-
Sir Bani Yas
Sir Bani Yas is an island about 150 miles southwest of the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi and it’s certainly not your standard stop in the desert. Not long ago, this 30-square-mile island—the biggest of eight Desert Islands just offshore—was abandoned. The Bani Yas tribe, who first moved here 7,000 years ago, left it for good at least a century ago. In the early 1970s, you could still see why. There were no trees or freshwater sources here; just craggy rocks and bare shorelines lapped by the waves of the Arabian Gulf. That’s when Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s founder visited and made a bold plan. He’d transform it into a nature reserve to give sanctuary to endangered animals of the UAE, Africa, and beyond. Since the death of Sheikh Zayed in 2004, Sir Bani Yas has been transformed into a wildlife park. More than 350 km of original fencing has been torn down to create an ‘open range’ safari feel on the refurbished island. Some creatures, such as the spotted deer and the athletic sand gazelles, roam wild – hence the 50km/h speed limit on the single lane, paved road – while others, such as cheetahs, are contained in sprawling, expansive pens. You can almost mistake the scene of oryxes, gazelles, hyenas, jackals, and cheetahs for a Kenyan savanna.
A two-and-a-half-hour drive from Abu Dhabi via the E-11 highway will allow you to hop onto one of the four short, daily ferry rides (departing at noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m.). We took the earliest, so as to be able to still make the most of the afternoon ahead of us. Three resorts dot different parts of the island. We had reserved Desert Islands, a bigger resort on the north shore of Sir Bani Yas, set up at Sheikh Zayed’s former vacation home. And indeed the Hotel has a decor of Arabian, Asian and African influence, apparently designed to look as if Sheikh Zayed himself decorated it with exotic artifacts from his travels.The ground floor room was spacious and comfortable, with a broad balcony overlooking the sprawling pool.
Once you reach the hotel, there are so many activities to choose from that you run the risk of forgetting about the beautiful sandy beaches of the island.
Whilst the beaches are beautiful and it’s great to spend some time relaxing, everything is geared more towards getting out and making the most of the landscape, whether on dry land or in the water. And there is something for everyone with history and culture tours (there’s an ancient Christian Monastery on the island dating back to 600AD), kayaking, diving, snorkelling, horse riding, archery, nature walks, wildlife drives and mountain biking among other.
After booking our 2 activities for the weekend, we spent a couple of hours at the beach which, despite the hotel pool heaving with overnighters, was absolutely deserted.
We started our exploration of the island around 4:30 pm with a guided walk through a narrow, lunar-like wadi (valley or ravine). A wadi is technically a dried up river bed. The 90-minute walk rises slightly amidst the salt that in the century has risen from the depth of the island towards the surface, thus creating patterns of twisting rocks and shadowy crags that boast a rainbow of colors from the reddish hues of oxidized iron mixing with yellows from sulfur, purples from magnesium, green from copper and some sparkle from hematite on the red-rock floor.
Although seemingly quite flat from the road, the landscape does boast some impressive rock formations and offers a completely different perspective from high up. The wadi is mostly made of salt and is therefore quite bare of vegetation. The crunching sound under your feet is the gypsum, the salt from which plaster is made of. Gypsum is white but it gets some color from the other neighboring minerals. We learnt from our guide that plaster differs from chalk in that the former can become solid again (as in plaster casts) while the latter does not have this ability.
You’ll have no choice but to eat in the hotel while staying here – it is quite literally in the middle of nowhere. Don’t fear though, because you’ll be spoilt for choice with the food on offer. You can choose from a huge breakfast buffet at The Palm all-day-dining restaurant where the friendly chefs will whip you up a made-to-order omelette. For dinner there are a few options. We did a catch buffet barbecue at Amwaj. Set right on the beach, a small walk from the hotel, its décor is pretty special with cosy, oversized chairs and sofas on the terrace creating a relaxed vibe that makes you feel a world away from Abu Dhabi.
PreviousNextThe Arabian Wildlife Park safari that we did early morning of our second day is the highlight of any visit. Up to half a dozen guests jump into an open-sided Land Cruiser to make leisurely 90-minute drives. The windows are open and the roof lifts up so you can be sure to get close up and unobstructed views of whatever you may be lucky enough to see. While you are driving towards the gated areas of the park, it is difficult to imagine that in the beginning there were only 70 dates trees in the island while now there are over 2.5 million trees—like the umbrella thorn acacia, olive trees, apple and pear trees, or the gum tree that the eland antelope are so drawn to— planted by hand. The pipeline system to irrigate this vast area (mostly made of salt, do not forget about it) extends over 73,000 miles. In addition, the resorts plant a mangrove for every guest.
Wildlife is literally everywhere on the island, and even before venturing behind the gates of the wildlife park we’d seen plenty of Sand Gazelles (the namesake of Abu Dhabi) and Arabian Hyrax to name only a couple. The Arabian Hyrax are actually the whole reason why Sheik Zayed created all this: they were a symbol of the gulf, nearly extinct 40 years ago, and now thanks to Sir Bani Yas no longer endangered. Behind the gates, this must be about as close as you can come to a safari outside of Africa, where 16 thousand of beasts of 27 different species now live, including Indian Black Bucks (the fastest one, at 87 km/h), Sand Gazelles (the most numerous), Barbary Sheep, Arabian Oryx (with their straight horns), peacocks (the blue ones are from India, the green ones from Burma) and Spotted Deers (those are antlers, not horns!).
After reaching the top of the mountain that stands at the center of the island (1040 ft), on the other side of the island we had a close-up encounter with reticulated giraffes. But the highlight of the safari was for certain getting to know the 3 cheetahs that roam the park (5 more will soon be coming). With an initial jump start of 7 meters, they can reach 120 km/h in 3 seconds and are really elegant and impressive felines. Two of them are brothers, Gabriel and Gibbs; you will easily recognize Gibbs from his limping. They are the perfect example of teamwork, with Gabriel running to catch the prey and Gibbs doing the killing. The third cheetah is Cuba, he lives by himself since he is not related to the other two and the Park wants to avoid fights among these endangered predators.
-
Bologna
History
The first settlements of Bologna date back to the first millennium BC, years in which it represented an important center for Etruscans and Celts. The two names of the city, Bologna and Felsina, originate respectively from the Celtic “Bona” (fortified center) and from the Etruscan “Fetzna”. The Romans dominated Bologna from 189 BC until the fall of the Empire. In 774 the city was conquered by Charlemagne who handed it over to the Pope. In 1115 it became a municipality, and in the XI-XII century its economy exploded thanks to the system of canals and the silk trade. In 1257 it was the first Italian municipality to promulgate the “Liber Paradisus” with which slavery was abolished, and slaves were bought with public money and freed.
In the XIV century, internal struggles undermined the independence of the city which in a few decades was dominated by various noble families (Pepoli, Visconti, Bentivoglio) until it returned under Pope Julius II in 1506. In 1796 it was conquered by Napoleon who kept it until 1815, the year in which with the Congress of Vienna, the city returned to the Pope. Finally, in 1860, Bologna was annexed to the kingdom of Italy
Tour of the city center
Piazza Maggiore
Start the tour from Piazza del Nettuno (1); in 1564 buildings were demolished to make room for this square, where one of the symbols of Bologna was erected. The statue of Neptune was commissioned by Pius IV as a symbol of papal primacy over the world, and the Flemish Jean de Boulogne (known as Giambologna) was hired to sculpt it. The statue represents the god of the sea, Neptune, surrounded by four cherubs that embrace dolphins, to represent the four largest rivers known at the time (Ganges, Nile, Amazon River and Danube). On the four sides of the tank there are four engravings in Latin that say: made to adorn the square, made for the use of the citizens, made with public money and the date of 1564. As the engravings say, in the past it was used by citizens to draw drinking water and to wash clothes. Giambologna wanted to make the genitals of the god bigger without being admonished by the Church: the thumb of the the left hand seen from a particular position appears to be the erect member.
Piazza del Nettuno with Palazzo Re Enzo in the back 
Sala Borsa 
The liberty-style inside Sala Borsa Behind you stands a Milanese-style building commissioned by the Visconti family as the headquarters of the city’s militias. In 1883, with the Kingdom of Italy, the Sala Borsa (2) was built to house the Bologna Stock Exchange (closed in 1903). The art nouveau interior hall had various functions (sports hall) and only since 2001 has it been the seat of the municipal library. It is worth a quick walk inside to see the Roman remains in the trapdoors on the floor.
Back in Piazza del Nettuno, the building opposite Sala Borsa is Palazzo Re Enzo (3), built in 1245 as an extension of the Palazzo del Podesta’. It takes its name from being a prison of Enzo, son of Federico Barbarossa, for 23 years. It was apparently a pleasant imprisonment, as Enzo asked to be buried in the city. The vault by the side of the building was the site of the city hangings: the condemned were first blessed in the little church next to it, now deconsecrated.
Between Palazzo Re Enzo and Palazzo del Podesta’ (4) there is a cross vault with the four patron saints of the city at its corners. If two of you stand at two opposite corners and whisper against the column you will be able to clearly hear the other person’s voice: it was a method used by the priests to confess the lepers
Palazzo del Podesta' 
Palazzo d'Accursio From the vault, exit towards Piazza Maggiore (5)and turn around to admire the Palazzo del Podesta’ (4) under which you have just passed. The Arengo Tower is one of the largest suspended towers in Italy: its 5 tons bell was hoisted by Aristotele Fioravanti, architect of the Buda Castle in Budapest, and known for having moved the Templar tower in Bologna by 13 meters to look for gold hidden under it. The bell was ringing to call the Bolognese to gather in case of war, and in the last 100 years it tolled at the end of the Second World War and the fall of fascism.
