New Back Doors: 2003
Europe still holds Back Door destinations - off-beat nooks and crannies that are short on crowds and long on culture. Or an activity can be a Back Door: a festival no tourist seems to know about, a sporting event you can join, a local language class. What's your best Back Door discovery or experience?
Lofoten Islands, Norway
If you're in Scandinavia with a little time (and money, of course)...treat
yourself to the Lofoten Islands. They are a visual feast! Think Rocky Mountains
on the Maine Coast and you'll have just an inkling of how stunning the geography
is. Once there, you can take a cruise, whale watch, kayak, fish, hike, climb,
etc. The drive is far from Oslo, so I recommend flying or taking the Coastal
Express up the coast from Bergen. Lonely Planet has the best lodging/planning
information out there.
Rosanna
Arlington, VA USA Tue 12/09/2003
Canal Narrowboating in England
In September I rented a narrowboat and travelled the canals in Englan for
a week. We boated from near Birmingham to Wales and back. It isn't a speedy
journey as the boat only goes 2-4 miles per hour. But you see the countryside
and the locals in a way you never would by car. I also particularly enjoyed
sampling the food and drink from many pubs. You also get the fun of driving
the boat and working the locks by yourself. When you are tired, you just
moor along the canalside. Best I could tell, narrowboating is something
that has a following much like RV'ing does in the US. The company we used
was Alvechurch Holidays, but there are many companies and many routes to
chose from. You can take a short break (2 to 3 days) or a week.
Jamie Faulkner
Bad Aibling, Germany Mon 10/13/2003
Domburg, Netherlands
My daughter and I came across a real back door when we visited Europe this
summer. The town is called Domburg and it is in the Zeeland province of
the Netherlands. Not easy to get to, but a real treat once there. We stayed
in a Stayokay youth hostel, which is a converted 13th century castle. Minutes
to expansive beaches, rent bikes at the hostel and ride 2km into town for
the day. Lots of towns to visit. The hostel will give you great day trip
ideas. This spot is very popular with Dutch and German families enjoying
their holidays - we stayed for 3 days and enjoyed ourselves immensely!
Dunn Family
Surrey, BC Canada Wed 10/08/2003
Cannstatter Volksfest
Stuttgart hosts two major festivals every year- Fruhlingsfest, and Volksfest.
Volksfest runs the same time as Oktoberfest, and is relatively the same
size (yes, even the beers are too!)- you pay much less, less tourists, and
you can still eat pretzles, dance on tables, act like a total fool and still
manage to have a great time! It actually completely satiated my desire to
go to Munich for Oktoberfest! Stuttgart rocks!
Ryan
Stuttgart, Germany Sun 09/28/2003
Italian back doors
We just came back from a week in Grado. It is an island resort in Friuli
at the top of the Adriatic. The town is great for strolling but poor on
parking. We took a bus to Aquileia ( 4 BC Roman ). We took a bus to Trieste
and rode a boat back, 1&1/2 hr. each way, 7,50E per person. We drove up
to the Dolomiti Mts. and to the border with Slovenia. We stopped in many
towns. The Fruili region is known for its large portions of food at a cheap
price. Bring zip-lock bags. We saw no thieves, there were few tourists,
and we were treated great. That is the advantage of going off the beaten
track.
paul zardus
wilmington, de USA Fri 09/12/2003
Weissensee, Austria
If you seek a beautiful, warm crystal clear lake surrounded by verdant mountains
suitable to hiking, biking, and picnicking, a place with virtually no Americans
and almost no English (except cable news, with great restaurants, and sun,
sun, sun, then check out this alpine community in Carinthia, Austria. It's
hard to get there without a car or a bus schedule, but once you do, you
will find a hidden treasure.
