Mini Travel Guides

Like many parents, we’re constantly dragging our children along to art museums. And like many parents, we are accustomed to groans of  “Oh no, not another museum!”

Museums are starting to realize the importance of courting their future visitors and, as parents, it’s nice to see how many art museums have started to put together age-appropriate information and activity guides for children.

The Van Gogh Museum (on the left), with the Rijksmuseum in the background

One small museum that gets it right is the Vincent Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Chances are, Van Gogh admirers would take their kids along on a visit  to this excellent museum anyway, but it’s even nicer to know that parents can request the activity guide to make their visit more enjoyable for young children.

Wheatfield with crows, 1890

The activity guide was filled with interesting information and asked children to record their observations about certain artworks and about Van Gogh’s shifting techniques, his use of thick brush strokes and his preference for vibrant colours during his years in southern France.

The bookshop sells an excellent publication for children, Vincent & Theo: Brothers in Art. It is geared towards elementary school and middle-grade readers and chronicles Van Gogh’s struggle as an artist and the special relationship with his brother, Theo.

So on your family visit to Amsterdam, my European travel tip would be to take your kids along to the Van Gogh Museum as it’s a very child friendly Amsterdam attraction.  They will be certain to enjoy it as much as you do.

The Vincent Van Gogh Museum is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. Fridays it has extended hours, 10:00-22:00. Adults are 14 euro, children and teenagers under 18 are free.

Child Friendly Amsterdam Attractions: The Van Gogh Museum

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Have you ever wondered where the ‘quiche Lorraine’ got its name from? It is so named because it originates in the north eastern region of France called Lorraine. The region shares a border with three other European countries, namely Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg. Not surprisingly then Lorraine has often been at the centre of Europe’s turbulent history. Located on a geographical crossroads since Gallo-Roman times, the city of Metz is more a European city than a strictly French one.

This region’s history may have at times been very turbulent, most recently during World War I and the battle of Verdun, but it has also been very colourful, producing a rich cultural heritage. Take, for example, the New Church, illustrated above. This was built between 1901 and 1904 for the area’s protestant community during the annexation of the region by Germany. Modern and striking contrast to the city’s very decorative gothic cathedral, Cathédrale Saint-Étienne (below).

The city of Metz is still producing headline-grabbing as well as eye-catching architecture. In May this year the Centre Pompidou-Metz was opened by President Sarkozy at the start of celebrations that lasted five days. Situated on what was once a Roman Amphitheatre, and at a height of 77 metres (a reference to the year the Centre Pompidou in Prais was opened, 1977), Centre Pompidou-Metz is decidedly futuristic. It has provided the city with a focal point for urban renewal; there has been much restoration of old, adjacent buildings that might otherwise have been bulldozed, and new bars and restaurants have appeared for that ‘café culture’ Europe is famous for.

The Metz Pompidou, like its Parisian counterpart, is a museum to modern art; and the curators of the three galleries will be able to draw on over 65 000 pieces from the collection of Musée National d’Art Moderne. The inaugural exhibition Chef d’Oeuvre?, or Masterpieces?, displays some 700 works of art by such artists as Picasso and Miro in an attempt to explore critically the notion of masterpiece in modern art. The exhibition is on until 25 October 2010.

But what other things are there to do in Metz?.With three national parks in the area and the Vosges Mountains, there is something to do all year round, from hiking in picturesque natural landscapes during summer, to mountain winter sports when it snows in the winter. The Metz Tourist Office’s website shows just how much there is to do and see here. As this is the crossroads of four European nations, Lorraine is certainly one of the best places to visit in Europe.

The photographs in this post were taken from Alexandre Prévot’s Metz set on Flickr.

If you’re planning a visit to Metz, then you’ll find the best deals on hotels in Metz using the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

There’s More to Lorraine than a Good Quiche: The French city of Metz

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Introduction

The Scottish city of Glasgow has undergone a successful metamorphosis from unappealing post industrial gloom to a popular global tourist destination.  How was this achieved?  What lessons can be learned for other cities keen to make themselves more attractive to potential visitors with so much competition from other possible destinations.

Background

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, located on the River Clyde, in western central Scotland.  It was home to the famous Clydeside ship building industry which fell into terminal decline in the second half of the 20th century turning swathes of the city into industrial wasteland and leading to high unemployment among the blue collar workforce. By the late 1970s the city’s reputation was one of grime, crime and deprivation. However plans were afoot to change this.