In front of you stands the Church of San Petronio (6), the largest in Bologna, and although unfinished one of the largest in Europe. It’s the largest gothic brick church in the world. It’s dedicated to Petronius, bishop of Bologna in the V century and sent to revive the city from the barbaric invasions. The church was begun in 1390, when Bologna already had a cathedral: the idea of its realization was not born in fact from the Church but for the will of the citizens. The architect Antonio di Vincenzo died 10 years after the workings began. This, together with obstacles from the pontifical prelate, interrupted the constructions for years. In 1514 a new project would have made it bigger than San Pietro in Rome, but it was never put in place. In 1530 Charles V was crowned as emperor of the Holy Roman Empire inside San Petronio.
In 1562 Pope Pius IV decided to give priority to the construction of other surrounding buildings, and the works to complete the church were interrupted for good in 1563. The Church of San Petronio was consecrated only in 1954, and since 2000 has housed the relics of the Saint.
Inside you can see the 4 crosses that for centuries and up to 1798 were outside the gates of the first city walls of Bologna, and which today are oriented as they were then. San Petronio is home to the largest sundial in the world, completed by Cassini in 1657 which measures 67 meters long, and even today misses the astronomical noon by a few seconds only.
Santa Maria Labarum Coeli 
San Salvatore Stroll through Via D’Azeglio (7), turn into Piazza dei Celestini and reach the Church of Santa Maria Labarum Coeli (8), from 1700. Labarum Coeli has no Latin translation: the name comes from the fact that the area was frequented by a prostitute named Baroncella . As the Church could not take this name, it was Latinized. Since 2006 it has hosted the Copts of Bologna.
Take a quick detour to admire the church of San Salvatore (9), very ancient and restored in the 1600s. Raise your gaze to the top of the façade: a large caliber bullet fired by the Austrians in 1849 from the hills of Bologna is clearly visible .
From 1213 the Franciscans are in Bologna and begin the construction of the Basilica of San Francesco (10) which ends in less than 30 years. After the arrival of the French in 1796, the church was deconsecrated and emptied. The church also suffered major damage during the Second World War. The facade is Romanesque but the building is in French Gothic style.
Outside the church of San Francesco there are three tombs of the “Glossatori” which preserve the remains of the first university professors of the Middle Ages; at the time the University was above all jurisprudence, and the “Glossatori” commented on Roman law texts with additions to the margins (glosses).
Glossatori Tomb Follow via Porta Nuova to return to Piazza Maggiore. In front of you, on the last side of the square that remains to be explored, opens up the Archiginnasio (11). It was finished in 1563 in order to give a home to the University (lessons were first held in public places) which remained there until 1803. Walking along the Pavaglione portico (which takes its name from “papillon” because here were hanging the silkworms) you will reach the door of the municipal library of the Archiginnasio, founded in 1838.
Palazzo dei Banchi and the Portico del Pavaglione 
The inside of Archiginnasio Entering the courtyard there are more than 6000 student coats of arms and inscriptions of the professors representing the largest heraldic mural complex in the world. Climb up to the first floor to visit the anatomical theater of 1637. Constructed of fir wood, it has a chair on the right from which the professor read the anatomy books, dominated by a canopy supported by the statues of the skinned, and under it a stand from which the assistant indicated the body parts on the corpse the barber was dissecting on the marble table in the center.
The anatomical theater 
The Archiginnasio library Out of the theater turn left under the portico and continue to the church of San Domenico (12). In 1218 the Dominicans arrived in Bologna and in 1240 completed the construction of the Basilica and the convent, inside which the remains of San Domenico (who died in Bologna in 1211) are preserved. In the square in front of the church there are two more tombs of the glossatori , the first medieval university professors.
The Quadrilatero
Return to the Pavaglione porch and turn right this time into Via Clavature (13). You are entering the true heart of ancient Bologna, where every street takes its name from the trades that were practiced there. Along Via Clavature, on the left side, is the Church of Santa Maria della Vita (14), founded in the 13th century by the flagellar brotherhood. This religious order was dedicated to welfare activity and in 1287 transformed the Church into the first hospital in Bologna. The hospital occupied the entire building between the Pavaglione and the Church, but when the numbers became excessive the first triage was created, and the patients who were too serious were sent to the portico in front of the church, called the Porch of Death (1347).
Santa Maria della Vita Enter the Church to admire the Compianto of the Dead Christ of Niccolo dell’Arca (second half of the 400).
Continue your walk in the quadrilatero immersing yourself in the ancient craft and commercial traditions: home to barbers, goldsmiths, fishermen, furriers, blacksmiths, to each of whom one of the streets is named.
Exit the quadrilatero in via degli Orefici and turn right to get to Palazzo della Mercanzia (15). In 1382 the Municipality established the seat of the Foro dei Mercanti in this palace built by the same architect as the Church of San Petronio: once the work was completed, the merchant court was established. Today it sacredly preserve the original recipes of the filling of tortellini, Bolognese ragu’, “certosino”, green lasagna, as well as the size of the real tagliatella (8 mm wide, or the 12270th part of the Torre degli Asinelli, and thick from 6 to 8 tenths of a mm). On the façade of the building that gives on Via Castiglione a plaque from the XV century lists the privileges of the students: to them the municipality paid for books, food and clothing.
Piazza Santo Stefano
From right to left, Chiesa del Crocefisso, Chiesa del Sepolcro and Chiesa dei SS Vitale e Agricola. In the back, the Chiesa della Trinita' The walk in Piazza Santo Stefano (16) will let you experience with your feet what the ancient Bolognesi were feeling everyday while walking the strees of the city: the pavement is still made of ancient pebbles. Admire in front of you the beautiful Basilica of Santo Stefano (or delle Sette Chiese, the Seven Churches), a complex of very old churches. The church from which you enter is the Chiesa del Crocefisso, of Lombard origin from the eighth century; in the crypt one of the columns is said to be of the same height as Jesus (1.70 m, very high for the time). At the bottom of the crypt two urns hold the remains of the Saints Vitale and Agricola. The church that is immediately on the left is the Church of the Sepulcher, dating back to the 5th century and built by Petronius as a simulacrum of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. The hexagonal plan of the church and the numerous pillars suggest that it was built on a temple of Isis. Inside, a shrine contained the relics of the Saint Petronio that the faithful could worship the week after Easter by kneeling through a small door (from 2000 the relics are in San Petronio).
In the past, Bolognese prostitutes went to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Easter morning to recite a prayer to Mary Magdalene, a prayer that was never revealed. Look among the columns for the one in black marble, symbol of the flagellation of Jesus: touching it would seem to guarantee 200 years of indulgence in the afterlife. The last basilica on the left is the Church of the Saints Vitale and Agricola, the oldest of the complex and dedicated to the first two martyrs of Bologna, victims of Diocletian’s persecution. The basilica already existed in 393, as suggested by the Roman floor. From the last Basilica exit on the Pilate Courtyard: the distance between this point and San Giovanni in Monte (the only natural hill in the vicinity) is the same existing between the Holy Sepulcher and the Calvary in Jerusalem. The small Church of the Trinity at the end of the courtyard had to have a different shape but it was rebuilt in 1800. Since the time of the Crusades there was a piece of the Holy Cross, later removed in 1950. Much more impressive, however, is the medieval cloister on the right, with capitals and tombstones bearing the names of the fallen Bolognesi of the Great Wars.
The churches are therefore 4 and not 7, and none has the name of Santo Stefano …
Just outside the basilica, under the portico on the right, take Corte Isolani (17) to reach Strada Maggiore. Under the wooden portico of Corte Isolani, look up and sharpen your eyes to find three arrows stuck in the wooden ceiling. There are three legends behind them: one of three assassins sent to kill an adulterous noblewoman who, at the sight of her beauty, hurled the arrows at the top; one of an armed conflict; and one that of a goliardic joke made in 1877 by students to the professor who was restoring the porch.
The portico of Corte Isolani, with the three arrowns 
Torre degli Asinelli e Garisenda And now, towards the symbol of Bologna, the two hanging towers (18). They are located at the crossroads of the 5 streets that led to the 5 gates of the city in the year 1000. Despite the names (Torre degli Asinelli and Garisenda), it is not certain that precisely those two families built them.
The Torre degli Asinelli is 97 meters high but from the thickness of the walls of the top floors it is believed that it was originally at least 20 meters higher. Built between 1109 and 1119, its summit was remade in the 1400s. It has a 2.2-meter overhang that makes it the highest hanging tower in Italy. In 1300 it became possession of the Municipality that turned it into a prison. The Visconti made it an observation point, adding a wooden walkway that connected it to the Garisenda. Over the years it has hosted television antennas and during the Second World War it was used to spot bombing and direct relief efforts.
The Garisenda is 48 meters high and has an overhang of 3.2 meters. Initially it was 60 meters high but was cut off in 1351 for the collapse of the foundations. It is mentioned by Dante in the Divine Comedy, and a plaque recalls its verse: if someone leans back against the Tower on a cloudy day and looks up, the moving clouds give the sense that the Tower falls on you.
