Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris has—literally—risen from the ashes and is again open to the public.
If you’re visiting Paris, carve out an hour or so to go inside the recently reopened Notre-Dame de Paris and admire what surely must be the most incredible restoration job in modern history.
In this post, I describe my recent visit to the newly opened Notre-Dame Cathedral.
If you’re visiting Paris, go. You won’t regret it.
Notre-Dame Cathedral Tickets: Make a Reservation
But before you charge off to the historic center of Paris–the first arrondisement on the Île de cité–make a reservation. Entrance to the cathedral is free, but if you make a reservation, you skip the long lineup of people who did not.
I couldn’t figure out why anyone would visit without making a reservation because doing so was so simple. A few hours before visiting the cathedral, I went to the official website and was given the choice of a 4 pm entry.
Check Your Reservation Time
The reservation is good for just twenty minutes past the allotted time. I arrived at 4:10 and walked straight through the main entrance with zero waiting.
To my left was a very, very long line snaking around several loops filled with people who hadn’t made a reservation. Maybe I was just lucky to have gotten a same-day one. The website noted that it releases reservations throughout the day. As a result, you may need to check back frequently.
A Miracle of Gothic Architecture
Once inside the cathedral, prepare to be amazed. Seriously amazed. I’ve visited Notre-Dame Cathedral many times since my first trip to Paris way back in 1970, and I’ve always enjoyed it.
But on this visit, I was jaw-droppingly blown away.
To think that only five years earlier in April 2019, the nave was a smoking ruin with portions of the ceiling caved in and the spire collapsed.
And now? The restored stone is so blindingly white that it looks brand new—which of course it kind of is!
A Brand New Cathedral
Gone is the gravitas imparted by stone columns that have soared to the vaulted ceiling for a thousand years. The new Notre-Dame Cathedral no longer feels ancient.
But, surprisingly, that doesn’t matter as much as I thought it would. I’m so impressed by the skill employed to rebuild the cathedral in less than five years, that I didn’t mind the newness.
Finding Your Way Around the Cathedral
The first challenge upon entering the cathedral is jockeying for position at the start of the nave to snap a picture without heads in the way. Everyone is holding a phone aloft to take the same picture, and of course I do too.
Once the first pictures are taken, it’s time to being the slow shuffle up the left aisle to the front of the cathedral and back down the other side. It’s slow going with plenty of bottlenecks, but whatever. That just provides more time for more snapping of photos of the columns and arches from every angle.
In the side chapels on the left aisle are hung several modern works, most notably one by Matisse. Another highlight are the beautiful stained glass windows. I can’t even being to imagine how they were salvaged and then restored.
At the transept are the two giant rose windows. Both glow with restored vigor, their colors dancing off the white pillars.
What’s That Smell?
As I make the slow progress around the perimeter of the cathedral, I become aware of a lingering scent of burning. Usually, cathedrals smell of old stone.
The “new” Notre-Dame Cathedral smells of fire, a fitting reminder of its trauma.
Restoration Project Displays
After touring the cathedral, take a stroll along the street immediately to the left of the cathedral as you face it. Giant billboards document the restoration work with pictures and enough startling stats to keep you in awe. It’s heartening to witness the results of hundreds of skilled workers coming together with a common purpose.
The “new” Notre-Dame Cathedral restored my faith in humanity’s ability to accomplish great things with astonishing skill and dedication.
Tours of Notre-Dame Cathedral
If you’re not lucky like I was and can’t get last-minute tickets to enter Notre-Dame without lining up, consider one of these GetYourGuide guided tours. You’ll learn all about the history of this iconic cathedral along with information about the terrible fire and the remarkable restoration.
My latest go-to place to stay in Paris is the Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Prés Paris. You can’t beat the location right on the Seine and steps from Boulevard Saint-Michel.
The rooms are almost spacious (by Parisian standards) and include a tiny kitchen and a work area. Free coffee is available 24/7 in the lobby which is staffed with helpful people.
Conclusion
Have you visited Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris since its restoration and re-opening? Drop your suggestions for other travelers in the Comments below.
