I considered a title in English, however none appeared fitting to me, or at least to my ear. The above essentially translates to Timbered Houses All or all of them. Most, if not all (I didn’t take a census) are built in this style, at least within confines of the ring wall.
Half-Timbered House – Dreieichenhain, Germany
The exemplary example shows all the features of a timbered or half-timbered house in this region of Germany. In fact, Dreieichenhain lays on a three thousand kilometer (appr. 1800 miles) long Deutschen Fachwerkstraße of timbered framed houses in Germany. This virtual road runs through Niedersachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Hessen, Thüringen, Bayern and Baden-Württemburg. This town lays on the portion from the Rhine to the Main and Odenwald.
As you walk along the Fahrgasse, the main street in Dreieichenhain, there are several signs explaining the history and method of this type of construction. In typical German fashion, each timber has its own name and in many cases they may have multiple names, depending on their actual purpose.
These include the Rähm or Rähmbalken for the top beams and Schwelle or Grundschwelle for the beams located on the bottom. Echpfosten, Eckstiel and Eckständer may all be used as names for the column posts used for the corners of the buildings.
Half-Timber Building – Dreieichenhain
Half-Timber Buildings – Obertur With Clocks In Distance – Fahrgasse – Dreieichenhain
Here are some additional examples of this construction practice, which many tourist find to represent the idyllic German town. All of them have very restrictive auto and driving rules, many of which require you to park outside the town and walk in. Though we parked outside the town and walked in, the walk was rather short, even though there were two small traffic circles that we had to walk through. While doing so we discovered the town also has its own parking area a few hundred meters from one of the town gates.
The Untertor Gate – Dreieichenhain
Aside from the interesting houses the town is surrounded by the typical Roman wall. This wall has only three gates, through which anyone approaching or leaving the town must pass. The rest of the wall is sparsely populated by lookout towers. The wall is also supplemented and takes advantages of some the buildings in the town to supply part of its construction. For example the church and several stone buildings that were incorporated and included in the wall in order to remain part of the town proper.
The Ruins
Near the Untertur entrance are the ruins of the Burg, or castle, which was rather small, but probably adequate for a town of this size.
The Castle Ruins – Church In The Background – Dreieichenhain
The castle has had a lot of work on it to stabilize its structure and to make it safe for tourists to enter. There is not much to see, but you can enter the ruins and discover the old main hall chimney and other construction items of interest.
Ericka And Patti – Dreieichenhain Castle – Dreieichenhain, Germany – August 2021
Below is another view from outside the ruins and one of the main hall with chimney.
Dreieichenhain Castle – Dreieichenhain, Germany
Gabi And Ericka – Dreieichenhain Castle Chimney – Dreieichenhain, Germany
Restaurants
La Table
Though actually a restaurant, it appears as a rather quaint little boutique coffee shop that sells amazing cakes and desserts. We stopped at La Table for some refreshment, after we had completely discovered what this little town had to offer, and what the local weather kind of forced us into sitting under some kind of cover. Our attempt to sit outside under the coffee shop’s awning was dashed, when what started out as a shower turned into a full blown thunderstorm. We persisted in our belief, along with another cute little old lady from town, that we would be able to sit it out under the awning. But soon enough it rained harder and harder and then the wind picked up and drove us all inside.
Gabi And Ericka – La Table – Dreieichenhain, Germany – August 2021
Luckily, most of the other guest had been driven home by the inclement weather so there was plenty of seating for the rest of us inside, including the little old lady who turned out to be quite the chatterbox. So we ordered up some glasses of Martini Rosso, Prosecco, and hot chocolates along with some cake and had a nice little Kaffeepauseout of the rain and eventually hail.
The Burgweiher – Dreieichenhain, Germany
Above a parting shot of the castle’s water source from the nice little town of Dreieichenhain on the Deutschen Fachwerkstraße.
The city that boasts the most museums in Switzerland must also operate and maintain the most streetcars or trams. At least that is my thesis. On closer inspection one will notice they are almost everywhere and if you spend any time in the historic area’s main Marktplatz, where our hotel Märthof was located, they even appear to outnumber the cars.
There are also many interesting doors in Basel. Each appear to be uniquely named and dated, some having historical significance, others more whimsical, all very Basel. All make for an increased desire in discriminating each while you walk around the city.
As one can imagine there are fountains all over Basel, all strategically located. Some obviously served as sources of water for the citizenry during older times, others are more decorative. All betray Basel as the water city that it was and in many aspects, still is today.
