EuroTravel Magazine Edition 5

2013 EDITION 5EuroTravel

Kelly Hoppen on Europe

Magic at Aman Sveti Stefan

Top tips for cruisers

Journey through a spectacular island

Surprising sophistication in the Ionian Sea

pluS beginner’s guides to Turkey and bavaria

mE and mY traVElS

Doing DUBROVNIK

in a day

Montenegro Corsica

CORFU TOWN

2 | EuroTravel

contEntS06 mE and mY

traVElS angela Sara West

talks to kelly Hoppen about the design guru’s love of Europe and the pearl 75 motor yacht

28 cruiSE portS of call 3: doinG dubroVnik in a daYa guide to doing the fabulous walled city, the

pearl of the adriatic, in a day, from two hour walks to day trips

24 talkinG trainS WitH tHE man in SEat 61 talking trains with mark Smith from

specialist train travel website seat61.com

38 rEGia di caSErtaWith 1200 rooms it’s a rival to Versailles and one of the fi nest and largest palaces in the world

36 dallYinG tHrouGH tHE dalESa leisurely stroll around the Yorkshire dales; home to giants, ghosts, books and tV series

corfu toWnSaturated with vintage buildings and atmospheric streets, the town has much to offer even the most sophisticated visitor

18 modica, SicilY’S SurpriSinG baroquE JEWEl part souk, part late renaissance fantasy. from

churches to chocolate it never fails to surprise the traveler

10

EuroTravel | 3

44 montEnEGro: maGic at aman SVEti StEfanan insight into this high-

end hideaway, simply oozing style, history and romance

74 baVariaa whistle-stop guide to the top 10 cities in bavaria, from nuremberg to Würzburg

82 dESbErt WibSonmore rants and raves from the wonderful

world of Wibson

78 tHE SWiSS adVEnturES of SHErlock HolmES

an elementary guide to the raging waters of reichenbach falls

52 corSica a journey through an island of unique

culture, cuisine and countryside

64 tHE dEfinitiVE milan cHEckliStfrom fl ash and swanky to cheap and

cheerful, there is plenty for all in italy’s second city

68 turkEY time for tea - a guide to the “must do” experiences when visiting this mysterious gateway to the East

auStria’S tYrol: lifE in tHE SloW lanEtaking it easy is hard work amongst the breathtaking visions that wait around every curve of the trail

EurotraVEl’S bEGinnEr’S GuidE to

58

4 | EuroTravel4 | EuroTravel

EuroTravel | 5EuroTravel | 5

Publications

Editor

david [email protected]

SEnior Editorial tEam

Victoria matthews [email protected]

laura Simone [email protected]

Gabrielle niman [email protected]

desbert [email protected]

WEb dEVElopmEnt

martyn [email protected]

davide [email protected]

art dirEctor

mariëtte barkhuizen [email protected]

HEad of adVErtiSinG SalES

lara [email protected]

SubScription EnquiriES

[email protected]

Editorial EnquiriES

[email protected]

published by aGl publications

4 Imperial Place, Maxwell RoadBorehamwood, Hertfordshire

WD6 1JNUnited Kingdom

Welcome to the fifth edition of EuroTravel Magazine. As far as we are aware, it’s the only online flip-page magazine focusing exclusively on Europe as a tourist destination.

This month we travel the breadth of Europe, from the Yorkshire Dales to Turkey, visiting a few exciting destinations en route, including the islands of Corsica, Sicily and Corfu.

Kelly Hoppen, the design guru and new “Dragon” in Britain’s Dragon’s Den TV programme, talks about her love of Europe, particularly the Balearic Islands of Ibiza and Mallorca. We also chat to Mark Smith, the founder of specialist rail travel website Seat61, about our shared love of train travel.

We continue our series of “Beginners Guides”, this time with a look at the top ten cities in Bavaria, and the multitude of attractions offered by Turkey from the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul to the mysterious Lycian tombs in the Teke Peninsula.

Our guide to cruise ship destinations visits Dubrovnik, the famous walled city on the Adriatic coast of Croatia. I was there in the summer and it far exceeded my expectations. Definitely one of the best Mediterranean cruise destinations. Off the top of my head my top five would probably be: Istanbul, Venice, Dubrovnik, Naples and Santorini, with the simply stunning Kotor, in Montenegro a very close sixth.

I hope you continue to enjoy the magazine. The feedback from readers continues to be amazing. Do let us know if there are any specific destinations you would like us to cover in future editions.

All the best

David JacobsEditor

Editors Letter

6 | EuroTravel

Kelly Hoppen - Designer to the Stars

Angela Sara West speaks to world-famous queen of interiors and entrepreneur-turned-author-educator-TV presenter, Kelly Hoppen MbE about her European travels and being brought on board to

style the award-winning, groundbreaking high-end boy’s toy, luxury motor yacht Pearl 75 which was moored in Mallorca this year

before setting sail on its Mediterranean tour.

Me & My Travels

Interview

N

EuroTravel | 7

Nothing says luxury like a Kelly Hoppen design… Since kicking off her career at sweet 16, Britain’s award-winning first lady of interior design’s achieved iconic status, putting her contemporary stamp on celebrities’ homes, yachts and private jets, along with a boutique Barcelona hotel, Swiss ski hotel, residential projects in London and Moscow…even a French Riviera golf club. The design doyenne recently starred as a ‘Dragon’ in the BBC series Dragon’s Den and her A-list clientele includes close friends the Beckhams and Elton John. Famous for her taupe colour palette, her signature ‘East-meets-West’ style’s won her numerous accolades including the ‘Oscar’ of the industry, the Andrew Martin Interior Designer of the Year award, an Elle Style Award, European Woman of Achievement and a much-coveted MBE.

do your travels influence your designs? I love to travel, especially in Europe. I travel to such wonderful places through work, everywhere inspires me. Places like Paris and Italy have such fantastic culture, people, food and sights which I always find so inspiring. My travelling always influences my design, no matter where I go.

favourite interiors shops/trade fairs? The Cloth Shop in Notting Hill’s one of my favourites. I love London Design Week. It’s always

incredible and I never fail to find something inspiring and original. London’s Decorex interior design event is another great one… always packed to the brim. Every year, I go to Maison & Objet in Paris and Salone in Milan for inspiration.

What’s your top travel tip? A great book, movies on my iPad, amazing food, a good moisturiser and even better company! That is about all you need…

How about your home town, london? I loved living in Chelsea and now in Notting Hill. I think that whichever area you live or hang out in will always have an influence on your inspiration.

Your greatest achievement? Without doubt, receiving my MBE in 2009. It was such an honour to meet the Queen and be presented with such an award. There’s no individual project that I’m most proud of. I love, and work equally hard on every assignment; they’re all so different and unique. When each is finished, I get a sense of immense pride.

a past assignment was to design british airways’ first-class cabins…Well, although the designs have since changed, it is the height of comfort, which is exactly what anyone would want while travelling. I still love travelling with BA.

The Pearl 75

Interview

8 | EuroTravel

You regularly holiday in ibiza and spent your 50th birthday there. How did you celebrate? I rented a villa for my family and friends. Pete Tong DJ’d and David Walliams and Ben De Lisi came. I celebrated with all my loved ones. Great food, fantastic wine and even better company… I couldn’t have asked for more! When dining out, I love La Paloma Italian restaurant… the food is amazing. There’s also a new place called Café B on Formentera, which is fantastic!

You’ve also visited mallorca. What do you love most about the island? It’s lovely… the little shops, restaurants and people.

What did you enjoy most about styling the pearl 75? When designing and conceptually thinking about the exceptional space, I wanted to make it feel incredibly comfortable and inviting, but with a sense of simplicity. I used my rule of thumb for high-end residential of dividing up the space using a grid system, combining a mixture of soft and hard finishes together…whether it be the polished nickel floor runner leading from the living area to the dining space or the cushion bands and vertical stripes

on the soft furnishings. The best aspect’s been seeing the final product and exceptional workmanship that’s gone into making my designs into a reality. It’s a unique modern design, standing on its own among rivals.

You also designed ‘talk-of-the-town’ sleek and sumptuous boutique hotel murmuri in barcelona … Yes, it was great! We went to look at every single hotel to see what our competitors were and there was nothing like what we had in mind! In fact, working with the Majestic Group was incredible.

How do you strike a work/life balance and relax? I work out every morning… it helps set me up for the day. I work in a very focused way and when I finish, and at weekends, I relax and recharge my battery, unless filming. I’m quite lucky – I have a great team of people working behind the scenes to help me balance everything. I always find time for my loved ones as they’re the most important thing but my business is very important to me so is never far behind. I think it’s about working hard, putting all that you have into your projects 95% and making sure the 5% relaxing time’s the most incredible holiday or time out! ■

Kelly’s latest book, Kelly Hoppen’s Design Masterclass: How to Achieve the Home of Your Dreams was out on 21st November.

Check out her app for the iPhone and iPad, offering advice on design when shopping for the home. Kelly’s also an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust, cultivating young talent and inspiring young people to pursue their business ideas.For more information, see Kelly’s website: http://kellyhoppen.com/

factbox

Interview

10 | EuroTravel

to book Hotels in corfu, click HErE

to research this destination further, click HErE

By Richard Bevan

Corfu Town

Corfu Town

Greece

EuroTravel | 11

Greece

CCorfu, situated off the north western coast of Greece’s mainland is a diverse island comprising of historical towns, pretty villages and beaches with a more temperate climate than other Greek islands in the southern hemispheres. Th e airport is alarmingly close to Corfu Town where the average taxi ride from baggage collection to the centre is less than fi fteen minutes.

Corfu TownCorfu Town, the island’s capital is full of surprises and largely unrepresentative of a destination that has become associated with package holiday culture over the years. Th e old town itself couldn’t be further away from the brash commercialism of 18-30 holiday playgrounds and as a UNESCO heritage site is saturated with vintage buildings and atmospheric streets within a sedate but bustling community. It is also culturally unique refl ecting over seven hundred years of European infl uence due to occupation by the Venetians, French

and the British who all left their mark. Th e main English import here isn’t fi sh and chip shops and Bingo but cricket, landscaped gardens and a bandstand that could have come straight out of Regent’s Park. It is from this much loved Victorian leftover that locals and visitors can enjoy listening to an eclectic mix of brass band music while a nearby green space is home to cricket matches watched over by coff ee drinkers in colonnaded splendour.

UNESCO StatusIn 2007 the old town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list and for good reason due to its architectural heritage ranging from Greek Orthodox churches to buildings refl ecting its past occupiers. With its winding streets and picturesque squares that pop up unexpectedly around corners, the town exudes elegance and youthful vibrancy due to a busy local populace and lively student presence. Unlike many ‘museum’ towns that can be found on the tourist

12 | EuroTravel

Eastern bay looking out to The Old Fort

The New Fort

Greece

EuroTravel | 13

trail, Corfu Town feels like a city where people actually live and work, even if it appears at times they are outnumbered by invading visitors in Justin Bieber t-shirts. Of course along with the vibrancy of a living town also comes the inevitable realities of graffiti and neglected outer areas but in general the aesthetic pleasures of this friendly and atmospheric mini metropolis outweigh the detritus of economic depression and political slogans sprayed on walls. It is all the more interesting (especially for walkers) for not being a pristine Disneyfied set piece, but a place that combines both beauty and shabbiness in equal measures.

