Tag: history

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Syracuse, Sicily – Ash And Puppets

Syracuse

Syracuse, or Siracusa as you will find it readily marked throughout the island, is one of the first places of historic significance within Italy. It was inhabited in ancient times and finally settled by the Greeks in the early eight century BCE.

The original settlement of the Greeks was on the small island of Ortigia, which still contains several historical and archaeological artifacts from the Greek and Roman periods. See the Ortigia section below for more on that part of the commune and city.

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Syracuse is divided into three main parts, Ortigia the island and original Greek settlement, Santa Lucia along the coast and the location of our hotel, and the Neapolis the location of the major Greek and Roman ruins .

If you are at this point wondering what ash and puppets have to do with Sicily, and in particular Syracuse, read further. Otherwise, just rest assured it has everything to do with being on this quaint and wonderful island.

Note: Purchase the Museum and Park Combination Ticket at 18€. If you purchase them separately, it will cost you an extra 8€.  The combination ticket will get you into both, with money left over for a light lunch.

Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum is an impressive collection of ancient, Greek and Roman artifacts dating back to the seventh and eighth centuries.

The museum handles each time period in a sequential fashion, starting with the ancient period of the pre-historic animals and tectonic changes to the area, all the way to the arrival of the Greeks and other colonial powers.

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More than one area within the south-eastern coast of Sicily is addressed, as well as other major areas to the north and in the center. In all, the museum provides an excellent historical picture of the island of Sicily.

Archaeological Park

The Archaeological Park, also known as the Neapolis Archaelogical Park of Syracuse, is situated about two and a half kilometers from the island of Ortigia. However, a brisk walk can get you there in about twenty or so minutes.

Tickets may be purchased at the gate, now across the newly blue painted intersection.

If you follow the signs, like we did, you will be taken to group ticket sales, which will still sell you tickets, but its out of the way and you will have to walk through a path of vendors before actually finding the ticket booth.

Latomia or Grottos

When you enter the Neapolis the first thing to visit is the Grotto, or the large quarry where they used to mine stone for building. This is a huge cutout in the surrounding rock face which is about fifty or so meters in height.

It appears to have had several cave-ins in the past, which probably occurred as they were mining the stone. There is evidence of the former inhabitants leaving large columns behind in an attempt to prevent additional cave-ins from occurring. Whether they were successful or not, it is not known, there are no information signs or other historical information provided at the site.

The Greek Theater

Built into the side of the hill, the Greek Theater was originally constructed in the fifth century BCE and later re-constructed several times, including by the Romans. Currently it has been further modified by the contemporary Syracusians for use as a theater again, building a scaffold like theater on top of the pre-existing Greek Theater, in order to have out-door performances and other events.

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Behind the theater is a necropolis and grotto, both of which may be visited while visiting the structure.

The Roman Theater

The Roman Theater is found on the way out of the park complex and extends to the exit for some way.

Island Of Ortigia

Ortigia, also known as Ortygia or Citta Vecchia (old city), is an island within the city of Syracuse. It is connected to the mainland and the rest of Syracuse by two bridges, the Umbertino Bridge and the Bridge of Santa Lucia.

At the entrance of the ancient city is the Temple of Apollo. This is the first site anyone will see upon entering the city. Continuing around the temple visitors will automatically ascend the Corso Giacomo Matteotti, or the main street. This is the main shopping street, containing all contemporary brands and shops and will lead one to the Fountain of Diana.

From this traffic-circle; going to the left will take one to the Puppet museum and theater, and the eastern part of the island; going right will take one to the Piazza Duomo and the tourist shopping street, which will also take you to the Syracuse Cathedral.

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Puppet Museum

This is an interesting little museum covering the history of a specific heritage of puppet making on the island of Ortigia. Therefore, the puppets are specifically built around tales and folklore of the people of Sicily.

The puppets range in size from small (approx. 20cm in height), all the way to life size. There are many examples of finished products and some of contemporary origin. One display also shows the progression of making a puppet, from the carving stage through final assembly. All very instructive.

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Puppet Theater

I was originally hesitant to go the Puppet Theater. But after attending a show, I am glad I had. Not only does the host explain the tale in great detail in English, before it is performed. But the actually acting and enactment of the tale was so compelling, I was captivated, even though I had no idea what was being said at many points during the performance.

The theater space is very personal, with only enough room for about 50-60 people, and they will seat others if needed in the aisle (on the steps). Therefore, if you need to take any medically necessary precautions in cramped quarters, be prepared before you arrive.

Maniace Castle

The Maniace Castle sits at the tip of Ortigia and commands an open view of the Ionian Sea. It is a rather simple structure in function and betrays itself to its many uses down through the ages by its many apparent modifications, including the installation of the lighthouse.

It is however complete with a moat, or in this case, a large drained sunken area where you can wander and only guess what it used to be like back in the day.

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Cathedral Of Syracuse

In the center of Ortigia sits the Cathedral of Syracuse, a large and fairly simple structure as cathedrals go, having no real apse, but only central and left naves.

