Salzburg is a small city with lots to see and do. Great food, impeccable lodging and easy to use transportation. The Krimmler Waterfalls is located just outside the city and is one of our Eight Sight-Seeing Wonders near Salzburg .
Written by Terri Fogarty for EuropeUpClose.com
Tags: Salzburg
Real Madrid is arguably the most famous football club in the world. With nine European Cups and thirty-one domestic championships, the club is among the most decorated in Europe. At its 85,000-seat ground, the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid have an entire museum devoted to the awards, trophies and heroes of the club.
Given the dramatic history associated with the club, particularly from the 1950s onward (Real Madrid won the European Cup five consecutive times from 1955-60), one centralized location for the collected physical items of the club’s past is quite a treat. For €16, visitors can take a self-guided tour of the stadium that begins in the massive museum.
The museum begins with a general approach to the club’s history as uniforms, shoes, balls and two-dimensional items like tickets, programs and rulebooks allow visitors to view the club’s story by era. Other sports are also showcased in the first display as basketball, handball, volleyball and other sports have jerseys and trophies to peruse.
Moving inward, the museum highlights trophies won in lesser tournaments, often regional competitions, over the century of play. Uniforms are displayed on mannequins to denote some of the most famous non-Madrid players to have visited the Bernabéu since its construction in 1947. The club highlights the players who have come from all over the world to play for Madrid, as well, in a display cleverly entitled Campeónes del Mundo (World Champions).
Continuing deeper into the museum, every player to have ever appeared for Madrid is pictured on a massive hallway of photographs. Next comes the largest trophy room with all nine European Cups together in one large case. Surrounding the most impressive part of the museum are individual exhibit cases with uniforms from both teams in each of the nine Cup-winning games as well as other memorabilia from those most famous of days. Before exiting the museum, fans and visitors alike can have their picture taken with the club’s most recent Copa del Rey (King’s Cup – Spain’s domestic tournament).
Touring the stadium itself, a five-tiered, fully enclosed ground, is just as fun as the museum. Vantage points start at the highest points in the stadium and lead eventually to a seat on the bench. Views are accessible on three of the four sides of the stadium and at four of five levels, giving a more complete perspective of the famous ground than would be possible even attending a game. After winding toward the lowest level, the tour allows for a view from the pitch. After enjoying the comfortable seats on the bench, visitors descend into the players’ tunnel and finally into the spartan visitors’ locker room.
While many stadia in the world provide tours, very few offer the level of intimacy allowed at Real Madrid. For one of the world’s most famous clubs to provide such access is a testament to their greatness.
Tours of the stadium are available every day of the year (except Christmas and New Years Days) from 10:30am-6:30pm and until five hours before a match on game days. The stadium has its own metro stop (Santiago Bernabéu), which is accessed via Line 10.
Real Madrid’s local rival, Atlético Madrid, also has a museum and stadium tour. While not nearly as extensive, Atlético offers historic uniforms, trophies, photographs and more. The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday 11:00am-7:00pm at a cost of €6. Guided tours of the Estadio Vicente Calderón operate several times each day at an additional cost of €10. The stadium is easily accessible via the Pirámides metro stop on Line 5.
Written by and Photos by Michael Orr for EuropeUpClose.com
Tags: Madrid
Europe’s climate makes it the perfect place for beautiful gardens and they can become quite a tourist attraction. Here are our travel tips for ten lovely gardens in Europe.
My all-time favourite gardens in the world are at Keukenhof in the Netherlands. As you might expect, they are famous for their wide variety of tulips and receive a huge number of visitors during their short season (approximately March to May each year).
Keukenhof Gardens by Amanda Kendle
The Cragside House Gardens near Rothbury in Northumberland are a National Trust estate and have a gorgeous display at any time of year. There is a Formal Garden and changing displays, and I rather like these fish sculptures in the ponds.