If you love art, visit The Hague to tour two excellent museums—the Mauritshuis and M. C. Escher in the Palace. The museums are within a few minutes’ walk of each other and easily toured in an afternoon.
Drop into The Hague for a quick visit en route to elsewhere in The Netherlands, or stay the night. I chose to spend the night, which gave me the chance to wander around the mostly deserted (but safe) streets after dark.
This post describes some of my favorite exhibits in the two museums and includes recommendations for places to stay in The Hague and tours to nearby attractions.
The Hague Overview
The Hague (AKA Den Haag) is not a heavily touristed city, certainly not on the level of Amsterdam with its canals and gift shops and hordes of visitors. Instead, The Hague consists of ultra-modern skyscrapers and a compact oldish section with a smattering of outdoor cafés and an attractive wide canal that features a fountain.
On your way to the two museums, you’ll stroll through the park that lines the canal across from which is a palace. Most of the people you’ll encounter will be locals, many relaxing on the benches and enjoying the sunshine on clear days.
I visited in early April when the air was chilly enough to need a scarf and the planters bristled with daffodils and tulips, but the sky was blue and the vibe very relaxed.
At the end of the canal sits the lovely Mauritshuis, an exquisite example of Dutch architecture. To the left of the Mauritshuis, a short stroll through the park, is Escher in the Palace.
Mauritshuis
The Mauritshuis in The Hague is truly world-class. I’d go so far as to say its collection of Dutch and Flemish masterpieces is even more compelling than that of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The collections are certainly a lot more accessible and easier to enjoy.
I love the Rijksmuseum, but its Gallery of Honor, where the most famous paintings are located, is so crowded that you sometimes need to wait for quite a while before you can get close enough to admire a particular masterpiece.
Not so at the Mauritshuis. The elegant building dates from the 17th century and was once the home of Count Johan Maurits of Nassau-Siegen who was the governor of the Dutch colony in Brazil. The museum’s name, “Mauritshuis”, translates to “Maurits’s house.” The building was established as a museum in 1822, and then extensively renovated and expanded over the years.
Entering the Mauritshuis Museum
You realize the Mauritshuis is special from the moment you enter. Descend a staircase (or take the elevator) from street level to emerge into a large and airy foyer complete with gift shop (of course) and ticket office.
The museum has recently undergone a face lift, and you get the feeling that everything is state-of-the-art. The museum’s website (https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en) bears this out; it’s a wonderful resource to accompany your visit to the museum.
Getting Tickets to Mauritshuis
I’d purchased a ticket in advance and I recommend you do as well. When I arrived about half an hour before the time on my ticket, there was no lineup to buy on-the-day tickets, but by the time I left, the lineup was quite long. To be on the safe side, go with tickets.
You can purchase tickets directly from the museum’s website or through GetYourGuide. Here’s an option:
With ticket in hand, mount the stairs from the below-street-level foyer to the ground floor of the museum, which features exhibits related to the first owner. The house itself has been beautifully renovated, so you feel like you’re not only checking out an awesome collection from the Golden Age of Flemish masterpieces, but also getting an idea of what a 17th-century Dutch mansion looked like inside.
Interior of the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague
You then begin a joyful stroll through a world-class collection featuring some of the best of Dutch painting from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Here are some of my favorite pieces.
Still Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels by Clara Peeters
Still Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels, Clara Peeters, c. 1615
I’ve recently discovered the work of Flemish artist Clara Peeters, and I am smitten. She takes the still life genre to a whole new level with her stunning depictions of objects and food. From Antwerp, Peeters is one of the best-known female Flemish artists working professionally in the 17th century. She was well known for the depictions of still-life paintings with food.
The Mauritshuis exhibits at least two of her paintings. This one features bread and cheese, pretzels and almonds rendered with a precision and warmth that is mind boggling. And if you look really, really closely at the pewter rim of the jug, you’ll see a reflection of Clara’s face. How cool is that?
Check out the cracks in the large slab of cheese that dominates the picture and marvel at how she depicts the shine on the glass goblet. There is an elegance to Peeters’ work that is rare, even among the many still life painters of the period.
