Europe sized fun at Europa Park

For my first day in Munich, a friend suggested we take advantage of the extensive regional train network and journey to Europa Park, a massive theme park that, like its name suggests, is designed according to the different countries of the European Union.

Having arrived at Munich Hauptbahnhof (HBF – Munich Central Station) from Paris two hours later than I intended (after sitting in the wrong position on the 9:30pm train arriving into Munich, which landed me in Strasbourg), I was told that in order to reach Europa Park by its 9am opening time we had to get to the train station at around 3am! As I had only arrived at my friend’s place at around 12:30am and needed time to unpack and have something to eat, I was understandably exhausted and not looking forward to the prospect of even more travel. To throw a spanner into the works, we had missed our bus to the Munich HBF from where our train would depart, forcing us to take a cab instead. Despite the crazy ride, my friend assured me it was worth it, so off we went with no sleep to one of the largest amusement parks in Europe…

The journey there was very disjointed, involving five changes of trains and seven trains in total (Munich to Stuttgart HBF, Stuttgart HBF to Karlsruhe HBF, Karlsruhe HBF to Ringsheim on the way there; Ringsheim to Offenburg, Offenburg to Karlsruhe HBF, Karlsruhe HBF to Sturttgart HBF and Stuttgart HBF to Munchen HBF on the return leg). Added to that, there was another bus we needed to take from Ringsheim to the Europa Park itself. The hop on-hop off journey gave me little opportunity to sleep continuously, leaving me feeling ready to collapse. So much drama before I’d even set foot inside the Park! The kick in the face came when I found out Europa Park is actually 30km away from Strasbourg…meaning I’d basically traveled from Strasbourg to Munich three times in one day, and could have traveled directly to the Park without going all the way to Munich and back.

Forgive the pun, but I was in for one hell of a ride at Europa Park! Traveling through the different countries of the theme park, I was treated to over eight hours of fun through jaw-drop inducing rollercoasters, water rides, shoot-em-ups, cart rides, train rides and any other ride you can think of! The multicultural design of the park lends itself to a multitude of European food options, with Greek, Italian, French, German, Finnish and various others available. The park was also decorated in a fun, bright and engaging manner, with Halloween being the theme during our visit in the first week of October.

The ‘France’ region of Europa Park

The Halloween theme in action at Europa Park

Clogs of Europe!

My favourite rides were ‘Blue Fire’ and ‘Silver Star’, both of which were thrilling, unbelievably high and fast rollercoasters that made me laugh, scream and smile seemingly all at once. I even went on the Silver Star twice at my friend’s bequest!

Attraction details – Europa Park

Directions: Europa Park can be reached by regional train. Consult the Deutsche Bahn website for detailed train and transport information.

Admission: All inclusive admission (entry and access to rides) for adults during the summer season is normally 42.50 euros, but as my friend is a journalist, he was able to obtain a complementary press pass for two. This made it exceptional value for me combined with my rail pass, which provided all day transport to Europa Park and back. Compared to other theme parks such as Tivoli which charge both an exorbitant entry fee and a fee per ride, Europa Park hits the sweet spot of being both affordable and interesting to a broad range of audience groups, with its Europe theme and plentiful options for food and rides.

Rating: 5/5. My friend was right – Europa Park is seriously the real deal. A must-do if you are in the vicinity.

Traveler’s tips:

• Pack some food and drink to avoid the overpriced food options at the Park.
• Get there at opening time to maximise your experience. Also try and go on a weekday to avoid the rush on weekends or public holidays.
• If you’re not the biggest fan of rides, consider taking an extreme ride followed by a gentle ride and then repeating this until you have done all the rides you are interested in
• Upon entering the Park, proceed to the middle or back of the Park to avoid the often congested lines at the front areas. There are signs clearly indicating the expected wait time for each ride.
• As you get more tired throughout the day, consider taking the provided intra-Park train service. The train departs from a central location and stops at several key ‘countries’ in the Park.

What has your experience been at Europa Park? What are your favourite theme parks inside and outside Europe?

Must dos in Paris

Note: This is a subjective perspective on my time in Paris, and the below list will obviously differ from person to person. I also only went to Versailles outside the Paris city areas, so take this into account as well. Links go to Trip Advisor pages.

