Mini Travel Guides

So … you have a long weekend, or a long week, or maybe two weeks to spend in a single European city and you’ve narrowed your choice to Berlin or Paris. For me, the choice is far from easy.

Being a lover of large, international, bustling cities that ooze history, the cultural arts, and untold numbers of captivating attractions, I vacillate between these two dynamic European capitals. And regardless of the city you may choose or the duration of your visit, I encourage travelers to make a strong effort to connect with the people and immerse themselves in the ways of the local residents. This requires a little research, planning, and preparation.

For starters, it is important learn something about and become familiar with the public transit system. Berlin and Paris have excellent subway systems (the U-Bahn and the Metro, respectively) and getting around either city is easy, inexpensive, and safe.

And then, of course, you must make a decision on where you will stay. It is essential that you take a little time to find accommodations in a location/neighborhood that matches your interests and budget. Location, however, may not be as important as neighborhood given the high quality public transportation systems in Berlin and Paris. But checking out all of your lodging options is absolutely important.

While most travelers immediately think of hotels when looking for lodging in Berlin or Paris, there are other alternatives: think apartment rentals, or a Bed and Breakfast. If, for example, you’re looking for late rooms in Berlin, an apartment rental may just fit the bill. With an apartment rental, you will have the convenience of cooking and laundry facilities, and you will be, in most cases, living with the locals. An apartment rental can be a real money saver as well, allowing you to take one or two meals a day at “home”. So, for those of you who are interested in weekend breaks in Paris , be sure to checkout apartment rentals. Once you have settled on accommodations, turn your attention to getaway activities.

Plan your stay around events and activities that local residents attend and participate in rather than focusing on visits to the usual landmarks and monuments where you will compete for space with hordes of tourists. For example: when visiting Paris, join Parisians and stroll the Champs Elysees on a late Sunday afternoon. It seems that this is the day and time that throngs of young lovers, oldsters, and families alike, head for the greatest avenue in the world. Or consider being extravagant with your time and read a book while relaxing in the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens.

Consider arranging attendance at a sporting event, a concert, or a movie. If you have a penchant for physical exercise, think about renting a bike or roller skates in order to get an all together different perspective of Paris. As for the tourist oriented landmarks and monuments, you will see those (in some cases from a distance) on your own terms as you make your way through the city

If visiting Berlin, think about attending a comedy club, the theater, the opera, or visiting any of a multitude of museums. Or perhaps a visit to the Zoologischer Garten Berlin (zoo) is right up your alley. It is one of the oldest and largest zoos in the world.

Finally, when visiting Paris or Berlin, you won’t want to miss some of the best nightlife on the planet. Europe’s night clubs generally do not open their doors until 11pm and really do not get hopping until after 1am. The night club scene in Paris tends to be a bit low key and is quite different from the club scene in in most European cities. Most Paris clubs have fairly rigid dress codes and you may be turned away at the door if not properly attired. Think trendy fashion, sedate and sophisticated, especially compared to Berlin night clubs.

In fact, Berlin has the distinct reputation for providing the most hip, unpretentious, nightlife venues anywhere in the world. Everybody gets down and there is no dress code. Anything goes. So, you can expect to see a great mix between sophisticated club wear and some of the most outlandish outfits imaginable.

Oh, did I mention cuisine? Yes we all have to eat and when on a holiday we want the best food and memorable dining experiences. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll see you in Paris. On second thought, I sure could go for a Currywurst.

Written by Bill Fogarty for EuropeUpClose.com

This post is sponsored by the online accommodation provider Wimdu

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It hurts to admit it, but my only visit to France has been an accident. A flight delay gave me a night (and a very early morning in Paris), and sneaking a visit to the Eiffel Tower on my way to the airport was all I could squeeze in.Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see Paris the way it is meant to be seen, while discovering all its corners and streets, visiting the museums, and trying (yet failing to) manage French. For now, I made a list of museums that I shouldn’t miss the next time I go there, including tips from fellow writers on some of the best museums in Europe. You’ll find plenty more tips on what to do in Paris on Europe a al Carte.

Louvre Pyramids

You might want to consider buying a museum pass while you are at it. A 2-day pass costs €38, and it grants you free entry to all permanent collections and enables you to bypass any queue at Musée Maillol. The list of the Paris museums accepting this pass is given on this page.

Musée Rodin

Musée Rodin is dedicated to the famous sculptor Auguste Rodin, the creator of The Thinker. The museum was opened in 1919, 2 years after his death. The museum is open every day (except Mondays) from 10 am to 5.45 pm and contains his sculptures, drawings, sketching, paintings and his own art collection.

Musee Rodin by Jeremy Branham

Musee d’Orsay

Transformed from a railway station, Musee d’ Orsay offers a wide range of collections and artists, from the works of Monet and Van Gough to Oscar Wilde-themed exhibitions and music events. For instance you can catch the exhibition Beauty, Morals and Voluptuousness in the England of Oscar Wilde until January 15th January 2012.

