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Welcome to TravAgSta!
And again, the Algarve!
28. May 2021
We had a great time here. It was not our first time here, so we had no pressure to do and see as much as possible. For everyone, who wants more information, here are the links for our Algarve trips: (our old headlines amuse me a lot, by the way) Algarve Dreaming – Europe’s dreamy Sunshine State! Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina! What to see at the beautiful Algarve! Five reasons to spend your holidays with your friends at the Algarve! Our restaurant recommendations for the Algarve! Algarve – How to plan a wedding abroad! We stayed here for one week and did as much as we could with a seven-month-old, teething baby. For example, one day we wanted to head west but didn’t. It was just not possible (info for people with babies). And no, it was not too much for her. She loved all the new impressions. She screams at home, too. That’s what babies do. We had a relaxed time just the three of us and we want you to take part in it via pictures. Parents happy, Baby happy. We want to complete the Algarve restaurant post with the following: The Garden in Lagos. Delicious meals and a nice location. It’s a really nice garden in the middle of the city. About the weather at the Algarve in October: Not so great. The weather was mixed. We had a few sunny days, a few stormy, not so hygge days. Of course, it got warmer and better the day we left, and we were a little bit angry about it. But we’re also good at complaining and who cares now! Booking.com...
Sesimbra, Setubal, Parque Natural de Arrabida!
28. May 2021
We had a plan. It was about having a relaxed time in Portugal and it worked. From Porto, we headed south to Sesimbra and the surrounding area, known as the favorite vacation spot of Lisbon people. We stayed here five nights. Sesimbra Sesimbra is located 30km south of Lisbon on a sheltered bay and a beautiful sand beach, which is called Praia da California. It’s a nice, unagitated place with some restaurants. As you will mostly find locals here, prices are therefore convenient, at least in the low season. (Example: a glass of wine in a café was just 1,30€.) The inner part of the village looks a bit out of time. A lot of houses are decorated with azulejos. But not the fake ones (even though they’re pretty too). I mean, the authentic ones. My aversion towards this very inflationary used word is gigantic and yet, it’s the only thing that comes to my mind. Original houses with original f..ed up charm. At least, partly. The city of Sesimbra assigned artists of the region to pretty up the streets and so they did. Walls, doors, and windows show the life of the village and its old fishermen tradition. In total contrast to our Airbnb which was an apartment in one of the concrete bunkers. On the one side, it was uh, on the other side, we had a really nice view over the beach. We don’t put a link here because our host was about to find a buyer for the apartment. We had mixed weather all the way. Sunny, cloudy, rainy, but none of it for a very long time. If you don’t have a lot of plans, that’s ok. But if you wanted to go up the Castelo de Sesimbra, it was a modest situation. Well then, maybe next time. Restaurant Tasca do Isaías We love authentic (throws up again- see further above), rustic Portuguese kitchen. Especially the fish dishes. The Tascas do Isaías came in handy. This place exists since 1966 and has a huge customer base. In the really low season (we think, it starts in November), the store is closed. Yep, we were lucky! We say all this because it was the only place where people were queuing. You must be there on time. You can’t book a table in advance and there’s no real menu. You choose a fish and they grill it for you outside. You will very likely share a table with strangers. At least, we had some really interesting conversations here. Tascas Santiago This is another recommendation. Just because of their seafood platter. Eating here was an act out of necessity. Monday is not the best time to go out for dinner in Sesimbra, most places are closed (October). But we found this place and we were lucky to be here. From outside, you hear metal music, which is not exactly our thing and surely no baby’s thing. But it wasn’t as bad or loud as it sounds. The people were really nice, and the seafood platter was delicious, might, and convenient (a platter for two for 30€). This place is a great surprise. Parque Natural da Arrábida From Sesimbra, we made a trip to Setúbal. On our way there, we made a short stop in the beautiful Parque Natural da Arrábida. It lies between the two cities and as the name says, it’s a protected area. It’s popular because of its beautiful beaches, which are protected from the wild Atlantic Ocean thanks to its geographic location. Accordingly, this place is really crowded during the summer months. You can find the Praia de Galapinhos here, a beautiful beach alongside a steep coast, surrounded by mountains. It was perfecting for looking at it. Maybe it’s also great for a walk or bathing. We couldn’t find out but using this spot for a break as it was milk time. Tilda enjoyed her milk with a view and thanked us by agreeing to a little photoshoot here. As you can imagine, a trip like this isn’t always working out as smoothly as you wish it would. Tilda put her veto in many times. Understandable, because the baby car seat prison is no baby’s delight and you really have to plan in more time than you used to. It’s only parents who think road trips are cool. Setúbal We came to Setúbal for the fortress Forte de São Filipe. The fortress was built in the 16th century. The view from the café’s terrace was great. As was the café inside the fortress which looked like a museum. It was beautifully set up and it’s just too nice for normal business. We found another beautiful photo location. There was a little church included in the fortress which was all tiled up with the famous blue azulejos. It was stunning and super elaborate. We didn’t expect this fortress to be this beautiful and you barely find information about it. At least with foreigners, it’s quite unknown. I think. We’ll see for how long. We assume you treat this information confidential. And you’re welcome! Booking.com...
