutions to have existed in the UK. I am of course referring to the famous Glastonbury Abbey. History Foundation The history of the Abbey goes back to the 7th century. The king of…
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Malbun, Liechtenstein – High in the Alps
High in the Alps in microstate of Liechtenstein lies Malbun, a small town a few kilometres from the Austrian border and Liechtenstein’s only ski resort. It has a single access road (through Triesenberg) to access Malbun. Malbun lies in a U-shaped valley; as one would expect from a ski resort, is mostly hotels, restaurants and other ski resort-related…
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Cebollas rellenas de bonito (Onions stuffed with bonito fish)
Hello everyone, I thought today I would try a different kind of post. Last week I was travelling in Asturias in northern Spain (pictures and details still to come!) and I came across a dish that really piqued my interest. It was an interesting concept and so I decided to try them, especially as they…
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Pedraforca, Spain – The Double-Peaked Mountain
Pedrafroca, located between the Provinces of Barcelona and Lleida in Spain, is a mountain in Catalunya. Mountains in Catalunya, you say. What is so special about a mountain when the Pyrenees run along the northern border? What makes this mountain not only special but also a symbol of Catalunya is its rare shape. It is a…
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Jaén, Spain – Spending a little time in olive heaven
To the north of the province of Granada in Andalucia in Spain lies the province of Jaén. In the southwest of this province lies the city of the same name, the capital of the province. History The city of Jaén has a long history: the Neolithic period saw humans arrive here celebrated by the well-known…
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Gorafe, Spain – Exploring the desert
The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain. This famous line, from the musical My Fair Lady about a lower class cockney girl who’s given speech lessons as part of a bet between two gentlemen of the upper class, is actually not true. However, you would wish that you had even a drop of…
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Laxenburg, Austria – The play park of emperors
Laxenburg is a town in the federal state of Lower Austria /Niederösterreich located to the south of the capital city, Vienna. Laxenburg is well known for its castles. It has three: the Altes Schloss (old castle), the Blauer Hof (Blue Court) and Franzensburg Castle. For a small town of under 3000 people, this is quite…
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Como, Italy – Italian riches
When taking a long road trip (for example, from France to Liechtenstein), it is always a good idea to have a point to stop, stretch one’s legs and see something interesting to break up the monotonous hours of motorway/autobahn/highway travel. This specific stop was a nice city on the Swiss-Italian border (on the Italian side): Como….
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Riu de Jan, Andorra – High in the Pyrenees
High in the Pyrenees, nestled amongst the peaks in the Principality of Andorra, lies a river on the Andorran-French border known as the Riu de Jan. The turnoff to get to this remote area is just north of Meritxell, the famous Andorran sanctuary. With a spring high in the mountains, this area is a great place…
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Vaduz, Liechtenstein – A tiny capital for a tiny country
The town dates back to the 1100s (at least, it was mentioned in manuscripts from the time) and a castle from 1322, but both were completely destroyed by the Swiss in 1499. Until 1719, Liechtenstein was held by the Hohenems family, after which it was purchased by the Liechtenstein family, who originally come from Castle…
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Steg, Liechtenstein – Halfway up the Liechtensteiner Alps
Making our way up from Triesenberg, the next stop in our trip through Liechtenstein was in Steg, a small village in the Liechtensteiner mountains. It is accessible only through a tunnel. Steg is so small that its population is simply added to the municipality of Triesenburg rather than counted separately. The grand total population therefore…
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Santuari de Meritxell, Andorra
Up in the mountains in Andorra lies a village called Meritxell (the ‘tx’ is pronounced like the ‘ch’ in English) with a whopping 66 inhabitants. So why is it one of the places to go when visiting Andorra if you want to get a feel for the people? The answer lies in the Santuari de…
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Parc national des Écrins, France – Hiking a glacier
On the French-Italian border, above the Parc Natural de Mercantour and below Mont Blanc/Chamonix, lies the Parc national des Écrins. Within this park, I came face-to-face with something I had never experienced before but thought was absolutely amazing: a glacier. Until 27 August 2018, I had never seen a glacier before. Well, that is not…
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Loarre Castle, Spain – The final defence