Our Hotel
The Basler Märthof hotel sits at the nexus of the grand portion of the historic city. Bordered by the Rhine, the Marktplatz and the hills around it, it sits central to life in this city. Surrounded by shopping and many different types of restaurants, one can find almost anything they want in this cosmopolitan city, where English is spoken as frequently as many other languages, the exception being German.
The Märthof Hotel
At the time of our visit, a newly renovated hotel with the most modern of amenities and very spacious rooms. This included access the terrace on the roof for our sitting pleasure or some very nice photographs.
Marktplatz And Rathaus – In The Evening – August 2021
The Trams
Trams are everywhere and give this city’s residence a freedom of movement that is seldom seen elsewhere. From the city’s historic center the network branches out like an octopus, occupying every denizen’s neighborhood within five kilometers.
Tram On Kohlenberg – Basel – August 2021
They can be somewhat of annoyance, making an inordinate amount of low frequency grinding noises, as well as stacking up when you are trying to cross the street. The latter forces you to wait the required time for them to leave, hopefully before more arrive and interfere with your travels across the street. But for the most part, they are a welcome addition to the city’s smorgasbord selection of commutation.
Tram On Mittlere Brücke Over Rhine – Basel – August 2021
The Doors
Entryways in the city of Basel have their own descriptive appeal, as seen below.
Zur Scheuren – 1300 – Basel
Zum Engelberg – 1291 – Basel
Just wandering through the streets an observer will see many examples of craftsmanship, old wrought iron hinges, locks, doorbells and doorknobs. Some of the doorbells are especially amusing, where the owner has carefully preserved the original design and function. Some are pulled, some are twisted and some pressed but all made from old iron that has been braving the environment for hundreds of years in some cases.
Old Wrought Iron Doorknob
The above example old world iron work was found on Martinsgässlein, on our walk down from the Gothic Cathedral Münster. It appeared to be fine example of blacksmith work on an obviously restored door. Here are a few more…
The Doors Of Basel
The Doors Of Basel
The Doors Of Basel
The Doors Of Basel
The Fountains
A city historically close to and a heavy user of water, there is no doubt that there would be a plethora of fountains throughout. The most useful and convenient ones are in most cases built into the sides of buildings, whether apartment or governmental. Obviously strategically located in the past for the residents before indoor plumbing was available.
Spalen Fountain
Unknown
Sevogel Fountain
Gemsberg Fountain
Patti By One Of The Many Bird Fountains Along The Rhine
St Albans Fountain
The Rhine Boats
As an adjunct to all of the trams, buses, taxis, ferries and other forms of conveyance, Basel has a system of Rhine boats along the Rhine. When there isn’t a bridge around when you need one, look around, there may be a Rhine boat!
Rhine Boats – Münsterfähre – St. Johanns Ferry – Basel
Each boat has its own name, owner and distinguishing paint job. They are not motorized! By using a cable strung across the Rhine at strategic points, they use the power of the Rhine’s strong current and their rudder to propel them from one bank of the river to the other. The cabling system is not complicated and only requires the pilot to move a pipe on the boat the moors the cable and then direct the boat appropriately using the rudder.
For the modest fare of €1.90 per person you can climb aboard and be on the other side in a matter of a few minutes. We took the Sankt Albans Fähre or Ferry from Basel, Altstadt Kleinbasel on the east bank to the Altstadt Großbasel on the west bank, that was after we walked along the Rhine on the one side and wanted to cross to visit the Paper Mill on the other.
Sankt Albans Fähre – Pilot And Cabin With More Seating – Basel
Sankt Albans Fähre – Cable Lever And Seating – Basel
The Basler Papiermühl
One of the high points of our trip was a visit the Paper Mill Museum. One would think it would have not much to offer, but in this case they would be wrong.
Basler Papiermühle – Saint Albans Tal – Basel – August 2021
The city of Basel had done an excellent job of creating a museum from an old paper mill using a mixture traditional museum look and feel along with a hands-on approach for younger, as well as older audiences. The individuals performing the demonstrations are very informative, eager to demonstrate and skilled at explaining during the demonstrations any steps left out. In all cases this is shorten the format of each demonstration so that participants can actually take home what they have made.
