24 hours in Astana, what to do and what to see
This is the second instalment of my Kazakhstan series: after a couple of intense days in Almaty, the country’s largest city and former capital, I flew to the northern steppes to visit Astana, the city, which since 1997 has been Kazakhstan’s capital.
Astana was a really interesting place to visit, because while it is not an entirely new settlement, it has been fully transformed since its designation as a capital, with most of it having been built pretty much from scratch as a planned city.
In fact, Astana is still pretty much a work in progress and, was it not for the freezing temperatures, you would be forgiven for thinking you are at some of the fast-growing cities on the shores of the Persian Gulf.
Upon arrival at the airport you get a first taste of the type of architecture that you find throughout the city: essentially newly built structures, but often with a touch of tradition in them, which give them singularity.
Also at the airport, this mural which depicts some of the main landmarks that I visited during my 48 hiours in Astana and that we will soon see as we move further down this post.
Did you know that Astana has changed names thrice in as many decades?
The city was called Akmola in Soviet times. Then in 1997 it changed its name to Astana, which means “capital” in Kazakh languages. Then, again, in 2019 its name was changed to Nur-Sultan, in hounour to the then president Nursultan Nazarbayev. This latest change was shortlived, though, since following a wave of political protests in 2021, the name reverted to Astana once more!
Moving around Astana
Let’s start by saying that Astana is not really a walkable city.
It is not just the fact that it can get really hot in summer and freezing cold (like really, really cold, on the order of -40 C) in winter, but also that the urban design is not designed for pedestrians: there are large, broad avenues and big distances between the different landmarks, even within the city center.
In this regard, it has more in common with Dubai, Riyadh or certain American cities than with Almaty. If you like contemporary architecture and urban planning, though, it can be a really interesting city to visit.
Let’s see what is there to do and to see, where to eat and where to stay in Astana if your schedule is limited to a couple of days only.
Here you can see some sights from the restaurant Vechnoy Nebo (reviewed further below), which is located at the so-called “Moscow Tower”, one of the tallest buildings in downtown Astana.
Astana will soon have the tallest building in Central Asia, the 320m, 78 storey-high Abu Dhabi Plaza (below), the construction of which has been funded by the eponymous UAE Emirate.
When I visited Astana, the city had just held the Nomadic Games, which, as the name implies, is a sort of Olympics, but of sports and other physical activities that were (some still are!) practiced by nomadic peoples, of which Kazakhs used to be one. Think different styles of horse riding, archery and different modalities of fighting, among others.
Astana is also home to the largest mosque in Central Asia, and one of the largest in the world for that matter. Astana’s Grand Mosque is, in fact, so big that it is able to host up to 235,000 people inside! Here you can see it at dusk.
Another iconic building in Astana is the Khan Shatyr mall, which is shaped like a yurt, the traditional tent of Kazakhs and other nomadic peoples of Cental Asia. Inside it is just a normal mall, but it is quite an interesting building to see from outside, particularly in the evening, when it changes colours every few minutes.
Astana is full of contemporary monumental architecture, with long, broad avenues designed to create impressive perspectives.
The Baiterek monument
This egg-shaped 105m-tall structure is, perhaps, the most iconic sights in Astana. It was built to mark the transfer of the capital from Almaty to Astana, in 1997.
It is possible to get to the top of the egg, from where there are 360º views of Astana.
The National Museum of Kazakhstan
This museum covers the whole history of the lands that are now Kazakhstan, from the ancient times all the way to the present.
It is built on a grand, monumental scale and it is way more than an architectural shell, it does have some truly interesting collections inside.
As someone interested in ancient history, I found totally fascinating the rooms dedicated to the Scythians and other ancient nomadic peoples that once roamed the steppes of Kazakhstan and greater Central Asia.
These are cultures that are not very well known in the West despite having been quite influential in shaping settled empires from Europe to China. The clothing, jewellery and other arctifacts they produced were also absolutely stunning!
The museum offers also a glimpse into the life of the traditional way of life of the Kazakh people, which carried on pretty much undisturbed until the relatively late arrival of Russian and later Soviet rule.
And, while Nursultan Nazarbayev, last president of the Kazakh SSR and first president of independent Kazakhstan, fell somehow from grace in 2022 (when he was stripped of many of the official roles he held after resigning as president in 2019), he still has its place of honour at the museum.
Btw, did you notice this pyramid in the background? This is the next Astana landmarks, which we will visit!
Astana’s Palace of Peace and Reconciliation
This pyramid-shaped building is one of the most unique in Astana and definitely a must. Designed by the studio of renowned British architect Norman Foster, the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation is meant to be a sort of ecumenical center that brings together all religions and faiths of Kazakhstan (and, by extension, the whole world)
Like many other contemporary buildings in Astana, the pyramid is full of symbolic elements. Besides its architectural value, the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation is also a conference and event venue. Featuring an auditorium and several spaces designed to hold high level meetings.
It is possible to get to the very top level of the pyramid through a rather unique elevator that follows the outer contour of the building at roughly a 45º angle. At the lower floors you find be able to enjoy, yet, more views of the city (through the painted that highlight the overall peace theme of the building) as well as some rather interesting spaces that have an almost James-bondesque feel.
Where to eat in Astana
Sandyq
Sarayshyq St 34/3, Astana 010000
This restaurant, specializing in Kazakh cuisine is named after the wooden box (“sandyq”) in which nomadic Kazakh people used to keep their belongings when moving around the steppe.
It occupies several floors of a modern building in the center of Astana and it is decorated throughout to provide a proper “Kazakh” experience.
Sandyq is a great place to taste a mix of Kazakh specialities, such as the different varieties of cheese (which can be quite pungent and salty), soup (which is mixed also with cheese).
…and, of course, the quintessential Kazakh meat dish: horse meat!
There are also a number of rooms for group meals and, I must highlight that, while Sandiq’s set up and menu will certainly appeal to tourists, there were plenty of locals eating there too, including some birthday parties that at some point started singing Kazakh songs!
This was in addition to the repertoire of Kazakh music courtesy of the restaurant.
Restaurant Vechnoye Nebo
This is a restaurant specializing in the cuisine of the Turkic peoples, as represented by traditional female dresses, from all over Central Asia and all the way to the edges of Europe.
But besides the food and the ambience, one of the highlights of this restaurant (and perhaps its name, which in Russian means “eternal sky (heaven?)” is the 360º views it has over downtown Astana.
This is because it is located on one of the top floors of “Moscow Tower” one of the tallest buildings in Astana.
Restaurant Vechnoye Nebo (“Вечное небо”)
18, Dostyk Street BC “Moscow”, Floor 25, Astana
http://www.vechnoenebo-dostyq.kz
Here you will find a broad array of specialities from the Turkic culinary traditions (together with some international ones as well).
Restaurant Marcello
Turkistan Street 28, Astana 020000
https://www.instagram.com/marcello.restaurant
This is an Italian-style restaurant managed by a local restaurateur offering a cozy atmosphere in downtown Astana.
Besides the large and tasty pizzas it also offers a broad array of other dishes, including some touches of local Kazakh and Central Asian cuisine.
Where to stay in Astana
Sheraton Astana Hotel
Abu Dhabi Plaza Adreça: Syganak St 60/1, Astana 010000
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/tsesi-sheraton-astana-hotel/overview/
This is a modern hotel operated by the famous international chain. It is located within the grounds of Abu Dhabi Plaza, which includes, adjacent, the aforementioned tallest skyscraper in Astana.
The rooms are rather spacious and the bed is comfortably, although I would suggest caution when opening the cupboard doors: one of the compartments next to where the coffee machine is located opens upwards rather than sideways and activated with a mechanism that makes it bounce unexpectedly, so you can get easily hit in the face if too close to it (don’t ask me how I found about it!).
Tasting Kazakh cheese in Astana
Breakfast at the Sheraton Astana is a good opportunity to try different Kazakh specialities, particularly the cheeses, such as the ubiqutuous “kurt” (the tiny balls of salty cheese) and zhent (which has the look and texture of a sponge). If you like them, there is a supermarket right next to the hote, where you will find many of these traditional cheese types, well packed in an easy to transport way and at a good price!
Last but not least, a word of thanks to Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s national airline, which made this trip to Astana possible.
You can also check my flight reviews of Air Astana’s Economy and Business Class.
24 hours in Almaty, Kazakhstan, what to do and what to see
Almaty is Kazakhstan’s largest city and it was also its political capital until 1997, when the government moved to more centrally-located Astana (I did visit Astana in the same trip and a post with my impressions is coming up soon, btw!).
Kazakhstan is the size of whole of Western Europe and Almaty is literally at one of its corners, right on the foothills of the Tian Shan mountain range, which limits with Kyrgyzstan and China. The view of the Tian Shan’s snowy peaks is, actually, the first sight greeting visitors arriving at Almaty’s international airport (you can find also my review of Air Astana’s flight from Europe here).
These mountains play, actually, an important role in the life of Almaty’s residents and I had a chance to get a taster of them, but, since we have only 24 hours in the city, let’s go on a quick city tour first!
A walking tour of central Almaty
If you have ever been to any of the capitals of the former Soviet republics, some parts of Almaty will look familiar to you. Although Almaty has been settled for many centuries, it was during the Soviet period that the city grew to become one of Central Asia’s largest cities and that it got most of the landmarks I visited during this tour.
What is interesting about Almaty’s architecture, though, is that, interspersed with the classical Soviet-era styles (like the Opera palace depicted above), there are many elements that draw from local Kazakh culture.
As an example, these intricate motifs (right side picture), inspired in traditional Kazakh art, which decorate the facade of quite a few buildings in central Almaty. Judging by the type of construction, I’d say these are from around the 1970s.
Also remarkable is that most of central Almaty is laid out in a grid-like pattern, with rather wide streets intersecting at right angles. There is also quite a lot of greenery, since the city is not very densely built and there is ample space between buildings.
Our tour took place on a rainy Autumn day, which made for a nice walk in the cool (but not too cold!) air. I hope these pictures capture a little bit of the city atmosphere, like here below, at the head of Panfilov Street, one of the main pedestrianised avenues in Almaty.
A ride in the Almaty metro
Let’s start by saying that the metro (subway) in Almaty is rather limited, in fact it is not, properly speaking, a transport network, because, as of 2024, it has just one line.
What’s interesting here is that, while it was inaugurated in 2011 and part of it has been built even later, the style is unmistakably Soviet. This is not because its engineers suffered from some sort of nostalgia, but because the design and construction of the Almaty metro project actually started in the 1980s.
Apparently, every Soviet city qualified to get a metro system from the moment it reached a population of 1M. Almaty got to that magical figure (after some gerrymandering with the city limits, we were told during the excursion) only as the Soviet Union was starting to crumble. Plans were laid out, but the Soviet collapse and the chaotic years that ensued meant that the project was put on a very slow track, until it was restarted in the early 2000s. So, when it was time to get back to work on the metro, the same blueprints were used (why not?).
It is well worth taking a ride on the Almaty metro just to have a peek at the different mosaics and decor elements you find at several points.
But let’s first have a look at the metro map to get an idea of the extension of the system and, one thing of note: see the line of mountains on a blue background at the top of the map? This shows the Tian Shan mountain range, which Almaty citizens use always as a reference point when navigating their city. The mountains here help with orientation, the same way that the sea or rivers play in other cities as an geographical anchor element.
The other interesting element are the mosaics and mural art that you find all over the metro. These depict mostly Kazakh themes. Here above you can see a glass mural dedicated to Aport apple, which is a local apple variety which has become a source of local pride and a sort of symbol of Almaty.
But what I found most interesting are the many mosaics throughout the metro system that allude to local Kazakh culture (again those tile patterns!) as well as the history of Central Asia and the Silk Road.
See for example these depictions of ancient cities at Zhibek Zholy (Жібек Жолы) station. How many monuments and places are you able to recongize in this map of the Silk Road?
The city baths
Bath houses play an important role in Turkic culture (Kazakhs are a people of Turkic origin), so it’s not a surprise that another building of reference in Almaty is the Arasan public bath (today known as the “Arasan Wellness & SPA”).
It was built in the 1980s in response to Tashkent, in neighbouring Uzbekistan (and a rival for urban primacy in Central Asia) having built earlier its own bath complex.
It’s a rather modern interpretation of the traditional public bath concept with plenty of interesting decorative details built in.
Panfilov Park, Ascension Cathedral and Memorial of Glory
This is sort of Almaty’s “central park”. Although it is not huge, it has several of the city’s landmarks in it, such as the Orthodox cathedral of the Ascension, which was built in wood and using a rather innovative (for the time) earthquake-resistant approach that has allowed to survive undamaged several episodes of seismic activity.
The park is named after Panfilov’s “28 Guardsmen”, a mostly-Kazakh unit in the Soviet army that suffered very high losses while defending Moscow in 1941.
Like every city in the former Soviet Union, Almaty has here, as well, its WW2 memorial with its eternal flame. There is also a military history museum next to the park, although there was no time to visit it.
The Green Bazaar
The Green Bazaar is located less than five minutes walk away from Panfilov Park and it is one of the must-see places in Almaty, if only to relish in the broad diversity of flavours and smells here. It is also a good spot to taste and buy traditional Kazakh produce, such as the famous Aport apples or Irimshik, a sort of brownish soft cheese.
The bazaar is very well organized by product category (dried fruit, pickled food, dairy, meat…) and by ethnicity. So, it seems that every national group specializes in one type of produce. For example, we were told dried food vendors are mostly Uzbek, while the dairy section is mostly taken care of by Turkish women.
There is also a Korean section (see below). Many ethnic Koreans were deported to Kazakhstan from the Far Eastern territories of Russia on Stalin’s orders around the time of WW2 and they are now a sizeable minority in Kazakhstan. Because of the lack of the original ingredients in their new homeland, Koreans adapted some of their dishes to the local produce and tastes.
Aport apples
Irimshik cheese
An evening walk through Almaty
Days are short in Autumn, so part of the walking tour took place in the evening, which is something that has its own appeal.
Here is a view of two landmarks of 1970s brutalist architecture in Kazakhstan. On the right is the building that used to house the Ministry of Geology, a pretty important institution in a country that derives much of its wealth from natural resources!
The building with the crown-like top to the left is the Kazakhstan Hotel. Arguably the top hotel in town for many years and, still today, one of the city’s main hospitality establishments.
At just over 100m high, the Kazakhstan Hotel was also, at the time of its construction, the tallest building in the country. It was also built with seismic activity in mind and its structure is said to be able to stand earthquakes of up to 9.0 in the Richter scale. In fact, the structure was successfully tested during its construction with a special machine that shook it up simulating a strong earthquake, with the chief architect and engineers on top (skin in the game!).
During our walk we were also able to see several of the statues scattered around central Almaty, with very different themes. For example, here on top you can see a fountain that represents the Kazakh horoscope (similar to the Chinese one) and, below, a statue dedicated to Soviet-era rock star Victor Tsoi.
Another iconic hotel in town is the Almaty Hotel, which was has a surprisingly modern-looking design despite having been built in the 1960s (the interior has been renovated but the structure remains the same).
Curious historical fact: the first director of the hotel, Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev, was the Soviet soldier that hoisted the red flag over the Reichstag during the Battle of Berlin, in 1945 (the iconic photo was a later reenactment, though).
The entrance of the Almaty Hotel is also decorated with these beautiful mosaic depicting scenes from Kazakh traditional tales.
More street art, here in an underground passage. Note, again, the Aport apple theme!
And, here, with this picture of the Kazakh Academy of Sciences, that we conclude our tour of the city centre. Before turning to the outdoor experience in the mountains, though, a word about the excellent tour guide, provided by Walking Almaty.
Shymbulak ski resort
Almaty is surrounded by great outdoors, including some world-class natural parks. You don’t even need to go as far as Altyn-Emel or Charyn Canyon (two truly unique national parks which are within driving range of Almaty, but which are, perhaps, best visited with an overnight stay), truly Alpine nature is a short taxi and cable-car ride away from the city center!
Shymbulak, is a suburban ski resort. The base station of the Shymbulak cable car is barely a 15min drive from Almaty city center (provided there is no traffic!).
The cable car will take you in a few minutes to a height of more than 2,200 meters of altitude. In Winter this is where the skiing area starts, but you can visit year round for the mountain sights, trekking (it was rainy and cloudy when we visited though) or to enjoy the restaurants and services (more on this in the food section further down).
These mountains are very popular with Almaty residents, who come here for a bit of outdoors sports and to breathe the fresh mountain air.
It is in this valley, half way up the mountain, that you find the Medeu skating ring, the highest in the world of its type. This sports facility became famous during Soviet times, because local conditions of altitude and prevailing low winds enabled many ice skating world records to be set here!
We arrived just in time to experience the first snow of the season!
Where to stay in Almaty
Intercontinental Hotel Almaty
This is a nice, modern hotel. The rooms (and bathroom) are big. The staff were also very friendly and helpful.
I also enjoyed the breakfast very much, since it include a broad variety of sweet and salty foods as well as international and Kazakh specialities, including different types of local cheese as well as camel and horse milk and dairy!
Where to eat in Almaty
Here are some nice options to eat out in Almaty and Shymbulak. It is mostly international cuisine (Italian and Turkish mostly), so don’t expect super typical Kazakh dishes here (you will have to wait to my upcoming post about Astana for this!), but all of them were pretty good and you can’t go wrong with them.
Monte Bambini, Shymbulak
This is a cozy mountain restaurant next to the base station of the Shymbulak cable car. Here you can find a mix of European and Central Asian specialities.
Big Chefs, Shymbulak
Big Chefs is also in Shymbulak but at the other end of the cable car, up in the mountain.
Turkish cuisine is the main focus here. The mezze, for example, were really good and the portions quite generous. There is also a nice dessert selection.
Aurora Café, Almaty
This is an upmarket Italian restaurant in central Almaty (with a nice aeronautical touch by the entrance!).
It’s got a pretty good selection of dishes, which include also some Central Asian shashlik, of course, besides more international fare.