Must dos in Paris

• Eiffel Tower (both during the day and night): The Eiffel Tower is famous for a reason, and after visiting, I know why. It is not only a feat of impressive architecture with its unique double-arched, steel-grey structure, it offers amazing brilliant views of nearly all areas of Paris. It is a great place to simply stand and enjoy the view of Paris and be in awe of what you are witnessing. There is access via an elevator and a cheaper fee for access via a set of stairs. I recommend the stairs to save money and also for the exercise! The elevator access goes to a third, higher floor than stair access (which only goes to the 1^st and 2^nd floors), however the views are the best from the second floor so you are not really missing out on anything by taking the stairs. The Eiffel Tower and Paris is like The Great Wall in China – you can’t not go if you visit. I’ve heard the views at night are amazing (unfortunately I missed out this time around) and it is something you won’t easily forget.
  

  The Eiffel Tower

• The Louvre – Another world-famous Paris attraction, The Louvre simply has to be seen. It is an unbelievably large and expansive museum containing multiple levels of sculptures, paintings, relics, artifacts and of course the famous Mona Lisa. Even if you don’t like museums as I do, you’ll find something to enjoy at The Louvre. And if you really don’t want to pay, entry is free after 6pm on Friday until its closure at 9:45pm.
• Versailles: For reasons talked about at length previously, Versailles is a triple threat of history, nature and architecture. Can’t get better than that. Make a day of it and just soak in everything.
• Luxembourg Gardens: This stunning garden in the 3^rd arrondisement is Paris’s most famous park, and it’s easy to see why. It contains beautiful fountains, pretty flora and great photo opportunities for nature lovers everywhere. There’s also often free music playing in the park as I found on the occasion I went.
  

  The magnificent Luxmbourg Gardens

• People-watching at a café: Parisians love to sit back over some food and just watch the world go by. I mean it – people-watching is a It is initially strange to comprehend from an outsider’s perspective but after trying it, it is strangely peaceful and enjoyable. Paris is bustling enough that it never gets boring, and you will enjoy seeing a variety of characters move about their daily lives for your amusement. Be sure to choose a place on a corner for an unrestricted view of the street.
• Eat cake and sweets! Paris also excels in this department and is a veritable sweettooth’s paradise. There is simply too much to eat even if you ate sweets for every meal so pick and choose to your heart’s content. Try the bakeries (“boulangeries”), specialty chocolatiers and macaron shops, and you can’t go wrong. When in Paris, eat cake, ice cream…and tarts…and macarons…and chocolate…and…palmiers…
  

  Delicious ice cream from the Ile-St-Louis (1st arrondisement)

• Have a picnic in a park: Paris has so many parks and wide open spaces, they are something of a favourite haunt to while away the afternoon. Parisians are frequently seen sporting bread, cheese, meats and wine (which can be bought at your local grocer in Paris!) in parks and picknicking with gusto. You should too. Aside from Luxembourg Gardens, the Place des Vogues near Victor Hugo’s house is another popular spot, Pont Neuf near the Notre Dame is nice and intimate and somewhere along the Seine can never go astray.
• Boulevard St Germain and The Latin Quarter – The former, a lovely winding boulevard, is full of nice shops and restaurants, and is home to its very own Melbourne-style laneway, the Andre St Commerce. The second, is the beating student centre of Paris, home to many of its universities and full of restaurants that won’t break the bank.
• The Marais – This quirky area, spanning both the 3^rd and 4^th arrondisements, is another one for those looking for something off the beaten track. It is at once the Jewish epicentre of Paris with many great felafel shops, and the gay-friendly neighbourhood of the city. Restaurants prices are generally affordable here too.
• Take a walk around the city at night – The city is a beautiful gem at night and people stay out much later than they do in Australia. So there is a very lively atmosphere to Paris, almost as if the city doesn’t sleep. Certain areas of the city come alive at night so it’s worth taking the time to discover them.

The Montmarte area near the Sacre Coeur church at night

What do you think the must dos in Paris are? Let me know in the comments below!