The inside however is impressive and elegant and worth a visit. The outside of the cathedral displays Doric columns of the original Temple of Athena, which stood on this site prior to the building of the edifice.

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Our Hotel

Hotel Musciara Resort

For the six nights we stayed in Syracuse, we stayed at the Musciara Resort. This boutique resort is located about a 15 minute walk from Ortigia Island and has its own beach. It is a three-star hotel, but it is expertly appointed and maintained. There are only about a dozen or so rooms, so book early if interested. It is a on the pricey side, so if you are able, use points.

Though we did not use the beach at them, since there was a severe upper level low causing rain for many days, we know a set of two lounge chairs and table will cost 110€/day for those wishing to enjoy the water or work on that tan.

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Restaurants

The cuisine of Syracuse is of course based mainly on the sea, so people who love fish will definitely enjoy themselves. There are myriads of fish to choose from, as well as octopus, squid, cuttlefish and assorted shell fish.

Trattoria Archimede

We ate lunch here and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. They have a nice garden where one can enjoy an relaxes lunch away from the hustle and bustle of Piazza Duomo.

The food is typical and simple for Sicilian cuisine. We picked basic items, along with the house wine and had a very nice lunch. The staff were attentive and had a very good grasp of English, so communicating in my broken Italian, although appreciated, was not totally necessary, our waiter spoke and understood Italian, English, French and German.

Ristorante Sicilia In Tavola

A gastronomic pleasure with an unpretentious interior is Ortigia’s In Tavola Ristorante.

Here, as with many other place, they have home-made pasta and spaghetti. However, we ordered fish, swordfish for me and mackerel for Patti. For dessert we had lemon pie and a cannolo, along with an coffee and an aperitif, the a Sicilian Amaro, for 77€ for two people.

Ristorante Cine

Having been eating Italian and SIcilian food for too long, we tried RIstorante Cine and really like it. Though the ingredients are different from what we are used to in Turin and the States (though not unusual), the owner was more than happy to alter any dishes to our tastes. We only ate lunch here and for two, we were able to order an appetizer, primi (vegetable rice) and secondi (chicken or pork or vegetables in white sauce), along with a half carafe of red wine, water, coffee and sambuca for under 30€! It is hard to beat that in a tourist area.

La Tavernetta Da Piero Fuori Ortigia

We ate lunch here on Sunday, the 21st of May, 2023, after visiting the Archaeological Park and when unbeknownst to us Mount Etna was erupting.

After we finished and began walking back to the hotel, we noticed dust getting in our eyes. At the time we had no idea why and surmised that the recent bad storm had brought in dust from Africa, which can occasionally happen. When we read the next day that the Catania Airport had closed due to ash if finally dawned on us that it had been the ash from the volcano all those miles away that was the cause.

Gelateria

If you are looking for gelati in Sicily, do not buy the brightly colored ones, usually they are made of inferior ingredients. Instead, look for the Artiginale label. Though you will pay more for a cone of cup of this, it will be far more worth your while in taste later.

Levante Gelateria

Another good Gelateria, providing excellent artisanal gelati. I was particularly fond of their Amerano and Pistachio flavors.

Fior Di Latte Gelati

Finding very good gelati anywhere in Italy is not a difficult task, here is no exception. It has great artiginale (artisanal) flavors, I ordered the Ortigia and Note Di Sicilia, and Patti ordered the Note Di Sicilia, Mandarin Orange and Dark Chocolate with a hint of orange.

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Cefalù, Sicily – Water, Water, Everywhere

We have traveled a lot throughout Europe and especially Italy and occasionally you will get a rainy or snowy day. But nothing prepared us for our arrival in Cefalù, or as we write it in english, Cefalu; a small touristy town situated on the north side of the island of Sicily.

Cefalù

We arrived by Trenitalia’s Pop train from Palermo, which runs approximately every hour and costs around 6.50€/person. These are normally local tourism trains in the major areas and can be called Pop, Jazz, or almost anything. They provide reasonably priced and fast transportation to the coastal tourism spots. If you need to travel a longer distance, you will most likely have to use the normal Trenitalia or Intercity service.

Similar to other touristy spots in the US and other parts of the world, Cefalu is definitely administered and managed for the traveler. Though quiet during these months, I can imagine it can get a bit noisy during the summer months with its extensive beach and boardwalk beckoning travelers on. With the addition of all the shops and artisans in town, you have the perfect recipe for the tourist trap. So, if you are only interested in the historic aspects of the town and area, it probably behooves you to travel earlier or later in the year, in order to avoid its busy potential. Otherwise, if you are a sun lover, this could be a very good destination for you.

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Other than that, we happened to arrive when Sicily was getting one of its worst storm system in twenty years. Not only did it rain incessantly, the wind and the temperatures made for a quite challenging time. If there wasn’t water, water, everywhere, there was always the threat of rain, so you always had to pack an umbrella. We got wet so often, we started debating whether we should go out at all. We were glad we did, otherwise there would have been no way to see everything that we did in such a compressed time.

