Tag Archives: Europe

Best Travel Shows: British Series “Travel Man” Is Helpful And Hilarious

From a New Yorker online article:

Travel Man PhotoOn “Travel Man,” Ayoade is fun to look at (snappy suits, thick-framed glasses, expression of amused diffidence) and fun to listen to. (Of a monastery turned hotel in Naples, he says, “As well as modish guff, like a rooftop pool and a spa, it retains attractive old shiz, like staircases dug into the hillside.”) His persona is warmly amused, broadly skeptical, and gently astringent—i.e., British. He’s not a joiner. His intros conclude with him saying, in that episode’s particular city and with that episode’s particular guest, “We’re here, but should we have come?” 

 

Travel Man: 48 Hours in . . .” is a British series in which the comedian, writer, actor, and director Richard Ayoade spends forty-eight hours in a city, accompanied by various friends—“some of the most available and affordable names in light ent,” as he puts it—and tells us about what to do there. “Mini-breaks are a swirling nebula of nonsense!” he says at the top of “Copenhagen,” during a brisk montage of him in Venice, Copenhagen, Vienna, and Moscow. “How can anyone go somewhere new and be expected to enjoy themselves without a decade to decompress?” Exactly, I thought. This is the show for me.

To read more: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-television/travel-man-richard-ayoades-travel-show-for-people-who-hate-travel

Top Travel Destinations: Ortigia Island, Historical Center Of Syracuse, Sicily

From a New York Times online article:

In Syracuse, taking a passeggiata, or evening walk, around the perimeter of Ortigia island, is a popular activity.CreditCreditSusan Wright for The New York TimesA passeggiata, or evening walk, around the perimeter of Ortigia reveals many notable structures and stories. Start from the Parco Letterario Elio Vittorini, on the eastern side, and head clockwise. As waves crash against the rocks below the sea wall, you’ll pass crenelated lookout points and the chiseled facade of the 17th-century Chiesa dello Spirito Santo, before finding yourself in the palm-planted gardens of the 13th-century Castello Maniace. 

Founded by Greeks around 734 B.C.,ortigia sicily map Ithe southeastern Sicilian city that Cicero called “the greatest and most beautiful of all Grecian cities” achieved a size and status in the ancient world that made it a rival of major powers like Athens and Carthage. Takeovers and makeovers by Romans, Byzantines, North Africans, Normans and others left their marks as well, influencing everything from religious art to the region’s distinctive savory-sweet-sour cooking style. Much of the ancient city has crumbled since Cicero’s day, though the ruins can still be explored in Syracuse’s celebrated archaeological park and museum. But the main attraction today is the historical center of Syracuse: Ortigia island, a maze of narrow streets, ornate Baroque churches and centuries-old palazzi.

To read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/05/travel/what-to-do-36-hours-in-syracuse-sicily.html

Top European Cities: Cadiz, Spain Features “Delicious Andalusian Cuisine”, Ancient History

From a New York Times online article:

The neighborhood of La Viña is packed with open-air restaurants.CreditSebastian Modak The New York TimesOne of the reasons the province of Cádiz is on this year’s 52 Places list is food, as chefs in the area are innovating with pork and fish, the base ingredients here. I tried out a few of the white-tablecloth joints, but came away remembering the noisy, cheap tapas bars that have been around forever.

What makes Andalusian cuisine so delicious are the ingredients, and sometimes less is more. Why go crazy with reductions and infusions when freshly caught sardines sprinkled with olive oil are enough to elicit moans?

Cádiz, the province and city on Spain’s southwestern edge, is an underdog — and I’m among the many travelers who have spent years overlooking it. I know Andalusia, the southern region it is part of, well. For years, it’s been a meeting point for my family who has just as much wanderlust as I do and is spread across the world.

To read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/03/travel/cadiz-an-underrated-corner-of-spain.html

Adventure Travel: Dettifoss Waterfall In Iceland Is “Most Powerful Waterfall In Europe”

From an AtlasObscura.com online article:

Dettifoss Waterfall Iceland MapHaving earned the superlative of “most powerful waterfall in Europe” because of its massive flow rate (3,059,112 U.S. gallons per minute), standing near this unfettered display of power will give you a healthy respect for the fury of nature. 

Iceland is famous for its spectacular waterfalls, many of which are beautiful and serene places for contemplation. Dettifoss is not one of them.

The 330-foot-wide falls are fed by the river Jökulsá, which means “glacier river” in Icelandic, a reference to the Vatnajökull glacier (recipient of another superlative: one of Europe’s largest). Be careful as you approach and stick to designated pathways since even they can be rendered slippery in the mist.

To read more: https://www.atlasobscura.com/itineraries/northern-iceland-untamed-coasts?utm_source=Atlas+Obscura+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=093ef32c96-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_08_21_USA_24&utm_medium=email&mc_cid=99514583bf&mc_eid=9baf474570

Top European Events: 30th Anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution In Berlin On Nov. 4-10, 2019

From a SmithsonianMag.com online article:

“History is best told at the original locations,” Moritz van Dülmen, CEO of event organizer Kulturprojekte Berlin, says in a press release. “To better understand the Peaceful Revolution and to celebrate the anniversary of the fall of the Wall, we will recount the events of 1989/90 precisely where they took place.”

his November, Germany’s capital is set to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s fall with a festival featuring large-scale video projections, concerts, open-air exhibitions, an augmented reality app that temporarily resurrects the fractious barrier between east and west, and a floating art installation made up of 30,000 handwritten messages.

https://mauerfall30.berlin/en/#

Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/berlin-will-mark-30th-anniversary-walls-fall-week-long-arts-festival-180973018/#dFgCcckczBeP5Zxo.99