In a room full of other still life paintings, her work stands out by a mile.
Homer Dictating his Verses by Rembrandt
Homer Dictating his Verses, Rembrandt, 1663
One entire room in the Mauritshuis is dedicated to displaying the work of Rembrandt, probably the most famous Dutch painter from the period. I was drawn to this painting as an excellent example of how Rembrandt excelled in the depiction of light and shadow.
The expression on Homer’s face is almost desperate, as if he knows he’s on his last legs and wants to dictate his stories before it’s too late. The way paint is so thickly applied to depict the folds and furrows of his face is almost modern. I’m strangely reminded of the work of Lucien Freud.
The room also features the large painting entitled Anatomy Lessons of Dr. Nicolaes, which is quite a bit more famous than the Homer one judging by the tour groups clustered in front of it.
The Mauritshuis is home to one of the most famous paintings from the Dutch Golden Age: Girl With a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. She is undoubtedly the star of the show, and no wonder.
According to the Mauritshuis website, the painting is not a portrait, but a ‘tronie’, which is a painting of an imaginary figure or certain type of character. The girl is dressed exotically and wears a large (probably too large?) pearl in her ear. She looks over her shoulder at us, alluring and innocent at the same time.
I’ve been a Vermeer fan for years. He has quite the knack for capturing a moment in time that is poignant and also celebratory of the ordinary.
I’ve seen pictures of Girl with a Pearl Earring for decades (and read Tracey Chevalier’s marvelous novel) and wondered if seeing the real thing would be worth the trek to The Hague.
The answer? Absolutely! The “real thing” glows with a kind of internal power that cannot be duplicated. The color is more intense and yet more subtle than any reproduction. No wonder it’s mobbed!
Man Offering Money to a Young Woman by Judith Leyster
Man Offering Money to a Young Woman, Judith Leyster, 1631
Judith Leyster is another female artist from the period who is finally gaining the renown she deserves. The man is trying to buy her attention, but the woman works on, oblivious to his charms as she concentrates solely on her work.
The broad brushstrokes used by Leyster are very like those used by her most famous compatriot, Franz Hals. There is a looseness to her work that feels almost modern and very alive.
Kitchen Interior by David Teniers the Younger
Kitchen Interior by David Teniers the Younger, 1644
Some of my favorite paintings in the Mauritshuis are those depicting everyday life during the period. As an historical novelist, I really value these paintings as source material that give me a glimpse into what life was like back in the day.
This kitchen scene is replete with cool details, from the dead hare below the swan, the bowl of fruit, the mom looking exhausted as she peels apples, the boy holding the plate to receive the peeled apples and the dog in the middle of it all.
The various foods in the painting represent the four elements: the fish in the bottom right for water, the roasts in the background for fire, the game below the swan pie for earth, and the birds hanging above the woman for air.
Other Works in the Mauristhuis
Several other very famous works are included in the collection, including works by still life artist Rachael Ruysch (another one of my faves), Franz Hals, Peter Paul Rubens, and Jacob van Ruisdael, to name just a few.
You’ll also find The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius.
As mentioned, one of the best things about this lovely gem of a museum is its compact size. While it’s chock-a-block full of great art, it doesn’t feel overwhelming. The rooms are small, the crowds very manageable, and there’s enough variety and famous images to keep you thoroughly engaged.
M. C. Escher in the Palace
Escher in the Palace is the second must-see museum in the Hague, especially for fans of the work of Maurits Corenlis Escher (AKA M. C. Escher), a 20th century master of perspective and illusion.
Never heard of Escher? Go the museum anyway! It’s very safe to say that anyone even remotely interested in art will be captivated by both the palace and its extensive collection of work by M. C. Escher.
It’s also a great place for kids, with some interactive displays and artwork that is sure to fascinate young minds.
Overview of Escher in The Palace
Housed in the former palace of Queen Emma, the Queen Mother to Queen Wilhelmina, the museum is really a two-for-the-price-of-one attraction. Not only do you tour several rooms on three floors filled with Escher’s works, but you also get an insight into opulent royal life. On the Escher in the Palace website, you can take a virtual tour of the museum.