Monte de Pieta

The Mount of Pity was first funded in the early 1700s by Don Vincenzo Costa. The institution became very important to the economy of the city, but after World War II fell into decline. It has elegantly framed windows and a molded lintel and is an example of the advanced baroque architecture in Cefalu.

Torre Orologio

Not far from Il Duomo and in Piazza Garibaldi, almost next to Ristorante Porta Terra is the Torre Orologio, or the clock tower. Like most other cities, probably the go to place at one time to set your own timepiece to, but now, though it still functions, appears to be in dire need of some repairs. While we were eating at Porta Terra, we noticed the bells do not function perfectly, even though if you paid attention, it appeared to tell the correct time within a few minutes of the actual, even though the ringing was quite muted.

Lavatoio Medievale Fiume Cefalin

This little historic bit, easily missed by the unaware tourist ambling along the via Vittorio Emanuele, is an old laundry.

Made out of stone and fountains, the town’s people in the old days used to come here to do their laundry. It is still in working order, though modern day appliances make its use today superfluous.

Il Duomo

The Cathedral of Syracuse sits on high ground directly under the La Rocca, or The Rock. It has a large piazza and spacious interior and can be seen from some distance. While we were here, it was under renovation inside, so we were unable to see it in all its glory.

Castello di Cefalu

You enter the hike to the caste via the Rocca di Cefalu. It starts out with finely paved stairs and steps, that one would typically find in any Italian town with hills in it.

The entrance fee is 5€/person and the experience will definitely introduce one to the true meaning of Italian bureaucracy. Not only is there a self-service machine, but someone there that actually asks you what you want, takes your money, purchases the ticket for you, then hands it to someone else in the kiosk who is there to tabulate the number in a book. This number is again used when you leave, so do not throw your ticket out. Once your ticket is returned, another person is waiting to take it from you and helps you scan it in the automated turnstile. All in today’s times totally unnecessary. There is obviously either some abstruse Italian or municipal law that probably requires them to do so.

After the turnstile, the hike starts immediately to climb. There are hairpins all along the way up until you enter the first set of walls and gates, which were the first line of defense. This was a perfect point in which to take a few photographs and enjoy the view of Cefalu from above.

The hike then brings you to a fork in the road with a sign, archeological ruins left, castle right, we chose the right route, figuring we wanted to see it first. It then continues and enters a steep area of tree and grass along sheer walls of stone, home to a large number of goats. If you pay attention, you can hear their calls and see them climbing the stone walls as if to mock you.

After what seems like another half an hour of switching back and forth along the trail you enter the area of the castle. Here are the remnants of the once grand Cefalu Castle, Perched high above the town, it had a commanding view of the countryside and in its time, must have been unassailable. From here one can take amazing photographs of the town below, the sea and the beautiful countryside below.

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On the way down we bore right in the direction of the archeological site. The path was somewhat muddier and steeper then the other path we ascended upon. However, we descended quickly and enjoyed visiting the Temple of Demeter and an old cistern that is onsite. There is also a cafe here, were you can purchase something small to eat or drink. From here the descent is rapid and soon enough you will be handing the ticket back to the office so they can record your departure, or whatever useful information they derive from it.

One of the many pleasures of the Italian countryside and its parks, are the flowers. Italy goes out of its way not to poison things, so there are numerous flowers and other blossoming things around, where bees and other pollinators can feed. Here is a short slideshow with some examples on this hike.

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Hotel Victoria Palace

Our hotel was situated right across the street from the boardwalk and the sea. The views were very nice and we found it especially convenient, instead of being directly in town, where the streets are more confining and more difficult to move around in. The rooms here are fairly spacious and have most of the amenities that Americans are used, with the exception of an ironing board and a few other things. All and all, the staff is very friendly and welcoming and the downstairs cafe has excellent coffee and also a gelato bar, which we frequented more than once.

Restaurants

The White Horse

We ate dinner here the first night in Cefalu. We chose this restaurant due to the threat of rain and because it was right up the street and very close. Unfortunately at the time, we didn’t realize that being in the vicinity would help much staying dry.

The food here is typical Italian pizzeria, very good and very reasonable prices. They have pizza, calzone, spaghetti and pasta dishes, and a wood fired brick oven to cook it all in.

Il Gabbiano

We actually ate here twice, once for lunch and once for dinner.

Ristorante – Al Gabbiano – Cefalu, Sicily

For lunch we ate outside, since the weather was trying to improve and it was rather nice out. I ordered the Zuppa di Verdure and the Spaghetti al Pomodoro and Patti had a mixed salad.

For dinner we ate inside, since the evenings in May can be rather cool, especially with the breeze from the sea blowing inland. I ordered the the mixed salad and the Spaghetti Bolognese, Patti order the Spaghetti al Pomodoro I had the day before. Both were delicious and with wine and water came to a reasonable 35€.

La Siciliana

This is a delightful restaurant for lunch and is located within the town on via Gioeni. It has a full manu and will please seafood and land lovers alike.