Forts and City VistasThe Venetians ruled here for over four centuries and this is reflected in what could be seen as the city’s major signature landmark – The Old Fortress, towering above the sea and guarding the city like a humungous granite bouncer. It’s little wonder that with such a formidable presence threatening outsiders the city was never invaded by the Turks.

The Old Fortress which can be visited and explored to the top for panoramic city views is also one of the most dramatic backdrops for swimmers down below at the foot of the city wall. A lack of sand is cleverly compensated by sun-lounge bedecked concrete pontoons and a man made sandy playground with access to a beach cafe (offering superb Club sandwiches) and chic night bar.

Corfu town not only has one fort but two, the latter built around 1576.

Comically referred to as the ‘New Fortress’ it is younger by just twenty three years. Despite its central and imposing position it is mainly ignored by tourists which makes it one of the most enjoyable vintage sites to potter around (a small cafe provides alcoholic and soft drinks) and like the Old Fort also provides stunning views of the city and vistas across to the mainland and mountains of Albania.

Exploring Corfu TownSmall, compact and in places warren like, it doesn’t take more than a few days to feel you know and own the town’s streets. The Esplanade, a mixture of park and town square circumnavigates the front of the town and offers shade and tranquillity away from the busy epicentre.

The ListonFirst stop to get one’s bearings in the town and enjoy a coffee or cool drink amid bustle and elegant surroundings is The Liston overlooking the cricket ground. A colonnaded building housing cafes and built by the French in 1807, this copy of Rue de Rivoli in Paris echoes a period when the Venetians made a ‘list’ of noble families, the only ones allowed to walk along its parade.

Agios SpyridonThe most important and holiest church in Corfu with the tallest belfry on the island. Built in 1589 and named after the saint Spyridon whose mummified body lies inside a silver casket. The interiors contain beautiful frescoes and

The Venetians ruled here for over four centuries and this is reflected in what could be seen as the city’s major signature landmark – The Old Fortress

The Liston

Greece

14 | EuroTravel

Agios Spyridon

Greece

EuroTravel | 15

a plethora of silverware brought by pilgrims over the centuries.

Palace of St Michael and St GeorgeBuilt by the British in the 19th century as the residence of Sir Thomas Maitland, the building now functions as a museum and houses the Museum of Asiatic Art. The two floored classically designed venue hosts superbly presented exhibits of antiquities.

Places of intestestAchilleion Palace A popular excursion out of Corfu town (20 mins bus ride) to the Italian designed ‘retreat’ of Elizabeth Sissy, Empress of Austria and Bavaria whose life reflected in some ways to that of Lady Diana Spencer. Renowned for her beauty and not beyond a little neurotic behaviour herself, she had an obsession with horses, Roman villas, travelling (to counter boredom) and was assassinated in Geneva by an Italian anarchist. The villa is a fascinating mix of styles from Neo Classical to Teutonic. After her death Kaiser Wilhelm II bought the palace in 1907.

Getting there Take the blue bus from Corfu Town bus station. An all day travel ticket will save hassle.

Prince Philip’s Family Villa A hidden gem quietly tucked away on the outskirts of Kanoni and standing in what looks like the run down set of Sunset Boulevard. This unassuming and somewhat modest royal residence was the summer retreat of Greece’s royal family and birthplace of the Duke of Edinburgh. A museum since 1967 the surrounding area is home to ancient ruins (Mon Repos) a Byzantine church and the most stunning vista across the Ionian Sea. This shady, tranquil and shabby jewel is best discovered by bike or scooter.

Palace of St Michael and St George

Empress Elizabeth Sissy and her

famous wasp waist

Greece

16 | EuroTravel

bike Hire This is a fun, cheap and enjoyable way of seeing what Corfu has to offer although be warned as a mountainous island there can be hills to test even hardened cycle Olympians.

kanoni & mouse island A relatively non arduous bike ride that runs from Corfu Town’s port (where you hire the bikes) along the bay and towards Kanoni, a postcard perfect peninsula of spectacular views overlooking two tiny islands Vlacherna and Pontikonissi (Mouse Island) the best sights being from the cliff top restaurants.

Swimming at kanoni Avoid the scrappy and rather unedifying mini beach at the back of the causeway’s only cafe and instead take the dinky boat (5mins duration) to Mouse Island which is quiet and only visited by a handful of curious folk for its treetop monastery. The adventurous among you should find risking cuts and bruises over the island’s volcanic girdle a minor inconvenience in order to enjoy total solitude in clear, aqua blue waters. The boat service is regular.

nearby Excursions – paxos and antipaxos Corfu is the best base to explore the northern Ionian islands and is only an hour’s reach (30 miles) by hydrofoil to the diminutive and pretty Paxos island and

neighbouring sister Antipaxos, renowned for its secluded sandy beaches. Book tickets for the hydrofoil or ferries from the main port.

tips During summer avoid the narrow winding streets around late morning and early afternoon until the cruise ship day-visitors have departed for their all inclusive on board bean-feasts. Being able to wander around pleasantly uncrowded winding warrens makes all the difference to the atmosphere and feeling you are part of the town rather than just another trinket buyer. The day-visitors are gone by the afternoon leaving the city to the locals and discerning visitors. Note that most public buildings and museums are closed on Mondays.

exploreGo

Vlacherna and Pontikonissi (Mouse Island)

Greece

EuroTravel | 17

HotelsThe Cavelieri an 18th century boutique hotel is positioned on the front of the Esplanade facing a spectacular view of the Old Fort. Moderately priced it has one of the best bedroom views I have experienced in Greece looking over the town’s eastern bay and is a five minute walk to the centre. The hotel’s garden roof restaurant (open to non residents) offers superb quality dining and panoramic views.

Recommended SpotsNino’s. A central non fussy inexpensive traditional Greek

restaurant that serves the most delicious assortment of beef and pork dishes. I would have gone here every night had I known about it at the time.

Drinking and People WatchingThe Bristol – cool, vibrant central bar opposite the back of the Town Hall that is an ideal spot for watching the natives while enjoying a range of draft beers, wine or cocktails.

The Liston – The town’s elegant parade where locals and visitors alike enjoy dining, drinking, socialising and people-watching within colonnaded splendour. ■

Flights from Gatwick direct to Corfu airport are regular and take around 2hrs 40mins. Taxi rides less than 15mins into central Corfu Town.

cavalieri Hotel 4 Capodistriou, St, Corfu Town. www.cavalieri-hotel.com

If you go

Greece

M DICADICASicily’s Surprising Baroque Jewel

By Mark Gordon Smith

Sicily

to book Hotels in modica, click HErE


18 | EuroTravel

MMMy fi rst encounter with Modica was late on a summer’s night. Th e approach to the city, across a broad plateau, gave no hint of the secrets that were about to be exposed. Below a small car park, lights sparkled as if a basket of stars, part souk, part late Renaissance fantasy, a mosaic of buildings which belied the complex history of one of Sicily’s Baroque jewels.

Th e two sections of the city, Modica Basso (below) and Modica Alta (above) were clearly apparent

even at a late hour. Th e stunning façade of the Church of San Giorgio, patron saint of Modica Alta, and the monument lined approach to the Church of San Pietro, patron saint of Modica Basso, shimmered in amber light.

Modica’s sharp escarpment and valley were created by the Modicano, a river formed of two smaller tributaries; Pozzo dei Pruni and Janni Mauro. Noted for the number of bridges which once crossed the river, and for the commerce which lined its banks,

the city became known as the Venice of Sicily. Following a catastrophic fl ood in 1902, the city installed huge culverts which now move the river safely under Modica Basso’s main thoroughfare, Corso Umberto I.

In 1693 the eastern side of the island suff ered nearly complete destruction followingc a strong earthquake. Architects and stonemasons recovered from that disaster by creating a new style of building which has come to be known a Sicilian Baroque. It is a

Modica

Sicily

EuroTravel | 19

Sicily

20 | EuroTravel

Th e Cathedral of San PietroOlder than San Giorgio, this was the diocesan church of the city until factions formed around Modica Alta and Modica Basso. Th e ensuing divisions ended in their being two patron saints of the city - San Giorgio for the upper city and Saint Peter for the lower city. Th e statues of the twelve saints that stand along both sides of the entrance stairway to the church are beautiful, as is the interior of this historic church.

San Niccolo InferioreIt was in the late 1960’s, when a car repair garage was being enlarged, that workers opened up a cave. It was determined that the cave had

been used by early (4th Century A.D.) Christians as a place of worship. Located off of a small side lane along the Corso Umberto I, you have to ring a bell to enter this little known treasure in the heart of the city. A warden leans out of a window above you in response to the bell, then descends and opens the cave for you. Th e walls retain remnants of fourth and fi fth century frescoes created by the artists of the day, gorgeous in their simplicity, moving in their beauty.

Chocolate in ModicaYou can fi nd few chocolatiers in Italy that can match the history of Bonajuto (bon-aye-u’-toe) in Modica

result of the spectacularly carved and intricately carved stones used in this new style of building that Modica shares, along with the nearby cities of Ragusa, Scicli and Noto, the unique distinction of being a UNESCO protected site.

When you visit the city, there are a few key sites I strongly encourage you to enjoy.

ChurchesTh e Cathedral of San GiorgioLocated on a steep hillside, above a garden shaped like a large key, this is one of the most striking examples of Sicilian Baroque in Sicily. Th e facade was rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake and the results are spectacular. One of the island’s fi rst meridians, a means of tracing the seasons by the position of the sun on the fl oor of the cathedral, crosses in front of the main altar. It was in 1895, that the mathematician Armando Perinio received permission from the church to install the meridian.

Th e rays of sunlight that pierce the cathedral’s windows, particularly in the afternoon, create prisms of light on the surface of huge white interior marble column; an evocative sense of the spiritual in a spiritual place.

The rays of sunlight that pierce the cathedral’s windows, particularly in the afternoon, create prisms of light on

the surface of huge white interior marble column; an evocative sense of the spiritual in a spiritual place.