Fish sculptures at Cragside House Gardens
The Rose Garden in Rome (or Roseto Comunale di Roma to the locals) can be found on the Aventine Hill with great views over Rome. It’s a relaxing place and even includes roses that apparently were known back in ancient Roman times.
Rose Garden in Rome by Kimberly Sullivan
We’ve lots more tips on what to do in Rome on Europe a la Carte.
The Biblical Garden in Elgin, Scotland is quite special as it includes all 110 of the plants mentioned in the Bible. It also contains sculpture illustrating various stories from the Bible.
Biblical Gardens in Elgin
One of the most popular tourist destinations in Vienna is the Schoenbrunn Palace, and not just for the palace – the gardens are exceptional. The gardens have various sections reflecting the influence of different Habsburg family members over the centuries.
Schoenbrunn Gardens by MarcelGermain
Our Best of Vienna Travel Tips collation will give you plenty of ideas for you trip to Vienna. Find out about more fascinating Vienna museums. We’ve also researched some of the best places to stay in Vienna for all budgets.
Karen had a very interesting visit to the Chelsea Physic Garden in London which included all kinds of interesting plants in the pharmaceutical section – ready to heal all kinds of ailments.
Chelsea Physic Garden
We’ve lots of travel tips on what to do in London.
In beautiful St Petersburg, the Summer Garden surrounds the Summer Palace, a previous residence of Peter the Great. It includes some great sculptures and statues.
Summer Garden by Amanda Kendle
Not only can you find Monet’s house in the village of Giverny, west of Paris, but you can also visit his inspiring gardens, and see some of the famous spots that ended up in his paintings.
Monet’s Garden by Hil
The Botanic Garden in Copenhagen has one of the biggest collections of plants in Europe – and has one of the largest fungi collections in the world, too.
Copenhagen Botanic Garden
Florence in Italy is a city already full of beautiful surprises but here’s another one – the Iris Garden tucked down a pathway leading off the Piazzale Michelangelo. It’s a garden with thousands of irises plus views over Florence.
Iris Garden by Britt-Arnhild
One of my favourite gardens was just “down the road” from where I lived in Germany, and that’s the Bluhendes Barock in Ludgwigsburg, not far from Stuttgart. As well as impressive gardens there is a fairy tale park featuring models and displays of well-known fairy tale characters amongst more gardens.
Bluhendes Barock by Amanda Kendle
10 Lovely European Gardens
Best Places to Visit Europe from the Europe a la Carte Travel Blog. Copyrighted content published on Europe a la Carte.
Tags: Travel Tips
Cappadocia was growing quiet when I arrive at the Mevlevi Order’s ritual hall to see the Whirling Dervishes. The sun is setting and the shadows of the Fairy Chimney rock columns were blending together seamlessly across Goreme’s dusty streets. A man in a flowing robe appears from behind an open door and beckons me inside. I follow him down a long, curved corridor to the samahane’s inner sanctum where I sit and wait for the ceremony to begin.
Soon, the lights grow dim and another disciple of the great 13th century Persian poet and theologian, Rumi, walks to the center of the circular hall. In the West, he’s known as a Whirling Dervish but to the Mevlevi community the sheikh is a semazes. His clothing symbolizes the demise of his ego; a long, black hirka robe representing its death shroud and an elongated, camel-felt hat called a kûlah or sikke, its tombstone. He’s carrying a red sheepskin pelt that he spreads out on the floor to kneel upon. Opening his hands wide and turning his face towards the sky, he begins to sing the ritual’s initial blessing, called a naat. The silence in the room is broken with its haunting and unfamiliar words.
A comfortable feeling of energy palpitates inside me as the Sema ceremony begins. Off to the side, twelve semazes are playing instruments from another time. Music floats into the air and is carried away to join with the energy force of which I am now a part. My heart pulses in time with the soft, steady drumbeat and my thoughts dissolve into thin air along with notes plucked from stringed instruments. But it’s the shrill, lonely, lilting call of a reed flute, or ney, that I connect with most.