 Musee d’Orsay by Amanda Kendle

Napoleon Apartments at the Louvre, Paris

Neha recommends a visit to the Napoleon Apartments at the Louvre. It is all grandeur, elegance and glamour; it’s hard to image living in such opulence. You could also pop into Cafe Marly at the edge of the Louvre courtyard.

 Napoleon Apartments by neha

Musée Maillol – Fondation Dina Vierny

The museum was named after the French Catalan artist and sculptor Arsitide Maillol. Muséé Maillol is highly recommended for modern art lovers. The collections include Bombois, Rimbert, Séraphine, Degas, Picasso, Henri Matisse and more.  Matisse fans can find a lot more of the artist’s work at the Musee Matisse in Nice, one of our ten things to do in Nice.

Portrait de femme by Henri Matisse in Musee Maillol by dalbera

Musee de la Publicite

Musée de la Publicité  is a must for all advertising majors, employees and enthusiasts. I am still fascinated by all the creations from agencies and marketing departments, and this is a great place to discover radio spots, commercials, posters among other things. Admission fees are 5,34 € and 3,81 €. The museum is open all days except Monday.

Musee de la Publicite by Martin Menu

Musée National de la Céramique

Paris museums aren’t all about paintings and sculptures. If ceramics appeal to you, Musée national de la Céramique can take you back as far as the middle ages. Only closed on Tuesdays, it is open from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Vase de Sevres outside the Paris Ceramics Museum by sylaf

Musée de la Sculpture en Plein Air

Founded in 1980, Musée de la Sculpture en Plein Air gives sculpture fans to enjoy its collection is open air, and doesn’t charge an entrance free. The museum, located in Seine, features the works of Alexander Archipenko, Jean Arp Marino di Teana, Yoshikuni Iida and more. The oldest works date back to 1950s.

Piece by Bernard Pages at the Outdoor Museum of Sculpture by Alexander Kirk

Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris

Designed in 1937 and opened to public in 1961, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris is a good choice for contemporary art lovers.  Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris is open from Tuesday to Sunday 10 am-6 pm. It is free to visit permanent collections. Located in Palais de Tokyo.

Paris Museum of Modern Art by feuillu

Musée Marmottan Monet

Worthy of its name, Musée Marmottan Monet has the biggest collection of French impressionist Claude Monet in addition to the works of Berthe Morisot, Alfred Sisley, Édouard Manet and more. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday. The museum is open from 10 am to 6pm from Wednesday , to Sunday (and until 8pm on Tuesdays. The entrance fee is 5-10€ and kids (under the age of 7) can enter without charge.

Musee Marmottan Monet by imd paint

Musée-galerie de la Seita

Musée- galerie de la Seita displays tobacco-related objects and products. Its exhibitions offer a thorough education about the history of tobacco production and consumption. The museum is open from 11 am to 7.00 pm (Tuesday to Sunday) and the tickets cost 3,81 € and 2,29 €.

More Paris Tips

You can find lots of tips for best things to do in Paris on Europe a la Carte.

Click here for the lowest prices on Paris hotels

More on European Museums

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10 Wonderful Paris Museums

Tips on what to see in Europe. Copyrighted content published on Europe a la Carte.

It is difficult to choose the 5 greatest cathedrals in France, but those listed here seem to me to be the most impressive. Whatever your views, there’s no denying the significance of cathedrals in France. To believers, a cathedral is a sacred, holy place of worship. Others may see a treasure house of fabulous art, a symbol of oppression and ostentatious wealth, or simply another historic monument.

A Catholic cathedral is the center of a diocese and bishop’s seat (that’s what makes it different from a church), and so it tends to be big and ornate, illustrating God’s glory and the Church’s power. All these that I have listed are dedicated to Notre Dame (the mother of Jesus) and all but one are free to enter, with fees charged to ascend the towers.

Notre Dame de Paris

This Gothic cathedral in the heart of Paris is the most visited monument in France, with 13 million visitors a year.  With construction beginning in 1163, it was finally completed about 1345, and there have been a good many renovations since then. In 1793, anti-religious revolutionaries destroyed sculptures and treasures and dedicated the building to the Cult of Reason, with Lady Liberty replacing the Virgin Mary. A few years later, a builder planned to demolish it and use the stones for housing. Napoleon Bonaparte saved it and had himself crowned emperor there, but it was the author Victor Hugo who created real interest in restoration. His 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame (in French, Notre Dame de Paris), sparked a public demand, and full restoration began in 1845. In recent times, between 1991 and 2001, further work preserved and cleaned the historic architecture and colors.

Notre Dame de Paris, now owned by the state and a World Heritage Site, is 128 meters (420 feet) long, with two towers 69 meters (226 feet) high, and a spire. Several rose windows glow with exquisite medieval stained glass; one was the biggest window in the world when it was made.

