New Back Doors: 2004
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?
Zermatt
If your traveling in Switzerland, Zermatt is a beautiful ski resort at the base of the Matterhorn. The village is accessible by train only. Park your car in the carpark at the train station, purchase the train ticket, and in less than 30 minutes you will arrive in the pristine village filled with chalets, restaurants and shops. It is a chic international spot where german, italian and english is widely spoken. I happened to be there during the swiss independence day which is August first. An impressive fireworks show, and a parade through the main street with the locals wearing traditional swiss costumes. The highlight of Zermatt is taking the gondola to the base of the massive and impressive Matterhorn. You can ski the glacier during the summer months.
Susan Fogwell
Princeton, NJ USA Fri 12/10/2004
Maria Alm, Austria
I recently visited the tiny Alpen town of Maria Alm. I had no expectations going in because I had just thought it would be a cheap place to stay (my friend got a great deal on a resort...I'm not a resort-type person but if it's cheap I won't complain). The town had one of the most amazing Baroque churches I had ever seen. There were also these cool wooden sculptures throughout the village depicting local flavor (hikers, fishers, skiers, etc). About the only tourists the town gets are German-speakers, and that is always a good sign that you aren't in a tourist trap.
Kevin
Indy, IN USA Wed 12/08/2004
Cotswold Villages Close to Bath
I was looking for some charming southern Cotswold villages near Bath. I wasn't up to the 1-hour plus drive to the more famous villages to the north. I wasn't disappointed!Taking the back roads from Bath was a real adventure. As the roads narrowed to one lane and the fog settled in over the hills, I could readily imagine travelers along the same path a few hundred years ago.
Slaughterford, the first tiny village I encountered, is only a few miles from Bath. The scene is peaceful and rural, with only a few 15th century homes and an old church.
Chris Dahlquist
Sylva, NC USA Thu 12/02/2004
Kyiv, Ukraine
I believe that the ukraine offers some of the finest eating, smallest percentage of crowds, and is one of the cheapest countries to go to. I went the middle of last summer we spent maybe 40 dollars on meals the entire time we were their. (including a half dozen meals at the golden arches.) We stayed in a luxary suite at hotel rus and took taxi's everywhere. The capital city Kyiv is very undervisited and culturally rich. you will see a softer side of europe on a dime nearly literally.
Jonathan
Lindstrom, MN USA Mon 11/29/2004
New Back Door
Get to St. Charles Church (Karlskirche) in Vienna, Austria, before 2006! For the past five years, the frescoes high above on the walls and ceiling dome are being cleaned and a temporary elevator and scaffolding have been installed to assist the workers in getting to the top. In addition to the normal 5 Euro entrance fee, for 2 Euros more you can use the worker's elevator to go to the top of the dome to get a once in a lifetime close-up view of these incredible paintings over 100 feet above the church floor. You can also look out of the dome and get a great birds-eye view of Vienna. If you're afraid of heights and the not-so-firm scaffolding, this is not for you. But if you want an adventure and view frescoes the way the original painters viewed their work, this is hard to beat! The work will all be finished before 2006 and the elevator and scaffolding will be removed.
Peter
Austin, TX USA Sun 11/28/2004
Lido flea market
Don't miss Lido and its Tuesday only flea market. It is off the shore facing Venice. You can get there taking a bus to Quattra Fontane and walk pass the bridge and make a right to pass the Hotel Villa Parco, about 20 minutes from the Lido vaporetti stop. You have to go early because they close in early afternoon. You can find fruits stands, food, shoes and clothes, everything at a good price. I got a paschmina (silk and cashmere) scarf for 4 euros! I which I bought a dozen.
Veronique
Salisbury, MD USA Thu 11/18/2004
Croatia, Slovenia, wonderful backdoor opportunities
We just returned last evening from a back door trip to Slovenia and Croatia. Flying in and out of Venice is easy, rental cars are fairly simple to take across the borders, and it is a short drive to the Croatian and Slovenian borders.
We arrived in Bled at nearly 5 PM our first day and stayed at Pensione Mlna, a pleasent place which was directly across the street from the Pletna boats to the little Island. We quickly took a trip to the Island, visiting the church and sampling the Slitovice, a powerful plum brandy. The people in SLovenia are very polite and pleasent, and perhaps more English speaking than any other place I have visited in Europe. Llubljana was fun, and we got in the middle of the annual marathon as we toured the street market on the riverside. Predjama Castle is outstanding and very uncrowded.
Plitvice Lakes in Croatia is possibly the single most beautiful place I have ever been including Yosimite, and my previously favorite, Gimmelwald in the Lauterbrunnen valley in Switzerland.
