Germany
All Aboard… The Overnight Train to Berlin
Friday, January 25th, 2013
As a traveller, I LOVE seeing new places. When I found out I was going to Berlin, I didn’t know what to expect. Being more of an enthusiast for ancient history, I didn’t know too much about Berlin and what I’d be seeing. I knew that it was a war torn country (as well as the stories that went with it) and about the Berlin Wall but to my ignorance, not much else.
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Berlin Dresden and Prague
Monday, November 26th, 2012
It’s sometimes difficult to find that one place to spend five or six days which offers a varied mix of attractions to keep you engaged. Things that are usually on the checklist need to include a blend of culture, delicious food, scenic views and a bustling nightlife. So instead of picking just the one, I tried my luck on a three city break which could hopefully tick all those boxes.
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Adlon Kempinski Berlin
Monday, June 11th, 2012
My feelings when seeing the Adlon Kempinski Hotel Berlin for the first time were a mix of extreme joy, relief, pain, and suffering. I had never been so glad to see a hotel in my life. I know, I know… pretty strong emotions just for a hotel but please carry on reading, this will all become clear.
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London to Lahti (and Stockholm, Copenhagen and Hamburg)
Wednesday, April 4th, 2012
I flew to Helsinki-Vantaa on a British Airways flight from London Heathrow. It took me 3 hours to get from rainy London to cold and snowy Finland. I had a lovely and traditional Finnish Christmas in Lahti with my family and friends. Lahti is my hometown as well as the home of Finland’s greatest footballer of all time, Jari Litmanen.
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London to Berlin via Cologne
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
For nearly a year I have been selling the virtues of the German railway system based on my colleagues first hand experience, but finally it was my chance to try it out.
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The Rhine Valley
Monday, January 23rd, 2012
Travelling by train in Germany is an absolute pleasure. So I decided to go on a whistle stop tour of the Rhine area via the excellent train network, stopping off in some charming towns and seeing some superb scenery enroute from the comfort of my train seat.
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Matt Visits Vienna, Prague and Berlin
Monday, December 19th, 2011
I was now half way through my itinerary, which had begun in Cologne before heading on to Munich and Budapest as described in my previous blog and, though I was looking forward to the prospect of visiting some new places, I was somewhat disappointed to be leaving Budapest and made a mental note to return at some point in the not too distant future.
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Bye, Bye Bavaria; hello Baden-Baden
Monday, December 19th, 2011
They call Baden-Baden the Summer Capital of Europe and it’s easy to see why – it’s just so lush. It’s not enough to have acres of woodland cradling the town; it also has a beautiful landscaped park running right through its heart. Then, of course, there is the hot curative spa water gushing forth from natural springs, promising health and a new lease of life. It’s all, well . . . so reminiscent of a fairy tale.
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Christmas Market in Frankfurt
Tuesday, December 6th, 2011
Date: 4th December 2011
Destination: A pub in London
Attendees: Me and my friend Jamie
“Oh, you’ve just been to a German Christmas market? I don’t know what all the fuss is about, isn’t it just mulled wine and stalls selling pointless gifts?”
Jamie always had a way with words.
“Well, yes, but it’s not just about mulled wine and pointless gifts”
“So, go on then, what else does it offer? Convince me it’s anything but that and the next round’s on me”
“Well…let me explain”
Date: 2nd December 2011
Destination: Frankfurt Christmas market, Germany.
Attendees: Me and thousands of festive market-goers.
Frankfurt is a business city but during a few weeks in November and December the city centre is given a make-over that Gok Wan would be proud of. Christmas markets take over. Attracting over 3 million visitors each year, the markets are split up into several sections throughout the city and are home to over 200 stalls. You cannot help but get carried away by the festive atmosphere.
There are of course stalls selling traditional mulled wine (Gluhwein) and homemade crafts. A Christmas market wouldn’t be the same without them. There is however, much more to see and do. There are live bands playing Christmas classics, a beautifully lit Christmas tree towering over the Römerberg market square, a steam train which travels along the picturesque River Main and a visit from Santa Claus himself (I think it was a German man in a Santa suit but I guess I’ll never know).
A speciality in Frankfurt is Applewine, a hot cider which is perfect in the cold weather and you can’t walk two steps without seeing somebody eating a “Bethmännchen”, Frankfurt’s popular marzipan treat. It is well worth visiting the unique 300 year-old half-timbered “honey house” at St Paul’s Square and climbing the steps of St Nicholas Church for the best views over the Christmas markets. All in all, it is the perfect place to spend a few days.
Frankfurt is home to undoubtedly the best Christmas market I’ve been to. I wouldn’t think twice about going back and I’ll be recommending it to all.
Date: 4th December 2011
Destination: A pub in London
Attendees: Me and my friend Jamie
“Oh, so maybe there is more to German Christmas markets”
“There sure is. Looks like it’s your round. Pint of Becks please”
I always did have a way with words.
A Journey to Cologne
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
Leaving London on a Sunday to head to Cologne I really should have headed Railbookers advice and checked the Transport for London website to see if the tubes were running OK, I didn’t and they weren’t! All was not lost as I was just doing the short hop from the city to St Pancras so jumped in a cab but if I was travelling from further afield perhaps I would have been more anxious!
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