Basler Papiermühle – Mill Cog and Camshaft
Basler Papiermühle – Rag Pounder
I later talked to the man who ran the paper making demonstration and he related to me all of the inconsistencies in his demonstration, explaining that the process took days to complete, from actually pounding the materials to the dried end production. He was most informative.
As was alluded to before, participants actually get to create their own examples of paper using the old techniques. In my case, two sheets of rag based paper with the watermark of the mill, dried using a modern appliance, instead of the old method where they were hung on lines for a few days (as shown above).
Brook That Powers The Mill
The Mill Room
Making Paper
Klopapier
Typography
Typography
Restaurants
While in Basel we did not have to venture far from the hotel, since plenty are in an around the area of the old historic part of the city.
Rosario’s La Sputino
This tiny little Osteria is quaintly tucked into the side of a hillside street coming down from Saint Peters.
Rosario’s La Sputino
A traditional Osteria menu with local favorites, both the type you order and the ones that apparently visit (they seem to get their fair share of the local business crowd). We had the carrot soup and then I had the Gnocchi in sauce and Patti had the Scialatielli Fresoli, which actually are pasta in the shape of green beans.
Patti In Front Of Menu
Gnocchi
Dessert, ummmm
Fiorentina
Continuing with our Italian cuisine indulgences in Switzerland we visited Fiorentina. An upscale restaurant with terrace seating with grand views of the Rhine. However, if you want the outside seating, reservations are necessary.
My Lasagna
Panna Cotta
We visited this restaurant just after we arrived in Basel and since we were both hungry, so we took a walk, found it, walked in and got seated. I ordered the traditional lasagna and had the panna cotta for dessert.
Ramazzotti
Our Pizza
Finally we found the Italian restaurant Ramazzotti which specializes in pizza. Since we were dying for a pizza, not having one for more than month, we ate here and ordered the Pizza Margherita. In fact the food and service was so good here, we ended up eating here a second time.
If one were to think of two words that exemplify Lyon, besides being known for its culinary heritage, it would be as the city of silk and murals. There are other sights to see of course, but these two are the ones that you will not forget if you visit this city in the heart of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Lyon – Panorama of the city of Lyon, taken from the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière
During the week of the tenth through the twelfth of August, 2021 we were fortunate to travel through Lyon. Our expectations were mixed, having known or read little of the city in the past. In fact, until we visited we had no idea of the impact that Lyon had had on the silk or weaving business in the world.
Lyon – Cour Des Loges
The Historic City Center
The historic part of the old city is backed up against the hill on the other side of the Saône below the basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. Here you will find the old narrow streets paved in cobblestones and buildings fitting their age. The Place of the small college, right next to our hotel The Cour Des Loges, is an example of this as seen below. Though I must admit I am not a fan of walking on cobblestones and prefer the larger stoned walkways of Turin. Walking in one thunderstorm or shower will testify to their slipperiness.
Lyon – Place Du Petit College
Many of the old building date back to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and were deeply involved in the silk trade and fabric making. This included our hotel which has several stairwells within it similar to the one above. Though they are inside the hotel, they were customarily on the outside and almost always in the form of a helix.
Rue Du Boeuf An Old Staircase
Bordering the Historic City Center to the east is the river Saône. There are many bridges that span the waterway and will bring you to other old parts of Lyon in the district in and around Bellecour.
The Saône
The Saône
The Rhone
The Place Du Bellecour sports the traditional statue of Louis XIV on a horse. Aside from a well architected space around it that serves as a park, the space seems to otherwise be devoid of purpose, it is not even paved well.
Fountain Of The Jacobins
However, the area in and around the Fountain of the Jacobins seems more impressive and well designed. It is situated closer to the buildings, including a ring of trees with a beautiful fountain at the center. The only thing it appears to be missing are cafe tables and people.
Roman Ruins
There are several roman ruins spread across the city. Most are comprised of amphitheater that we used by the local population for amusement. Lyon has at least one example of twin amphitheater, which frankly I have never seen before, even in Italy. The two are adjacent to one another on the hillside overlooking Lyon and just below and to the south of the basilica atop the hill. Both still appear to be used for special events and have wooden stages carefully erected over them.
The Odeon Amphitheatre
Towards the Larger Amphitheater
The Odeon Amphitheatre
Old Roman Road to the Amphitheaters
We actually arrived at the amphitheaters quite by accident, trying to find our way up to the basilica. We both knew they were there, we were just both surprised that we happened upon them in that location.