Istria (Croatia mostly) was full of surprises, fabulous Roman ruins, wonderful people, excellent food, maybe the best white wine I have ever had, and one of those back door experiences. Staying at an agriturism called Scabe Farmhouse in a village 5 miles from Pula, mom and dad, Mira and Marius, and 30 year old son Roberto go out of their way to make you feel welcome, from preparing some breads and cookies for our arrival plus sampling Marius'Mistal, a home made brandy flavored with mistletoe, great breakfast, a complete apartment, plus a chance to go in the canteena and wine celler and taste this years vintage right from the barrel.
Roberto took us on a hike to Nescarium, a pre Roman Histrian walled city in ruins, showing us every plant and animal that we encountered along the way. At one point I noted that almost every plant in sight was an herb: thyme oregano, sage and rosemary. When we returned he had us sit outside under an arbor, serving us a bottle of white wine, some fresh bread, made by grandmamma that morning, some locally made sheep cheese. We then discussed everything from American basketball, politics, religion, Istrian culture plus lots of other things in a very relaxed environment.
These are the experiences I travel for much more than the seeing the Eiffel Tower or taking a gondola ride in Venice.(Not that these things aren't also great in their own way, but getting off the beaten path gives such a different dimension to travel.) Anyone wanting more information about this fantastic area feel free to Email me and I would be happy to give you as much insight as I have.
James Todd
Dalton, GA USA Sun 10/31/2004
Ruin Rambling in Valence France
I had a chance to climb around the ruins of Chateau Crussol high on the cliff just west of Valence. Great fun to study the various stages and methods of construction (check out the roof tile embedded in the mortar joints and what looks like toilet areas that discharge through the village wall), analyze the choice of location, study how the chateau and village were designed to be defended from attack, wander down the narrow lanes between the ruins of the houses within the chateau's protective wall, ponder how the chateau and village must have looked with tiny red tile roofed houses stacked almost on top of each other up the hillside, standing in the cantilevered corner turret peaking down the cliff to the vineyards below, wondering if the chambers in the rock could have been cisterns, watching the archeologist excavate the ruined buildings. Throw in a grand view of the Rhone river valley. What a way to spend a warm September evening! Great place for a wine, bread, and thou for those willing to climb up from the parking area. Now, if I'd just thought of that at the time!
Terry L
Anaheim, CA USA Fri 10/29/2004
Molvnia
Hands down the best European back door has got to be Molvania.Jet Lag guides has published a new guide book for this tiny country. for more info check out this web site:http://www.molvania.com/molvania/index.html
Michael Schneider
new paltz, ny USA Tue 10/26/2004
Italian Munich
Not far from the Deutsches Museum, just east of the river is Haidhausen. Explore the quaint Weissenburger Strasse area, have delectable wood-oven pizza, and sip your picnic wine near beautiful gardened fountains where Italians populate the benches with local life. (ahh..) Wander a bit north and discover more.(S-bahn Rosenheim, east exit on left.)
Jonas
Toronto, USA Fri 10/22/2004
Off the beaten path
My husband and I just returned from two weeks spent in Germany, primarily in Bavaria, the Saarland and the Mosel region where we visited about 10 small villages where my ancestors immigrated from.
One place of note was in Wipfeld, about 20 mins. east of Wurzburg on the Main River which was a particularily quaint town. The Ankerstrube was a great place to stay and on the third Friday night of every month they have a sing along at 7:30 pm in the restaurant. The accordian player shows up, they pass out song books (in German) and everyone sings for hours. We had a great time! This was quintessential Deutschland.
Nancy Speichert
Cedar Lake, IN USA Tue 10/19/2004
Yalikavak, Turkey
Yalikavak is a great destination to consider for those who have just finished an ETBD tour in Turkey. Yalikavak is located on the northwest tip of the Bodrum peninsula. It took us about 3.5 hours to drive there from Kusadasi but the drive was wonderful. We decided to stay 3 nights at a hotel called ?Lavanta Hotel?. We met Tosun and Maria the owners and were invited to join their friends for a special dinner that night. Tosun is Turkish and Maria hails from Germany. Their property is set high on a hill over-looking Yalikavak with awesome views of the Aegean Sea and spectacular sunsets every night. The dinner here is not to be missed! The mezes were some of the best we had in Turkey, rivaling many of the best meals we had on tour.