Top Events In Europe: “Open House London 2019”, Free Entry To City’s Top Buildings On Sept. 21-22

From a TheModernHouse.com article:

Open House London 2019 collectionsRunning the course of a weekend, from Saturday 21st to Sunday 22nd September, Open House London gives the public free access to over 800 buildings in all of the capital’s 32 boroughs, ranging from the iconic (10 Downing StreetBarbican Centre) to the prosaic (a tour of Southwark Integrated Waste Management Facility, anyone?). To help you plan your weekend, here’s our edit of what to see at Open House London 2019.

https://openhouselondon.org.uk/

Goldfinger’s London
In the 53 years Hungarian-born Ernő Goldfinger spent in London, from his arrival in 1934 to his death in 1987, the man who unwittingly gave his name to one of Ian Fleming’s villains (so notorious was his temperament) made a profound and lasting contribution to the city’s built environment. Any exploration of his legacy should begin with a trip to the home he built for his family in Hampstead, 2 Willow Road, an efficient, well-proportioned modernist vision crammed with artworks by Duchamp, Moore and Ernst.

To read more click on the following link: https://www.themodernhouse.com/journal/what-to-see-at-open-house-london-2019/?utm_source=The+Modern+House+Newsletter&utm_campaign=510c9ffe5f-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_18_07_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1141c98ca6-510c9ffe5f-95015105&mc_cid=510c9ffe5f&mc_eid=7dc3496ab5

European Landmarks: Estonian Haapsalu Episcopal Castle Gets Spectacular Renovation By Kaos Architects

From a DesignBoom.com online article:

haapsalu episcopal castle design conversion by Kaos Architects entrythe long and colourful history of haapsalu episcopal castle began when it was built in the 13th century, but since the 17th century the main castle has been in ruins. kaos architects‘ conservation and renovation has resulted in a journey along the walls and within the castle. the renovated castle invites guests to admire the castle’s structure closer and view the picturesque town of haapsalu from an unusually high vantage point. the guests now experience the medieval environment from another level. 

World’s Top Restaurants: “Under” In Norway Is “Half-Submerged Into The Sea”, Serves Creative Seafood

From a BusinessInsider.com article:

Under Restaurant Norway Interior“Under,” which opened in March, is Europe’s first underwater eatery.Designed by Snøhetta, the restaurant sits half-submerged into the sea and has three-foot thick walls designed to withstand the area’s rugged seas.

Guests at Under can gaze at marine life through a 36- x 13-foot panoramic window in the dining room, which seats between 35 and 40 guests each night. Muted lighting was installed on the seabed so that guests can see the marine life in any weather conditions.

The cuisine is, of course, seafoodDanish chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard Pedersen will create locally sourced dishes that include cod, lobster, mussels, and truffle kelp, which is a local type of seaweed that apparently tastes like truffles.

Under Restaurant Norway

https://under.no/

To read more click on the following link: https://www.businessinsider.com/underwater-restaurant-norway-photos-2018-11?nr_email_referer=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Business_Insider_select&pt=385758&ct=Sailthru_BI_Newsletters&mt=8&utm_campaign=Business%20Insider%20Select%202019-08-28&utm_term=Business%20Insider%20Select

Top New Travel Videos: “Higher Ground -Mont Blanc Massif” Directed By Florian Nick (2019)

Every year millions of people come to experience the majestic mountains around Chamonix in the French Alps. Whether theyʼre mountain climbers, backcountry skiers, hikers or tourists – they all embrace the Mont Blanc massif in their very own way. And so did I as a filmmaker and timelapse photographer when I created this timelapse film. It takes you to the higher grounds of the Mont Blanc massif – where nature is shaped by giant mountains and glaciers.

Filmed, Edited and Directed by: Florian Nick

Higher Ground -Mont Blanc Massif Directed By Florian Nick (2019)

Music by: Julian Lindenmann (“Higher Ground”)
Assistant Camera: Michael Binder

Higher Ground -Mont Blanc Massif Directed By Florian Nick (2019)

Website: https://flonick.com/

 

European Travels: Monastery Of San Nicolò l’Arena In Sicily Is A “Baroque Splendor”

From an Italy Magazine article by Silvia Donati:

If the nuns of Catania’s Benedictine Convent devoted all their time to praying, the monks of the adjacent Benedictine Monastery were said to be a bit more lax about their spiritual duties. In southern Italian author Federico De Roberto’s most famous novel, I Viceré, which is very accurate in describing the social and political background of Catania in the years that followed Italy’s unification, the monks are described as carrying out the “art of Michelasso,” an Italian saying used to describe someone who, well, is idle, avoids hard work and responsibilities.

Their monastery, known as Monastero di San Nicolò l’Arena, resembled a sumptuous noble residence rather than a place where to retreat and pray to God. It was also very big, almost a city within a city, located in a panoramic position with views of the sea and the Etna volcano on what was once the acropolis of the Greek colony of Katane.

Monastery of San Nicolò l'Arena

The Benedictine Monastery’s wealth was an indicator of the power the religious order had acquired, in Catania and beyond. This is still clear when you visit the complex, a maze of rooms, basements, stairs, courtyards, colonnades and very long hallways, where architectural styles from different eras superimpose on one another.

To read more click on following link: https://www.italymagazine.com/news/earthly-pleasures-and-baroque-splendor-catanias-benedictine-monastery?utm_source=ITALY+Magazine+Newsletter&utm_campaign=72762c7bd7-ITALY+Newsletter+-+January+12th+2018_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7e828ebed3-72762c7bd7-349881