The second portion of the ritual, the Devr-I Veled, is about to begin.
Thirteen Whirling Dervishes have lined up along the railing. One-by-one, they approach the sheikh to exchange bows in acknowledgement of the divine breath shared by all. They continue on, circling the stage three times before finally resuming their places at the railing and bowing once more, in unison, to the sheikh. They drop to their knees, bending low at the waist and touching their foreheads to the floor in an act of humble submission.
Slap! They strike their open hands hard against the wooden platform. The noise reverberates loudly through the chamber, evoking the Day of Resurrection and calling the semazes to awaken and be.
The semazes stand to remove their black robes, revealing brilliant white, floor-length gowns underneath. This act of disrobing marks the instant their egos die and their spirits are liberated from the earthly realm. They can now move onto the centerpiece of the ritual.
The Four Selams
The semazes cross their arms over their chests and, after another bow to the sheikh; they take two steps forward and slowly begin to turn. Their voluminous skirts lift off the floor as their hands leave their chests, rising past the top of their cone-shaped hats and opening up into an embrace of the heavens. With the right foot always connecting with the floor, the left foot propels them forward, spinning them in one fluid movement around the platform. As their speed gradually increases their gowns flatten out into a wave that floats weightlessly around their bodies. Their right hand, with palm turned up, remains high in the air as their left descends to their waists with the palm turned down towards the Earth. Their heads relax to the right as the meditation deepens.
To believers, this ritual channels heaven’s spiritual force. The revolution of electrons, protons, and neutrons in atoms constitutes the basic structure of everything in the universe and the semazes mimic this phenomenon, acting as conduits to transfer the same energy from heaven to Earth through their spinning meditative practice. The sheikh moves to the center of the stage and becomes the fixed point from which the semazes rotate.
Spinning…
The first selam, a recognition of truth through knowledge, begins.
Spinning… I feel the energy in the room expanding.
The second selam expresses the rapture of witnessing the splendor of His creation and our collective existence within it.
Spinning… My mind is adrift with the sensations moving through the room.
The third selam represents complete submission and communion with God through the transformation of rapture into love. The sacrifice of mind and self to love.
Spinning… My heart and mind relax.
The sheikh enters the dance with the semazes as they move into the fourth and final selam. Altogether, they resemble the planets rotating around the sun, endlessly turning as they accept their destiny and return to their task in creation.
Spinning…spinning…spinning…
It’s a tranquil transition. The semazes have received peace in their hearts through their connection with the divine.
Spinning…spinning…
Their meditation continues until the music slows to a stop. The semazes exit the stage with a steady head and resume their places at the railing, where they kneel and wrap themselves in their black cloaks.
The sheikh returns to the red pelt to offer a concluding prayer, then stands and bows with the semazes in recognition of their oneness.
The Sema ceremony has ended.
I quietly leave the auditorium and retrace my steps back through the curved hallway. The shadows in the street outside are gone now, swallowed up by the night. Overhead, the sky sparkles with a million stars and I sense their vibrating energy. It’s the whirling universal energy shared by all.
For more information about the Cappadocia region, please, go to: Mysterious and Mesmerizing Capadocia
Written by Guest Contributor, Dena Weigel Bell for EuropeUpClose.com
Dena Weigel Bell holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts and has participated in several study abroad programs, exploring the cultural history of over thirty countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. She continues to travel for pleasure, learning many new things on each adventure and writing about them at www.denaweigelbell.wordpress.com.
Tags: Turkey
Our first stop on Day 2 of our budget break in Scotland was for a walk along the River Ericht in Blairgowrie in Perthshire. You can enjoy this walk without needing to be super fit and into country hiking; it takes around 40 minutes to do the walk illustrated below, if you turn back soon after the footbridge. You get to the car park at the start of the walk from the town centre if you’re coming from Perth and take a sharp left turn just before crossing the bridge heading in the Braemar direction. There are several relief stone sculptures at various points along the walk.
