Mini Travel Guides

The Parco dei mostri (Monster Park) of Bomarzo, in northern Lazio, is a fun destination if you are looking for a pleasant day trip from Rome.

Photo courtesy www.nessundove.net

The whimsical park is almost five hundred years old. In 1552, following the death of his wife, a grieving Prince Pier Francesco Orsini oversaw the construction of a park filled with sculptures of ogres, snakes, dragons and monsters, all carved from the boulders within the park. The creation of such a park, according to the prince, was “only to ease the heart.”

Photo courtesy postidavedere.giramondo.com

The creator of the park was the sculptor and landscape architect Pirro Ligorio, who also worked in the Vatican and is probably most famous for the spectacular Italian garden and water fountains he designed for the Renaissance Villa d’Este of Tivoli.

Photo courtesy quellidellaterzac.wikispaces.com

It’s a lot of fun to wander through the park to see the strange creatures covered in moss, seemingly emerging from the ground. Needless to say, it’s also a favourite for kids.

Photo courtesy files.splinder.com

You can bring along a picnic lunch to enjoy during your outing.  After the park visit, you may wish to wander around the tiny hillside town of Bomarzo, perched up above the Monster Park.

My travel tip is to combine a trip to this interesting park with a visit to the stunning “dying city” of Civita di Bagnoregio .

The park is open daily from 8 am to sunset. Adult tickets are 9 euro. Children 4-8 years old are  7 euro.

Rome day trip: Bomarzo’s Monster Park

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Although I got somewhat side tracked by my discovery of the sights in Prien am Chiemsee in my recent day trip from Munich, I did make it over to Herreninsel to visit Herrenchiemsee, the last and most costly castle built for King Ludwig II of Bavaria.

I made my way to the dock in Prien/Stock where the ferries depart which take visitors either on a round trip of the Chiemsee or to the Herreninsel and Fraueninsel. The best and most romantic of the fleet is the Ludwig  Fessler, a paddle steamer and I was lucky to catch that one.

The Ludwig Fessler paddle steamer

The trip to the Herreninsel is short, some 15-20 minutes but it’s already beautiful to watch the castle which was modelled on the Palace of Versailles appear among the woods from the lake side.

Facade of Schloss Herrenchiemsee

Currently, a new movie, The Three Musketeers, is being shot in Bavaria and the romantic structure of Schloss Herrenchiemsee provides a perfect backdrop for filming. The cast include such celebrities as Orlando Bloom and Christopher Waltz, but, sadly on the day I visited, no filming took place and I missed that excitement.

But Herrenchiemsee is quite a curiousity. It’s a prime example of what happens, when a king runs out of money: one half of the castle is furnished and decorated with incredible opulence and baroque beauty and in the other you find nothing but bare and stark walls, including what Ludwig called his bath which is, in fact, a massive swimming pool which was to be heated by the most advanced heating system available at the time.

Leaving the ferry, you make your way to the ticket counter and book your guided tour to see the interior of the castle and the museum on the ground floor. Horse drawn carriages await to take you through the woods and slightly uphill to the castle and gardens, but I preferred to walk along the summer path which takes about 20 minutes.

Horse drawn carriages on the way to the castle

Guided tours are available in several languages and I could have spent many more hours admiring the richness and fabulous decorations of the famous staircase and the mirror hall, but the tour guides are relentless and you are not allowed to stroll on your own. You can’t take pictures either.

Ludwig ‘s idol was King Louis XIV of France and he planned Herrenchiemsee as a monument to his hero as well as a place of rest and  retreat from the world  from himself. No expense was spared to surpass even the splendor of Versailles but finally the monarch ran out of money and  could find no further resources to borrow. His last dream castle remained unfinished although habitable, but Ludwig only spent nine days at Herrenchiemsee in the fall of 1885 and a year later he drowned in still unsolved circumstances in the Starnberger See.

Louis XIV was the sun king, whereas Ludwig II adored the night and the moon. Blue was his favorite color and he ordered a special blue lamp in the shape of a globe to submerge his bedroom in moonlight.

The museum on the ground floor exhibits his death mask as well as many furniture from the castle and from the Residenz, his main residence  in Munich. After all that sparkle, gold and blue it is very nice to walk in the vast gardens and to watch the fountains and statues and then to walk on to the monastery which is important in modern German history because it was here that the new German constitution, the Grundgesetz, was hammered out in 1948.

Gardens of Schloss Herrenchiemsee

Because of the filming a lot of scaffolds did impair the views and to make matters worse the magnificent Schlosshotel  which offers luxury accommodation and a lovely garden for a typical Brotzeit is also shrouded in dust sheets and canvas because major repairs are under way, but even so a trip to the Herreninsel is a memorable outing in all seasons. In very harsh winters,, the Chiemsee freezes solid and sometimes it’s even safe to walk across the ice to Prien.