And last, but not least, big thanks to the team at Air Astana, the main airline of Kazakhstan, which worked hard to make sure we experienced the best of Almaty during our short but intense stay!
In the footsteps of Napoleon on the island of Elba
Arriving to Elba on the Windstar Wind Surf
There is a tiny island off the coast of Tuscany where Napoleon Bonaparte was king for less than a year.
This short period of time, however, was more than enough to leave its imprint and more than two centuries later, the name of Elba appears inextricably linked to that of the emperor of the French and there are, indeed, quite a few sites on the island connected to this historical figure.
But you would be wrong to assume that Napoleon is all that the island of Elba has to offer!
In fact, even without the Napoleonic stuff, Elba is an amazing destination on its own right just on account of its natural and historical heritage. We had the chance to visit recently in the month of July (perfect summer weather!) and, while we spent less than 12 hours on it, I can say that it was one of the highlight stops of our Windstar Cruises sailing around the Western Mediterranean.
So, let’s see what awaits the visitor in Portoferraio, the capital of Elba!
By the way, please, note that, while Elba is relatively small, this post covers only a tiny part of it, there are also a couple of other notable settlements, like Porto Azurro, numerous beaches and some mountainous areas (which get to a height of more than 1,000 meters). So, I would not rule out another visit in the future!
What to do and what to see in Portoferraio, Elba
Our visit started in the port of Portoferraio, where our ship, Windstar Wind Surf, arrived in the early hours of the morning.
If you asked some generative AI to draw some postcard-perfect picture of a picturesque Italian Mediterranean historical port city, it would possibly come up with something similar to Portoferraio!
And the first one to greet us literally off the ship’s gangway was…Napoleon himself! as well as Cosimo de Medici, because, while the Buonaparte gets most of the attention nowadays, the island of Elba is also linked to another of the great names of European history, the Medicis, which controlled the island for some time in the 16th C.
As far as the public space is concerned, though, Napoleon is all over the place, with this effigy and other associated symbology being ubiquitous in Portoferraio.
The cruise dock was just within walking distance of the historical center of Portoferraio, so just a quick and pleasant stroll away from the main sights.
Portoferraio is located at the tip of a rocky cape at one edge of a bay on the central-northern shore of the island. The port and the old town are surrounded by a line of small ridges that give it a semi-circular shape, not unlike some sort of theater auditorium which leans towards the sea.
Adding to the natural defense provided by the hills, on the land side Portoferraio is enclosed by the walls of Forte Falcone, the hilltop fortress that dominates the old town.
So, given our limited time onshore, we skipped the shops and cafés around Piazza Cavour, the most commercial area, located right next to the quays, and opted to walk uphill across the old town towards Palazzina dei Mulini, which was Napoleon’s residence during this stay on Elba (he used also another mansion on the mountain side of the island as a summer residence).
This was not just out of interest for Napoleonic history, but also quite practical, since the museum-residence is located on the far side of the old town and the way there offers a chance to walk right through the center of town and also get some nice views from its upper side.
It gets uphill very quickly in Portoferraio. The whole town is built on the slopes of a hill and, as soon as you get a couple of streets off the main commercial street it’s all small narrow streets, sometimes turning literally into stairs due to the steepness.
If you are looking for the “Mediterrannean vibe”, though, you will find plenty here!
So, a few hundred steps later we made it to Napoleon’s palace or, shall we say “villa” or “residence” since its proportions are not out of tune with the place.
To our surprise, though, we found out that it only opens at 2pm!
This proved to be a blessing in disguise, because we, then, decided to explore the nearby beach, called Spiaggia delle Viste (or “Beach of the sights”) and we were not disappointed!
The beach, a little cove with steep cliffs on both sides, is located just underneath Napoleon’s residence and it is accessed through a which you can access through a ramp just meters away from the museum entrance.
The beach was not crowded at all despite its proximity to the urban center, the cliffs and the exuberant vegetation gives it a protected feel. Also, the water was crystalline and a tad warm. Warning: it is a rocky beach, so it is full of pebbles, which I personally like, but I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea!
By the way, what is this?! is the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Squadron still keep an eye on the Buonaparte, lest he escapes and wreaks havoc in Europe again?!
Where to eat in Portoferraio, Elba
Ristorante Le Viste, https://www.ristoranteleviste.com
The only structure on the beach is the restaurant Le Viste, where we had lunch.
While not super cheap, Le Viste turned out to be a great place to have something to eat or to drink while enjoying the pristine waters of the Le Viste beach.
In our case, it was just right to get some shelter from the midday sun after bathing, change clothes and have some light meal and refreshments before heading for the museum in the early afternoon.
Visiting the Palazzina dei Mulini - Napoleon’s museum and villa on Elba
So, after our second attempt and about half an hour of queueing under the sun (yep, apparently we were not the only Napoleonic-histroy buffs in town that day!), we got into the Palazzina dei Mulini.
The residence itself is not too big (particularly if considering it housed not just the Emperor but part of his family and retinue).
It is a two-floor villa, and has been restored to how it may have looked like during the few months that Bonaparte lived here.
Note the neoclassical, Empire-style furniture throughout (although apparently Napoleon preferred to sleep in his own simple military campaign bed, even when indoors!)
I’d say the best of Palazzina dei Mulini are its gardens, which are quite something, though, pretty pleasant and with great views of the Mediterranean sea.
This place may have felt too small for a man that aspired to rule most of Europe, but in and by itself, Palazzina dei Mulini would make for an awesome summer residence!
The Napoleonic heritage on Elba
It may have been a short lived reign (although Bonaparte, in its usual hyperactive drive, implemented quite sweeping political and economic reforms on the island) but Elbans do certainly remember Napoleon.
It is simply not possible to walk around Portoferraio without stumbling upon references to Napoleon right and left. I have tried to collect here some of them.
There are other sites in Portoferraio that are very closely linked to Napoleon, such as the Theater of the Vigilanti, which is a former church that Bonaparte transformed into a small-scale opera house, or a cultural center (named after a local Napoleonic officer, De Laugier), which hosts exhibits about the Emperor. Since our ship’s departure time was 6pm, we didn’t have that much time left, though.
So, we just skipped those and opted for another walk around the historical center of Portoferraio on our way back to the ship. Here are some of the snaps we took along the way.
So, this short but intense trip to Elba ended where it started, in the docks, that once saw Napoleon and a small number of followers embarking for France and the period that has come to be known as the “100 Days” before he was again beaten at Waterloo…
But this is a story behind the scope of this post, which just aimed to pinpoint and showcase some of the very interesting sights on Elba and the activities you can do there, even in a short time.
I think Elba is a perfect example of underrated destination. While it is not short of historical and natural charms, it rarely gets mentioned among the places that deserve a visit in this part of Italy.
My theory is that the small stretch of water that separates it from the mainland makes it too much of an effort to get to for the many tourists that have, in any case, their hands full with plenty of other interesting places in the Tuscan mainland. Nevertheless, it is a destination that I recommend very much visiting. In this regard, cruises like Windstar’s are a perfect way to get there.
By the way, to see where this amazing Mediterranean journey took us next, check out our comprehensive review of the Windstar Cruises Wind Surf!
Around the Mediterranean in style on Windstar Cruises Wind Surf
Cruise ships come in all shapes and sizes, but only a few of them are able to provide something akin to the super-yacht experience.
We are not just talking about a matter of scale (although this matters quite a lot too!) but of an entire philosophy that permeates every element of the experience. This is in addition to the truly unique wow factor that comes from sailing on one of only a handful of sail-powered cruise ships out there.
This is why, the moment the opportunity came up to sail the Mediterranean onboard Windstar Cruises Wind Surf, we didn’t think it twice!
What follows is our account of an unforgettable journey sailing through the incredibly blue waters of the Western Mediterranean, from Civitavecchia, near Rome, to Palamós, in the heart of the Catalan Costa Brava (you will find the itinerary on Windstar Cruises website as “Yachtman’s Harbors of the Rivieras”.
Keep reading for a detailed review of how the Windstar Cruises experience is like!
The journey was courtesy of Windstar Cruises. Opinions are all our own.
The Ship
The ship which took us on this Mediterranean journey, “Wind Surf” is one of only two ships of its kind ever built (the other being “Club Med 2”, which operates for the eponymous French tour-operator).
These two sibling ships happen to be also the two largest active sailing ships in the world (by length) and have quite some story behind…
Both ships were ordered by Windstar Cruises from a French shipyard in the late 1980s, but ownership changes at Windstar at the time put the project at risk. This is when Club Med stepped in. The French company took over the two ships and, upon completion, put them in service with the names “Club Med 1” and “Club Med 2”.
In 1998, Windstar Cruises was finally able to acquire one of the two, “Club Med 1”, and add it to its fleet after giving it its current name: “Wind Surf”.
At 14,700 tons and 617 ft (188m) of length, Wind Surf is small by the standards of a cruise industry that has got used to launching ever larger ships, but this is the whole point.
Wind Surf’s most eye-catching feature, the one that captures the attention (and the imagination!) of people onshore wherever it turns up is, of course, its superstructure, with five 67.5-meter-high masts and the accompanying rigging.
To be clear, Wind Surf is a hybrid, which is is mostly propelled by diesel engines. Wind, however, plays a key role, not just when it comes to helping propel the ship, but also in confering it a rather unique personality.
When making full use of wind power, Wind Surf propulsion is assisted by 7 triangular sails. These are rolled out through a full automated mechanism every day as the ships gets underway.
Wind Surf can carry up to 342 passengers and a crew of around 210. A passenger to crew ratio which gives you an idea of the type of personalized service Windstar Cruises strives to provide.
The ship has a total of six decks. There are 150 staterooms on decks 2 and 3 and 18 ocean view suites on deck 5. Those looking for an even more exclusive experience have a choice of 2 deluxe ocean view bridge suites and…wait for it…an “Officer’s Suite” which is located within the officer's quarters!
Most of the ship’s common areas are on Deck 4.
Here you find the reception, which is on duty 24/7, the excursions counter, a shop, a library, some workspaces, and a large lounge area (where some of the live entertainment and the pre-excursion briefings take place) with its own indoors café, as well as one of the ships’ restaurants, “Amphora” (more on food and drink onboard shortly!)
Before we proceed further, a note here about the elegant but unpretentious, no-nonsense decor style found throughout the ship, which we quite liked. It definitely adds to the authenticity of the overall experience.
The dominant pastel and wood-like tones inside and white-washed outside, both with touches of deep blue, do also a great job in setting the maritime yacht-like atmosphere.
On a schooner-like ship like Wind Surf, a big part of the action happens outside, whether it’s at the poolside terrace and bar, eating outdoors at the Veranda restaurant or simply sunbathing or walking along the decks while contemplating the Mediterranean coastline.
In this regard, one of the ship’s focal points is astern: the poolside area.
Wind Surf has a small pool, which, while not large enough to swim in it, is ideal to relax as you float and let the motion of the ship swing you around. There are two other adjacent warm-water hydro-massage tubs which provide great views of the landscape around.
Sun beds and a bar, which will prepare pretty much whichever cocktail you fancy on the spot, complete this particularly popular section of the ship.
Those of you that like to enjoy the sea breeze will be happy to know that there are two other partly open decks, 5 & 6, that allow you to walk the whole length of the ship, a full 360 degrees.
Deck 5 is, astern, quite similar in structure to the pool deck and located right above it, but instead of the pools, it has a larger bar with some indoor space that becomes the ship’s focal point late in the evening, when it usually hosts live music shows.
Also on Deck 5, but indoors and amidship, you find the Spa (more of this later) and, closer to the ship’s bow, the bridge. In this regard, We were positively surprised by the friendliness of the captain and crew, who showed us around when we happened to walk by.
By the way, in case you were wondering this is what the bridge of Wind Surf looks like!
Keep going up and you get to Deck 6 (the top one). Here you can get really, really close to the rigging and it is the best spot from where to watch the unfurling of the sails. This takes place every evening to the sound of some really epic music by Greek composer Vangelis.
It is pretty amazing to watch how, thanks to the automated mechanism, it takes only a few minutes for all seven sails to be rolled out.
It is also on this deck, on the bow side, that you find Wind Surf’s other restaurants: Veranda/Candles (partly outdoors) and Stella (which is fully indoors).
This deck, particularly the platform right above the ship’s bow, is a great place to enjoy the actual sailing sensation.
The state rooms
As mentioned earlier, there are different types of cabins, the vast majority of them are state rooms and all of our comments refer to this type of accommodation.
Our state room was on Deck 3, but I think they are all pretty similar regardless of the deck you are in.
You can move up and down the different decks either through the stairs or by using the lift. We used the former option most of the time, since distances within the ship are always short and it can be much faster to just walk than wait for the lift.
So, without further ado, let’s get into the room to see how they look like…
State rooms are 188 sq ft (17.46 sq m) and are fitted with a queen size bed and an ensuite bathroom.
I was very positively impressed by a number of tiny details in the room.
Let’s start by the Queen Size bed, which, we can attest, is truly comfortable. It’s got good natural light, but also lamps and a couple of reading lights. There’s a flat screen TV with a DVD player as well (tbh, we didn’t use it at all, since we seldom watch TV, but some may find it useful to know that it’s there).
But, do you what’s the one thing that we really, really liked? The two round portholes!
Yes, I am aware that nowadays most cruise ships have balconies, and these are cool, but…portholes? That give you the feeling to be sleeping onboard a real ship! And, you know what? If you like balconies, I’ve got news for you…pretty much the whole three upper-most decks of Wind Surf are, in essence, a large interconnected balcony, with plenty of space to sit down, lay down or sunbathe.
More stuff: there is plenty of space for storage, there’s a whole cupboard and a large amount of drawers and shelves, so we never felt the space was tight.
There is also a desk, which comes in very handy to shift through the trip’s papers and is also stocked with some fresh fruit.
Then some of the usual amenities: a safe, a mini-bar, hair-dryer, etc. There are also robes available.
Another pleasant suprise is that there are also universal electricity plugs (since Windstar Cruises is an American company and most passengers are from the US, I had brought a US-EU adapter, but it turned out not to be necessary!).
The bathroom is about as big as it can be in this kind of setting, but pretty well fitted.
It’s got a spacious sink top. It must have a really efficient air circulation mechanism because things, like wet swimming suits, dry really fast, despite the confined space.
Also, the shower is really nice, powerful! (perfect to rinse the salt out and freshen up after a water sports session at the marina).
There is also a set of L’Occitane toiletries.
The restaurants
One aspect of the Wind Surf experience we particularly enjoyed was food and drink.
Let’s start by saying that all meals are included in any of the four restaurants onboard, which is great. Also, regardless of each of the restaurants offering a somehow different type of experience (some elements, like the wine list were common to all, though), the food was really great in all of them.
There are four (in fact, three, if you count Veranda and Candles as one) restaurants onboard Wind Surf:
Veranda, which is on the top deck, partly outdoors, and is the only place open for buffet breakfast and lunch
Candles, which is, basically, Veranda but turned into an à-la-carte, reservation-required restaurant in the evenings
Amphora, which is the largest of the ship’s restaurants and located on the main deck
Stella Bistro, on the top deck indoors, specializes in French cuisine and it is, possibly, the poshest of the lot.
One important thing to bear in mind, though, is that while Veranda and Amphora work on a first-come-first-served basis, Stella Bistro and Candles, require advance reservation and our advice is to book early in the trip because they fill in really fast!
And, btw, Windstar Cruises has a partnership with the James Beard Foundation, a non-profit organization based in the US which aims to elevate the culinary arts. Some of the dishes onboard have the James Beard Foundation stamp.
Shortly below we will proceed to offer a glimpse of each of them.
Next a word about the ships’ bars. There are three of them, two astern, on decks 4 (poolside) and 5, and one indoors at the ship’s Lounge.
It’s important to note that, while all meals and non-alcoholic drinks are included for all passengers, it is not the case for wine and other alcohol drinks (and this includes the meals you have at restaurants).
If you are on an all-inclusive package, you get all drinks, no matter which one, by-the-glass. Otherwise you need to purchase your drinks individually or buy one of the day packages.
Whether you drink or not, is your decision, now, if you do, it may be a good idea to make sure your package includes drinks, since Wind Surf is stocked with a good wine cellar (at this point, special mention gotes to head sommelier Eleonora, which provided great recommendations throughout the trip!) and their staff can really prepare nice cocktails!
So, as promised, let’s go have a look at each of the restaurants. During our trip we had a chance to try all of them at least once and here is a summary of our experience.
Please note that the menu may vary with time and route!
Veranda
This is the most casual of the lot. As the name implies, it is located (partly) outdoors, on the top deck, although it does have space indoors too.
This is the only place to have breakfast and lunch, mostly from a buffet with both cold and warm dishes, although you can order some things à-la-carte too.
The buffet offers pretty much the same basic choices daily, although with some variations. The à-la-carte offering varies a bit every day, particularly when it comes to items such as fish.
Some of the food is prepared outside, where there is an open grill.
We would say the main thing with Veranda is choosing the right table for the time of the day in order not to get too much direct sun, since not all tables have cover. If in the Mediterranean in the middle of the summer it can get really hot already quite early in the morning!
Below are some snapshots of our meals at Veranda, to give you an idea.
Candles
Location-wise, Candles is the same as Veranda, but in the evening it becomes an à-la-carte restaurant and advance reservation is required.
We particularly enjoyed the fish dishes here!
Amphora
This is the everyday restaurant for dinner when onboard. You don’t need an advance reservation, you just show up and wait to be seated (which, at least in our case, was always immediately, since the place is rather big!), which makes it often the “default” option for dinner.
However, don’t let this casual approach mislead you, Amphora is a proper sit-down restaurant offering a pretty good quality experience, both in terms of food, service and atmosphere.
If anything, it gets, perhaps, a bit less of natural light than the other venues, mostly due to the fact that is located one deck down.
We had dinner a few times at Amphora, so here is a collection of images of what we had.