M. C. Escher’s works give new meaning to the term “optical illusion”. They are astonishing and very well known. You’re likely to have seen such masterpieces as Belvedere and Hand with Reflecting Sphere (see below), both of which have been extensively reproduced.
If you went to college in the 1970s or 1980s, you probably saw Escher prints on a dorm wall or two.
Getting Tickets for Escher in the Palace
You shouldn’t have any trouble just walking into the palace and purchasing tickets, but if you like to plan ahead, here’s an option from GetYourGuide:
Following is an overview of a few of my favorite works in the collection. These are just the tip of the iceberg. You’ll find over 120 Escher prints in Escher in the Palace, enough to keep you fascinated for a good hour or more.
Belvedere
Belvedere, lithograph by M. C. Escher, 1958
I once made the mistake of buying a jigsaw puzzle of this piece. It did not go well. Although the image looks like it would be easy to put together, it was not. I ended up doing something I almost never do: abandoning the puzzle and then giving it away.
Belvedere is one of the most famous examples of an Escher work showing a three-dimensional building that is drawn on a flat surface but cannot exist in real life. As you look at it, you’re challenged to figure out what is possible and what is not. You could spend a lot of time looking at this image and trying to trace your way up or down a staircase. Good luck!
Convex and Concave
Convex and Concave, lithograph by M. C. Escher, 1955
Here’s another eye twister that will keep you up at night. The image is Escher’s depiction of daily life in a Mediterranean town (never seen a town like this!).
On the left side, you look down on the life and on the right, you look up from below. It’s an impossible space, but it’s really hard to stop looking at it and trying to trace a way through.
Lizards
Regular division drawing with lizards, no. 25 by M. C. Escher, 1939
While I love Escher’s weird scenes and buildings, it’s Escher’s drawings of critters (particularly lizards) that really intrigue me. I could look at them for hours. The precision with which he renders the lizards and the way they overlap and interact is astonishing. You’ll also find plenty of other animal drawings, particularly of birds and insects.
Metamorphosis
Don’t miss the rooms containing some of Escher’s famous metamorphosis works. In these, Escher created a series of changing shapes, using many of his favorite forms such as reptiles, fish, insects, and birds.
A highlight is this large round piece in the center of one of the rooms. Walk around and around it to get the full effect and marvel at how Escher makes the transitions between forms so that you barely realize there is a transition until suddenly you’re looking at a fish when moments before you were looking at a horse.
Remarkable!
Large Metamorphosis piece by M. C. Escher
After you’ve toured Escher in the Palace, stop into the stylish gift shop. The attendants there were really friendly and helpful. I bought a gorgeous cashmere scarf, which I needed in the chilly April air. Note that the Netherlands is not particularly warm in the spring!
Staying in the Hague
I suggest staying in the city centre as close to the two museums as possible. I stayed at the Boutique Hotel Corona which was in an excellent location, although the room was a bit on the small side.
Other Attractions in the Hague
If you’re traveling with children, I highly recommend you go to Madurodam. I first visited way back in 1970s on my epic trip to Europe with my mom. We spent hours wandering around the miniature worlds. In the 1990s, I returned with my then-eight-year-old daughter who adored the place. The park has grown a lot since then with plenty of attractions to keep you engaged.
Here are a few tour options in The Hague from GetYourGuide:
The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam attracts visitors from all over the world, and for good reason. A visit to the secret hiding place where Anne Frank and six other people hid for two years from the Nazis is both sobering and inspiring.
With authoritarianism on the rise in too many countries around the world, Anne’s ordeal and tragic end are more relevant than ever.
Before or after your visit to the Anne Frank House, give yourself a sightseeing break by taking a stroll into the Begijnhof (#3 on the map below). In this tranquil courtyard in the middle of bustling Amsterdam, you can “set a spell” and enjoy a calming break. It’s the perfect place to either prepare for your visit to Anne Frank House or to quietly recover.