The University neighbourhood
Walk in via Zamboni (19) and you are in the heart of the university area of Bologna. As you head towards Piazza Verdi, remember that the oldest University in the world went hand in hand with Goliardic associations. And at this point we cannot forget the “taproot” of the goliards. This taproot was originally located in the quadrilateral to prevent access to carriages, but became a meeting place for the Goliardia and a symbol for them. Due to the great rivalries with the other Italian universities, the taproot was repeatedly ripped off and stolen by rivals. When, for urban reasons, it was removed from the original site, the Goliardi raised a protest and occupied the town hall until they obtained the taproot back and carried it in procession and in great pomp in Via Zamboni, where it was walled to the ground (20). After innumerable damage caused by cars, it was restored by the municipality in the 1960s. The engraving on it reads SVQFO (Sacred and venerable order of the taproot).
Piazza Verdi is the heart of the university area. The walls you see behind you are a wreck of those of the second circle. Piazza Verdi hosts the Teatro Comunale (21). it is located in the place where the Bentivoglio Palace was standing until 1507, when it was destroyed by the popular fury. Initiated in 1756, it was the first theater built with public funds and rented by the municipality. Opened in 1763 (only second to the San Carlo in Naples, both La Scala and La Fenice are younger), it is a theater closely linked to Wagner: it was the first theater to host the Parsifal outside Germany. In 1931, the director Toscanini was invited to direct at the Comunale but refused to open the concert with the fascist hymn, and was slapped: since then he left Italy for 15 years.
Retrace your steps and at the beginning of Via Zamboni on the left you will find the entrance to the Ghetto (22), founded in 1556 following a papal bull. There are 3 entrances to the Ghetto, this one in particular still has the hinges of the gate. Lose yourself in the lanes of the ghetto, enjoy the absence of cars and head towards via Marsala (23).
The "Portici" of Bologna
What is missing in the ghetto (the architecture was left to the Jewish community) and that you can find once you arrive in Via Marsala (23), are the “portici”. The famous Bolognese arcades were born in the Middle Ages as spontaneous projection of private buildings on public land. With the boom of the university new houses were needed: the citizens began to extend the beams of the floors of the first floor to the outside, supported first by wooden capitals and then masonry. In 1288 a ban of the municipality established that all the new houses should have a porch and that those already existing should build it, leaving the burden of maintenance to the owner but guaranteeing the use of the land to the municipality. The arcades had to be at least 2.66 meters high (7 Bolognese feet) and wide to allow the passage of a man on horseback. In the poorest areas, very often the measures were not respected. In Via Marsala you can admire the highest portico (of the Officers’ Club) and in front of it the oldest portico. Bologna also boasts the longest portico in the world, the portico of San Luca, with 666 arches and 3796 meters long, built between 1600 and 1700.
The Canals of Bologna
Keep walking towards Via Piella (24). From the river Reno and Savena (west / east) a water network was developed between the XII and XVI. From south to north, Bologna has a drop of about 40 meters. The canals Reno and Savena enter the city together with a stream, the Aposa. The Reno canal is divided into Canale del Cavaticcio (connected to a small hydroelectric power station since 1995) and Canale delle Moline which supplied 15 mills. The Canale delle Moline connects Bologna to Ferrara and flows into the Po, thus linking Bologna to Venice. All this means that until 1950 Bologna had a functioning port. The Bolognese canals served as a means of connection and transport, to regulate the waters of the Apennine rivers during seasonal flow, and to supply energy to the water mills. A series of locks (some attributed to Leonardo) are all that remains of the Bolognese navigable system active from the 12th to the 20th century, without which Bologna could not have developed its economy.
The economic boom of the medieval Bologna was due to silk processing and trading. In 1272 silk processing was exclusive to the city of Lucca, but in that year its secrets were stolen and soon this industry flourished in Bologna. The Bolognesi implemented this industry with the invention of the “bolognese mill”, thanks to which Bologna became one of the most important European silk centers. The Bolognese fleet became notable, so much so as to defeat the Venetian fleet in 1271: the victory granted to the Bolognese favorable commercial duties. Silk was the leading commercial sector in Bologna for a long time and in 1500 40% of the population dealt with silk. In 1600, 119 silk mills were in operation in Bologna.
Admire in Via Piella one of the few uncovered portions of the kilometers of canals that flow under Bologna.
The Towers of Bologna
From Via Piella retrace your steps to see two more of the Bologna towers. The towers of Bologna had a noble and military function, and between 1110 and 1200 there were about a hundred; today there are about 22 left. The towers gave luster to the family that built them, but they could also have offensive or defensive effects. “Tower-houses” were slightly different, lower but with a mainly residential function, less thick walls and more openings. During the 13th century many towers were either cut off, demolished, and some collapsed. The last tower was demolished in 1919. The foundations of the towers go down from 5 to 10 meters under the ground, the base is built with large blocks of selenite and then the tower rises with ever thinner walls. From 3 to 10 years were necessary to build 60 meters of tower.
Reach the Torre Prendiparte (25) (also called Coronata), built in the second half of the 12th century and 59.5 meters high. At 50 meters from the ground there is a “crown” that reduces the thickness of the walls and lightens the tower. In 1700 it was a prison of the Church, various inscriptions of convicts remain including a “held captive for having impregnated two sisters”. A little further on is the Torre Azzoguidi (26), with its 61 meters of height, the second highest in Bologna, and severed as well.
Take a right into Via Atabella and reach San Pietro (27), the true cathedral of Bologna. The first construction dates back to the X-XI century and measured 57 meters in length, but after a fire in 1141 it was completely rebuilt and enlarged in 1184. In light of the numerous basilicas that were being completed all over Bologna, the Church made a (vain) attempt to expand San Pietro and make it more majestic. The current version is from the 1700s, with a baroque facade. The bell tower represents the true jewel of the cathedral: it holds inside a smaller round early Christian bell tower. The largest bell weighs 33 quintals, and together with the other 3 they reach a total of 65 quintals: to ring them, 23 bell ringers are required.
Finish your ride under the portico of Via Indipendenza and look up at the porch ceiling (28). You will notice three writings: “Panis vita”, “Canabis protectio” and “Vinum laetitia” (bread is life, hemp is protection, wine is joy). From 1330 until the second post-war period, the production of hemp with woven use was very widespread between Bologna and Ferrara.
-
Italy
-
Paris – The Hidden Gems
DAY 1
The covered passages of Paris make it possible to walk while visiting the shops sheltered from the mud and the anarchic traffic of the street.
Before the great transformations carried out under Napoleon III by the prefect Haussmann, between 1852-1870, most of the streets were in clay (no paving stones) and no sidewalks. During the French Revolution (1789), the properties of religious people and emigrants were put on sale, and commercial buildings were created generating significant income.
The covered passages were created by wealthy bourgeois to promote trade without opening additional streets, which would take up space without generating profits. There were more than 40 passages in Paris. This section offers a walk through the covered galleries still existing in the 9th and 2nd district of Paris. These are the passages Verdau, Jouffroy, Panoramas, Princes, Vivienne, Colbert, and Choiseul.
If you are traveling by subway, which is the most convenient way, the best is to go to Metro Cadet, line 7 and follow our itinerary.
Most passages are private and are closed at night by gates or doors (usually from 8pm to 8am) and on Sundays.
They are generally classified as historical monuments since 1974, but it is the owners who are in charge of maintaining them. IDurand comme
LE PASSAGE VERDEAU
Take rue Cadet and turn in rue du Faubourg Montmartre, the Verdeau passage is just slightly on your left, on the other side of the road, at number 31 of the street. The glass rooftop makes the passage very luminous and the canopy is divided in in two parts allowing a circulation of air which prevents that the passage becomes an oven during the beautiful days. The passage houses many antique dealers and art dealers as well as restaurants.
LE PASSAGE JOUFFROY
Leaving the Verdeau passage, you just have to cross the street to find yourself in the passage Jouffroy built at the same time in 1847. This is the first passage entirely built in metal. This covered walkway is known to house the Musée Grévin, a wax museum that was inaugurated on January 20, 1882. Next to it,the hotel Chopin dates from the 19th century and it has its entrance directly in the passage. Where the passage overlooks the Rue de la Grange Batelière, the ground was not wide enough to allow 2 rows of shops. There is only one side of shops, with a boutique setting with just the showfront opposite.
LE PASSAGE DES PANORAMAS
One of the first passage to be opened in Europe in 1799 and to experience gas lighting in 1816, you just have to cross the boulevard Montmartre to enter it. The Passage des Panoramas is one of the most beautiful and lively in the capital. A popular place to walk since the 19th century, it is a Parisian Mecca of the trade of stamps for collection. The passage has the particularity of opening on small adjacent galleries. The passage takes its name from the attraction presented by the American inventor Robert Fulton. He financed his inventions (the steamboat, the submarine Nautilus and the torpedo), which he presented in Paris in an exhibition located in 2 rotundas and presenting panoramas of landscapes of Paris, Toulon, Rome.
LA GALERIE COLBERT
It is one of the two most beautiful galleries of the capital with the Vivienne gallery. Its entrance is at 6 rue des Petits Champs, The gallery dates from 1826. It feels like entering a university building rather than a passage. This gallery was indeed bought by the B.N.F. and now houses the National Institute of Art History and the National Institute of Heritage. It is however free to access. though: a guard is at the entrance and opening hours are very limited. We could not get in there. In the center of the rotunda stands a bronze statue representing Eurydice, the wife of Orpheus.