Pretty as a postcard in Versailles

Undoubtedly, there is plenty to do in Paris, the infamous City of Love. However, one of the best attractions to do in France isn’t in the ‘city’ of Paris at all but in fact in the regional area of Versailles. It was here that was to be my first experience in the land of the red, blue and white.

The Palace of Versailles

I joined the queue to get in (having thankfully pre-purchased my ticket online and thus avoiding the additionally long queues to buy tickets) and was inside within 10-15 minutes. There are separate entrance points to the Palace, and the Gardens (from which point Marie-Antoinette’s Chateau and the Grand Trianon can be accessed; the Chateau is a thirty minute walk from the Palace and the Grand Trianon a further walk from the Chateau). I decided on entering the Palace first, which seemed to be the prime attraction from the main entrance.

After passing through security and baggage checks, I finally entered the Palace. The Palace is a series of rooms (the Grand Apartments) set up in the style of the olden days of France. It is filled with beautiful furniture, paintings, art, chandeliers and architecture from days gone by. The style is very decadent and it is obvious the occupants of the Palace lived in luxury. The Hall of Mirrors is a highlight of the Palace, with magnificent chandeliers and wallpaper highlighting the Palace’s immense beauty. T he only downsides are that the supporting information in the rooms is in French and the available space is generally dominated by tourists, which makes it sometimes cramped and pushy when moving around.

The Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles

After touring Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen, I thought I had seen it all when it came to gardens and natural scenery. However, the Garden of Versailles has an uncanny ability of dwarfing the gardens in all of these places easily. Seemingly never-ending, the garden stretches for miles and miles and features a brilliant array of flowers, trees and many postcard-perfect photo opportunities.

The garden of Versailles

It takes a good few hours to explore the Gardens, Marie-Antoinette’s House, the Grand Trianon, their interiors (featuring further artwork and paintings) and surrounding buildings. It’s not really a naturally preserved feature of wonder like those in Scandinavia (it has been obviously tended to and shaped into a more commercial tourist attraction) but it is hugely impressive nonetheless. In addition, near the end of the gardens on your way out, there is a huge lake that you can use to rent a boat to row across (a favourite for the many couples in the area) or you can simply relax on the many surrounding grassy patches.

The lake at Versailles – a favourite spot for couples to row across

The Palace of Versailles

Attraction details

Name: Palace of Versailles

Directions: Versailles can be reached by using the regional train network RER. You need to take the RERB to reach Versailles. I got onto the RERB at the Invalides station, and the journey to Versailles took approximately 40 minutes each way. The station you need to get off at is Versailles Rive-Gauche (not Versailles ……) so pay attention to the stations out the window. In any case, Versailles Rive-Gauche is the last stop so you can’t really miss out. From the station, Versailles is a short 10 minute walk from the station in a north-westerly direction. We simply followed the literal hoard of tourists and sure enough, we ended up at Versailles. So you can go with your nose or follow the crowd – up to you.

Admission fee: There are different ticket types available. I purchased the Versailles Passport, which offers entry to the Palace, the Gardens, the Grand Trianon and Marie-Antoinette’s Estate for 18 euros. Entry to only the Palace is 13 euros, however the stunning gardens are free (except on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from April to October; free admission from November to March) if you don’t want to see anything else. Tickets are more expensive on these days (around 25 euros) on Tuesdays and Sundays due to a music concert that is included in the ticket price on these days so go on another day if you want to avoid getting stung. A full listing of the fare types is found here.

Rating: 5/5. Home to the beautiful Palace of Versailles, a tremendous garden, Marie-Antoinette’s Chateau and the Grand Trianon (a building of paintings, sculptures, art and more), Versailles is an essential stop for anyone visiting Paris.

Traveller’s tips:

• Arrive early to beat the crowds to get in – the Palace and Gardens open at different times, with the former opening at 9am and the latter at 8am. So if you arrive early, you can get a head start on the garden and enter the palace when everyone else is arriving, which is generally lunchtime.

• Prepurchase your ticket to avoid the line to buy the ticket – This is pretty self-explanatory. The ticket is the same price if you buy online or in person at the ticket office so there’s no excuse not to buy in advance.