There’s a lot to admire here: statues of ancient kings of Israel, the famous flying buttresses and gargoyles, the intricate carvings, and the 28,000-pound bell. The cathedral is not only a tourist attraction, it’s an active church with Mass, chanting and music performed on a regular basis. It’s a dazzling sight any time of day, and at night it glows under colored lights. Tip: Visit on a weekday morning or evening to avoid the greatest crowds and waiting lines. Hours: 8 a.m. – 6:45 p.m, 7:15 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  Guided tours in English, 2 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 2:30 Saturday.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres

The awe-inspiring cathedral in Chartres, southwest of Paris, was constructed between 1193 and 1250. It was the first to use flying buttresses and is considered to be one of the finest examples of French High Gothic architecture, among other claims to fame. The cathedral is very well preserved; most of the original stained glass windows are intact, and there have been only minor changes to the architecture since the early 13th century.

The Chartres cathedral is worth a visit for the stained glass windows alone. They are magical – 2500 square meters of scenes made from bits of vividly colored glass. And there’s more: two spires of different styles, hundreds of sculpted figures, soaring arches, a relic of the Virgin Mary’s tunic, and a labyrinth set in the floor of the nave. If you want to walk the labyrinth, come on a Friday, the only day the chairs are cleared away. Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. daily.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame d’Amiens

This classic Gothic cathedral, in Picardy, is the largest in France of its kind. It’s a stunning piece of 13^th-century architecture, very long and narrow, with slim pillars in an elegant nave that reaches as high as 42.3 meters (139 feet) and a width of 14.6 meters (48 feet). Open arcades and large windows give the interior an unusually light, airy feel and among the various designs in the floor is an angled labyrinth, a modern copy of the 1288 original.  Elaborate is the word for the exterior, which swarms with intricate carvings and arches.

The cathedral was built as a shrine for the head of John the Baptist, which was, they say, brought back from the Crusades. Wars destroyed part of this important place of pilgrimage, but it’s been  restored, and in 2000, the three west front portals were cleaned with a laser method that revealed traces of the original paint on the sculptures. Every night in summer, a sound and light show presents colorful views of the cathedral, its towers, and huge rose window. At the 10:15 a.m. Sunday Mass, Gregorian chants add to the atmosphere. Hours: Easter to October, 8:30 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.; November to Easter, 8:30 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims

Here’s a cathedral with a long history. Every French king between 815 and 1825 was crowned on this site in the province of Champagne, and one of France’s first Christian bishops, St. Rémi, baptized Clovis, king of the Franks, here in 496. The present building, replacing one that burned in 1211, was completed in the late 13^th century, with some later additions. The façade is considered a medieval masterpiece. Dozens of sculptures, outside and in, decorate the cathedral. There’s a profusion of Biblical figures, angels and bishops, and French kings from Clovis on are carved in the gallery of the kings.

The rose window and the collection of tapestries are considered among the finest in France. With paintings by Tintoretto and Nicolas Poussin, stained glass by Marc Chagall, and beautifully carved woodwork, it’s like touring a museum full of great art. The cathedral was heavily damaged by bombings during World War I and restored partially by post-war American contributions. It was here, in 1945, that General Eisenhower and the Allies accepted the surrender of the German army, ending World War II.  Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. daily.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen

The Rouen cathedral has a familiar look to anyone who has seen Claude Monet’s paintings of it, which are now in various museums (Musée d’Orsay in Paris, National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Getty Center in Los Angeles, among others).  Between 1892 and 1894, Monet painted more than 30 canvases of the cathedral façade in impressionistic style and different lights.

The cathedral, built and rebuilt since its consecration in 1063, reflects the changing styles of the centuries: Early, High and Late Gothic, Flamboyant Gothic, Renaissance, and more combine to make a three-towered building covered with intricate, lacy stonework. The Lantern Tower, built in 1876 and 500 feet high, holds 56 bells. The Rouen cathedral has been renowned since the Middle Ages for its music, with a fine organ and a noted choir and choir school. The tall, arched, stained glass windows from the Renaissance are lovely. This cathedral holds some noted burials, including the heart of Richard the Lionhearted. The tomb of John Lancaster, Duke of Bedford, was here until it was destroyed by Calvinists–perhaps they disapproved of the duke as the man responsible for killing Joan of Arc. Today he’s commemorated with a plaque. Hours: Monday, 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday 7:15 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Written by Marilyn McFarlane for EuropeUpClose.com

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By guest author Julie H. Ferguson

James turned to the hovering waiter. “Encore, deux cafés.” The big cups of creamy coffee arrived and soon my husband had sketched out a plan for my seventh visit to Paris, his ninety-third. He filled our September week with authentic Paris, must-see places and events that any tourist can fit around the obligatory sightseeing.