San Giorgio

Interior San Giorgio

San Pietro Saints

San Pietro

EuroTravel | 21

Sicily

SicilySicily

22 | EuroTravel

Hotels

The Palazzo Failla in Modica AltaThe Failla family opened this lovely hotel in their family palazzo. The restoration of their once family home is gorgeous. In 2008, the family opened a depandance across the road from the original hotel where suites that include every modern convenience (spa tubs, steam showers for example) are available. There are two restaurants in the hotel - the gazza Ladra and La Locanda del Colonnello. The gazza is one of the fi nest restaurants in Italy while the Locanda off ers typical Sicilian fare. Via Blandini, 5 - 97015 Modica (RG) Tel: +39.0932.941.059

CambiocavalloFor those more interested in the quiet retreat of a country estate, rather than a city hotel, the Cambiocavallo off ers guests the beauty of a resort with easy access to the sea and the main sites of southeastern Sicily. The resort is located about half way between Modica and the southern shore of the island, near Pozzallo. www.cambiocavallo.comc.da Zimmardo Km 5 provinciale Modica-PozzalloTel. (+39) [email protected]

restaurants

Osteria dei Sapori PerdutiIn addition to the two restaurants listed in the hotel Palazzo Failla, I also strongly encourage you to enjoy a meal (or meals!) at the Osteria dei Sapori Perduti. This is a treasure of a place to enjoy a fabulous meal in Sicily. The recipes are generations old, traditional in every sense. The translation of the Osteria’s name (The Osteria of Lost Flavors) is not quite accurate as the fl avors, rediscovered in traditional recipes, are unforgettable. This is a very aff ordable place and the service is matched by the owner’s dedication to satisfying even the most discriminating palate.Corso Umberto I, 228, 97015 Modica, Sicily, ItalyTel: +39.0932.944.247

Pizzeria SmilePizzeria Smile? yes. A short walk from the Palazzo Failla in Modica Alta is this wonderful pizzeria. After long days of travel and visiting across this part of Sicily, the pizzeria off ers simple and fl avorful fare served in a very plain atmosphere. Weather permitting, the dining rooms open to the street and absent the occasional motos that rip past the restaurant, the cool evening breezes are a welcome respite from the heat of

summer and welcome cool in the autumn and spring.Via G. Marconi, 17Tel: +39.0932.946.666

churches

San Giorgio and San Pietro10:00AM until 6:00PM except Sundays. Sunday 1:00PM - 5:00PM. The schedule for masses are posted on the doors and interior entrances to the churches.

San Niccolo Inferiorehours vary by request. you must ring the bell at the entrance to the site to gain entrance with no reservation. If you wish to set up a time to visit, call the Italian cell phone listed in this summary and make an appointment. This is a place with no formal hours, absent 10:00AM to 5:00PM. It is catch as catch can, but well worth the eff ort!Via Rimaldi, 1. Tel: +39.331.740.3045.

you goIf

The Palazzo Failla

Sicily

EuroTravel | 23

Basso. Established in 1880 by Francesco Bonajuto, the recipes used in this workshop date to the time of Spanish occupation on Sicily. The grainy texture of the chocolate (they do not allow the sugar to dissolve completely) mixed with ingredients as diverse as red pepper or lemon, are a delight. Guided visits can be arranged. See below under “IF YOU GO” for further details.

Day TripsThere are numerous options open to visitors who choose Modica as the base for their visit to this part of Sicily. Easily reached are the other famous Sicilian Baroque cities of Scicli, Noto and Ragusa. Lovely

You can reach author Mark Gordon Smith at [email protected], through his travel blog www.travelsacrossitaly.com or his company web site, www.private-italy.com.

small fishing villages, like Sampieri and Pozzallo, dot the southeastern coast and offer quiet (except in July and August!) respite from the cities. The Cava d’Ispica, another site replete with the remains of early religious worship, is an easy day trip as well. For those more adventuresome, a longer day trip provides time to visit the extraordinary Valley of the Temples near the southern coastal city of Agrigento.

On many evenings, I have walked up to the piazza above the

Hotel Palazzo Failla - see “Hotels” below (not for the feint of heart!) - and looked out over the valley of Modica. Despite the occasional group of local youths who gather as young people are wont to do, the timelessness of the buildings, the rugged beauty of the architecture and the evening shafts of sunset light evoke a different time, a different era, a different Italy.

No matter where your travels take you during time in Sicily, visit Modica. You will not be disappointed. ■

24 | EuroTravel

M

Interview

Talking Trains withThe Man in Seat 61Mark is a career railwayman, starting work as a British Rail General Management Trainee in 1987, becoming Station Manager London Charing Cross in the early 1990s and later the Customer Relations Manager for two privatised train companies. He subsequently progressed to the Office of Rail Regulation, Strategic Rail Authority and finally the Department for Transport’s Rail Directorate (DfT). Until 2007 he was the DfT’s expert on UK rail fares and ticketing, heading a small specialist team. He now runs his train travel website www.seat61.com full-time.

from station manager to website owner: why? It’s true I used to have a proper job - a career in the railway industry that led me from Station Manager at Charing Cross to head of the Fares & Ticketing regulation team at the Department for Transport. Looking for something to read on the train home from work one day, I found a ‘Teach yourself HTML’ book, HTML being the language in which

David Jacobs chats to Mark Smith, from train travel website www.seat61.com.

websites are written. I started a site, purely as a hobby, to explain how to travel from the UK to almost anywhere in Europe by train. I have always found this easy, and far more practical and affordable than most people think, but finding anyone in the rail industry or travel industry willing to tell you how (let alone sell you a ticket) had become difficult if not downright impossible. The site now gets a million visitors each month, and adverts and affiliate schemes have made it possible to run the site full-time. Which is just as well, as it’s a monster to update...

Why did you call the website “Seat61”? When I set out on a special journey, for example London to Tokyo via Moscow & Vladivostok, or to Marrakech via Paris and Madrid, or the Crimea via Warsaw and Odessa, it became a sort of tradition to treat myself to Eurostar’s first class. And I’d always choose a specific seat, to make sure I got one at a table with an unobstructed view from the window. Seat 61 (in cars 7, 8, 11 or 12) fitted the bill perfectly.

What are your three favourite scenic train routes in Europe? Only three? Hmmm... Then I’d have to say the West Highland Line to Fort William and Mallaig, the Bernina line in Switzerland from Chur to Tirano, and the line from Belgrade to Bar in Montenegro. You can’t beat a good mountain or two!

favourite overnight train and why? The Elipsos trainhotels from Paris to Madrid & Barcelona have always been a great overnight ride: Cosy sleepers, including Gran Clase with shower & toilet, a proper restaurant car with starched white tablecloths and all the trimmings, and a cafe bar complete with polished wooden bar and bar-stools. However, direct Paris-Barcelona high-speed TGV trains are due to start soon, taking 6 hours not 12, and the future of these Elipsos sleeper trains is uncertain.

What tips would you offer on getting the best price tickets in Europe? Most importantly, with only one or two exceptions I’d always book

EuroTravel | 25

direct with the relevant train operator, not with third party agencies. The reason is three-fold: First, because the operator’s own website will offer their whole fare range including all the cheap advance-purchase fares; Second, because you’ll usually pay no added booking fee and can print out your own ticket; And third, because you’ll get maximum functionality, such as the chance to select an exact seat from a numbered plan. Overseas agencies in your own country may only be able to access the most expensive full-flex fares, may add fees, and may not offer a full range of seating options. And as fares in western Europe now work like budget airlines, book early for the cheapest prices. Bookings usually open 92 days before departure.

Why do you have to validate train tickets in france before going on the platform? In France and a few other countries you have to validate tickets in a small machine

And if you do want to reach Rome, I can recommend a scenic ride from Paris to Milan from just €29, then a high-speed ‘Italo’ train from Milan to Rome from just €30.

the amtrak rail network in the uS tends to get a lot of flak. How do you think European trains compare with amtrak? Americans typically think we have a great rail network in Europe, and talk down Amtrak. Why? We have nothing here in Europe to compare

at the platform entrance - it prints the time and date on your ticket, indicating that it’s been used, which stops fraudulent re-use or refund.

Will we eventually have direct train services from london to rome along the Eurostar track? Not to Rome, perhaps - but Eurostar plan direct trains from London to Amsterdam from late 2016, and German Railways plan direct trains from 2016 between London and both Amsterdam and Frankfurt.

www.seat61.com

Bernina Express

Interview

26 | EuroTravel

with Amtrak’s gleaming stainless steel double-deck Superliner trains, with their sleepers, diners and glassed-in observation cars which roll right across a continent. And the scenery on a route such as the Chicago-San Francisco California Zephyr is world class, yet NYC-SF starts at just $212, surely one of the world’s great travel bargains. I’ve crossed the States by train half a dozen times and can’t understand why there isn’t a queue for tickets very day at Penn station!

When travelling across cities such as paris and london, how long would you allow between arrival at one station and departure from another? I normally allow at least 60 minutes to change trains and stations in London or Paris. Even though actual transfer time is more like 30 minutes, you need to allow time for orientation and any slight delays.

do you have a worst train journey story? Funnily enough, even ‘worst’ train journeys can end up as cherished memories. Such as a trip I once made in Egypt, from

Aswan to Luxor on the most filthy, decrepit and delayed 3rd class train. I ended up reading text books to schoolchildren to help them with their English, and discussing village life with a young man who worked as a barman on the tourist cruise boats, as we rumbled slowly past the fields and palm trees of the Nile Valley.

do you have any views on HS2 - the controversial proposed high speed rail network from london to birmingham which will cost over £50 billion? The planned HS2 route passes just two miles from my house - but if Britain is going to cope with future transport demand, it should be with rail and not more motorways or flights. But I support a route next to the M1 or M40, not the route that’s been chosen.

Given the choice of any railway restaurant or hotel in Europe, where would you eat or sleep? The celebrated and remarkable Train Bleu restaurant at Paris Gare de Lyon stands out, (www.le-train-bleu.com) - it’s ideal for lunch in Paris between a Eurostar from London and a TGV

to Switzerland, Italy or Barcelona, an eatery that also happens to be designated French National Monument. I’m becoming a regular!

As for hotels, the Pera Palas in Istanbul was built by the Wagons-Lits company in 1892 for passengers arriving on the Orient Express. A bargain with faded grandeur for decades, it’s just had a refurbishment, and is no longer faded - or quite as cheap!

travelling from london to paris or brussels by train from city centre to city centre, what would be the typical time saving over flying? In Europe, a ‘one hour flight’ usually ends up taking three or even four hours from centre to centre. Eurostar takes just 2h15 from London to Paris, 1h55 from London to Brussels, with a 30-minute check-in in central London. But it’s not merely the time saving - it’s the lack of hassle compared to flying, and the fact that you can read, work, or just relax. But then that’s the whole point - by air, it’s mere transportation. By train, the journey can be an experience in itself. ■

Atocha’s Station, Madrid

Interview

Croatia

28 | EuroTravel

Doing Dubrovnik in a DayDubrovnik

Cruise Ports of Call 3:

to book Hotels in dubrovnik, click HErE


Croatia

EuroTravel | 29

View of Dubrovnik’s old city

TCroatia

30 | EuroTravel

The famously walled Dubrovnik is the proudest feather in Croatia’s tourist cap, an elite destination and one of the most beautiful towns in the Mediterranean. Dubrovnik used to be an independent republic, living mostly on trade. It managed to survive over the centuries, with constant threats to its territory, particularly from the mighty Ottoman Empire and Venice. It suffered substantial damage in 1991 as a result of heavy artillery bombardment during the Croatian War of Independence. Damage to the Old Town of Dubrovnik was observed by a UNESCO team which stayed in the city from 27 November until 20 December 1991. They estimated that 55.9% of buildings were damaged, including 11.1% heavily damaged and 1% burned down. Seven burned Baroque palaces were the greatest losses. Additional damage was caused by troops looting museums, businesses and private homes. Some two decades later the casual cruise tourist would never know - almost all of the damage has been repaired, but if you look closely around the old town, mortar damage in the cobblestone streets and bullet marks in the stone houses are visible.