Amphora Meal 1:
Tomato Tart
Seared U10 Scallops
Vitello Tonato
Pan-roasted sea bream
Amphora Meal 2:
Slow-braised octopus
Spanakopita
Duck leg confit
We particularly liked this Californian Cabernet Sauvignon (thanks for the recommendation to sommelier Eleonora!)
Amphora Meal 3:
Stella
This is possibly the most “upmarket” of all of Wind Surf’s restaurants.
French Parisian Bistro
It requires reservation and we advise it you do it early in the trip. We left it for our second day and it was actually quite hard to find a spot, although staff made a good effort to finally accommodate us!
It is located on the top deck, right next to Veranda/Candles, but inside and closer to the ship’s bow.
Really nice layout and a bit more airy and with more natural light than Amphora.
The food was also excellent. Which one we like the most? It’s hard to say and I’d say it comes down to the specific dishes. The wine list was the same for both restaurants and here I must add a special mention to the Wind Surf’s sommelier in chief, Eleonora, which was a nice and very insightful guide in our choice of wines throughout the whole week (she shuttles between the different restaurants).
Amenities
So what else can you expect onboard a Windstar cruise. In this section we have tried to summarize several other aspects of the experience.
The fact is that, even on such a relatively small ship, there is so much to do that ultimately you have to be selective. What we describe here is what we did and it is just a cross-section of what is available.
Onboard Wifi
Wind Surf is equipped with SpaceX Starlink satellite connectivity, which provides fast and reliable internet everywhere, also when on the high seas.
Take into account, though, that, just as with the drinks allowance, access to Starlink depends on the package you are on. In any case, it can be purchased separately.
The onboard Starlink pass gives access to one device at a time, although it can be switched between devices depending on what you need the connectivity for.
Bear in mind that, if you have an EU mobile phone with a data plan, you may get internet access while on port and close to shore (thanks to the EU’s roaming directive), but as soon as the ship sets sail, you will need to log into the ship’s satellite network to get reliable connectivity.
Whether you have Starlink access or not, all passengers have access to a number of websites (these includes the Windstar Cruises as well as many major airlines and other travel-related resources. It also gives access to a digital media kiosk which gives access to several major media outlets.
Spa & Fitness
Wind Surf has also its own onboard spa, which offers a broad selection of treatment. These must be booked in advance and are paid separately.
In my case, I opted to undergo a postural and walking assessment, conducted by one of the onboard spa specialists. This included a postural evaluation, an analysis of the feet position when walking and a 40-minute session to practice some exercises for postural health.
While technically booked at the spa, this was done at the onboard gym.
This gym is relatively small (the right size for the ship, since it was never crowded), but well equipped with fitness machines, weights and other equipment. It also has lots of natural light, since it is located on the top deck.
Shows, music and entertainment
Shows and other social functions take place pretty much daily during the trip, usually in the evenings.
Dont’t expect, however, the sort of large theater-like spectacles you find on large cruise ships. On Windstar everything is much more intimate.
This is the case of the live music performance that takes place every night at the Deck 4 bar, for example.
We also enjoyed a Pub Quiz evening, brilliantly conducted by PJ, a South African crew member that acts as the ship’s master of ceremonies.
Other occasions that provided an opportunity to meet personally the crew and other fellow passengers were an evening drink with the captain, a thematic evening dedicated to learning about Polynesia (a part of the world where Windstar Cruises has quite a lot of activity) and a star-gazing meeting at the bridge at night, with the guidance of Wind Surf’s captain and other officers.
There was also a show evening at the Lounge in which several members of the crew performed several dances from their countries of origin as well as some humoristic sketches, everything conducted again by the very talented PJ!
This account wouldn’t be complete without a mention to two other special, and rather tasty!, treats that we got to enjoy in the perfect weather of the Cote d’Azur:
One was the ice-cream evening by the pool - no further ado needed.
The second, and on a much, much larger scale, was the outdoor dinner-barbequeue that all passengers were invited to join while the ship was anchored of Cannes.
Massive amounts of super-fresh food was cooked and served on deck in a casual, festive atmosphere. The evening was also amenized by live music. Below is a collection of pictures from that evening to give you an idea of the scale of it all.
And if we are talking about the “soft” aspects of the experience, we would also like to highlight the level of attention and service from the ship’s crew, particularly from the crew member assigned to take care of our state room (thanks Raysid!), which kept leaving small nice details for us to find when coming back from shore! Here’s a small sample :)
Excursions
An integral part of every cruise experience are, of course, the shore excursions and Windstar is no exception!
In this regard, the relatively small size of Wind Surf becomes a big plus, because it allows it to call at the smaller ports no other cruises are able to enter or, simply, dock offshore and offer a combination of excursions and water sports (both are feasible if you time your shore visits well!).
At every stop, usually 4-5 shore excursions are offered, with different intensity and duration (from 2 to 8 hours). Unless you are on an all-inclusive package excursions are contracted separately, with prices ranging from some $60 for things like a walking tour of Cannes to something like $250-300 for longer outings, which in some cases included wine tastings and other activities.
It is recommended to book in advance because spots are limited and the most popular excursions fill up fast. Assembly is usually at around 8-8.30am.
Those going on shore excursions have access to quite a lot of prep info, starting with a briefing the day before at the ship’s lounge, which provides not just practical tips, but also some cultural and historical context about each destination. You also get a one pager delivered to your room (these resources can also be accessed digitally on the ship’s portal)
When Wind Surf anchors off-shore, such as at Portofino, Montecarlo, Cannes and Sanary-sur-Mer, the ship’s auxiliary launches are used to shuttle passengers to and from shore (there is always a small Windstar branded tent onshore by the embarkation/disembarkation point).
This, in my opinion, gives to this type of smaller cruises and extra allure!
We went to shore at all the ports or towns that Wind Surf stoped at, although we only took one organized excursion, during our Cannes stop to the nearby town of Antibes.
A group of some 20-30 of us left Cannes in a bus together with a local guide, who showed us around the old town of Antibes (which has Ancient Greek origins and is one of the oldest cities in Southern France).
Our program was roughly as follows:
8.15am Assembly and transfer by launch to the port of Cannes
9am Bus to Antibes (which is some 15 miles distant)
9.30 to 12.30 Guided tour of Old Antibes, a relatively small but charming little seaside town, complete with a castle and a lively fresh food market. The tour included also an a taste of absinthe at a local historical bar.
13.00 Back onboard
Our Itinerary: Civitavecchia (Rome) to Palamós
While the purpose of this post is to describe the experience onboard Wind Surf, the itinerary and choice of ports is, of course, is also an essential element of the journey.
Sailing in the Mediterranean is synonymous with landscape and history overload, so we provide here just an outline of each, and have decided to describe each of them in a series of separate posts.
Portoferraio, Elba
A beautiful little island, the largest of the Tuscan archipelago, and renowned for being the first place of exile of Napoleon Bonaparte. While it is certainly a must for Napoleonic-era buffs, there is a lot more than Bonaparte on Elba, including a picturesque steep old town and some amazing beaches.
Portofino (and Cinque Terre)
A postcard-perfect colourful seaside hamlet which encapsulates the essence of the “poshest” Italian Riviera. It is also a stepping stone to explore other beautiful spots along the Ligurian coast, even the somehow distant, but still pretty accessible by public transport, Cinque Terre.
Montecarlo
A European classic, the world’s second smallest country and a billionaire’s lair. Getting into Montecarlo from the sea is quite the experience!
Cannes (Antibes)
Cannes is famous because of its connection to the world of cinema and, while we gave the modern city a pass, it is also a hub to explore other locations along the Côte d’Azur (as we did visiting nearby Antibes).
Sanary-sur-Mer
This was quite a discovery! I must confess I hadn’t heard of this small, colourful seaside town before, but it fit the program perfectly. Just the right size for a mid-morning visit, stroll along the pleasant quais, climb the town’s old tower and do some shopping around.
Palamós
The largest port in the Catalan Costa Brava. While the town of Palamós is nothing to write home about (it was aesthetically destroyed by 1970s architecture). It is a hub to visit some beautiful spots in the area, such as the medieval villages of Pals and Peratallada or some of the nearby coves and beaches. We actually ended our cruise here, since we had planned to stay a few more days in the Costa Brava area and it made more sense logistically to skip the last night of the cruise.
Barcelona
Not much to add here! One of Europe’s great cities and one we are not neutral about, since we call it home!
Each of these places has a charm of its own, but we would say that what remains constant is the awe that the presence of Wind Surf generated among those watching it from afar!
Water sports at the Wind Surf marina
We have left for the last what is, in our opinion, one of the highlights of a Mediterranean cruise on Wind Surf: the marina.
When the ship is at anchor, weather permitting, the area astern of deck 2 becomes a water sports platform from 10am to 12pm and from 1pm to around 4-5pm.
Forget about material things. This is what true luxury is about!
Whether you are into active water sports, such as kayaking or paddle surf, or you just wish to chill out on an inflatable platform within sight of iconic landmarks like the Montecarlo skyline, the Wind Surf marina has you sorted! Just show up an enjoy. Towels and equipment are provided.
There are, of course, some limitations, such as, not venturing further than some 100m from the ship, but overall, it is pure bliss!
So, in summary, what’s our overall impression of Windstar’s Wind Surf cruise?
We’ve got some experience with cruises, including some high end ones on relatively small ships, and Windstar’s is certainly unlike any other cruise we’ve been on.
It is not about the, let’s say, “classic”, more material, idea of luxury, although on this account Windstar also scores high (particularly on the culinary front!), but about being able to do things that are accessible if on a small ship: water sports at some of the most exclusive spots on the Cote d’Azur, accessing small ports, star-gazing in the company of an experienced sea captain and so on…
Also, the uniqueness of Wind Surf. Granted, sails only provide part of the propulsion, but, still, it is nice to sail on such a majestic ship. There is something special about watching the coast fade in the distance from the wooden deck as the sail unfurl: the feeling of connection to the sea and to thousands of years of maritime history.
48 hours in Chisinau, Moldova - what to do and what to see
Moldova is, perhaps, one of the most less well known destinations in Europe.
Wedged between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova has faced its fair share of challenges since becoming independent in 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
In addition to a fragile economy, the war in neighbouring Ukraine has added to Moldova’s already complicated geopolitical situation. A slice of Moldovan territory has, for the last three decades, been controlled not by the country’s internationally recognized government, but by a separatist entity backed by Russia, resulting in a chronified source of tension.
Nevertheless at the time of writing these lines, and despite these lingering problems, Moldova is looking at the future with some renewed optimism after having received EU candidate status. Enhanced air connectivity, currently provided both by local airlines like Flyone and pan-European low cost carrier Wizz Air and with perspectives to keep growing, as participants in the 2024 Aviation-Event can attest, is also helping develop the tourism industry in Moldova, still small but with plenty of potential.
The fact is that all these geopolitical issues fade in the background when visiting Chisinau, particularly if the weather is nice, like it was the case during this trip!
Arriving to Chisinau
Before jumping onto the Moldovan capital’s main attractions, a couple of visual treats for aviation enthusiasts!
Btw, Chisinau airport is rather pleasant and built at a rather human scale. It appears to have been refurbished at some point in the last few years, since its rather functional and modern inside.
It is also quite close to the city center (a 15-20min drive).
What to see in central Chisinau
Let’s start by saying that there isn’t one major, iconic landmark in Chisinau.
Don’t expect to find a Tour Eiffel or Big Ben here. Rather than seeking to take a picture with one iconic sight, I’d say the most interesting thing to do is to walk and look around. Chisinau is not big and you can easily walk pretty much around the whole of the city center, which has an interesting mix of neoclassic, local and Soviet-style architecture.
The streets and urban space in general and kept tidy and clean throughout and, what’s more, the urban layout, with orthogonal and rather broad avenues dotted with some green areas dotted with multiple fountains makes for quite a pleasant walk when the weather is nice.
Most of the sights are located within 500m of the central square, Cathedral Square (“Parcul Catedralei”): the triumphal arch and the statue to Stephan the Great, a 15th C. Moldovan king, which, btw, appears on the country’s bank notes (get some if you have the chance, they make for an interesting souvenir because they look rather unique!) and, the Orthodox Cathedral, of course.
It is also in this area where you find the major business and government business as well as many shops and restaurants.
Btw, there is no metro in Chisinau, so most public transportation relies on buses and trolleybuses, but you won’t need any of these if you just stay in this area of the center, since it is very walkable.
One curiosity that caught my eye: on Cathedral Square there are some displays that show…the newspapers of the day (both in Romanian and Russian)! I ignore what is the origin of this and whether it still makes sense in the internet ear, but it is rather interesting to see it, like a relic of another time!
Another remarkable things: there are lots of figurative bronze statues around Chisinau, many of them with casual, everyday scenes. I have tried to collect them in this post. In my opinion, they fit really well in a urban decor that includes also other more Soviet styles.
Not to be missed: best viewpoint in Chisinau
A singular building that I’d recommend visiting is the Chisinau City History Museum, which is located in a tower on a gentle hillside about 10min walk from the central square. Even if it is not that tall in absolute terms, the museum is relatively higher than most of its surroundings, so the tower provides one of the best viewpoints over mostly low-lying Chisinau. There is a panoramic, 360-degree, terrace at the top.
Bonus point: on the day of my visit entrance was free (although I think the fee is quite low anyways!)
The museum itself is rather small (the structure of the building means that the exhibition rooms are spread over several floors) and exhibits are laid out in a rather old fashioned way. Signage is in Romanian, so hard to read much (although speakers of Latin-based languages may be able to roughly understand some of it), but it gives you a feel of the history of the place and the different eras it went through over the last few centuries, when Moldova was at the crossroads of three large empires: Russia, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian.
Below is the view: as mentioned earlier, there are no major landmark or iconic sights, but you get a feel of the place and the dimensions of the city.
Park and Lake Vale Morilor
Continuing the walking route, right across the road from the museum is Chisinau’s largest park, the “Parcul Valea Morilor”, which has a large pond (with the same name as the park) at its center.
This whole section of Chisinau is full of educational institutions and university faculties built in a style that would be instantly recognizable to anyone that has traveled in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet space.
As mentioned above Lake Valea Morilor is at the center of the adjacent park, although located at a slightly lower level than the surrounding hills, so this provided urban planners with the opportunity to build some monumental flights of stairs connecting the lake to the city.
Among these are the “Cascade Stairs”, which consist of a series of stepped mounumental neoclassical fountains that would not be out of place at any of Europe’s royal palaces.
Lake Valea Morilor is, actually, an artificial reservoir. A number of trails make for good jogging or walking along its shores. There were also a number of people fishing and quite a few aquatic birds around. The lake itself is not huge, but in relation to the size of the city it is quite a landmark!
Again, the street statue thing. This one is possibly quite recent. It sets the vibe.
Original architecture in Chisinau
Another singular building found on the way between the Vale KMorilor Park and Cathedral Square is the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History of Moldova, built in a sort of “Oriental” style in the late 19th C. It is the oldest museum in Moldova and, throughout its history it has changed its name and the focus of its exhibits several times, in tune with the political changes that have taken place in the country.
And to close the architectural chapter of this post, with a couple of other buildings that caught my eye because of the original shape or decor. One of them is the Chisinau circus, an obvious example of Communist-era architecture showing its age, the other, a mural in the city center (if you look with attention, you will find the former within the latter!).
Visiting the Cricova Winery
But, perhaps, Moldova’s top attraction are its wineries!
I had the chance to visit the Cricova winery, which is located just a few miles outside Chisinau.
Moldova was the main wine producer in the whole of the Soviet Union and, to this day, wine-making remains a flagship industry for the country, with the Cricova winery being the top winery.
In fact, a visit to the Cricova winery is sort of a must if you come to Chisinau. Proof of that is the VIP picture gallery on display at the winery, which is pretty much a who is who of global business and politics of the last few decades.
This map shows the extent of Cricova’s underground cellars.
What’s rather unique with the Cricova winery is that most of it is, actually, underground!
We were told, and I guess this is more legend than fact, that at some point in the past, it was forbidden to make wine in Moldova, but some monks kept the tradition in some caves in this region, hence the, literal, underground wine-making tradition.
The Cricova winery is a proper underground city with many km of tunnels, so, after watching a short film about the history of the place, visitors move in these electric vehicles that are a cross between a train and a golf cart.
If you have ever been to a winery, these images will be familiar to you.
In addition to the rooms dedicated to wine-making proper, visitors can also see a number of other areas within Cricova’s underground facilities, such as dining rooms (the winery hosts events regularly, including the one I was attending on this occasion!) with a rather unique decor, and even a chapel!
Eating Moldovan specialities
The visit to the Cricova winery provided also the opportunity to taste some local specialities, such as “Sarmale”, which is a sort of cabbage dumpling filled with rice and meat, which was served inside a stuffed inside a red pepper (left side picture). We also got some fried carp fish served alongside a polenta-type corn-based cake (right side picture), all together with Cricova wines and “Divin”, which is a sort of brandy made with the local grapes.
Where to stay in Chisinau
Park City Hotel
Strada Eugen Doga 2A
Chișinău, Moldova
This turned out to be a pretty good place to stay! It is a 4-star hotel operated by a local company. It is located right in the center of the city, on a pedestrian street adjacent to the main square.
It is located on a high-rise (for Chisinau standards) and the upper floors have some views.
The room was rather large, spotlessly clean and modernly furnished. Good, fast internet as well.
The breakfast was ok, nothing to write home about, but correct.
Short trip to Lithuania: exploring Vilnius and Trakai
Lithuania is, perhaps, the least well known of the three Baltic countries.
While Riga has a relatively well connected airport and Tallinn is just a stone’s throw from Helsinki, Lithuania really requires a trip on its very own.
And this is something I had the chance to do not long ago. The experience did not disappoint and I will share some of the impressions in this mostly-visual post.
Vilnius, the old town
Vilnius’ historical center is not huge, but very walkable (as you can see here, many of its streets are cobbled) and photogenic.
Also, it is not exactly flat, the old town has a bit of an incline converging on the city’s cathedral square (this is one of two major squares in Vilnius’ old city, the other being Town Hall square, at the opposite end of the historical center).