Basilica Of Notre-Dame De Fourvière
Continuing our walk up the hillside from the roman ruins you can easily see the basilica, so groping for directions on your phone is not such a big deal. The basilica is impressive, both inside and out. However, it appears to have been place on real estate where they allowed residential houses to encroach upon it. This takes away from one’s ability to get an actual appreciation of the scale of the structure from outside.
Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière
Inside is a totally different matter. There are actually two churches within the basilica, one above (the actual basilica) and one below in the crypt. Though the directions indicate crypt, in fact there numerous persons buried below, it appears to also function as a full church with pews and all.
Inside Notre-Dame de Fourvière
Croix Rousse
Across the river Saône from the historic district lies the district on the hill called Croix Rousse. This area is known for its historical ties to the Canuts and those who established and made the silk trade famous in Lyon.
The Museum Of The Canuts
Anyone interested the history of weaving or silk, or anyone interested in old machines should probably put this somewhere on their list of places to visit. They have a small but authentic collection of old and rare machines dating back to the time the Canuts flourished in this area.
A canut was a master weaver of gold, silver and silk thread. The word has probable origins in the word canette, which in french means spool, for which they were responsible in changing out in order for the weave to be successfully finished. The start of the industry can be traced back to its start in and around the year 1536.
Old Punch Cards Used For Weaving
An Old Poster
The Front of the Museum
The Fresco Buildings
There are several buildings in this area that have been frescoes painted on them. Some of them have been done numerous times over, in order to keep the appeal up and to changed the theme slightly.
Mur Des Canuts – Croix RousseFresco of the Lyonnaise
Other Weird Points Of Interest
The are at least a few unusual points of interest, where artists apparently had a hand. Owing to a profound lack of graffiti in the city my wife and I thought them interesting. Here are a few.
Needs No Translation
A Chimp And Bear
Restaurants
Many of the restaurants here serve local food, or as close to traditional home cooking in these parts of France as you can get and are called Bouchon, it is sometimes spelled Buchon. They are similar to Italy’s Osteria or Trattoria and being in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes are very meat based establishments. Most menus include sausages from the region, both sliced as an appetizer and fully cooked served with a sauce or gravy. It is obviously interesting to try, but over the course of a few days can become tiresome.
Buchon Fiston
The second restaurant we tried with such fare was Bouchon Fiston, the first being of no particular note and right across the same street. Trying to mix it up a bit I went for a soup and salad. The onion soup came with a delicious filo dough top and the salad came with melted regional cheese on toasted bread. Patti ordered a lentil salad, which came as a combo of a lentil compote and green salad on the side.
Bouchon Fiston – Lyon, France
Erick’s Salad Lyonnaise
Patti’s Lentil Salad
Erick’s Onion Soup
Bistrot Des Cours Des Loges
Belonging to our hotel is a small bistrot that serves many good specialties from the region. Our second evening in Lyon found us visiting it, because the main restaurant normally served by a famous chef was closed for the holiday season.
Patti’s Fish
Bistro Des Cours Des Loges
Erick’s Beaff with Burgundy Sauce
Cold Vegetable and Fruit Salad
Raspberries with Raspberry Mousse
The bistro offers outside seating under the amazing trees of the Place de Petit College. We had a most enjoyable evening sampling many fine dishes and enjoying the wine.
Le Cabaretier
Our last evening in Lyon found us dodging raindrops to make it to the Cabaretier for dinner. After a rather warm afternoon the thunderstorms would not be denied, but neither would we.
Le Carabetier – Lyon
The place was vacant for the most part, possibly owing to the rain, since most other places appeared equally bare. The owner and ostensibly the cook at this is a real character and listens to American music all the time. Once he learned we spoke English and were from the States, he was constantly buzzing around trying to help or playing songs he thought we would like to hear. If anything it made for an interesting evening.
Yes, That’s Sausage, But I Had To Try It – Andouilette Sauce Moutarde
The inside looks as though it belongs as a Antiquariat and not a restaurant. But the eclectic furnishings did not take anything away from his authentic Lyonnaise food.
We left Turin in a rain storm, just getting into our carriage before the rain really came down hard. It poured most of the way and we saw several instances of lightning as we traveled to Cuneo, giving us the foreboding feeling that perhaps we had made a terrible mistake.
Piazzale della Liberta – Cuneo Train Station – July 2021
When we arrived, it was still raining terribly hard and we were trapped in the train station for a little over fifteen or so minutes. But I checked my phone and the weather radar application on it gave every indication it was going to pass soon, and thankfully it did, though it would continue to threaten us for the remainder of the morning.