I had the Zuppa di Verdura con Legumi and the Lasagna, while Patti finally found here Aranchini on the menu and ordered a sampler plate of that. Both were delicious. With food, a hald liter of wine, water and coffee, it came to a reasonable 37€ for two.

Porta Terra

A fine restaurant located in the Piazza Garibaldi in the upper part of town. We booked our reservations using The Fork and got a free hors d’oeuvres of Cherry Tomato, Mozzarella and Pistachio Cream in a small baked bread cup.

I ordered a glass of a fine red Sicilian wine called Nero d’Altura. Patti had the breaded tuna with Mango and avocado sauce, and I had the baked cod with a reduction of pinoli nuts, raisins and kalamata olives over mashed potatoes, both of which were delicious. The dinner was a bit on the high side at 71€ for both of us, but the food was worth every cent.

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Paris, France – Quick Stop

Quick Stop Before Turin

To return to Turin this year, we chose to depart from the Raleigh-Durham area using Delta Airline’s RDU (Raleigh Durham International airport) to CDG (Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, located in Roissy-en-France) flight, as we had done occasionally before Covid-19 hit the world and Delta subsequently cancelled the service. Now that Covid-19 is more or less  forgotten, let’s just say travel is back in full swing and with it – other changes, delays and of course cancellations. So if you are planning any international travel this year to Europe or anywhere for that matter – grit your teeth, hold onto to your hats and try to be flexible.

The Disadvantages Of Flying From A Small International Hub

One of the major disadvantages of flying out of a minor or small international hub like RDU, is that, if there is any type of problem, any delay longer than  an hour or so, especially due to a mechanical issue, can and often do become cancellations. This happened to us early last week after we boarded our plane. About ten minutes after being on board, Delta discovered what they thought was a refrigerant condensation leak, which in the end turned out to be a fuel leak. Really?! The plane had landed hours before and was being turned around for its return trip and they discovered this issue only moments before we were planned to take off. My wife and I could not believe what we were hearing. In fact, the flight crew were also so surprised, the pilot came out to address us personally and answered any questions.

Well I guess it’s better they discovered the issue before we left, then while we were over the Atlantic. It just makes one wonder if we should be worrying more about the inspection schedules of these aircraft,  regardless of their safety records. In any event, our delay of one hour turned into three hours, then five and then they finally cancelled to flight within an hour of the first announcement. The primary reasons; no spare flight crews available locally and they could not fix the plane in Raleigh.

Luckily, we had already left the gate and decided to get our luggage pulled from the plane, which is a long story in and of itself (we ended up only getting one and had to come back  the next day for the other one). Even after getting the jump on everyone else, we still left the airport around midnight to return our son’s apartment and rescheduled our flight out a week (Delta was not pleased with us, but it was their fault and they still paid with extra points, etc.).

Six days later we arrived in Paris without incident and took a taxi into the city to our hotel. Since we are IHG members we booked and stayed at the Holiday Inn – Gare de Lyon. Rated a four star hotel, it is more likely a three star hotel posing as a four star. We have stayed at many privately run three star hotels that were better run and better appointed. However, it was clean, the rooms are fairly spacious and there is easy access to the metro and plenty of restaurants nearby. Moreover,  it is away from the most tourist visited areas of the city. Given all this, I still would NOT recommend it. There have to be better hotels and choices available, if one has the time to look. Plus it is missing some important amenities for an American hotel, if you look close enough to notice.

Though we took a taxi from and to the airport,  I would recommend the RER instead. Traffic in Paris is a nightmare. Though the taxi is not in itself expensive, the travel time will be at least an hour each way. Almost all the roads coming into Paris on many phone map apps will be red or worse yet, dark red, and for twenty or so minutes of our ride we were motionless.

Paris – The City of Light

Our original plans were to spend a week in Paris, but with our cancellation, those plans had to be altered and we only got to spend two days. However, with all of uproar over raising the retirement age here and the never ending threats of strikes, train and venue cancellations,  and all of the protesting; it was probably a good idea to cut this trip short and just plan it for another time. In any event, since I have already been to Paris a few times, I was able to show my wife a few of the most notable sightseeing locations, while occasionally enjoying the food.

Our Short Tour Of The City

The city is eminently walk-able and has an excellent metro. The metro can take you almost anywhere and everywhere you want to go, including back to the airport via the RER. However, in order not to miss anything, you will find walking the best option. We found walking out and taking the metro in between to be the best combination.

The Champs Elysees

This large boulevard is a common venue for the final day of the Tour de France. With its rectangular trimmed trees along each side and four lanes of traffic, it  connects two of the city’s main points of interest – the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde.

The Eiffel Tower

Unfortunately we were unable to see the tower at night due to scheduling constraints, and even then, only at a distance. Even from across the Seine it is still impressive.

Notre Dame

Yet another reason to come back at a later time, the poor Notre Dame, victim of a senseless fire, being reconstructed. Being complacent about anything, will always get you in the end. Yet sometimes to get politicians to act on anything requires a tragedy.