Cathedral square is, thus, the center of gravity of the city, but this is not your typical old town central square. For a starter, it is not right in the middle of the old town, but at its edge, acting as a nexus between the narrow, cobbled streets of the old town, the straight commercial streets of the modern city and a major forested park.
Cathedral square is also dominated by a relatively high (for a urban environment) and steep hill, at which top are the vestiges of Gediminas Castle, and criss-crossed by two rivers, the Vilnia and the Neris.
The cathedral is also quite unique in that, unlike those in other Central and Eastern European cities, it is built in neoclassical style, with its clock tower separate and in front of the main building.
Next to it is the former palace of the Dukes of Lithuania, which ruled a powerful state in the late Middle Ages and early modern era, which stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea.
Nowadays this building complex houses several museums and temporary exhibitions.
But the one thing you should do if you come to Vilnius is climb up to Gediminas Tower for the best views of the city.
There is a small funicular that will get you there from the museums next to the cathedral, but health and weather permit, I recommend walking (there is a track from the back of hill that starts next to the Vilnia river embakment). It is a bit steep at times, but a nice walk (also cobbled!).
It was quite cold, but the views were absolutely worth it!
I stumbled upon a ceremony in which new Lithuanian army officers were sworn in. Here’s the band, which played the national anthem and other marches.
Walking around the old town you can notice that a lot of effort and investment has gone into restoration works. The results are certainly paying off and most of the city is now postcard-material, although when getting into some side streets it is still possible to see a fair number of derelict buildings (I guess a bit of imperfection adds some authenticity to the ensemble too!).
Although today it is overwhelmingly Lithuanian, Vilnius had historically been quite a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural city, with significant Polish, Jewish and Russian populations as well. According to the 1897 Russian Empire census, at the turn of the 19th C., Jews were the largest population group in Vilnius, followed by the Poles.
Vilnius is also a city of churches. Interestingly and, rather uniquely, I think, for this part of Europe, most of these churches are built in an Italianate style.
Apparently in the 16-17 C. Jesuits, many from Italy, had a strong influence in Lithuania, which was the last European country to convert to Christianity and, to this day, remains strongly Catholic.
Was it not for the typically Northern European winter weather, you may be forgiven for thinking you are in Italy. The Baroque facades, the decorations and colours of many of Vilnius’ churches make you feel like it at times!
Modern Vilnius
There is also a modern Vilnius, which spreads on both banks of the Neris river. Most of the commercial activity is in the area adjacent to the old town, with many shops, restaurants and cafés located along Gediminas Avenue and Vilnius street.
A business district with some mini-skyscrapers has sprung on the north bank of the Neris, although I am not sure there is much to do there unless you have work to do there, the best views are from the other bank.
It is also possible to walk or cycle along the Neris embankment. I am sure it makes for great outdoors recreation in the summer, but at the time of my visit if was rather cold!
The memory of the 50 years of Soviet occupation, between 1940 and 1990, are very present, even more so after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in 2022.
The Soviets ruled Lithuania and the other Baltic countries with an iron hand and deported tens of thousands of Lithuanians to Siberia in terrible conditions. Many of them never came back.
Excursion to Trakai
Trakai is, possibly, one of the easiest out-of-town excursions you can do from central Tallinn if your schedule is time-constrained.
Trakai is one of Lithuania’s most historical towns. It is located some 25 km west of Vilnius at the center of the Trakai Historical National Park.
For a period of time in the 14th and 15th Centuries, Trakai, with its two imposing castles, acted as a de facto capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. That was just at a very important moment in the history of the country, right as it was adopting Christianity and increasing its contacts with other European kingdoms.
Another interesting aspect of Trakai’s history is that it was home to a community of Karaim, that is Turkic-speaking Jews from Crimea (also known as Karaite Jews), which were settled in the area by the Grand Duke of Lithuania in the Middle Ages and preserved their language and cultural and religious traditions through the following centuries.
Getting to Trakai from Vilnius is easy, there are trains running pretty much every 30 minutes or so. The station is located in the outskirts of the village, though, and you need to take either a bus or a taxi or just walk the couple of kilometers to the castle, which is what I actually did.
What to see in Trakai?
The Island Castle, of course. This is the best preserved of two castles on Trakai and, as it name implies, it is located on an island, which is in middle of a lake.
The whole of Trakai is actually located on a narrow isthmus that protrudes into the lake and to get to the Island Castle you need to pass a series of bridges and another smaller island. A bit like in the fairy tales!
At the time of my visit, in fact, could possibly have walked straight away since the lake was frozen solid with ice.
There is another castle on the adjacent Peninsula, although it is partly in ruins.
In fact, the Island Castle, which was built in the 13th and 14th Centuries, also fell into disrepair and by the 19th Century was mostly in ruins too.
However, its was thoroughly restored in the mid-20the Century and today can be visited more or less in what would have been the original state.
The castle is made of red brick. It has an interior courtyard around which there are several museum rooms where the story of the castle and of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and, later, the Polish-Lithuanian Commowealth are explained.
The visit continues in the upper section of the castle, which towers over the rest of the grounds. Here there is another, more narrow, central courtyard, surrounded by high walls. Here it is possible to continue learning about the history of the castle through the exhibits in the different rooms.
The rest of Trakai is not without its charm. Besides the ruins of the other castle, which I did not visit, there is promenade that takes you from the castle to the station and which is dotted by long lying wooden houses.
This is clearly a spot that gets its fair share of tourists (many of them local from what I could tell) and the areas next to the castle are full of souvenir shops and some bars.
I guess in the summer time, the lake makes for some great recreation and there is, in fact, a footpath the runs along the lake shore.
It took me about 30 minutes to walk, at a good pace, but not particularly fast, from the castle to the station.
Tasting Lithuanian food in Vilnius
Restaurant Bernelių Užeiga
Pilies g.10, Vilnius
Ok, this is a bit touristy in its appearance (including the staff wearing traditional dress!), but I was taken here by some Lithuanian colleagues, so the food is really the real deal.
I am aware that “pink soup” is one of Lithuania’s signature dishes and Lithuanians take great pride in it, featuring it even in their postal stamps. But pink soup is a summer speciality, and here is was winter and rather cold, so went for something more earthy, instead!
Started with what is considered a very typical snack in Lithuania, which is basically crumbs of fried rye bread eaten together with melted cheese and a touch of garlic and butter.
Then tried “cepelinai”, which are a sort of potato dumplings (their consistency is a bit reminiscent to that of gnocchi) that are eaten together with butter or sour cream with some crispy onions on top.
They are typically filled with meat, although I think there are other fillings as well.
24 Hours in Brunei's capital, Bandar Seri Begawan
Brunei Darussalam is one of the smallest countries in Asia, roughly twice the size of Luxembourg and nested between the territory of Eastern Malaysia in the island of Borneo.
Brunei, however, is a rich country thanks to its oil and gas reserves, or at least its Sultan is (besides being an absolute monarch, he has a fortune estimated in some $30 billion).
At some point before the rise of the internet billionaires and for a number of it was even considered the richest man on the planet.
One thing it isn’t, though, is a tourist hotspot, although it is quite easy to get to from the region’s main hubs, such as Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. It has even a flag carrier, Royal Brunei Airlines, that operates a fleet of Dreamliners to destinations as far away as London.
So, during a recent trip to Malaysia I came across a cheap Air Asia ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Bandar Seri Begawan and, despite the really early wake time (the flight was around 6am!), I decided to give it a go!
Getting to Brunei
As mentioned, I flew to Brunei from Kuala Lumpur (although not on the plane depicted here!), which is a bit less than a two hour flight.
Visitors from a relatively long list of countries, which include most European states and the US and Canada, don’t need to request a visa in advance before traveling to Brunei. Although it is necessary to fill in a form online before passing through customs.
Luckily Brunei airport has good public wifi (although some technical glitch prevented me from completing the customs form at the first attempt), so once you have completed the form you get a message on your screen with a reference number that you must show to the border control officer.
The airport is small and tidy, a bit like the rest of the capital.
One piece of advice is that you print your boarding pass for the return trip, because for some reason they only accept paper boarding passes to access the air side of the airport.
Another important thing to take into account is that public transportation options are very limited. One thing that becomes apparent immediately is that Brunei is a very motorized country and people move everywhere by car, to the point that even downtown the streets are often deserted. To be fair, there is a public bus, but I was told that it doesn’t really have a set schedule, so you may end up with a rather long wait.
Also, if planning to order a taxi, bear in mind that neither Uber nor Grab (its south-east Asian equivalent) are available in Brunei. There are a couple of local alternatives, but since I didn’t feel like starting the whole sign up and ordering process (which involved receiving some sms that never arrived) I ended up messaging the hotel and asking them to arrange a transfer for me (from what I read in online forums, it seems to be, ultimately, what many people staying at hotels do.
Once you have this sorted, it is a pretty short ride to the very center, less than 15min. The roads are really good and tidy, possibly the best in the region (except perhaps Singapore).
Things to see in Bandar Seri Begawan
The capital of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan, is really small, or at least the downtown is (from what I could see from the plane when approaching to land, it looks like most people live quite spread out in the suburbs). But when I say “small” I mean very, very small. The downtown proper, which is next to the river front is literally a grid of 4-5 streets.
Since I had barely 24 hours in the country and well aware of the lack of public transportation, I picked up a pretty central hotel (which turned out to be a great choice as you will see further down the text).
Next are the few things I did, I think they are pretty much the top of things to do in Brunei’s capital, but I am sure that more experienced travellers can point towards some additional ones.
City center and Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
The Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is THE landmark of the city and its most recognizable sight. It is located downtown by a lake that makes for great picture-taking (well aware of the needs of the Instagram era, local authorities have installed a giant frame at the nearby park, right at the spot that allows you to take the iconic picture).
Next to the mosque there is a park and what looks like the only mall downtown. There are quite a few traditional shops in the adjacent streets, many of them selling jewellery, but most, let’s say, “modern” shops are in this small, which has also a small food court and seems to be one of the major gathering points downtown (although, just like the rest of the city, it was very, very quiet, no matter what time of the day or the evening I passed by).
On the positive side, Bandar Seri Begawan’s downtown is walkable and it feels safe.
I just happened to visit a few days before a major royal wedding and the city streets were all adorned and embellished for the occasion and, presumably, for some sort of parade or motorcade.
I post, here below, a picture of one of the major thoroughfares crossing downtown, not a single pedestrian to be seen. In fact, most of the other people (not many) I came across during my walks were, very visibly, fellow tourists.
Like many capital cities, Bandar Seri Begawan, is located next to a major body of water, in this case the Brunei river, which is also home to a significant share of the city’s population as we will soon see when I describe my visit to the Kampong Ayer floating city.
There is a short promenade along the banks of the Brunei river, with views of the Kampong Ayer floating city on the water side, while there some shops and food joints (I wouldn’t really call them restaurants), land side.
Here below is some street art encapsulating the main sights in Bandar Seri Begawan.
Brunei’s Museum of Royal Regalia
Although, at first, I was not too keen in going to museums, preferring to just walk around and see the sights, I had around 3 hours before the start of my Kampong Ayer river tour, so I decided to go see the Museum of Royal Regalia, which happened to be just around the corner from my hotel. It proved to be a good decision and the museum didn’t disappoint!
The Museum of Royal Regalia exhibits many of the ceremonial elements used by the court of the Sultan of Brunei as well as many of the gifts he has received from dignitaries of other nations.
I must say that the scale and the way in which all these items are exhibited makes for quite an interesting sight. Like in the rest of the city, I was pretty much the only visitor at the time.
The visit is done barefoot (you leave your shoes at some sort of pidgeon-holes set at the entrance for this purpose). There is also a visitor’s book where you can write your name and place of origin when you come in. It offers a glimpse of the number and profile of visitors that are following more or less the same route as you!
The displays of ceremonial gear are quite something and, while they are used very sparsely, it must be quite impressive to see them put to use for real.
As an aviation enthusiast, I couldn’t avoid remarking that aviation was well represented at the museum. This applies, both to the gifts section, like, for example, these two scale models of Antonov planes brought by an Ukrainian delegation, and to another exhibit showing the Sultan’s wide-body, long-range jets.
The museum offers also a glimpse (at small scale) of some aspects of palace life that are usually not in the open, such as the large ceremonial hall with capacity for 5,000 attendees.
The floating city of Kampong Ayer and Brunei river tour
One of the highlights of the trip was the river tour that took me to the Kampong Ayer river city and to see some stretches of jungle near the city.
The tour, which was arranged by the hotel, started in this canal right by the city center. It costs the equivalent of €30 and it takes about 3 hours.
It is pretty much the only way to see Kampong Ayer, which is an interesting part of Bandar Seri Begawan because it lies right in the middle of the river. In fact this so-called “Venice of the East” is home to between 10,000 and 20,000 people living on houses that are built on top of stakes that protrude from the water. It is considered the largest floating city in the World and it was mentioned already by travellers in the 16th C.
So, it turned out this was going to be an individual tour, after all! Here is my guide (Hj.Sofree Hj.Aji, who can be reached on “Padi Boat: +6738788261 or +6738788651 ”). He happens to be a resident of Kampong Ayer himself!
When heading into the river we took a little detour to see the bridge from up close. There are two large bridges in Brunei, this one, built by South Korean engineers across the Brunei river and another longer one (30km), recently completed, which unites Brunei’s mainland with its eastern enclave to the east, providing geographical continuity to the country.
And here are some views of Kampong Ayer, which is a proper city with houses, schools, fire and police station…all built over water.
We cruised along the “streets” without stopping and headed to the jungle a bit further out from the city…
It doesn’t take long to get into the jungle, even if not far from the city center and in a relatively urbanized area, it is possible to spot quite a few animals here.
And, indeed, it didn’t take long to spot a few monkeys. This, to my understanding, are some species of proboscis monkeys, a type of monkey recognizable by its really long nose which is typical of Borneo. We also managed to spot a saltwater crocodile, but it disappeared under the water very quickly!
And here is a glimpse of part of the palatial complex of the Sultan. Brunei’s royal palace is said to be the largest residential building in the world, with 1788 rooms and 257 bathrooms. The palace is not open to tourists, so one of the ways to see some parts of it is from the water.
And here below is the riverfront of downtown Bandar Seri Begawan, it practically fits all in this picture!
Where to stay and where to eat in Bandar Seri Begawan
The Brunei Hotel
I picked this one up online mainly on the basis of its very central location and it turned out to be a very good choice.
It is a four-star hotel, reasonably priced, very clean and with nice service. I think there are some slightly cheaper options downtown, but I am not sure they offer as much value.
The staff were very friendly (in general I found people to be very friendly throughout my stay!) and they gave me an early check in (my flight arrived quite early in the morning), gave me a room with canal views and helped me arrange the airport transfers and river tour.
The wifi connection worked really well. The hotel has also a restaurant, although I didn’t try it (seen the issues I had later finding a place to dine, possibly I should have given it a try!).
I also liked the fact that there are purified water stations in the corridors and you have a bottle in your room that you can refill whenever you want.
Some pics of my cozy room at The Brunei Hotel, complete with views of the canal (this course of water is barely 100m from the main river and it is from here that I would later start my river tour)
When it comes to food. My main piece of advice is: be careful with the schedules! I tried to have dinner at around 20.30 only to find the mall’s food court closing down.
This meant that the only other options at hand were some fast food joints, none of which was particularly appealing, so I ended at Pizza Hut, and a couple of ice-cream parlours (this was very good, I must say!).
Earlier in the day I had lunch at the aforementioned food court. There are 4 or 5 restaurants serving different types of Asian food. I opted for these seafood noodles and it was very tasty and reasonably priced, hence my later attempt to go back to the same place (the city is not exactly bustling with eat-out options!)
And that’s what my 24 hours in Brunei offered…just to close this post, here is one more image of the iconic Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque at night!
Cruise Report: on the Norwegian Encore maiden voyage
Exploring a state-of-the-art cruise ship during its inaugural sailing
Have you ever had the chance to drive a brand new car?
The smell of new that pervades everything is perhaps one of the most powerful, memorable sensory experiences.
This is not unlike sailing on a ship that is, literally, off the yard.
On November 2019, I was among those that were invited by Norwegian Cruise Line to experience the latest, state-of-the-art ship of this Miami-based cruise operator.
The Norwegian Encore’s maiden voyage, from Bremerhaven, on Germany’s North Sea coast, to Southampton, in England, would give us a chance to get a short, but intense taste of what this cruise ship has to offer in terms of facilities and service.
Continue reading for a short, but comprehensive tour of the ship and a glimpse of what the Norwegian Encore experience it is like…
How is it like to sail on the Norwegian Encore
The Norwegian Encore is a 169,000-ton “Breakaway Plus” class ship for capacity for 4,000 passengers and 2,000 crew, which makes it the 11th largest cruise ship in the world at the time of writing these lines.
As is often the case with these very large ships, you don’t really get the sensation of being in a crowded place, though. And there is so much to do onboard that people distribute themselves all over the place, it is rare to find some bottleneck.
Here’s a glimpse of the staterooms (with veranda).
Did I mentioned that wi-fi worked great everywhere on the ship?
The central pool deck area, a classic of any cruise ship worth its name!
Although November weather in the North Sea did not invite to take a dip into the water! Thus, no swimming this time, although it still made for a great party venue and viewing platform (one of the things when sailing on the English Channel is that you come across lots of maritime traffic, a treat for ship-spotters!)
In these pics you can get a view of the Norwegian Encore pool deck area and some of the adjacent amenities, such as those warm water jacuzzies on the side and the massive aquapark.
Plenty of entertainment indoors too and for a diversity of aesthetic tastes, as you can see here, from the 1950s American diner style to a more classical lounge area.
In case you are a Starbucks junkie, you would be glad to know that there is one onboard! (and Starbucks coffee machines are also available at the buffet area)
And of course, entertainment by the ship’s very own theatre company. Only time for one show, but was great!
Special mention goes to the games arcade. It was a first for me, nevertheless it was quite interesting to check out the whole range of immersive experiences using the latest 3D entertainment technology, from driving a formula one racing car to shooting zombies and slaying dragons.