Porto and surroundings – the north of Portugal!
28. May 2021
As mentioned in part 1, our trip started in Porto. At our arrival, we immediately headed a bit further to the north. Also, we made a day trip from Porto to the Douro Valley. Our Airbnb Ginas’s Apartment in Porto What we can really recommend is Gina’s Apartment, which is located in Bomfin. From here, we had seen everything by walking. It was not in the centre, but also not too far to walk to the Old Town. There are a few parking lots in the inner courtyard, which is great because in general, it’s not easy to find one within the city. It’s clean, well equipped and the owner is super nice. We really loved this place and would definitely return here. Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga What you can easily find in Portugal – right, pompous churches. One of the is Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga, a place of pilgrimage. To be precise, it’s not only a church but a huge area with beautifully landscaped forest on the one hand and mighty stairs on the other hand. The view from the bottom is by far the best and photos become really instagrammable. It was definitely worth coming here even for a short period of time. Guimarães The Old Town of Guimarães is one of the most beautiful we’ve seen in Portugal. Beautiful squares with cafés and restaurants and at least in low-season it’s not overrun by people. There’s also a fortress you can visit. If you want to. A few photos here, an ice cream there and it was time to leave again. Meanwhile, Tilda caught up in sleep in the baby carrier. And we caught up on very much needed sleep at night. Which was thankfully a good one. Porto Such a beautiful city and such a beautiful view over the ocean of roofs. The best view over the Old Town is seen from Gaia and the bridge. If you want to leave the bridge and go to the waterside, choose walking. It doesn’t take long and won’t have to pay for an overcrowded Gondola (6€ each). Especially with the baby in the carrier walking is the better option. It’s also a very nice walk. The shore at the Gaia side is really crowded. Understandable on the other hand. But the number of people spit out of busses is a bit perverse. People were waiting for the jumpers on the bride. I think the main season might be awful here. For those who want, there are many possibilities for wine tasting. Instead of taking the Gondola back, we chose again to walk up the steep hill on the side of the Old Town. As we experienced first-hand, October in Portugal can be quite hot. If we had decided to squeeze ourselves in the gondola with the masses, Tilda would have given us hell. So we decided to hike up with her in the carrier and a full buggy. Let’s just say it was a little fitness unit. All of a sudden it was so calm when we arrived at the top. The view was totally worth it. On the way up, Tilda woke up and we could finally change her diapers in a calm place. (Yes, this is important for parents to know.) Grilled dishes at Francos Dear readers of this blog, this is a recommendation you should keep in mind when in Porto. With a rustic lack of interest, you’ll get served simple, delicious and convenient food without frills. Also, for take-away. It was so, so good and way too affordable. More of Porto We had another day in Porto and spontaneously ignored the Livraria Lello. It may be one of the most beautiful bookshops in Europe. The queue on a Saturday afternoon is insane. I don’t’ want to imagine what it’s like inside. Probably just stress for us and a baby. If you want to get in, entry costs 6€. Which actually says everything. But google it. It’s a really nice bookstore. Maybe one time in the future. We found a nice café nearby and fed our little Tilda mouse. Afterwards, we were walking around Ribeira, seeing all the old churches (from outside) and the famous cable car, before we headed to Café Santiago. It’s one of those places where you can eat the famous Francesinha. One of the heartiest foods, we had ever eaten. It looks a bit disgusting, but it tastes really good. Nothing for sensitive stomachs. But actually, it’s a must-try. Douro Valley For a breastfeeding woman, the Douro Valley is a difficult place. This is a place that is bliss for wine lovers, but yes, this time it was not supposed to be. We had a rental car and made a day trip there nevertheless. It was worth being there without all the wine tasting. Seeing the vineyards in beautiful autumn colours and feeling the sticky heat at the same time felt crazy. It was definitely warmer than in Porto. We had lunch in the Veladouro restaurant. Rack of lamb and black Iberico pork fillet. Very delicious and convenient. The Douro Valley is really beautiful, but it’s a bit of an adventure getting there. As said before, we had a rental car and if you’re not used to narrowing serpentines, you can feel the cold sweat running down your face. You should definitely not underestimate it. If you don’t feel like doing this on your own, you can easily book a tour from Porto or negotiate with a taxi driver. Or maybe take the train. It takes 1:45h. What’s always worth mentioning is the beautiful Atlantic Ocean light following us on all days and will always attract us like moths. Booking.com...