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Restaurants and Cafes

Due to our shortened stay, we were only able to visit one restaurant of note and it wasn’t even French. However, we were able to stop at several small cafes for breakfast and lunch. All were reasonable priced and the food was very good.

Ristorante Spiga

A very small Italian restaurant a block away from our hotel on the Rue Parrot. It has very little room inside or out, so get there early.

Ristorante Spiga – Paris

The food is very good and ostensibly traditional Sardinian. Italians may find it odd that they have pasta dishes with meatballs, instead of separately. Not a show stopper for me, their sauce was very good and the pasta was cooked to perfection.

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Prague, Czech Republic – Petrin Hill

Prague’s Petrin Hill

Above the city lies Petrin Hill. A walk of a little over a kilometer and about three hundred steps (if you happen to go that way), or you can take the funicular (which we found to be very crowded on the Sunday), so we walked.

The nice thing about walking, aside from someone you don’t know breathing on you in a confined space, is you get to see things along the way the others in the funicular won’t. Plus, if the weather is nice, it’s actually quite a nice way to spend a Sunday morning.

After Petrin Hill, we continued our walk along the river a bit, before going across the Legion Bridge. Here we watched the river boats enter the river lock mechanism, in order to continue their journeys  up the river.

Restaurants

Luka Lu

If you are looking for good food while dining in a very off-beat interior, look no further than Luka Lu’s.  Located on Újezd street in Mala Strana, it is an excellent place for lunch.

Prague – Luka Lu

After our journey through the park and Petrin Hill, the four of us stopped for lunch. The food at Luka Lu’s was very good, service was great and the off-beat interior somewhat of a treat. If you are looking for something different, this might be the place for you. The prices were very reasonable too!

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Prague, Czech Republic – Medieval Alchemy And Eats

Medieval Prague

There are a few places in Prague that still have the medieval charm. One is a museum, the other is a restaurant. But if one is paying attention as they walk around, they will find little medieval curiosities hidden away. It only requires a bit of exploring to find them.

The Old Town Square

The most remarkable thing about the Old Town Square is its small size. It is surprising that such are large medieval city would have such a small square.

Prague – Old Town Square – Jan Hus climbing monument

It does however have several remarkable points of interest and beautiful building contained or encircling it.

The Astronomy Clock

One of the main attractions in Prague is the Astronomical Clock. Aside from its obvious technical fascinations and color, it of course does not move a lot. That does not prevent many from craning their necks staring at it for more than an hour, hoping in vain for the clock to do something. However, the clock being based on a twenty-four hour daytime standard does move, but ever so slowly.

The Speculum Alchemiae

This museum offers guided tours through a historical alchemist’s shop, containing all of the accoutrements of the trade.

Prague – Alchemy Museum – Tickets For Two

There are flasks, alembics, beakers and glass containers of all shapes and sizes littered throughout the shop.

The tour begins the shop and quickly advances through a door and small hallway to the alchemist’s study.

After a twenty minute talk on the herbs and other potions of the alchemist’s trade, as well as a short discussion on books, the tour commenced through a secret opening in the bookcase.

A creepy spiral staircase takes you downstairs into a dungeon like area full of workshops, each for a specific purpose.

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Restaurants

If it was not mentioned before it will be now. If you are interested in any particular restaurants for dinner, make sure you book reservations beforehand. Most of the good ones book up quickly, some times days in advance, so make the call or send the request as soon as possible to get your table.

There are many fine restaurants in Prague and from what I can tell, they have all earned their stars. However, that’s not to say you will go hungry, if you do not make the proper arrangements. There are still numerous restaurants around of all types that might have an empty table, you just may have to do some walking.

There are also street food options, for both lunch and dinner. So, if you are not particular about sitting down, you can consider them as a viable option. As a last resort there are always fast food corporate options, but again, go local if at all possible and enjoy the native cuisine.

Prague – Holiday Market – Rotisserie Pork

The Medieval Tavern – U Krále Brabantského

The first impression from outside is the establishment looks a bit odd, with a figure of a man outstretched from the basement. Once our interests were peaked, we had to investigate further and finally made reservations for the following day when the remainder of our party could join.

Prague – The Medieval Tavern – U Krále Brabantského

I have never been in a more dark or gloomy restaurant as this one, lending it a bit of medieval charm. Lit, more or less, only by candle light, it’s no wonder humanity made it out of the Dark Ages.

Participants should be aware, certain meals do not come with utensils and all of the beers come with a customary bang on the table. Some have been known to break their glasses, which is strangely allowed. The meals are, shall we say, good but very basic – they won’t be earning any Michelin Stars for their cuisine.

Alforno Focacceria

Also known in Czech as Petrské náměstí, is situated on Petrská, just behind our hotel. We picked another Italian restaurant since they are pretty wide spread throughout the city and the actual Czech cuisine is a bit limited.