Landmarks in the lead up to 1990

Glasgow’s regeneration started in the early 1980s. The specially commissioned Burrell Collection building in Pollok Park opened in 1983.

Burrell Collection

That year also saw the launch of Glasgow’s Smiles Better campaign to counteract the negative image of the city.

Glasgow’s Miles Better slogan by Leo Reynolds

In 1985 the Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre (SECC) opened on the site of the Queen’s Dock at Finnieston Quay on the northern bank of the Clyde.  In 1998 the Glasgow Garden Festival was held on the site of the former Princes Dock in Govan on the southern bank of the River Clyde.

Site of Glasgow Garden Festival 1988 by mmcdgll

1990 The Year of being European City of Culture

The 1990 European City of Culture encompassed 3,400 events throughout Glasgow, from large international to small local events over the the whole year. There were 60 world premieres, performers from 23 countries and over 150 sporting events. Glasgow City Council judged Glasgow’s year of being the European City of Culture to have been very successful partly because the definition of culture was wide ranging not merely focussing on music, theatre and visual arts but also sport, design and education.

Dr Beatrix Garcia asserts that Glasgow’s stint as European City of Culture in 1990 was the first successful, high profile use of arts as a catalyst for urban regeneration. This was partly due to the fact that there was grassroots involvement from local communities in the 1990 event and the observation that the arts can make a difference even in socially and economically disadvantaged districts. There is feeling that cultural legacies have a longer term, deeper effect on a city’s psyche as they can attain a deeper level of involvement and meaning in the resident’s lives than economic or physical projects.

Post 1990 Landmarks

However Glasgow’s cultural regeneration didn’t run out of steam after 1990, continuing with the 1996 opening of the Gallery of Modern Art and in 1997 the Glasgow Auditorium, as an extension to the SECC.  In 1999 the city was crowned the UK’s City of Design and Architecture. The Glasgow Science Centre opened in 2001 close to the site of the 1988 Garden Festival. In 2008 Glasgow was named as an UNESCO City of Music. The 2014 Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow.

Other Factors

However Glasgow’s cultural identity doesn’t hinge only on showcase events and the opening of new cultural venues, there are many other factors too.  Moving towards a new cultural identity also means embracing what is good from the past.

Architecture is an important aspect of Glasgow’s heritage. There is a plethora of grand Victorian buildings such as the City Chambers and the University of Glasgow.  The Willow Tea Rooms, Scotland Street School and School of Art are three examples of early 20th century work by Charles Rennie Macintosh.

Scotland Street School

Glaswegian writers such as James Kelman winner of the 1994 Booker Prize, Alasdair Gray author of “Lanark”, poet and playwright Liz Lochead and Ian Pattison, creator of Rab C Nesbitt the sting vested philosopher, all make their mark on the city’s cultural identity. The famous Glasgow sense of humour, exemplified by Billy Connolly, contributes to the local resident’s reputation for friendliness.

Glasgow is the second biggest shopping city of the UK after London. From the traditional weekend open air Barras Market in the city’s East End, the 1827 Parisian style Argyll Arcade (the first covered shopping mall in Scotland) and one of the oldest in Europe, to the trendy Princes Square and Buchanan Galleries, you really can shop till you drop in Glasgow.

Music has always been a strong part of Glasgow’s cultural identity, famed for its diverse range of tastes said to be helped by its status as a thriving port, absorbing influences from Europe and the US as well as its industrial background and lively arts scene.  This has given rise to many interesting bands and artists over the years, from the Jesus and Mary Chain’s riotous 1980s performances to worldwide commercial successes such as Texas and Travis. Also its proliferation of universities and colleges, including the aforementioned School of Art and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, have helped fuel the scene with fresh new talent. Our son Simon Bryan is part of the Glasgow music scene as a DJ.

Our son Simon’s gig at the Lite Club by subcityphotos

The opening of the SECC, the Clyde Auditorium and the Royal Concert Hall provided large spaces in which to house performances ranging from pop to classical music. At the opposite of the spectrum the city boasts many small pubs which provide a breeding ground for many local acts such as King Tuts, The 13th Note, Nice & Sleazy, and the Captain’s Rest. Those preferring more traditional tunes can find plenty of live jazz and folk bands in pubs all over the city, often with no admission charge. Meanwhile the Barrowlands Ballroom, famous in the mid 1900s as one of the city’s most popular Dance Halls, is now a 2000 capacity venue and along with the Academy and the ABC is a frequent stop of many international bands’ touring schedules.  Glasgow’s music scene goes from strength to strength and it is recognised as by far the best city in Scotland for music.