Our Baby was in Portugal- our itinerary!
28. May 2021
It´s been a long time since an update on this blog. One reason is our daughter, who is by now two years old and quite demanding, and we prefer spending our time on playgrounds. The other reason is Covid and coming with it the associated restrictions which put us somehow off. I don’t have the impression of returning to normal any time soon. All this is of course no excuse for us to not post anything of our trips since the end of 2019. Maybe the good old travel times will return soon enough (at least one can dream about it) and maybe Portugal is a potential destination for you. In October 2019, we traveled to Portugal with Tilda and oh my, we had such a good time. People, who follow this blog more or less regularly, know we love Portugal. If you get married in Portugal, why not bring your baby here?! To start with: Traveling with a baby is different. And the way we traveled was totally right for us in that situation. Our travel pace was way slower than without a baby, which was actually nice. We did see a lot, nevertheless. Furthermore, because of breastfeeding, I couldn’t enjoy all those delicious Portuguese wines, which I will catch up on later. This is relevant because people traveling to Porto would love to do one of the many offered wine tastings (shout out to the beautiful Douro Valley) and will not make a find in this post. I will tell you a little bit about our trip with baby because this is still a topic for some people. If you’re not interested in this, just click on the links below this text to get to the different posts. We made a little trip from North to South. Starting with Porto (with detours to Guimarães, to Braga with its Bom Jesus do Monte church, and to the Douro Valley), continuing with Sesimbra and the Algarve. In the end, we drove back to Porto and made a break in Aveiro. For this, we rented a car. A larger one than we used to because of all the stuff we needed to bring for the baby. They need so much, and I am 100% sure I didn’t pack too much. Baby car seat and baby buggy and bottles and toys and clothes. Jesus Christ! Getting there with the Baby Again: If you’re not interested in this stuff, skip it. (People without kids are usually not into this stuff.) Our departure was at 7 a.m. This meant being at the airport at around 4 in the night. She was awake the whole time. We really wished she would sleep during the flight. But no. It was all too exciting. Bottom line: we were so naive. This stuff is not predictable. We arrived at 9.30 Portugal time, got out of the airport with way too much luggage, and picked up our rental. While she was busy delighting everyone at the airport as if she wasn’t tired, the crying started at 10.30 as we left the airport. Our little sweetheart decided to process the whole trip right now and we had to make our first stop very quickly. As we weren’t allowed to check in this early, we thought carpe diem and acted like we were not half in a coma. We decided to continue driving: Guimarães and other stops. Tilda caught up on sleep in the baby carrier. We slept early that day and the whole night was a good one. Thank God! What else? Otherwise, most of the time was relaxed. The time in the car wasn’t always easy, but we didn’t expect anything else. Tilda was around seven months old at that time and made a very good job enduring the several hours in the car in its Maxi-Cosi prison. She is just the best! During our time at the Algarve, she was teething very badly. This forced us to change our plans and we chose to do things a bit slower and skip some trips. We had a very good time doing so. It was a lesson for both of us. Before Tilda, we were convinced not to be able to do relaxed trips only. Now we like both. I really love the changes our little one brings to us and we’re not getting bored for one second. Travel route Portugal And here are the links and the travel route for our trip. Enjoy! Porto and surroundings – the north of Portugal! Sesimbra, Setubal, Parque Natural de Arrabida! And again, the Algarve! Booking.com...
A Swedish summer dream – Stockholm in August!