Plenty of options to choose from!
The Haven
One of the most interesting aspects of the trip was becoming acquainted with The Haven, Norwegian’s premium product.
This is a secluded area, literally a private haven within the buzz of the large ship, which bring the levels of comfort, privacy and service one step up.
The Haven experience is designed to provide a peaceful and calm environment in a rather elegant setting. It has its own indoor swimming pool and indoor area, as you can see here (the set up reminded me that of classical Roman baths for that matter!)
And staterooms in The Haven are considerably larger and more luxurious
There is also its own a-la-carte restaurant, that we had the chance to try out, and a dedicated bar and lounge area. There is plenty of space to relax and socialize at The Haven, just in a more exclusive atmosphere.
The Food
But if you ask me, I’d say food is one of the highlights of a cruise on the Norwegian Encore.
There is, of course, a buffet area (where breakfast is served) on one of the upper-most decks and, if on MSC Meraviglia, the star of the buffet (in my opinion) was pizza, at Norwegian Encore I was positively impressed by the choices of Indian and Asian food available.
But there are plenty of other à-la carte restaurants onboard.
Although the journey was short, two nights and one day, we were able to sample the different eating options available: from Mexican and Italian to Chinese cuisine.
My favourite, though, was the “Q Texas Somkehouse”, a sample of which you can see below.
Oh! And, last but not least, we enjoyed as well as a cocktail and wine tasting, the latter with the ships’ sommelier. This was, of course, a special treat on a very special trip, but the same is available to passengers on regular cruises.
Cruise on MSC Meraviglia
Quality cruising at scale
In late 2018 I accepted an invitation from MSC Cruises to experience one of its most modern ships, MSC Meraviglia as it sailed around the Western Mediterranean.
What follows is an account of the different aspects of the ship that I enjoyed during the few days I was onboard. To be fair, the ship is so huge that I literally didn’t have time to try out many of the features available to its guests. Far from aiming to do a comprehensive review of MSC Meraviglia, I hope these lines can convey an idea of how is it like to sail on this amazing ship.
The Ship
MSC Meraviglia is a really large, modern ship.
It was launched in 2016 and had its maiden voyage the following year.
For some time, MSC Meraviglia was among the world’s five largest cruise ships, and, although some larger ships have since come into service, it remains among the top ten of the ranking. It is capable of carrying some 4,500 passengers and a crew of 1,500.
Happy to report, though, that those large numbers are perfectly compatible with a great passenger experience as you will see in the next passages!
The Itinerary
MSC Meraviglia at port in Cagliari, Sardinia
On this cruise MSC Meraviglia followed a clockwise route around the Western Mediterranean. Starting from Genoa, sailing down the Italian coast to Civitavecchia, near Rome, then on to Palermo, in Sicily, Cagliari (Sardinia), Palma (in the island of Majorca), Valencia, Marseilles and back to Genoa.
We boarded the ship in Palermo, so did not do a full circle, but spent 4 nights onboard, which allowed us to check out quite a few highlights, including the exclusive Cirque du Soleil show and several of the dining venues onboard.
The State Rooms
One question I get often is whether it feels crowded in cruise ships of that size. And to be honest, this is something that never ceases to amaze me, because the answer is a resounding No! How do ship designers manage to create this sort of hotel-like conditions? this is a question I don’t have an answer for. But from a traveler point of view staterooms onboard MSC Meraviglia are very comfortable and don’t feel tight when it comes to space.
I have been on premium, smaller cruise ships before and the stateroom at MSC Meraviglia stood well the comparison.
It was all very modern, as you would expect of such a new ship, and spotlessly clean. We had seaview veranda.
As it was going to be my birthday during the cruise, there was also a bottle of champagne and some chocolate and strawberries waiting for me, which was a very nice detail!
Facilities
Like in most modern cruise ships, the pool deck is one of the central spots on the ship. Even if it was early November, the weather was pretty warm when we left Palermo, so the open deck pools were quite busy!
As you would expect, there are also other smaller pools, a solarium and an indoor gym all around the pool area.
One of the things I liked about MSC Meraviglia (and I think it is a feature of most, if not all, MSC ships) is the way the space is structured around a central gallery that allows you to walk pretty much unimpeded from stern to bow, with most of the services easily accessible alongside. At the centre is a wide plaza that acts as a central hub, linking also several floors of the ship.
Although the glitter and bling that you find in some of these areas (including a rather generous use of Swarovski crystals) are not exactly my cup of tea, this layout has quite a few advantages, for example, it makes it very easy to orient yourself when walking around the ship and it gives you a sensation of space. Despite the large number of people onboard, you rarely feel a sensation of crowdedness.
I particularly liked the minimalist, simple, modern lines of the bar at this central plaza. Its sea-facing windows are also great if you find yourself in the need to do some work while sailing!
The central gallery is really the core of the ship. Most of the shops and specialty restaurants line it and this is where invariably you are going to find yourself again and again.
The vault, lit by thousands of LED lights, produces quite amazing displays. If the themes at normal times can already be quite elaborate, including the ship’s very own interpretation of Michelangelo’s Sixtine Chapel frescoes, it is something to be seen when one of the regular sound and light shows are performed.
The central gallery is also the setting for all sort of shows, from the purely audiovisual, such as this one about roaring dinosaurs, all the way to full theatrical performances that passengers are invited to join somehow.
Passengers looking for some pampering can visit the Aurea Spa (most treatments are charged aside, though).
A couple of other elements of the MSC experience that are worth mentioning here.
The MSC for Me app, that lets you check in and book a number of experiences and activities throughout your trip. Something quite handy in such an entertainment-packed ship as MSC Meraviglia (more on this soon!)
The ship is also fitted with the Yacht Club area. This is, in fact, a more exclusive area within the ship that provides are more secluded, upmarket experience for those passengers looking for a more premium experience, yet, still willing to enjoy the advantages of a larger ship, such as the Cirque du Soleil shows, etc.
Shows & Entertainment onboard
In fact, if there is an aspect of the cruise experience where MSC really stands out and it is possibly a differentiating factor, this is the shows and theatrical performances onboard.
MSC Meraviglia has actually two theaters, one where the ship’s excellent theater company performs.
The other one, at the bow of the ship, is a smaller theater specially designed to accommodate the performances of the Cirque du Soleil. The Montreal-based arts company has an exclusive partnership with MSC Cruises to develop shows that are specifically designed to be performed at sea.
Ship’s Company Show
Although the Cirque du Soleil gets most of the attention and it is, indeed, a remarkable feat to have such a top-notch artistic company onboard, I would like to share some words also about the ship’s own theater and music company.
There are several shows every day, we attended pretty much all of them, and always had a great time!
Cirque du Soleil
One of the highlights of the cruise for sure.
MSC Meraviglia was the first cruise ship to host a Cirque du Soleil performance at sea. As you might imagine, the very intricate, complex acrobatic moves of these artists have an extra degree of complexity when performed on a moving surface, such as the ship. Although you can hardly feel the movement in a ship such as MSC Meraviglia, there is still movement and when success depends on millmetric moves, this is no small issue.
The Cirque performs in a specially designed stage, that is located in the center of the room, with spectators seating in tables all around (you can eat and drink during the show).
There were two different shows on offer, which are called “Viaggio” and “Sonor” (we watched the latter) on MSC Meraviglia at the time of our cruise. But far from being a one-off thing, the partnership between the Cirque du Soleil and MSC means that new shows are going to be introduced on other ships of the fleet.
You can learn more about this through this article that I wrote when I visited the Cirque’s HQ and training centre in Montreal to learn more about how this cooperation with MSC Cruises is unfolding.
No need to say that these shows have all the spectacularity and excellence that are the hallmark of the Cirque!
Eating & Drinking onboard MSC Meraviglia
Quite a few options to eat onboard MSC Meraviglia.
The simplest and most casual one is the buffett. Here I would higlight the pizza, that was really good and varied (as expected in an Italian-owned ship!)
There are also a couple of large restaurants at the bow of the ship.
These are large and with high turnover, nevertheless I was quite impressed by the level of service and the food. Let me remark that these are not specialty restaurants that you need to book in advance, you just show up and you get seated almost immediately.
The service was impeccable and the food and drink great.
We also tried one of the specialty restaurants, the Kaito Teppanyaki, as you may have guessed, specializing in Japanese cuisine.
This was also an amazing experience (and not just because of my “surprise” birthday cake). Not only the food was great, but the chef turned out to be a proper artist, and was able to entertain us all while he was cooking.
Summing it up
MSC has managed to provide a great experience at scale, which is not an easy thing to do! MSC Meraviglia proves that large numbers are not opposed to quality.
The blossoming of the fruit trees in Aitona
What if I told you there’s a place in Europe where it’s possible to see a similar ephemeral phenomenon for a few weeks towards the end of Winter?
The region around Lleida, the capital of Western Catalonia, are famous for their fruit-growing agriculture. On the plains and rolling hills of the Segrià county, the fruit orchards extend as far as the eye can see, just that, unlike in Japan, here it is not cherry trees, but mainly peaches and pears that you get to see.
The result is equally, if not more, spectacular, although it had long remained somehow far from the public imagination.
The blossoming of the cherry trees, or “sakura”, is one of the most well known images of Japan and it draws people from all over the world.
This is starting to change now, with the introduction, by local authorities and businesses of fruit tourism products and activities, together with the accompanying marketing materials, signage and the like.
Remember, this is a very seasonal phenomenon, starting in late February or early March and lasting for 2-3 weeks. The exact dates to experience it at its height may vary a bit every year, so it is best to check with Aitona’s town council or with the local tourism organization.
At the heart of the fruit tourism experience are a couple of large estates that open their doors to tourists around these dates. Only organized groups are allowed in and on certain times during the weekends, since these are private commercial farms where all sorts of normal working activities are taking place.
The pink of the blossoming peach trees is the dominating colour, but far from being the only one. White (of pear trees, I think, but I am not an expert!) and green of other crops been grown in adjacent fields make for a truly multi-colour mosaic.
The water from the nearby Segre river, which flows between its source near Llívia, in the Pyrenees, and the Ebro river, makes possible this intensive agriculture in the lower Segrià basin.
This is particularly evident in the fruit growing estates where this blooming takes place.
They are traversed by a network of canals and hydraulic works, including the small reservoir of Utxesa, which divert some of the waters of the Segre river and use them to generate hydropower and water the crops.
Bonus track: archaeological sites - the Iberian settlement of Gebut (Soses)
Even if the flat lands of Western Catalonia are, generally speaking, a rather dry, steppe area, wherever there is water, civilization flourishes, and this has been the case here for many thousands of years.
One of the key campaigns of the Roman civil war between Caesar and Pompey was fought in this area (over control of the Segre passes and the nearby city of Ilerda, modern day Lleida). When that happened, this area was populated by an Iberian tribe called the Ilergetes and the vestiges of some of their settlements are found all over the area near Aitona.
The road between Aitona and Lleida runs along a series of low, semi-desertic hills (as soon as you get a few hundreds of meters from the river or irrigation works, the dryness of the area becomes again apparent!), and on top of one of them (located next to the town of Soses), it is possible to visit the ancient Iberian settlement of Gebut. To judge by the dimensions of the excavated area, this was possibly of a rather sizable settlement for the standards of the time (there are several other smaller archaeological sites in the area, such as the Poblat de la Genó, near the fruit orchards).
There is no museum or visitor’s center as such, although it is easily accessible from the road and there is a small parking where you can leave the car and then visit the ruins on foot. At the time of my visit I was the only visitor, but there was a member of the town’s service staff doing maintenance work and he kindly showed me around.
There is some signage that lets you get an idea of what was going on here around VII-VI C. BC, although there is still much to be uncovered here.
Archaeologists continue working on the site and making new findings, such as a defensive wall that possibly measured around 5 meters of height.
There is still so much that is not fully known about the Iberian civilization and lots of archaeological sites have been identified all over Catalonia that are still waiting to get proper love from archaeologists and the public alike!
48h in Iceland in winter: what to do and what to see
Iceland has become a very popular tourist destination in recent years and there are very good reasons for that. The list of natural wonders one can admire in Iceland is so long that a requires quite a few days to enjoy it thoroughly and it is well beyond the scope of this post.
Many people visiting Iceland, though, have relatively short time to make the most of their visit. This is particularly true of the many transit passengers traveling between Europe and America that get the chance to explore the country’s natural wonders.
In my case, it’s the national airline Icelandair that flew me there, giving me the chance to enjoy the amazing Saga Premium class, which I reviewed here.
I decided to make this, rather short, trip to Iceland after receiving an invitation to visit the bi-annual Icelandair Mid-Atlantic Tradeshow. It was great that, despite the intense professional programme, there was also some time for sightseeing in and outside Reykjavik.
What follows is my report and my recommendations for time-pressed first time visitors to Iceland!
Iceland Golden Ring Tour
This is a classic itinerary that can be day in a day (even half a day if hard pressed) starting and returning to Reykjavik. In fact, we did it during the month of January, when the Icelandic days are terribly short (it is dark until past 10am and again at around 4pm or so), nevertheless we managed to see quite a lot. Of course, we were in the hands of Reykjavik Excursions and a great guide, Albert, which, in addition to making the most out of our time to show us around and sharing the most interesting facts about each location we visited, he also kept us well entertained with its great Icelandic sense of humor!
Geysir geothermal area
This was our first stop, perfectly timed when the sun was already out. The Geysir area is know because, as the name indicates, this is an area where there is volcanic activity very close to the surface. Here you can admire the geyser that gives its name to the place, but also other boiling water springs.
The area is very easily accessible from the road, via a short walking path (in winter is advisable to bring warm clothing and waterproof shoes, though, since the soil can get really wet and damp!)
In recent years a large visitor’s center and a high end hotel have opened right next to the geysers area.
Here below is the geyser, which people congregate around to watch. I am not sure what is the frequency of the explosions, we had to wait only for about 5 minutes until one came up. Apparently it really depends on how much pressure the steam builds up underground.
Gullfoss Waterfall
This waterfall on the Hvítá river is a rather majestic sight.
The Gullfoss Waterfalls are actually two waterfalls in one. The top one is 11 meters tall, the lower one, 21. There are also two ways to approach it, the higher and lower one. We took the lower one, from where this picture is taken, which is very accessible by road.
Our guide told us that this waterfall was saved from being tamed and fitted with hydroelectric facilities in the early 20th century thanks to the constant fight of Sigríður Tómasdóttir, the young daughter of a local farmer Tómas Tómasson, who pretty much devoted her life to preserving this amazing landscape. At some point she even threatened to throw herself to the waterfall if the plans of the British developers went ahead. She persevered and she won and today the waterfalls are protected natural heritage.
If you are looking for a quintessentially Icelandic sight, this is it!
Friðheimar greenhouses
Is it possible to cultivate tomatoes and fruits commercially near the Arctic circle?
Yes! provided you have access to plenty of geothermal power. This is what drives this truly interesting agricultural and gastronomical business pretty much in the middle of the Arctic wilderness.
A couple of entrepreneurs from Reykjavik bought this farm in the 1990s with the idea to breed Icelandic horses here. They soon realized that the place offered other possibilities too!
Coming inside the Friðheimar greenhouse is like landing on another planet, particularly if, like us, you do so on a dark, cold winter day.
When you pass the door you come into a lush and warm, exuberant environment. You could as well be in the tropics!
What makes this place so interesting, though, is that Friðheimar is not just a greenhouse, but a gastronomic destination in its own right. Here you can eat surrounded by greenery, but, what’s more, you can learn the fascinating story of this place and how the family that owns it has been developing it using, mainly, the organically grown tomatoes that they harvest year-round.
Cherry tomatoes are the star here, but there are many other crops, such as aromatic basil, cucumbers or other vegetables and even fruits.
People learn here about the cultivation process, which includes organic, non-agressive pest control methods, and pollinization through the use of (imported) bees.
The menu is all based on local ingredients, with the tomato being, again, the star. Even the drinks have tomato as the base ingredient (there’s even tomato beer!)
There is also a shop where you can buy all sort of products made with the locally grown tomato, from sauce to jam. They also distribute it in supermarkets and shops throughout Iceland.
Oh, and the horse-breeding project was not abandoned. It is also well and thriving and visitors can also enjoy horse shows!
The whole concept of Friðheimar reminded me a bit of that of Mooma, in Catalonia, which I wrote about here, just that instead of apples this one is built around tomatoes.
Efstidalur II Dairy farm
Not far from Friðheimar, we made a pit stop at this dairy farm that is famous in Iceland because of its ice-cream.
This is not km.0 ice-cream, but pretty much “metre.0” ice-cream since the cow shed is literally integrated with the ice-cream shop, to the point that you are only separated by a thin glass window!
Also quite amazing to think that Icelandic cows produce enough milk to supply each inhabitant of this country with more than a litre of milk per day year-round!
Fontana Spa and Lake Laugarvatn
This is an ideal place to enjoy the thermal water of Iceland.
Located next to Lake Laugarvatn, this place has offered, for nearly 100 years, the possibility of bathing in hot springs. Volcanic activity here is close to the surface and, in some places, you just have to dig a few centimetres for boiling water to bubble to the surface.
At Fontana Spa you can bathe in a series of swimming pools with water at different temperatures, or spend some time in the sauna (the structure on the left of the picture) and alternate it with bathing in the icy waters of the lake!
But the other things this place is famous for is the geothermal bakery. Here they bake rye bread by digging a hole in the ground next to the thermal water springs.
The bread mix is left buried underground in a pot for it to bake overnight in the warm lava-heated ground, which acts as a natural oven a. 24h later, it gets dug out and immediately chilled in the waters of lake Laugarvatn and voilà! you have some delicious bread!
The next step is to try it and see whether it has baked as expected! From what we were told, there is some variability in how the bread gets cooked, since the natural heat is not always equally distributed throughout the ground at all times, so the flavour and consistency of the bread can vary considerably from one batch to the next.
Happy to report that we were lucky with the bread and it turned out to have an almost perfect consistency and a taste on par.