Cynthia Mostoller
Reston, VA USA Sun 09/07/2003
Glarus region, Switzerland
KlontalerSee Lake (8 miles out of Glarus (train to bus or hike). few americans,
awesome scenery and hiking/boating/climbing. a true hidden secret. beautiful
hiking trail around lake, and climbing Vorder Glarnisch (4800 ft climb)
was one of my favorite climbs in the Alps. stay at hotel vorauen at far
end of lake, and use as base camp. visit http://online2.org/europe and click
on glarus region for daily logs and pics.
barry
salem, or USA Wed 09/03/2003
Palavas, France
Palavas is a small beach town located just south of Montpellier and west
of "The Rivera". It's not a backdoor to the French because it is jammed
with French as soon as school is out. We went on the first day of summer
and enjoyed fireworks on the large beach, a boat ride, witness a jousting
contest with contestants on boats, ate a huge bowl of mussels for 8 E, enjoyed
the weekly (flea) market, and never heard a word of English spoken. We even
had a room on the beach for $90E a night.
gb
Littleton, CO USA Sun 08/17/2003
Genzano, Italy
Just outside of Rome is the little town of Genzano and every summer they
hold a extremly beautiful festival called the Infiorata. The whole town
creates massive football size stained glass looking pictures all the way
up and down the main street (about 20 in total) and they are made entirely
out of flower petals. It is a extreme honor to work on the paintings of
which are planned all year round. The week before baskets and baskets of
flower petals of every color are picked, then all morning of the big event
the extremly detailed complex pictures that have been designed and traced
with chalk onto the payment previously are filled in with every flower petal
around. The rest of the day and evening are spent enjoying them along with
music and festivities and it is all topped off the next day with hundreds
of children racing down the street in a whirlwind of petals bringing the
festvities to a end. An amazing sight to see!
Joanna
Walla Walla, WA USA Tue 08/12/2003
Ribe, Denmark
Ribe is Denmark's oldest and best preserved town, and offers a unique, back-in-time
atmosphere. There are very few places in Denmark where it is possible to
see an entire medieval town center with old half-timbered houses and cobblestone
streets. I highly recommend this fascinating place for those who have the
time to explore the innards of Danish life
George Geanuleas
Glenside, PA USA Fri 08/01/2003
Hvar, Croatia
A fantastic extension to any Italian trip is to cross the water over to
Hvar Island in Croatia. Gorgeous sun, great rocky beaches, fantastic seafood,
wonderful people....all for half the price of any other Meditteranean island!!
We spent a week and would go back immediately if we could get more time
off of work!! They don't see many Americans and marveled that we would visit.
Everyone spoke English, however. Their website is great: www.hvar.com
kari schoessler
kirkland, wa USA Tue 07/22/2003
Bova, Italy
Bova, on the extreme tip of the Italian boot, is a picturesque town perched
825 meters above sea level, nestled in Aspromonte or the ?harsh mountain?
National Park. Bova (?Vua? in the Greek Calabrian language) is the ?capital
village? of the Graecanic area. In Bova you find an intimate tie between
the ?Grecanici? people and the rich, savage natural resources of the area
in the deep south, known as the ?Greek Island of Calabria? ? home to the
descendants of the ancient Hellenic settlements of the Magna Graecia. .
In 2003 it was recognized as one of the 50 most beautiful small villages
in Italy. Traditions and folklore found in this land bear witness to the
remotest times, the last precious evidence of Hellenic culture. Unearth
links to ancient roots and the Grecanico way of life, a priceless cultural
inheritance snuggled amongst wilderness and wildlife unparalleled in Italy.
Particular lodging services are offered by a local Co-operative ?San Leo?. These guys work in collaboration with the town people to offer a network of ?widespread hospitality?, a form of reception based on ?Bed & Breakfast? models, unique home stays with friendly local families who carry on the sacred hospitality of ancient Greeks. Then there is the hiking! You can discover the simplicity and beauty of solitary nature by foot with certified guides, and have your luggage toted by a donkey! Too cool, such a REAL experience. Like stepping back in time to a forgotten Italy.