In this post, I describe my visit to Anne Frank House and share photos of the Begijnhof on a breezy, sunny day in April.
Anne Frank House (#2 on the map above) is located on Prinsengracht Canal at Prinsengracht 263-267 in Amsterdam. It’s about a twenty-minute easy walk from where I’m staying at the Clayton House Hotel American (4) on the Singelgracht.
The entrance to the museum is around the corner, at Westermarkt 20. Tickets cost €16 for adults.
Getting Tickets for Anne Frank House
You can only visit Anne Frank House with a ticket you’ve bought online from the official website. Every Tuesday at 10 am CET all tickets become available for a visit six weeks later.
When I went online to purchase my ticket six weeks before my visit, only a handful of spots were still available. This was likely because I live in the Pacific time zone and many hundreds of people were out of bed earlier than I was and snagged tickets.
As it turned out, I got the date wrong, but more on that in a sec.
Entering Anne Frank House
At precisely ten minutes before the time I thought I’d booked, I arrive at Anne Frank’s house on Prinsengracht Canal in Amsterdam. I open my phone, check my eticket and discover, to my horror, that the date on the ticket is April 3 not April 8.
How did that happen? I’d marked the date on my calendar on which I could order my ticket months prior, and then somehow nabbed a 4 pm time slot on the wrong date.
Sigh.
Instead of turning away in defeat, I join the queue of people entering for the 3:45 slot and show my ticket to the attendant. With pleading eyes and my best I’m-a-stupid-tourist, self-deprecating smile, I tell him I got the date wrong.
He squints at my ticket, shakes his head, and then asks me how many people I am. I tell him one. He looks relieved and tells me to wait. He talks into his walkie talkie in rapid Dutch and looks concerned. Just as I am about to lose hope, he tells me to wait a bit longer while he scans in the rest of the people in the group.
After another hurried Dutch convo, he nods and says he’ll let me in. I thank him profusely, then enter the ground floor of the warehouse that houses the annex on the top floor where Anne and six other people lived for two years.
Previous Visit to Anne Frank House
I’ve visited the Anne Frank house once before—in 1970 when I was fourteen years old and almost the same age as Anne. I remember being profoundly affected by the experience, which was my first contact with the horrors of war.
I’d read The Diary of Anne Frank the year before, and like most young girls at that time, I’d identified with Anne.
Navigating the Displays
The Anne Frank House provides the visitor with a thoughtfully organized experience. After checking my coat, I pick up an audio guide and am instructed to point it at a digital access point in the wall in every room I enter.
Along with about a dozen other visitors allowed in, I enter each room, pause to listen to the commentary and then move on.
With everyone in my group listening to their own audioguides, the visit is eerily quiet. Also, visitors are not allowed to take photos, which contributes to a more relaxed and respectful experience.
As I progress from room to room and floor to floor, the audio tour tells the heartbreaking story of Anne Frank and the other people in hiding, including her father, Otto, her mother, and her sister, Margot; the people who helped the seven people survive in their hiding place for two years; and plenty of context about how Germany invaded the Netherlands and mandated the persecution of the Jews.
Learning Anne’s Story
The first thing that hits me as I start listening to Anne Frank’s story is that Anne was only two years younger than my mom. When she went into hiding in 1942, she was 13 years old when my mom, living halfway across the world in a small town in British Columbia, Canada, was 15.
My mother led a long and very productive life, dying at the age of 93 a few years ago, whereas young Anne died in 1944. The stark contrast between Anne’s life and my mom’s really hit home. Anne should have been able to live a long life like my mother had.
Progressing from Room to Room
The rooms are dimly lit and feature displays about life in Amsterdam at the beginning of the war and the ever more onerous constraints put on Jews as the Nazi occupation continued. Quotes from Anne’s writings are used in most of the commentaries.
Several displays chronicle the preparations that Anne’s father, Otto, makes to take his family and the family of one of his employees into hiding.
The feeling as I progress through each room is one of increasing desperation and urgency. If not for Otto’s foresight and the help of people in his company, the Frank family would not have survived as long as they had.