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Prague, Czech Republic – City Of Towers

Our first few days in Prague introduced us to another city of towers, of which eight have some import. It is also a city severed by a river, the river Vltava, which flows into the river Elbe. This river is also a hub of tourism, having several river boat companies plying its waters.

Prague – Panorama of the city

Prague – Some Of The Sights

One can say that Prague is a very easy city to walk. It is well marked and there are plenty of street signs to indicate along the way where the most important landmarks are to see.

Of course, just ambling your way down the city streets works too, which in most cases will lead to some kind of a surprise when you round a corner. Here is a short slide show as we did one of our unguided walks.

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The Klementinum

Of some interest is the Klementinum, an old medieval Dominican Monastery that was later converted into a Jesuit college.

Prague – The Klementinum

It was here, sometime in 1775, that a Jesuit scholar started recording the first set of unbroken climate measurements in eastern Europe. It also houses an impressive Baroque libraries in the world.

The Towers

There are essentially eight towers of import within the city. They include:

    1. The Old Town Bridge Tower
    2. The Lesser Town Bridge Towers
    3. The Old Town Hall Tower
    4. Mirror Maze
    5. Powder Gate Tower
    6. Petrin Lookout Tower
    7. Saint Nicholas Bell Tower
    8. The New Mill Water Tower

The above are all marked on the city map that can be obtained from the city’s InfoPoint center. There are also numerous other lesser towers that can be found when roaming the city, some of which like the above can be ascended.

The Old Town Bridge Tower

From the Old Town in the direction of George’s Bridge one will next come upon the Old Town Bridge Tower. It was completed some time after 1385 and before then end of that century. It has seen a lot of history pass through its portal, wars and coronations alike.

Prague – Old Town Bridge Tower

The Lesser Town Bridge Towers

On the other end of George’s Bridge is the Lesser Town Bridge Towers. Each tower is unique, the one on the left, as viewed from the bridge, is in the Romanesque style and dates from the 12th century. The taller tower is Late Gothic and dates from 1464 and can be ascended.

The Mirror Maze

The Mirror Maze is not a tower, just a building that houses a fun-house for children and adults that contains mirrors. It is similar to mirror houses found at many state fairs in the United States.

Prague – The Mirror Maze

Powder Gate Tower

Prague – Powder Tower – Tickets For Two

Probably one of the first towers you will go see is the Powder Tower. You can purchase a ticket and view the city from this tower for a modest fee of about 3€.

The Powder Tower is so named since they used to store gun powder in it. It has also historically be the starting point of any coronation ceremonies held by the Bohemian Monarchs who entered the city, the ending point being the Prague Castle on the hill.

The building was first started in 1457 and finished some time later.  It  was not finished until the early seventeenth century. It stands at an impressive 195 feet, provided a excellent view of the surrounding city to anyone who ascends its claustrophobic spiral staircase.

A slide show to show our ascent and the rest of Prague from the vantage point of the viewing deck at 44 meters.

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Petrin Lookout Tower

The lookout tower is on top of Petrin Hill and can be found either by walking up the park paths and stairs, there are multiple ways of reaching it;  or by using the Ujezd to Petrin funicular. Though we did not ascend the tower, a pretty fantastic view can be enjoyed by doing so.

Prague – Petrin Lookout Tower

Saint Nicholas Town Bell Tower

Almost a pyramidal tower in look, the tower of Saint Nicholas can be found close to the Prague Castle and is part of Saint Nicholas’ church.

Prague – Saint Nicholas’s Town Bell Tower

The New Mill Water Tower

A six minute walk from our hotel and close to the Stefanik Bridge is the New Mill Water Tower. The tower was built in 1658 to supply water from the Vltava River to the lower portion of Prague.

Saint Peter’s Bell Tower

This is a lesser tower not actually listed in the sightseer’s guides. However, due to its proximity to the hotel, it was easy enough to visit and take a few photographs.

Henry’s Tower

Another lesser tower not on Prague’s official sightseeing list, but on some map, is Henry’s Tower. This tower is pretty close to the main train station in Prague and the Jindřišská tram stop, that is often jammed with trams waiting to go down the street of the same name.

Prague – Henry’s Tower

Art Deco Imperial Hotel

The Art Deco Imperial Hotel is a fine hotel situated just outside the old town, which is a mere ten minute walk away. The rooms are spacious, definitely big enough to relax in and the bathrooms, at least in the room that we were given, are all marble with all of the contemporary conveniences.

Prague – Hotel Imperial Art Deco

It is also very nice that the Imperial Café is part of the hotel, making breakfast a very simple and convenient affair.

Restaurants

Of course, it is a bad habit, but I normally only comment on restaurants or cafés that can be recommended. Since Prague is such a tourist destination, one has to be careful choosing a restaurant here, not all of them serve a quality product. In that event, always go natural, preferring a salad over a different product like sausage, etc. In most cases you will not go wrong.

Imperial Café

On our first night in Prague we ate at the Imperial Café, which is part of the Art Deco Imperial hotel. This café is known for its amazing and beautiful tiled walls and ceilings.