Birds sculpture near car park
Monkey puzzle tree branch sculpture
Me by monkey puzzle sculpture with Keathbank Mill in background
Looking along the River Ericht
Salmon sculpture
The water wheel at the derelict Oakbank Mill
Flower sculpture
View from bench along River Ericht
Sculptures on River Ericht Walk in Blairgowrie, Scotland
Best Places to Visit Europe from the Europe a la Carte Travel Blog. Copyrighted content published on Europe a la Carte.
Steaming red brick; gold-leafed towers; thumping nightclubs; shady parks: it’s hard to pin down Russia’s capital. Moscow juggles between two identities, as a thriving symbol of the new Russia and the historical center of the old. The Trans-Siberian journey begins in Russia’s capital city. Moscow is big and bold and definitely differs in tone from the rest of the journey. Whether or not Moscow’s fast-paced lifestyle suits you, the city has enough history and culture to entertain – and makes a great introduction to modern Russia.
The easiest way to get around Moscow is by using the extensive Metro system. The beautiful old stations are an attraction in and of themselves – each has a separate décor, with architecture, art, and sculpture contributing to the individual design. The Mayakovskaya Station, an Art Deco masterpiece, features ceiling mosaics detailing Soviet life.
Most people begin at the heart of historical Moscow: the Kremlin. This walled compound holds the country’s religious and civil centers, including the senate buildings and president’s residence. Around the cobblestone of Sobornaya Square cluster several austere gray buildings, topped with gleaming gold onion-domes. The cathedrals of the Annunciation, Assumption, and Archangel mark the center of the Orthodox Church, the spiritual center of Russia.
Inside the cathedrals, painted frescoes cover every wall. The pale faces of saints stare out from boxed scenes. The air smells musty and damp, like wet stone. Unlike some of Europe’s grand Catholic cathedrals, these are smaller, more intimate structures.
In the same complex of buildings, the Armory holds state treasures such as Orthodox icons, bejeweled ceremonial headdresses, and ornate carriages once used to transport royalty. Just outside the square sits the Tsar’s Cannon, an immense weapon constructed to defend the city. The largest cannon ever built, it is nearly 20 feet long.
Edging up against the Kremlin’s outer wall is Moscow’s other famous plaza: Red Square. Bricked in a deep, dried-blood red, the Square has witnessed military parades and rock concerts. It also houses a collection of architecture that rivals any in the world. Flanked by the candy-striped spires of St. Basil’s Cathedral, the ultra-Soviet block tomb of Lenin’s mummy, and the grandiose, palatial GUM department store, Red Square easily takes an afternoon of exploring.
Lenin’s tomb is one of the city’s oddest and most popular sights. The waxy-faced revolutionary lies in perpetual state in a shadowy tomb under the Kremlin walls. The entrance lines are often long.
Across the square, the Glavnyi Universalnyi Magazin (GUM) looks more like a converted mansion than a shopping mall. The inner arcade, topped with a glass ceiling that lets in light, feels miles away from the hot, busy square outside. Originally a trade center, it later became a state-run Soviet department store. It’s an enjoyable, although expensive, place to stroll or have a cup of coffee.
The imposing, brick-red State Historical Museum guards the entrance to Red Square. From bark scrolls to leather shoes to Romanov jewels, the Museum traces Russia’s development from prehistoric to modern. For us, the most fascinating artifacts were those of Russia’s various Siberian cultures, including goblets and pendants, knives, ceramics, and jewelry. Trans-Siberian travelers should peruse the collection, if only to gain an understanding of the historical differences between European Russia and eastern Siberia.
From Red Square, we took a stroll up Tverskaya Ulitsa. Lined by impressive architecture, the theater district is always bustling with activity. Churches, shops, and theaters all line the street, which slopes gently upward away from the Kremlin. The alleys and side-streets off Tverskaya Ulitsa, full of cafes, churches, and restaurants, make for good on-foot exploring.
