Trafalgar Square on a typical cloudy day in London.

Travel Photo: London is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

I was in Dresden in December and was expecting bitterly cold temperatures and snow but instead the weather was sunny and mild. It was unusual for that time of the year but it gave me the opportunity to spend hours each day walking and exploring the city. Here are 7 great things I discovered about Dresden while I was there.

1. Dresden has been completely rebuilt

The Allied bombardment of Dresden in the final days of WWII completely destroyed the city and killed at least 25,000 civilians. That was followed by decades of communist rule so I wasn’t expecting too much in terms of architecture. Fortunately though, much of the old town has been rebuilt in its original style and structures like the beautiful Frauenkirche stand once again.

2. The Balcony of Europe

Brühl’s Terrace is an elevated area along the Elbe known as the Balcony of Europe. It’s a great place to walk and admire the scenery and the paddle steamers located below.

3. Meissen Porcelain

While porcelain gets a bit of a bad rap for being old fashioned, the famous Meissen porcelain is now being produced in more modern designs. Unfortunately it’s a little out of my budget but the incredible porcelain painting on the side of the Furstenzug is completely free to admire.

4. Food at the Christmas Markets

Dresden has the oldest Christmas market in the world and in my experience the best Christmas market food. I was travelling solo in Dresden so it was nice to be able to snack on fresh and healthy (sometimes) street food instead of having to eat alone in a restaurant.

5. The Stunning City Skyline

The rebuilding of the city is best appreciated in the stunning city skyline. The New Synagogue, Frauenkirche, Hofkirche and the Semperoper are all located along the Elbe and make for a beautiful sight, especially when lit up at night. This view is from my room at the Hotel Am Terrassenufer which you can read more about here.

6. The New Green Vault

Dresden has some fascinating museums but the one which really blew my mind was the New Green Vault at the Residenzschloss. There you can see a cherry pit which is said to have 185 faces carved on it. I can’t imagine why someone would do that but kudos to them. There are gold and ivory statues with the Royal Household at Delhi being one of the most elaborate.

Image: Wikipedia

You can also get a close up look at the Dresden Green Diamond which is 41 carats (!) and flawless. It is green in colour because it was exposed to natural radiation.

Unfortunately it’s not possible to take photos in the museum so it’s difficult to show how amazing it is but I think it’s worth visiting Dresden for this museum alone. I have never seen anything like the intricate and elaborate statues and ornaments found there.

7. Coffee and Cake

The afternoon tradition of stopping for coffee and cake is well respected in Dresden. I enjoyed a cake break at the famous Grand Cafe Coselpalais, just next to the Frauenkirche. The baroque style building was rebuilt and completed in 2000 and they are once again serving traditional food and desserts on beautiful Meissen porcelain tableware.

I spent most of my time walking around Dresden but also did a hop on hop off bus tour which was great for seeing sights a bit further out of the centre and to keep warm when it started to get a little chilly.

It seems like each time I visit a new city in Germany, that city becomes my favourite. Cologne, Munich and Berlin have all been my favourite German cities at one time or another but now it’s most definitely Dresden, a city which deserves more attention than it gets.

7 Great Things About Dresden is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

A: Age of first international trip: It was a long time ago but I believe I was 12 when I first left Australian shores and headed to Singapore and Malaysia with my family. Back then Singapore was super cheap and I remember buying loads of fake Lacoste t-shirts!

B: Best (foreign) beer: I don’t usually drink beer, foreign or otherwise but I did try a flavoured beer on my last trip to Lille. I hated it.

C: Cuisine (favourite): In the past I would have said Italian but I’m a little bored with that and now choose Turkish cuisine whenever I can.

D: Destination (favourite and least favourite): This is a tough one. There are so many amazing places I’ve been lucky enough to visit. I’d have to say Croatia is right up there with it’s beautiful coastline and relaxed way of life. Of course I love Paris too but it’s different when you live somewhere for a while, the reality of day to day life takes the shine off after a while. Least favourite destination would be Singapore, without a doubt. I’ve been 4 or 5 times now and I hope my trip last year will be my last.