George Bernard Shaw once said that “those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik and find it”. Royalty, presidents and

diplomats have all favoured the city, together with a host of A-Listers over the centuries including Richard the Lionheart, Wallis Simpson, Prince Edward, Elisabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Michael Douglas, Catharine Zeta Jones, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Richard Gere, Nick Nolte, Tom Cruise and Kevin Spacey.

Getting into townCruise ships typically dock at the Port of Dubrovnik across from the main bus station, 2.5 km northwest of the walled old town. The easiest and cheapest way to get from the main bus station to the Old Town is by using the local buses number 1, 1A and 1B, which circulate almost constantly. Some cruise ships anchor offshore just east of the Old Town and tender the passengers directly into the Old Port. In 2012 over 1.000.000 passengers visited Dubrovnik by cruise ship.

Other options are taxi, which are readily available, especially when returning from the Old Town, or, as a last resort, by cruise ship shuttle bus, which tends to offer poor value for money.

What to do in a day in DubrovnikThe City walls Dubrovnik as a destination is defined by its 2km long City Walls surrounding the town. Walking

the walls, one of the best preserved fortification complexes in Europe, is the major attraction for visitors. The three entrances to the walls are next to St Lukes Church in the east, next to St Saviours Church at the Pile entrance to the Old City and next to the Maritime Museum located at St Johns Fort. In parts, walking the walls, while spectacular, can be a bit of a test for the physically challenged,

Croatia

EuroTravel | 31

but there is still plenty to fascinate the one day cruise visitor at ground level.

Old TownPile Gate, at the western end of the Placa Thoroughfare is a convenient starting place for your stroll through the Old Town. Before entering the Old Town, Fort Lovrjenac, the first among many sites worth seeing in Dubrovnik, provides a

good view of the Old Town and its wall. Just outside Pile Gate, is Pile Square is where most of the walking tours begin, by the fountain near Dubravka bar restaurant. To be safe, it’s best to book these in advance.

Big Onofrio s Fountain. In the western (Pile) entrance of the old town, The fountain stairs are nowadays a favourite meeting place

for local youth and where both the tourists and pigeons take rest and refresh themselves with cool water. The water from here is regarded as drinking water but do check.

Placa Stradun. The Stradun (Placa) is the central street of the city of Dubrovnik and is the place where the old city comes to life. Explore the shade of the perpendicular streets

Cruise ship docked in Dubrovnik

Croatia

32 | EuroTravel

Sponza Palace

Croatia

EuroTravel | 33

and alleys, some rising steeply, on its sides. The uniform Baroque architecture of the houses with shops on the street level and their ‘knee-like’ entrances, got its present-day form in the restoration of the City which took place after the disastrous earthquake in 1667, when a large number of luxurious Gothic and Renaissance palaces were destroyed.

Lovrjenac Fort is situated to the west of the Old City on a 37 metre-high rock. The symbol of Dubrovnik’s survival and freedom, the fort was used for the defence of the city and the western Pile gate. Above the entrance to the fort is the famed inscription: NON BENE PRO TOTO LIBERTAS VENDITUR AURO (Freedom is not sold for all gold in the world). The first official records mention the fort in 1301, although it is believed that its construction began earlier.

Bell Tower, (after the Ploče entrance to the city). On top of the tower are the famous ‘Zelenci’ (The Green Ones), bronze statues which strike the gigantic bell every hour.

Sponza Palace, (West of the Bell Tower). Gothic Renaissance palace, one of the few buildings that survived the catastrophic 1667 earthquake intact.

Rector’s Palace, Pred dvorom 1, +385 20 321 437. Formerly the

palace of the Major Council, now houses a museum dedicated to the city’s history.

Synagogue and Jewish Museum, Zudioska 5, +385 20 321 028. This originally Sephardic Synagogue is supposed to be the second oldest synagogue still in use in Europe today. A permanent Jewish community here was founded at the end of the 15th century following the exodus from Portugal and Spain. The community flourished and included respected doctors, merchants and state representatives. The Synagogue is tiny and delightful, with heavy velvet drapes and a richly painted, midnight blue ceiling. The museum contains valuable artifacts, alongside information on the history of the Jewish community in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik Cable Car, Petra Krešimira 4. bb, 20000 Dubrovnik. Directions to the Cable Car are difficult to find in the Old City. On the northern side of the city Buža Street leads you towards the exit from the city walls. From there you keep climbing towards the fire station. Once you are at the fire station, you need to cross the street on your right hand side and keep going straight. After a few moments you will see the cable car station on your right hand side. The view of the Old City will rival that found on any postcard. There is a small shop at the top and restaurant with outside terraces, and the most fabulous of views. ■

Explore the shade of the perpendicular streets and alleys, some rising steeply, on its sides.

Plaza Stradun

Croatia

34 | EuroTravel

Your cruise line will of course run their own range of excursions beyond the Old City, examples are:• Dalmatian Coastline and Wine

Tasting• Island of Korcula: Birthplace of

Marco Polo• Jeep safari through the Konavle

Valley• Seaside Resort Of Cavtat

The cruise lines’ offerings will range from the comprehensive, well planned and value for money through to uninspiring, expensive rip-offs. They always tell you that one of the major benefits of taking one of their excursions is that if you are on one of these the ship won’t leave without you, whereas if you do your own thing you run the risk if something goes wrong of missing the ship, which will sail without you. This is true, but with a bit of planning the do it yourself option is well worth considering

as long as you plan to arrive back on the ship say 90 minutes before departure to allow for any unforeseen contingencies.

The forums at www.cruisecritic.com are strongly recommended for finding other people to make up small groups for excursions. There will almost certainly be a “roll call” forum specifically for your particular cruise. Or look for recommendations in other forums. Failing that www.viator.com has a good selection of cruise excursions and their 2 hour walking tour of the old city at £14/$20 is recommended as great value for money and delivered by highly knowledgeable local guides with an excellent command of English.

David Jacobs visited Dubrovnik on the Celebrity Silhouette Adriatic Cruise.

Going Further Afield

View from cable car

EuroTravel | 35

T

England

36 | EuroTravel

There is something about desolate landscapes that inspires awe. Standing at the crest of a pass between Wensleydale and Swaledale, I look out across the fells of Yorkshire, at the scudding clouds throwing patterns of light and shadow over the purple heather and bracken covered hills and I’m silenced by their stark beauty.

Behind me, a group of people walk gingerly around the edges of deep rocky fissures-known as the Buttertubs. These were used in bygone times by farmers who often had to travel long distances-usually involving overnight stops-to sell their produce in market towns. The farmers would place their butter and cheese in sacks which would then be

suspended in these cool “Buttertub” caverns to preserve their freshness.

This is just one example of what undoubtedly was a hard-scrabble existence for the farmers and lead-miners who lived and worked on these wild and lonely moors. When the mines closed down at the end of the last century, people were forced to leave Swaledale and look for

Dallying through the dalesBy Margaret Deefholts

to book Hotels in England, click HErE


Barn near River Ure in the Yorkshire Dales

England

EuroTravel | 37

work elsewhere Most of them never returned. Today only a few scattered farmsteads endure the severe winters and the hills stretch bleak and windswept to the horizon.

Not all of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is barren wilderness. Wensleydale is picture-postcard pretty: green undulating pastureland where black-faced sheep graze-and occasionally amble across the road. Eighteenth century slate barns stand in the centre of hay-fields, and low stone walls weave over the hills. The river Ure gurgles past medieval inns and the ramparts of old castles. Small market towns bustle with activity, their winding cobbled roads flanked by craft shops, country pubs, rural cottages, stone churches, parks and gardens.

At a little pub where I order a pint, the owner Alf, is a bearded gnome with a gap-toothed grin. He tells me that the pub stands near a path known as the Corpse Way. In medieval times, remote villages at the upper end of Swaledale didn’t have churches, and anyone wanting to be buried in consecrated ground would have to be carried 15 or 20 miles all the way to Grinton. “People had nowt to spend on coffins,” he says, “so t’body would be wrapped oop in a sheet and popped into a large wicker baaskit, which would be carried by t’men of t’village.”

On a hot summer’s day the whiff from the basket would get pretty strong, and the men would light their clay pipes to mask the odour. At intervals along the Corpse Way were barns known as “Dead Houses”

where the weary pall-bearers could plunk the basket down while they went off to the local pub (“Laaike oower plaace ‘ere,” Alf says) to knock back a few tankards of ale and fortify themselves for the rest of the trip. “Noo-a-days,” he adds, “there’s a charity walk wha’s held every year on t’ Corpse Way.”

The prize? A little lapel-pin in the shape of a coffin!

The Dales are full of legends of giants, ghosts and blood-thirsty robber-barons. In more recent times, however, it is James Herriot’s tales that have delighted readers. No visit to the Dales would be complete without seeing Thirsk, the little town where he lived and worked (his model for the fictional village of Darrowby) and St. Mary’s church where he married Helen.

The TV series, “All Creatures Great & Small” was filmed not in Thirsk, but in Askreigg as well as several other locales in the Dales and I am as thrilled as any ‘Looky-Luke’ tourist to click several shots of “Skeldale House” and “The Drovers’ Arms” and to chuckle at the sight of the ruined Abbey where Tristan’s midnight prank went hilariously awry. The village of Goathland, looks like a film set-which, of course it is, in its guise of “Aidensfield” on TV’s “Heartbeat” -and I almost expect to see Greengrass and his little dog shambling along the street towards me.

An old Yorkshire proverb says: “If tha does owt for nowt, allus do it for thysen.” (If you do anything for nothing, do it for yourself). Good advice! The Dales are worth visiting for ‘thysen.’ ■

Rocky Riverbed Of The River Swale

ItalyItaly

38 | EuroTravel

Reggia di

A Palace to Rival VersaillesCaserta

By Mark Gordon Smith

Reggia di Caserta

to book Hotels in italy, click HErE


Italy

I

EuroTravel | 39

It is difficult to imagine a more spectacular surprise in southern Italy, amidst the “architettura fascista” of the cities notoriously ugly preferia (suburbs), than the Reggia (Royal Palace) of Caserta.

Luigi Vanvitelli’s 1751 design was created under the direction and support of King Charles VII Bourbon.