18. April 2020
What a cheesy headline and yet so accurate. Our second trip and first flight since Tilda’s birth lead us to Stockholm. Tilda is a very lively baby and quickly bored. We were nervous thinking about flying with her. Can she stay calm for a while or will she be constantly screaming throughout the flight? And because we know nervous parents have nervous kids, we tried a short trip to Stockholm. A one-hour flight is always possible. For this reason and because summer 2019 was a hot nightmare for us (as mentioned in our Denmark post before) and because Stockholm is great, we made our way to Sweden’s capital in August 2019. Yes, I know, it’s been a while, but I just couldn’t make it sooner. No one’s interested in the details, so I keep it short: Apart from landing and take-off, when she wasn’t sleeping, we had a good first flight. Other than that, we were those on the flight, idiots think ‘Oh my God, why can’t they stay at home with a baby?’ Those who feel concerned now can now admire my virtual middle finger. Keep being pissed off. We really don’t want to annoy anyone, but you. Bless you! How to city trip with a baby Tilda was five months old and slept most of the trip (the younger they are the better; they sleep most of the trip and you can explore everything in peace). Carrying her cute diaper bum all day long in her baby carrier was a huge task for our backs (and it doesn’t get better over time). Facts: You need a travel buggy, an infant car seat and a baby carrier. We have an Ergobaby carrier and we and Tilda get along very well with it. A so-called half-buckle sling or a baby sling is something we would have had to practice before, and it takes forever compared to the full-buckle carriers. The baby needs to like the baby carrier. Anyway, you’re way more flexible with them. A buggy is good, especially for putting your baby down whenever you want or must. And of course, to put stuff in it. We don’t have to tell parents how much stuff babies need. With good organization (it’s fundamental, to not forget something and more to keep your sanity) everything worked out well for us. We started early. Tilda is an early bird; means we left our Airbnb early and came back around midday. We started again in the early afternoon. Our plan always worked out like this. Tilda is very curious, and all those new impressions made her very tired very quickly. We had seen a lot and had amazing family time. The weather was so, so good and we were in some kind of bubble the whole time. It was her second trip and as her parents were relaxed during the trip, she was too. Ergo Tilda loves traveling. And now, for the non-baby part. Gamla Stan What is there to say in detail. Gamla Stan is the Old Town of Stockholm and a huge joy for the eye. We felt like every other tourist in this city was here with us at the same time despite being here in the morning. Especially the Stor Torget (the main square with the famous colourful buildings) was partly unbearable. Maybe you have to come even earlier because nevertheless, it’s super pretty. What we didn’t plan because it’s not predictable with Tilda was seeing the guard change at the palace. It was pompous and glamourous, my dear ladies and gentlemen. The horse droppings on the street were not so much. Café in the Kungsträdgården A beautiful café in the middle of the park near the palace. We could rest here for a while and take Tilda out of the baby carrier. Södermalm Södermalm is a big, very popular part of Stockholm and therefore, you’ll find many sights and eating possibilities here. For example, the market in Hornstull during the weekends. It’s beautifully located at the water (not a surprise in Stockholm) and we could get something delicious right away after our arrival. There is a variety of all kinds of food and people just love food trucks. The crowd was mixed. More young people and families. But actually, everyone enjoying a good atmosphere. Hornstull The whole Hornstull area is a dream. We could move here right away: with the metro or the bus, the city is within easy reach. At the same time, our Airbnb was directly at the water and despite the apartment is really old, we felt really well. It was a small, Swedish idyll in the middle of the city. View from Monteliusvägen On the same evening of our arrival (as it wasn’t exhausting enough), we made the decision to walk to the Monteliusvägen viewpoint. Especially during sunset many people gather here and enjoy what’s called a perfect Stockholm view. We haven’t made it to all sunset views of the city, but at least to this one. All kinds of people are here, and the atmosphere is amazing. It’s also great for family vacation pics. Lasse i Parken Please, make it to this beautiful Café/Restaurant/beer garden/whatever. The rustic atmosphere in the middle of the beautiful garden and the delicious food is so convincing, even Tilda loved this place without feeling bored. The atmosphere here made her really calm. Fjällgatan viewpoint To be honest, this place was okay. If you’re short in time, you can skip this one. There is a busy street that kills the vibes in my opinion. But the old half-timbered houses in this part of Södermalm are really pretty. Eating in Södermalm, Stockholm Of course, we know about the duration of many restaurants, etc. We just recommend you, what was good and affordable in not-so-cheap Stockholm. Meatballs for the people This great place is no secret for quite some time now. Actually, it’s more of an institution. It doesn’t have to be the fancy secret spot all the time. It was delicious and if you have the time and feel like hanging out, be