Europe String

The beautiful palace of Nymphenburg in Munich, Germany, is a dazzling example of how the ruling class lived in the 17th and 18th centuries.

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Here are my favorite and the most popular posts from the past month:

Is a combination tourist pass for you? A quick look at how to evaluate a city’s museum pass offerings.

See Berlin by bus – for cheap! Bus 100 brings you through the center of this city and by many of its most spectacular sites – for much less than the price of a tour bus.

A fabulous budget hotel in the heart of Vienna Hotel Austria Wien really delighted us on our last trip to the Austrian capital.

Bellinzona celebrates Rabadan one of Switzerland’s most lively carnival celebrations

Amsterdam’s hidden church …read more

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A nice look at some of the highlights of a trip to Barcelona. Watching it makes me want to go back soon!

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Female impressionists are in the spotlight at the Schirn Kunsthalle in Frankfurt, Germany.

This is your last week to catch Soutine at La Pinacothèque in Paris, France.
The Design Museum in London has an exhibit of the work of French designer Jean Prouvé.
March 3rd is museum night in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

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Amongst the girls in the windows of Amsterdam’s red light district, visitors can make an unexpected discovery. The Amstelkring Museum is a preserved 17th-century home with a most unusual upstairs. A Catholic church, aptly named Our Lord in the Attic, is hidden inside this unassuming house. The church dates to the Reformation, when Catholics were forbidden to practice in Amsterdam.
I enjoyed learning a bit about Amsterdam’s interesting history while visiting the Amstelkring Museum. The museum is open daily and costs €7 for adults. Entry is free with an I amsterdam card.

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The Paris Traveler does happy hour and an off-the-tourist-path restaurant.

The Geeky Traveler reviews the travel website 43 Places.

The Switzerland Traveler takes us to La Maison du Gruyère to learn a little bit about real Swiss cheese.
The London Traveler gives us an overview of the Geffrye furniture museum.

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Europe is chock full of fine art, but for today’s Photo Friday I thought I’d show you one of my own humble creations. This painting was inspired by the Navigli area of Milan, a hip neighborhood with a couple romantic canals running through it. Navigli is especially known for its lively night life, and the canals are lined by outdoor cafes perfect for enjoying an evening aperitif after a day of sightseeing in the city.
See more art-themed entries in Photo Friday here. If you’re interested in seeing more of my work, you can check out my artist’s website or my …read more

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When I was in Sweden years ago I fell in love with these little green and brown pastries. They are usually marketed as punschrulle, but the Swedes who introduced me to these treats referred to them as damsugare (which is ‘vacuum cleaner’ in Swedish).
These little guys are rich and flavorful and go great with a cup of coffee. The primary flavors are marzipan, chocolate, and arrack liqueur.
Not heading to Sweden any time soon? Turns out punschrulle are pretty widely available internationally – in the Swedish food market at your local Ikea.

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Looking for a good overview of the highlights of Rome? Check out this video to whet your appetite for a Roman holiday:

 
Have a travel video to recommend for Europe String? Let me know!

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It seems like almost every major European city is hawking some sort of combination pass to tourists these days. The passes vary from city to city, but often include public transportation and discounted or free museum admission in their price. There are often single-day and multi-day versions available. A couple examples:

Rome offers the Roma Pass

Amsterdam has the i amsterdam card

Zurich has the ZurichCARD

Paris offers the Paris Museum Pass

These cards are often marketed heavily to tourists, touted as fabulous money-savers. But before you plunk down your cash for a combination pass, think about whether it will really represent a good …read more

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