LA GALERIE VIVIENNE
Inaugurated in 1826, the Galerie Vivienne imposes on the visitor its beauty with its elegant glass roof, the intricate pattern of its mosaic floor and the richness of its decor. The Vivienne gallery is the second longest in this presentation. It consists of several sections separated by steps.Today, it houses ready-to-wear and decorative items. The gallery is elegant all along, it seems quite uncrowded on weekends, the neighborhood comes alive especially during the week. The dome is one of the largest in the passages, elegant and sober.
LE PASSAGE DE CHOISEUL
The passage of Choiseul overlooks the 40 rue des petits champs on one side and ends at 23 rue Saint Augustin. The gas lighting was replaced by electric balls and lamps. The passage, very busy when it opened, fell into disuse, then had a revival of activity when the couturier Kenzo settled there in the 1970s, then declined when he left.
DAY 2
Sometimes a bit of jet lag is exactly what you need on vacation to start the day bright and early and don’t lose any time. The plan for this second day is to visit the Marais and the best way to reach is to take the metro to Chatelet (line 1) and walk from there. However, is the sky is blue and the day is warm, you may consider strolling down the Champs-Elysee and found the entrance of the Jardins de Champs-Elysee. Business men and women walking and listening to music, briefcase on hand on their way to work, cafés opening, gardeners keeping up the amazing look of the park.
The walk will take you all the way to Place de la Concorde. The Obelisque standing still in the middle of the square busy with morning traffic deserved a look (and a picture). It’s like nothing or anyone could ever bother it. It’s there now, it will be tomorrow and in a 100 years. Continue your walk inside the Jardins des Tuileries all the way up to the Louvre. Most of you will probably been there before so you may decide to leave out the visit of the museum this time. It’s huge and it would need a whole day (or more) to be visited properly, maybe you can keep the visit for when you’ll end up in Paris in a cold winter day.
Down again into Rue the Rivoli and then towards Les Halles. Les Halles is now a big mall, but was once the spot that hosted the central market of Paris. Next to the main square there is a gothic church that will catch your attention. Like we always do when we find something interesting, you may want to walk inside. It was undergoing renovation works when we visited it, but we still got a glimpse of it. The outside is more impressive than the inside for sure, but what is special about the church (but we came to know afterwards) is that it is the church where Moliere was baptized.
From there walk onwards towards the Beaubourg (better known as Centre Pompidou). It was designed in the style of high-tech architecture by the architectural team of Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano. It houses the Bibliothèque publique d’information, a vast public library; the Musée National d’Art Moderne, which is the largest museum for modern art in Europe; and IRCAM, a centre for music and acoustic research. Here is the link to the website, with more information on opening hours and exhibitions.
Continue your walk and will found on your way the Hotel Sully. It was briefly mentioned in our guide, so we decided to take a look at it and you definitely should do as well.
DAY 3
This itinerary will take you through Ile de la Cité and the Latin Quarter. We took the metro to Louvre-Rivoli (Line 1 and 7) and accidentally noticed at the exit of the metro station a beautiful romanic church. Saint-Germain-L’Auxerrois may not be on the touristic path, but it’s definitely worth a stop. Take Pont Neuf to Ile de la Cité, but instead of turning left on Place Dauphine, turn right and go down the staircase. At their base you’ll see the entrance to a small park (Square du Vert Galant) that covers the tip of the island. On the very tip of the island there are willows and you can see the Seine in front of you, feeling like on the bow of a boat.
Go back up and this time head to Place Dauphine and toward the Sainte Chapelle. The Sainte Chapelle was built in 1248 by orders of Luis IX to host the Crown of Thorns and transform Paris into the Catholic World Capital. While we were queuing a gentleman approached us and told us there was going to be a guided visit starting after few minutes (by the time we exited the queue had grown quite a lot. We definitely suggest to buy the tickets online and check for the free guided visits).
As the chapel for the Royals and their entourage, the Sainte Chapelle is situated in the Ile de la Cité since the Royal Palace used to be right there, before the King of France decided to move it to Versailles. The building that once hosted the Royal Palace is still there, but home to the Palais de Justice. The Sainte Chapelle consists of two different chapels.
The lower Chapel, which is the one you enter in, was meant for the servants of the palace. During the restoration (carried out 150 years ago) there was not enough information to reproduce the ceiling as it used to be, so they just copied the blue ceiling with Fleur de Lis (symbol of the French monarchy) that you can find on the upper Chapel.
Going up a steep staircase you enter the upper Chapel, once directly connected to the personal apartments of Luis IX. This Chapel was strictly reserved to the King and his small entourage. A canopy in the abse used to host 22 relics among which the only survivors are the crown of thorns, a nail and splinter of the Cross. These three until few months ago were preserved in Notre Dame, but after the fire of April 2019, they were moved in the Louvre basements.
The upper Chapel four sides are entirely made of stained glass and the weight of the structure is held by the outside pointed arches, a typical pattern on Gothic architecture. These beautifully painted windows cover an area of almost 700 sqmt and depict the whole Bible, from the Genesis to the Apocalypse which is painted on the giant rose window over the entrance.
Walk then towards Notre Dame (was fenced all around when we were there and we believe it’s going to be for few more years) and take the Pont Saint Louis to stroll around in the nearby Island of Saint Louis. The entire island makes you feel like in a small French village, walking by small family owned businesses, restaurants and lovely townhouses. Stop by for lunch or a sandwich and finish off your break with a nice ice cream at Berthillon Glacier, before taking Pont de la Tournelle, towards the rive gauche.
Strolling along the riverbanks you will soon end up in the Square René Viviani, next to which there is usually a crowd gathering in front of Shakespeare and Co. This independent english bookstore was opened in 1919 and makes for a very nice stop either in the modern bookstore on the ground floor or in the old looking one on the first floor. They will stamp your books, so also a nice idea for a gift/souvenir.
Get lost in the Latin Quarter breathing the air of the artists of early 1900, and find your way towards the Eglise Saint-Sulpice. Not only this is a very nice early Gothic Church, it’s interest lays in the Paris Meridian (the Rose Line mentioned by Dan Brown in The Da Vinci Code). This brass line on the floor is part of a gnomon, a device designed to cast a shadow on the ground in order to determine the position of the sun in the sky. The sunlight passes through a small round opening in the southern stained-glass window of the transept, at a height of 25 meters, forming a small light disk on the floor; this disk will cross the meridian each time the sun reaches its zenith at true noon. The sun will cross different parts of the meridian depending the time of year. At one end of the meridian is a square marble plaque, which corresponds to the position of the sun at the highest at midday, during the summer solstice about 21 June. At the other end is an obelisk, which is lit near its top when the sun is at it lowest at midday.
Walk your way towards the Jardins de Luxemburg and take your time exploring the gardens, maybe sitting in one of the reclining chairs and enjoying the afternoon sun, before hitting the last scientific stop of the day. The Pantheon is a neo-classical building, originally a church, that hosts the tombs of Napoleon, Voltaire, Rousseau, Hugo and Zola. The queue to get inside can be quite long so we definitely advise buying your tickets online. Our main interest inside was the Foucault pendulum, a simple device named after French physicist Léon Foucault that was introduced in 1851 as the first experiment to give simple, direct evidence of the earth’s rotation. The pendulum oscillates along the same line indefinitely while the Earth rotates underneath. In a day the pendulum will have completed a full turn.
At night we enjoyed a very nice dinner at L’Absynth.
DAY 4
Get down at the metro stop Denfert-Rocherau on the line 6 to visit the Catacombs of paris. Try to be there around 9.15 to beat the crowd, the 45 min wait for the doors to open may be alleviated by a take away breakfast at the nearby Paul.
Not every inch of Paris is as romantic as you think – in fact, the Catacombs are downright chilling. Prior to the creation of the Catacombs in the late 18th century, Parisians buried their dead in cemeteries. But as the city continued to grow, burial grounds ran out of space, graves started to become exposed and stunk up surrounding neighborhoods. The limestone quarries located 65 feet beneath Paris eventually became the solution, providing ample and safe space for the city’s deceased loved ones. ones from the defunct Cimetière des Innocents were the first to arrive in 1786, when decomposing bodies started seeping into the cellars of the market at Les Halles, drawing swarms of ravenous rats. It took 12 years to move 6 million bodies from all the Parisien graves.
Today, the solemn, skull-and-boned lined tunnels weave beneath the heart of the City of Love, beckoning to visitors with an interest in the departed. The legions of bones dumped here are stacked not by owner but by type—rows of skulls, packs of tibias, and piles of spinal disks, often rather artfully arranged. Among the nameless 6 million or so are the bones of Madame de Pompadour (1721–64), laid to rest with the riffraff after a lifetime spent as the mistress of Louis XV.
The catacombs stretch for miles all over the city, but visitors are only allowed to access a mile’s worth for 45 minutes at the Denfert-Rochereau (lines 4,6 and RER B) metro station.
And because of the attraction’s unique nature and popularity, expect a queue. We went on the previous day and there was an hour (or more) wait. So we were advised by the personnel to come back the day after at 9:15 to beat the crowd. Even if some people are already queuing at that time, the doors open at 10 am and they let in 200 persons. And the wait can be alleviated by a take away breakafast and coffee from the nearby Paul’s.
The same metro line 6 will take you to canal Saint Martin (Oberkampf stop). The Canal Saint-Martin neighborhood is nestled between Gare du Nord and Republique in Northeastern Paris, in the 10th arrondissement. The canal feeds into the Seine River in the South and the Bassin de la Villette and the Canal de l’Ourq in the North.