part of the crowd enjoying their evening at the Nytorget with wine and beer. Pre-Tilda we would surely have been part of this crowd. Sthlm raw We’re not vegan, but we love vegan food. Sthlm raw has a small, but delicious menu and was just the right thing for us. To say it with Tilda’s ‘words’: Mam! Cinnamon Bakery and Café Delicious pastries and coffee for a good price. Many locals come here in the morning. For us early birds, this café in our neighbourhood was very welcome. Afghan Restaurant (Lil Kabul) Perfect for those who need to take care of their pennies. The food was astonishingly good for the price. For around 10€ each, you can ‘All-you-can-eat’, which is very unusual for Stockholm. Stockholm’s tunnelbana – metro stations Kungsträdgarden, T-Centralen, Rådhuset, Stadion By now, it must be well known, Stockholm is the queen city of artsy-fartsy metro stations. The tunnelbana is the only underground railway in Sweden and some of them are staged in style. It’s best to buy a day ticket and combine it with other sights, you can’t reach by walking from your hotel/Airbnb etc. Set some time in it. For some stations, the drive takes longer than expected. Djurgården As mentioned, we had fabulous weather and amazing light when we took the tram to Djurgården passing Strandvägen. The kind of light, we only know from the Atlantic Ocean. In Waldemarsudde, we found peace on earth and made a walk in the area enjoying the perfect light. Tilda really loved this place. Heading back, we passed Gröna Lund and took the ferry to Gamla Stan. Stadsbibliotek The most hipsterish thing to do now is to visit a fancy library. The Stadsbibliotek in Stockholm comes quite in handy. Tilda was sleeping, so we gave it a try. It’s actually only allowed for whisperers. Stadshuset The town hall of Stockholm is in Kungsholmen. If you want, you can go up to the town hall tower. I mean, if you’re in a time or rather order the tickets online in advance. Which we both didn’t do. We’re true heroes. Nevertheless, it’s a nice place to visit and again the light here made it even more perfect to enjoy the view of Stockholm along the water. I always mention the light. No idea, if the pictures can transport the feelings. But for the future, this kind of light and the vibes of a city will be the only reason for upcoming city trips. We will definitely come back to Stockholm and we really want to travel around Sweden. We’ll see what we’ll do. It will be good. If you have any questions, contact us. Maybe we can help you! Booking.com...
Danish Idyll in Syddanmark – our first trip with our baby!
13. March 2020
It has been very quiet on this blog for a very long time now and we’re happy we’ve finally found the time and the feels to go on with a new post. In March 2019 I gave birth to our beautiful little Tilda and of course, she brought us a new form of joy, love, exhaustion and new priorities with her. Which doesn’t mean we forgot to travel. In contrary. Outside my belly, Tilda traveled to five countries already being only 11 months old. We think, this is awesome and will definitely continue to see more and more with her. She enjoyed all of it. Baby and child-friendly Denmark Scandinavia fans know, Europe’s north is perfect for traveling with kids. The infrastructure is perfect and the weather isn’t too hot. The hot summer of 2019 made us almost think about leaving the country, anyway. I don’t know what it’s like for other mommies, but I can imagine so many better things than mommy-baby-sweat during breastfeeding. It definitely doesn’t become too hot in the north. Therefore we made our first trip (including Jan’s part of the family) to Denmark. To be exactly to Southern Denmark, Syddanmark, an idyll between North and Baltic Sea. From Frankfurt, we had an 8 hours drive which is quite long especially with a screaming three-month-old. It was worth though, once we had arrived. This way we could also somehow ‘practice’ to travel with a baby and had luckily additional help from my parents-in-law. We had a beautiful house in Bredebro not far from the dike. It was perfect for a nice evening walk with a cute little squaller. When it was raining (it’s Denmark and it happens quite a lot) we could watch the rain from our beautiful winter garden. Some eggheads think, traveling with a baby is too exhausting, especially for the baby, not worth the time, blah blah blah. Meanwhile, there are more than enough family blogs to prove those wrong. Traveling is a great change during everyday family life. It breaks your routine even if you still have to prepare bottles. You do and see something new while your baby can watch the new environment. Tilda made her biggest development leaps during our trips and she loved the fresh air in Denmark. She was in a very good mood this week. Syddanmark – what to see here Some might find it boring, others find peace on earth here. There’s nothing spectacular happening here and those coming don’t expect it. From our house in Bredebro, we made some trips to the beautiful surrounding. Rømø The most classic thing to do in Syddanmark is taking a walk at the car beach of Rømø. Tilda didn’t like the North Sea wind, but we all enjoyed the fresh air. The sheer size of the beach is impressive. What you have to take with plenty of humor, is the German presence in Southern Demark. Being neighbors on the one side and for historical reasons on the other, there are lots of ‘tysker’ to find here. The question is whether it’s necessary to play annoying German songs at the pølser booths of Havneby. There’s not a lot of Denmark feeling coming up here. It might be a type of person thing