There are good hiking options from Lavanta that included a two mile walk to the Greek ghost-town of Sandima. Sandima used to be a hidden, fig growing village situated high in the hills to avoid the plundering pirates that often raided the coastline. However, the villagers later realized that they could grow limes down in the valley that were worth more, so the village was slowly dismantled and abandoned. There are still a few people who live there including several artists, goat herders, lazy dogs, and a caf?. The walk takes you cross-country through aromatic hillsides filled with scrub oaks, tortoises and many native plants.
The village of Yalikavak is a place for romantics. There are golden sand beaches, a palm lined promenade, and many good fish restaurants on the harbor to keep both locals and travelers well fed. This is a good place to visit if you are looking for laid back Turkey. Yalikavak also makes a good base to explore Bodrum and the other villages of the Bodrum peninsula from. Bodrum is just a quick 20 minute drive over the pass and there are lots of cool views from the roadside. This was the perfect Turkish destination after the tour if you want to kick back and perfect the art of doing nothing.
David Antieau
Shoreline, WA USA Tue 10/19/2004
Brontome, France
We decided to do the Dordogne Valley by staying in Brontome. We discovered an unbelieve little hotel as well as a cute little village. The Moulin de l'Abbaye is a cute hotel right on the river with places to sit on the water and lots of ducks! It was refreshing to stay there at the end of a busy day. The town basically spoke no english but we were able to get by with Rick's French Book. The prices for food there were really reasonable and everyone was so friendly.
Ann-Margaret Johnston
Gainesville, GA USA Fri 10/08/2004
Slovenia
I would recommend going to Slovenia. It was so green. My daughter and I were there in late July for only two days, but I wish for two weeks. It was not crowded! We were there on a Friday and Saturday. There were tourists mostly Italian and German. We met the Lithuania Olympic Swim team at the Postojna Caves. The Predjama castle had very few visitors but it was wonderful. Radovljica beekeeping museum was interesting and as well as Lake Bled. Hayracks are not something you see in the rest of Europe. A car is a must to really see the country. Slovenia people were very helpful explaining about what to visit and how to get there. Ljublana Grad is another castle to view via the vitural tour.
Karen
Poulsbo, WA USA Fri 10/01/2004
Island of Elba
I went to Elba b/c my boyfriend had a meeting there and I tagged along. It was a wonderful place. We stayed at Marciana Marina and it was a very small, quiet, peaceful place. There were mostly Italian and English tourists. One day I took the wrong boat and ended up going to Pianosa, an 10km2 islan south of Elba that has a lot of history. There were only 4 non-Italian turisti in this boat including myself. The beach in Pianosa was beautiful and I had a trekking tour around it. It used to have a high security prison and the town is empty now, it is like a small ghost town in the middle of the Mediterranean. I highly recommend Elba.
Miriam
Dallas, TX USA Wed 09/29/2004
La Bretagne !
From my mosr recent trip to France , Three come to mind , all in Bretagne. The first is the small village of Saint-Lunaire , about 20 minutes from Saint-Malot. Beautifull , beach , wonderfull big bretonne houses , a nice walk on a cliff above the sea and anice little bed and breakfast called "la pens?e " that has a nice little restaurant as well. From there , you can explore Dinard , Saint-Malot and tons of little sea side villages.
The , while crossing Bretagne to go to carnac , we "found" another village called Rochefort-en-terre. We stayed a few hourts , walking aroun this small fowered village. It was dotted with art galleries , antique shop and a bakerie that sold an amazing spiced cookie topped with a warm apple and a sweet crust ! And everywhere , flowers , flowers and more flowers ! Then , my last back door would be Carnac it self , for all the prehistoric allignement , and a wonderfull beach !
Antoine
Montreal, qc can Thu 09/23/2004
Guernsey and the Channel Islands
The UK's Channel Islands are wonderful. They're not undiscovered, but they're not very popular with Americans. In fact, while I was there, I was considered a bit of an oddity, and everyone I encountered asked me where I'd heard about the islands and what made me decide to come. (My family is from there and I wanted to do research as well as see what my greatgrandmother had always talked about.)
The ferry from St. Malo, France (which was a lovely train ride and then overnight from Paris) was lovely, and then our flight from Guernsey to London (on flybe.com) was a total of ?24 (including all fees) for two adults! Our train ride to London from Gatwick cost more than our plane tickets!
There was beautiful hiking on the cliffs, lots of history museums about the German occupation, lovely and inexpensive restaurants, and very gracious people. We barely scratched the surface, and the island is only about 26 square miles.