• Buy your food outside Versailles: There is of course a café/restaurant in Versailles but it is overpriced and caters to unsuspecting tourists. I went instead to a cheap bakery nearby which sold an Italian style baguette for around 5 euros.
• Bring some sunscreen for a sunny day: When I went, it was a warm, sunny day of around 23-25C. I forgot my sunscreen so I walked around feeling slightly burnt all day.
• Allow the most part of a day to do Versailles – We arrived around 12pm due to getting up late and got through everything in around five and a half hours, however if we arrived earlier we probably would have had more time to savour the sights and enjoy the experience more. Inclusive of transport on the RERB each way, you should allow at least 8 hours for the whole trip. Don’t plan to do anything major afterwards as you will be tired and your legs will be sore!

Have you been to Versailles and if so, what was your experience like? Do you have other favourite palaces or gardens in Europe or elsewhere to recommend?

Hotel review: The Savoy Hotel, Copenhagen

In my second hotel review, I take aim at The Savoy Hotel in Copenhagen, ideally positioned on the main city street of Vesterbrogade.

The Savoy Hotel, Copenhagen. Source: http://copenhagencitybreaks.com

The good:

• Location right in the city centre: The hotel is located on, the busy street in Copenhagen. It is surrounded by restaurants and shops, and is a short walk from both the central railway station and the shopping district in Copenhagen. This made it incredibly easy to find from the station and simplified our trips in and out of Copenhagen.

• The buffet breakfast was tasty: There was slightly less variety in the buffet breakfast in The Savoy compared to the Best Western, but the food was tasty and fresh. There was a good selection of breads cheeses, meats, juices, tea, coffee and fruit available, and I enjoyed more than a few Danish pastries to sweeten the deal.
• Staff were friendly: Staff made the effort to smile and greet us every time we entered and left the building, which was a nice touch.
• Luggage rooms were locked: Compared to the Best Western which used an unlocked baggage room opened by a switch at reception, The Savoy’s room was opened with a key. This made me feel much safer when leaving my luggage there after checking out. Check out is at 11am.  

The not so good

• Rooms were quite small: The rooms were significantly smaller than the rooms at The Best Western. Between me and my friend, there was little room to walk around and the bathroom door, when opened, touched the side of my bed. This is apparently quite the norm in Copenhagen due to the limited space, but it isn’t a good feeling for a guest to have.
• Interiors quite drab: The rooms were quite monochrome and dull in colour, which can turn some people off. For me, it wasn’t a big deal as I just wanted somewhere to sleep but I did notice it. Copenhagen as a city is quite bland looking apart from the Nyhavn harbour and some areas of the city so I guess it is consistent to say the least.

Other comments:

• Patrons are of an older demographic: The hotel had an older demographic compared to The Best Western, which catered to a broad range of people. I felt close to the youngest person there in a place full of middle-aged and older tourists. I wasn’t uncomfortable or anything, but it does have an impact on the atmosphere. I didn’t mind as I barely spent anytime in the hotel or mingling with guests.

Overall:

The Savoy Hotel
Vesterbrogade 34, Copenhagen
00 45 33 26 75 00

Location: 5/5
Facilities/Security: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Check in/check out: 5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Overall: 4.25/5

In summary: For an ideally located hotel with good, secure service and friendly staff, you might want to try The Savoy Hotel. Just be aware that the space in the rooms isn’t the biggest and the rooms won’t set your visual taste buds alight.

Tumultuous times in Tivoli Gardens

When you’re stepping off a flight, you’re often feeling jetlagged or sluggish. You just want to get off the plane and straight to your hotel to relax and unwind. The day I arrived in Copenhagen I felt much the same. Luckily, I didn’t stay in the Savoy Hotel too long as my friend reminded me that it was the last day for the summer season at Tivoli Gardens – a garden/amusement park/shopping district hybrid.

Tivoli is quite something! Compared to amusement parks in Australia, Tivoli seemed gigantic, with its numerous rides, food outlets, shopping outlets (selling silver, jewellery, souvenirs, etc) and restaurants. There is a distinct Asian feeling to this place, with its Asian gardens and architecture. You could easily spend a whole day exploring the place, but for me and my friend, the main appeal was the rides. Note that the place really comes alive during the night, with the central concert stage often being used (a tug-of-war match was underway when we went there) and the gardens aglow in the evening making for some incredibly nice photo opportunities.