whether to like this or not. But the backdrop of the basin is nice and you have the possibility to take the ferry to Sylt. Tønder There are definitely more spectacular places than Tønder. The Old Town is ok for a walk with the baby. For those of you who want to eat a Pølser without the annoying sound of German bogan music, you’ll find it here. It’s definitely worth a short visit. The shopping street is really cute. Near Tønder, there’s another cute place called Møgeltønder with the Schackenborg Slot (Castle). We definitely should have looked up opening times before. Maybe visiting is only possible with guided tours. You have to look this up yourselves if interested. It looked nice from the outside. Ribe We were in Ribe a few years ago and we really loved this place. It’s Denmark’s oldest town and we would come back at any time. The Old Town is beautiful and if you’re a self-provider like we are, the market is good to buy some delicious stuff. Sønderbørg This place here was really nice. We made our first little road trip with Tilda here outside of Germany and it was a great success. We had amazing weather in Sønderbørg and the color of the Baltic Sea was mesmerizingly blue. The colorful houses at the promenade were the cherry on the top. There’s a little castle here and lots of restaurants in the main street (which is not very long) which are quite affordable for Denmark standards. Here, Tilda fell asleep in my arms for the first time without me breastfeeding her or doing other weird stuff. There are a few nice corners and the view from the other side to the promenade is definitely worth making a stop here. If you’re lucky and here in summer, you can see the royal yacht in the harbor. Dybbøl Banke At Dybbøl Banke we wanted to give Tilda her first history lesson. As expected she was not very interested and preferred treating this place with her ultrasound like voice. Nevertheless, Dybbøl Banke is a historically important place in Denmark on the one hand (1864 is the year for you to google) and beautifully landscaped on the other hand. Trips to Germany From Bredebro, it’s a one-hour drive to make short trips to Flensburg and Glücksburg. We had some nasty weather here, but we will definitely return sometime. Flensburg As said, due to the weather, we couldn’t do a lot here (I’m not sure whether we could have otherwise). But we enjoyed our walk at the harbor and our bread roll with fish at Gosch’s. The Old Town was pretty, we love Hanseatic architecture. Expectedly, Tilda slept most of the time. Germany’s northernmost city is not to miss when in the area. Glücksburg Castle This is a really beautiful renaissance water castle and absolutely photogenic. Our little baby was not in the mood, so we couldn’t stay for long. But you also don’t have to. The week was over so fast and our first trip with Tilda a great success. We definitely wanted to do more after this trip. Denmark will definitely happen a lot in the future. If you want, click here to see my Instragram page with a few more pictures! You can find more about our Denmark trips here! Booking.com...
Short trip to western Lake Constance in fall!
19. March 2019
As mentioned in the previous post, a part of our short trip in fall was a detour to western Lake Constance. Lake Constance is a well-visited place. Nevertheless, we think it’s one of the most underrated destinations in Germany. Our time here was short. You could easily spend a week here without getting bored. Nevertheless, you’d surely like to know what to do with a short time here. Konstanz/Constance Constance is a really idyllic place. Many students, many families, many tourists, many… It’s a diverse city and Switzerdütsch is widely spread here. Of course, for a reason. Of course, we‘ve just been to the Lake and in the Old Town. Sitting at the Konzilhaus with a cup of coffee, enjoying the fall sun…There’s worse and our time was well spent. Konschtanz (as people around the area might also call the city) is famous for its Imperia Statue, which turns on its own axis within a few minutes. The statue caused controversy as it was female and scantily clad, which is something that’s just not done. The statue is supposed to make fun of the Council of Constance (1414-1418). The Pope is sitting on one of her hands while the emperor is sitting on the other. And while the mighty men acted like they were doing mighty things, the real winners of those years, were the whores of the city. As always actually. The pilgrimage church of Birnau The Birnau pilgrimage church was actually not on our radar. On our way to Meersburg, we were looking for a bathroom for my preggo blatter and a place less pretty than this would have been totally ok for that purpose. From far we saw this beautiful pink church which is close to the heavily trafficked B31. Down at the church one hardly notices the noise and the view over Lake Constance becomes even more astoundingly beautiful. The church is really beautiful inside as well as outside. This short detour should be done even without an annoying blatter. Meersburg Another gem at Lake Constance. Surrounded by vineyards lies beautiful Meersburg. The Old Town is beautiful with its half-timbered houses. It’s beautifully restored without the effect of being fake-old. The new palace has a beautiful garden with a café and a view over the lake. The region’s wines are delicious. There’s a good variety in the ‘Georg Hack, Haus der Weinhandlung’ wine store. Jan can confirm that and hopefully, me too soon! Booking.com...
Short trip to beautiful Württemberg and the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) in Fall!