Pamela
Tucson, AZ USA Sat 09/18/2004
Lake Konstanz- Langenargen
My wife and I spent 2 of our last 3 nights of a 2 week Germany trek in Langenargen in 2001. For us, it was a truly relaxing end to a busy, fun filled trip. We loved the fact that we were the only English speakers we heard for our time there (with the exception of the Hotel staff and an Aussie waiter we met). The Schloss Montfort was a great place to have a cocktail overlooking the lake. We took the boat to Friedrichshafen and hit the boardwalk and the Zepplin museum and ended up soaked in a pouring rain on the dock waiting to board for the trip back. But the best part was simply sitting in the sun relaxing with the locals watching a mother swan swimming with her newborns. Lots of restaurants with outdoor seating and pretty views of the lake and Switzerland in the other side. Life moves pretty slow here, but it really felt like a true European "holiday". Not a place for clubbing, but great place for a few romantic days.
JR
Burnsville, MN USA Thu 09/09/2004
Hallingdal, Norge
Sample the "old" Norway in the exquisite Hallingdal. Hardly any non-Norwegians did we encounter. Guesthouses are virtually empty (in July!). Campgrounds are plentiful with stunning views. Some skilodges are open at discounted rates (check first). Everybody initiated conversations with us in Norwegian. Most adults speak broken English, but in times of difficulty, ask any teenager to translate for you (they study English in school for ~10 years). We were even invited to a neighborhood bbq and picnic on a private lake. Sit back and do nothing (and not feel guilty that you're missing something!) or visit the many scenic towns and folk museums. After awhile, you'll forget you're "only" driving 45 mph on the motorway. Probably the most relaxed spot I've been to in Europe. So much good karma floating around, it sorta feels like a colonic for the soul!
Matt
Santee, CA USA Wed 08/11/2004
St. Jean Pieds de Port - France
Located in the lusciously forested french pyrenees, this Basque country town is like stepping back in time. A trout filled river runs through the heart of the town. According to locals this town and environs was a favourite fishing spot of famed author Ernest Hemingway. Although somewhat off the beaten track, the tow is set up for tourism, severl good small hotels and a municiapl campground that has a great few of the local Jai Alai courts. Make sure to try the local sheep cheese and smoked ham.mmmmm
USA Wed 08/11/2004
San Sebastian, Spain
I studied in San Sebastian, Spain this past semester and I have to say that it is an amazing, lesser-known Spanish coastal town. It's just a hop and a skip away from the french border, has a unique and exciting basque culture and absolutely amazing food and nightlife. i also must mention that San Sebastian boasts the most beautiful beaches in Spain. Don't forget to stop through next time you're in Spain... you won't be disappointed. If you are interested in more information about San Sebastian, please contact me!
Aubree Miller
Coralville, IA USA Fri 08/06/2004
Lot Region of France
I just returned from 3 wonderful weeks in France with my family (5 of us). One "back door" week was spent in a tiny hamlet called Montgesty in the Lot region near Cahors. We rented a Gite (a fuly equipped house) for a week for 700 Euros and explored the nearby sights of the caves of Peche-Merle, the beautiful village of St. Cirq Lapopie and of course Cahors to name but a few of the wonderful places in this region of SW France. If you get a chance to visit the Lot valley, take it.
Joe Callahan
Pleasanton, CA USA Wed 07/28/2004
Venetian Festivals
Festivals - nothing beats 'Redentore' in Venezia (as a Veneziana I would say that wouldn't I?!). Usually the 3rd weekend in July and it is an ancient plague festival.
Saturday night culminates in the best fireworks (over 45 mins worth) over the lagoon, drinking bottles of cold prosecco on Guidecca and joining in a street party feast(the church is on Guidecca island which you cross by temporary bridge from Zatttere).
It gets very crowded but as it's mostly locals it's worth it.
Watch out for people decorating their boats (up to the size of massive municipal rubbish barges) and parading down the canal grande first all flowers, song/dance and good food. I try to get back for it every year (I live in London now).
Beatrice
London (for now!), UK Wed 07/28/2004
Try Corsica!
Corsica, France
Caitlin B. Hartford
Snohomish, wa USA Sun 07/11/2004
Sperlonga, Italy
Our itinerary dictated a seaside town not too far south of Rome.
Sperlonga was a great choice. It has a 1500's village core perched on a hill and a family friendly seaside vacation scene. From limited internet cues we picked the best hotel I'm sure: the Marconi, fanatically clean, gorgeous with bourganvilla (sp?) on the facade, and in the best location next to the worlds smallest and cutest roundabout. A bonus was driving the Appian Way from Rome, a road that was a straight line and really gave you a feeling of Roman legions.