E: Event experienced abroad that made you say “wow”: On my first ever trip to Europe I was travelling by car with my parents. I was driving and we were completely lost. I kept asking, ‘where are we, where are we?’ and then out of the blue a massive iron structure was in front of me. I was in Paris in front of the Eiffel Tower and it was definitely a ‘wow’ moment.

F: Favourite mode of transportation: I love to travel by train but now that I finally have a car I’ve been enjoying going on road trips around the continent. Last year we drove from Paris to Innsbruck, down through the Balkans then over to Italy and back via Annecy. It was quite a trip and I can’t wait for our next big road trip which is coming up soon.

G: Greatest feeling while travelling: I’m sure it’s the same for many people but the greatest feeling for me is the excitement of visiting somewhere new. Seeing different things, experiencing new cultures and especially trying new food is always a lot of fun.

H: Hottest place travelled to: Kalgoorlie, for sure. The last time I was there the temperature gauge in my car said it was 52 degrees and it wasn’t even in the middle of summer! Needless to say I didn’t stay long.

I: Incredible service experienced and where: I can’t think of any one experience in particular but when we were in Japan two years ago I felt like the people there went out of there way to make sure we were taken care of and had everything we needed, even though there was a huge language barrier.

J: Journey that took the longest: Back when I was a student in Paris I took a 24 hours bus ride to Prague. That wasn’t fun but it’s still less than a typical journey from Paris to my hometown Perth.

K: Keepsake from travels: Other than photos I don’t really have any keepsakes from my travels. For me, travel is all about the experiences and great memories, not so much about things I find along the way.

L: Let-down sight, why and where: The Grand Canyon. I flew over the Grand Canyon and then visited a small section not far from Las Vegas. Maybe it was the part of the canyon where I was but it didn’t exactly blow my mind. It probably didn’t help that I had been sick on the flight.

M: Moment where you fell in love with travel: I’ve always been interested in visiting far away places but I vividly remember my high school English teacher coming back from a trip to Petra and falling in love with idea of visiting Jordan and the rest of the world.

N: Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in: I loved my stay in the Roomers hotel in Frankfurt. It was brand new when I went and their wellness centre was pretty much untouched. They had an amazing water massage bed which I will never forget.

O: Obsession – what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while travelling?: Water. The photos always turn out to be unimpressive but in the moment I can’t resist trying to capture the beauty of the crystal clear turquoise water in front of me.

P: Passport stamps, how many and from where?: Too many to count. Countries: Australia, Japan, Singapore, Dubai, France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Albania, Slovenia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Morocco. I’m disappointed I didn’t get one from Liechtenstein when I was there last year.

Q: Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where: The Corrigin Dog Cemetery in Western Australia.

R: Recommended sight, event or experience: Visiting Monkey Mia in Australia’s north west. Not only can you hand feed dolphins (if you are one of the lucky chosen ones) but you can see the unusual, endangered dugongs in their natural habitat.

S: Splurge; something you have no problem forking over money for while travelling: Food of course! When travelling I usually eat lunch in a cafe or restaurant as it’s often cheaper than eating dinner out but I won’t hesitate to go somewhere special.

T: Touristy thing done: In Krakow I went on one of those horse and carriage rides around the city. You don’t get much more touristy than that! I must admit it was a relaxing way to spend half an hour.

U: Unforgettable travel memory: Sharing the stunning beach in Lucky Bay near Esperance with kangaroos. The whole region is incredibly beautiful and I can’t wait to go back at the end of this year.

V: Visas, how many and for where?: I’m usually too lazy to go to the trouble of getting visas which is why I’ve yet to visit Russia and China and a few other places of interest. Looking at my 9 year old passport I see there is only one visa, a two year spousal visa for the UK. Even though I lived there for quite a while I never bothered to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

W: Wine, best glass of wine while travelling and where?: I don’t drink much wine but I do believe champagne tastes great everywhere!