16. March 2019
You know it. There’s a bank holiday in sight and you miraculously you can make an extended weekend out of it. But of course, you don’t know what to do with your precious time. Naturally, we have some ideas for you. For example, spending a few golden fall days in Southern Germany. Sounds kitschy and it is. But still a good idea. To be exact, we made a trip to Lake Constance, South West Germany (Swabia) and the Black Forest. While we visited South West Germany (Swabia) before, the Black Forest and Lake Constance were partly new to us. Especially the Black Forest was something I thought was totally for boring people. But it’s actually quite nice here and it’s worth visiting. The food, in particular, is really delicious here. But enough with the banter. In the following, we’ll show you what to see in this corner of Germania. Swabia Spaetzle and Swabian ravioli. being stingy, weird dialect. Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. The Kehrwoche. Hard-working. “Work hard, work hard, build a wee house” (Swabian saying) … Interesting how Swabians got their reputation and how funny and unimportant that is. What’s even more important was where we stayed overnight. Staying at Charly’s House in Tuttlingen We can absolutely recommend Charly’s House in Tuttlingen. It’s clean and comfy, location is central and offers breakfast if you want to. The hotel itself is a good base to explore the region. Of course, with a rental car, that you can book here. Furthermore, there’s a kebab man nearby (Diyar Kebab) who makes many people happy with his delicious meals. If you want ‘real’ dinner, go to Vinzenz Weinkeller. Exquisite cuisine and very good wine. Prices are decent considering the food being a bit more upscale. Tübingen Tübingen is home to one of Germany’s famous universities and famous for its beautiful Old Town. Also for the row of houses along the Neckar river. Tübingen is definitely worth a visit. Schloss Lichtenstein/Lichtenstein Castle What we really loved was Lichtenstein Castle in the Swabian Alps. The castle was built in the 19th century and belongs to the rural area of Reutlingen. It’s a very well visited castle. Entry fee is 2€ for the outside area which is a very moderate price. The view over the castle on the rock is picture perfect. Burg Hohenzollern/Hohenzollern Castle Hohenzollern Castle is one of Germany’s most famous castles. First versions or mentionings of the castle are from the 11th century. Its current form was built in the 19th century. All this information is unfortunately really unuseful when it comes to the question of whether to see the castle just from the outside or more. The famous view over the castle is actually from the Zellerhornwiese. If you want more, means seeing the inner court or the dorms, you have to take the shuttle from the parking and participate in a guided tour. This way there’s no chance to have a view at the castle. That’s why we decided on the first option. It takes a short walk from the parking spot at the Mariazell Church to enjoy this view. Donauquelle in Donaueschingen/Donau source in Donaueschingen As the name says it, it’s the Danube’s source which is located between the city church of Sankt Johann and the castle. It’s nice to look at and of course historically and geographically interesting. Schwarzwald/Black Forest As mentioned before, The Black Forest is a part of our beautiful country we successfully neglected in the past. Typically German so to say, While Chinese or American people do notice this part of Germany very well, it’s otherwise still mostly people from the area, spending their vacation here. (Which are still quite a lot, but you know what I mean.) The rest of Germany (at least people of our age) not that much. Titisee This lake is really called Titisee, and we think it’s hilarious. It’s a beautiful lake where you can spend some relaxing time. This place is all about tourism. Souvenir shops and restaurants everywhere. And many people. Really many, many people which we didn’t expect. But Maybe just because we underestimated the Black Forest area. Doesn’t matter. It’s a nice place. Triberg with its waterfall and the world’s largest Kuckucksuhr (cuckoo clock) Triberg is THE place in the Black Forrest and famous for its 163m high waterfall. It’s one of Germany’s largest waterfall. On the other side, Triberg is a cuckoo clock city. In Triberg you’ll find the biggest cuckoo clock in the world. Actually, in a place a little bit outside of the city in a beautiful valley. The cuckoo clock shop in Triberg is an attraction for itself. It’s hilarious to see what people are ready to pay for this stuff. Amazing! Baden-Baden Strictly speaking, Baden-Baden belongs to Baden and not Wurttemberg, but on our way home to Frankfurt, we thought it was a good idea to make a little stop here. Baden-Baden is a really quiet and really rich spa town. The city’s wealth derives from its thermal baths which attract people from everywhere since the 19th century. Baden-Baden is not really the place to be. It’s boring and I actually think, that’s what people in this town want. For a drink or a meal at the café of the Kurpark Trinkhalle, it’s worth a visit. Yes, it’s called Trinkhalle and shouldn’t be confused with the Trinkhallen of the Ruhr area. Booking.com...
Madeira’s inland!