Marguerite
Newark, DE USA Thu 07/08/2004
Kilkee Penninsula, Ireland
We just returned from an eight day trip, driving and bicycling, in County Clare, Ireland. I can't recommend highly enough the gorgeous Kilkee Penninsula, which is about an hour's drive from Shannon or Ennis. It is as beautiful as the Cliffs of Mohrer, only there is no one there but the locals and a few seagulls. Go dolphin watching in Carriagaholt, or just drive the penninsula with its stunning scenery. Every other house in County Clare seems to be a B&B, but I recommend Nolan's B & B, where we stayed.
Rene Jensen
Omaha, NE USA Fri 07/02/2004
Arundel
Arundel about 25 mi west of Brighton. Here is a castle that is better than a fairy tale--it has all the architectural expanse and detail that a thousand years of tumultous bloody history and family power and wealth can produce. 4.50L for the grounds and keep tour, 9.50L for the complete castle tour which is only offered Wed. and weekends (check times)
Linda and Jim Radtke
Poulsbo, WA USA Thu 07/01/2004
Oudenaarde Belgium
We just returned from Belgium where we are fortunate to have friends who showed us the town of Oudenaarde. It is a beautiful town with one of the prettiest town halls anywhere, a rich history with a newly uncovered monestary at Ename, a locals Thursday am market where you can buy anything from fresh fruit and meat to clothing to birds.
The beer flows freely with two breweries in town. We were lucky enough to get to go on a tour of the Roman brewery since they already had a tour going but usually tours are not routine so call to see if you can join one.
The trains to Brugge, Gent, Antwerp or Brussels are easy and quick. We found a beautiful hotel, The Swalm (salmon)for 90 euros a night including breakfast. The central market is rimmed with cafes and the shopping is good. The website is: www.trabel.com/oudenaarde/oudenaarde.htm
The people are wonderful in Belgium and most speak very good English.
Mary
Monroe, Wa USA Tue 06/29/2004
Pitigliano, Italy
This was definitely the most impressive town that I saw in 6 days in Tuscany. The view of the city as you drive up on it will knock you out. There is an underground city of ancient Etruscan tombs and Roman and medieval caves and tunnels. There's also an old Jewish ghetto, an archaeological museum, and an underwhelming Orsini Palace. The town is starting to get discovered by German and American tourists, so hurry up before it becomes choked like Montepulciano or Siena. When you go, they STRICTLY follow the sieste, so everything except cafes are closed between 1 and 4 pm. We missed a few sites and ended up leaving earlier than we liked because you can't do anything for those 3 hours. Go early!
Jake Allen
Columbia, MO USA Sat 06/26/2004
Southern Italy
Get a car and drive, backdoors abound in Calabria. Just returned from 3 weeks in May, the offseason, but great weather and no tourists, especially Italians on vacation. We spent 5 days in Rome, then picked up our car at the train station and drove south. Aside from the tour groups in Pompeii, Sorrento was a nice break and the Amalfi drive cured me of driving the coast roads. Well worth the time, effort and view.
Don't drive in Naples, period. The most chaos on the road was when we left the Autostrada and went to Pompeii. The whole area is nuttier than Rome. All traffic lights were on 4 way flash and Vespas were like insects. This was the worst driving area of our trip.
The resort area in Vibo Valentia has great beaches and great Calabrian food. We stayed at the Hotel Tirreno in Parghela and only 3 Km. From Tropea a quaint coastal town. Capo Vaticano area has a more country atmosphere than the Sorrento Peninsula. Go to both- your dollar will go much farther here. The place is very busy and touristy during July and August but in May, June or Sept. is quite serene. Many places have 3-5 day minimum stays in high season.
Our best find was the hill town of Tiriolo near the city of Catanzaro. Pearched at an elevation of approx. 2200 ft., the town commands a view of both the Ionian and Tirryhenian Seas. Hotel Due Mare had great food, was very clean and our room (a suite) was only 80 Euros for two. The view is fantastic and the shops were for locals and not tourists. During our evening "passeggiata" we climbed to the castile ruins and the top of the mountian and also chatted with a textile artist and bought some wonderful handwoven textiles in traditional patterns and colors of the region. Driving was no problem but the navigator needs to be alert as route numbers may not gibe with maps. Arrows are used to point to various towns, not necessarily the one you want when you get lost. Just ask and follow their hand jestures. Get a diesel car if possible, just as zippy but better on mileage and slightly cheaper fuel. (0.95 Eur./LITER Diesel vs 1.25 Eur/ LITER for gasoline. Paying $50 for a slightly more than 1/2 a tank was a new experience. We had a VW Golf-great car and good handling on all typoes of roads.