A strong Asian feeling pervades Tivoli Gardens

It costs 99 DKK to enter the Gardens, with additional fees of 1-3 tickets (costing around 25 DKK each) to go on the rides. There are also multi-ride tickets you can purchase for unlimited rides for 199 DKK. My friend and I purchased these as we worked out if you go on 3 or more rides, you are better off paying for the multi-ride ticket. And it ultimately proved to be insanely worth it!

The three rides I tried were one of the rollercoasters, Vertigo (a giant swing and spinning ride) and The Golden Tower, which drops you from a tall height. The most intense of these (for me anyway) was actually The Golden Tower due to the lurch you feel when dropped, comparable to a really sudden drop in an aircraft. The rollercoaster had its moments but was nothing unmanageable. Interestingly, Vertigo wasn’t anywhere near as stomach-churching as I thought it would be – I found it very pleasant in fact. And the views of Copenhagen from atop these rides is simply unrivalled anywhere else that I went. For a video of Vertigo, click here.  It is exhilarating, thrilling and undeniably impressive. Here’s a video from YouTuber showing what I experienced.

A major downside of this ride was that it made me feel nauseous for a good 30 minutes after getting off. This complicated things as I didn’t feel like getting on another ride while I was feeling ill, and I had no motivation to keep moving. Instead, I had to sit down and breathe deeply for around 30 minutes until I felt better. I ultimately lived to fight another day, albeit with a giant grin on my face whenever I recall those fateful moments. Me and my friend still discuss it every now and then, and have a good laugh about my ‘illness’.

Despite getting slightly sick, I highly recommend Tivoli for its one-of-a-kind rides, beautiful atmosphere and sheer abundance of leisure options for the casual traveler. I would stay away from the restaurants at Tivoli unless you want to pay the higher prices in this popular tourist site.

The Taj Mahal lookalike building at the front of Tivoli

Attraction details:

Name: Tivoli Gardens
Address: Vesterbrogade 3, 1630 København, Denmark
Directions: Tivoli Gardens is located on Vesterbrogade, which is the main city street in Copenhagen. You can’t miss it, but if you do, it’s near the fast food outlets (McDonalds, etc).
Rating:5/5. With so much on offer in terms of food, rides and entertainment, Tivoli is a must-see for anyone coming to Copenhagen, even if the rides can make you nauseous!

Hotel reviews: Best Western Hotel, Stockholm

Kicking off my irregular series of accommodation reviews, this debut piece is dedicated to the hotel I stayed at in Stockholm, a chain of hotels called the Best Western Hotel. Hopefully they prove to be of some help when you next stay abroad.

The good

• Spacious rooms – the rooms I stayed in are quite large by European standards. The hotel is divided into two buildings, one building in the same place as reception and another adjacent. We were in the adjacent building. The rooms are accessed via a pass card, which also activates the lifts.

• The buffet breakfast was tasty and offered excellent variety – As I arrived on a Friday, the buffet breakfast for Saturday and Sunday operated from 7:30 – 11am, which allowed plenty of time to get a good feed before going on my travels. The buffet breakfast had a very generous variety of meats, cheeses, vegetables, breads, juices, coffees, teas, eggs and more. I particularly liked the local touch of having two varieties of herring available for sampling. I worried about the cost of purchasing the included buffet, but it proved to be incredibly convenient and economical. It made things so much easier to not have to worry about breakfast each day, especially when we could eat as much as we wanted.
• Staff exceptionally friendly – A hotel is meant to have excellent customer service, but there is good and then there is excellent. I broke a glass during the buffet breakfast and the staff member quickly cleaned it up, no questions asked. Staff were cheerful and friendly, and always willing to help.
• Mineral water included – The room came with complementary mineral water, which I gladly took advantage of. Surprisingly tasty and refreshing!

The not so good

• Late check in time – Check in is only offered from 3pm onwards, however we arrived into Stockholm at 11am. This meant that we had to drop our bags into the luggage room and then explore the city for around 4 hours before coming back to the hotel. This wouldn’t normally be a bad thing, except for the unlocked luggage room we were forced to use (see below). Check out is at 12pm.