X: eXcellent view and from where?: The sun rising over the mountains in Tirol is one of my favourite views in recent memory.

Y: Years spent travelling?: I’m not going to say as that will give away my age but let’s just say a lot but not enough.

Z: Zealous sports fans and where: I love tennis and have travelled to Wimbledon and the Italian Open and have been to the BNP Paribas Masters and Roland Garros here in Paris numerous times.

That’s my A to Z of travel. Now to tag some other bloggers:

• Femme Francophile
• Expat Life in Belgium
• Tour Absurd
• My Expat Germany
• La Tortuga Viajera
• Vagabond3

Another ABC of Travel is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

Crossing the 400 metres of flat, open no man’s land was a disaster waiting to happen. The Germans on higher ground were easily able to mow down the approaching soldiers and no one made it across enemy lines. Further along, the no man’s land was only 90 metres wide and a tenacious group of mostly Australian soldiers made it across into enemy territory. It seems like this achievement was unexpected and while the British commanders were deciding what to do, night fell and not long after the small group of soldiers found themselves surrounded by the more powerful, professional German army.

Bloody hand to hand combat ensued with rifles, bayonets and grenades being the weapons of the day. Many of the Australians were killed and the few who survived were taken as prisoners of war.

In the small French village of Fromelles in 14 hours beginning on the 19th July 1916 more than 8,500 Australian, British and German troops were killed, wounded or taken prisoner with 5,533 of them being Australian. One of the deadliest battles in Australian history.

Fromelles Mass Graves

Soldiers killed behind allied lines were identified and buried in British cemeteries along the front line while those who died in no man’s land were left there for two years until the end of the war. Those who perished behind German lines were buried in mass graves in Fromelles, 50 soldiers per grave.

Even though the existence of the graves was well documented by the Germans, their existence was largely ignored by the French, British and Australian authorities for more than 90 years. It wasn’t until French and Australian amateur historians shared their extensive research that something was finally done about these forgotten soldiers. After years of bureaucracy and delays the bodies were eventually exhumed in 2009. DNA samples of 250 soldiers were taken and so far around 110 bodies have been identified.

Fromelles Military Cemetery

In 2010, the soldiers recovered from the five mass graves were given individual funerals with military honours and are now buried in a new military cemetery in Fromelles. Fromelles Military Cemetery is not far from the battle location and the woods where the mass graves were located (known as Pheasant Wood).

There are a number of other military cemeteries located in the area which are worth seeing. You can also visit Australian Memorial Park which is a small piece of Australian territory in France which commemorates the contribution of Australian soldiers in Fromelles during the Great War.

Hitler in Fromelles

During WWI, Adolf Hitler worked as a messenger transferring messages to and from Fromelles each day by bike and he is believed to have taken part in the Battle of Fromelles. During WWII when Fromelles was once again in German hands, the German soldiers created a plaque to commemorate the contribution their Fuhrer made to the city during WWI. At the end of the war, the plaque was immediately pulled down by the returning French and it can now be found at the Fromelles Museum.

Fromelles Museum

The Fromelles Weppes Terre de Mémoire is currently located on the first floor at the Fromelles town hall. There you can find all kinds of memorabilia and information on the Battle of Fromelles including uniforms and ammunition found in the area. The growing museum will be moved to a dedicated building next to the cemetery in the near future. The museum is open on the 2nd Sunday of the month or by appointment.

Fromelles Tours

Fromelles is located 20 minutes drive west of Lille and while you can visit the museum and cemetery on your own it will help to have a guide to show you around as points of interest are not sign posted. Our guide showed us the location of the German front line, no man’s land, the Allied front line and the precise location of the one on one final combat. Lille Tourism will be running tours to Fromelles starting this summer or ask them about arranging a guide.