Corso Nizza
Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Corso Nizza
Cuneo appears at first sight to be a clean, very well kept city. In many respects, unlike its larger brother to the north Turin, it has every indication of being a very pleasant place to live. One rarely finds any graffiti and the number of animals seems much less than other cities in Italy, and Europe over all.
The Reading Man – Via Nizza – Cuneo – July 2021
As the man on Corso Nizza will suggest, sporting his shiny clothes and shoes, everything is just perfect in this little city.
Park and Flowers – Corso Dante Alieghieri
Collonades – Corso Nizza
Piazza Galimberti
via Roma
Patti – via Roma
Maritime Alps – via Lungogesso Corso Giovanni XXIII
The main attraction is Corso Dante Alighieri, which after the main piazza, Piazza Galimberti, turns into via Roma. It is a traditional historic center promenade, with its wide street and classic Sampietrini, it offers a great place to walk and many places to shop and eat.
The Bell Tower of Cathedral Santa Marie Del Bosco on via Saluzzo
Having only spent the day here, we carefully chose our place to lunch, after researching several opportunities prior to leaving. Fortunately, Cuneo provides many top places to eat, most of which open at or around 12:30 and will close by 2:30 to 3:00, in traditional Italian style.
Restaurants – 4 Ciance
Our first choice was Osteria dei Colori, but it was no longer open for lunch. After that, it was the process of elimination and we finally ended up at 4Cinace.
Barolo – Always A Good Choice
Patti’s Secondo – Veal Cheek And Eggplant
Erick’s Secondo – Veal Braised With Roasted Potatoes
Erick’s Primo – Spaghetti With Ragu
My Lunch Appetizer – Mozzerella with Pesto, Marinated Red Onion – A Fine 2015 Abbona Barolo
4 Ciance
This restaurant is typical of today’s fine dining establishments, part art, part harmony, mostly excellent food. Paired with an excellent wine and you are in for a delicious time.
Piazza Galimberti – Panorama
Cuneo appears to be an excellent place to live. Very close to the Maritime Alps and the sea, one can easily get to the beach for a weekend get-away. Nestled close to the Alps it must be an easy drive to the mountains during winter for a quick ski holiday. Or, just stay home and enjoy the city itself, dining in one of its many excellent restaurants or Osterias.
The plateau of Ritten is one of the great places to hike and enjoy the Alto Adige. Fresh air, sun and absolutely gorgeous fields and woods brought me right back to my own childhood. Their are tons of insects and birds here and I never got tired of hearing the constant whizzing, whining and chirping. Stress relief for one’s soul and probably one of the big reasons why so many come here to relax and enjoy life. I know we did.
Hiking Oberbozen And Ritten
Ritten is a fabulous place for hiking, with a myriad of trails for all levels, one can hike for days across this area and almost always find a place to stay, eat or hike, with proper planning of course.
View from Ritten Plateau – Oberbozen
Ritten Cable Car
The way up is easy, with your multi-day Alto Adige pass you can take the cable car!
A good twenty to thirty minute ride with spectacular views, the cable car can be boarded just north of the train station. It climbs the nearby mountain and then across the Ritten Plateau to Oberbozen. Here, you can either start your hike, or continue to other points of interest using the plateau’s mountain train service.
There is also an Information Center just outside the cable car entrance in Oberbozen. So if you intend to hike, purchasing a map is a very good idea, the cost at the time of this writing was €3.50.
Oberbozen Train Station
Old Rack Rail or Cog Rail Train
Since we went to the Oberbozen twice we actually have a short video of descending on the cable car as well.
Maria Himmelfahrt
Our first hike was a rather easy trek to the Church of the Assumption of Mary, or Maria Himmelfahrt.
You start out in Oberbozen
Pass some restaurants and caffes
The fields and overviews are amazing!
The cable car that brought us
A tired old apple tree, apples are everywhere in Tyrol
The rack rail tracks
Ten minutes, yeah right!
Religious Shrine
Paths go right through farmer’s property
Farmer’s front door
Large farmhouse
Maria Himmelfahrt – Front
Maria Himmelfahrt – Back
Maria Himmelfahrt – Inside
Another church not too far away
It is marked as a twenty minute hike, but we found that must be for a very fast walker. In fact, we would say that it is perhaps true of all the times that were posted (but then again, Schneckie was along). I would have preferred them to post the distance in kilometers, then try to guess how long it should take us to hike it!