• Unlocked luggage rooms – The luggage room to store our bags is unlocked by a switch at reception. However, during the day time it was unlocked so anyone could really enter the room and rummage through people’s luggage. This was disconcerting to say the least, but there wasn’t really anything I could do about it in the situation.

• The location – The hotel is slightly far from the city centre, around a 15 minute walk from the central railway station. For domestic flights this would be okay, but for an international flight, I did start to feel the pinch lugging around my 20kg worth of suitcase luggage and carry on backpack.

• The room safe malfunctioned slightly – I chose to use the in-room safe to keep my passport and laptop safe. Unfortunately, there was a malfunction with the coding system so the safe wouldn’t open on one occasion. This required me having to call reception and have them open the safe. Staff took around 5 minutes to come to my room, and a further 20-30 minutes to open the safe. Worryingly, the safe was opened by a key belonging to a different room’s safe, which does not seem too promising from a security point of view

Overall:

Best Western Hotel, Stockholm
Döbelnsgatan 17
Stockholm, Sweden

Location: 4/5
Facilities/Security: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 4.5/5
Check in/check out: 3.5/5
Price: 4/5
Overall: 3.83/5

In summary: If you’re looking for a relatively affordable hotel with great service and an included buffet breakfast, you can’t go wrong with Best Western. However, be warned that your luggage isn’t necessarily secure if you arrive a few hours prior to check in and that the room safe may in fact be ‘too safe’.

Traveler truths: Helsinki

This is a new series I’m starting focusing on important insights derived from my travels. These are simple, useful tips and observations I’ve obtained on my travels in places where I’ve stayed a significant period of time (i.e. beyond 3 days and usually at least a week) that helped me, and will hopefully help you too. First up, Helsinki.

1. Helsinki is a haven for nature lovers: The sheer abundance of lakes, forests, paths and parks make Helsinki a treasure trove for those who like the outdoors. No wonder Helsinki is called the ‘land of the thousand lakes’. The air is clean, the surroundings picturesesque and the views amazing. The people are proud of their green surroundings, and regularly venture out of the busy city centre to the neighbouring islands (e.g. Suomelinna, Rajasaari Island, Seurasaari) or take a ferry to nearby Talinn, Stockholm or Norway. The Nuuksio National Park, an hour from Helsinki, was one of the most breathtaking places I’ve visited and full of postcard-perfect views. You should join them, and be prepared to leave the city. It is definitely worth it.

The beautiful nature of Helsinki

2. Helsinki is a walkable city: Although you can buy a public transport pass for the bus, metro, trams or train, Helsinki is easily navigable by walking if you want to keep your costs down. There is only one line on the metro, which suggested to me that public transport wasn’t exactly essential. I walked around Helsinki and to all of the many attractions on foot, and spent a good few hours each day walking. My legs got a workout, and I saved on public transport fares. Helsinki is just large enough so you don’t get bored in a week, and small enough for you to cover it on foot. Just allow plenty of time to reach and return from your destination (resting as needed) and you should be fine.

3. Many of the museums are free: Helsinki has a network of seven large museums that always have free admission. What’s more, the Finnish National Museum is free on Fridays from 4-6pm.

Discoveries from the free City Museum of Helsinki

4. Cyclists are respected and well taken care of: Helsinki is an incredibly liveable city, and very hospitable to cyclists. Walking areas are divided into sections for pedestrians and cyclists, reducing the risk of collisions and providing cyclists an incentive to get on their bike. The fact that Helsinki is quite small as a city makes a bike a very handy and convenient option for getting around. Melbourne could definitely learn a thing or two to cater to its burgeoning cyclist community.
5. The Finnish are a reserved people: In comparison to Melbourne or other areas of Australia where people will openly engage you in conversation without being prompted, in Helsinki people will pretty much leave you to your own devices unless you actively ask them. It’s not a bad thing or anything, but if you need something, you really do need to make yourself known.

Andy’s traveler rating – Helsinki

People: 4.5/5
Liveability: 5/5
Attractions & Culture: 4/5
Nature: 5/5
Cost of living: 3/5
Weather: 3.5/5
Public transport: 4/5

Overall: 29/35

Stockholm: Skansen, Djurgården, and Sodermalm

After exploring the Stockholm Gamla Stan Old Town yesterday, I ventured out of the city centre to the Djurgården island for a relaxing day out at the Skansen Open Air Museum.