American guidebooks have very little to no info (Sorry, Rick -you need to do something about it.) about Calabria and Basillicata, but they are eager to improve tourism. The town of Matera, a UNESCO world heritage site is not to be missed. There is nothing like it in Europe.
Lastly, we felt safe throughout our trip. Just like in any new place in the States, be aware of your surroundings and keep the temptations out of view. Don't look like a tourist ready to be plucked. No shorts, printed American T-shirts or baseball hats for any age men. Jeans are OK. Europeans only wear shorts in the coastal towns and at the beach.
Riz
Brockport, NY USA Tue 06/22/2004
5Terre Italy Alternative
After enjoying the very crowded CinqueTerre area for 4 days, (Vernazza is truly a jewel) my husband and I needed some quiet time but still wanted a great view, swimming in the clear waters, and great food. We packed up and just took a chance on a tiny "whistle-stop" just north of the 5Terre....Framura. Not on all maps, this tiered village has 3 fine Inns all on the one road leading straight up...
the first and closest to the beach and train station (10 min. walk)is "Augusta's"...spotless, great view, small breakfast c. 60E for two people.
Another 10 minutes farther up is the commercial center called Setta....1 pharmacy, great little pizza restaurant, 2 deli's (amazing pre-made lunch foods and meats and cheeses), 1 tourist info/computer point, 1 post office and an agritourimo and a Bancomat/ATM...yeah.
Farther up is Costa, the top settlement...Oh my, what a view and the 2 Inns "Silvia" and the other called "Meri". We stayed at "Silvia" and had the most amazing meals...some of the best of our entire trip, homemade pasta, seafood, salads. The room was spotless and the air fresh and clean. The staff couldn't have been nicer or more professional (little English is spoken but we got on just fine) Most of the tourists here seemed to be either Italian or German.
If all the walking isn't for you, there is a blue bus that goes up and down all day long. Next trip we'll enjoy the 5Terre by taking the train and stay here in this peaceful quiet town on the Ligurian Coast.
May
Cape Cod, Ma. USA Wed 06/16/2004
Kintrye, Scotland
I just returned from my second trip to Campbeltown on the Kintrye peninsula in Scotland. It can be reached via car from Glasgow and is south of Oban. The area has some of the prettiest scenery I have seen anywhere. The area inspired the song, "Mull of Kintyre" by Paul McCartney (who owns a home there) and is undervisited by American tourists. The town of Campbeltown is very welcoming with a nice TI and many B&Bs. Anyone considering a trip there, please email and I will give you the name and contact info of my favorite B&B.
Amanda
Richardson, TX USA Sun 06/13/2004
Dresden, Germany
On my last visit to Germany, I decided to visit Dresden. WOW! What an incredible city rich with history and still showing scars of the bombings from the war. The city is a East meets the West, and is a college town. I found sections of the city alive with college kids, some places still in ruin and other sections restored and modernized. Not sure why it is overlooked, as this was Northern Europe?s Art capitol and was considered as the Venice of the North.
I will defiantly visit again. I encourage you to consider visiting too.
Lauren
SF, CA USA Sun 06/06/2004
Middleburg, Netherlands
I stumbled into a great back door town, Middleburg in the Zeeland area of The Netherlands.
Middleburg has the feel of an off-shore island because it is surrounded by a canal. There are two large windmills in town, and that's neat, but what I really liked was the historical nature of the town on the North Sea.
Unquestionably, the finest of all accomodations we enjoyed in all of Holland was in a spacious six-rooom B&B in this town (also the CHEAPEST of all our eleven nights stays in the country). I wish I remembered the name, but we found this place at the town's visitor center, so that would be a good place to start.
There is also an interesting old 17th Century church and another slightly newer one that is much larger and more ornate beside a St. Marks-like square in the section of town near the train station. There were a healthy amount of tourists in town while we were there, but they were all Dutch. I did not detect one American in three days.
Also, Middleburg is only about four miles from the ocean and another town to the West, Veere, is even more quaint, though much smaller. Bus took us there, right on time, for about $2.
Really a treat. I've been to Europe five times and I don't know if, after my 20th visit, I will still think of Middleburg as a quality back door, but I loved it and I think anyone on this board would, too.
Will
San DIego, CA USA Sat 06/05/2004
Ventimiligia, Italy
Ventimiligia, Italy
A little known secret many might not know about. Every Friday morning all of Ventimiligia shuts down and becomes a huge open air market. There are deals galore. Whenever I am in the south of France I plan one Friday for Ventimiligia. You cannot get better deals on leather, gloves, purses, scarves, etc,etc. This is one day you should not miss!! Happy Shopping!!!