Loarre Castle is quite a special place due to its history; it is not only one of the oldest castles in Spain, but also a fortified abbey. Originally built as the line of last defence in northern Huesca (Aragon) against the Moorish invaders. Then it was converted into a fortified religious site, and then expanded…
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Triesenberg, Liechtenstein – Beginning the ascent of the country
Just south of the capital of Liechtenstein, Vaduz, there exist two town with similar names. The first is Triesen, which like Vaduz, is located next to the Rhein River. Triesenberg (as the name suggested if you understand German), sits above Triesen on the side of one of the mountains in Liechtenstein. It is hard to…
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Balzers, Liechtenstein – On the valley floor
Balzers is a small town in Liechtenstein that is located in the south-west portion of the country, across the border (and the Rhein River, which is the border) from the Swiss town of Sargans. Balzers (like all places in Liechtenstein) is a small town a few thousand inhabitants. What sets it apart is the castle,…
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Llacs de Tristaina, Andorra – Andorran beauty
If you are going to Andorra, most likely you are going either to hike or ski. Or you are going to evade tax, but that is a different story entirely. We ended up in Andorra after visiting France to spend time with parents and enjoy nature. One of the places that you can hike in Andorra,…
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Arlon, Belgium – Religious overload
Our trip to Arlon in Belgium was quite unexpected but well worth the trip. The train line between Luxembourg City and Arlon (a friend was heading to Namur) was closed; instead we drove her to Arlon. As we arrived an hour before the train departed, we decided to visit the local church and it was…
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Vianden Castle, Luxembourg – The birthplace of the lowlands
After visiting Luxembourg City, our next stop was Vianden and its famous castle. Vianden lies in a valley along the German-Luxembourg border where the river Our passes through. The town is located on both sides of the river and has grown along it rather than up the steep sides. It is also partially located in…
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Luxembourg City, Luxembourg – A European capital
Luxembourg City, the capital city of Luxembourg, is a truly remarkable city in which you can see wonderful architecture, picturesque views and astonishing places. Luxembourg City holds the world top spot for personal safety and ranks high for quality of life; Luxembourg the country has the second highest GDP in the world! If you are…
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Urspelt, Luxembourg – A hidden castle
After Aachen and Maastricht, we drove to northern Luxembourg where we were staying in the Chateau d’Urspelt (Ischpelt in Luxemburgisch) which has a huge population of 100 people. The Chateau d’Urspelt (Urspelt Castle) is a complex that dates back to at least the 11th Century. This is suggested by a well that dates back to…
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Maastricht, Netherlands – The Rhine’s centre of religion
Just across the border from Aachen in Germany lies the city of Maastricht in the Netherlands. Like Aachen, Maastricht also has a Roman history. Unlike Aachen, it did not develop into a political capital. Rather Maastricht developed into a religious one due to the legend of the death and burial of Saint Servatius. At the same…
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Aachen, Germany – A capital of emperors
Aachen is a city with a long, proud history, which stretches back to Neolithic times (3000 BC). From the Romans using it as a source of hot springs to Charlemagne using the city as the capital of his Frankish empire to being the capital of its own country (very briefly, the Rhenish Republic). Aachen has…
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Ystradfellte Waterfalls, Wales – Welsh Waterfall Wellness
As discussed in my previous post about Castell Dinas, Powys is the home of the Brecon Beacons National Park and beautiful nature! One of the areas of Brecon Beacons is called Waterfall Country at the head of the Valley of Neath where many waterfalls can be found and are easily accessed. One such set of waterfalls…
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Castell Ddinas, Wales – Ancient defences
Castell Ddinas was the highest castle in England and Wales and dates back to the Iron Age, which in Britain was between 600BC and 50AD. Along with many castles in Wales, such as Caerphilly Castle, it was built during the Norman Conquest of Wales. This particular castle was expanded to become a Norman fort in…
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Caerphilly Castle, Wales – A Staple of BBC shows and documentaries
The largest castle, Caerphilly Castle, in Wales (and the second largest in Britain) has quite a long and bloody history reaching back almost 800 years. A multitude of families have held the castle over the years. It has been both loyal and rebel to the country, and has set a few records in its time….