The first open air museum in the world, Skansen is a tribute to the history of Sweden. A composite attraction filled with old-fashioned buildings, a zoo of some sorts (featuring lynxes, seals, elk, reindeer, wolverines, wolves and general farm animals) and numerous interactive sites to relive the old way of life – a pottery store, a glassmaking workshop and store, a bakery with delicious pastries, a Skansen shop with traditional Manchester, food products and more.

As an added bonus, Skansen also offers some nice views of the Stockholm city centre.

Skansen Open Air Museum – traditional Swedish buildings

Skansen Open Air Museum – traditional Swedish buildings

Lynxes in action

Attraction details

Name: Skansen Open Air Museum

Directions: Skansen is a short walk (20-30 minutes) from the city centre in the south west of Sweden. There are also numerous buses going to this popular tourist attraction.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars. Highly recommended for history buffs or those wanting a fun day out.

Traveller’s tip: Combine your visit to Skansen with a trip to the adjacent Djugardden garden and park areas and the famous Vasa Museum to get the most of your visit. Also try to bring your own food to avoid paying the overpriced fares for food and drink.

With Skansen done and dusted, it was time to find somewhere to eat. Encouraged by positive reviews of the chic Sodermalm area and its popularity amongst the young trendy folk, we decided on Östgötakällaren, a German restaurant highly rated on TripAdvisor in the vicinity.

With its attractive German décor and moody lighting, the place was very cosy. Many patrons could be heard enjoying the restaurants surroundings or indulging themselves in the adjoining bar.

I settled on the fish and shellfish casserole with a touch of saffron, which was served with an aioli sauce and garlic bread, while my friend chose beef with a red wine sauce and potato mash, washed down with a German wheat beer.

My expectations weren’t that high, given it was rated in the 100s of best restaurants in Stockholm, but I was in for a shock. Upon taking a bite of the casserole, the heady flavours of the soup were so intoxicating so as to cause me to exclaim in surprise. It was a real ‘Ratatouille’ moment for me. Tasting further, the fish and shellfish were so delicate and flavourful I was literally awestruck for a few seconds. I couldn’t believe what I was eating – the food was simply on another level. This also proved true from sampling my friend’s beef – with the meat unbelievably tender and succulent. Combined with the crusty garlic bread and aioli, it was a winning dish.

Fish and shellfish casserole with saffron, aioli and garlic bread

Fish and shellfish casserole with saffron, aioli and garlic bread

Service was brisk and attentive, although I detected a slight annoyance from the waitress when I didn’t choose to order a starter or a drink.

Name: Östgötakällaren
Address: Östgötagatan 41, 116 25 Stockholm, Sweden
Price: Mid-range 3/5
Service: Very good 4/5
Decor: 4/5
Food: Excellent 4/5
Rating: Very good 4/5

Sunny sojourns in Stockholm

After rounding out my terrific week in Helsinki, it was off to Stockholm to continue the next phase of my Europe 2014 trip.

The journey to Helsinki Airport was relatively straightforward, with a 5 minute trip via the Helsinki Metro to Sornainen Station and then a 15-20 minute ride on the 615 Bus to Helsinki Airport. Flying Norwegian Air to Stockholm was a very smooth and pleasant experience, as comfortable as one can be on a budget airline. The flight gets bonus points from me for not only leaving before its scheduled departure due to availability in the sky, but also for including free Wi-Fi on board! I had a great time with Norwegian and would gladly fly with them again. Within 45 minutes, I had touched down in Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport.

Getting from Arlanda to the city centre was a little more challenging. You can get from Arlanda to the city via the Arlanda Express (a high speed train – around 25 euros one way) or the Airport Bus (cheaper at around 12 euros one way – similar to Australia’s SkyBus). The Arlanda Express is a rip off for a one-way trip so the bus is highly recommended. Tickets can be bought from the machines (note: the machines only accept credit card) or can be purchased on board the bus itself. The trip takes around 40 minutes one way into the city.