We meandered down the oldest street in Paris, the Roman road to Lyons and Rome. La rue Mouffetard is an eclectic collection of specialty shops that ends in the Square St-Médard.  La Mouffe was bustling with Parisiens gossiping and shopping for dinner. The selection of French delicacies overwhelmed me: displays of food overflowed across the sidewalks and into the cobbled street – wild boar sausage and honey from Corsica, sea urchins and silver sardines, and rich wedges of Roquefort.

Our mouths watering, we pounced on samples bursting with flavor while I longed for a kitchen. We did load up with olives, cheeses, and a duck terrine for dîner en chambre at our hotel and later bought a decadent dessert from a patisserie. Savoring my last mouthful of lunch in the sunshine, I said, “It’s not hard to imagine what La Mouffe was like in the Middle Ages. Just visualize women carrying baskets full of live chickens!”

Early next day we boarded a boat to cruise up le Canal St-Martin in the heart of Paris, an adventure few tourists try. The Seine delivered misty views of Notre-Dame to port as the boat entered a lock that led into the Paris Yacht Basin. At the far end, I could just see a black hole – the opening to a 2.4 km tunnel below the Place de la Bastille where the infamous prison once stood.

Napoleon ordered the canal built in 1802 to supply a growing Paris with fresh water and food. His tunnel is an eerie place, musty and cold. With no electricity, it is pitch black too except where light streams through large openings in the roof. I listened for the ghost said to play a clarinet but the echoes were silent; all I could hear was the chug of the engine.

Back in the sunlight again, we entered the residential part of Paris called St-Martin. This old district is now the home of fashionistas.  We glided on jade water under a canopy of trees, listening to an excellent commentary from our guide. Parisiens thronged the banks. Bridges for cars, trains, and foot traffic slid overhead or swung up to let us pass. The boat passed through 19 locks, each with its own keeper, before we disembarked for lunch and a walk along the canal.

We try to be in Paris on a Sunday because that is the day musicians from the orchestras of France play chamber music for an hour before dinner. Not only is the music superb, the location is divine. La Sainte-Chapelle, close to Notre-Dame, is the Chapel Royal of France. Built in 1248 for the saintly Louis IX, it is a double-decker, Gothic marvel. Peeking into the lower chapel, once used by the court’s servants, visitors admire the vaulted ceiling decorated with gold leaf and scarlet, and tiny fleur-de-lis on an azure background. We climbed the spiral staircase to the upper chapel where only the monarch and his family worshiped. The soaring, slender columns and tall, stained-glass windows are elegant and refined. Here the concerts take place amid exquisite acoustics. With mostly Parisiens, we listened to Mozart. Afterwards the notes whispered in our ears as we walked along the Seine at sundown.

The legendary and largest flea market in the world (7 hectares), Les Puces, had beckoned us for years. We arrived as the vendors were opening their permanent stalls and found the alleyways crammed with antiques, junk, jewelry, furniture, art, clocks – anything saleable, old and new.We rummaged for hours and even found a marble staircase. Our efforts also revealed a “real” Russian tiara, an 11th century suit of armor, and a complete set of vestments for a bishop. I bought antique soup spoons and two pashminas after spirited bartering. By noon, the markets were crammed.

We lunched at the boisterous Chez Louisette where Edith Piaf got her start. This café is tucked in a corner of Marché Vernaison.  Lousiette serves mediocre fast food, so this was not why we went. In a corner was a minuscule stage and we listened to a young chanteuse belt out French bar songs and two sets of Piaf favorites. The patrons went wild – yelling, and throwing pieces of baguette at her, the barman, and anyone else who took their fancy. When, at 2:30 p.m., the wine bottles were empty, the food eaten, and the singer gone, we left to find the markets too crowded to enjoy. Besides, we were exhausted.

Our last outing was to the supermarket for foods my husband had promised. La Grande Epicerie is the astonishing food floor of the Bon Marché on rue de Sèvres. As I stood before the deli, my jaw dropped. James had asked me to buy a couple of items for dinner, but I couldn’t choose – the deli section was bigger than my local supermarket. Counters groan with saumon en croute, quiches, boeuf Wellington, 29 different kinds of olives, and items I couldn’t name. Customers wait three deep for a turn to buy. About 350 kinds of cheese grace another section, and hundreds of sausages are in the next. My husband, prowling the olive oils from around the Mediterranean, wouldn’t help. “Surprise me!” he said. And grinned. But it was the patisserie that undid me. I surprised James all right, but with the final bill.

A little Video to give you the flavor of Authentic Paris

If you Go:

La rue Mouffetard
Closed on Sunday p.m. and all day Monday.
Métro: Line 7 – station Censier Daubenton

Canal St-Martin
Several companies offer 2 ½ hour cruises daily from mid-March to mid-November with bilingual commentary.
Reservations required.