Gorky Park, on the banks of the Moskva River, has become one of the city’s most popular places. With shady strolls, amusement park rides, restaurants, and roller skating, the park attracts visitors of all ages. Despite the cheesy attractions, Gorky Park has become a chic destination for locals. It has a lighthearted, festive atmosphere that seems almost at odds with Moscow’s brash image. Gorky Park was also the setting for a 1980s thriller of the same name.
Night owls can find plenty of witching-hour distractions in Russia’s capital. Bars and clubs start late and throb with music all night. For those more inclined to violins than DJs, the newly reopened Bolshoi Theater makes a wonderful night out. Home to one of the world’s premiere ballet companies, the Bolshoi symbolizes elegance and culture. After extensive renovations, the famous venue is once again hosting performances – although tickets regularly sell out.
The Trans-Siberian trains depart from Yaroslavsky Station. Two other stations, Leningradsky and Kazansky, are clustered around the same Metro stop within walking distance. Night trains to and from St. Petersburg, which is Russia’s other must-see city, depart from Leningradsky.
Like most transport depots, Yaroslavsky station is not a particularly savory place, but it has left-luggage storage in the basement and basic amenities, such as banking, grocery stores, and subway connections in the immediate surroundings.
Long-distance trains such as the Baikal and Rossiya depart at night. Once the train pulls away onto the long tangle of tracks, the Trans-Siberian journey has truly begun. Moscow’s brash lights fade throughout the night, and by morning, the train is already chugging toward Siberia.
This is part of a series of articles offering advice and travel tips based on Caitlin Dwyer’s experience riding the Trans-Siberian Railway. See her first article, ‘Riding the Trans-Siberian Railway: Planning Your Journey.You may also want to read: How to Apply for a Russian Visa .For ideas about where to stay in Moscow, see our Editor’s Picks for Moscow.
Written by Caitlin Dwyer and Photos by Matt Bozigar for EuropeUpClose.com
One of our regular short day trips from Berwick upon Tweed is to the coastal town of Eyemouth in the Scottish Borders, for a walk along the North Sea Trail towards Coldingham. The views were particulary attractive one afternoon in mid April. Although there was a chilly wind, it was sunny and bright. The white heads of the crashing waves contrasted sharply with the colour of the rocks.
After our walk along North Sea Trail we had a late lunch at the Oblo Eyemouth.
Walking Along the North Sea Trail from Eyemouth
Best Places to Visit Europe from the Europe a la Carte Travel Blog. Copyrighted content published on Europe a la Carte.
Looking for traditional Japanese food in Paris? Look to Rue Sainte Anne, which runs through the first and second arrondissements, near the Opera District. With a high concentration of Japanese businesses, the street forms a Japanese haven in France’s capital city. Wander the street and sample the best of what the district has to offer, from tiny restaurants to grocery stores. Rue Saint Anne offers epicurean delights from Japan, Korea, and other parts of Asia.
Located near many city landmarks and tourist attractions, like the Louvre and the Opera, Rue Sainte-Anne is a wonderful street to visit for lunch while out sightseeing or shopping. The closest Metro stop is Pyramides.
Kunitoraya
There is an ever-present line outside this great, traditional Japanese restaurant, always a great sign for any dining spot. Kunitoraya serves a variety of handmade udon. Try the tempura udon – a steaming bowl of delicious broth, topped with tempura shrimp; zaru udon – cold noodles served with dipping sauce; or the curry udon. The menu also includes side dishes, like pickled vegetables. Don’t let the line intimidate you, the udon is well worth the wait. Seats are available at the bar or with a view of the street, but don’t miss the downstairs tables, in the cave-like basement. Open Monday through Sunday, 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM. Cash only.