PALEARIZA (ancient root): August in the Graecanic Area, Aspromonte National
Park (Calabria, Italy). It's a world music and Mediterranean ethnic music
in the "Greek" Calabria. Paleariza is a great Festival of ethnic music.
It's a wandering event which, for about 20 days in a row, goes through
what was once the Greek area of the Calabria region. Together with the
concert nights, the festival promotes the craftsmanship, the local gastronomy,
the network of hospitality, the trekking and ecotourism itineraries existing
in the territory. Paleariza represents an important and unique moment
of local animation during which the whole area presents what it has to
offer as far as rural and cultural tourism is concerned, involving a great
number of collaborators working in the area. As far as the music is concerned,
melodies and show stopping performances by today?s most up-and-coming
international world music groups. www.paleariza.it, www.comunedibova.it,
coopsanleo@katamail.com
fox
monterosso al mare, USA Sun 07/13/2003
Distillation: Undiscovered Back Doors
Fast Food Cultural Exchange
You can enjoy a tasty insight into local cultures at Europe's McDonalds.
We found that the Micky Dees in Great Britain offers soy burgers and curry,
in deference to the large Indian population in the UK, most of whom are
Hindu and therefore vegetarian. In Germany, you can get a beer rather
than a shake, and people eat fries using little plastic forks. In a Copenhagen
Burger King, people put mayonnaise on their fries. And in Italy, the menu
held the McPink sandwich, which looked like Spam on a bun.
National Holidays
A nice back door we have found is traveling to a country during its national
holiday. Besides the festive atmosphere, most countries open their palaces
and government assemblies for free on that day. Many times it is the only
time they allow visitors to these areas.
Germany's Bayersche Wald
One of the Great "Back Doors" for Germany is the Bayersche Wald,
an area between the Danube River and the Czech border. This area is the
least populated in Germany, so it's long on culture and atmosphere. The
Bavarian Forest is a large nature reserve with numerous villages dotted
through. The main tourist draws: Nature Outdoors, Crystal Works (internationally
known for fine German hand-blown, hand-cut), and outdoor summer plays with
festivals ('Drakenstik' - St. George killing the dragon in August in Furth
im Wald, and the 'Girl from Litchtineck' in July in Rimbach). There is a
'Glass Road' travel tour in the area that travels the old glass trade routes,
You can go to medieval glassworks to modern day factories and learn the
old art of glass making. Since few Americans travel here, you'll find little
English spoken and shy--if friendly--locals.
Back Door Northumberland
One of our very favorite back door locations is Rothbury, in the Coquet
Valley of Northumberland. It's a small town of perhaps two thousand friendly
folks (and just a very few enlightened American tourists) located smack
in the middle of the Northumberland National Park. We use Rothbury as a
base for daylong "circle drives." The beautiful Northumberland
coast, with it's castles, Holy Isle, and the Farne Islands is to the east,
Hadrian's Wall is to the south, and the terrific drive up over the high
Cheviots and into the Scottish boarders is to the north. Hikers will love
this area too, as some of the best walks in the north of England can be
found here. If you want to absorb a little of the history of the area before
you go, then read "Steel Bonnets," by George McDonald Fraser.
You'll soon understand why they built all of those towers! Rothbury has
it's own web site containing all of the information you could want. Check
it out at: www.rothbury.com/roth/.
Why not Nancy?
To break up the train travel between Paris and Colmar, we spent one night
in Nancy and we were as pleased as we could be. Nancy boasts one of the
opulent main squares you'll ever hope to see, a huge public park (complete
with rose gardens and a zoo) and block after block of absolutely charming
shops and neighborhoods. Read ahead about exiled Polish King Stanislas and
you'll enjoy your trip even more. He's the guy overlooking all the gilded
gates and statues! Three blocks from the train station is Hotel American,
run by perhaps the nicest person I've ever met.
