14 Mar 2019

Barcelona - Museu de Carrosses Fúnebres

Short description:

One of the biggest cemetery in Barcelona: Poblenou, is located on the sea side of Montjuic. It was opened in 1819 and till 1835 funeral ceremonies (transporting human body) were done by the people. Then, mayor of Barcelona established using carriages. Nowadays, none of those are in use, and you can see it only in a Museu de Carrosses Fúnebres (Museum of Carriages).

Free entrance

You can visit Museum of Carriages free of charge:
 every Saturday and Sunday from 10.00 AM till 2:00 PM
You will get a free small guide with a description.
There is a locker to close all your belongings (deposit 1 Eur).














More to explore:

Official website you will find here: Funeral Carriage Collection
Adress: Mare de Deu de Port, 56-58
How to get there: bus no. 21/CEMENTARI DE MONTJUIC

Read more »

6 Mar 2019

Barcelona - Basilica Santa Maria del Mar

Free entrance

Normally for the entrance to Basilica you have to pay: €5, if you want to enter both church and crypt it's €8,50 it includes towers and roof too. Off course you can avoid this payment if you will visit on:

  • Monday - Friday: 09:00 am - 13:00 pm and 17:00 pm - 20:30pm
  • Sundays and holidays: 10:00 am - 14:00 pm and 17:00 pm - 20:30 pm
  • Daily mass on 19:30 pm and Sunday mass on 12:00 am

Unfortunately, during evenings it is possible to enter only the church (without crypt, towers and roof). At least there are no queues :) 




my Tipp:

I recommend to put €1 to the box nearby small Basilica model. You will see why... Btw. prepare your camera before :)


More to explore:

Official website you will find here: Basilica Santa Maria del Mar
Adress: Placa de Santa Maria, 1
How to get there: metro L4/JAUME I

Read more »

3 Mar 2019

Barcelona - Palau Güell

Short description:

Palau Güell was designed by the best well-know Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi; a men who went beyond his times. It was built between 1886 and 1890. This place shows not only the essence of Gaudi's architecture but also collaboration between him and Eusebi Güell (industrialist and politician) - the first and the last Gaudi's client. Gaudi and Güell - imagination and money, this is how one of the most specific style was born.


 

Free entrance

Once in every month entrance to Palau Güell is free of charge, when? First Sunday of the month. Free tickets you have to pick up from ticket office, the queue is extremely long, that's why I recommend to you come before opening hours, let's say 30/40 minutes earlier. Tickets are limited and distributed for the certain hour (entrance is every half on hour), so if you're alone your chances to pick up ticket for the next entrance are bigger:) Otherwise, you will have to wait for your turn. One person can take up to 5 tickets - if you are lazy to wake up in the early morning, send your boyfriend there!! :)
Another chance to enter palace Güell for free is come on one of "open days":
> 23.04, 21.05, 11.09, 24.09, 15.12 <


Tickets are distributed:

  • from 01.11 - 31.03 -> 10:00 am - 13:30 pm and 13:30 pm - 16:30 pm
  • from 01.04 - 31.10 -> 10:00 am - 15:00 pm and 15:00 pm - 19:00 pm




Useful information:

1. On the left side behind security control (yes, you are not allowed to bring dangerous items;)) are the lockers to put your belongings and close it. A deposit of €1, which will be returned, bring a coin with you.
2. You will get a free audio guide (ES/CAT/EN/DE/FR) so easily you will discover the area. Moreover, in the attic you can watch interesting movies showing story of palace and collaboration of Gaudi and Güell.
3. Toilets are downstairs, in the corner.

Details and amazing use of light can be seen everywhere

Coming to the roof terrace... The most spectacular combination of art and technology as well as beautiful view.

Roof terrace

Chimney without me :(
Chimney and me :)



More to explore:

Official website you will find here: Palau Güell
Address: Nou de la Rambla 3-5
How to get there: metro L3/LICEU
Read more »

Matosinhos - a big kitchen of Porto

Where the food is everywhere...

Hi, it's been a while since we wrote something. Today we want to show you one of our experience from Portugal. The town is called Matosinhos and it is famous from the huge port and street restaurants in its vicinity.



Matosinhos - a big kitchen of Porto

The food (fish and shells) is really being stored and cooked on the streets. One traffic line is appropriated by restaurants where they put theirs grills and tables for visitors. In following pictures you will see snapshots from cooking procedure, choosing the fish, preparation and cooking. We were there more there once to gain some knowledge (the food was delicious too), therefore there are pictures taken during the night and during the day too.

Let's choose a fish!

Looking good... and it is much nicer when somebody is doing the dirty wort instead of me

How much does it cost?


And finally our food is going onto the grill, look how good it looked. In the end it is very fresh, delicious and unforgettable, but quite expensive. In the evening one person can eat there for about 25€. During the lunch time (before 3p.m.) you can eat a bit cheaper, then the rates are about 15€ per person. I don't know if is really healthy if you have lot of cars driving just next to your food, which is being cooked, and later just next to your plate, but still it was worth to try.