Napoléon I ordered the construction of the Canal Saint-Martin in 1802. It was originally built to link to the Canal de l’Ourq, further north, to supply fresh water to the city. In the 19th century, the area was mostly occupied by working-class laborers. The canal and its surroundings were entirely reconstructed on set for Marcel Carné’s 1938 film, Hôtel du Nord. Only recently has it started to attract well-to-do professionals eager to take up residence in apartments with views of the canal. As a result, it’s come to be known as an area where fashion boutiques are continually springing up in the neighborhood. In the spring and summer, locals come in droves to the banks of the Saint-Martin Canal to picnic, strum guitars waterside, and bask in the lazy long evenings as dusk settles over the photogenic area.On Sundays, two streets running parallel to the canal, Quai de Valmy and Quai de Jemmapes, are reserved for pedestrians and cyclists—perfect for renting a bike and seeing the city from a fresh angle.
The canal is drained and cleaned every 10–15 years, and it is always a source of fascination for Parisians to discover curiosities and even some treasures among the hundreds of tonnes of discarded objects.
Walk or bike along the canal until you reach Jaures on line 2, and take it to Montparnasse. get out at the stop Blanche.
Montmartre is talked about by Parisians the way New Yorkers talk about the Village: It’s not what it used to be, It’s like Disneyland, the artists can’t afford to live here anymore, too many tourists etc. There is some truth these opinions, but there are two ways of approaching this incredibly unique village within the metropolis. The first is to follow the herd instinct and stampede your way up the famous hill, take a picture of yourself on the steps of the basilica, buy an overpriced crepe at the Place du Tertre, get conned into having your portrait sketched, and walk back down clutching newly bought key-rings, postcards, gaudy T-shirts feeling a little mystified about what all the fuss is about. The second method is to keep a map in your pocket (just in case) and try to lose yourself in the steep and cobbled streets of one of the most historic and interesting neighborhoods in Paris. Remember that the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur sits on the crest of the hill, so as long as you are heading uphill there is little possibility of being lost for long. At the bottom of the hill is the Boulevard de Clichy which is lined with bars, kebab shops, and more sex shops and peep-shows than you can possibly pretend you are not looking at. If you think of a triangle, consider the base of it to be the section of Blvd. de Clichy and Blvd. de Rochechouart between the metro stations Blanche and Anvers. The tip of the triangle would be the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur. The area between these three points is roughly the area of interest.
You can begin your walk at any point along the base of the hill, but because all the great poets have told us the journey is more important than the destination, we recommend you start at metro Blanche (Moulin Rouge) and gradually enter the “village”. This will make it feel more like a pilgrimage toward the place that nurtured most of the great artists and writers living in France this past century.
After enjoying the eagle-eyed view of Parsi from the Sacre Coeur, walk the staircase towards the feet of the hill. The closest metro station at the bottom of the stairs is Anvers. From there, reach the metro stop La Muette on line 9. In a tranquil, upscale neighborhood of the 16th Arrondissement, hidden in plain sight, is the world’s largest collection of the paintings of Impressionist master, Claude Monet. Housed in a mansion that was designed as a hunting lodge for the Duke of Valmy, the Musée Marmottan Monet features one of the most complete collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. The collection was bequeathed by a friend of the family and by Claude’s son, Michel Monet, in 1966, and represents a highly personal selection of works. The mansion, which is decorated with Napoleonic era decorative elements, contains 66 of Monet’s paintings. In addition to the works by Monet, the museum also houses works by Impressionist painters such as Manet, Pissarro, Renoir, Rodin or Sisley and a significant number of creations by Berthe Morisot, Manet’s wife. Now in a specially designed room on the lower floor of the museum, the collection gives you the rare opportunity to follow the master’s career and experience his technical and artistic evolution. The Marmottan Monet Museum displays Monet’s treasures from his early Impression: Sunrise work to some of his large-scale water lilies.
Day 5
Sadly, the overuse of Monet’s art to decorate coffee mugs, coasters, and calendars has likely served to oversimplify and dilute his extraordinary body of work in the minds of the public. His celebrated water lilies start to feel cliche when you see them on too much merchandise, in other words. The cure to this is a visit at his house in Giverny.
Monet settled in Giverny in 1883 and lived in this house until his death in 1926. This place was for him a source of inspiration and he invested heavily in its beautification and maintenance.
Claude Monet discovered the house in Giverny, Normandy, while looking out of a train window during a trip from Vernon to Gasny. He immediately fell in love with the place. Monet rented the house where he would spend the rest of his life in May 1883 and immediately begun to create the garden in front of the house, which is called “Clos Normand.” In November 1890 he was able to buy the house and the land. In 1893 he purchased another piece of land, back then behind the train tracks that run at the edge of the property. Here he created a water garden, the “Jardin d’Eau,” with the famous water lily pond.
Claude Monet supervised the renovation of the house himself. He made sure that the colors of the house and its interior were matching the colors of his palette. He chose a bright pink for the outside of the house and had the windows, doors, and shutters painted in a bright green. The dining room was painted bright yellow and the main color in the kitchen is blue. On the walls are many of the Japanese prints that Monet was fascinated with and collected. Many of the rooms are open to visitors, including the salon, the dining room, the bedroom, and the studio. Inside the house, rooms have been restored to their 19th century condition, just as they were in Monet’s time. Monet’s studios are complete with reproductions of his paintings, and bedrooms are also open for public viewing.
The visit begins with his workshop where multiple paintings reproductions are exposed on the walls. This is his first workshop where he worked until 1899. A first staircase then leads into the private apartments where we discover Monet’s room, his bathroom, the room of Alice (his wife). Back to the ground floor the yellow dining room and blue kitchen are particularly memorable, one entirely furnished in bright shades of yellow, the other in tranquil blue. The furniture painted in this color was then very modern for the time. Passionate about Japan, he had covered the walls with multiple Japanese prints (211 are on display) and constituted an exceptional collection.
Many of his paintings were painted in Giverny, the village where his home is located, especially in his own gardens.
The French artist drew inspiration from his home in the village of Giverny in Northern France from 1883. Visiting his house and gardens today— now the Foundation Claude Monet Museum—you can see the Japanese bridge, waterlilies, and weeping willows that were the subjects of some of his iconic paintings.
When Monet moved to Giverny, the house had a huge garden of 1 hectare composed of an apple orchard and a vegetable garden. Passionate about gardening, Monet invested a lot in improving the garden. In 1893, he bought a piece of land at the end of Clos Normand and hijacked the little arm of the Epte to create a pond that became “the water garden”. When he created the Clos Normand he transferred all his knowledge about color, light, and perspective from his paintings to his garden. The main path of Clos Normand is covered with metallic arches on which roses grow. Straight lines and groups of colors dominate the whole garden. He built a Japanese bridge, certainly inspired by one of his Japanese prints and painted in green to stand out from the red traditionally used in Japan. It creates an oriental atmosphere via plants such as bamboo, lily flowers, weeping willows which surround the pond. At the bottom of the pond, he also planted water lilies he began to paint in 1897.
Walking through these gardens is like stepping into one of Claude Monet’s famous paintings.
-
L’ABSYNTHE – Paris
PreviousNextBeetroot Gaspacho with goat cheese, a thick juicy steak, their signature Le Hot Duck as appetizer… these are only a few of the savory items on the menu that you’ll find here at the Michel Rostang’s L’Absinthe. It is run by Michel Rostang’s daughter, Caroline, who presents a soft, “hip” version of Rostang’s cuisine in this renovated old place. Pair that with a chilled carafe of Beaujolais and you’ve got yourself a memorable meal. Adding to the charm of this family bistro is its location on the Marche St. Honore, a pedestrian area and market square hidden between the Eglise St. Roch and Place Vendome. And let’s not forget the handcrafted absinthe cocktails, the namesake of this little gem. Though if sitting out on this picturesque terrace on a Parisian market square and pedestrian zone is your idea of a perfect end to a wonderful day, then rest assured there are plenty of cocktails and a solid wine list, too, to choose from for your down time.
-
PAIN, VIN, FROMAGE – Paris
This cozy, hole-in-the-wall little restaurant next to Rue du Renard is a hidden gem of Paris, and the best place to eat a traditional fondue or a raquelette. Ok, not so “hidden”, it’s so notorious among gastronomy lovers that a reservation 2-3 days in advance is mandatory if you hope to be able to clog your arteries with cholesterol (but indeed a mouth-watering cholesterol).
The best choice is probably the “fondue savoyarde”, a classic with emmental, beaufort, comté, white wine, kirsch and spices: accompany it with a plate of mixed cured meat, and some boiled potatoes, and you will go out of there with a big smile on your face and a full belly. A good bottle of cider is necessary to gulp down all that cheese of course!
For dessert, they recommended the cheesecake, a house specialty, and I can guarantee it was definitela great piece of advice.
-
LE CINQ – Paris
PreviousNextThe restaurant Le Cinq opened in 2001, part of the luxury Georges V palace hotel, an art deco landmark dating back to 1928. This was where General Eisenhower chose to make his headquarters during the Allied liberation of Paris.
In October 2014 Christian Le Squer, who had earned three stars for a dozen consecutive years at Ledoyen, moved to Le Cinq. He has clearly been recruited with the mission of gaining a third star for the restaurant and in His mission he has succeed.