Like so many Amsterdam houses, the building is tall. I climb several flights of steep stairs, pausing at each level to listen to more commentary.
Note that if you have mobility issues or trouble climbing steep stairs in very narrow stairwells, you may need to give Anne Frank House a miss.
Entering the Annex
Finally, I reach the bookcase that for two years hid the secret annex.
The commentary now stops so people can climb the last flight of steep stairs behind the bookcase to the handful of tiny rooms shared by seven people for two years.
The rooms are completely bare now and for a few moments, it’s tempting to think they aren’t that small. Then the photographs on the walls showing them furnished with cots and chairs and a table bring home just how terribly cramped life in these rooms must have been.
During the day, the inhabitants couldn’t talk above a whisper and had to walk very carefully to avoid being heard by people working in the warehouse on the floors below.
It’s sobering, to say the least.
Ending the Tour
After touring the rooms, I descend to view more displays about what happened to Anne and her family after the Gestapo discovered the annex and shipped everyone off to concentration camps.
Anne and her sister and mother died in Bergen-Belsen Concentration camp, with only Otto Frank surviving.
I learn that Anne’s diaries were found by one of the women who had helped them survive while in hiding. One of the displays shows the diary (or a facsimile, more likely) with Anne’s handwriting.
In addition to describing the two-year ordeal, Anne wrote short stories and even started writing a novel. She wanted to be a writer and indeed is now celebrated as one of the Netherlands’ most famous authors.
Warning about Fradulent Ticket Providers
Here’s a warning on the Anne Frank House official website about fraudulent ticket providers:
Please note that there are fraudulent websites with URLs similar to the one used by the Anne Frank House. These sites are aimed at credit card fraud or the sale of invalid tickets. Tickets for the Anne Frank House can only be purchased through this website. Commercial parties offering Anne Frank House tours do not provide access to the Anne Frank House.
The best a commercial tour can do is take you around areas of Amsterdam on an Anne Frank walking tour. Here’s one from GetYourGuide, billed as an introspective walking tour through Anne Frank’s life. Explore the Jewish history of Amsterdam and the horrors of German occupation during World War II with a local guide.
Either before or after your visit to Anne Frank House, check out the Begijnhof. It’s located about a ten-minute walk from Anne Frank House and well worth a detour.
The Begijnhof is a tranquil inner courtyard that is surrounded by 164 dwellings dating back to the 14th century and owned by the Beguines, a female Roman Catholic religious order. For centuries and up to the present day, only single women lived, and continue to live, in the houses bordering the courtyard.
The Beguines were women who dedicated their lives to helping the needy even though they did not belong to a church order. However, they took a vow of chastity and renounced their private lives.
The women who still live in Begijnhof must put up with tourists entering their courtyard to snap pictures. Fortunately, signs caution visitors to stay quiet and respectful and presumably the courtyard is closed to visitors at night.
House number 34 is a wooden house reputed to be the oldest house in Amsterdam, built during the 16th century. Informative plaques provide information about the inhabitants of the Begijnhof back in the day, and you can enter the two churches.
The 15th-century Engelse Kerk (English Church) was where the Beguines attended mass until the Protestant takeover in the 16th century when the church was transformed into the English Reformed Church. You can also enter the Catholic Houten Huys.
The Begijnhof is not what I’d call an attraction in Amsterdam. It’s more of an oasis, a serene respite from the crowded sidewalks and whizzing bikes in Amsterdam’s lively Centrum.
Taking time out of a busy sightseeing day to sit quietly on a bench overlooking the green lawn surrounded by beautifully preserved 17th-and 18th-century Amsterdam narrow houses is one of the best ways I know to get off the beaten path and just relax.
You can enter the Begijnhof for free between 8 am to 5 pm every day.
Staying in Amsterdam
I recommend the Clayton Hotel Amsterdam American (#4), a venerable old hotel with a gorgeous art deco restaurant, friendly staff, and comfy rooms. The location, about a ten-minute walk from the Rijksmuseum (#1) and overlooking the Singelgracht, can’t be beat.