Herrenchiemsee, Germany: location of the latest Three Musketeers movie

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There are many possible day trips from the city of Aberdeen during which you can explore the beautiful surrounding area.  Here are my ideas for three great Aberdeen day trips, based on my Summer 2010 Scotland Blog Tour and an earlier trip to the area.  You could do a bit of a hybrid day out, taking in some elements from each of the three suggestions.

The lovely Aberdeenshire countryside in August

Visit Alford

The town of Alford lies around 25 miles west of Aberdeen.  It’s home to the  Alford Valley Railway where you ride on the narrow gauge railway to Haughton Park. There are events such as Teddy Bears Picnics on Wednesdays in August and Santa Specials in the run up to Christmas.

The Grampian Transport Museum is also in Alford.

I loved the carvings in the pink granite boulders which sit just outside the Alford Valley railway station.

Pig and sheep stone carvings in Alford

Take the Aberdeenshire Castle Trail

There are fourteen castles in the Aberdeenshire Castle Trail, I visited three of them on a previous trip to Aberdeenshire; Crathes Castle with its lovely garden, Castle Fraser and Haddo House.

Crathes Castle and Garden

Follow the Malt Whisky Trail

On the Malt Whisky Trail you can visit seven working distilleries including Glen Grant,  the Glenlivet and Cardhu. As a teetotaller and being short of time on my way to Elgin, I only had a quick look around the Glenfiddich Distillery. As I walked down from the car park, I was almost knocked out by the pervasive strong whisky odour.

Glenfiddich Distillery

I hope I’ve given you some ideas for enjoyable Aberdeen day trips.  If you have any favourite routes/places to visit in Aberdeenshire, please leave a comment.

3 great Aberdeen day trips

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

The small city of Tivoli to the west of Rome, once an important stop on the “Grand Tour” of Europe,  is today a bedroom community of Rome, yet it still maintains its distinct character. It makes a wonderful Rome day trip, either by car or with frequent trains leaving from Rome’s Tiburtina train station.

My European travel tip this week is to visit Tivoli to see the Renaissance Villa d’Este and its spectacular Italian garden and water fountains.

The villa and its gardens were completed in 1549 by Cardinal Hippolyte d’Este, son of Lucrezia Borgia and grandson of the infamous and universally feared Pope Alessandro VI.

This villa and its frescoes are beautiful, but it is the villa’s lovely Italian garden and its numerous, whimsical water fountains that has made this such a popular destination for visitors over the past centuries.

The garden and water fountains were designed by Pirro Ligorio, who would later go on to construct the Monster Park of Bomarzo. In many of the sculptures, visitors can catch a hint of the strange creatures Ligorio would later create in the Monster Park.

The park is filled with fountains, waterfalls, pools and wonderfully refreshing caves. Visitors should leave adequate time to wander the extensive paths and discover the hidden corners and fountains.

Take a break from your wandering at outside seats at the Villa’s cafeteria. In the evenings, there is a picturesque restaurant, with views out over the valley below.

The Villa d’Este is open Tuesday-Sunday from 8:30 am to one hour before sunset. Admission is 10 euro for adults; children are free.

I also recommend the beach resort of  Sperlonga as a Rome day trip.

Rome day trips: The Villa d’Este in Tivoli

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

Although there are so many things to do in London, some of which are highlighted in our Best of London Travel Tips post, you may want to get out of the city on day trip from London to some of the best places to visit in Europe. Here are five of the best London day trip suggestions from the Europe a la Carte blogging team.

Brighton

Sian gives 7 reason to visit Brighton including the pier, the Pavilion and the lively music scene. It takes under an hour to reach Brighton by train from London.

Brighton Beach by roberthunt1987

Windsor

Andy Hayes enjoyed his visit to Windsor especially the tour of Windsor Castle, one of the homes of the British Queen Elizabeth 11.  He recommends trying the local dessert “Eton Mess” a delicious meringue, strawberry and cream concoction.

Eton Mess by angusf

Bath

Bath attracts many “Janeites”, lovers of the novels of Jane Austen, including Kimberly of the Europe a la Carte blogging team who went on the Jane Austen Walking Tour which covered locations mentioned in the author’s books.  Neha explains that the Jane Austen Centre is a mock up of the author’s home in Bath.  There are plenty of other Bath attractions such as the Roman baths and Bath Abbey.