39 Rue Saint-Anne
Higuma
Higuma is a popular destination in Little Tokyo and another spot with consistently long lines. When you tire of rich French food, queue up here for gyoza, stir fry, and soup. The ramen is especially delicious and Higuma offers a number of different regional styles . Open Monday through Sunday, 11:30 AM to 10:30 PM. Credit cards accepted.
32 Rue Saint-Anne
Yakiniku,
Yakiniku translates to “grilled meat” in Japanese, which is exactly what the restaurant offers. A meal comes with choice of meat, salad, and spring rolls. Tables are festooned with individual grills, which patrons use to grill meat or seafood.
11 bis Rue Saint-Anne
Bizan
Bizan offers a wide ranging menu. Serving everything from sushi to tempura, the restaurant is a higher end option on a street full of eateries. Open Monday through Friday, 12:00 to 2:00 PM, 7:00 to 10:00 PM.
56 Rue Saint-Anne
Aki
An Asian influenced patisserie, Aki offers delectable breads and pastries. Sample lychee flavored macarons, green tea éclairs, matcha brioche, and other sweet treats. Enjoy a snack and a cup of green tea at the sidewalk café. Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Credit cards accepted.
16 Rue Saint-Anne
K Mart
K Mart is a grocery store stocked full of Korean and Japanese products. Stop in to pick up hard to find Asian ingredients, like gochujang. Find fresh produce, seafood, noodles, sake, spices, and much more. Visit the cafeteria or the to-go food shelves for a quick lunch. Open Monday through Sunday, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Credit cards accepted.
6-8 Rue Saint-Anne
Juji-Ya
Another great grocery store is Juji-Ya. Specializing in Japanese products, the shop sells packaged goods, produce, seafood, and other items. Wander up and down the aisles and distract yourself with the brightly colored packaged items, from instant noodles to pickled vegetables to candy. Pick up ready-made food for a take away meal. Monday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Sunday, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Credit cards accepted.
46 Rue Saint-Anne
When in Paris, and you are hankering for some Asian food, be sure to check out Rue Ste.Anne!
Written by Morgen Young for EuropeUpClose.com
Tags: Eating and Drinking
We stayed at the Travelodge Dunfermline on the first night of our budget break in Scotland during early May 2012. The room cost £19 for a Saturday night booked during the December 2011 Travelodge Sale. It’s quite hard to get cheap Travelodge rooms on Saturdays, so this was a good price. Travelodge Dunfermline is located close to the M90 Perth to Edinburgh motorway. The hotel is a bit out on a limb, near an industrial unit. There’s often a restaurant next to Travelodges; here it’s a few minutes walk to a Harvester Inn at Halbeath Retail Park, where you’ll also find an Asda supermarket.
Exterior of Travelodge Dunfermline
We were allocated a room at the back of the hotel which is very close to the access road from Dunfermline up to roundabout to join the motorway. Most of the traffic noise was screened out by the double glazing and trees. I did go back to reception to ask if we could change to a room at the front of the hotel, but was told that the hotel was almost full and the only rooms left were at the back.
Travelodge Dunfermline room
The room was of a good standard. Fortunately the traffic didn’t disturb our sleep. There’s no Bar Cafe at Travelodge Dunfermline, so no free WiFi on offer.
Travelodge Dunfermline is fine for a one night stopover between Edinburgh and Perth, but I prefer locations closer to some facilities and not quite so close to roads.
Keep It Real Travel Reviews
Review of Travelodge Dunfermline
Best Places to Visit Europe from the Europe a la Carte Travel Blog. Copyrighted content published on Europe a la Carte.
Tags: Accommodation, hotel reviews, Scotland, uk
Fresh grilled trout, fields of wildflowers, battling queens,and a lofty mountain—Paradise can’t get better than that. This particular paradise is Gran Paradiso National Park, in northwestern Italy between Aosta Valley and the Piedmont region. Established in 1922 on land that had been saved as a hunting reserve, it was the country’s first national park. Its main snow-covered peak, Gran Paradiso, is the highest mountain in Italy, rising to 13,323 feet in the stunningly gorgeous Alps. Downhill and cross-country skiing are popular (no lifts, though), and several tour groups offer guided trips that include overnight stays in mountain huts (rifugios). Summer visitors go trekking, mountain climbing, and camping.