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Montserrat, Spain – One of Catalonia’s religious mountain
So you have visited Barcelona and, frankly, you have seen it all in the city. Are you bored of the sunshine, the moonlight, and the boogie? But what else is there to do? Well, if you can take day trips (either in your own or public transport), Montserrat is the place to go! But what…
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Pyrenees Mountains, Spain – Hiking the border
If you are ever on the Spanish-Andorran-French border, you have to be blind to miss the Pyrenees Mountains. Or I guess you are passing through the tunnel that now runs underneath the mountains on the motorway. The mountains rise high in the sky. Much of the Pyrenees Mountain range is in national parks; the respective…
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Sierra Nevada, Spain – The foot of the peninsula
The Sierra Nevada Mountain range in the province of Granada is 100% worth a visit. No matter who you are, if you like the outdoors, you will find what you are looking for (skiing, hiking, climbing, stargazing, etc.) The Sierra Nevada has the third highest peak in Europe, called the Mulhacen, which rises over 3,450…
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Black Forest (Schwarzwald), Germany – Here there be witches
The Black Forest (Schwarzwald) is a major feature of the state of Baden-Württemberg. It runs from flatter areas in the north to mountains separating Switzerland and Germany in the south. The Schwarzwald contains a cornucopia of geography, geology and topography. These include mountains, valleys, large lakes and even the largest waterfall (in Triberg) in Germany….
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Budapest, Hungary – The twin capital
Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is definitely one of the European capitals that I would highly recommend to anyone on a tour of Europe. From brilliant architecture and rich history to the thermal baths to the ruin bars, there is something for everyone. Additionally, as is true with many eastern European countries, Budapest and Hungary…
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Los Cahorros (Monachil), Spain – Cooling off in the desert
Near the town of Monachil runs a river called Río Monachil. It has cut a gorge and V-shaped valley over millennia. Erosion has left a wonderful area for hiking, climbing, and getting away from Granada’s summer heat (over 40°C, 100°F). The temperature in the valley is often 10°C lower than most of the surrounding areas….
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Maulbronn Monastery, Germany – A Religious Paradise
Nestled in the tiny town of Maulbronn in the Enz Province of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, sits the Maulbronn Monastery, a Romanesque-style monastery with a long past. This Monastery, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has a long and bloody past but is also a beautiful and unique place to visit. The name comes from…
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Mainau, Germany – Germany’s Garden
Today I would like to present for your viewing pleasure the wonderful island of Mainau in the Bodensee (Lake Constance). Mainau, like the rest of the Bodensee, is only a stone through away from the Swiss border. Mainau has a very long history of being a place of human settlement. The Celts, the Romans, the…
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Ruine Hochburg, Germany – Defending the entrance to the Black Forest
As I promised those who follow this blog on Instagram, this blog post is on the Ruine Hochburg (High Castle Ruins). The Ruine Hochburg is located in Baden-Württemberg near Freiburg im Breisgau between the villages of Emmendingen (where I used to live) and Sexau. Originally known as Hachberg, the castle was built in the 11th…
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Saxon Switzerland (Sächsische Schweiz), Germany – A hike through nature
On the border between Germany and the Czech Republic lies a natural park called Saxon Switzerland (Sächsische Schweiz). The park lies in the Elbe Valley (the river runs through Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland) and attracts nature-lovers both locally and internationally due to the abundance of nature trails and climbing spots (which literally…
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Dresden, Germany – The dark capital
So I was recently able to spend a few hours in Dresden, one of the historic centres of Germany which has enjoyed a lot of power throughout its history. Its importance in the Holy Roman Empire especially led to its prosperity. You can see it in the architecture (what Dresden is probably most well known…
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Wartburg Castle, Germany – The birthplace of religious resistance
Eisenach is a town in western Thüringen (Thuringia). It is well known for its UNESCO World Heritage site, Wartburg Castle. This town has a surprisingly star-studded history: Martin Luther translated the Bible from Latin to German in Eisenach, Johann Sebastian Bach was born here in 1865, and hosted the famous writer/statesman Johann Wolfgang Goethe, all…
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Parc del Laberint d’Horta, Spain – Abandoned estate
The Parc del Laberint d’Horta (Horta’s Labyrinth Park) is the oldest garden in the city of Barcelona. Located on a former estate, the Parc and its famous labyrinth opened to the public in 1971; residents and visitors alike have enjoyed it ever since. The Neoclassical section of the Parc is split into three terrace levels. 1) the…
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Partnach Gorge (Partnachklamm), Germany – Olympic hiking