Evaluation of Glasgow’s cultural transition

Glasgow certainly now enjoys a reputation as a hip city to visit, probably best known for it’s shopping and nightlife. It’s a popular short break destination for UK residents and is the fifth most popular UK tourist destination for overseas visitors. Glasgow was riding high in travel guide headlines in 2006. Conde Nast proclaimed Glasgow to be the UK’s top city destination after analysis of a readers poll where Glasgow’s strengths were listed as its people, hospitality and vibrant nightlife. Glasgow was listed as the only “Top 10 Must See” destination in Europe in the Frommers Guide and the Lonely Planet Guide labelled Glasgow as “one of Britain’s largest, liveliest and most interesting cities”. Fodor’s commented on the city’s friendly atmosphere and amazing shops and National Geographic was impressed by “innovative design, eclectic boutiques—and unpretentious attitude”.

River Clyde Walkway

So it looks like it’s mission accomplished in the transition of Glasgow from the dark days of post industrial gloom to top global tourist destination in a couple of decades – no mean feat, propelled by the catalyst of being European City of Culture in 1990.

So if you’ve never visited Glasgow or haven’t been there for a while, you should try to visit soon.  There are lots of things to do in Glasgow, including many free options such as the  Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

How the Scottish city of Glasgow morphed from post industrial gloom to top global visitor destination

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Marseille may only be the second largest city in France, but it is the oldest. It was the Greeks from an ancient town of Phocaea (Asia Minor) who in about 600 BC founded the city as a base for their maritime trade on the Mediterranean. And ever since, Marseille has played a prominent role in the cultural development not only of this part of France, Provence, but also the Mediterranean region more generally – so obviously reflected in the striking cosmopolitan feel of this great European city, from its architecture to its gastronomy, the mix of its inhabitants to the diversity of international visitors year-round.

And of course the city gave France her national anthem: there were a number of men from Marseille who marched with the revolutionaries from the Rhine to Paris in 1792, as a result the hymn of the Army of the Rhine was known as La Marseillaise.

Marseille has been selected as the Capital City of Culture for 2013, when it will almost certainly be one of the best places to visit in Europe. This may be a while off yet – but there is nothing like a bit of forward travel planning. Getting to Marseille is as easy now as ever: the city is served by both an International Airport as well as a large Train station, Paris-Marseille is only three hours via TGV.

Once in the city, there are many Marseille attractions on offer are far too numerous to mention. But, with some 22 museums, 17 theatres, an internationally renowned opera house and a stadium that seats 60,000 people, all offering an incredible variety of exhibitions, shows, concerts and events , the over-used saying ‘there is something for everyone’ might very well have been coined for this European city.

But if all this sounds a bit too daunting – especially on the pocket, my travel tip is to get yourself to the tourist office for a  Marseille City Pass, available for one or two days. Marseille is as good for people who live the high-life in luxury boutiques and hotels, but also for those travelling on a budget. The pass allows you freedom to see as many Marseille attraction as you want at your own pace, and includes museums and castles, the tourist trains, and reductions on a range of services.

The photographs in this post have been taken from the Marseille Flickr Group

If you’re planning a trip to this French city, find the lowest prices for Marseille hotels using the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

Marseille, European City of Culture 2013

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Spread across an area of 10.000 m2, with a total exhibition space of around 5.000 m2, the BMW car museum in Munich attracts thousands of visitors each year. While being a car enthusiast certainly helps when visiting the museum, it is not a necessity as we discovered. The “bowl” shaped museum is just across the street from the BMW car showroom (BMW welt) and is walking distance from the Olympic Park.

This Munich museum has dedicated sections showcasing motorbikes, racing cars and touring cars including the latest car models. With a lot of interactive displays, learning about the design process and history of the organisation is fun.

The concept section of the museum particularly succeeds in engaging with the visitors where in several models depicting the idea and innovation phase of the BMW car manufacturing are displayed.

The museum is open on Tue-Sun from 10:00 to 18:00, the entry is priced at €12. Reduced entry tickets are available for family, students and groups.

Have you visited the BMW Museum in Munich, what did you most enjoy there?