A highly rated café which has obviously earned its stars. It also comes with baggage or purse stools, so that bags, pocketbooks  and other paraphernalia you are carrying, doesn’t have to touch the floor.

Prague – Hotel Imperial Art Deco – Bag Stool provided at the Imperial Café

The service and food were excellent, so we had to try it out. We were not disappointed.

La Bottega Linka

A one minute walk from the Art Deco Imperial Hotel is the Italian Restaurant La Bottega Linka. The restaurant offers a combination of Italian, Czech and  cosmopolitan dishes, as demanded most likely by tourist. However, the food and service are more than satisfactory, though the prices do suffer a bit from tourism area up charge, but still modest.

 

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Vienna, Austria – Bewitching Belvedere

Below the cacophony of Vienna’s innere Stadt, the Resselpark, Karlskirche and the Kärtner Ring is a rather large conglomeration of museums, gardens and fountains is the Belvedere Palace.

Belvedere Palace and Gardens

Belvedere

The palace and its gardens are divided in two, known as the Oberen (Upper) and Unteren (Lower) Belvedere. Between them one can find the exceptional gardens of the palace called the Belvedere Gardens. To the right of this are also the Botanical Gardens, which we did not have time to visit.

Upper Belvedere

This museum holds the primary collection of the Belvedere, including many famous artists, Austria’s own Klimt and others like Monet, Rodin and Schiele. Words cannot describe what a slow walk and intense focus on these works feels like unless you visit these works in person. Second best is a slide show on those pieces that I found the most moving and interesting of the collection, enjoy.

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Belvedere Gardens

A marvelous September day, a breeze with some chill and a beautiful garden go hand in hand, especially when you can share it with someone; in this case, my wife.

We had a great time just slowly walking through the gardens and listening to the fountains, enjoying the landscape[1]Which is being prepared for the Belvedere’s up and coming Jubilee next year in 2023. and the stillness that you do not get in other parts of this very busy city.

Lower Belvedere

This part of the museum contains more off-beat art works. Mostly contemporary artists and works, the Joseph Rebell collection, which goes back to the early 1800s, is extremely good and important. His landscapes of Naples, Vesuvius and other parts of the Mediterranean. Again, it is best to view these works in the context of a slide show.

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That concludes our visit to Vienna. We found it a fast paced interesting place to visit that eagerly welcomes tourists. Extremely cosmopolitan where it is easier to find an Italian restaurant than a traditional Viennese one, but such is the price of progress and tourism. For that, one might have to venture further, perhaps to Graz, or even Güssing in Burgenland.

References

References
↑1 Which is being prepared for the Belvedere’s up and coming Jubilee next year in 2023.
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Vienna, Austria – Eine Gruft Und Mehr

Vienna Sights Above And Under

In Vienna, as with many older cities in Europe, there are interesting things to see not only above ground, but below as well. Today was a rainy day and we had to deal with as best we could, that could have meant museums, but everyone else had that idea. In attempt to continue to avoid crowded place, whenever possible, we decided on the offbeat.

Vienna – Vermählungsbrunnen

Schweizertor – The Swiss Gate

The swiss gate is the oldest gate or door and part of the Hofburg, dating back to the 1300s. It is part of the original square castle that included four turrets on each corner. It’s not much to see, but is a remarkable color red.

Vienna – Schweizertur – Swiss Gate

Die Ankeruhr

The Anker Clock is located on Hoher Markt, next to the Judengasse.

It chimes and performs a small show every noon time, otherwise all you will witness is an hourly chime, as follows.

Kapuzinergruft – Kaisergruft –  Habsburg Tomb

If you are at all interested in the Habsburgs, and perhaps where they might be buried, look no further than the Kapuzinergruft. Also called the Kaisergruft or Habsburg Tomb, it is located on Neuer Markt and next to the Kapuziner Kloster.

Vienna – Kapuzinergruft – Kaiser Gruft or Crypt – Tickets For Two

The gruft contains many of the families of the Habsburgs and Habsburg-Lothringen and includes a genealogy of the members who rest in this place. Some of the coffins also have amazing details, most of which have to do with wars[1]I sometime wonder when we are going to get over or need for that exercise in futility.

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Restaurants

Grand Hotel Wien – Breakfast Lounge

If you stay at the Grand Hotel Wien,  you should look into any combination package that offers breakfast. Unless you are an extremely light eater in the morning, you will not do much better outside. They have a hot and cold menu (buffet), and the portion size is well managed, so you won’t have to worry about walking around with a lot of extra weight.

Vienna – Grand Hotel Wien – Breakfast

Café Central

One of the oldest cafes in Vienna, the Café Central is located in the old Palais Ferstel building on the corner of Herren- and Strauchgasse. Famous personages like Freud and Trotsky have visited this establishment, though today the conversations today, one could say, are less political or analytical.

Vienna – Cafe Central – Building and entrance

We made reservations for lunch and commend anyone do that same. The line waiting to get in can be long and when it rains out, as it did today, you do not want to find yourself getting wet before sitting down after a twenty or so minute wait.