Battle of Fromelles

I must admit I didn’t know anything about the Battle of Fromelles before arriving in the town. Looking around the museum and discussing the battle with the local historians was fascinating and their passion for the details was contagious. There is a small group of historians dedicated to preserving the memories of the battle and what happened afterwards and they are happy to share what they know.

It’s incredible to think that so many soldiers were sacrificed for nothing. Nothing was achieved. No ground was gained. The diversion failed. There was just a mass loss of life. If you are interested in Australian or military history then I’d definitely recommend a trip to Fromelles to find out more.

In 2006, 60 Minutes did a segment on Fromelles before the mass graves were excavated which you can watch here and if you are based in the UK you can watch a Channel 4 documentary on the subject.

I’d like to thank Lille Tourism and Fromelles Tourism for making our trip to Fromelles possible and Jean Marie Doual for driving us to and from Lille and for helping to translate. Special thanks to Jean Marie Bailleul for kindly sharing his immense expertise with us and for showing us the battlefields.

Australia’s Forgotten Soldiers is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

UNESCO World Heritage Site Cologne Cathedral and the Hohenzollern Bridge.

Since 2008 people have been placing ‘love locks’ on the bridge and there are now thousands of locks on the fence between the footpath and the train tracks. Iain from MalloryOnTravel wrote about Cologne’s love locks and most comments seem to be in favour of them but I’m not so sure. I know the love locks on the Ponts des Arts in Paris are regularly removed by the authorities but in Cologne they seem to be accepted. What do you think, romantic or an eyesore?

Travel Photo: Cologne is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

My three days in Munich last month were extremely hectic so the city definitely doesn’t quieten down in the colder months. If anything I’d say December is a very busy time with all the Christmas markets, the Tollwood Festival and everyone out Christmas shopping. It’s a great time to visit because there is no chance you’ll be bored and you can avoid the cooler weather by heading indoors to visit any of the many museums and art galleries.

Tollwood Winter Festival

The Tollwood Winter Festival is more than just a Christmas market. It has more of an international flavour and there is entertainment like circus acts and a special New Year’s celebration. There are themed tents depending on what you want to do and these are the best places to keep warm on a wintry day.

Christmas Markets

The main Christmas market in Marienplatz is a nice place to wander around but you might want to avoid visiting on the weekends when it can get very, very crowded. A better option would be to stick to the smaller markets which still have a lot to offer but you don’t have to worry about pushing your way through the crowds. I particularly liked the small market off Odeonsplatz and the medieval style Christmas market at Wittelsbacherplatz.

From Wittelsbacherplatz you could cross the road to enjoy coffee and cake at the historic Cafe Luitpold.

Museum Quarter

Not far from the main train station you’ll find many of Munich’s most well known museums and art galleries conveniently located within a few minutes walk of each other. For €12 you can get a day pass to the 3 Pinakotheken (Alte, Neue and Moderne) and the Museum Brandhorst.

The Alte Pinakothek (Old Masters Gallery) is particularly well known for it works by Rubens including the The Dying Seneca where philosopher Seneca is forced to commit ‘suicide’.

At the Neue Pinakothek (New Picture Gallery) there are a huge number of popular works by Renoir, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh and my favourite that day, Woman in Red Dress by Edvard Munch.

I particularly liked the Pinakothek der Moderne (Modern Art Museum) for its design museum which includes computer design through the decades (Apple is well represented) and a great section on furniture and product design.

Shopping

Munich has always been one of my favourite places to go shopping. You’ve got all the popular chain stores along pedestrian street Kaufinger Straße, more upmarket shops at Theatinerstraße and Fünf Höfe and window shopping only (for me) at Maximilianstraße. Smaller and cheaper shops are found in Sendlinger Straße and Schwabing. One of my favourite shops is Manufactum which has an odd mix of gourmet food, clothing, office and gardening products. I don’t quite get it but it’s fun to walk around.