La Sainte-Chapelle
Métro: Line 4 – station Cité

Les Puces (the flea markets) de Paris
Open every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday all year (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.).
Métro:  Line 4 – station  Porte de Clignancourt

La Grande Epicerie
38 rue de Sèvres
75007 Paris
Métro: Line 10 – station Sèvres-Babylone or line 12 – station Vaneau

Written by Julie Ferguson for EuropeUpClose.com

A non-fiction writer and avid photographer for 40 years, Julie H. Ferguson is the author of 17 books, including four on Canadian history, and articles in national and international markets. She is a proud member of the BC Association of Travel Writers and Photoclub Vancouver. Julie can be reached at info@beaconlit.com and invites you to visit her website at www.beaconlit.com

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Tomorrow, 27 January, is International Holocaust Remembrance Day – the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp by the Soviet troops in 1945. This anniversary had been variously observed by different groups and nationalities for some time, but it was only in November 2005 that the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 60/7 designated 27 January an international day of remembrance.

The abandoned railway station at Bobigny, Paris. Photograph by Jérémy Saint-Peyre on Flickr.

This week the national French railway company, SNCF, handed over to local officials the former railway station in the Paris suburb of Bobigny for the creation of a new memorial to the French victims of the Nazi concentration camps. Not only was the state-owned SNCF’s equipment and staff used to transport some 76,000 French and other European Jews to Germany, and on to various concentration camps, it was from the station in Bobigny that these final journeys began. Fewer than 3000 people are thought to have returned to France.

For the first time, SNCF last year expressed its “sorrow and regret” for the role the company played in the deportation of Jews during World War II.

There is no timetable for the construction of this new memorial. But when it is complete it will join the Mémorial de la Déportation on the Île de la Cité behind the Notre Dame Cathedral – looking out onto the waters of the Seine River.

Photograph by paspog on Flickr

The Île de la Cité is generally perceived to be the sacred center of France, and built on the site of a former mortuary, this is an appropriate place to remember the 200,000 people who were deported by the Nazis to their death in the concentration camps. This memorial is one of the most poignant memorials I have ever visited.

Photograph by beccabrian on Flickr

Standing behind the Notre Dame Cathedral you are abundantly aware of the hustle and bustle of a busy city all around you. You then descend a set of steps down on the very tip of the Île de la Cité, where you become surrounded by walls and the city all but disappears. You can still hear the sounds of the city, but you can only see the sky above and the river through the bars of window.

Photograph by Airships on Flickr

Another evocative part of the monument is a narrow chamber on which the walls have been covered by 200,000 crystals – each with light shining through them. Each one intended to represent the life of a French citizen who died in the concentration camps.

And, as with many other Holocaust memorial monuments, the exit of the chamber bears the words; Forgive but never forget.

A New Holocaust Memorial For Paris

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

There are always many reasons to visit Paris, at any time of the year. And certainly, Paris’s various attractions feature regularly here on ‘Europe a la Carte’. Besides being well known for all that great food and culture Paris is also a shopper’s paradise, and even more so during January.

Photograph by Jack from Paris

January 2011 is the fifth year that the city hosts “Soldes by Paris“. Or, ‘Sales by Paris’ – the city’s sale event of the year, which lasts throughout the month, and in some areas even into February. As an indication of how seriously the planning and marketing of this event has been, the city has produced ‘shopping itineraries’ – five of them in fact. As the Shopping By Paris strap-line goes: 5 different itineraries for 5 different styles – and they are Select, Trendy, Creative, Bobo-Chic and Ethic-Ethnic. The organisers have even thought of the ‘Savvy itinerary’ for those people who favour stock clearance stores and cut-price designer labels. Voilà! There truly is something for everyone!

For the ultimate shopping experience in Paris, you want to be heading for the Faubourg Saint-Honoré district, located in the vicinity of the found in the Louvre-Tuileries area. But, if it is the grand magasins, or the Department stores, you are looking for then it is Boulevard Haussmann you want. Perhaps the most famous of these department stores is Galeries Lafayette – which occupies four different buildings. The Marais district is where you will find the more trendy shops.

But, no shopping tips for Paris would be complete without mentioning the Saint-Ouen flea market; the city’s largest, dating back to the nineteenth century. Here you will find everything from antique furniture to vintage clothes. Urban legend has it that one lucky shopper found a a grand master’s painting. That may not happen again, but you will find something quirky and interesting. Given the weekend crowds, its advisable to avoid this area during the weekend. Unless, of course it is crowds you are after. Certain shops in Paris still close on Sundays, for religious reasons. Increasingly, however, many shops open on Sundays – particularly for the tourist trade.

Photograph by David Salas

So January is the perfect time for a short break to Paris. You can find the best deals at hotels in Paris using the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

Snap Up Some Bargains at the Paris January Sales

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

There are plenty of down-right creepy things that you may come across while traveling in Europe. And, at this time of year, we thought you might be interested in learning about some of the creepiest things we’ve seen when in Europe.

