September 2009
44 posts
Europe a la Carte Twitter competition (1): Win an... →
The Europe a la Carte Blog is launching a fantastic new Twitter competition today with some great prizes up for grabs. To win all you have to do is name the destination in the background photo of my…
Climb the dome of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome →
When I visited Rome last spring, we were staying a stone’s throw from St Peter’s square, and so we took the opportunity to visit the dome of St Peter’s basilica one afternoon, after we had already…
Europe’s Five Best Off-Beat Cathedrals →
Nothing beats a European city break like a good cathedral. Stained glass, vaulted ceilings, dusty floors and echoing walls – you don’t need to be religious to appreciate these gorgeous architectual…
World’s tallest church in Ulm, Germany →
I’m easily drawn to tourist attractions that are the biggest, longest, narrowest or best for some reason or another – so when a friend in Germany raved to me about Ulm’s cathedral (known locally as…
TravelBrandTwt launches: Twitter account... →
TravelBrandTwt, assisting travel brands to maximise Twitter’s potential, launches today. As travel blog editor @karenbryan I’ve spent a lot of time on Twitter recently and come to the conclusion…
Skogskyrkogården – A Swedish World Heritage Site →
Sweden is full of UNESCO World Heritage sites with quite a few of them just around Stockholm. There’s Birka, the Viking Age town, there’s Drottningholm, a royal residence, and then there’s …
Discovering Naive Art in Croatia →
One of my favourite museums in Zagreb is the Croatian Museum of Naive Art. Situated in the old town, close to St. Mark’s Church, this museum displays some of the finest works of naive art…
Book Review: Historic Walking Guides Edinburgh by... →
Edinburgh is one of my very favourite European cities and that’s not just because I’m Scottish, so I was looking forward to reading and reviewing Andy Hayes’ Historic Walking Guides Edinbugh. As…
£15 off flexible room rate at selected UK... →
Europe a la Carte is offering readers a £15 discount code, applicable to the price of flexible rate roons at many UK Travelodges for stays between 19 September and 6 December 2009. You’ll need to…
County Durham, England: The best places to visit →
I recently had the pleasure of visiting County Durham to join in the festivities for UK Peace and Tranquility Week. After four days of making new friends, seeing some of the best local…
Be a religious tourist in Rome →
For many Rome is about the Colisseum, the Trevi fountain, the gelato and the neighbourhood Trattoria. For others it’s the heart of Christianity, the home of the the Catholic church and El Papa…
Visiting Prague (or anywhere) for a hobby →
Having a hobby can be a great way of deciding on a holiday destination. I used to travel a lot with a friend who had a slightly unusual sporting hobby – he was a kendo player, having taken…
Pitlochry Autumn Festival, Scotland 16 October – 1... →
The Pitlochry Autumn Festival runs from 16 October to 1 November 2009. One of the main events is the Enchanted Forest lights show held in Faskally Wood. It’s a wonderful spectacle which I’ll be…
Lost and Bored in Vienna – The Brigitta Chapel →
I like to go exploring when I travel. Even when I end up in a big city where there is plenty to see, there tends to be something to find on a backstreet. Plus, I love history. Which is how I…
How much time do you spend in your hotel? →
Do you choose your holiday hotel very carefully as you may spend around 12 hours a day in your hotel? If you think about it logically you probably spend eight hours in bed, one hour having showers,…
£1 Ryanair flights 1 October – 10 December 2009 →
The Ryanair £1 ticket promotion is back for bookings until 17 September. And yes the £1 tickets really do exist, I’ve just booked a £2 return ticket from Edinburgh to Pisa for travel in November….
Visiting Prague (or anywhere) for a sports... →
Having a hobby can be a great way of deciding on a holiday destination. I used to travel a lot with a friend who had a slightly unusual sporting hobby – he was a kendo player, having taken…
Cricket: The Gentleman’s Game in Croatia →
Football is a national passion in Croatia. The local league is closely and passionately followed, and the national team usually graces the front pages of the newspapers (recently headlines have been…
Follow me @karenbryan, Europe travel blog editor... →
If you love travel in Europe, follow me @karenbryan on Twitter. You’ll find links to the latest posts from two travel blogs which I edit, Europe a la Carte and Top Travel Content Europe. I’ll…
Dublin Travel Tips ‘n’ Tweets: The best places to... →
I’m off to Dubin from 8 – 12 October 2009. My accommodation is already sorted, courtesy of the Arlington Hotel O’Connell Bridge, I asked for tips on what to do and see in Dublin and received a…
Berwick upon Tweed Food Festival & Heritage Open... →
I spent the afternoon at the 2009 Berwick Food Festival and local Heritage Open Day. The Barracks courtyard was full of local producers selling all sorts of food and drink from Holy Island…
Free Podcasts and other resources for Berlin →
Part of my anticipation for going on holiday is to download any free podcasts I can find and listen to them as I walk to work – it helps pass the time and provide a little relaxation and inspiration…
What’s in Your luggage? →
I had a good chuckle the other day when a press release came across my desk. It was the results of a survey by the Post Office Travel Money Card (which isn’t a bad idea, actually, if you want an…
Enchanted Forest: a magical show in Faskally Wood,... →
Between 16 October – 1 November 2009 Faskally Wood, close to Pitlochry in Perthshire in Scotland, will be magically transformed by the nightly Enchanted Forest lights show.