When one thinks about Germany, the usual stereotypes that one has of German culture is from Bavaria, with its Oktoberfest, Lederhosen and Oom-pah music. One of the things that you think about with Alpine culture is the mountains. However, did you know that there are other famous geographical formations around the Alps? How about Partnach…
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Pont de Pedret (Pedret Bridge and Church of Sant Quirze), Spain – High in the mountains
Since around the 10th century, a church and bridge of some kind have stood in a secluded location near the River Llobregat near the town of Berga. Fast forward eleven centuries and today, the Pont de Pedret and the Església (Church) de Sant Quirze still stand. The Inventari del Patrimoni Arquitectònic de Catalunya (Inventory of the…
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Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Wales – Mum wants to live by the sea
Pembrokeshire is well known for its Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Can you guess where it is?Pembrokeshire. Can you guess what it contains? The majority of the Pembrokeshire coast. The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is also the only national park in the UK created primarily for coastal areas. The only non-contiguous parts are a few port…
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Oystermouth Castle, Wales – Guarding the Bay
One of the castles overlooking Swansea Bay is Oystermouth Castle in Mumbles, the village of the rich just outside of the city of Swansea. Oystermouth Castle has a thousand-year-old history, although the present castle of stone has only been standing for around 800 years (and underwent refurbishment, meaning they added a few things like a visitors…
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Three Cliffs Bay, Wales – A coastal retreat
Are you looking for an unlikely beach where there aren’t many people? Would you consider going anywhere north of Ibiza? Well, if you answered yes to these questions (or at least the second one), then have I got a beach to show you!! This is Three Cliffs Bay: Not far from the city of Swansea…
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Cardona, Spain – Of Dukes and Salt Mountains
Cardona (Spain) is a well-known town in Catalonia for the Castle and the Muntanya de Sal. Muntanya de Sal (Salt Mountain) It’s most prominent feature (and the reason why it is well-known) is the Muntanya de Sal (Mountain of Salt), a rock salt mine opened under the Romans. The mine is no longer producing; you can…
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Congost de Mont-rebei, Spain – The turquoise river
***WARNING: THIS POST IS A SHAMELESS NATURE PORNOGRAPHY POST. DO NOT CONTINUE IF YOU DO NOT LIKE NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY OF BEAUTIFUL, SEXY PLACES*** Once there was a small river that flowed on what is now on the border between the provinces of Aragon and Catalonia in Spain. Over much time, this river formed a gorge…
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Hildesheim, Germany – A tale from history
Continuing on with the Germany theme, I would like to introduce a nice, small city in Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) that I particularly like called Hildesheim. If you like medieval history, this small city 30 km (19 miles) southeast of Hanover is the place to be. It is one of the oldest cities in northern Germany;…
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Exploring Palo Alto Market, Barcelona
Yesterday (2nd June 2018) was the first time that I went to Palo Alto Market in Barcelona. Palo Alto Market describes itself as a creative market and it is filled with artisanal products, such as handmade clothing, that is open only on the weekends. Many of the products are made from recycled materials, such as plastic…
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Gruyères, Switzerland – Cheese, Chocolates and Cheer
Our next stop on the summer 2017 trip was a stop of almost pure gluttony of two of my favourite things (and my two favourite ‘ch’ words): cheese and chocolate. Gruyères (or Gruyeres I guess in English but I like the accent) in Switzerland (as is much of the area around Lake Geneva) plays host…
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Mont Blanc/Chamonix, France – Alpine climb
Mont Blanc is the crowning jewel of Savoie in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Mont Blanc and the main town nestled at its base, known as Chamonix, was the next and final stop on our trip through southern France during the summer of 2017. Unfortunately, I cannot say much about the town except that it is an…
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Lac de Serre-Ponçon/Demoiselles Coiffées, France – Rock pillars
On our way from Mercantour to Mont Blanc, we stopped over for an hour or so in Haute-Alpes at a place called Lac de Serre-Ponçon. For those of you who speak French, you will realise that this is a lake. In fact, it is the largest artificial lake in western Europe and supplies water for…
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Mercantour, France – Franco-Italian beauty
After Marseille, the next stop on our tour last summer was Mercantour National Park (Parc national du Mercantour) on the border between France and Italy (which we crossed into unknowingly). This part of France is sparsely inhabited as most of the population of the area lives along the coast. Only small villages, many of them…
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Marseille and the Calanques, France
Another place that I went over the summer of 2017 was Marseille and the Calanques. The main goal was to visit an old friend of mine, but naturally, we also did some sightseeing of the city itself and what a beautiful city it can be! The centre of the city and the southern parts especially…