The plan was for a palace which would dwarf the king’s summer residence and hunting lodge on the Capodimonte hill (now the National Archaeological Museum of Naples). The Capodimonte site was chosen

specifically for its position above the filth and congested lanes of the city center. The location of the country residence was chosen for its scale and privacy.

Based upon inspirations of Charles’s boyhood home, the Royal Palace in Madrid, Reggia di Calabria outsizes Versailles in numerous ways. This is one of the finest royal palaces extant in the world.

With 1200 rooms, over seventy million cubic feet of volume, forty completely frescoed royal rooms, compared to twenty three in Versailles, the sheer scale of the palace is nearly overwhelming.

Italy

40 | EuroTravel

Though Charles VII initiated construction on the palace, he was never to spend one night in the structure. In 1759 he abdicated to become the King of Spain. It was left to Charles’s third son, Ferdinand IV of Naples, to bring the palace to its near completion. Vanvitelli’s original plan included two large colonnades, never realized, comparable in size to Bernini’s monumental installation surrounding St. Peter’s Square in Rome.

Following Luigi Vanvitelli’s death in 1773, his son Carlo assumed responsibility for the project. It was during the sons’ oversight that a garden of 300

acres was designed and installed. The water garden extends away from the rear of the palace nearly one half mile. It was in 1780 that an English Garden was designed and installed by Johann Graefer, a German born, English trained landscape architect. The grounds are also complimented by a floral garden on the east side of the palace.

The plan and scale of the beautiful and complex water features and garden have been compared to those of Peter the Great’s palace, Peterhof, in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The most important rooms in the palace are the King’s Theater, modeled after the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Throne Room,

The plan and scale of the beautiful and complex water features and garden have been compared to those of Peter the Great’s palace, Peterhof, in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The Gardens

Italy

EuroTravel | 41

Luxury interiors more than 300 years old

Statue of Diana in Great Waterfall fountain

Italy

42 | EuroTravel

Train service from Napoli Centrale begins very early during the week (5:09AM) and trains run approximately every forty minutes. The trip takes fifty minutes each way. For further schedule details refer to: www.virail.com or www.trenitalia.it.

reggia di casertaWeb: Reggia di Caserta (Palace)Open: 8:30 to 7:30PM daily (Closed Tuesdays, January 1, Easter Monday, May 1 and 25 December)

Garden ParkOpen: Daily 8:30AMClosings: January, February, November and December at 3:30PM, March at 4:00PM, April at 5:00PM, May at 5:30PM, June – August at 6:00PM, September at 6:30PM, October at 5:30PM

If you go

You can reach author Mark Gordon Smith at [email protected], through his travel blog www.travelsacrossitaly.com or his company web site, www.private-italy.com.

Staircase of Honor and Palatine Chapel. The most impressive exterior view of the Palace and estate is from a high point in the gardens.

Visits to the palace offer a number of tour itineraries and options. Visit the Reggia di Caserta web site (see IF YOU GO below) for further details. Visitors can easily reach the main entrance at the Palace using the regional train system from Napoli Centrale to

Caserta. The grand approach to the palace is directly across the Sottovia Carlo Vanvitelli from Caserta’s station.

Stunning. Breathtaking. Unforgettable. These are words that somehow inadequately describe this palace of rare beauty. If you are planning a trip to Naples and the Amalfi Coast, I highly recommend at least a half-day visit to the Reggia di Caserta and gardens. ■

EuroTravel | 43

Y

Montenegro

44 | EuroTravel

You’ve seen those postcard-perfect TV ads promoting the gorgeous hidden gem Montenegro, arguably the last of Europe’s undiscovered treasures, but where exactly is that idyllic–looking spot famed for its unspoilt beauty and breathtaking views? Back with a bang following decades of upheaval, it’s the fairytale Aman Sveti Stefan Resort, an awe-inspiring restoration project of a 15th-century fortified village with a glorious past…

The islet sizzles in a uniquely-historical sun-drenched setting on south-eastern Europe’s alluring Adriatic coastline. Attached to the mainland by a narrow isthmus, creating Montenegro’s most famous view, it’s a spectacle that really needs to be seen to be believed! Two historic sites comprise the resort, which is dotted along 2km of Montenegro’s most renowned stretch of coastline: the protected rocky outcrop of the island itself

and Stefan’s stately Villa Miločer (Queen Marija Karadordevic’s former summer residence), situated on the beach opposite on the mainland and enjoying breathtaking views out to sea and across the bay to the island.

Having evolved from an ancient fortress for 12 families to a village supporting 400 inhabitants in the early 1800s, it was in the ‘50s that the tiny island of Sveti Stefan made its mark when the last of the

By Angela Sara West

Magic at Aman Sveti Stefan

Montenegro

Aman Sveti Stefan Resort

PhOTOgRAPhy by: AMANRESORTS

Montenegro

EuroTravel | 45

Looking for some first-class R&R? Planning to pop the question? Or maybe you’re

newlyweds looking for the ultimate spot after tying the knot. Look no further than

this high-end hideaway, situated on a stunning islet simply oozing style, history and

romance…which also happens to be magnificent Montenegro’s most iconic site.

villagers moved to the mainland. The islet became a high-profile hotel for big names in the fashion and entertainment worlds and, along with royals and politicians, was graced by Hollywood sirens such as Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren. The break-up of Yugoslavia in the early ‘90s marked the end of this glamorous era but, 50 years after its initial renaissance as a luxury retreat, thanks to Aman Resorts’ magic touch harmoniously blending

the regal grandeur of old Europe to retain the island’s historic ambiance, Sveti Stefan once again reigns supreme and is firmly back on the map with today’s global jet-set.

One of the secrets to the resort’s successful renovation is the retention of its historic exterior, which remains largely unchanged, paying homage to its fabled past whilst ensuring the interiors have been meticulously-restored and updated to a super-high-spec to meet

contemporary comfort and ‘wow factor’ expectations. Original interior walls have been expertly preserved and many fixtures and furniture manufactured specifically to match the island’s original style. Soak up centuries of history in its clusters of rustic red-tiled-roofed original stone buildings and intricate cobbled lanes crisscrossing quaint courtyards, indelibly infused with its tempestuous past, but blissfully bathed in peace and prosperity today.

Montenegro

46 | EuroTravel

Where to stay…Where to play… The islet boasts 50 unique rooms and cottages and suites on the island, plus eight scrupulously-appointed spacious suites at Villa Miločer. Accommodation’s divided into Village Rooms, Cottages, Deluxe Cottages, Grand Suites and the Sveti Stefan Suite which sports its own private pool, all offering sea/rooftops or quaint courtyard or piazza views. Overlooking the island from the mainland, Villa Miločer’s surrounded by hundreds of fragrant ancient cedar and pine forests and olive trees. Built between 1934 and 1936, the former

summer residence of Queen Marija, the great granddaughter of Queen Victoria and the Queen Consort of King Aleksandar of Yugoslavia, later became a home for the former leader of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito. The graceful stone villa comprises a 32-hectare estate set on the famous horseshoe-shaped pink-sand Queen’s Beach, fringed with fragrant fig and olive trees. Enhanced by subtle luxurious touches, the sumptuous suites enjoy free-standing bathtubs in stunning stone bathrooms and Juliet balconies with sea views to the island or the gardens.

The spa cottages offer a range of refined massage and body treatments. Indulge yourself at the Queen’s Beach state-of-the-art spa after a leisurely workout in the gym or a cooling dip in the cliffside swimming pool. A second tempting pool entices on the upper terraces on the south side of the island, or guests can bask on one of the resort’s inviting beaches.

Fine wining and diningFrom tasty tapas to rustic fare and world-class seafood given haute-cuisine treatment, the pulsating

Overlooking the island from the mainland, Villa Miločer is surrounded by hundreds of fragrant ancient cedar and pine forests and olive trees.

Deluxe Cottage The Piazza

EuroTravel | 47

Piazza is the exclusive enclave’s atmospheric heart and soul, featuring a number of stunning al-fresco venues for sampling the very best of local cuisine complemented by premium wines, all topped off with stratospheric standards of service. The shady open-air square’s various dining venues include a cellar-style enoteca, a convivial antipasti bar, a buzzing taverna and a wood and leather-bedecked cigar room offering fine Cuban cigars, vintage Armagnac, rare cognac and single-malt whiskeys. The main restaurant, Aman, serves international cuisine and modern interpretations of Montenegro’s culinary heritage. Breakfast like a king, gazing at the sparkling Adriatic on one of the panoramic terraces. With its dramatic views,

the Cliff Pool and Bar’s the place for ideal sunset cocktail spots. On the mainland, you’re also spoilt for choice with a selection of eateries dishing up superb cuisine. Miločer Villa’s The Dining Room, wisteria-clad seafront Loggia and the Living Room (great for afternoon tea or evening cocktails) offer elegant menus bursting with fresh produce and locally-caught seafood. Perched high on a rocky precipice, drink in the Queen’s Chair clifftop restaurant’s mind-blowing panoramas and Italian-influenced pan-Adriatic gastronomy. For beachside brasserie-style fare, take your pick from The Olive Tree’s menu of cut-to-order meats and seafood prepared on wood-fired grills and the aromatic olive-wood-fired rotisserie. Alternatively, tucked

away in a nearby cove shaded by cypress trees and century-old olive groves, the Beach Café’s a casual spot for informal dining.

Activities for action-lovers and culture vulturesA honeymooners’ fave, if you’re after that ultimate, once-in-a-lifetime experience, a time to spoil yourselves and unwind after all the hectic excitement of the wedding, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you picture turn-up-and-flop out island idyll indolence, walking hand-in-hand along sweeps of empty beaches lapped by pristine emerald green waters in total seclusion, or you’re adventure-seekers after activities-a-go-go, the options for a low-profile or exciting experience in this blissful haven are here.