Photo Credits : First photo by john.nousis. All remaining photos by Orangesplaash

Visiting the BMW car museum in Munich

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Discovery Point, in the Scottish city of Dundee, is the home of RRS Discovery, the the ship which transported Captain Scott’s first Antarctic “Discovery Expedition” to the South Pole in 1901. The ship was built in Dundee and returned there in 1986.

RSS Discovery against the Dundee skyline

Discovery was locked in by ice in the South Pole during the Winter of 1903.  She had to be rescued by two other ships, Morning and Terra Nova (which took Scott back to Antarctica on the ill fated Terra Nova Expedition in 1910). In order to free Discovery the rescuers had to blast through 20 miles of ice.

Discovery Point entrance

RRS Discovery was the first ship to be specifically constructed for Antarctic exploration.  Dundee was chosen due to the workers experience in building robust whaling ships.

Dundee Docks exhibit at Discovery Point

The “Race to the Pole – Centenary of the Terra Nova Expedition” exhibition runs until 2 December 2010, to commemorate 100 years since the start of Scott’s second and final journey to the Antarctic, where the expedition members perished on their way back to the ship, after being beaten to the South Pole by the Norwegian Amundsen.

Ice fishing exhibit at Discovery Point Dundee

The highlight of my visit was going on board RSS Discovery. I was amazed by the height of the masts, although the ship did also have engines.

Discovery Point was a showpiece of Dundee’s regeneration in the 1980s and is a must-visit Dundee attraction.  You can see all my Discovery Point photos and videos on Flickr.

I’d also recommend visiting the Dundee attractions the Sensation Science Centre and  The Verdant Works (which tells the story of Dundee’s jute industry).

Discovery Point Dundee: Home of Captain Scott’s Antarctic expedition ship

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Otranto, the picturesque Adriatic town in Italy’s Salento region, is so beautiful and peaceful, that it seems hard to believe this was once the site of the gruesome “Sack of Otranto”.  Luckily for today’s tourists, Ottoman invasions are no longer a threat to this tranquil coastline.

Lovely Otranto – my European travel tip this week – with its whitewashed buildings, winding streets and sparkling blue water, today plays host to tourists seeking sun, sea, excellent food and wine and beautiful art and architecture.

Photo courtesy www.viaggioadriatico.it

Charming streets and piazze are abundant in this tiny town in Puglia and, while the most beautiful beaches lie just to the south of town, visitors can also swim in the crystal-clear waters right off the picturesque town walls.

The 12^th century cathedral is the top Otranto attractions. The cathedral’s simple exterior of local stone changes colour with the changing light throughout the day.

Not to be missed is the spectacular 12th century floor mosaic which occupies nearly the entire nave. Visitors should take their time to examine the lovely, intricate designs, including an image of  “Rex Arturis”.

Image courtesy V&A online journal (http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/62268-popup.html)

The cathedral also houses a gruesome reminder of the famous “Sack of Otranto” of 1480, back when the town was an important outpost in the Byzantine Empire. Modern Italy’s coastline once lived in constant fear of Ottoman invasions. Most of Otranto’s population died in the famous siege of  July 1480. To the 800 townspeople who survived, the Ottomans offered the option of conversion in exchange for their lives. Down to the last man, woman and child, they refused and the martyrs’ bones are still prominently displayed in cases in the cathedral.

Photo courtesty steynian.files.wordpress.com

Otranto is a fantastic European destination and should certainly be on your itinerary on any trip to the Salento.

Other beautiful, nearby destinations are Gallipoli and, if you are headed farther north, the town of Trani and Vieste .

You can find the lowest rates at Otranto hotels using the price comparison search box below.

Otranto, Puglia – The sleepy seaside town with a bloody past

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Of the twenty-one new additions this year to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites, France has two – the city of Albi and a stunning, natural landscape on the island of Reunion. Albi is on the River Tarn in the south of France, about 85 kms to the northeast of Toulouse.

Like many significant towns and cities in France, and Europe for that matter, Albi has evidence for human occupation that extends back in to prehistory, in this case the Bronze Age. But archaeological evidence seems to suggest that there was only a modest Roman settlement here.

The Pont-Vieux, by Sebastien.b on Wikimedia Commons.

But, the reason for Albi’s UNESCO recognition is its medieval architecture. Today the Old Bridge (Pont-Vieux, above), the Saint-Salvi quarter and its church bear testimony to the early development of the city in the 10th and 11th centuries. The city then became a powerful Episcopal city in the 13th century after a crusade against the Cathar heretics. The fortified Cathedral built at this time dominates the city’s skyline, a sign of the power regained by the Roman Catholic clergy. The medieval cathedral and surrounding urban area were built in a Gothic style that is unique to this part of southern France, and from local brick with their red and orange colours.