USA Mon 05/31/2004
Poland, Czech Republic and Slovak Republic
My husband and I have spent our holidays for the last five years travelling by car through Poland Czech Republic and Slovak Republic and are about to go again for three weeks in June.
We both agree that they are wonderful countries with very friendly and hospitable people we are pleased they have joined the EU are it makes our journeys easier when it come to border crossings We have been assured by our car insurance company that we wil not need a "Green Card" to enter Poland this year but time will tell.
My advise to anyone who is thinking about going to any of these countries is stop thinking and DO IT.
Mary Bell
UK Sat 05/15/2004
Europe Backdoor: Isle of Fehmarn Germany
I would like to recommend a TRUE backdoor of Europe thus undiscovered by Americans--but beloved by many Germans and European tourists for decades. The Island of Fehmarn off the northern coast of Germany is amazingly beautiful and is the WINDSURFING capital of Europe, hosting many events and tournaments in the summer. In addition to untouched medieval churches and small villages, there are wonderful secluded beaches, windmills, fields of brilliant flowers, and the friendiest German folks who barely speak a word of English--but they sure try to make sure their American friends have a great time! The island is a stop on the train ferry from Rostock to Denmark (at Puttgarden Station) and is accessible by train or Ryanaire flight via Hamburg. Although popular for European tourists, it can be hard to get information in English on the island. We stay with a wonderful German family on the island in an old sea captian's house. The son, Christian, speaks English, and can be reached at Christian Beckmann
Badstaven 11
Rhonda
Haines City, Fl USA Sat 05/08/2004
Maynooth Ireland
It is about 30 miles west of Dublin, both accessable by Train or by Bus into the City, it is a good small college town to based your travels in Dublin and around. Maynooth itself is a small little village, with one street and four community pubs, at one end of the main street in the National University of Ireland/St. Patricks College, and the other side is Carton House. Im actually studing here, but there are two BB that are about 35 euro per person per night, and St. Patricks has dorm rooms for around 30. Because it is a college town, it is a great place to meet the locals and people from all over Ireland
Janine
Bozeman, Mt USA Sat 04/24/2004
Goslar in Germany
Goslar, Germany is a great place, too. It is just west of the old east-west border in central north Germany, about an hour from Hannover and maybe two from Frankfurt. This medieval town is the real thing; during world war II it was a hospital town, and was not bombed. A thousand years ago, it was the center of the earth, as the location where the Holy Roman Emperor frequently held court. In addition to the Kaiserpfaltz (where the king lived) Goslar has some wonderful museums, an authentic medieval Alstadt, a great Glockenspiel, and a mining museum in a mine that was worked for a millenium.
Nearby you can get to Quindlenburg, Woeltingerode, to see more historic towns, and there is lots of sports activities in the Hartz mountains.
Goslar is, thus far, my favorite back door. Note, not much there is actually in English.
Julie Holm
Vienna, VA USA Tue 04/13/2004
Krackow and Bratislawa
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia is great. Think Prague before it became popular (and Prague is still a great city) The people are more likely to be curious about you. Also its cheaper!
KRAKOW, Poland. The best Poish city I've seen. Very educated, young, urban, residents. Lots of old buildings as was untouched in WWII. Former capital of Poland so lots of stately buildings, castles, monastaries, etc. And Auschwitz and Birkenau are near by, something you should see, though it's not pleasant.
Ryan
Waterloo, Ontario Canada Thu 04/08/2004
Bosnia/Herzegovina
Mostar, Herzegovina is the best back door in the world! I went there this past fall and had the whole place to myself, shopping knick-knack stores along side UN peacekeeping troops with nothing better to do. Sarajevo is also an amazing place. See Bosnia while it is still extremely relavent -- never again will you get the chance to talk to people who fought in the recent war and were personally affected by it.
Ryan Nee
Golden, CO USA Mon 04/05/2004
Bornholm, Denmark is a wonderful Back Door
While in Scandinavia or Germany, consider taking a side trip to the Danish island of Bornholm. It's a favorite summertime sandy-white beach retreat for Northern Europeans without the crowds and touristy stress of more well-known destinations. Bornholm offers lots of budget beach camping and hostel-like accomodations along its southeast coast of Dueodde, where the best sunbathing beaches are. In addition, Bornholm offers a wonderful network of bike paths through its forest and around the island sites. Check out the four unique Round Churches and the crumbling medieval castle
ruin of Hammershus on the rocky northwest coast.