The food is good and traditional. I can commend a good red wine from Burgenland called Blaufränkish, which is served by the glass for around 5.50€. It is an excellent accompaniment for Wüstchens and Gulash soup. It is very busy, so service can be intermittent at times, so be patient.

References

References
↑1 I sometime wonder when we are going to get over or need for that exercise in futility
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Vienna, Austria – An Amaranthine Albertina

Viennese Museums

Anyone visiting Vienna has to have museums on the top of their list of things-to-do. This city is home to many extraordinary examples of very good museums, some even housed in former palaces. The Albertina is just such an example and a must see when visiting Vienna, their collection of fine art is, shall we say, first rate.

Vienna – The Natural History Museum – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien

Some Museums of Vienna

In fact, there are so many museums in Vienna, it is perhaps difficult to list them all. Below are a few that we visited and thoroughly enjoyed, along with a few photographs, just to remember the important works of art that are there.

The Hofburg

A complex of museums and a library, which we found out only allows users who are doing research or have special permission. Though we did not see any museums here, it does include a World Museum and a Papyrus Museum.

Maria-Theresien-Platz

Sitting across from one another, on the Maria-Theresien Platz, are the Art History and Natural History museums. This impressive public square was built  with the public in mind, where they could come and enjoy the museums and stroll the grounds afterwards. The square is joined on the one end by the Museumquartier and on the other by the Burgring (Ringstraße), across which lies the Hofburg.

Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien

Across the Burgring from the Hofburg is the Art History Museum of Vienna, or the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien. It houses unique art pieces collected by the Habsburgs during their reign.

The Albertina

Formerly a palace, the Albertina was rebuilt after the Second World War and refurbished at the turn of the millennium. It contains collections of works by Monet, Picasso, Dürer and Da Vinci to name a few, my favorites are the works by Klee and Chagall. Here is a slideshow of some of those works.

Batliner Collection

A famous collection of paintings featuring Monet and Picasso, the Batliner Collection was endowed to the Albertina by Herbert Batliner’s estate. It contains many important collections by modernist artists, including Chagall, Ernst and Klee. Here is a slideshow of what this collection has to offer.

The Habsburg State Rooms

The building also has a collection of state rooms that were used by the archdukes and archduchesses of the Habsburgs. It consists of about twenty rooms of varying styles and designs.

Restaurants

La Scala Trattoria

Yes we know, Italian food in Austria? Yes and yes! It is amazing how many Italian restaurants and trattoria there are here, including chains like Vapiano’s, if you need a quick bite for lunch.

Vienna – Italian Restaurant – La Scala

This was a great pick for lunch, the hosts are very attentive and the food is speedily and well prepared. Though I would say that cuisine that is offered has an almost Rome feel to it, either due to the owners origin or as a response to tourist’s expectations. All in all, you couldn’t any better in Vienna than selecting this place to eat Italian food.

Zum Weissen Rauchfangkehrer

This is an old Viennese restaurant, formerly owned by Sacher[1]The same person one who made the Sacher Torte famous, which was named after the exploits of a chimney sweep who had a torrid love affair with a young woman baker who used to work in the building. After some time of coming out each morning covered in baking flour the locals would jokingly call the place of the White Chimney Sweep.

Vienna – Restaurant Rauchfangkehrer

The food is traditional for this area and very well prepared, the pea soup was marvelous. The Wiener Schnitzel was above average with the breading being very tasty, crusty and separated from the veal, making for a delicious entree. As such, expect to pay above average prices.

Be aware, though we were seated immediately at fifteen after six in the evening, management of getting a table appeared a bit capricious to us. They seem to turn some parties away while accepting others of the same size without reservations. My wife and I were puzzled, so reservations are easy enough to make and probably a good idea.

Vienna – Altstadt – Rauchfangkehrer Viennese Restaurant

A Bit More Of Vienna

Another short slide show of other sights in Vienna we saw while walking around. Enjoy!

References

References
↑1 The same person one who made the Sacher Torte famous
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Vienna, Austria – A Danube Walk

Anyone visiting Vienna has to see the Danube, not just the minor lower canal portion of it that is pretty close to the Altstadt, but the real deal.

Vienna – Alt Stadt – Minor Part of Danube

Walking Vienna

Our primary objective on Sunday was to walk a good portion of the city and while we were doing that visit the Danube.

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Stubentor And City Wall

Along our walk we happened upon a monument for the old city wall and the Stuben Tower, which was part of it at one time.

The Danube

After a considerable two to three mile walk, and a cafe stop for coffee, we enjoyed a walk to this famous river, as well as a short walk along its banks.

The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi

Not far from the Danube and in the Stuwerviertal, close to Mexicoplatz is the church of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Saint Stephan’s Cathedral

Almost directly in the center of the old city is Saint Stephan’s Cathedral. We were fortunate enough to be at the cathedral on a Sunday to hear them play the marvelous bells.

The cathedral is impressive, both inside and out, almost reminiscent of the Kolner Dom.