I am a sucker for things slightly weird and macabre, and when in Europe I am always on the look-out for an opportunity to get my “creepy fix”. While churches are, without question, the historical, cultural, architectural and spiritual centers of most every European community, they are also the place where I can usually find gruesome displays that invariably pique my interest. It is always amazing to me how many churches feature relics, corpses, or plain old bones. So, I pop into almost every church I come upon…just in case. Here are a few examples of the treasures I have found while checking out churches in Europe.

St. Catherine’s Head
Set in a reliquary in St Dominic Basilica in Siena, Italy, you can view the head of St. Catherine of Siena. The story is that she was in Rome when she died. When her fellow Sienans heard of her death, they wanted to transport her body back to Sienna. But the Vatican would have none of it.  So, they stole her head and placed it in a sack to take back to Siena. When the vatican authorities confronted the thieves, they opened the sack to find only rose petals. When the thieves got back to Siena, the head was magically reconstituted, so they put it on display. Nearby, you can also gaze upon one of her fingers, also encased in glass. And, it appears that her foot is on display in Venice.

St. Agnes Body

Also in Italy, I came upon a little church in Montepulciano where I saw St. Agnes’ corpse encased in a glass coffin. There was a mask over her face, so all you could see were her hands and feet, and her brown skin stretched tightly against the bone. Her hands were covered in rings. I have tried to discover the reason for all the rings, but have not been able to do so. Agnes of Montepulciano was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726. Her feast day is April 20.
Terri Fogarty

More Creepy Europe Sights

Paris Catacombs
Looking for something spooky to do in Paris this Halloween- or any old time? Well, you can’t beat one of the creepiest (and most fascinating) sights in the city, the Catacombes de Paris. The catacombs date back to the end of the 18^th century. They were established because a nearby cemetery was found to be the origin of disease and infection to the local population. To reduce this risk, the bodies in the nearby cemetery were exhumed and placed underground. Today, visitors can tour the bone-lined caverns and tunnels of the old stone quarries.
Jen Westmoreland Bouchard

Hallstatt’s Beinhaus
600 human skulls serving as their own tombstones in one of Europe’s most picturesque towns? Sounds like it might be worth a stop. I was driving south from Salzburg through Austria’s Salzkammergut, one of Europe’s most fairlytale-esque areas, and it was a perfect day. Brilliant sunshine glittered upon the water and surrounding land, birds chirped as in a Disney movie, and the air smelled so dewy sweet I wished I only needed to breath in. Nothing but turquoise blue lakes, emerald green pastures, and soaring snow-capped mountains entered my view as I buzzed my rented Peugeot down the highway. And, the rhythmic sound of music beat within my head.

Feeling a need to balance out this cheeriness overload, I careened my little car down to Hallstatt, a tiny town nestled between sharply rising Alpine mountains and perched upon a glassy lake. A delightful town, I thought, how could anything be depressing here?  That sentiment quickly faded when I entered Hallstatt’s Beinhaus (Bone House), a collection of 2,100 skulls and untold numbers of bones crammed into a tiny, dank chapel.

The chapel is adjacent to Hallstatt’s cemetery, and remains from the cemetery were moved into the chapel as space in the graveyard was depleted. Graves are now temporarily rented in this town, with rentals lasting about 10 years before the next unlucky tenant moves in. The remains of the previous tennants are, of course, moved to the chapel. In lieu of a tombstone, family and friends decorate the skulls of their loved ones with their name, year of death and decorations such as flowers or serpents. Since the 12th century this practice has worked for Hallstatt’s citizens, a sobering example of people adapting to their surroundings.

Standing in front of the skeletal remains, (which are not protected by glass or otherwise shielded from contact with visitors) one is faced with that rare opportunity to give those thoughts on mortality some momentary respect.

And, while walking back into the town – with waterfalls splashing at my feet and a nearby lake mirroring the sun – I found myself a little more able to appreciate the beauty around me. Plus, my cheeriness overload had been relieved.
Mike Coletta

Lenin’s Tomb
His corpse lies in darkness. He wears a black suit, thin tie and crisp dress shirt, as though he fell asleep, stiffly, in funeral clothes. A mustache and goatee wisp over ghostly-pale skin.  But Vladimir Lenin died over 86 years ago; and his mummy, embalmed by generations of Russian scientists, still lies in state in Moscow. Visitors to the corpse pass from the bright, bustling Red Square – Moscow’s central political and cultural plaza – into the darkness of a tomb. Armed guards wear faces made of Russian winter: cold, hard, brutal.  Forbidden actions include: photography, wearing hats, and putting hands in one’s pockets. The guards do not move. In the shadowy corridors, which wind sinuously through the dimly-lit tomb, they stand sentinel. Only a single hand gesture points us down the next hallway. The tomb seems to descend infinitely into the darkness. Then suddenly, there he is: pale skin glowing, eyes closed.  A man dead for nearly a century, his mumified corpse is monthly dipped in a chemical bath to preserve its organs and skin. The Bolshevik leader’s body, as waxy white as the day he died, remains a macabre reminder of Russia’s Soviet past.
Caitlin Dwyer

Crypt of San Bernardino alle Ossa
It was dark inside San Bernardino alle Ossa. The church had been built in Milan in the 13th Century. The neighboring cemetery had run out of room to bury the city’s dead, and as a result, skeletons were dug up to make room for new bodies. These skeletons were the foundation of the church of San Bernardino alle Ossa.