Stepping into Four Seasons George V hotel is like stepping into a luxury private château – chandeliers, lofty ceilings, beautiful tapestry, silken couches and massive ornate carpets. The stage set is an amalgam of styles: Art Deco, Neo-Classical and Moderne Louis XV and Louis XVI. This is a place of heavy bling: brocade carpets, Louis XVI chairs, crystal chandeliers, and gorgeous mahogany commodes. Add to that fantastical floral creations – a signature of the hotel – which stand almost as high as the potted palm trees. Jazz music from the hotel’s neighbouring lounge often wafts in, which completes the picture. Dining at Le Cinq is like dining at au grand couvert where you are the king and queen and the entire court seamlessly twist, twirl, pop, pour and lift to almost mechanical, ballet-like precision. We felt like Beauty and the Beast’s Belle in Lumière’s dining room – half-expecting the plates to start dancing.
We were greeted by champagne trolley with a selection of excellent champagnes. The meal began with a trio of canapés, most notably a jewel-like silver bubble that pops in your mouth releasing a burst of flavours. This one was so clean, refreshing and you can only appreciate the technical skills that would have gone in making these canapés. Bread was made in the kitchen from scratch, and we sampled the baguette and a multi-seed roll. These were very high quality, especially the baguette. Next was the amuse–bouche, after which the real meal begun. The starter was Le Squer’s signature dish, and one that shows off his technical acumen – ‘Parisian style’ gratinated onions. The menu description belied what followed: tiny, silk-shelled globes which popped in the mouth to reveal unctuous, syrupy onion soup, like liquid gold. Main course was lamb fillet and harissa flavoured lamb sausage served on a bed of lemon scented semolina. This was a very strong and rich dish. Cheese came from top Paris suppliers, and was in impeccable condition, a Camembert particularly impressive. A pre-dessert was necessary at this point to wash our mouth before the dessert. Grapefruit millefeuille was served in both preserved and natural form. This is another Ledoyen classic and was beautifully executed here, the interplay of textures and the balance between the sugar and the fruit acidity makes this dish a thing to behold. There was a layer of confit grapefruit, a layer of grapefruit infused with vanilla and lime, then grapefruit sorbet with a layer of sugar crisp with a touch of basil. Strawberry cake came with strawberries cooked in their own juices and strawberry foam. The fruit was of very high quality and the different textures worked very well together, the overall effect refreshing and enjoyable.Then arrives the dessert trolley, with delicate little sugar pastries that were simply superb, as well as a choice of different chocolate petit fours from an impressive selection presented on a trolley.
As we chomped on some fluffy, Tinkerbell-green absinthe marshmallow from the plentiful dessert trolley, Lumière’s words resounded: “Try the grey stuff – it’s delicious – don’t believe me, ask the dishes, they can sing, they can dance, for after all dear this is France – and the dinner here is never second best.” And quite right he was.
The price for 4 course may seem steep at the time of booking but remember you are paying for the entire experience and not just 4 courses.
-
Destinations
Mappa mondo -
Hestra Ergo Grip Active Gloves
Hestra place the Ergo Grip Active within both their ‘Alpine Pro’ range and the ‘Outdoor’ category, which hints at their versatility. Ergonomic construction, supple and durable leather and the addition of a Gore Windstopper membrane ensure these gloves can be useful in almost any situation.
These gloves felt superb from the first try-on. The pre-curved fingers of the Ergo Grip construction are a large part in that. At first I thought this feature was not needed as I had never had gloves that were shaped to hold items easier and never felt like I needed. After using the gloves for a couple months now I am in love. The gloves hold a pre-curved shaped to allow your fingers to actively grip items with ease.
But it is the choice of materials that really makes the difference. The leather is soft and fine enough to feel like a second skin yet gives a surprising amount of grip as well. The Goat leather used on the palm of the glove has broken in nicely and now even moves better than before. Every stitch on the Ergo is in line and feels perfectly placed. The backs is made with a breathable but Windproof Gore-Tex lining to keep out the breeze. It allows for great movement and space for the knuckles to move as well. The index finger has a leather reinforcement patch, cut away to allow easy bending of the finger. This provides a little extra protection when using, for instance an ice-axe.
The surprise though is the very simple brushed polyester lining – the fine denier and soft touch go a long way to creating the feel of a dextrous but substantial glove. The lining is also a great indicator of the quality of construction; it maps to the outer flawlessly with no excess, baggy material, and in a close-fitting glove that is no mean feat.
The Ergo grip is not fully waterproof which is somewhat of a downside, for that you will have to spend another $60 for the Ergo Grip Outdry.
The gloves were tested hiking in the UK and canoeing in both Sweden and Canada in late-Autumn. What I didn’t expect was the degree of warmth these minimalist gloves are able to provide. The Windstopper no doubt has an effect (although placing it only on the back of the hand greatly aids breathability) but the brushed polyester is clearly punching above its weight in this regard. The gloves secure with a Velcro strap and a stretch collar for easy on and off. Using the Velcro was very easy and it gives a great feel when strapped up.
-
Lake District
Day 1 - Carlisle
Small streets with semi-detached house surround the ancient hear of this small border town, still intact and fascinating behind the window shops of the pedestrian center. Neither chic nor cosmopolitan, Carlisle is typical with a strong sense of belonging, and the little nut splendid cathedral that constitutes its spiritual heart.
Start your tour of the town at the train station and admire its beautiful gothic Tudor facade, designed by Sir William Tite (architect of the Bank of England). Right behind you it’s impossible to miss the two oval towers (1810) that constitutes the entrance of the ancient citadel and that used to host a court and a jail. Pass between the towers and walk English St toward the mall. In the middle of the pedestrian street you will see the Carlisle cross (1682). The Tourist Office is here, hosted inside the Old Town Hall built in 1122, with a replica of the first victorian postal box of England, installed in Carlisle in 1853.
Make a right and enter the red and grey bricked cathedral.
The inside of the cathedral, made more splendid by the light that comes from the painted glass windows from the XIV century, will leave you speechless. Under the starry ceiling of the cathedral there is an mazing wooden choir and an organ with 200 pipes. We inquired about the timings of the services, and we attended a beautiful 45 minutes “concert” of organ and choir with music by Hendel.
Clustered around the cathedral there are some nice XVII century buildings such as the Old Registry (1699), the Deanery, and the Fratry, a XIII century canteen where the monks used to eat.
Turn left into Abbey St and pass the wrought iron gates of the Old Tullie House, a gallery and museum hosted in a 1689 palace. The lower floor hosts a roman exhibition, walking you through the roman conquer of Britannia and the building of Adrian’s Wall (that passes through Carlisle). On the upper floor the collections are dedicated to the social (the importance of the railway), archeological (Bonnie Prince Charlie and Robert the Bruce, the bandits at the scotch-british borders and the “curse” stone with the angry words of the bishop of Glasgow) and natural history (with the skeleton of a whale discovered on the western beach of Cumbria) of the region.
The walk of the Gallery ends in the actual Old House, with paintings from the early 1900 hanging over the walls.
A cafe just outside of the entrance can offer a nice refreshment.
Enter the Castle thought the XII century portcullis and admire the damp jails that hosted Mary, queen of Scotland. Walk along the walls of the Castle and breath in the medieval air.
We spent a couple of nights at Warwick Hall Bed and Breakfast.
Day 2 - Buttermere and Cockermouth
At 50 minutes by car from Carlisle, the little village of Bittermere is set in between peaks and valleys at the intersect of the lake Buttermere (literally “lake of the milk pastures”) and the wider Crummock Water. Even before reaching it, enjoy the view while driving on the solitary B5289 that will make you feel in a Harry Potter movie. Park along the main road, and look for the Syke House farm, from where departs a beautiful hike of 12 km that will take you around the Buttermere lake and up a hill to the Scale Force waterfall, the highest in Lake District.
Follow this small path (number 1 in the map) to the lakeshore path. Once at the lake turn left and follow the path all the way around the lakeshore: it will take you through the lakeside forest and through the Hassness tunnel util the end of the lake. Here the pathway rejoins the road (B5289), continue to follow it and turn right and follow the road to Gatesgarth Farm (number 4). Join the bridleway at the entrance to the farm and follow it across the valley bottom to Peggy’s Bridge. Cross the bridge and and turn right at the junction to join the Burtness Wood bridleway (number 5) that you will follow alongside the other shore of Buttermere lake until it splits at Horse Close just before the trees. Take the right branch by the lake and through the trees. There are lots of little bays which make ideal picnic stops in Burtness Woods. At the end of the lake, in case you are tired, turn right and cross the footbridge (number 7). The bridleway on the other side is followed back to Buttermere village.
But if you still have the energy ignore the footbridge and continue along the bridleway beside Buttermere Dubs and then alongside Crummock Water (number 9), the second and larger lake. The lake has quite a few little islands: you will encounter the two Home Island first, before seeing the green Scale Island.
Opposite Scales Island the bridleway leaves Crummock Water and turns west to climb towards Scales Beck. It then turns southwest and climbs more steeply to the foot of Scales Force. There is a footbridge below the waterfall, admire the impressive cascade but it may be spoilt by people diving in it and bathing. Take a higher level path leading back down across the fell in an easterly direction to rejoin the bridleway beside Crummock Water. Once on the bridleway, retrace your steps as far as Scales Bridge. Turn left and cross the bridge following the bridleway on the other side back into Buttermere village to finish the walk.
Reward yourself with a homemade ice cream at the Syke House Farm before taking the car towards Cockermouth.