Montenegro

Poolside Dining Restaurant Upper Terrace

Montenegro

48 | EuroTravel

The resort offers bespoke, personalised guided excursions to dizzyingly-mountainous Montenegro’s scenic and cultural attractions along the Montenegrin coast and into the country’s spectacular interior. Visit the old town of Budva, the wonderfully-preserved baroque city of Perast or go further afield on guided expeditions, discovering the stories of

centuries past in a rapidly-changing land of rugged snow-capped mountains surrounded by ancient forests and pristine waters, remote cliff-top monasteries and imposing stone churches clinging precariously to rocks. UNESCO World Heritage sites include the Bay of Kotor, with its medieval walled town of narrow, cobbled pathways and church-clad squares against a steep

Old Town of Budva

Bay of Kotor

Montenegro

EuroTravel | 49

mountain backdrop. A crumbling castle offers phenomenal vistas of bobbing luxury yachts and the fjord. Activities for the adventurous include setting sail on the Adriatic, cycling plus an array of water-based activities including waterskiing, kayaking, big game fishing and diving. Ski bunnies can even hit the nearby slopes. Bird lover? Grab your binoculars and flock to remote Lake Skadar, home to 280 species, including endangered varieties. Wine o’clock? Learn about regional wines through private wine tastings and vineyard visits, rounding off a perfect stay with your favourite bottle… oh, and THOSE views…

Beckoning with beauty beyond belief in the shimmering Adriatic, this Balkan paradise awaits! ■

Tivat Airport is located 34km from the resort, Podgorica Airport (also known locally as Golubovci Airport) is 54km away, while Dubrovnik Airport in Cilipi, Croatia is approximately a 2.5hr drive away. Airport transfers are complimentary to and from Tivat and the resort canarrange transfers from Podgorica and Dubrovnik Airports. Fly with Monarch: www.monarch.co.uk

aman Sveti Stefan – 5* Sveti Stefan 85315 Montenegro Web: www.amanresorts.com/amansve-tistefan/home.aspx Email: [email protected] Tel: + (382) 33 420 000

If you go

France

52 | EuroTravel

to book Hotels in corsica, click HErE


W

France

EuroTravel | 53

Wonderful surprises and a feast of colour await you as you criss-cross this unique little paradise, south of the Cote d’Azur of France. Corsica, off the north-western coast of Italy has been part of France since 1768 and is the fourth largest Mediterranean island.

You can see some highlights over a long weekend, you can saviour the uniqueness in a week, but you can treasure the many secrets only over an extended period on Corsica. Although it is a tiny splash on a map, the curling roads less travelled might take you to a gem not documented in travel books. Do not be mislead by a distance on the map – 30 kilometres might take over two hours of driving time, especially in the rural mountainous terrain of the inland.

My first sample of Corsica was limited to only four days of exploring the diverse scenery through my

camera lens, sampling fruits la mer and sipping Sciacarello local wine; enjoying the total freedom of a true wanderlust experience in every sense.

As the flight into Bastia, (situated at the entrance to the Corso peninsula), had been cancelled at short notice, I was forced to reroute my itinerary, starting in Calvi: a small fishing village where time stopped a century ago. All activities

play off on the smallish waterfront, facing the secluded little harbour. Although out of season, it was still a beehive of activities with locals buying fresh sea harvest of the day directly from the source. And tonight they will crowd the many bistros next to the water’s edge, with the strings of colourful lights mirrored in the rippling of the water of the quayside.

CorsicaA journey through an island of unique Culture,

Cuisine and Countryside.By Johann Beukes

Calvi

France

54 | EuroTravel

Next day the route to the biggest city, Ajaccio, took me through a unique countryside: Curving narrow mountain roads climbing to breath-taking views of a rugged coastline of wwith many secluded and romantic beaches and the rocky coves of Piana far below.

Ajaccio is the birth place of Corsica’s famous son, Napoleon. One of the outstanding sights is the cathedral Notre-Dame-de-la-Misericorde, an imposing construction built in the

Renaissance between 1587 and 1593. The enormous dome and cross shaped outline of the building reminds one of Byzantine churches.

This capital city radiates a Mediterranean flair even out of holiday seasons: irritated drivers in many one-way streets with limited parking. Despite the fact that cars are parked on sidewalks like sardines in a tin, there is always space for yet another car. The music from the many bars and bistros echoed through the narrow streets. You

are met with the laughing and chuckling of young people on the sidewalks, due to overcrowding of the numerous wine bars.

You have not experienced Corsica in full, if you have not visited the historical sites of Filitosa and the Genoese Footbridge at Propriano. Neither are easily accessible and especially out of season I had to transgress on private property to reach the secured ancient menhirs.

My second last night I spent in Bonafacio at the southern tip

of Corsica. To truly appreciate the striking location of the town, go on a boat trip. These are offered departing from the marina and allow you to have stunning views over Bonifacio’s spectacular location on top of the cliffs and many caves below. Sardinia (Italy), some 20 kilometres south of Corsica, can be reached by boat.

The inland north of Porto-Vecchio is a paradise for keen photographers. Winding mountainous roads leading from one secluded mountain village

This capital city radiates a Mediterranean flair even out of holiday seasons.

Piana

France

EuroTravel | 55

Bonafacio

Ajaccio

France

56 | EuroTravel

to another: L’Ospedale, Zonza, Quneza and Aullène are all located on a small secondary road, passing through densely wooded areas and scenic gorges. Certain of the routes were under construction and closed. Due to the fact that it was over a weekend, I unintentionally took the road only open for inhabitants of the towns. It was, however a real blessing in disguise.

The capital of Corsica’s inland Corte, is not a pretty town. The peeling facades are fairly ugly, and

you have to bring other senses into play to appreciate the huge significance of this mountain village. The graffiti on the walls are evident that Corte remains a nationalist stronghold that physically and symbolically lies between Ajaccio and Bastia. The many students give this university town a special buzz; otherwise it is a vantage point for the many hikers visiting this island.

Corsica is a walker’s paradise; the number one reason to come to this

Zonza

France

EuroTravel | 57

island in the sun is to explore, enjoy and embrace its natural scenic beauty.

Le soleil a tant fait l’amour a la mer qu’ ils ont fini par enfanter la Corse. ( The sun made love to the sea so often that they finally gave birth to Corsica.)

The words of Antione de St-Exupery best describes the vibe of this little paradise in the Mediterranean. ■

Johann Beukes is CEO of SURE Etnique

Travel and TRAVELwithus in

South Africa.

Corte

Austria

58 | EuroTravel

Austria

EuroTravel | 59

Austria’s TyrolLife in the slow laneBy Victor Block

to book Hotels in austria, click HErE


TAustria

60 | EuroTravel

“The slower you walk, the sooner you’ll get there.” Those words, uttered by Wolfgang Wippler as I followed him up a mountainside, seemed to make little sense.

It wasn’t long, though, before their truth became evident. At 7,500 feet above sea level, my lungs soon began to gasp for air. Next to go were my legs, increasingly grateful for the near snail-like pace. As we passed a younger couple who had begun their climb well before us at a much faster pace, I understood the wisdom of my guide’s tortoise-and-hare approach to walking on a mountain.

That was my introduction to hiking in the Tyrolean Alps, the sheer peaks that rise sharply from green-carpeted valleys in the western panhandle of Austria. It’s

an area with tiny villages of flower-bedecked chalets, cows and sheep grazing contentedly in lush hillside meadows, and people who cling proudly to their colorful traditions.

No amount of anticipation prepared me for the rugged magnificence of nature. No picture postcard can compete with the breathtaking visions that wait around every curve of the road and step along a hiking trail.

Innsbruck, the historic capital of the Tyrol since 1420, is a good place to begin an exploration of the region. Nestled along the River Inn between craggy mountain ranges, the city served as the seat of the powerful Hapsburg imperial court under Emperor Maximilian I from 1490 to1519.

Maria-Theresien-Strasse is a broad boulevard that leads to a market square, which is the center of the Old Town. There, cobblestone streets are lined by elegant multi-story 15th and 16th century houses, the town hall tower and onion-shaped cathedral domes. Some of the Renaissance and Baroque buildings today house cafes and souvenir shops, but even those nods in the direction of modern commercialism can’t hide their graceful facades.

The most famous and photographed highlight is the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof), a

Tyrolean alps

Innsbruck

Austria

EuroTravel | 61

graceful third-story balcony built in 1420 onto what was Emperor Maximilian’s Innsbruck residence. Covered by more than 2,600 gilded copper tiles that glisten in the sun, it served as a royal box from which to view tournaments and festivities in the square below.

Along with its architectural riches, museums and other treasures, Innsbruck provides a perfect home base for excursions into the

surrounding countryside. The area may be explored during day trips from Innsbruck, or by overnighting at one or more small towns, including 25 nearby “holiday villages.”

Accommodations include hotels, bed-and-breakfast facilities and farmhouses that welcome guests. Driving throughout the compact region is easy, on well-paved and clearly marked roads. An alternative is the public transportation system,

which includes postal buses, trains and cable cars that provide easy and inexpensive access throughout the area.

The first impression of the Tyrolean villages deals with their similarities. A graceful church usually occupies a central position. Traditional alpine houses made of pine weathered to a rich, dark patina, and sporting balconies festooned with an explosion of

No picture postcard can compete with the breathtaking visions that wait around every curve of the road and step along a hiking trail.

Tyrolean alps

Austria

62 | EuroTravel

colorful flower stands adjacent to rambling farmhouses up to 500 years old that were enveloped as the towns grew around them.

Ubiquitous roadside crosses and religious paintings adorning the sides of many buildings are among tangible signs of strong Catholic influence. More enticing to me were lovely miniature places of worship, often built and used by several neighbors. Many of these tiny chapels, most with only four to eight narrow pews, were built during times of plague, when people sought convenient places at which to pray for their lives and for the souls of the dead.

Delving more deeply into the essence of each village, I began to discern subtle yet intriguing

differences. Seefield, a town of about 4,000 residents, is only a 15-minute ride outside Innsbruck up a winding, hilly road. Of special interest is the Baroque Seekirchl Church, with its eight little pews.

The hamlet of Igls helped to launch the area’s tourism business beginning in the 1920s. The focus then, as now, was on health and the clear air that visitors come to breath.

Little Lans is known for having several good restaurants, and for a lake area where locals gather to swim, sun and socialize.

Gasse, one of 22 towns in the Lautasch Valley, is easy to miss. Home to about three dozen families, it offers a miniature introduction to some of the lifestyle attractions that

Innsbruck - View over city

Austria

EuroTravel | 63

Victor Block is an award-winning travel journalist who has visited and written about destinations throughout the United States and in more than 70 countries around the world. He is a guidebook author and former state editor for Fodor’s Travel Guides. He belongs to the Society of American Travel Writers, North American Travel Journalists Association, and Travel Journalists Guild.

visitors to the Tyrol find so appealing. My memories include mailbox-

like structures in front of some homes that are used by residents to deposit a note with their order for fresh bread, which the local baker leaves the next morning.

Little huts clinging near mountaintops, I learned, serve as temporary homes for men who summer there tending the community’s cows, sheep and goats

that graze on the steep slopes.I can still picture tiny chapels,

which I found as moving and marvelous in their way as the most elaborate cathedral.

And whenever and wherever I hike, I also remember Wolfgang Wippler’s wise words of advice. As I walk, slowly of course, I conjure up countless images of the Tyrolean area of Austria in all of its beauty and charm. ■

Golden Roof

Italy

Y

64 | EuroTravel

You might suspect that a visit to Milan is viable only for those who have money to burn and a superior attitude. However, those restricted to a budget will fi nd plenty to do in Milan. Many of the cultural attractions are free to enjoy and you can always root out a bargain meal if

The Defi nitive

you look in the right neighbourhood. Th ere are designer shops and swanky bars if you like that thing, but Milan will surprise you with its locals enjoying a good bargain at the market and friendly venues that encourage good conversation and unpretentious dancing!