The church was vacant when I visited, and there were no signs to help me find my way. Luckily, I was updating information for a guidebook that told me where to find the bones. I turned to my right to find the small passageway over which a sign read – Ossario -, which means bone room. I had to stoop to navigate the dark twists and turns of a stone walkway, finally ending in a chapel lit by candles. Hundreds of skulls peered down from the walls, all arranged in the form of two gigantic crosses. Bones artfully covered almost every inch of the chapel. I walked to the front to light a candle, and I heard the sorrowful laugh of an old woman. When they met mine, her eyes opened wide, just as a wind came up through the floor, the candles went out, and the moans of the dead filled my ears… Read more about Visiting Italy’s Crypts
Mattie Bamman

For a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower and a tour of some intriguing museums, head for Palais de Chaillot, in Paris’ 16th arrondisement. The Palais, which stands on a hill on the right bank of the Seine, above Trocadéro square and gardens, directly faces the Eiffel Tower across the river. The grand square between the building’s two large, curved, colonnaded wings is always busy with wedding parties posing on the steps and tourists snapping photos of the Eiffel Tower, fountains, columns and gilded statuary.

Palais de Chaillot was built in 1937 for a world exhibition. The site has become a symbol of human rights; here, in 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the esplanade is known as the Esplanade of Human Rights. In 1985, President François Mitterand proclaimed the plaza the “Place of the Liberties and Rights of Mankind,” and in 2005, 60 years after the World War II concentration camps were liberated, a marble plaque stating this was put in place.

Museums of Architecture and Humanity

In the east wing is the Architecture Museum, Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine. Opened in 2007, it’s said to be the largest museum of architecture in the world; its well-done exhibits show 12 centuries of French buildings and monuments. It features designs and reproductions from medieval churches to ultra-modern works. Even kids like this one; they can make their own buildings with various materials including Legos.

Palais de Chaillot also has a Navy Museum, (Musée National de la Marine), with ship models from three centuries of French maritime history. There are sailing and fishing boats, merchant ships, aircraft carriers, and a nuclear submarine. Scale models are only part of the scene. The museum displays naval paintings, navigational instruments, and items collected from shipwrecks. Sometimes visitors can watch model ships being built in a studio.

In the west wing is the Museum of Mankind (Musée de l’Homme), which traces the prehistory and history of humanity. There are millennia-old carvings, rock drawings, and sculptures from Africa. Medieval frescoes and art from around the world are on display.

Dining in Palais de Chaillot

The main restaurant in Palais de Chaillot is Café de l’Homme, serving seasonal foods perfectly prepared, with a choice among French wines. The best tables are on the terrace; they have a knock-out view of the Eiffel Tower. The other place to eat, considerably less expensive and more casual, is a cafeteria-style spot. The food here is good of its kind and the atmosphere light, quick and modern.

The Trocadéro gardens themselves are worth a visit for their expansive lawns, stone and bronze sculpture, shade trees above a stream, and cascades of water. The garden has playgrounds with swings, a carousel, and ice cream stands. The always-fascinating Varsovie Fountains spray water from 20 jets, 12 vertical fountains, and many more water spouts.

Not to be missed is a visit to the Trocadéro terrace after dark. The fountains are illuminated, and across the Seine, the Eiffel Tower sparkles with a multitude of colored lights.

Palais de Chaillot, in Place du Trocadéro, is reached from the Trocadéro metro station on lines 6 and 9.

Written by Marilyn McFarlane for EuropeUpClose.com

Fans of French Impressionist art travelling in Europe this winter are in for a treat. Not only are there the usual permanent collections in the museums and art galleries of various European cities, but there are also a number of spectacular temporary Impressionist exhibitions in Europe that bring together art works from institutions and private collections around the world.

The National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Edinburgh and Madrid
Thanks to artists such as Monet and Pissarro, the Impressionists are known for their paintings of gardens. Surprisingly then, there has never thus far been an exhibition that explores the garden as a theme in its own right within French Impressionism. The National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh and the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid have joined forces and curated an amazing exhibition that explores the origins and significance of the Impressionist garden. The exhibition, which brings together over 90 paintings from around the world is on show in Edinburgh until 17 October, when it then moves to Madrid for 16 November 2010 until 14 February 2011.

There are many articles about Edinburgh on Europe a la Carte – just search for Edinburgh, where you will find all sorts of information including restaurant and hotel reviews as well as lots of information about other attractions. And Andy has some tips for Saving Money in Madrid.