Roman baths in Bath by Nigel Europe

Oxford

Kimberly’s Oxford Day Trip with kids certainly kept her children amused with visits to Oxford Museum of Natural History, Harry Potter’s Dining Room at Hogwart’s (aka as Christ Church College) and a treasure hunt at Christ Church Abbey.

Harry Potter’s Dining Room at Hogwart’s by Kimberly Sullivan

York

Although it’s a fair distance from London, you can reach the historic city of York in a couple of hours on the main East Coast railway line. The beauty of York is that once you get off the train most York attractions are within walking distance in the fairly compact city centre.  It’s one of my favourite English cities.

York Minster

I hope that you’ve enjoyed our five of the best London day trips. Do you have a favourite London day trip?

Five of the best London day trips

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

On a recent visit to London, I looked forward to a day trip to nearby Oxford. Although I had not planned specific child-friendly activities, it was a pleasant surprise that my young children stumbled across so many entertaining things to do in that charming university town. As parents traveling with children know well, this is always a welcome surprise.

Here are some kid-friendly activities to incorporate into your Oxford visit:

Harry Potter’s dining room at Hogwart’s

This is the actual dining hall for students at Oxford’s Christ Church College , but the kids were more spellbound at the realization that this was the set for the Hogwart’s dining room in the Harry Potter films. The dining room has another point of interest for children. Alice Lidell, the young daughter of Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor, inspired author Lewis Carroll to write “Alice in Wonderland”. The dining hall’s stained glass windows contain beloved characters from the story.

Treasure hunt at Christ Church Abbey

Parents know that nothing dampens a child’s enthusiasm more than the dreaded words “Let’s go visit this church.” Luckily, the Christ Church Abbey offers a treasure hunt for children: drawings of images or sculptures with hints about their general location. We picked up the treasure hunt map at the entrance and then made our way around the church so that my kids could find all of the hidden objects. I even had a few moments of peace and quiet to admire this pretty Edward Burn-Jones stained-glass window as my children examined it carefully for the hidden object within.

Oxford Museum of Natural History

I was bound for an exhibition at the Pitt Rivers Museum – a fascinating anthropology museum, which also houses collections of special interest to children (African masks, weapons, sporting equipment from cultures worldwide) – when we stumbled across the attached Museum of Natural History .

Although not as extensive as London’s excellent museum, the smaller scale and thinner crowds were real advantages of our visit. The exhibitions are nicely displayed in this stunning Victorian-era museum.

Hands-on activities and knowledgeable, enthusiastic staff members offered fun and educational activities for all age levels (adults, too – I learned more than I ever cared to know about bugs and spiders).

Dragging the kids away proved the most difficult challenge of the day. Oxford is clearly a great European destination for both adults and children.

Oxford is an easy daytrip from London by car, train or bus. We used the Oxford Tube , a direct bus with convenient pick-up stops around London and frequent departures throughout the day. Kids travel for free.

Last week I talked about The Taff Trail in central Cardiff, which was one of the highlights of my trip to the Welsh capital.  Today I’d like to suggest some daytrips and sightseeing further afield from the city.  The Welsh countryside is beautiful and full of lots of interesting sights to see and places to explore, so here are my Europe travel tips for Cardiff daytrips.

Brecon Beacons National Park

• Brecon Beacons. This seems to come up all the time, and while I didn’t go during my visit, I would love to explore the national park further.  Heather from the EALC team suggest a spot of camping in Brecon, and Karen says the park was a great daytrip from Cardiff!
• Castelle Coch.  This is the Welsh ‘fairytale’ castle – it looks stunning, tucked away in a forest of trees on a hillside just half an hour outside of Cardiff.  You can take the train or bus here and walk up the hill, or just drive.  Either way, I highly recommend it.
• Big Pit National Coal Museum.  Karen also recommends visiting this former mine, where you go on a guided tour down the life shaft for an insight into the working life of coal miners.  And it’s all free of charge.
• Newport.  This urban neighbour to Cardiff is fairly industralised, but there is one interesting sight to see:  the Newport transporter bridge.  I’ve only seen one other transporter bridge (in Bilbao), and it was a surreal sight, so if you like dorky architecture type things then have a look.

Newport Transporter Bridge by jonworth_eu

• Hereford.  England isn’t too far away, and Hereford is a border down across into England.  It is a charming village town – don’t miss the cathedral in the city centre.  I hate to recommend English towns when talking about Wales, but it is do-able so I do make the suggestion.

We could go on for days on trips and tips – but tell us:  what are your favourite daytrips from Cardiff?

This week, with not very much planning, I jumped on a train from London to Brighton for the day. I didn’t get an advance ticket (although you pick up returns for as little as a fiver if you’re into planning rather than spontaneity) and paid £17 for a day return. And it was worth every single penny. Here are seven excellent reasons why you should jump on a train immediately (seriously, have you seen the sunshine?)