Erdpyrimaden Oberbozen
One of the great geological oddities to see are the Earth Pyramids. Some of the rocks that you will see there balanced on the top of tiny pyramids of sand seem likely to have been intentionally placed, and yet it is all only a 25,000 year old geological oddity of a glacial domain and erosion. The process is somewhat shown in the chart below.
How the Earth Pyramids are formed
The hike to the Earth Pyramids from Oberbozen is not far, about a half an hour. However, there are several spots you can view them, which at the time can appear very confusing.
Signs lead the way
The Alto Adige fields
A leisurely hike, for now
The forest of the Alto Adige
The forest of the Alto Adige
Trail 23 and the Erdpyramiden
Deeper through the woods
A peak at the Dolomites
The farm field
The first sign of Erdpyramiden
A little more
The main or Haupt Erdpyramiden
The best vantage point we found was at the very end of the Erdpyrimaden trail by the farmer’s field. I would call this the Haupt Erdpyrimaden, and have so marked it on Google Maps.
Haupt Erdpyramiden Oberbozen
Patti by the Haupt Erdpyramiden
Erick by the Haupt Erdpyramiden
Patti, close up, by the Haupt Erdpyramiden
There is another lesser set of Earth Pyramids further down the trail in a wooded area. But they are not as spectacular as the previous ones. Aside from that, it is rather technical and more dangerous to get any closer to these to take any better photographs.
You hike further down Trail 23 passed a barn
Back into the forest, then you notice another outcropping – Rivallaungraben
Rivallaungraben Erdpyramiden sign
Rivallaungraben Erdpyramiden
Hiking Down To Bozen/Bolzano
We decided after the Earth Pyramids to continue our journey on foot, instead of walking the trail another half an hour to forty minutes to Oberbozen. This turned out not only to be adventurous, but very rigorous, as in the trail actually becomes quite steep and challenges anyone’s thigh muscles to hold on.
Great views
Vineyards along the way
The trail
Erick on Trail 23, going towards Bozen/Bolzano
We can attest that it does NOT take an hour and fifty minutes to hike from Oberbozen to Bolzano, it is more like two and a half hours. Anyone who has done it any quicker has cheating, using roller-blades or other devices. It was also rather warm out, forcing us to pace ourselves somewhat in order to conserve what energy we had left.
Panorama on trail
The route is rather simple, taking Trail 23 to the Earth Pyramids first, you continue along down the mountain until you hit Trail 6, and then take that the rest of the way into the city. You will exit somewhere very close to where the cable car took you up the mountain.
Restaurants
Hotel Post Victoria
Situated along the trail of the Maria Himmelfahrt is the Italian Ristorante Post Victoria.
Pasta with Olive Oil and Garlic
Beef bouillon with herb celestine
The View
Patti enjoying life
They have good Italian food at very reasonable prices and amazing views of the Alto Adige Alps. A great was after a hike to Maria Himmelfahrt to recharge those stomach batteries with food and wine to continue your journeys.
Der Schwarze Katz
The Black Cat or Schwarze Katz was a discovery after climbing off the mountain in pain and hunger. You will find it at the end of Trail 6 coming into the North of Bolzano.
Pasta e fagioli
Caprese Mozzarella
It was actually rather busy when we got there which was around one o’clock or a little afterwards. Limping and tired we sat down ready for what ever they were willing to throw at us.
Continuing our adventure in Bolzano, we found it has a number of good museums and many castles to visit, actually one of the denser areas for castles in Europe. We were lucky enough to have time to see two great museums and one of the better castles. If you are ever in Bozen/Bolzano, these are all great places to visit.
Museums
Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum
The South Tyrolean Museum of Archeology is the present home of Ötzi, the five thousand and three hundred year old man that was found frozen in an alpine mountain pass.
Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum
Visitors will learn who made the discovery and how, as well as many keen facts on the later removal and care for the iceman. It is amazing how many artifacts were found along with the body, all of which can be seen in the exhibits. Ötzi himself is viewable from a portal of glass, though which you can see most of the details of his frozen form. The room keeps him at the conditions in which he was found on the mountain-top.
Ötzi
Naturmuseum Südtirol
The South Tyrolean Museum of Nature is a rather small museum that provides a good educational foundation for the natural areas surrounding Bolzano. You can learn about all of the habitats and ecology of the forests and fields of the neighboring countryside, as well as its geology and climate.