Even better if you eat the bread together with the locally-made organic butter and smoked trout from lake Laugarvatn.
We were actually told that when Gordon Ramsay visited this place, he was totally blown away by the flavours and immediately requested to go see the trout smoke house, which is located on the opposite shore of the lake, with a view to selling it in his restaurants in the US.
And, then, back to Reykjavik! (the traditional Golden Ring tour includes also a visit to the Þingvellir National Park, but we were short of time, so drove straight to the capital. Here are some of the landscapes we passed through before it became again dark.
Things to do and see in Reykjavik
Downtown Reyjkjavik
As you may imagine, Reykjavik is not a huge city, plus it is also considerably spread out, so the center is quite tiny. Nevertheless it is quite pleasant to walk through, even in a chilly winter day. Here are a couple of pics that give you a feel of the place.
You can see here, in the background, the contemporary glass-and-steel architecture of the Harpa concert hall (more about this singular building further down this text).
Hallgrímskirkja
This church is, perhaps, the most well known man-made landmark in Reykjavik and in the whole of Iceland.
Construction of this 74m-high Lutheran church started in the 1940s, but it was not considered finished until 1986! It was built in a modern style, with stylized, clean lines, that has turned it into one of the symbols of the country.
The church is on top of a small hill overlooking the center of the city and, in front of it, there is this statue of Leif Ericsson, the viking leader that is said to have been the first European to set foot in the Americas.
Harpa Concert Hall
I had the chance to get inside this building, not because of a concert, but because I attended an event that took place here.
While I don’t consider myself an expert in modern architecture, I quite liked the way it is designed, very modern but also quite spacious and functional (like most buildings in Iceland, a lot of care goes into great design!)
Whales of Iceland
This is an interesting museum about the sealife, and very particularly whales, that live in Icelandic waters.
Here you will find some 21 different whale replicas built at scale, with plenty of information about how they live and communicate. The museum offers also some sailing tours to go see the real thing (it is conveniently located in one of the city wharves).
I would have like to have had more time to go through all the collections properly!
Iceland Flyover
Located right next to Whales of Iceland, this is a totally recommended experience!
If you don’t have time to explore the nature of Iceland (or even if you do!), this is a thrilling full-motion movie that will make you feel as you were flying over the most spectacular natural spots of Iceland.
There is a bit of a short introductory story-telling part (with audiovisual animation) and then you move onto the circular cinema theatre, fasten your seatbelt and prepare for a truly immersive experience that will make your head spin!
Road trip through the heart of Germany - UPDATED
It is not as celebrated as its French or Italian counterparts, but the German countryside has a charm of its own…
The original post has been updated with additional tips, pictures and info from a second visit to Schwäbisch-Hall in late 2021.
It may not be as celebrated as its French or Italian counterparts, but the German countryside has a charm of its own.
In fact, to talk about “countryside” in Germany may not carry the same meaning as in other European countries where there is a more neat divided between urban and rural life. Germany’s economy is quite decentralized and you can find industrial activity pretty much everywhere. Even the smallest of towns may be part of a long, global supply chain that starts at the nearby Autobahn exit.
It is, in fact, one of these small-town global industrial giants that I had come to visit in this quiet corner of Germany, but, as usual, the long drive from Frankfurt Airport to my final destination of Schwäbisch Hall offered some interesting sightseeing opportunities along the way.
While Germany’s larges cities where bombed almost to obliteration during WW2 and, therefore pretty much all you see around is either modern or reconstructed, small cities in towns have often managed to preserve quite well their old, traditional looks.
Driving from Frankfurt International Airport to Schwäbisch Hall
The 200km-long route on the rented car had some surprises in store…
Although I set out from Frankfurt (FRA) with the idea of stopping somewhere around half-way for a quick bite. Serendipity intervened in quite an unexpected way.
Sinsheim, Germany
Imagine you are driving along the Autobahn, concentrated looking ahead and all the sudden you get a glimpse, just ahead of you, on one side…of a Concorde…yes, nothing less than the now-retired supersonic airliner….But what if I told you that, next to it there was a…wait for it…a Tupolev Tu-144, the Concorde’s Soviet equivalent!
I could not believe my eyes at first, but as I the car got nearer it became clearer that this was no mirage.
As soon as the first exit sign appeared on the side of the road, I didn’t hesitate. That was the first (unscheduled) stop of the trip and well worth it.
Technik Museum Sinsheim
The Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim is quite a treat for anyone with an interest in all sort of vehicles and moving machines. A proper celebration of motion technology.
A Tupolev Tu-104, the first viable jet airliner in the World, a Tu-144, the “Concordsky” and the Concorde, all in one row
In my case were the aircraft on display that caught my eye, but these are just a part of the larger collection that includes a large number of classical cars, tanks and railway material as well.
In fact, it is quite amazing how in the middle of a non-descript German provincial town you can find such an amazing technology museum.
Since my time was somehow limited, I did not pay the full ticket to get inside of the two industrial-style buildings that contain the indoor collections, mainly cars, and I went, instead, to see the aircraft collection, which is totally outdoors.
Aircraft from different eras, both civilian and military, on display in the most incredible positions from the roof of the museum and even on top of several stalls in the parking lot.
Here are some of the pictures that I took before heading back to the Autobahn, as I intended to reach Schäbisch Hall in daylight.
As you can see, some of the most iconic aircraft of aviation history are represented at the Sinsheim museum outdoor display: the Junkers Ju-52, The Douglas DC-3, the Concorde…
Bad Wimpfen, Germany
Next stop was not far ahead: the tiny village of Bad Wimpfen, a short 10km detour from the Autobahn.
As all German places with the word “Bad” in their name, Bad Wimpfen is a spa town. In this case, the exploitation of a natural salt-water source during the 19th Century for therapeutical uses is at the origin of this name.
The wall-enclosed old town its on an elevated escarpment overlooking the river Neckar.
Bad Wimpfen has actually a very long history, as this area was settled already in pre-Roman times. Most of the old town developed in the Middle Ages, when the town got its status as “market town” and even some German emperors passed through it occasionally.
The cobbled streets and wood-framed houses, some of them dating back to the 13th Century, give it a sort of fairy tale atmosphere. Bad Wimpfen is still today a market town, but on the day that I visited, a cloudy Winter working day, little was seemed to be happening. In fact, I hardly saw anyone during my short walk through the pedestrianised center of the old town.
One piece of advice I would give is: bring small change coins with you if visiting Bad Wimpfen, all parking spaces around the old town are paid by the meter, but unless you have a resident’s pass, the machines only admit coins (no cards or notes).
Schwäbisch Hall, Germany
A scale model of the old town of Schwäbisch-Hall
Another 45 minutes in the car would take me to the ultimate destination of this trip, the curiously named city of Schäbisch Hall.
(actually I got curious about the name, so I checked it only and it is apparently a combination of a reference to the Swabian League, a German medieval confederation of different territories, and the word Hall, that often refers to places where salt was produced)
If you are accessing the historical center from the other side of the river, you will have the chance to cross a couple of old stone bridges, one of them with a wooden roof, which makes it a bit more picturesque
Schwäbisch Hall is a town of some 40,000 inhabitants. The old town is nested on a foothill along the banks of the river Kocher, that traverses its urban center.
It was already getting dark when I arrived, so the light was far from ideal to take pictures, but at least I had enough time for a stroll through the streets of the nicely preserved historical center.
The old town is built on an inclined planed, literally on the side of a hill, and presided by the towering presence of the church of St.Michael, right in the center of the Marktplatz (or “market square”).
This focal point, the main place of interest in Schwäbisch Hall, is on the upper part of the old town, so you need to walk up some steep streets to reach it.
Schwabisch Hall Marktplatz and Saint Michael church in the evening hours
Portico of the church of Saint Michael in Schwäbisch-Hall
Unlike other German market squares, the one at Schwäbisch Hall has the particularity of not being flat, the floor it is built on has quite a steep gradient. Perhaps to compensate for this, the church has quite an impressive set of stairs at the front.
There are quite a few remarkable houses around the Marktplatz and, as you can see here, not all of them are timber-framed!
Also, at the edge of the old town, on the banks of the river, there is a modern shopping area, but well integrated in the harmonious style of its surroundings.
Timber-framed houses are all over Schwäbisch Hall
Here are some more pics of my second visit to town. As you can tell from the light and colours, I enjoyed somehow sunnier weather this second time around!
Where to stay in Schwäbisch Hall
Kronprinz Hotel
Bahnhofstraße 17, 74523 Schwäbisch Hall
http://hotel-kronprinz-schwaebischhall.de
This four star independent hotel is located next to the river bank, just opposite the historical center (if you get a room on the upper floors you get the views).
The decor is a far cry from the contemporary design that prevails in most business hotels nowadays, here you will find more of a “homey” atmosphere. Also important is the fact that it is just 5min walk from the very center, yet not exactly in the core of the old town, which I guess facilitates it having its own parking space (always quite handy in the narrow streets of Europe’s old towns). Not luxurious, but clean and correct.
Hotel SMartino
Dolanallee 17
74523 Schwäbisch Hall
This is a functional, modern hotel that provides great value. There is just a caveat, though, and it is that you will need a car, since the hotel is in the outskirts of Schwäbisch-Hall, on a little hill and next to the town’s small airport (which gets only executive and general aviation flights).
The hotel has its own parking for guests and, in any case, it is no more than a couple of km from the very center of town, so it is actually quite convenient.
To be clear, this a motel-type place, but in a nice way, even stylish in a sort of contemporary designer style. The breakfast was also pretty good.
An interesting excursion around Schwäbisch Hall
Hohenloher Freilandmuseum
The next day, after finishing my work commitments, as I had still quite a few hours to make my way leisurely to Frankfurt Airport, I decided to stop at the Hohenloher Freilandmuseum.
Located in a rural area just a few km from Schwäbisch Hall, the Hohenloher Freilandmuseum is an open air museum that aims to display how life was in this part of Germany in centuries past.
The museum is actually spread over several hectares. Buildings from several location in Baden-Würtenberg were dismantled and brought here to the reassembled.
Although the museum was, technically, closed when I arrived, one of the paths that leading to its grounds was open, so there I went. After all, I was not interested in one specific aspect of German rural life, but looking to get a sense of the place.
As I approached a cluster of houses, each of them representative of a specific rural construction style, I stumbled upon some people that were doing repair work.
One of them offered to show me one of the houses so that I could get a glimpse of what the museum is about. Thanks to him I can show you what’s inside this 16th Century German farmhouse.
I must say, though, that one of the places I liked the most was the old train station. This station was also brought to the Hohenloher Freilandmuseum from its original location.
It even has a tiny old steam locomotive on display!
The Tower of Vallferosa, a 1000-year old unique fortification
One of the best preserved examples of early medieval fortification in Europe
If you have been to Central Asia the outline of this tower may look familiar and, most likely, it is not by coincidence.
The Tower of Vallferosa (“Torre de Vallferosa” in Catalan language) is nowadays located in a sparsely populated area in the highlands of Central Catalonia, less than 100 miles from Barcelona.
About 1,000 years ago this was right at the point of contact between two civilizations.
To the north, the Catalan Counties, to the south, the lands of Al-Andalus. This 33-meter tower, or we should rather say, two towers, since there are actually two concentric cilindric structures, was part of the fortified border that separated Christendom from the Islamic world.
The tower dates back to at least 970 AD but, in fact, it is possible that there was already some sort of earlier fortification or, at the very least, that there was some sort of influence from Islamic architecture.
There are plenty of towers, castles and fortifications dating back to that era, currently half-hidden in the forests and hills of rural Catalonia, but this one is unique, not just because of its scale, but also because of its great state of preservation.
To get to the tower you would either need to drive through a dit track (which passes through private land, so I am not sure it is open to everyone, or trek a couple of miles from the nearby Torà to Solsona road (which, by the way, offers some great views of the vast forests that cover this region). It is an easy, wide track with a bit of gradient, but shouldn’t be an issue for anyone without serious mobility issues, including children.
The tower has gone through some restoration work recently, but unclear up to what extent. One of the elements that has been added is a wooden staircase and platform that allows you to climb to about half the height of the tower, where one of its gates is located (although it was closed when I visited).
The tower is actually in much remarkably better state than the adjacent, currently abandoned, hamlet and its 17th C. church, Sant Pere de Vallferosa, which are in themselves quite a suggestive sight.
There are still some inhabited farmhouses around this area, but the village was abandoned at some point in the mid-20th C.
Although its location now seems remote, at the time of its construction, the tower must have been guarding a way for cattle and perhaps for salt (from the Cardona mines further north) between the uplands towards the southern plains.
The tower of Vallferosa is one of the few of this age and time that has made it to our day with practically no modifications, even a section of the original roof seems to have been preserved.
Note also how the door was situated at a height of 10m, which, in case of attach allowed the defenders to remove the staircase and make it very hard to reach without the proper equipment.
Besides being an interesting trekking excursion, a visit to the Tower of Vallferosa can be complemented by a stop at the nearby village of Torà (in whose territory it is located).
While the modern part of the village is nothing special, it has a, admittedly small, historical center that is worth a visit if you wish to do a technical stop to replenish supplies on the drive to or from the tower.
Penelles, the Catalan village that became Europe's street art capital
How a small rural village became a huge open air museum
Wondering which place on earth that, possibly, concentrates more art per capita?
Forget about Paris, Florence or Venice…
Penelles, a tiny village (pop. 400) in the agrarian flatlands of Western Catalonia, emerges as a likely candidate.
That is, of course, provided you consider street mural painting an art genre, and I am pretty sure after visiting Penelles, you will have no doubts about the answer to this question...
Cinema Paradiso makes an appearance in Penelles (Catalonia)
For the last 4 years this eminently rural settlement is the setting of an international mural painting festival that is seeing more and more of its houses and buildings converted into works of art.
Plenty of storks around too!
The Gargar Festival (named after the “gar-gar” sound made by a species of pin-tailed sandgrouse, a bird that abounds in the area) started as an initiative of some local artistic entrepreneurs and has since gathered institutional support and recognition, just becoming bigger and bigger every year. It usually takes place in May.
Also the topics have become more diverse. At the start it was mainly topics connected to rural life, but nowadays you can find all sort of themes and styles.
Similarly, several local inhabitants have seen their portraits in large format paintings.
To this date, over a 100, mostly large scale, mural paintings adorn local houses.
The mural paintings of Penelles - A collection
We visited recently and spend a good deal of time walking the streets and documenting the most interesting pictures. What follows is a compilation of some of the most spectacular mural painting you can find on the streets of Penelles. Enjoy!
At the time of writing these lines it is not clear whether the 5th edition of the Gargar Festival will take place, in view of the restrictive measures put in place to stop the coronavirus epidemic.
In any case, whether this year or the next, it is only to be expected that the Penelles open air museum will just get bigger and more interesting!
How to get to Penelles
Penelles is some 150km West of Barcelona
The village is located just a couple of kilometres off the C-53 road, that links Tarrèga and Balaguer, in the province of Lleida.
From Barcelona the best way is to drive through the A-2 free motorway and exit at Anglesola, just past Tarrèga.
It takes about 1h 45min to drive all the way from Barcelona.
There are also bus services from either Lleida (L-110, one daily on weekdays) and Tarrèga (L-205, 3-4 daily depending on the day). You can check the timetables here.
A Day in Palermo
Everything else is in the shadow
What to do an what to see in Palermo, Sicily
24 hours is an awfully short time to experience one of Western Europe’s most ancient cities in continuous habitation. Yet, readers of this blog are not alien to this sort of lightning visits, that although brief, provide a glimpse into fascinating worlds.
It’s not the goal of this post to make a list of the numerous peoples and civilizations that have made of Sicily their home throughout millenia (there is plenty of info out there for those interested in the full historical account), all the way up to more infamous associations that have stuck in popular imagination (“everything else is in the shadow” as a Sicilian promotional slogan stated a few years ago!).
Instead, on this post I would try to present a number of highlights that I managed to visit during my short stay in the Sicilian capital, I hope it captures, if only a little bit, the essence of what a traveller can find and see in Palermo nowadays.
Because, besides the many specific attractions, such as magnificent Palazzo Normanni (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) or the Cathedral (both covered in this post), Palermo is eminently a city to walk around, a places that oozes “mediterranean-ness” through and through.
This is also the reason this is mainly a very visual picture-heavy post.
A walk through Palermo
Although very old (it was founded by the Phoenicians centuries before Roman domination), Palermo is like a living organism, that sheds some layers to get some new on top. This is why most of the central area doesn’t look “that” old. It is not a museum, but a breathing city.
In fact, the 19th century and the Italian Risorgimento (a political change that still today generates mixed feelings in Sicily) could be considered a rather recent period for Palermo’s standards, but has left its imprint in the very center of the city, with its broad avenues and neoclassical opera houses
In contrast to other historical Italian cities, it is quite easy to navigate the very center of Palermo.
Besides being at the heart of the commercial activity, avenues such as the Via della Libertà and the Via Maqueda cut through the seaside plain where most of the city is located and provide also an easy way to access its most ancient core.
Street market in Palermo, where all sort of fruit, vegetables, fish and other merchandise is sold. Mediterraneanness in full swing.
As there was a national celebration on those days, plenty of shops decorated with , always elegant, Italian military fashion
Fruit vendors on the streets of Palermo. Citrus fruits are the local stars
And as it was the start of the Winter, chestnut vendors added to the picture
But if you were coming to Palermo looking for the picturesque, for a quintessentially Mediterranean postcard: narrow blooming streets, laundry left hanging from balconies to dry, colourful markets…you certainly will get that as well!
A walk through the old part of of Palermo gets you some scenes that are typically Mediterranean and certainly the one that matches what many would expect. Almost like a postcard.
Monumental Palermo
Quattro Canti, a reference point in the center of the old town. Its name “four corners” refers to the symmetry of the richly decorated (and a tad dilapidated, but in an interesting way) façades
They say one image is worth more than a thousand words, and I think this possibly applies to websites and blogs as well, so…
The Fontana Pretoria, a monumental fountain that, interestingly enough was originally built in Florence and, later, disassembled in 644 pieces and moved to Palermo in 1574!
Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
The Church of San Cataldo is a rather unique structure, built in the XII Century in Arab-Norman style and featuring no less than three red round cupolas. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti is very ancient, tracing back its origins to the 6th century.
If the San Giovanni degli Eremiti is interesting in itself, it is also surrounded by a garden and the ruins of an old cloister, now partly taken over by exuberant lemon, fig and palm trees
The church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti features also the red domes that are characteristic of the Sicilian Arab-Norman style. This church is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Palermo Cathedral
The massive, monumental cathedral of Palermo was built from the 12th Century on top on an earlier church
There is plenty to see inside the cathedral, of course, but if you have the chance, you should get up the roof for some amazing views of the city of Palermo and its magnificent natural setting!
Palazzo dei Normanni
If the cathedral is interesting enough, hold your breath for the even more spectacular Palazzo dei Normanni next door and the amazing Cappella Palatina.
The Palazzo dei Normanni (or “Palace of the Normans”) has been a sit of power for over a millennium. In fact, as it is located in the highest ground in the city, its location has been occupied since Phoenician times. The Normans built here their royal palace (hence its name) in the XI century.
But the jewel of this massive fortified building is the Cappella Palatina (“Palatine Chapel”).
Although commissioned by the Normans, the chapel’s style clearly shows the Eastern influences, Byzantine and Arabic, with an interior gleaming with golden mosaics and intricately carved roofs.
If you have limited time in Palermo, do make sure this one is on top of your list!
Besides a museum and a major tourist attraction, the Palazzo Normanni continues to be in use for a number of present-day functions, not least of them, is being the seat of the Sicilian assembly (the regional parliament) and of an astronomical observatory.
Not everything is medieval at Palazzo dei Normanni, here is for example a Chinese-style room.
Where to stay in Palermo
Hotel Federico II
Via Principe di Granatelli, 60, 90139 Palermo
https://www.hotelfedericopalermo.it
This is a nice and very central independent hotel.
Its interior has all the modern comforts, but the rooms have also a classical touch that is very fitting to the place.
The hotel Federico II is located on one on the side streets off the main commercial axis and literally 5 minutes away by foot from the historical center.
Where to eat in Palermo
One of the best things of Palermo is, you name it! the food
Il Culinario
Via Concettina Ramondetti Fileti, 24/26
90133, Palermo
Food is one of the main reasons to travel to Palermo and Sicily. In this case, time did allow only for a limited tasting of local specialities.
This, quite centrally located, place is a rather casual osteria. It was busy all the time and at least part of the clientele were locals.
We sought some advice from the staff and the result is what you can see in pics below. It did not disappoint.
Service was efficient and pricing was rather reasonable as well!
During the day we ate mainly on the go. In this regard, the local speciality to try (and it makes for very convenient “fast food Sicilian edition” are the “arancini”, which resemble a falafel, but made of rice. They are available in different flavours.
Special mention also to Sicilian sweets, that are a constant temptation during the city walks. Get your pick!
3 Food Courts that are Redefining Moscow's Culinary Experience
A world of flavours in the heart of Moscow
The emergence of Moscow as a gastronomical capital has already been well documented and one of the great food stories of the last decade.
But a less reported aspect of this trend is the fact that, alongside the upmarket (and often overpriced) award-winning restaurants, a whole new breed of food courts and markets have also popped up in different areas of the city, offering an impressive selection of international cuisine choices at democratic prices.
Truth be told, there were already plenty of casual dining options in Moscow, but the novelty is in how these have now been brought together, literally, under the same roof, recovering some emblematic historical buildings along the way and transforming how new generations of urbanites eat out in the Russian capital.
Where to find Moscow’s best food courts, food malls and gastronomic markets?
Read on to enter the Moscow food court revolution!
Tsentralniy Rinok (Центральный рынок) - “Central Market”
True to its name, Moscow’s Tsentralniy Rinok (or “Central Market”) is located right in the middle of one of the boulevards that ring the inner area of central Moscow.
A market of some sort has existed at this spot at least since the mid-19th C, although it was not until later in the mid 20th C. that a proper market building was built. Like other institutions in Russia, the market suffered during the messy years following the fall of the Soviet system and it was closed in 1994.
It would take over two decades for a new project for the Central Market to be reborn. In 2017 Tsentralniy Rinok re-opened. It’s external appearance had been more or less preserved, but inside it had gone through an total and thorough redesign, an entirely different concept.
Tsentralniy Rinok (Центральный рынок)
Rozhdestvensky Blvd, 1
Moscow 07031
https://moscowcentralmarket.ru
Metro: Trubnaya / Svetnoy Boulevard
A modern food court in a classic building
Unlike other Moscow food courts, Tsentralniy Rinok is devoted almost entirely to eating out. No market stalls here, but close to 50 casual eating stalls representing a broad diversity of different cuisines from around the world.
This international focus is actually one of the differential points of Central Market. There are, of course, some food outlets offering foods classical of the region, for example, food from the Russian north or Georgian food (there’s even has a bakery where you can see how bread is baked in a traditional oven), but most of the space is devoted to specialities from other parts of the world, Moroccan tagine, Swiss raclette, Mexican tacos, Japanese food, Chinese food and more….
Besides some classics, like Chinese food (below), there is also a re-evaluation of specialities from the Russian regions, such as “northern cuisine” (above). Also the idea of sourcing and traceability is also making inroads as you can see in this illustrated poster map that depicts where the different types of fish and seafood at the Central Market have been sourced from.
Most of the action is at the central food court.
The market-like purpose-built architecture has facilitated the structuring of the market offerings all around the central space on the lower floor.
There are also a (less busy) upper floor and a lower ground floor.
The structure of the building is the original, but the inside has been completely redone, including the roof that has also got some greenery in the process!
Usachyovskiy Market (“Усачевский рынок”)
Usachevskiy Market traces its roots back to the 19th C. when a trader called Usachev was based at this spot on the Khamovnikov (Хамовников) area of Moscow.
Since 2017 Usachevskiy Market has enjoyed a new lease of life after undergoing extensive renovation.
Compared to the other two food courts-markets featured in this post, Usachevskiy market is still primarily a market, with stall overflowing with all sorts of fresh produce.
Nevertheless, there is also a food court at Usachevskiy market also quite a few interesting options for those that looking for a spot where to eat out.
Seafood is a particular star here, with several places offering a selection of fish, oysters and other crustaceans. But there are also some international choices, from Greek to Asian food.
Depo (“Депо”)
I have deliberately left for last what is arguably the largest and most diverse of Moscow’s new generation food courts
“Depo Moscow Foodmall”, which opened in 2019, claims to be the largest food mall in Europe and while I have no way to verify this, it is certainly very large and a remarkable sensory experience.
Its name “Depo” is not coincidental: it is housed in what used to be the maintenance depot of Moscow’s municipal bus company.
Depo is part of a rather large red-brick compound very close to Belorusskaya station, one of Moscow’s main business hubs (many multinational companies have their offices nearby) and the terminus of Aeroexpress, the direct fast train to Sheremetyevo airport.
In addition to the foodmall, some of the nearby buildings house restaurants, cafés or shops, thus helping make of this also a rather busy culinary entrepot
Depo Moscow Foodmall
Lesnaya Ulitsa, 20
Moscow 125047
Metro: Belorruskaya or Novoslobodskaya
Welcoming visitors at Depo are some of the old buses that used this facility when it was a repair and maintenance shop. A nice touch that, in addition to paying homage to the place’s heritage, adds a touch of character and uniqueness (not to mention that old buses can make for a nice Martini bar too!).
Before making you choices I would recommend any first time visitors to Depo to walk around and check out the different aisles thoroughly, the amount of food choices is simply staggering!
More than 60 food establishments have a stall at Depo, with pretty much all major culinary styles from around the world represented here: Russian, Central Asian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian, Middle Eastern, Greek, Japanese…there’s even a traditional English pie shop!
Seating is available on a couple of larger open halls, but also in myriad other smaller spaces scattered on two levels all over this larger former industrial setting.
A little army of service staff makes sure that all is impeccably clean. Make sure you don’t leave your food try unattended for even a few minutes…chances are that it will be removed and thrown to the bin!
If there’s a place where the paradox of choice can be plainly explained and experienced, this is Depo! Granted, it may not be high cuisine, but we are talking tasty, varied and reasonably priced casual eating here.
Just imagine working in one of the nearby office blocks and compare with the typical workplace canteen. Or let’s say you can’t make your mind and want to try small portions, mixing different tastes and products. Or you are a group with varied preferences. Problem sorted!
In addition to the ready to eat food, there is also a market at Depo, where you can buy different types of products, from dried fruit to fresh vegetables and imported products. Unlike the restaurant stalls, it is rather upmarket here.
Talking upmarket…there is even a small Gucci store within the premises!
And it is not just about food…the central hall at Depo has also a stage for all sort of shows and performances.
In short, the latest major addition to Moscow’s food scene has lots going for it. Definitely a must visit if you happen to be around the Beloruskaya/Novoslobodskaya area and feeling hungry!
San Marino - "The Ancient Land of Liberty"
A day in the world’s oldest republic
What if I told you that the oldest nation-state in the world in continuous existence is the small land-locked Republic of San Marino?
Surrounded by Italian territory on all sides, the preservation of this political relic, which claims its origins stretch all the way back to the early 4th C. AD, seems almost like a miracle.
Perhaps divine intervention has had something to do with it, after all the Most Serene Republic of San Marino is named after a monk that went to live as an hermit on the slopes of Mount Titano, the mountain that is, both in a physical and spiritual sense, at the core of this proudly independent nation.
Even more remarkable is the fact that San Marino emerged unscathed from the political and military shake-up that was the Italian Risorgimento, which brought the many different kingdoms, dukedoms and states that until the mid-19th C. dotted the Italian Peninsula under the rule of an unified Italian state.
But what is there to do and to see in San Marino that makes it well worth a visit?
Keep reading to find out…
The Border
“Benvenuti nell’Antica Terra della Libertà” (which is Italian for “Welcome to the Ancient Land of Liberty”)
It took us about an hour drive from Bologna, where we had rented the car, to this road sign marking that informed us that we were about to enter this tiny sovereign island within the European Union.
Was it not for its presence, both on traffic signs and inscribed on the sides of a pedestrian elevated crossing, we would have hardly noticed that we were leaving Italy to enter one of Europe’s remaining micro-states and one of the smallest sovereign nations on Earth.
In fact, entering San Marino can feel a bit like an anti-climatic moment for enthusiasts of geographical curiosities. There are no border barriers of any sort between San Marino and Italy and no one to watch over the line. A simple concrete marking in the middle of a bridge (a dry river-bed marks the border) suffices.
The lack of border policing is, however, not due to a lack of police and military bodies in the tiny Republic.
Despite having a population of just over 30,000, San Marino has not only its own police force, but also a Gendarmerie, and several other military corps: the Guardia de Rocca (Guards of the Rock), the Guard of the Council, a volunteer Uniformed Militia and even a Crossbow Corps!
Nowadays these are, obviously confined to ceremonial duties, some of them faced no less than the Wehrmacht during WW2, when they help allied (mainly British and Indian) troops round up German prisoners after the Battle of of San Marino (also called the Battle of Monte Pulito), that took place partly within the confines of the Republic.
Although less dramatic, in the post-war years San Marino saw episodes of political upheaval which included a semi-successful coup that culminated in a rather bizarre episode that unfolded, literally, in one of the corners of the country, the so called Fatti di Rovereta.
In any case, and whether due to this impressive array of police and military units or because of the good nature of their inhabitants, San Marino tops the global league tables when it comes to incarceration rates, with total figures usually in the single digits (on some years, such as 2011, the figure can be as low as one person!). So, I guess, you can feel really safe here!
Visiting Monte Titano and the Old Town of San Marino
Once in Sammarinese territory, you may wanna get up to the top of Mount Titano, where the capital and pretty much everything else of interest (besides de border itself) is located.
And the best and most scenic way to do so is to park your car in the plain and take the cable car (called “Funivia di San Marino”) all the way up to the old town. A return ticket costs €4.5.
When you get uptown, you may think you have reached some sort of fairy tale principality, particularly if, as it was our case, you inadvertently arrive on the day in which the Captain-Regents rotate and there are soldiers in their traditional vintage uniforms walking around.
The ceremony to change the two Captains-Regents is one of the most prominent features of the very peculiar political system of San Marino, one of only two countries in the world (the other is Andorra), where the responsibility of head of state is exercised at the same time by two people (technically known as a “diarchy”).
In the case of San Marino, these two people, the Captain-Regents, that are at the same time Heads of State and Heads of Government, are changed by rotation every six months.
Whenever is time to renew them, a ceremony takes place at the Palazzo Pubblico (San Marino’s government house) in the old town’s main square.
But even if you just visit on a normal day, you likely won’t be disappointed. This is not because there are any major attractions in San Marino’s old town, but because of the rather harmonious ensemble: nice views, plenty of flowers and the allure of walking through the heart of what is possibly one of the world’s oldest democracies. The old town and Mount Titano are classed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Those interested in political tourism and memorabilia have three things to do in San Marino: first of all, go to the tourist office to get a stamp in your passport. As we explained earlier, there is no border control or customs when you drive into San Marino from Italy, but those avid to collect passport stamps can get a very nice one upon request. You just need to walk into the Tourist Office, pay €5 and they will stick a nice stamp with the San Marino’s coast of arms onto your passport. A rather original souvenir!
You can also get San Marino postal stamps and a San Marino Euro coin set at any of the many souvenir shops in the old town. These sells for more than its nominal value of €12, but given the scarcity of Sammarinese euro coinage it is likely to fetch higher prices elsewhere.
Other than that, truth be told, when it comes to shopping, there is little else of interest in San Marino.
The other must is the fortress, the “Rocca” in Italian.
It is located at the very top of Mount Titano, a mountain with an elongated shape raising from the adjacent plains as if it was the crest of a wave.
Regardless of the historical value of the well preserved (or restored) castle, from here you can enjoy some amazing views. Obviously of the whole republic of San Marino but also beyond, all the way to the sea and Rimini (the closest decently-sized city).
And this is it, really.
I would like to post some recommendation about where to stay in San Marino, but we didn’t spend the night there and went to Rimini instead, where there are literally hundreds of hotels, since it is a major seaside resort.
Neither can I write any recommendation about where to eat in San Marino, because we did not really find any place worth the mention. Perhaps because we got there a bit late to conduct some proper research, but we ended up eating a re-heated pizza slice in a non-descript bar by the main shopping street. Nothing to write home about, even less on this site.
To be fair, San Marino packs as much charm and picturesqueness in its 61 sq km of territory as you could possibly ask for!
What to see near San Marino: San Leo (Italy)
Bonus points: if there is enough time, I would recommend combining a trip to San Marino with that of nearby San Leo, already in Italian territory.
San Leo is a rather picturesque, hilltop village located on a rocky outcrop (to get there you need to drive through a rather narrow road that at some points seems to have been literally carved out of the rock.
It does have cobbled streets, houses painted in ochre tones, a 12th C. church, a town square with a nice stone fountain and a pretty impressive fortress that looks like every castle should look like, with four massive round stone towers protecting each one of its corners (although unfortunately I did not have time to take a picture before it got dark!).
Winter in Sakhalin, Russia's largest island
Russia’s best kept secret
Sakhalin is the largest Russian island. It is larger than Ireland, yet, barely half a million people live on it, most of them in the capital, that lies at its southern tip.
I had wanted to visit this far-flung part of Russia for already quite some time and the opportunity just came up during winter time, which is sort of low season there, but, on the other hand, allowed me to discover a proper snowy wonderland where few tourists venture.
Right after my trip I published this article on CNN, where I compiled some of my impressions from my visit to the island, but I was left with the feeling that one single piece was not enough to describe this very interesting, off-the-beaten path destination as thoroughly as I would have wanted.
So, I decided to pen yet another post with some extra pictures and additional information that didn’t make it to the CNN article.
Visiting Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
This was a quick, 3-day trip to Sakhalin.
Take away jet-lag recovery (Sakhalin is 10 hours ahead of Moscow, the city I was flying from) and the morning transfers and waiting time at the airport and I was left with something like 48 hours “effective” hours to explore the island.
So my visit was focused on Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the capital city. However, I could arrange a private tour: a half-day excursion along the Eastern coast of the island. And this was a great decision, the experience certainly did not disappoint me! (more on this further in this post).
How to get to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Sakhalin is just 40km north of the island of Hokkaido and there is a ferry that travels between this northernmost Japanese island and Korsakov, a port in southern Sakhalin.
The most practical way to get to get to Sakhalin, though, is by air.
Although rather small, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk has an international airport with regular connections to Japan, South Korea and China, in addition to Vladivostok, the capital of Russia’s Far East, on the mainland. For travellers coming from Europe, though, the easiest and cheapest way is, in most case, via Moscow.
There are daily direct flights between Moscow and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, operated by both Aeroflot and its subsidiary Rossiya, and it is possible to find very reasonably priced tickets if you fly off-season. For example, I could get a ticket for some €350 return, which is rather good for a 10-hour flight!
The airport is not far from the centre of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. There is little in the way of public transportation, but a taxi ordered through the Yandex.taxi (an app that I recommend downloading to everyone visiting Russia - it is also the local Uber partner) application should cost no more than 500 rubles (or around €7-8, less than $10).
If travelling in Winter, get some warm clothes, since it can be pretty cold! You have been warned!
By the way, the region of Sakhalin includes also the Kuril Islands (as this poster at Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk airport conveniently reminds us). This is definitely a destination I would consider for another trip, although foreigners need a special permit to be able to visit (the southern Kurils have been the object of a territorial dispute with Japan since the end of WW2).
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk airport is far from grandiose. In fact, at the time of my visit, its old terminal was showing quite evident signs of ageing and decay. The good news are that a new terminal is already being built next to it following modern standards. It should be ready sometime in 2020.