Le Grand Palais

Paris
There is not one, but two exhibitions of Claude Monet’s work not to be missed in Paris this winter. The first, already open – and closing 24 January 2011, is a retrospective of Monet’s painting organised by the Musée d’Orsay at the Grand Palais on the Champs Elysées. Some 170 paintings have been brought together to show his painting changed over his lifetime, during which he is said to have made some 2500 paintings. Sadly, some of the more iconic paintings will not be included in this exhibition, for example the very painting that gave rise to the name Impressionism. This is because there is a bit of rivalry between the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée Marmottan Monet.

Not to be out done by the already very popular exhibition at the Grand Palais (tickets for the guided tours of the show have already sold out), the Marmottan has curated an exhibition of its own. Monet: his Museum, 7 October 2010 – 20 February 2011, has not only been designed to remind us which is the World’s leading Monet museum, but it also displays other artefacts of Monet’s related to his painting.

And don’t forget to read Karen’s Best of Paris Travel tips, a summary of all that is good about Paris on Europe a la Carte; or should that be all that is good on Europe a La Carte about Paris?

Martigny
When the exhibition at the Marmottan closes, much of their collection will head over to Switzerland and the Pierre Gianadda Foundation in Martigny for next summer. The Marmottan collection will be on show from 17 June – 20 November 2011 with the various Monet paintings in the various private and public collections held in Switzerland. This promises to be a great exhibition, with a number of private collections on show for the first time in ages.

London
Opening tomorrow and closing 16 January 2011 is Gauguin at the Tate Modern. This is said to be one of the most significant exhibition of the great artist’s work in over 50 years. Most people think of Gauguin as a post-Impressionist, but he did start out as an Impressionist having been trained by my favourite Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro. Gaugin is well known for his wonderful paintings of women in Tahiti.

The Tate Modern is located on London’s Southbank – read Heather’s list of free things to do on the Southbank.

Europe is Awash with Impressionist Exhibitions this Winter

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

Recently I caught up with Jonathan Charpentier, a photographer who lives just to the south of Paris. We chatted about his favorite aspects of Paris and “must dos” for potential tourists.

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with EuropeUpClose.com readers. In what city do you live?
Gentilly, touching the south of Paris (after the ‘Porte d’Italie’ and ‘Porte de Gentilly’).

Have you always lived here? If not, how long have you been living there? What brought you to the city?
I lived in Combs-la-Ville (in Seine-et-Marne, Parisian suburbs) for 20 years. Also, I lived in Amsterdam for 1 year in 2008. I’ve been in Gentilly for one year. I chose this city because it is close to Paris and less expensive. The public transportation is very efficient and user-friendly so I don’t need a car.

What are your favorite restaurants/bars in Paris?
Lao Sayam (161 Avenue de Choisy – 75013 Paris). It is a small Thai restaurant where the food is really yummy!

You’ll find really cool bars especially in the center of Paris, next to “Les Halles” but I don’t have a favorite. The neighbourhood of Montmartre next to the Sacré Coeur is pretty cool too. It really is a “must do”.

If you want something “classier” there is always the “Champs Elysées” of course. The restaurants are pretty expensive but I advise you to go to “Clément” because it is the only French restaurant I have been to there and it was a good experience.

Paris is a big city with really awesome food. Be curious and explore its streets!

What is your favorite season in the city? Why?
My favorite season is summer, of course, because everyone is happier than usual and people really “conquer” the streets! The energy is good and it is awesome to stroll along the river La Seine or in Montmartre, near Sacré Coeur.

What is a place, activity, etc. that is a “must see/must do” that most tourists might miss?
I advise you to explore the hill of Montmartre and its little streets. It is very charming. Did you know they make wine there? Yes there is a little vineyard where you can take a tour and purchase bottles of wine.

At the top of ‘les Champs Elysées’ there is ‘l’Arc de Triomphe.’ There is a stunning view from the top of it, which is better on a sunny day, of course. During rainy days you can still visit really great museums like ‘Le Petit Palais’ and ‘Le Grand Palais’ (metro George Clemenceau, line 1 of the metro) and of course Le Louvre. Do not forget the ‘Centre Pompidou’ in the center of Paris. I recommend a walk in the 4th ‘arrondissement’ (section) of Paris then because of its small streets and unique atmosphere. Also the ‘Parc Monceau’ garden is pretty amazing, especially in the hot season.

What are some of your most memorable moments in the city?
My most memorable moments in Paris are the days I have spent with my girlfriend there.
We went on a boat on the La Seine (we had strawberries while drifting down the river), ate ice cream in Saint-Michel, and had a later dinner in ‘La Butte Montmartre’…
Paris really is a city for lovers. Enjoy and take your time discovering it.

Written by Jen Westmoreland Bouchard for EuropeUpClose.com