I’ve been…
Guest Post: Exploring Hadrian’s Wall country →
In this guest post, Emily Starbuck Gerson from Austin, Texas who runs the travel blog Maiden Voyage, geared toward travelers in their 20s, tells us about her trip to Hadrian’s Wall Country in…
Warsaw’s Jewish Cemetery for a fascinating... →
As Andy quite rightly recently mentioned, there’s a lot that’s worth seeing in Warsaw, and one place I found particularly moving and interesting is the Jewish Cemetery (it’s on Okopowa…
Day Trips from Stockholm – The Viking Town of... →
Swedish history is in abundance in the town of Sigtuna. Viking history mixes with medieval Swedish history that lives on today.
Some historians and archeologists believe the Viking town of…
Zagreb Attractions: Open-air farmers’ market,... →
Every weekend without fail, I make my way to one of Zagreb’s landmarks – Dolac, the open air farmers’ market. Located a few paces behind the city’s main square, this is Zagreb’s oldest and most…
Great free museums for the family in London →
If you’re visiting London with the family, there’s plenty to enjoy that won’t blow the budget. In fact most of London’s museums are free and in South Kensington you can take your pick from the big…
Great British Heritage Pass saves you time and... →
If you plan to visit castles, gardens and monuments during your trip to the UK, the Great British Heritage Pass saves you money and time. Overseas visitors to the UK can buy the pass online….
Travel tips request for my trip to Bournemouth →
I’m looking for tips on what to do and see in Bournemouth. I’m staying for 4 nights from 29 September to 3 October 2009. I managed to find a Ryanair promotional £2 return flight from Edinburgh to…
Any tips for what to do and see in Dublin? →
I’m off to Dubin from 8 – 12 October 2009. My accommodation is already sorted, courtesy of the Arlington Hotel O’Connell Bridge, I’m looking for tips on what to do and see in Dublin and/or for…
5 Overlooked European Capitals: Ankara, Bern,... →
I’m always one for a good citybreak weekend, as I love to check out the vibe and atmosphere of foreign cities. I especially love capital culture. Here are five European capitals that are often…
Vienna Attractions: Mozarthaus disappoints →
Staring out onto Blutgasse, you can wander through the apartment, Domgasse 5, in which Mozart spent over two years of his life in Vienna at the height of his success.
Mozarthaus Vienna…
Learn about snow (and more) at Rovaniemi’s... →
A good friend is heading to Finnish Lapland this week, and specifically to the Arctic Circle town of Rovaniemi – a place I spent a fantastic (but cold) Christmas a few years ago. Of course, now…
Travelodge Spring Sale: Rooms for £12 UK, 12 euro... →
The Travelodge £12 /12 euro room sale starts at 6.00am on Thursday 3 September. You can book the Spring Sale rooms for stays between 1 January – 11 April 2010. You’ll have to pay in advance and…
Waiting for the hammer to fall: Sponsorship of... →
I’m looking for a sponsor for the Europe a la Carte Blog. The sponsor will be selected after a sealed bid or slient auction with a closing date of Monday 21 September 2009.
The Blog is almost…
London Attractions – Greenwich, The Home of Time →
South East London is home to a lush green oasis. Away from the hustle and chaos lies Greenwich. A World Heritage Site situated along the Thames, Greenwich is best known across the world as the…
August 2009
87 posts
Berwick upon Tweed Film Festival 2009, 18 – 20... →
The 5th Berwick upon Tweed Film Festival “Drawing the Lines” runs from 18 – 20 September. On offer is a selection of films screened at The Maltings including classics such as Laurel and Hardy and…
Great Danes in Copenhagen: the friendly, fun... →
The Danish people are some of the nicest in Europe, and Copenhagen is one of Europe’s nicest capital cities. Why not make a summer city break? With fantastic weather (sometimes hot by UK standards)…
Sailing boats and the Medieval city of Vannes in... →
I recently visited the medieval city of Vannes in Brittany, France, a picturesque place with half timbered houses and old narrow lanes around the Cathedral. It’s pretty busy in high season, so the…
UK Travel Tips ‘n’ Tweets: What to do and see in... →
I asked for tips on the blog and on Twitter for what to do and see on the Belfast Stop of the Summer 09 UK Blogging Tour. Below are the tips I received to help you visit the best places in…
Best Prague Attractions: Museum of Communism →
My first day in Prague turned out to be rain drenched and gloomy, washing away my plans of hitting the local sights. The dark, thundering sky offered no hope of a reprieve. I was on my second cup…
Anti-crime in London: Putpocketing gives money to... →
Fingers crossed, touch wood, and so on, I’ve never been a victim of a crime while I’ve been travelling – never had anything stolen, never even had an airline lose my luggage. I’m sure part of my…