(You can find more about commercial aviation and traveling by air in the Russian Far East in this article)
Things to do and things to see in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
One of the first sights one comes across when driving into Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is the gleaming towers of the Cathedral of the Nativity.
This is, apparently, the largest Orthodox church in the Russian Far East and it was inaugurated as recently as 2016!
It is located on a hillside elevation on the eastern side of town, right next to two other attractions of the city: the WW2 museum and one of the access points (via lift) to the ski resort of Gorniy Vozdukh (“mountain air” in Russian).
The contrast between the traditional, rather majestic, religious architecture of the cathedral and the, also monumental, military museum next door, makes for quite a few impressive perspectives, particularly on a sunny morning, when the snow and the cupolas reflect the rays of the sun!
City Center and War Memorials
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is a city of wide, straight avenues forming a grid. The buildings are , for the most part, Soviet-style residential blocks, although not as tall or dense as those found in Moscow or other cities in the Western part of Russia. Scattered all over the place you can find also some more modern constructions, offices and commercial centres, I’d say of a rather uninspiring architectural style.
The dimensions of the city mean that most of downtown is walkable, though.
Pretty much all avenues are fitted with broad pedestrian sidewalks that allow for rather pleasant walks when the weather is sunny. The reticular pattern of the streets means that it is relatively easy to find your way around.
You can also extend the walk into Gagarin Park, the city’s main urban recreation area. It has quite an amusement park, a reservoir and its very own miniature railways.
Sakhalin Railway Museum
Talking about railways, next to the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk’s railway station (there is one single rail line in Sakhalin, that runs along the whole length of the island) there is what looks like a rather interesting railway museum with several historical locomotives on display outdoors.
Unfortunately, I did not have time to step inside, but i could check some of the historical locomotives from the outside.
Sakhalin Regional Museum
This is yet another must-see place in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Don’t be misled by the rather humble, unassuming name.
This is a small museum, granted. But it is a great place to get in a relatively short time, quite a comprehensive view of the natural and human history of the island of Sakhalin, with a special mention to the role of Sakhalin as a bone of contention between the Russian and Japanese empires (in fact, the Southern half of the island, including Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, was under Japanese rule for several decades until the end of WW2)
To add interest to the museum, the building where it is housed is one of the few buildings left from the time of Japanese rule, as it is pretty obvious from the style if was built in.
A Japanese, WW2-era light tank
During WW2, Sakhalin went from being as far as it gets from the front (while the Soviet Union was fighting Germany in Europe) to becoming a front line in the last few weeks of the war, when the Soviets joined the fight against Japan.
Military history is very present all around the city. In addition to the dedicated WW2 museum, there are quite a few places where it is possible to see all sorts of vintage military hardware, from tanks and artillery to fighter jets, as you can see in these images.
And these are Soviet tanks, also from WW2
But the most gripping, solemn, of all the military-related points of interest in Sakhalin is the war memorial dedicated to those fallen in WW2, or “Great Patriotic War” as the Russians prefer to call it.
Skiing in Sakhalin
Another interesting and rather unique thing you can do in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is the opportunity to ski in a semi-urban setting..
The ski resort of Gorniy Vozdukh is located on a hill side overlooking the city and you can, actually, take the lift pretty much from the city centre, since the base access point is located next to the cathedral, as you can see in the photo below.
It is a small resort, but it has the views! Where else can you ski within sight of a city of half a million?
Despite there being plenty of snow (or perhaps because of this) when I visited, in early December, the slopes were not open to the public yet. Workers were rushing to get everything ready for the season’s opening.
Shopping in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Although Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is not exactly a great shopping destination, there is the one thing that you can’t miss: fish and seafood!
Sakhalin is a sort of seafood-lovers paradise (and in fact all over Russia, seafood from Sakhalin and the country’s Far East enjoys a well deserved reputation).
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk fish market is, thus, another must for any visitor. Here you will find all sort of seafood: fresh, canned, dried…some of it, perfectly packed and ready to take with you to the plane.
Two of the most celebrated products: giant read crab and caviar. Each of these two products is available in multiple variations and permutations. There is also plenty of salmon of all sorts.
Here is the address of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk main fish and seafood market:
Uspekh Market
Sakhalinskaya Ulitsa, 71
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 693005
A great find, and one that is not too expensive and easy to bring with back with you on the plane, are the small chunks of dried salmon and other types of fish (sold perfectly vacuum-packed), which make for delicious snacking!).
There are also plenty of street vendors offering frozen fish and seafood next to other sorts of (non-edible) merchandise. Since the air is so cold, no natural refrigeration is needed. People would just get it wrapped in any sort of paper or cardboard to take home!
Day Excursions from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
If you get the chance, do not hesitate to arrange some excursion out of the city to experience the unspoiled nature of this island!
To do so, I’d recommend contacting one of the local tour agencies, which will provide a guide an a car. Usually these run tours for groups (if you are travelling alone you may either join a group or you can arrange a private tour).
I booked my tour with Druzya Pokhodniki (http://pohodniki.net). A day excursion in a 4x4 vehicle cost around 10,000 rubles, although the fee per person is lower if you travel as part of a larger group. The manager, Ekaterina, is fluent in English and she may bring her lovely dog “Yasha” to the excursion too!
(btw, they also have a great and rather popular Instagram profile where you can get a feel of the excursions: @druzia_pohodniki)
The initial idea was to do a day trip to Cape Giant, a peculiar rock formation on the coast south-east of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, yet, due to the weather and road conditions in the area, we finally opted for another destination: Bukhta Tikhaya (“Quiet Bay”) some 50km north of Yuzhno, on the east coast of the island.
And “quiet” it was!
This is a secluded bay that, at the time of our visit, was covered in ice and snow. This rugged, frozen coast could well have been somewhere in Antarctica!
And no one on sight for miles and miles! It is quite amazing to think that this unspoilt nature is literally less than a hundred miles away from densely populated Japan and less than two hours away from hundreds of millions of potential visitors.
To get there you had to drive along the only road along the east coast of the island, with magnificent views of the mountain range that runs all along the centre of the island. Although Sakhalin is quite a narrow (some 40 miles at the narrowest point), it is very mountainous. The only roads run along the coasts and the area in the middle is just a pretty much impassable forested wilderness, covered in a velvety, thick powdery mantle, almost cotton-like.
We also stopped at a long open sandy beach, dunes and sand covered in snow, where amber is often found (and indeed we did find a crumb of amber!)
Along the way, nested on the side of small hill overlooking a small fishing hamlet, we stopped to see another of the vestiges of the Japanese era in Sakhalin: a ceremonial “torii” gate dedicated, back at the time when it was built, to the Emperor.
Its lonely presence, overlooking the ocean from the top of a hill, that you need to climb knee-deep snow, made it quite a sight!
And right after we visited the torii gate, we stopped again. But this time it was in order to get some provisions in the form of freshly caught giant crab.
Some local women from the fishermen’s village engage in fierce market competition here, selling freshly caught amazingly large red crabs to passers-by.
When you have selected the ones you want to take home, they pack them for you in some cardboard boxes. In this rudimentary packaging I managed to get two of them on the plane to Moscow for the long flight back…a tasty souvenir from Sakhalin!
Where to stay in Sakhalin
There are not many places to stay in Sakhalin. These are possibly the two nicest hotels, catering to an international clientele:
Mega Palace Hotel
https://megapalacehotel.ru
Pacific Plaza Hotel
http://www.sakhalinpacificplaza.ru
As the number of good quality hotels in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is somehow limited, a good alternative is to rent an apartment. With many new residential buildings being built at the moment in Yuzhno-Sakhalin, it is possible to find modern, furnished apartments for a good rate on Booking.com (as I did) or on other major hotel and apartment booking sites.
Where to eat in Sakhalin
It was a short visit but here are a couple of spots that I tried when in town:
Bambu Restaurant (inside Mega Palace Hotel)
Great for Asian food and local seafood specialities (more upmarket)
https://www.megapalacehotel.ru/services/restoran-bamboo/
Assorti
International cuisine, but with a focus on Japanese food and sushi. Rather casual.
http://cafe-assorti.com
Mooma, an apple paradise in Catalonia
A world of apples in the heart of the Costa Brava
If an apple prompted the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, a young local entrepreneur has created his very own apple paradise in a rural corner of Catalonia’s Baix Empordà region, right in the heart of the popular Costa Brava.
Every summer hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers from all over Europe flock to its great beaches and picturesque medieval towns that dot this flat and green area of Northern Catalonia.
Drive a few miles inland, though, and it is proper farm country.
Just like in other parts of Europe, with agricultural prices hardly keeping up with the general cost of living, local farmers are struggling to stay in business.
This was the case of the family behind the Mooma project. For six generations they have managed a farm called “Mas Saulot”, in the tiny hamlet of Palau-Sator.
Most of the lands within this property were devoted to growing apples and, in fact, the grandfather of the farm’s current owner was one of the founders of the local fruit cooperative. The problem was that selling apples was not a particularly profitable business and the mid to long term prospects did not look encouraging.
Aware of this fact, but convinced of the potential of their 80ha of apple trees, the youngest in the family set to travel around the world looking for inspirational success cases in the field of apple cultivation.
They went to places like England and Normandy, with a long tradition of turning apples into higher added value products such as cider.
This is how the idea for Mooma got started.
Mediterranean cider
“Mooma” is a portmanteau word formed by the “Mo”, the two first letters of “Montgrí”, the grey mountain that dominates the local landscape, and “poma”, the Catalan language word for “apple”
The Montgrí mountain is always in the background
Mooma would become a rather unique case of Mediterranean cider-making. In fact, its owners claim it is the only cider brewery located right on the Mediterranean shores.
The issue for Mooma’s new cider brewery, which took its inspiration from the English cider brewing tradition, was that cider had a limited appeal in the local market. It is a niche product with little significant demand aside from some connoisseurs.
The answer was to diversify and start making apple juice
But people were then complaining it was too sweet, so they added green apple juice to make it more acidic, but then it was too acidic. It has been a trial and error process.
Currently you can buy apple juice made with 4 different apple varieties: Granny Smith, Pink Rose, Fuji and Royal Gala, each with its own set of characteristics (in fact the Mooma farm grows a few more varieties of apple in, but only these four are used to make juice)
And why I am writing about cider and apple-juice making in a site about travel?
Because, in a move that would prove essential for the future of the project, Mooma decided next to expand into the tourism and catering market.
From farm to mouth
While Mooma sits in the midst of one of Europe’s top summer tourist destinations, the idea of turning an apple farm into a tourist destination was a rather unique proposition in this part of the world, but one that has been proven to be a resounding success.
It all started by opening the doors of the farm to small tour groups, of 4 to 20 people, that would take a tour of the orchards (which in nice weather is quite a pleasant outdoor experience for all publics) as well as teh the facilities where cider and other apple by-products are made.
The cost of the visit: €9.50 per person
Tours tended to be in the mornings and then some people started to ask whether it was possible to have something for breakfast, so a patio next to the farm as turned into an impromptu restaurant.
This was an immediate success and, through word to mouth marketing, Mooma started to get increasing numbers of visitors.
It was time to become a gastronomic destination on its own right.
Nowadays, Mooma no longer serves breakfast, but it has become a proper restaurant. From June to September and on weekends during the rest of the year you can lunch or dine at Mooma.
The particularity is that pretty much all dishes are cooked with apples.
For drink you have a choice of different varieties of locally-made apple juice and cider, all made from apples grown at the property.
Staff are always ready to help make the choices, since not many people are familiar with the particularities of each type of apple.
In any case, be it because of the culinary experience, be it because of the appeal of the very explicit apple focus, Mooma has become a great example of local produce and specialization acting as a powerful business driver. It has also become a sort of “must see” place for many of the regular holidaymakers in the area that seek a unique experience aside from the sea and sand of the beaches.
With harvest running August to November, depending on the variety of apple (each of them is spaced out over a number of weeks) most of these visitors are able to see the apple orchards at its peak, with their branches full of apples awaiting to be harvested.
Also of interest is Mooma’s little shop, where you can buy the whole range of products, that, in addition to juice made with different varieties of apple, cide (and ice cider!), it includes also apple vinegar and perry (“pear” cider, elaborated by another, also local, producer) as well as some liquors.
How to get to Sidreria-Restaurant Mooma
Sidredría Mooma
Mas Saulot s/n 17257
Palau-Sator, Catalonia
info@mooma.cat
Urbino, home of Raphael
The little known jewell of the Renaissance
Perched on the north-eastern slopes of the Apennine mountains and roughly 30 miles from the Adriatic shores, the walled city of Urbino is a perfect way to step back 500 years in time, all the way back to Renaissance Italy.
Unlike the larger and way more crowded historical cities west of the Apennines, Urbino has preserved, within its stone walls, the charm of an idealized Italian Renaissance, complete with illustrated princes, warring “condottieri” and sublime artists.
Although nowadays Urbino is essentially a picturesque and placid provincial backwater, in the mid 15th century this one of the centres of power in the Italian peninsula and a hub of artistic activity.
The famous painter Raphael, who, together with Michelangelo and Leonardo, formed what is perhaps the best known trifecta of the history of art, was born in Urbino. In fact, he was known as “Raphael d’Urbino”.
The architect Bramante, another Renaissance super-star, also called Urbino home.
And, although these two artists worked mostly in other cities there is no shortage of Renaissance art in Urbino.
The local dynasty, the Montelfeltro ducal family, and, very particularly, duke Federico III de Montefeltro, who ruled Urbino for some forty years in the mid-15th century, turned this hilltop city into one of the centres of culture in Renaissance Italy.
In addition to being a “condottiero”, or one of the princes and warlords that played power politics during that messy period of Italian history, Federico de Montefeltro fully embodied the spirit of the “Renaissance man”. In addition to its political, military and diplomatic activities, he sponsored numerous artists and aim to attract artists and scientists to his court. Most of what one see today at the Palazzo Ducale, including the impressive art collection at the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, is his legacy.
What to see and what to do in Urbino: ascent to the Old Town
Just like in the good old times of Duke Federico, visitors still enter Urbino through one of the gates in its walls (although the fortifications have suffered some modifications since the 15th century!).
We entered Urbino through the Porta Valbona, that is located next to the main car (and bus) park. This access point has the advantage of being located next to one of the most curious architectonical elements in Urbino, the “Rampa Elicoidale”.
What is the “rampa elicoidale”? Urbino is a rather steep city, with the ducal palace (“palazzo ducale”) dominating from its highest point. As there were no escalators or lifts in the 15th century, what they did was build a tower with an helicoidal ramp inside (as perfectly described by Italian name) so that duke Federico could come and go from his palace, from the upper town to downtown, while on horseback!
Once in the upper part of town, and on our way to the palazzo ducale, we get to the center of the historical city, around the Piazza della Repubblica.
It must be said, though, that despite its postcard-like aspect, the centre of Urbino experienced some changes since its apogee in the Renaissance period, particularly in the 19th century, when some of the main streets were enlarged and reorganized. This historical area, though, has undoubtedly retained its charm.
A short walk further uphill and we get to the political and religious centre of Urbino. Here is the Palazzo Ducale, the Montefeltro’s center of power, as well as the cathedral (the Duomo of Urbino) and several other churches.
Duomo of Urbino with its neoclassic facade
Although it can trace back its roots to at east the 11 century, the cathedral Urbino got a neoclassic face-lift in the early 19th century, when it was reconstructed following serious damage by an earthquake in the late 18th century.
Brick-like ochre tones are prevalent throughout Urbino’s old town, including the outer part of the ducal palace. As you can see in the pics below, only some neoclassic decor elements, such as some statues and church porticoes and facades, introduce some touches of colder white colour.
The ducal palace (“palazzo ducale”) is without doubt the top thing to see in Urbino.
This was, obviously, the centre of political power for a long period of time and the art-sponsoring activities of Federico de Montefeltro have left their mark. Even five centuries after his death and despite many works ending up in other cities, from Florence to Milan and Paris, as rulers and invaders came and went, the collection at the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, hosted in the palace itself, is still one of the finest when it comes to Renaissance art.
Here you can find paintings by Raphael, Paolo Ucello, Piero della Francesca, or the great Titian.
Besides the art, the palace also offers an interesting glimpse onto the way of life in the princely courts of Renaissance Italy. Of particular interest is the private cabinet of Federico de Montefeltro, a space for the duke’s work and study full of references to what he saw as his role as a promoter of art and knowledge.
It is also possible to visit other areas of the palace such as what was the 15th century equivalent of a spa area, complete with hot and cold baths, located at the buildings lower levels in imitation of Roman termal baths.
The palace itself looks rather unassuming from the town side, with a rather unpretentious facade and an harmonious internal porticoed courtyard. One side of the palace, though, was built right on top of a cliff, with the walls (and different floors of the building), following the steep relief of the hill.
The ducal palace, perched on a hillside
Walking around the old town of Urbino
But, ducal palace and art collections aside, Urbino is also a place to enjoy outdoors.
Its historical centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is pedestrianized, which makes for a pleasant city stroll along the city’s cobbled streets.
By walking down from the palace, past Piazza della Repubblica, and along the, aptly named, “Via Raffaelo”, you reach “Casa Santi”, the house where the great painter Raphael was allegedly born. Today it is a museum.
The house where the painter Raphael was born
The Marche region, where Urbino is located, is also known for its gastronomy and, if you are lucky enough to visit Urbino on market day you may get a chance to buy some local produce from street stalls, such as these truffles…
Where to eat in Urbino
Osteria Tanto Piacere
Via Vittorio Veneto, 29
61029 Urbino
This quite a small place off one of the old town’s main streets. When coming in, only a small part of the place is visible at first glance, because most tables are in a room downstairs.
Here you can taste some local specialities such as salami and other cold cuts, cheeses and the typical flat bread of the Marche (called “Crescia Sfogliata”), which is reminiscent of some flat, thin breads you find in Indian cuisine. It also has a rather impressive collection of local olive oils and wines.
The staff know their stuff too and are helpful in explaining which product is which, where they are from, etc. Great to eat pretty authentic food in a rather casual atmosphere.