Eating

Normally I would recommend going to Viktualienmarkt to pick up picnic supplies but obviously that’s not a good idea in the middle of winter. Instead, I’d suggest heading next door to the recently opened Schrannenhalle which is an indoor market where you can pick up gourmet food to go or sit and eat at the informal tables. This has quickly become one of my favourite foodie places in Munich.

Across from Schrannenhalle is one of my favourite cafes of all time, Cafe Frischhut. It’s a Munich institution and not to be missed.

There are a million other places to eat in Munich so I might have to go back just to research the best places to eat. If you’re feeling particularly touristy you could always eat at Hofbrauhaus but once was more than enough for me. 

Where to Stay

On this trip to Munich I stayed at the Schiller5 Hotel. The location is perfect as it’s walking distance to the main train station, Marienplatz, the Tollwood Festival and the museum area. The hotel itself is very modern, spotlessly clean and with large apartment rooms (with kitchen) so if you want to shop at Schrannenhalle and eat in your room you can. Read my full review of Schiller5 here.

Munich in Winter

I don’t think there is ever a bad time to visit Munich. It’s a big city where there is always something going on and always something new to see. Hopefully this year will be the year I finally get to go to Oktoberfest but if not I will happily return any time.

Munich in Winter is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

I was in Lille in December as it was the first stop on my Christmas market tour. The market was quite small but very popular and while I had some great Christmas food the real foodie treats are found in Vieux Lille.

I could go on and on about where to eat in Lille. We ate at some amazing places. If you want to try local specialities, any of the Estaminet’s found around the city are worth a try. Estaminet’s are pub/bistro type places serving traditional meals and local brews. There are quite a few around Rue de Gand but we went to Au Vieux de la Vieille in Vieux Lille. This is the perfect place to try one of Lille’s most famous dishes, Carbonnades Flamandes which is beer braised beef.

Many of the dishes have beer in them or maroilles, the local cow’s milk cheese, so be prepared for rich, heavy food. Don’t fill up too much though because less than 100m down the road is one of the best desserts you’ll find anywhere in France, the Merveilleux. Layers of meringue coated with fresh cream and rolled in chocolate. Heaven!

Speaking of desserts, Meert is also located in Vieux Lille. They’ve been around a while, since 1761 to be exact, and are most well known for their sweet vanilla stuffed waffles (which are too sweet for me) but also for their salted butter caramels and very fruity pâtes de fruit. You can order takeaway from the shop or sit in the wonderful cafe next door.

Being only 15 kilometres from chocolate haven Belgium, it’s not surprising Lille is big on chocolate. Weiss and Benoit Chocolatier are great places to stock up on delicious hand made chocolates.

The Wazemmes Sunday food market is another great foodie location in Lille and is the ideal place to pick up picnic supplies or just wander around and snack at the international food stalls.

Having beer drinking Belgians as neighbours has also worked out well for the Lillois as they love their beer too. Belgian Kriek beer (with sour cherries) has a quite unusual flavour and I tried one with orange peel.

More to my liking was the cider which you can get just about everywhere and it comes in sweet, semi-sweet and dry versions. The hot cider from the Christmas markets was my preferred drink on this trip to Lille. It’s much sweeter than the hot wine and they don’t put spices in it which I normally find overpowering.

If you want something a little stronger go for the local genievre spirit, derived from juniper berries. It’ll keep you warm on the wet, wintery days they often have in the north of France. The region is also well known for speculoos and you can even get speculoos liquor.

That’s just the beginning of my foodie discoveries but there are plenty of other reasons to visit Lille. There’s the UNESCO World Heritage listed Belfry which you can climb for the best views of the city and over to Belgium.

Just next to the Belfry is the Porte de Paris which celebrates the victories of Louis XIV.

If you’re interested in architecture or the Art Nouveau period head over to 14 rue de Fleurus to see one of Hector Guimard’s finest works, Maison Coilliot. I’ve previously written about Hector Guimard’s work in Paris and it was great to see another of his creative designs in Lille.