Nightlife Milan’s nightlife might not be what you’d expect. It’s not all fl ashy bars with guest lists, strict dress codes and over-priced cocktails. Whilst indeed you can fi nd places like this to see-and-be-seen in Milan, the city’s locals prefer to start a night with a

Milan Checklistto book Hotels in milan, click HErE


By Stephanie Sheehan

Italy

EuroTravel | 65

on a tight budget. However, there are many exciting cultural attractions you can visit for free in Milan to get a real sense of the city’s character.

Top free attractions• Believe it or not, the shopping centres in Milan are some of the best places to see the city’s exquisite architecture. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is Milan’s oldest shopping arcade and is an incredible building with long stretches of marble floors, intricate stone facades

and balconies all contributing to the grand atmosphere. The most stunning element of the building through is its immense glass dome ceiling – definitely worth a visit even if your budget won’t stretch to buying anything here; the photos of the building will make a great souvenir.

• Escape the chilly winter weather with a visit to the famous Milan Duomo – the city’s iconic cathedral. Entry is free (although a tour of the Treasury costs €1).

tasty meal in a cosy and fun venue with plenty of wine and music to help along the conversation and dancing.

Happy hour starts at 6pm or 7pm and goes on till 9.30pm. In Milan this time is known as aperitivo, the highlight of the evening, with everyone getting into the spirit of things early.

A great place to start your evening is the Navigli area. Famed for its two canals, here you can admire the nightlife and restaurant lights from one of the lively bars that line the waterways.

Top bars and clubs• Go back to where it all began with a visit to Zucca in Galleria on the corner of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II shopping arcade – in 1860 this was where the famous Italian drink Campari made its debut.

• For the best dancing, head over to the Rolling Stone nightclub. Perhaps Milan’s most famous club, Rolling Stone is the home of live rock during the week and plays the best dance music over the weekend.

• In Navigli there’s a lots of great bars to pick from, including the Cadenhead’s Whisky Bar, the intimate café-come-bar El Brellin and right down of the waterfront visitors should check out Birreria La Fontanella.

Free things to doMilan’s exclusive reputation often means people write it off as a destination to avoid visiting if you’re

Navigli

Milan Duomo

Italy

66 | EuroTravel

• Milan is best known for da Vinci’s “Last Supper,” but it’s free to visit the artist’s other great artwork, the Leonardo da Vinci Horse. This enormous horse sculpture is the world’s biggest bronze horse statue and is based on designs Leonardo made in the late 15th century.

ShoppingWith magnificent shopping arcades, established markets and futuristic malls, whether you are a collector of high fashion or prefer to root out vintage treasures, the shops in Milan provide something to suit all tastes.

Top shops• The Armani superstore on Via Manzoni has everything you need to turn your home into a mini Armani universe, with Armani outlets for jeans, furniture, art, books and even flowers.

• If the price tags of the uber-expensive designer stores make your eyes water, take a trip to Fidenza

Village. This outlet shopping village has a number of designer labels at cut prices.

• The Mercatone del Naviglio

Grande monthly market takes place along the canals in Navigli on the last Sunday of each month (save July). The atmosphere is hectic but exciting and you’ll find independent stalls selling home wares, furniture and unique antiques.

FoodIf you prefer delights of the culinary kind, Milan offers plenty of markets and delis to satisfy curious foodies.

Top places for foodies• Stop for lunch at La Vineria, a bar-come-shop which provides welcome relief from some of the jam-packed cafes in the Navigli area. La Vineria sells olive oil and wine on tap as well as offering guests platters of cold meats, cheese and breadsticks for only six euros!

Mercatone del Naviglio Grande

Italy

EuroTravel | 67

• North of Corso Magenta, Mercato Comunale is Milan’s biggest daily fresh food market. The market is held undercover in Piazza Wagner and the market is an explosion of noise and colour. The stalls are filled with local produce, from fruits, flowers and vegetables to smoked meats, cheeses, fresh seafood and pastas of all shapes.

• Peck, a multi-storey delicatessen on Via Spadari, is something of an institution in Milan. It’s the best place in the city to find a massive choice of cured meats, cheeses and plenty of oils and vinegars to take home as a reminder of your Italian visit. On the first floor you’ll find a café where you either relax over

a coffee or cocktail or indulge in a platter of cheese or cold cooked meats. The lower floor is a wine lover’s paradise with hundreds of bottles from local and international estates.

• For shoppers with a sweet-tooth, L’Antica Arte del Dolce on Via Anfossi is a favourite for anyone needing a sugar fix. Translated as ‘The Ancient Art of Sweet’, the shop’s shelves of biscuits, chocolates, cakes, jams and tarts tempt in passers-by, with everything being made fresh in store by skilled pastry chefs. Try something safe and traditional or opt for something a bit more left-field such as their aubergine and chocolate mousse. ■

Flights to Milan only take an hour and forty minutes from London City Airport, starting at under £170 for a return ticket. To book, go to - http://www.londoncityairport.com/TravelAndBooking/DestinationMapFor/LIN

Short on time? Discover more attractions in Milan with a 24 hour itinerary guide to the city’s best restaurants and other attractions. Go to http://www.londoncityairport.com/home/page/MilanGuide

If you go

Beginner’s Guide

Y

Beginner’s Guide

EuroTravel | 69

TurkeyYes, the British and the Japanese have their tea customs and rituals, and I wouldn’t want to take away from the special nature of either of those cultures. But if I had to choose where I would most like to have a cup of tea with the locals, it would be Turkey. Tea shops are a focal point for street level Turkish culture and most good things happen in the presence of a cup of fine Turkish tea. The Turkish people prefer the black tea (or Cay in Turkish) and it is at the center of daily life there, offered everywhere as a gesture of hospitality both before and after meals. Because the drink is served strong, it is typically offered in small cups, boiling hot. The locals drink it sweet, but with no milk, and cut to taste with additional hot water. Find a traditional setting with cushions

on the floor and low copper tables or sit at an outdoor cafe, but slow down, relax and enjoy.

Tea is a good place to begin understanding how to visit Turkey. This is a land of relationships, where time sits still to permit you to go about getting to know your surroundings. Here, travelers are welcomed and greeted with both respect and curiosity. The antiquities, thermal pools, coastline and Turkish baths are all there waiting to be explored, but it is in the marketplace with the people that Turkey is best experienced, because it is there that the warmth and culture of this ancient civilization is authentically expressed.

Besides the tea, here is a short list of “must do” experiences when you visit Turkey:

BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOEuroTravel’s

Beginner’s Guide

70 | EuroTravel

Visit the covered bazaar The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the oldest and largest covered markets anywhere in the world. Bargain like a friend and true traveler and you will find many original and unique delights. This is the place to begin your search for the perfect rug, the tea set, the talisman to ward off the evil-eye. Again, this is the archetype of all shopping experiences.

Experience a Hammam The Turkish bath with its vigorous scrubbing, hot water and ambiance is an experience, a cultural episode that ranks with running with the bulls in Spain or a Thai massage. There are a number of historic Turkish baths in Istanbul and practically every city of any size.

Beginner’s Guide

EuroTravel | 71

Cruise the Turquoise Coast The rugged coastline of Turkey shares with Greece a sense of history unmatched elsewhere. Here are the beginnings of classical civilization, and the mists of history lift only in part to give us a glimpse of the stories of Turkish and Greek mythologies. Day-long excursions provide a leisurely opportunity to take in the beauty of the mountains and the ruins, the bluest of waters and the wonderful breezes. Or spend time at Ölüdeniz Beach and let the Mediteranean sun do its work.

Enjoy a thermal pool The country is blessed with a large number of rich mineral water springs. Turkey’s geographic location right above a volcanically active belt provides the nation with a rich abundance of natural hot springs and mineral baths with temperatures that vary from 68 to 230 degrees Fahrenheit! The healing properties and therapeutic effects of the waters are renowned

Visit Pergamum Once the cultural center of the region the ruins here hint at the grandeur of the civilization that has camped on these hillsides in times past. The extraordinary theater at Pergamum was constructed in the 3rd century B.C. In the Acropolis, you will see the remains of both the temple of Athena and the ruins of the Library with once contained 200,000 texts, a wedding gift to Cleopatra by Mark Anthony.

Beginner’s Guide

72 | EuroTravel

Turkey is not a destination to hurry through. Experience it slowly, like a fine cup of hot, black Turkish tea. ■

Explore the Lycian Tombs The sarcophagi, carved into the vertical cliffs are dramatic and mysterious. The quality of the stone masonry, the originality of Lycian art and the visible detail after all of these centuries is remarkable. The tombs are often integrated into the daily commercial areas of the towns and markets, or visible from the water.

Visit Nemrut A UNESCO world heritage site, the colossal statues on the top of Mountain of Nemrut in the north-east of Adiyaman are the tomb of King Antiochus I (69-38 B.C.).

EuroTravel | 73

B

Beginner’s Guide

74 | EuroTravel

BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOEuroTravel’s BavariaBavaria is Germany’s biggest state with an area of 27,000 square miles accounting for about a fifth of Germany’s total area. It’s in Germany’s south-eastern quarter and has a population of about 12.5 million people.

Munich is the capital city of Bavaria and is the third largest city in Germany but there’s much more to Bavaria, Germany than just the capital city.

The region begs to be explored and there are ten other cities most definitely worth a visit-each complete with an ornate castle, palace, or city hall, or sometimes all three!

Top 10 Cities in BavariaNurembergGerman kings liked to build their palaces in Nuremberg, once the unofficial seat of the Holy

Roman Empire. Nuremberg’s Hauptplatz comes alive with Germany’s most famous Christmas market in December. Locally made foods include Lebkuchen and the Nürnberger Bratwurst. Explore the medieval Old Town (Altstadt), framed by city walls and the glorious Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg). Then pay a visit to the Reichsparteigelände, a massive open area where the infamous Nazi Nuremberg Rallies of the 1930s were held.

AugsburgGermany’s second-oldest city, Augsburg, lies roughly halfway down the Romantic

Road touring route. It came to prominence in the Middle-Ages under the lights of Jakob “the Rich” Fugger, a worldwide baron in global banking and trading. Most of Augsburg’s landmark buildings are the work of architect Ellias Holl. Chief among them is the monumental Town Hall (Rathaus) and its showpiece Golden Hall (Goldener Saal). Another top attraction is the Fuggerei, the world’s oldest social housing settlement.

2

WürzburgWürzburg is a bustling university town on Bavaria’s northern border.

Although over 90 percent of the city was destroyed in World War II it has since been lovingly restored. The city sits along the river Main and is the center of the famous Franconia wine region. Würzburg’s premier residence is a baroque palace aptly named the Residenz.

IngolstadtAnother age-old Danube city, Ingolstadt has history ranging from the tragic to the mysterious and to the futuristic. It was the birthplace of author Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein. It was also

the birthplace of the mysterious secret society known as the Illuminati, meaning “Enlightened”, which some theorize work a shadowy hand on the world’s governments and big business. Finally, Ingostadt is the headquarters of the Audi, the luxury car company’s factory tour is well worth it even if you don’t pick up a car to take home with you!