Besides the internationally recognized Medieval heritage, Albi is also home to the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum. With over 1000 of the artists works, including 31 of his iconic posters, the museum has the largest public collection of Toulouse-Lautrec’s art in the World. The museum is in the Palais de la Berbie, older than the Palais des Papes in Avignon and once the Bishop’s Palace, this ‘palace’ is one of the oldest and best-preserved castles in France.

The Toulouse-Lautrec Museum by Samuel David Ogden on flikr.

The World Heritage site of Albi is the prefect destination for those holiday makers who greatly enjoy the unique mix of art and ancient architecture that Europe offers.

You can find the best prices for hotels in Albi using the price comparison search box below.

The City of Albi, France’s latest addition to the World Heritage List

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

I found myself in a series of seemingly random and inexplicable Google searches – you know the ones, that go from this to that to the next…and I saw an entry about Europe’s longest street.  Investigating further, I found not one…but several of Europe’s longest streets.  What is it with Europe’s fascinate to dispute nearly every fact and trivia question.  We have smallest countries, smallest municipalities, smallest independent nations… I guess it’s just a part of European culture.

With that, tell me: which one of these  streets in Europe do you think is really the longest?

Széchenyi Street, Miskolc, Hungary

by Hungarian Snow

This is just a myth as it’s a conglomeration of streets that make it up to 12km – disqualifying it in my book.

Lenin Prospekt, Zaporozhye – Ukraine

by Bernt Rostad

This street is 7km – which is pretty long – but is it long enough?

Cours Jean Jaures, Grenoble City, France

by Guillame Cattiaux

This is supposedly the straightest and, yes, longest street in Europe.  I have to say this is certainly a beautiful viewpoint – definitely a worthy contender.

Rue Sainte Catherine, Bordeaux, France

by Francies Bourgouin

Another worthy contender – but this is just a pedestrian street.  Does that count?

Piotrkowska Street, Lodz, Poland

by Svetlana Zhukova

Yup – you guessed it – another self-proclaimed longest street.  But only by the hotels and local tourism officials…

Lido di Jesolo, Italy

by genue.luben

Last by not least is Lido di Jesolo, an Italian beach town.  I’m wondering if they didn’t try to include the length of the pier as well – as this certainly isn’t home to Europe’s longest street.

Europe a la Carte readers, do you know where Europe’s longest street is?

Europe’s Longest Street(s)

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

The Louvre Museum is almost certainly the most well-known of all the World’s museums, it is the most visited museum in the world and definitely one of the largest. The Museum ‘owns’ over 35 000 objects that range from prehistory to the nineteenth century. The Louvre started out as a fort in the twelfth century – remains of which can still be seen today. It then became a Royal Palace, but in 1682 when Louis XIV chose the Palace of Versailles as his residence the Louvre was used to display the royal collections, which included a collection of antique sculptures.

Some of these early sculptures today make up the Classical Greek collection. And it is the Greek displays in the Louvre that at the beginning of July were re-opened to the public after extensive renovation and redesign.

With the opening in 1989 of the Pyramid, and the use of the Pyramid as the new entrance, the flow of visitors into and around the museum changed quite dramatically. In particular it was the displays of Greek objects that were effected the most. For the last few years then, this impressive collection of vases, jewellery, sculpture and various architectural features such as the Caryatids from the Parthenon, has been reorganised into new displays that lead the visitor through a more ordered collection that ends with one of the most famous of all sculptures in the Museum’s collection of Greek art, and that is the Venus de Milo.

For anyone with an interest in the art of the Ancient Greek and Hellenic cultures, the Louvre with its new displays of Greek art is one of the best places to visit in Europe, outside of Greece itself. You could also take Sian’s Europe travel tip and visit Cafe Marly at the edge of the Louvre courtyard.

If you’re planning a trip to Paris, here are four hotels close to the Louvre which receive high guest ratings:

1 Best Western Louvre Piedmont

2 Hotel du Louvre

3 Grand Hotel du Palais Royal

4 Citadenes ApartHotel Paris Louvre

If you enjoy Paris museums then the Musee Rodin and Musee d’Orsay should be on your Paris sightseeing itinerary.

What’s New at the Louvre in 2010

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.