The little town of Cokermouth, at the confluence of the river Derwent and Cocker, is the birthplace of the poet William Wordsworth. After the long hike, book a tour of Jennings Brewery. The brewery was founded by John Jennings in 1828 in the near village of Lorton and it was such huge success that there was a need for a larger malting and building to house larger fermenting vessels. The nearest market town, Cockermouth, was the ideal base for the expansion. The Jennings brothers acquired several smaller breweries and public houses over the years. Unfortunately, today there is no longer any Jennings connection with the business, and in 2005 the independent brewery was acquired by Marston’s PLC.
The 1-hour tour that starts in the bar walks you through the whole beer production. You will learn about the different qualities of malts that make the base of a good beer, you will taste the and understand how the toasted malt is responsible for the bitter taste of some beers. You will understand the technicality of “ale” versus “beer”, that lies in hops whose addition gives the nose to a beer. And finally you will witness the magic of yeast bubbling into the mix of malt and hops to transform it into beer. We strongly recommend taking the tour, it does not hurt that you will taste 3 of theirs half pints at the end.
Right in front of the brewery, Cockermouth Castle is rarely accessible to the public. It is privately owned and opened only during festivals. However the Caste is mainly in ruins, better walk 300 m and visit William Wordsworth’s birth house. It not only is a beautiful example of a XVIII century house, but also perfectly preserved with local volunteers reenacting as maids and cook.
Day 3 - Whinlatter Forest and Honister Pass
If your base is still Carlisle, drive 50 minutes towards Whinlatter forest. However, we suggest moving “base camp” to Keswick, much closer to the Forest. Whinlatter is home to stunning views, fantastic walks and exhilarating mountain biking, rare wildlife and adventure play. The Visitor Center opens at 10, and since your trek will start from here we suggest arriving at 10 am sharp so as to beat the crowd. The trek we did is an 11 km hike that will take you through differentent landscapes and will allow you to enjoy the Forest at its best.
Start from the Visitor Center, just out of it follow the green sign for the Heavy Side trail that you will follow through signposts 2,3 and 53. Heavy Side trail is one of contrasts. The beginning takes you through some of the mighty oaks adjacent to Masmill Beck. The trail then climbs through an area of coniferous trees which border the forest boundary along Heavy Sides where the views of Skiddaw and Bassenthwaite Lake awaits you.
Here at sign post 53 make a left and leave the forest behind to start climbing to 500 m through heather moorland the side of Lord’s Seat. From it’s top you enjoy the breathtaking views of Lake Bassenthwaite, then follow a small and hidden path that will lead you down the side and up to The Barf. A steep descent will take you back to signpost 21, tha you will follow to 7 and 8 to rejoin the Heavy Side Trail (54). Here the road is wide, keep following it until you see a blue sign on your left going down a hidden forest path.
This is Comb Back trail that winds through through glades, beside streams and landscape features. As the trail follows Comb Gill, keep a look out for the disused dam, which once provided a source of power for the mines deep in the mountain below.
Heavy Side trail 
Top of the Lord's Seat 
Towards The Barf 
Comb Back trail Coming back to the Visitor Center, replenish your energies with a nice lunch at the Cafe. And before leaving the car park, do not forget to pay, just by entering the plate number of your ride.
A 20 minutes drive will take you to Honister Pass, that has lots of adventures to ovver, such as “La via ferrata” if you really seek an adrenaline rush. We decided that it was worth enjoying the panorama around and visiting the last working slate mine of Englad. For those of you not familiar with slate, it is quite an expensive material that constitutes the skeleton of the rooftop of famous buildings such as Buckingham Palace and Saint Paul’s cathedral
Apart from the geological beauty of visiting the mine (zero for me, apparently this is the only volcanic slate in the world..), what is fascinating is having a real miner as the tour guide. And feeling the passion and the love of a Cumberland man for this local craft, and for the man who saved it, Mark Weis. When the mine closed in 1989, Mark mortgaged most of his possessions to buy it, to restore it as the principal mean of income for the region and as a touristic attraction. We owe to him the tour mine, the “via ferrata” and the fact that the best slate in the world is once again being produced. While he unfortunately was killed in a helicopter accident in 2011, he could not witness what the mine has now become: something unique that everyone visiting this area should enjoy.
We stayed at Borrowdale Gates Hotel, just 10 minutes by car from Keswick.
For a nigh of entertainment and culture, if you still have the energies, why not getting a couple of tickets for the famous Theatre By The Lake in Keswick? We watched “Ladykillers”, incredibly amusing and funny.
Day 4 - Keswick and Grasmere
From the little village of Borrowdale where we slept, Kenswick is just a 20 minutes drive. Start by visiting the stone circle of Castlerigg, east of the town. Certainly not as impressive as Stoneange, it is however impressive to think that those stones were laid there more than 2500 years ago. Not a lot is known about their function: the most credited hypothesis is that they represented a gathering location of cult or assembly. The visit here will not take too long, so jump back in your car and head towards Derwet Water Marina in Kenswick. Her eyou may hire a paddle, a kayak, a pedalo or better a row boat (like we did) and explore the lake with its plush islands. The rent is 18 pounds for 1 hour and 28 for 2 hours, we did the whole lake in 2 hours keeping a good pace.
Even if the rowing has built you an appetite, grab the car and drive 20 minutes to the lovely village of Grasmere. It cerainly deserves a visit for various reasons: beautiful to walk around, good tea houses to have a bite, and the village that stole Wordsworth’s heart. Now, we already learnt that he was born on Cockermouth and there he lived the years of his youth, but in Dove Cottage in Grasmere he spent his most productive years. And in the church of Saint Oswald he is buried. After lunch stop by the church cemetery to visit his tomb and the tombs of the family, then stroll around the small cottages of grey stones of Grasmere. Dove Cottage is just outside the village: when we visited it was closed for renovations but in 2020 it will open again. The last years of Wordsworth’s life were spent in the small villa of Rydal Mount that certainly deserves a stop: and what better excuse that to reach it through a hike?
William Wordsworth, known as much for his love of walking as for his poetry, described Rydal Water as “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found”. In his Guidebook to the Lakes he also suggested the best way to appreciate it is by ‘a foot-road passing behind Rydal Mount and under Nab Scar…very favourable to views of the lake and the vale…The horse road…under Loughrigg Fell, does justice to the beauties of this small mere, of which the traveller who keeps the high road is not at all aware.’
This 6 km trail takes the route Wordsworth suggested. But this landscape has more to show us than just ‘favourable views’. From rocks to reservoirs, burbling becks to bearing the dead, we’ll uncover the stories behind the place that Wordsworth called home.
Start from White Moss common car park off A591 between Rydal and Grasmere (1) and take the path uphill into White moss forest that lies between the lake of Rydal and Grasmere. Continue till the trails bends left and out of the trees (6), and walk it for the whole lenght, keeping Rydal lake to your left: only in the last part you will walk next to the lake. Keep following the paved road after the lake ends and take a left to a small bridge (5) to come back to A591 at the level of The Badger Pub. Here a steep road to your right will take you to Rydal Mount where you can rest for a visit and a coffee.
When you have admired the original furnitures, continue uphill till a trail on your left. Take it and walk trough caves and quarries for the whole length of the lake. At the end of the lake you will start hearing the sounds of traffic on A591 again (2): multiple small trails in the trees will bend on your left to take you back to the car park.
After a long deserved shower, we had an amazing dinner at Fellpack. Fellpack was born from the efforts of a bunch of guys )and gals) who love trekking and climbing. Its initial heart was inside a pub, where these friends got the idea of starting their own restaurant with a hiking theme. The result is a cozy restaurant with great beer selection and cocktails, and good and hearty food, served in their own hand made pottery dishes.
Day 5 - Helvellyn and Ambleside
At first glance the western side of the Helvellyn range may seem a little dull. They display slopes of a fairly uniform nature which when compared with the likes of Striding Edge and Swirral Edge on the other, eastern side, certainly lack that immediate, ‘in your face’ drama. Helvellyn though is a big mountain and the two sides of it are an integral part of why it is such a popular mountain. If you are into a total scrambling experience then there is nothing wrong with doing the edges. If on the other hand you want to savour the fantastic view down on to the edges from the summit, and if you just want to walk to get it rather than scramble then there is no finer way of doing it than approaching up the well-graded paths from the Thirlmere side.
The three highest peaks of the main ridge can quite comfortably be done by climbing the zig-zags of the Helvellyn Gill Path to Helvellyn’s summit. Then descending to Grisedale Tarn taking in Nethermost Pike and Dollywaggon Pike along the way. The best way back is down by Raise Beck, which is a little confined but soon leads down to Dunmail Raise from where you can make use of the permissive path to get back to the start.
Drive and park to the Swirls Car Park. Cross the footbridge over Helvellyn Gill at the back of the car park then follow the path South East alongside the gill to another footbridge. Cross the footbridge, then climb the steep zig-zags to a wall. Through the gate continue climbing to the remains of another wall. From here the path ascends the steep scree-covered shoulder South East directly to Helvellyn’s summit. It is quite a strenuous hike, 2 km with an ascent of 880 m. And it feels more like climbing stairs instead of walking, with all those stones along the path. At 925 m of altitute you will walk by the side of Lower Man and finally reach the summit of the Helvellyn.
From the summit of Helvellyn follow the main ridge path South. It is called Coast to Coast Walk, slightly easier but you will miss some beautiful peaks. The Walk forks at Swallow Scarth, take the left branch and follow it South, reaching the summit of Nethermost Pike, High Crag and finally to Dollywaggon Pike. From Dollywaggon Pike the path turns South East and reconnects to the Coast to Coast Walk. Continue along it and descend the steep zig-zags to Grisedale Tarn (small lake).