John and I stayed in the sweet little town of Cogne, a former miners’ village tucked into a valley just inside the eastern edge of the 270-square-mile park. It faces a rushing river on one side and wide green meadows on the other, with steep hills and mountains in all directions. From the tiny balcony off our room at Hotel de la Tor, we had a fine view of the valley and Gran Paradiso’s high, snow-covered sprawl. Hotel de la Tor offers mid-range prices, friendly hosts, comfortable rooms, and a chef who’s skilled at preparing regional dishes. I hesitated over spreading lardo (delicate white pig fat) on the fig-walnut bread served with nuts and honey, but decided that when in Cogne do as the Cognese do. Smearing bread with butter from cows isn’t that different from using lardo, considered a light, tasty delicacy.
Two other fine hotel choices in Cogne are the 4-star Hotel Bellevue and Hotel Sant’Orso. The Bellevue is expensive but has amenities and luxuries, including a swimming pool, spa, and three good restaurants. We liked Brasserie du Bon Bec, with its alpine atmoshere and well-prepared dishes such as veal casserole and potato/cheese tart. La Pierrade is a house specialty—you cook your own meat, tomatoes and onions on a sizzling hot stone brought to the table. Hotel Sant’Orso has attractive rooms and, a boon to families, a playground. It also boasts a restaurant with a valley view and, when we were there, a hostess dressed in full-skirted Tyrolean garb who entertained every table with her friendly charm. Entrees on the interesting menu included venison with juniper berries, suckling pig with caramelized oranges, and chicken breast with sage. As in most Italian restaurants, there was a wide choice of wines at reasonable prices.
Strolling through Cogne, which is noted for the fine quality of its intricate handmade lace, we watched lacemakers in a cooperative working at their spindled looms. Cogne is also the home of highly skilled wood carvers, and some of their works are sold locally. We passed numerous shops selling outdoor and climbers’ gear, peeked into a few woodcrafting studios, and picked up maps at a well-run visitors’ center. These were stops along the way to the main attraction: paths that crossed daisy-starred meadows, edged the river, and climbed to higher mountain trails. We chose a path that turned upward, switchbacking through pine trees to a lovely waterfall. Other hikers continued on more challenging trails, up the steep terrain to sweeping views across snowfields, grassy valleys, and tumblng streams.
Gran Paradiso Park has 60-odd stream-fed lakes and ponds, 57 glaciers, and meadows spangled with blue, white and yellow wildflowers in season. Blue gentians, alpenrose, and lilies were bright spots of color in the rocky landscape. Paradisia Botanical Garden near Cogne, open to visitors for a fee, grows about 1500 plant species. Our return trip ended at the Valnontey, a lively, casual restaurant on a hillside by a grassy meadow. People at picnic-style tables were feasting on mounds of polenta, pasta, and cheese. We opted for ravioli and trout, both excellent. As we left, a small herd of ibex bounded from the steep, forested hillside into the meadow. They calmly grazed, not at all bothered by gawking tourists. Ibex are protected here; not long ago their numbers were low, but they have increased manyfold. Other wildlife in Gran Paradiso Park are rabbits, chamois, weasels, birds, butterflies, and the more elusive lynx.
This is dairy country, where flavorful cheeses are produced. A few of the many cows you see in the region’s pastures have another occupation: head-wrestling. These are the battling queens, trained to lock horns and push and twist against each other until one gives way. Throughout the local villages, regular competitions are held—the “Battles of the Queens.” That’s life in Paradise.
Written by Marilyn McFarlane for EuropeUpClose.com
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