Beautiful Goerlitz
After living in Germany for 10 years, I find that most people don't give
Eastern Germany the time it deserves. My favorite town is friendly, charming
Goerlitz in Saxony. The city was not damaged in the war, and has great architecture
from every period in German history. The Polish border runs through the
middle of the town. It's hard to imagine that this town exists, but after
one visit you'll be eager to go back.
Graz, Austria
Graz is the second biggest town of Austria (but tourists just visit Vienna
or Salzburg). It has a beautiful center village with very old, colorful
houses and is divided through river Mur. Recently, Graz added a "Murpromenade"
where you can stroll along the river. A landmark is the clocktower on "Schloßberg",
a hill in the centre of town. You can walk up using the stairs, a lift or--a
nice experience--the old tram. From the top of the hill you have an exciting
view! Have a look: www.graztourismus.at
Jersey and Malta
The Island of Jersey is a British island situated just a few miles off the
French coast. If you ve ever wanted the British experience, but long for
really first class cuisine, this is the place for you. It is also a tax
haven so it is possible to buy quality gold and jewelry at vastly reduced
prices. It s a home to many senior citizens, and my mother has no difficulty
gaining access to any area in her wheelchair. I'm not a great supporter
of British beaches (mostly cold and dirty) but Jersey and the other Channel
Islands are an exception. The island is small but well worth a visit.
The island of Malta offers few tourists and a warm welcome. There aren't many good beaches on Malta but some of the sights are fantastic. One of my favorite places in the world is Malta's 'silent city' of Medina. If you like your history to be 'hands on,' Malta is the place for you (It's always been a favorite of the US Navy when on exercises in the Med ). Both of these places are 'money savers' - you'd be amazed at the prices.
Unbelievable Orkneys
One place I can't rave enough about is the gorgeous, wind-swept Orkney Islands
off the coast of Scotland. The people are very friendly, and there s a
distinctly different culture from mainland Scotland. Even if you don't have
time to gallivant around the various islands, the treasure-trove of prehistoric
archaeological sites on the main island makes the trek worth it. For a breathtaking
view of Hoy, take the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness. From this quaint
fishing village, we had the majestic Yesnaby sea stacks all to ourselves!
Bonassola on Italian Riviera
If you think the Cinque Terra sounds like it may be getting overcrowded
with Americans, try this charming town instead--Bonassola, north of Levanto.
Most of the other tourists we met in Bonassola were other Europeans--French,
Swiss, Belgians, etc.
Bastei National Park, Germany
Through this website we read about the area called Sachsische Schweize.
We stopped in a town called Stadt Wehlen on our way from Berlin to Prague.
We had a wonderful room on the Elbe River, and enjoyed watching a wedding
reception on the riverbank right outside our dinner patio. Although no one
spoke English, it didn t detract from an otherwise wonderful stay. The
next day we visited the National Park at Bastei, seeing ruins of an old
Middle Ages mountain castle.
Frantiskovy Lazne, Czech Republic
Our recent visit to the Czech Republic showed us that this country is a
prime location for discovering new “Back Doors. Just across the
German border near Cheb is a delightful little spa town of Frantiskovy Lazne.
This town has been unspoiled by the glut of Russian tourists that you see
in Karlovy Vary. The town was established in the late 1700's, so no medieval
buildings, but beautiful ornate structures that tell you that this was a
popular resort in times past. It was a nice introduction to the Czech Republic
before we hit the hustle and bustle of Prague.
Italy's Procida Island
Procida, a beautiful island with 10,000 people and very few tourists, shares
the Bay of Naples with Ischia, and Capri. The island has beautiful, deserted
beaches, and incredible views. We were told that some scenes from the movie "Il Postino" were filmed on Procida. The people are very proud,
gracious, and welcoming. The views of the bay and the neighboring islands
are absolutely magnificent. It was a great combination...Italy and an island.