At the tarn turn West and follow the path across the low col to the head of Raise Beck. Now, this sound easy but you will have to find your own path till the head of the river, walking in mud and peat. Join the path on the South side of Raise Beck and follow it down towards Dunmail Raise. The path by the side of the river is mostly made of wet stones, so the downhill walk may be a bit tricky and slow.
At the end of the river you will start hearing the sound of cars and you will see the read. Just before the road turn right and follow the Permissive Path North to the footbridge over Birkside Beck. Cross the bridge and continue North along the path as it traverses the mountainside into the forestry plantations. This may as well be the most boring part of the walk, since the path is well paved and the nature all around is not super exciting. The path is followed North for just over 4km back to the car park
The whole loop is roun 15 km and took us 5 hours to complete, mainly because of the weather conditions.
Now, back in the car, drive 15 minutes to the little village of Ambleside. It is literally in the heart of the Lake District National Park, a small town loved by trekkers and walkers. Just so we do not loose sight of our friend Wordsworth, it was in Ambleside that he found his first job as a stamp distributor. On travel guides Ambleside is well known for the glass blowing shops and the small Bridge House (in the photo) were a family of 8 used to live. However, the glass blowing shops have now been replaced by shops for outdoor equipment, more common in Ambleside than pubs. Stop here if you need a to buy new clothes, shoes or gear.
We spent the night at Belmount Hall and had dinner at the Queen’s head pub.
Day 6 - Hawkshead, Hill Top, Fell Foot Park and Haverthwaite
Take a break from hiking and exploring nature and dedicate this day like we did to get to know better some pf the “celebrities” of the Lake District.
First stop, Hawkshead, enchanting village with charming cottages and the Beatrix Potter Gallery, dedicated to the drawings of one of the most famous children’s books author. The house that hosts the Gallery was the office of solicitors WH Heelis & Son. Beatrix met William Heelis here as he helped her with land purchases in the region, and in 1913 they married. The upper floor hosts various original drawing of her books, that are showcased here only for one year before being replaced by new ones.
PreviousNextJust outside of the Gallery, stop by the Hawkshead Relish Company to purchase some artisanal jams, and rest for a cup of coffee at KITTchen, a cat bar next door. If you feel like a short walk, stroll down the path towards Esthwaite Water, the nearby private lake. We did not rent a boat or stop for fishing, but only spent some time to take pictures and admire the landscape. Jump back in your car for the next Beatrix Potter’s stop: Hill Top was the house that she purchased with the money earned from the selling of her first book Peter Rabbit. It’s a XVII century farm with a beautiful garden of flowers, plants and vegetables which is still kept as Beatrix wanted. While roaming the rooms, her readers will recognize objects and corners that populated some of her stories like the Tailor of Glouchester and The story of Samuel Whiskers.
Esthmaite Water 
Hill Top 
Felle Foot Park A 15 minutes drive will take you to Fell Foot Park, a victorian garden with wide meadows on the south shore of the Windermere lake. We grabbed a quick bite at the bar in front of the lake, before taing the ferry to the other side of the lake, landing at Lakeside. From Lakeside station, grab the historical train towards Haverthwaite, last stop of the day. The only reason to visit Haverthwaite is the Haverthwaite & Lakeside Railway. The station is on the A590. Once it was used to transport goods for the ferries in Windermere, but now thanks to train lovers it runs between Haverthwaite and Lakeside, along the Leven river. Take some time to admire the 1950s trains and locomotives.
Day 7 - Grizdale Forest Park and Brantwood
The Silurian Trail is named after the geological time period in which the forests characteristic grey slate and shale rocks were formed. It is the ultimate walk, a 19 km trail that takes you down one side of the Grizedale valley and back up the other, passing many of the sculptures along the way, as well as some of the best views in the forest. It includes the summit of Carron Crag, the highest point in the forest.
Start from the parking lot (A), get the trail between the pointy building and the parkings. The first km climbs into a conifer tree, then separates from the white trail (B) and transforms into a gravel trail that slowly climbs for 3-4 km. This part can be slightly boring but soon (C) the trail dives into the forest in a steep rock-bottom walk that can be quite challenging. After a couple of kms the trail opens up (D) and the walk becomes more pleasant. Once you reach the parking lot (E), the trail connects with the local road and you will coast a couple of farms before turning left near the Force Back stream: take the white and green trail (F) until it separates. From that point on the green trail climbs, gently at first along the fields then more steeply inside the forest to the base of the Carrion Craig (G). The ascent of the Craig is not particularly challenging at it will reward you with a breathtaking view on the valley. The last portion of the trail (H) cuts through the forest and takes you back to the visitor center.
After a good lunch at the Grizdale Cafe, a 10 minutes car ride will take you to Brantwood and John Ruskin’s house. Ruskin was a poet, a writer, an art critic, but most importantly he was a thinker. The first “socialist” in the english history, despite being born in a rich family he understood the horrible conditions of the working class and theorized minimum wages, a social security and free education for everyone. The house is a beautiful example of a Victorian residence, kept exactly as it was, and the acres of gardens (seven) around make a nice exploration (even if non great on the legs after 19 km). Some gossip about Ruskin’s impotence, his marriage annulment and love for a girl 25 years younger than him can be learnt in the drawing room…
Day 8 - Coniston
We spent the nigh in Coniston, it is an enchanting little village with what we believe is the most beautiful of the lakes of the National Park. Also, it is dominated by the Old Man of Coniston, the last peak of hour trekking vacation. The walk that we planned to conquer it follows a circular route from a parking area on Walna Scar road, near Coniston in the Lake District. It sets off in a westerly direction along Walna Scar road itself, which is now a track, before turning northwards to start the real climbing over Brown Pike, Buck Pike and Dow Crag. The walk drops down to Goat’s Hawse before heading to the summit of the Old Man of Coniston, known by many as Coniston Old Man. From the summit there are excellent panoramic views of all surrounding hills and fells, from Black Combe around to the Pennines taking in the Scafell group to the North and as far as the Isle of Man to the West, along with Blind Tarn and Goat’s Water below. From the summit, the walk zig-zags down to Low Water before returning to the parking area through the remains of a bygone era in this part of the Lakes – copper mining.
Drive out of Coniston up the steep Walna Scar road. As the road ends, pass though a gate and park in the large unmetalled parking area – the walk starts from here. From the parking area, head away from the gate in a Westerly direction and through the wooden waymarkers, to continue along the now unsurfaced Walna Scar Road. Keep on the track as it gently rises through the bracken and ignore a track that shortly heads off to the right. The track then rises more steeply before levelling out again. Over to the left Coniston Water comes in to view and the further you walk first Brown Pike and then Buck Pike come in to view ahead. The track then reaches some steps, which lead up to Goat’s water. Ignore these and continue along the track. Cross over the bridge and keep on the track as it starts to climb around Brown Pike. The track starts to climb more steeply and become rougher underfoot, before passing a small shelter. Shortly after this, the crest of the hill is reached and ahead can be seen Harter Fell and Ulpha Fell. On the brow of the hill, by a small cairn and a wooden sign, turn right off Walna Scar road (track) and follow the well defined gravel footpath as it starts to ‘zig-zag’ its way up towards the summit of Brown Pike. Upon reaching the summit of Brown Pike, pass the cairn and keep on in the same direction along the ridge towards Buck Pike. Down below to the right is Blind tarn and up on the hillside opposite the summit of the Old Man of Coniston can now be seen. Upon reaching Buck Pike, pass the summit cairn and continue on in the same direction towards Dow Crag. As Dow Crag is reached, there are some photogenic views down the steep gulleys to the right looking down on to Goat’s Water. Head on up the final rocky section to Dow Crag summit. From the summit continue on in the same direction to start the short descent towards Goat’s Hawse.
Across to the right, the path to be followed from Goat’s Hawse to the summit of the Old Man of Coniston can clearly be seen. Keep on the path past a cairn and head steadily down towards Goat’s Hawse. Once at Goat’s Hawse, start the climb up the hill ahead. There are two paths, but take the more distinct left hand one. Keep ascending along the wide stony path, passing many small and larger cairns along the way. About 700m on from Goat’s Hawse, the summit cairn comes in to view ahead. Down to the left now the path home can be seen ‘zig-zagging’ down towards Low Water. Continue on the final few metres to the summit cairn. Pass the summit cairn and continue on in the same direction. The path initially starts to gently descend with views of Coniston and Coniston Water straight ahead. The path then swings around to the left to start its steeper ‘zig-zag’ descent towards Low Water below. Keep on the path down to the side of Low Water. As the far end of Low Water is reached, the path splits with the left hand fork heading to the water’s edge. Ignore this and follow the path around to the right, away from the water. The stony path heads between rocky outcrops in the direction of Coniston Water. Shortly afterwards the first signs of disused quarries can be seen. The path passes by small heaps of slate / rocks and the remains of old quarry buildings. Keep to the main path as you descend by the buildings. Once through the mining area keep descending on the path in the general direction of Coniston Water. As the path swings around to the left, ahead now can be seen a path junction. Over to the right the car parking area can be seen. At the path junction, keep on the main path following it around to the right. The path, now on a much more gentle descent, winds its way through a few small rocky outcrops and then heads again in the general direction of Coniston Water. The car parking area soon comes back in to view ahead. Continue back along the path the final few metres to the car parking area.