Small towns circling the island's coastline feature herring smokehouses and craftsmen's shops of pottery and glass. During the summer, Bornholm hosts a wide variety of music fests; most clubs are found in R?nne. English is widely spoken, particulary among younger Danes, but you'll have to exchange your Euros to Danish kroner (DKK). From the main city of R?nne, a comprehensive bus system can take you anywhere. You can get to Bornholm via ferry from Copenhagen, Ystad (Sweden), or northern ports in Germany and Poland. The only flights to Bornholm are via Cimber Air from Copenhagen. Here's a couple quick websites about Bornholm that offer color photos: http://europeforvisitors.com/europe/articles/bornholm.htm
and a website that discusses biking on Bornholm:
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/3879/
I think Bornholm is truly a hidden gem missing from Rick Steve's Back Doors list!
Traci Madison
San Diego, CA USA Sat 04/03/2004
Aalesund Norway
We went by train Oslo, Dombaas, Aandalsnes then by bus to Aalesund. The train through the Gudbrandsdal valley was beautiful. The train from Dombaas to Andalsnes was spectacular. A truly beautiful journey, way better the than the tunnel riddled Bergen to Oslo route.
Aalesund is a art nouveau style town on the ocean. Lovely town to walk around. It's also a great jumping off point to explore part of coastal Norway without the larger crowds in Bergen. Catch the Norwegian Coastal Steamer in the summer to visit Geiranger or find your way there on one of the ferries.
Kris
Starbuck, MN USA Sun 03/07/2004
Celle in Niedersachsen, Germany
We stumbled upon a wunderbar back door in between Hanover and
Hamburg. It is the wonderfully preserved medieval town of Celle in the
Nidersachsen, about 3 hours north of Cologne. It's located between Hanover
and Hamburg, which are around an hour away- a perfect daytripping location!
Celle has a remarkably preserved center which was spared bombing in WWII because of its old ties with Britain. King George jointly ruled England AND Germany for a time and some of his descendants live in Celle, where the King resided at times when in Germany. A lot of museums, cobbled streets, half timbered houses (blocks and blocks of them), beautiful park are all worth a full days exploration. You can still see a horseshoe set in the cobbles from the 1400's, where the founder, a prince, was supposedly killed in a jousting match.
The real find here was the Hof Averbeck, about 10 minutes from Celle in Hassel (hofaverbeck-pension@t-online.de). This place is one of the best we have stayed in over 10 trips to Germany. Ross Pennington, an English expat, and his very helpful German wife, Frauke, are simply wonderful people and make great efforts to see that you enjoy the area and have a good time. The room rates are very reasonable at 53 euros per night for a double with bath. It is a working farm (go in early June for the fresh spargel!) and is nicely located to see the big, sometimes hectic, cities of Hamburg and Hanover and then come back home to an extremely comfortable, peaceful environment.
It is located in the Luneberg
Heide, which is beautiful to see the heather bloom in late August and
into September. We went back in September to hear the red stag (hirsch)
roaring in the mating season which was every bit as exciting as being
in Yellowstone in September and hearing the elk rut there. There are trails
everywhere for riding and biking and canoeing is also very popular. The
world's largest bird park is close by in Walsrode. The sobering site of
the WWII concentration camp of Bergen Belsen where Anne Frank and her
sister perished in the final weeks of the war is 10 minutes away. Many
good restaurants abound in the area and you will probably never even see
another American! Check it out, you won't be disappointed!
Jeff Scott
Boulder Creek, CA USA Mon 01/19/2004
Cinque Terre hide-away
I visited the Cinque Terre last August, a very crowded time of year. I ended
up staying in Volastra, a charming little town about 1000 feet straight
up and overlooking Manorola and Corniglia. We stayed in a relatively new
(3 years old) hotel/bed & breakfast (7 rooms)in a beautiful setting(www.thesaraceno.com).
They have a private parking garage, and the community has small air conditioned
buses to transport people down to Manarola and back(about 5 minute drive).
The town has 1 tiny store, one restaurant, and one other small B&B. The
local houses are situated on a single stone path (about 6 ft wide) that
encircles the village overlooking terraced vineyards and the ocean 100 ft
straight down. There are few tourists which make this spot a great escape
from the crowds below, but easy access to Manorola . The evening views were
incredible, and the B&B has 2 terraces to relax on and hang out. I highly
recommend, especially if you are driving to the Cinque Terre.
Robert
Pleasanton, CA USA Sat 01/03/2004