Hunting Implements
Tropical Fish
Diorama
Interactive Exhibits
Map Showing Topology
There are many hands-on exhibits for children, most of which are still accessible with the proper attention to hygiene, in this time of pandemic.
Castles
Schloss Runkelstein
Schloss Runkelstein
If you walk from Bozen/Bolzano to the castle, you will note that it is not just a thirty minute walk, but rather more like forty-five minutes.
You will pass the old Electric Dam
The parking lot across the street from entrance
The entrance and trail up
Probably one of the larger castles in the area, with a location right next to the Talferbach, one of the many rivers (what we would call a stream in the States).
Gate in surrounding wall
The fortress wall
Entrance to Castle
Coat of Arms
Display and Marker
After 45 minute walk in the sun, Weizenbier
Schloss Runkelstein was built in 1237 near the road that north of Bozen up to the Ritten plateau, or Ober-Bozen. This was to avoid the Eisack river gorge. However, the road eventually passes through this very gorge and on through to the Brenner pass, making it a valuable piece of real estate for trade. It was actually built as a fortress to protect the local population. Not until the 14th and 15th centuries was it then converted by aristocracy into a castle.
The castle contains great stories about Tristram and knights of the round table. There are several very good frescoes to enjoy and some very interesting period architecture. With any good castle, this one will take about forty-five minutes to hour to thoroughly discovery all it has to offer, including the views.
Our next blog will detail out hiking trip to Ober-Bozen and the Earth Pyramids.
The city of Bolzano, or Bozen, is a very modern city, fully equipped with everything that a modern person would want, trendy shopping, restaurants, very good transportation facilities and some very good hotels with all the creature comforts. It is more or less in the heart of South Tyrol.
Piazza Walther
The Tickets
Bozen/Bolzano offers a very good ticket package for travel and entry into many museum, castles and other venues in the surrounding area. The tickets are also good for the cable car and many trains, including the train that runs to Meran/Merano. The three day pass cost €30 at the time of this writing, but you will find that after a few cable car rides and museums, it has already paid for itself.
Südtirol AltoAdige MuseoMobile – Tickets For Two
The City
A mixture of the modern and the past, they have cleverly sculpted modern buildings, museums and stores into the fabric of past buildings. Of course, keeping in mind the past at all times, even the old hotels protect frescoes and other art when renovating, this is even evident outside.
The Laurin Hotel
Our hotel stay was at the Laurin, a beautiful four star hotel near the center of the city. It has all of the comforts of home and more.
The Hotel Laurin
The rooms are spacious and full of amenities, including slippers and spa robes. So if you are looking for a place in Bolzano to pamper you, this hotel should be on your list.
The Foyer
Hallway to Breakfast
Outside our Room Window
Our Room
The Bath
The Franciscan Monastery
The monastery is in very good condition with a portico that has a painted ceiling and several frescoes that depict the establishment of the Franciscan church.
The Franciscan Story
The following frescoes can be found in the church and offer a pedagogical study of the monastery and its teachings.
Bolzano Cathedral
This cathedral is known for its colorful roof and it does have one with a very distinctive pattern.
The Large Bronze Doors
Tower up close
The Roof from the Piazza
The Beautiful Altar
Restaurants
La Torcia
Very good Italian pizza and food for a very good price. They have the traditional wood fired pizza oven and very good wine from the tap.
Ristorante La Torcia
As you can see below the pizza looks amazing and it was delicious as well. The desserts, like most desserts in Tyrol, are amazing.
Pizza Prosciutto
Pizza Melanzane
Profiterole
Gelato and Lava Cake
Der Weisser Rössl
A Tyrolean restaurant offering all of the local special. It is actually rather large inside and probably can handle hundreds of locals and tourists at a time. However, while we were here they hardly filled the back garden area and a few tables inside, a sad sign of the times.
Weisser Roessl
The food however is actually quite good. I particularly enjoyed the Hungarian Gulash soup.
Onion Soup
Hungarian Gulash
Risotto
Wurst Teller
The Franziskaner Stuben
We ate at this restaurant for lunch and enjoyed it thoroughly. Try the Gnocchi plate or any pasta dish, they are great.