Alassio, Italy
For families, lovers, and others not requiring big night life, Alassio,
a two hour train ride from Nice, was wonderful. The "boardwalk" was a street used by pedestrians and the occasional car. Besides strolling
the boardwalk there are nice back streets, and you can walk on the beach
any time of day. Alassio is a good 2 or 3 night town for sunning and swimming
on a private beach.
Haute Nendaz, Switzerland
In Haute Nendaz, high in the Alps above Sion, the bus ride up and down is
an adventure in itself. Visiting in June, we were usually on the bus with
the schoolchildren, and I so enjoyed listening to their pure, sweet, French
voices. The shopkeepers watched over us and we practiced our French while
ordering pastries. We traveled to Zermatt, enjoying Brig s train station
(and its beautiful mural) and to Martigny, with its wonderful art museum.
Old Sion is charming, and, of course, the Alps are absolutely incredible.
Player's Theatre, London
This is a wonderful place to enjoy an evening of Victorian Music Hall--as
a Yank, you might even be called a "Revolting Colonial!" Located
under the arches off Villiers Street (literally, under Charing Cross Station),
Player's Theatre has been presenting music hall for more than 60 years.
At the Christmas season, they do a traditional holiday panto. At all times,
you ll need a songsheet, as the audience is invited (nay, expected) to
sing along with the choruses. For those who are a bit timid about singing,
appropriate courage-building liquid refreshments--normal London pub licensing
laws don t apply--may be brought to your seat from the Players Bar. You'll
need a beverage when the audience rises to honor the Queen (Victoria, of
course). It is a club, so your ticket is a one-day membership.
San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy
San Benedetto del Tronto, in Italy's Ascoli Piceno district, is a tourist
area for many Italians; I encountered few foreigners. There are many shops
and cafes in the center, and a variety of pubs and bars along the boardwalk.
San Benedetto is on the Adriatic coast, and boasts a long beach where locals
spend their free time. The water is warm and clear, and the beaches are
maintained nicely. At night, entertainment ranges from local concerts, the
night market, and discotheques right on the beach.
Cambridge University Summer School
Every summer, Cambridge University offers an "International Summer
School," which offers short courses in a wide variety of topics within
the arts, humanities, and sciences. There are also specialized summer schools
in areas such as history, art, and literature. The summer schools are held
at one of the Cambridge colleges, and students usually stay and take meals
in the university residence halls. There are no exams, but students may
write essays for evaluation. The students ranged in age from 18 to retirees.
The courses were well-taught, the students were an eclectic, smart, fun
group, and the ambiance of this medieval university city cannot be beat.
Abbizia San Vicenzo
When we need to get away from Naples, we go to the Abruzzi Mountains and
visit the Abbizia San Vicenzo al Volturno. The Abbey is definitely a unique
place. It was founded in the 8th century and at its height, it was a giant
complex with hundreds of monks and eight elaborately-frescoed churches.
Charlemagne himself took an interest it. It was sacked by the Saracens in
881, fell into disrepair and essentially disappeared. In 1832, it was "discovered
by a peasant who fell into a hole and discovered a crypt. It was not investigated
any further until the 1980's when a British archeologist proved that the
site of the ancient abbey was underground. It is currently the biggest medieval
archeological site in Europe. (And to the public, it is basically unknown.)
In the 1980's,The Abbot of Montecassino and then the Vatican decided
to rebuild the abbey. They had trouble finding volunteers to take up residence
in the decrepit set of ruins. But then, in 1990, two American nuns from
the Benedictine convent in Connecticut came to Italy. There are currently
5 Sisters living at the Abbey, there is the major archeological dig on
the Abbey property, as well as over 4000 olive trees. The sisters live
on what they produce or by donations. They have a rustic guesthouse where
you can stay for a donation. The food, prepared by the sisters is delicious,
and almost everything is grown on their land. The sisters can also use
all the help that they can get, including those willing to help harvest
their olive crop. To visit Abbizia San Vicenzo al Volturno contact Mother
Miriam Benedict, or Mother Agnes Shaw at maryb@tin.it.
Tue 07/01/2003