Skewer on a plate


Cod on a plate

They usually serve fish with potatoes and onion dashed with plenty of olive oil. Bon Appetit!
Read more »

30 Nov 2017

Christmas markets: Nürnberg Weihnachtsmarkt

Christmas market by night

Nürnberg - this place don't need a special invitation, especially before Christmas. Except values of the city, you can take part in one of the oldest Germans Christmas market: Nürnberger Christkindlesmarkt which means exactly: "Christ Child market".

View on the Nürnberger Christkindlesmarkt

The Christmas market is located on the main town square (Hauptmarkt) and the easiest way to get there is to use a public transport - bus and metro stops you can find on the map below. If you are coming from another city, you can use a train (DB) or more comfortable way - a car. For drivers we marked the spots, where the free parking places are located. You won't find any free parking place closer to the old town.
Organizers didn't forget about kids. They have theirs own Christmas market located on the St. Lorenz square. Although, it is smaller, you can find the most beautiful carousel (not only for kids) :)))

Map:





Read more »

2 Jul 2017

Bamberg - full of faith and controversy

View on the Michelsberg Abbey and Little Venice of Bamberg

Settled on a 7 hills


City of Bamberg was built on seven hills (as Rome) and on each of them stands a tower (of the church or castle). Thanks to the hilly landform they can be seen on different levels into perspective, which leads to magnificent views. 

The model of the old town of Bamberg next to the tourist information

Follow me to see the most important parts of the city... 

A Little Venice


Venice is one of the most recognizable cities in the World, that why many other towns are compared to it. Generally, the town needs some water very close to the buildings to be called "local Venice" (e.g. Amsterdam, Schwabisch Hall) the same thing happens in Bamberg, see why:

There are many old houses located on the bank of the river Regnitz, which are even equipped with small gang-boards to moor the boats

Furthermore, there are several buildings placed in the middle of the river on small islands

View on the Little Venice from town hall's upper bridge  

Beautiful town hall of Bamberg


The Bamberg's town hall is one of the most beautiful in the World. It was built on the small island on the river Regnitz. It connects (by two bridges: upper and lower) two banks of the river, so it used to play significant logistic role in the past also. Its walls are fully painted, which creates even better impression.

Read more »

24 Jun 2017

Schwäbisch Hall - small town on the slopes of the valley

Welcome to Schwäbisch Hall

Schwäbisch Hall is a medium sized town in Southern Germany. It belongs to the province: Baden-Wurttemberg. The town includes mixture of old and modern buildings, but the old ones are very well preserved and picturesquely situated at the banks of the Kocher river. The river is situated in a valley, therefore the old town is located on the valley slopes, which gives even nicer impression. 


Can be misleadingly considered as the most famous view of Rothenburg


Second Rothenburg?


The climate inside the old town is very comparable to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which is considered to be one of the most famous medieval towns in the World. What differs the towns the most is the landform (Rothenburg is located almost on the equal level). Buildings built on the slopes has two completely different ground floors and this makes them look even more cute - the masterpiece in building on the slopes we saw in Frias. On the other hand, only the residual parts of the town walls are preserved in Schwäbisch Hall. In Germany there are only three towns, which are surrounded by medieval city walls till this day, they are: Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Dinkelsbühl and Nordlingen.



Main square



St. Michael's church located at main square of Schwäbisch Hall


Level difference seen on the main square of Schwäbisch Hall

The main square in Schwäbisch Hall is very typical for medieval town. There are located: Town Hall, Church, some beautiful buildings and between them there is huge place. Although, we called it 'typical' it looks very nice and cozy.

Town Hall of Schwäbisch Hall


Old town streets



Every street you would go from the main square you will feel the medieval climate. The streets are more narrow then in similar towns, because of the slopes. It is also very common that the buildings are expanding looking at following higher floors. 

Street in the old town #1



Street in the old town #2

The medieval art was really developed in this region, which also testifies of the richness of the town in the past. There are more than few richly decorated portals (we cannot name it longed doors), which example you can see below. 



Schwäbian little Venice



Schwäbian little Venice

We already got used to compare any town which is nice and has some water in between to Venice. Therefore, we will also point it out here, there are three small islands connected with wooden or stone bridges, where nowadays people spend free time enjoying the regional beer.

Small advertisement, the beer was good - as always, we took the wheat one:)


Dragons in the city



Dragon holding the signboard

During the walk through the town we observed several likenesses of dragons, not only on old-styled signboards, but also in gargoyles. But we have no ides if the dragons has any special meaning for the town's history.

Dragon's head as a gargoyles


Modern art


We are not the artists or any Art experts, but these extraordinary handrails also caught our attention.

Handrail part 1

Handrail part 2


Grosscomburg



View on the monastery from the entry road

Driving or walking though the Schwäbisch Hall you can see (a little further) the small 'castle' on the hill. In fact this is the benedictine monastery which was built even before the town. The monastery is well fortified and it was used not only as place of prayer but also as a defense fortress. It is definitely worth to visit it, while doing the trip to Schwäbisch Hall. 


Gate to the monastery


View on the courtyard form the monastery walls


All mentioned places you can easily find on a map below:


That's all for today...

...we hope you enjoyed!
Read more »