Another great choice is Mokum Suites (#5) on a very picturesque stretch of the Herengracht and close to the lively Rembrandtplein. From your suite, you can watch the canal boats slide past.
Conclusion
Have you visited Anne Frank House and/or Begijnhof? Share your experiences and recommendations in the Comments below. Here are more posts about Amsterdam, one of my favorite cities in Europe.
You’ve arrived in Amsterdam and started strolling around the Centrum—that enchanting half-circle of canals built four hundred years ago that gives Amsterdam its unique ambiance.
Just about every time you cross a bridge spanning an Amsterdam canal, you’ll likely see wide-bottomed, glass-topped canal boats bristling with camera-snapping tourists gliding past.
Should you take an hour out of your sightseeing schedule to enjoy an Amsterdam canal cruise?
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say, absolutely!
It’s a super-relaxing way to see the canals of Amsterdam from a new perspective, and you’ll learn stuff.
A Bit of Background
Although I’ve visited Amsterdam numerous times since my first visit in 1970, I had not taken a canal trip since 1974. I was a fresh-faced eighteen-year-old on my very first solo trip to Europe—a two-week jaunt from England where I’d moved to go to university.
I had my backpack, my red anorak (très chic—not) and a thin wad of traveler’s checks.
After flying from London Heathrow to Amsterdam, I took the bus into the city (no splashing out on taxis in those austere days), stashed my backpack at a dorm room at the Hans Brinker Hostel (which is still going), and then went in search of a canal tour. As a first-time solo traveler, it seemed like a savvy thing to do.
I couldn’t get lost sitting on a canal boat.
That first canal tour was, frankly, not that memorable. Amsterdam in 1974 was lively, but it was also grubby and rather seedy. The house façades looked neglected, the harbor still showed the effects of World War II, and the Dutch people appeared a bit on the grim side.
The energetic, multicultural, joyous atmosphere of today’s Amsterdam was nowhere to be found.
Finding a Canal Cruise
Fast-forward forty-plus years (yikes!) and I’m again on board a canal boat for a 75-minute cruise. Gregg and I have only just arrived in Amsterdam after a nine-hour flight from Vancouver. Taking a relaxing cruise in the late afternoon turns out to be the perfect way to recover.
Book Ahead
If Amsterdam is your first stop on your European vacation, I recommend you book your cruise before you leave home. Choose a time slot that is a few hours after you arrive in Amsterdam so you can get settled and find your way to the dock closest to your hotel.
A canal cruise is a great way to get the lay of the land and see Amsterdam’s city center up close.
I purchased tickets through GetYourGuide before we left home and so just needed to present the QR code on my phone to the attendant. I chose the Blue Boat company, but there are several more in Amsterdam.
Cruise Company
Your choice of cruise company will likely be dictated by location. We stayed at the Clayton Hotel Amsterdam American on the Singelgracht. The Blue Boat (and at least two more companies that I could see) have departure docks in this area.
Clayton Hotel on the Singelgracht in Amsterdam near the Blue Boat dock
The Blue Boat is about a five-minute walk along the Singelgracht toward the Rijksmuseum.
Go to the website of any cruise company and check where they have departure points, then choose the one closest to your accommodation. Most canal cruises go from Singelgracht or from the Damrak close to Central Station.
Cruise Types
In addition to the classic canal cruise in a glass-topped boat (the kind I took), you can also discover Amsterdam by canal in plenty of other ways.
Choose from open-boat cruises, dinner cruises, pizza cruises, and evening cruises, or for a more intimate experience, book a private boat tour just for you and your party that includes food and drinks.
Here are some boat cruises on GetYourGuide that show you Amsterdam from the water.
The April afternoon is brilliantly sunny (a not-usual occurrence in my experience visiting Amsterdam almost annually since 2008).
The boat is only half full, so Gregg and I have a table for six to ourselves. The top of the table is printed with a map of the canals, but it isn’t very useful because it doesn’t include the route.
This is my only complaint. I would have appreciated a visual representation of our route that showed me exactly where the canal tour went. The only other option is to follow the route on Google Maps on my phone.