Arriving early to the Best Western Kom Hotel before the 3pm check-in time, we decided to do a brief walk around the city and Gamla Stan Old Town area, which like its Tallinn counterpart, is filled with colourful architecture, quirky shops and numerous restaurants of traditional Sweden. After a quick sandwich in one of the nearby shops (115 kroner ~ 11.50 euros! – yes Stockholm is expensive), we continued our walk around the Old Town area, passing several of the picturesque Swedish islands dotting the landscape before returning back to the hotel around 3pm.

Gamla Stan Old Town in Stockholm

After taking a valuable rest to rest our aching feet, we were stumped on places to get some dinner that wouldn’t break the bank. Researching on TripAdvisor didn’t yield anything promising except an American Stakehouse so with nothing else in mind, we simply had a walk around to see what we could fine. We noticed a cheap kebab place offering dinner from 39 kroner which we both teased the idea of momentarily while I searched agonisingly for an ATM. Surprisingly for a major city, whether it be through my own ignorance or obliviousness, it took around 10-15 minutes to find an ATM! With my cash in hand, we set out to visit the kebab place but chickened out when we noticed it was completely empty (not a good vibe).

We were about to call things quits when I noticed a sign for a Thai restaurant – Jai Thai Food – promising free Wi-Fi and discounted dinner from 89 kroner (originally 159 kroner). It was better than anything else we had in mind so we took the plunge – and we weren’t disappointed. We both chose the Panang Noodle Curry, and I added in a Rekorderling Strawberry Lime Cider for added effect, with my friend opting for a Swedish beer accompaniment.

The restaurant had a really cosy, peaceful vibe complete with faux palm trees, LED Christmas lights and a Thai atmosphere that made you feel right at home and want to linger for conversations. The food was delicious and incredibly good value in Stockholm, exceeding all of my expectations.

 

Helsinki: A Day of Two Islands

To round out my last day in Helsinki, I decided to tick off a few more of Helsinki’s attractions – again a combination of man-made and natural. Ducking quickly into the Kamppi area near the city centre, I headed into the Kamppi Chapel of Silence (free admission) for some reflective thinking with a higher deity of some kind (I’m an Atheist). Next, I proceeded to the Temppeliaukio Church, more commonly known as the Rock Church (free admission) for its distinctive origins from rocks. It’s very small so there’s not much to see apart from a few photos.

The interior of the Rock Church

After these detours, I was ready to move onto the main course of the day – the Seurasaari Island and it’s traditional Finnish buildings of days gone by. However, after walking along the west coast of Helsinki, I came across the Rajasaari Island and couldn’t resist a brief pitstop.

Attraction details:

Name: Rajasaari Island
Directions: A short walk along the Merikannontie Road, continuing along the west coast. I estimate it would take around 15-20 minutes walk to get to from the city centre. 
Admission fee: Free
Rating: 4/5 stars

A popular spot for dog walking, sunbathing and swimming, the Rajasaari Island is full of scenic views and beautiful flora (I spotted some roseberries) and fauna (swans, etc). I highly recommend it for a pure dose of Mother Nature away from the city.

Rajasaari Island 1

Rajasaari Island 2

Rajasaari Island 3

After taking in the views, I proceeded further along the coast to the Seurasaari Island, which depicts what life was like in 1600s Finland through a series of preserved old buildings, churches, windmills, farms and the like.

Attraction details:

Name: Seurasaari Island
Directions: Continue walking along the west coast of Helsinki past the Foliosovagen Rajasaari Island and you will see signage pointing you to Seurasaari. Alternatively, the number 24 bus from the city centre goes directly to the Seurasaari Island as its last stop. The bus takes around 20 minutes all up.
Admission: Free (excluding entry to any open museums and restaurants/cafes)
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Traveller tip: Take some food and have a picnic there to properly enjoy the views.

The next 2 hours was spent simply drinking in the history and atmosphere of the buildings and learning about Finnish history by reading the signs dotted around the attractions. Compared to the relatively commercialised Suomelinna Island on the opposite side of Helsinki, I found Seurasaari to be immensely peaceful, organic and beautiful. Tame hares and squirrels are regularly scene scampering around amidst the herb-rich forests, making for an interesting hybridised journey of history and nature.

Seurasaari Island 1

Seurasaari Island 2

Seurasaari Island 3

Seurasaari Island 4