Posts Tagged With: Castles

Heading East

After picking up our car in Lyon, we have been heading east. First a campsite in the  south of lake Geneva and then two nights just south of Zurich. Here we made contact with two couples who are friends with one of our daughters. For two nights we were regaled by genuine and near genuine Swiss!

After a hair raising trip through the Austrian Alps we camped at Unterpefuss. The trip though the alps was spectacular. One can only imagine what it is like in winter. Jagged rocks, mountainous crags, winding roads and all the while, spectacular views made this a memorable journey. 

Now we are headed for Wien and Bratislava- these capitals are very close.

Wien/Vienna was flooded with tourists. This always makes me uncomfortable as I feel it is a huge imposition on the local population. Bratislava was more low key. There were tourists but they weren’t overwhelming the city. We loved the castle and churches as well as the architecture of the old town. The castle displayed the history of Slovakia in a very engaging manner.

We travelled further east to Orsava Castle. The countryside is beautiful but even the back roads are clogged with semi trailers. While in this area we also travelled to Krakow to visit the salt mines at Wieliczka. Tourism on a large scale again. The mines were fascinating but unfortunately our guide seemed bored with the whole task and her English was difficult to understand. The group behind us had a guide who was dramatic, enthused and engaged with his followers.

We are now heading south through Hungary to Romania.

The castle Bratislava
St Martin’s Bratislava
Orsava Castle

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European Castles – A Selection

Some readers have wanted me to continue with my castle fascination. Below are a few photos I have taken in different parts of Europe. To us they may be quaint and beautiful in their own way but most have a history of bloodshed and intrigue.

Gavno Slot near Naestved, Denmark

Gavno Slot near Naestved, Denmark – started off as a pirate hideout.

Fredericksten, Halden Norway
Fredericksten, Halden Norway – a reminder that Scandinavia was not always a place of liberalism and confraternity.

Het Steen Antwerp
Het Steen Antwerp

Carcassonne, France
Carcassonne, France – the site started life as a Roman fortress and later became a Cathar stronghold

Alcazar Toledo

Alcazar Toledo – Toledo was once a centre of Christian, Muslim and Jewish learning and cooperation

Castle at Peniscola Spain

Castle at Peniscola Spain – used in the film El Cid, if you are old enough to remember!

Alhambra Granada

Alhambra Granada – a Moorish stronghold

Real Alcazar Seville

Real Alcazar Seville – a Spanish castle with a Moorish flavour

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