1. It takes less than an hour from London Bridge. Seriously, in 57 minutes, you’ll be at the beach. It can take that long to cross London, and trust me, this journey is much more fun.

2. The Lanes is the perfect place for strolling. The Lanes is the cutest little area. Like Camden Passage in London, but on a larger scale. Lots of little tiny streets filled with cute little shops and cafes. They sprawl over a huge area and it’s easy to get lost, but that’s half the fun.

3. Brighton Pier never ever gets dull. Go and play on the penny falls, have a go on the fairground right at the end. Eat candy floss. Be a child!

4. Is there anything better than fish and chips on the beach? Especially when they’re only an hour away from noisy London.

5. Brighton’s live music scene is fantastic. There’s something going on on most pubs, so just wander about until you see something that looks interesting. There’s some great clubs, and a vibrant gay scene.

6. It’s friendly here. In fact (although I have it on good authority that the locals hate people saying this), it doesn’t feel that different from London. Just with added beach.

7. Brighton Pavilion and gardens are so very pretty. And they look a little bit like the Taj Mahal. In Brighton. Which is rather amusing.

Trains to Brighton run from Victoria, King’s Cross, Gatwick and London Bridge. So why not take my Europe travel tip for a London day trip. You really have no reason not to go.

Flickr image from Neilhooting’s photostream.

On a fine end-of-May spring day several friends and I, all experienced sea kayakers and members of clubs in the north-east coast of England and south-east coast of Scotland, met at Bamburgh beach and set off for the Farne Islands, a round trip of over 10 nautical miles.

Group setting off from Bamburgh beach (Bamburgh Castle in background)

We initially paddled through open water due north/north east for about an hour, until we got to Megstone, where we were greeted by the first seals of the day – there were going to be dozens more! The friendly and curious sea mammals were easily approachable and took great pleasure diving between us and even right under our sea kayaks – sheer pleasure!

Farne Islands: resident seal, by Hugh Simmons

We carried on due east/north east, effectively wending our way through the islands. Despite the lovely day and relatively calm sea, the local tidal races were present and cautious paddling was required at all times, particularly near North Wamses. When near an island, you were first greeted with smelly bird-dropping air and the white colouring on the dark volcanic rocks was testament to the rich bird life present on these islands.

Farne islands, by g-hat

We were heading to Longstone, the north-easterly extreme largest island where the Farnes lighthouse is located, for lunch, but first had to await the rescue of a female diver that had gotten the bends due to too rapid an ascent – she and her diving buddy were airlifted to the decompression chamber in Hull and fortunately were fine eventually.  Our lunch at Longstone was a chatty and relaxing affair, Sarah had even baked a rich chocolate cake that she shared with the rest of us!

Longstone lighthouse, by MGSpiller

The return trip saw us heading first south, then south-west past Staple Island and Staple Sound and eventually past inner Farne. This journey took us past fantastic geometric rock formations housing a myriad of sea birds, with puffins, razorbills, shags (a shiny khaki-green cormorant-type sea bird), terns and guillemots, the last species present in their hundreds (if not thousands.)

Farnes Puffin, by left-hand

Return to Bamburgh on the mainland was a fast-paddling, well organized affair – we aimed mainly west with the afternoon tidal flow actually taking us north west (our true destination.)  We ended back at Bamburgh beach, enjoyed some gentle sea surfing and practising of routine manoeuvres and eventually loaded the boats back on the cars.

A perfect end to a great day out – but we did have the weather, something not always available in this part of north east England. The sea kayaking trip to the Farne Islands had taken just under six hours in total.

Many thanks to David Grieve who led the trip and Sarah Stark who coordinated.

Come summer and you will see hordes of people off to beaches, lakes and gardens in The Netherlands – barbecues and water sports become the flavour of the season. The one place that fits into the scheme of things these days is the Scheveningen Beach. Located on the shores of the North sea, the beach is a nice, cosy and a relaxing getaway on a sunny week end.

Scheveningen Beach Pier by celesteh

It is more like a seaside resort with a sandy beach and clear waters including a pier and a lighthouse. You can walk for hours along the well maintained beach, observing the boats on the horizon, making the occasional sand castles. Wind surfing, boating and fishing are some of the more popular activities here and on a hot summer afternoon, a dip in the cool waters feels like the perfect icing on the cake.

Scheveningen Beach cafes by on1site

Extensive developments and renovations have taken place in the area outside the beach. Restaurants are just a stone’s throw away from the beach as also the market area. The excellent public transportation system in The Netherlands makes it remarkably easy to get here. Don’t forget to grab your share of pancakes while you are here!