Beginner’s Guide

EuroTravel | 75

RegensburgTo picture Bavaria in the Middle Ages, visit

Regensburg where the center of the town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It sits at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, the former straddled by the humpbacked Stone Bridge. It’s one of the most-loved cities in Bavaria and an easy day-trip from Munich. Take a cruise along the river or explore the Old Town with its maze of intertwined alleys centered around the twin-spires of St. Peter’s Cathedral.

ErlangenAnother city close to Nuremburg, Erlangen is best known for the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg-a college town

with broad, tree-lined streets. Major sites to see include Erlangen Castle which today houses the university administration, and the botanical gardens. Erlangen’s annual Bergkirchweih is a 12-day mini-Oktoberfest that takes place around Pentecost in May or June. Erlangen is one of the more overlooked larger cities in Bavaria.

Beginner’s Guide

76 | EuroTravel

FürthFürth is often overlooked by visitors in favor of its big brother city, Nuremburg, given that the two are only a stone’s throw apart. Fürth

was a totally separate entity for much of its 1000+ year history and boasts a flavor all of its own. Don’t miss the grand municipal theater (Stadtheater) and the Jewish Museum. Little known fact: Fürth once had the biggest Jewish population in southern Germany.

BayreuthBayreuth is best known as the home of composer Richard Wagner, an artist worshiped by King Ludwig II and Hitler alike. The temple to Wagner’s works is the Bayreuth Festspielhaus and is the site of an

annual showcase of the composer’s operas. Also worth a look is the expansive New Castle with an enviable collection of porcelain. But all in all, this is a top destination for classical music buffs.

AschaffenburgThey don’t call this town the “Bavarian Nice” for

nothing. Replete with Mediterranean gardens, long alleys and a sunny climate perfect for tropical plants. Aschaffenburg is tucked away in the area’s northwestern corner and is a short trip to Frankfurt. As far as Bavaria goes, it is probably the most remote city of the region. Things to see here include the Schloss Johannisburg castle and the Pompejanum, a replica of a Pompeian palazzo built for King Ludwig I. ■

Beginner’s Guide

EuroTravel | 77

BambergOne of the most stunning smaller cities in Bavaria,

Bamberg is often called the “Franconian Rome” because of its seven-hills. It also has a similarity to Venice with a network of canals and streams complete with tourist laden gondolas. A stroll up through the old town, past the town hall island to the magnificent cathedral and Neue Residenz will have even the most jaded travelers craning their necks in awe. And before leaving town, be sure to have a taste of their famous Rauchbier (a beer) which is a hearty ale with a bit of a bacon flavor-sounds gross, but it very good!

Switzerland

78 | EuroTravel

ADVENTURES

OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

SWISSTHE

By James Ross

“It is, indeed, a fearful place. The torrent, swollen by the melting snow, plunges into a tremendous abyss, from which the spray rolls up like the smoke from a burning house.” - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

ISwitzerland

EuroTravel | 79

I stand atop Reichenbach Falls and watch the raging waters tumble 120 metres into the black-rock chasm below. I listen to the booming roar of the water and feel the fresh spay on my face. My wife and I were touring Switzerland, passing by car from Interlaken to Lucerne, when I had insisted on a little detour near Meiringen to the site of the spectacular falls, the place where Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had tried to kill off his fi ctitious super-sleuth in the story “Th e Adventure of the Final Problem.”

Th e walking path along the cliff -side might now be a little better maintained otherwise, I imagine, not much has changed from the scene that Conan Doyle described on May 4th, 1891. It was here that Sherlock Holmes met his arch-enemy, Professor Moriarty, and, after a fi erce fi ght, the two had purportedly fallen to their deaths. One would suspect that, had Holmes been as pugilistically adept as Robert Downey Jr. in the latest Holmes’ fi lm adaptations, he would have had little problem coping with an aging villain.

And perhaps he really didn’t. Faced with a great public outcry, Conan Doyle was forced to alter his narrative plan and bring Holmes back from the abyss, back for further adventures on the pages of Th e Strand Magazine. He resurrected his nemesis by claiming that Holmes had managed to grab a tuft of grass during the fall into the “dreadful cauldron” and so had lived to solve another mystery. A memorial plaque at a viewpoint reminds visitors of the fi ctitious incident, and on May 4 every year, members of the international Sherlock Holmes

Reichenbach WaterFall

Switzerland

80 | EuroTravel

Society make a pilgrimage to the falls to commemorate the “death” of their beloved hero.

Even without its literary connection, the beauty and wildness of the waterfalls would make Reichenbach a worthwhile side-trip. From a parking lot at the hotel below, a short trek accesses the three viewing terraces which offer

breath-taking views. A railway tram also transports visitors alongside the raging waters of the Reichenbach, to the uppermost waterfall.

The charming Swiss town of Meiringen is, for many Holmes fans, a kind of Mecca. Set at the heart of the Hasliberg hiking region, the town has long been a favourite mountain walking resort. Sir Arthur

Switzerland tourism www myswitzerland.com.

Swiss rail accesses Meiringen, and a Swiss Pass allows unlimited travel on the Swiss Travel System including trains, buses and boats, and also allows free access to over 400 museums, including the Sherlock Holmes Museum. www.sbb.ch/en

reichenbach [email protected] and www.reichenbachfall.ch

If you go

Conan Doyle stayed here many times, taking up residence at the Park Hotel Du Savage. This grand 1880’s hotel still stands, retaining its romantic period charm. A plaque on the Victorian porch announces Conan Doyle as a guest. The author had, in fact, used the hotel as Holmes’ and Watson’s lodging in his story, calling it the Englischer Hof.

Near the hotel is Meiringen’s town square, refurbished in the 1980’s and renamed Conan Doyle Place. A statue of Holmes sits contemplatively on a park bench, and the Sherlock Holmes Museum can be found in the basement of a quaint English Chapel. The centrepiece of the Museum is a life-size replica of the sitting room at

Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls

Switzerland

EuroTravel | 81

221B Baker Street, put together with scrupulous accuracy. Many items are strewn around, including Holmes’ violin, a bust of the detective used to decoy his enemies and a copy of The Times left on the floor in an attempt to convey the impression that Holmes and Watson had only moments before gone out.

Another fabulous museum dedicated to Holmes was established by Sir Arthur’s son, Adrian Conan Doyle, in the charming town of Lucens. Among the curiosities, one finds a small viper preserved in aspic, from the story “The Speckled Band,” a bust of Conan Doyle, a

deerstalker hat owned by Holmes illustrator Sidney Paget, and several of Paget’s illustrations, including Holmes wrestling with Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls. This museum concentrates as much on the writer as on the fictional sleuth.

It might be fair to ask, other than being the background for one Holmes story, why is there such a fascination for the great detective here in Switzerland so far from his London home? Well, in a country renowned for its clockwork efficiency, order and logic, the answer is…’elementary, my dear Watson’. ■Sherlock Holmes plaque

82 | EuroTravel

The great tea rip-offHow much does it cost to make a cup of tea? I reckon even with a decent tea like Twinings Earl Gray you are talking maybe what 5p a cup. So how much do you pay for a cuppa in a good hotel? It’s going to be a minimum of £3, maybe twice that. Even at £3, the mark up is an extraordinary 5900%. If your fi let steak or dover sole was marked up by the same amount, you’d be paying, who knows, maybe £500 for your main course?

So why do they make tea probably the most marked-up item on the menu? Th e answer is very simple: because they can. It’s just another way of extracting a few more quid at the end of the meal, when no-one is looking at the menu, from the already depleted wallet of the somewhat poorer tourist. Is there a solution to such rampant

profi teering? I doubt it, unless you have the guts to complain and ask for a complimentary tea. More to the point, does it really matter?

Food inglorious food!Many wonderful places have lent their name to charming and sophisticated foodstuff s. To pick a few from the multitude: American cheese, a processed cheese which is often high-visability orange in colour and mild in fl avour, with a medium-fi rm consistency, and melts easily. It is used in American haute cuisine, for example on cheeseburgers, fi shburgers and in grilled cheese sandwiches and is highly regarded by the obese for it’s high fat and sodium content. In the 1920s it used to be called rat cheese, and was largely responsible for the great Texas acne epidemic of 1952 (OK, I made that last bit up). Th en there is French toast: also known as

eggy bread or gypsy toast - a dish of bread soaked in beaten eggs and then fried. It can be prepared with a pinch of salt, and then served with a ketchup or mayonnaise. Th e gourmet French have also given us the salad nicoise, named after Nice on the Cote d’Azur, and normally prepared with tinned tuna, tinned anchovies, hard boiled eggs and other bits. Th e list goes on with Wiener Schnitzel, a very thin, breaded and deep fried slice of veal named in honour of Vienna. Th e Wiener Schnitzel is the national dish of Austria!

So what’s all about? Seems to me that the surprising answer is doing down the competition. Th e British were the fi rst to name American cheese, to distinguish it from the then superior and traditional European cheeses. Th e British also invented the Cote D’Azur, so no doubt they are also responsible for the salad nicoise,

The grumpy old man of travel is back and as cantankerous and grouchy as ever.

Desbert Wibson’s Grumbling Appendix

EuroTravel | 83

the ingredients of which could have been easily transported by horse from England. French toast is an American description of the ancient french method for using stale bread “pain perdu” - lost bread . And what about the schnitzel from Vienna? It fi rst appeared in German and Italian cookbooks. Notice a trend here? And why does no-one do the same for english food. Th e only example I can think of is what the French call creme anglaise which is actually custard. Maybe the answer is that the international reputation of english cuisine is historically so low that it doesn’t need dumbing down. ■

the Wibson Guide to not Very Good HotelsMany years ago in my youth, I vaguely recall being unable to afford the best in life. Times were as tight as the old waistband is now. Trips to Europe were penny pinching affairs, using dear old Arthur Frommers’ Guide to Europe on $5 a day on the extravagant days and sleeping in the car and washing in the sea as the money ran short. It is from these days that I offer my advice to you, dear readers, on how t o work out that you aren’t in a very good hotel. All, I regret to say, are eked out from personal experience:

• The man on reception in a string vest asks you to pay in cash on arrival

• The same man comes into your room in the middle

of the night without knocking to tell you to make sure you have double locked your door

• There are grey fi ngerprints on the cheese• There is pubic hair in the pizza• You can hear the other side of the conversation when

the person in the next door room is on the phone• There is a can of Rentokil Insectrol cockroach killer

powder in the bathroom• The blankets smell of urine • There is a separate bin for the disposal of syringes• The number of fl ies at breakfast exceeds the number

of humans by a factor of 50 or more• Large portions of uncooked dead cow are carried

through the restaurant at lunchtime

Wiener Schnitzel

76 | Eurotravel

Documents

EuroTravel Magazine Edition 5