The fourth largest city in Switzerland and split by the Reuss river on the Vierwaldstättersee, or Lake Lucerne, lies Luzern. A pretty little city with ample bridges and pedestrian streets, where one can easily spend a few days relaxing and enjoying the fine Swiss hospitality of the people here, who speak a dialect of German called Alemannic. I found it impossible to understand and difficult sometimes even when they spoke High German, their dialect’s influence on their pronunciation being that profound.
Luzern On The River Reuss
Hotel Ameron
Our hotel was rather well situated. A block or two got us to the train station one way, the other we can cross the famous Kapellbrücke, or Chapel Bridge. So, it is an excellent place to start a tour of the city.
Hotel Ameron
The Chapel Bridge
The first, and most conspicuous point of interest to see, is the Kapellbrücke. Restored in 1993 after a major fire, some of its paintings survived and can be enjoyed with a casual walk across it to see its namesake church, Saint Peter’s Chapel, or just to get to the other side.
The above is a slideshow of the bridge and its adjacent water tower, or Wasserturm, but the tower has nothing to do with holding water. Rather, it is named so, because it is standing in water. It has had several uses in the past, but recently it now has a tourist shop located within, which is currently temporarily closed due to lack of tourism in the area.
The Spreuer Bridge
This Spreuer Bridge also spans the Reuss river and has a more interesting structure adjacent to it, a turbine house and assembly for generating electricity. It is no longer in use, and was closed in the 1970s due to high maintenance cost and difficulties finding parts.
Entrance To Spreuer Bridge
The bridge also contains the similar paintings as can be found on the Chapel Bridge, along with a small altar celebrating the Madonna.
When it was originally built, the destroyed by a storm, then rebuilt, then renovated
A short poem
Maria and baby Jesus
The Altar Chapel
The Altar Chapel
The water from the Reuss picks up speed rapidly after this bridge, as it is confined to a smaller space for the turbine to use. The rapids are swiftly moving and create quite a noise. Unfortunately in the video below, I thought the bridge was the Chapel bridge at the time, since it does have a small chapel or altar within it, so please ignore that comment.
The Musegg Mauer
The Musegg Mauer, or wall, is a long and imposing edifice of the city. It climbs the hill rapidly on the side of the Spreuer Bridge, starting at the Nölliturm, and ends almost at the other side of the city before Zürichstrasse, with the Dächliturm. The towers are arranged as seen below, some of which, like the Wachturm, can be visited.
The Towers and Their Arrangement
Information about the wall
Here is a short slideshow of our walk around the wall, up the Wachturm and along the top of its wall for some way.
Overlook of Luzern
Using the legend provided above, you should be able to identify each tower by its unique shape.
Luzern The City
The rest of the city is geared toward shopping, eating and tourism. It is clear that some shops have fallen on hard times have closed, others are temporarily closed or are opening on modified schedules. Here are some views as you walk through the city.
Interesting Doors
Old Shoemaker
Old Pharmacy
Old Pharmacy Exhibit
Franciscan Church
Interesting Doors
Interesting Doors
The Steps Always Go Up
Mispel Baum
Mispel Baum
One thing to note, the city is full of interesting looking doors and cornices. If you keep your eyes open you may see a few things you likely not see elsewhere.
The Lion Monument
Hidden across the Zürichstrasse and in the same area as the Glacier Garden, is the Lion Monument of Luzern. A carving out of solid rock in a very quiet and tranquil place in the middle of a city.
Glacier Gardens
The Lion Of Luzern
So, if you are looking for a relaxing spot to end your day of walking the town, this park will provide the quiet you need. It is open to the public for free, however, for the Glacier Gardens, there is a fee of 12CHF per person.
Overlook of Luzern
Restaurants
The Rathaus Brauerei
If you are hungry and need a bite to eat while walking around, or just need some good Swiss food, the Rathaus Brauerei may fit your needs. It has customary Swiss fare at a reasonable price. They even have expresso and a good selection of wine and beer to wash it down. We had soup, water, wine a large mixed salad, an order of Wurst with Sauerkraut, expresso and Sambuca, all for the reasonable Swiss price of 63CHF. I say reasonable, because all food in Switzerland is expensive. By the way, they have great mustard here, enjoy!
My Salad and Wurstchen Plates
Well that’s it for what we call a whirlwind tour of Luzern. Normally, we like to stay awhile in a place to get the real feel for it, but it was more of a waypoint for us on our way back to Turin. We were glad we stopped by to enjoy what it had to offer, even though it was still very quiet due to the affects of the pandemic.