Then of course there is Place Charles de Gaulle with its adorable Flemish style architecture.

Lille has some fantastic museums and in particular I’d recommend the LaM modern art museum. I haven’t always liked modern art but am definitely starting to appreciate it more. There were some great works by Picasso, Modigliani, Miro and I quite liked this piece by Daniel Buren.

If you plan on visiting a number of museums and monuments, I’d recommend getting the Lille City Pass which gives you access to the museums as well as a 1 hour city bus tour, a guided walking tour of the old town and all public transport.

Day Trips from Lille

If you happen to be in Lille on the second Sunday of the month, I’d suggest a day trip (or an afternoon trip) to the nearby village of Fromelles. Fromelles is the site of one of Australia’s deadliest battles with 5,533 Australian soldiers being killed or wounded in the World War I battle. You can visit the battlefields and the new military cemetery as well as the museum at the town hall. Ask at the tourist office on Place Rihour for information on how to get there. This was one of the most interesting museum visits I’d had in quite some time and you can read about the Battle of Fromelles and the mass graves here.

Where to Stay

On this weekend trip to Lille I stayed at the modern Kanai Hotel located just down from the Grand Place, not far from Vieux Lille and the two main train stations. I love small, boutique hotels like this one and the free wifi was a bonus. Read my full review of Kanai Hotel here.

Weekend Getaway to Lille

This was actually my 3rd trip to Lille but my first as a tourist. It really is one of the most beautiful cities in France and a personal favourite. There is plenty to see on a weekend trip but a longer trip would give more time to try some of the amazing restaurants and bakeries which is what I’ll be doing on my next visit.

Weekend Getaway to Lille is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

Much of Ljubljana was rebuilt in Baroque and Vienna Succession styles after severe earthquakes in 1511 and 1895 and today is a mix of old and new.

Travel Photo: Ljubljana is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

The communists weren’t the only ones to destroy parts of the medieval castle. The collapse of a pyramid scheme in 1997 led to civil unrest and gang warfare around the country including in Berat. This led to one of the most famous Ottoman style buildings in the castle being gutted by fire.

Nowadays though, it’s just neglect and abandonment which have led to the castle literally falling down in some parts and becoming a rubbish tip in others.

Most of the medieval castle walls are still intact and are a sign of what was most likely a magnificent structure in its day.

Berat is hugely popular, with tourists from around the world flocking to visit the UNESCO World Heritage listed town. I even met a couple of Aussies while I was up on the lookout admiring the city below.

The walk up to the castle is quite steep and a little slippery so you might want to get a taxi up if you’re not feeling very adventurous. Entrance to the castle costs around 1 euro. You can read more about life in Berat, Albania here.

Exploring Berat Castle is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

Paris

I have to put Paris at the top of my list. After all, I could live virtually anywhere in the world but I choose to make the City of Lights my home. When I first lived in France in 1999-2000 I lived one block from the Hotel de Ville. I have great memories of that time as a student in Paris and that part of the Marais will always be a happy place for me.

Dubrovnik

Croatia is one of the places I had dreamt of visiting for years before I finally made it there in 2010. My high expectations were far exceeded. Dubrovnik was my first Croatian destination and you couldn’t get the smile of my face the entire time I was there.

Tirol

Even though I had just met my fellow travellers, hiking up a Tirolean mountain to see the sun rise with them was a happy moment in a very happy, awe-inspiring place.

Outside of Europe, my ‘happy places’ are all in my home country, Australia.

Perth

Even though I always refer to Perth as ‘Dullsville’ it is my home town and all my family lives there so I’ve go to include it in my list of happy places.

Manly

Manly is my second home in Australia and if I ever move back down under this is most likely where I’ll end up. Running along Manly beach, swimming at Shelly Beach, sipping cocktails at my favourite bars and breakfast at my local cafe all make Manly happy place for me.

Happy Places is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.