12. March 2019
Madeira is not only all about green and the sea. The island’s sights are not limited to the coasts. The inland is equally beautiful offers scenic viewpoints and has a lot to offer especially for hiking fans. Madeira may be just a tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic. But its mountains reach far in the sky and this gives you the great and rare opportunity to see the clouds from above, (rare at least outside from a plane). Seriously, this is beautiful. Pico do Arieiro Pico do Arieiro is the third highest mountain of Madeira and the highest to be reached by car. Some meters below the summit there’s a parking lot and the start of a great hike to the two higher summits of Pico Ruivo and Pico das Torres. On clear days you can even see Ponta de São Lourenço from up there. But even if not, the view over the valleys and the clouds is worth the drive up here. For our small rental car, it was really a challenge, though. Tip: For your way up, we recommend you take the panoramic route. To get there, leave the VE6 in direction of Eira do Serrado and then turn right to take the steep road up. It’s less crowded and offers plenty of great viewpoints. Definitely worth the steep drive. Miradouros do Paredão One of those lesser known viewpoints on the panoramic route. Two views, to be precise. One covers the view over Funchal, the second is in direction of Curral das Freiras. Eira do Serrado As I just mentioned it: You’ll have the best view over Curral das Freiras from here. So, of course, plenty of buses take the narrow and steep road up here, too. Curral das Freiras The Valley of the Nuns is one of the most beautiful and impressive places on Madeira. Our opinion. The houses in this small town seem to be so small compared to the huge mountains surrounding it. We wondered whether the people were afraid of the mountains sometimes. We would be! Sitting in the Sabores do Curral restaurant in great afternoon light, enjoying great food and the splendid view – you can’t beat this. Ribeiro Frio Another great place in Madeira’s inland: Ribeiro Frio. It’s famous for its trouts and as a starting point of the Balcoes Hike, which takes just 30 minutes and is very easy. Actually, it’s not a hike but an easy walk. But the view is amazing and you wouldn’t expect it after walking through the woods. After your walk, go for lunch in the village and enjoy a trout. Of course, it’s quite touristic but delicious. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. Or if you want us to add something to the list. More about Madeira here: Funchal and Southern Madeira! The North and East Coast of Madeira! Our Babymoon in Madeira! Booking.com...
The North and East Coast of Madeira!
10. March 2019
The advantages of a rental car are obvious. How else could you easily reach other parts of Madeira, without following a strict time plan? There aren’t any earth-shattering distances on the island. It’s still not easy without a rental to reach east and the northwest coast of the island. Which would be sad because the island’s landscape is diverse and like in a picture book. Without any exaggeration, Madeira’s nature reminds of some kind of Rivendell (Lord of the Rings). It’s blooming everywhere. Waterfalls along the streets and the coast are the cherry on the top. It reminded us a little bit of Norway. Our big city lungs were a little bit overstrained with all the fresh air. I should stop now! Ponta de São Lourenço This nature gem called Ponta de São Lourenço is located at the most eastern part of Madeira and reminded us strongly of Ireland. Also, a little bit of Brittany, but most of Ireland. Somehow a lot of parts of the island reminded us of certain other areas in Europe. The Atlantic Ocean shows a lot of talent forming stones and offshore islands. The most famous viewpoint is the Miradouro do Ponta do Rosto. Miradouro do Ponta do Rosto Santana The small community of Santana is located at the north coast of Madeira and famous for its thatched houses, which everyone must have seen before. They’re as cute at the inside as they look from outside. Some of them got restored recently and prettied up. Not far from the houses, there’s the restaurant Serra e Mar. There’s no huge variety on the menu but what they offered was delicious. Hiking up the mountain after lunch being six months pregnant was an effort I didn’t include in my plans. (It was actually just a little steeper hill, but still.) Porto Moniz Porto Moniz is located on the north west of Madeira and famous for its lava pools filled with seawater. Porto Moniz is really focused on tourism which is why there are lots of hotels and restaurants. We ate at the Restaurant Olhos d’Agua, as it’s supposed to be with a view. Miradouro da Santa That’s the name of the viewpoint throning over Porto Moniz. Our little rental car wasn’t very delighted by the steep ride up, but we ignored it successfully and got rewarded. Ribeira da Janela & Ilheus da Rib Ribeira da Janela is also in the northwest of the island and belongs to the Porto Moniz district. Here’s one of the famous photo spots of the island, called Ilheus da Rib. It ‘s a rock formation reminding of needles looking out of the water. It looks really pretty. Miradouro do Véu da Noiva As if all this wasn’t picture perfect enough, there’s another pretty corner with a Miradouro. This time the Véu da Noiva and we actually had the feeling it was unreal. We’ve really seen worse on this planet. For all those who think this is all too boring, just looking at nice things: You are very welcome to pack your hiking shoes and hike your jittery butts up to the many viewpoints of the island. Madeira and especially the north are perfect for it. More about Madeira here: Madeira’s inland! Funchal and Southern Madeira! Our Babymoon in Madeira! Booking.com...
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