And speaking of phones, make sure you purchase an eSim card from a company such as Airolo (my first choice) so you can keep on roaming without paying exhorbitant fees.
Tour Commentary
The Blue Boat tour I chose doesn’t include live commentary, probably because it was one of the least expensive options. I’m given a cheap pair of headphones and directed to plug into the wall next to the table and choose my language.
The commentary is informative but not constant. During the course of the 75-minute tour, it comes in and out, and is, to be kind, a bit on the dull side.
However, I do learn that Amsterdam has more canals than Venice and more bridges than Paris. The beautiful canals we see today date from the 17th century when, as a result of severe overcrowding in the old center of Amsterdam, the city fathers decided to build more canals and more warehouses.
The main canals of Herengracht, Keisergracht, and Prinsengracht were completed over the course of 40 years.
During the cruise, you can choose to sit outside at the back of the boat, which is the place to be to take unobstructed pictures of the picturesque canals. The downside is that the canned commentary isn’t available outside.
I spend a bit of time out there, but the wind is chilly and so quickly resume my seat under the glass roof.
Amsterdam from Below
What strikes me first as we get going is that I’m viewing Amsterdam from below looking up. I’m always used to looking down on Amsterdam’s canals from the bridges, not up from the water. The perspective provides a different, more intimate view of this enchanting city.
I love watching the gorgeous facades of the canal houses drift by. Most have been beautifully renovated—a striking contrast to the careworn and grimy scenes I remember from my cruise in 1974. Now, I admire plenty of white plaster leaves and swirls, ornate gables and other rich decorations including statues and columns.
After tootling around several canals in the Centrum, the boat ventures out into the harbor. Quaint gabled narrow houses give way to a plethora of ultra-modern buildings, the vast majority of them built since my 1974 trip.
The commentary informs me that Oosterhoeck Island used to be a wasteland of abandoned buildings until being reclaimed and built on in 2003.
Houseboats
The boat cuts a wide arc across the harbor and then back into the canals on its way to Singelgraacht and “home.” We pass people sitting atop their canal boats enjoying wine in the sunshine.
I learn that the houseboats are permanently fixed in place on concrete pads. Unlike in the UK where houseboats are mobile, the Amsterdam ones stay put.
Staying in Amsterdam
Amsterdam has many options—from boutique hotels to grand hotels to apartments to chain hotels. I’ve stayed in all of these types, each with its pros and cons. On my most recent trip to Amsterdam in 2025, we stayed a the Clayton Hotel Amsterdam American which I highly recommend. This venerable old hotel is an Amsterdam icon with a fabulous art deco restaurant.
We were upgraded to a canal view room with a view over the Singelgracht. The Clayton Hotel Amsterdam American is about a ten-minute walk to the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum and right on the edge of the Centrum. The area is lively with plenty of restaurants.
View over the Singelgracht from our room at the Clayton Hotel Amsterdam American
Another good choice that I highly recommend if you’re looking for a slightly more reasonably priced option is the Holiday Inn Express – City Hall, steps from the harbor and within walking distance of old Amsterda. Ask for a canal view room.
View of canals from the window of a room at the Holiday Inn Express – City Hall in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is not a cheap city. Plan on spending at least €300-€400 per night for a decent hotel in a central area of Amsterdam. I recommend you avoid places outside the city center. They may be cheaper, but you’ll spend too much time on trams getting into the interesting parts of the city.
Book a place as close to the Centrum as possible and enjoy many hours of wandering alongside the beautiful canals.
Conclusion
The word that comes to mind to describe a canal boat tour in Amsterdam is restful. You have zero to do except sit and watch the world glide past at a comfortable walking pace. Snap endless pictures of elegant narrow houses, listen to the commentary now and again, and just relax.
You’re in Amsterdam!
Have you taken a canal cruise in Amsterdam? Share your experience in the comments below.
Here are more posts about Amsterdam (one of my favorite European cities):
When Vincent van Gogh left behind the bustling energy of Paris in search of tranquility, warmth, and brighter landscapes, he found his muse in the charming city of Arles, France.
Arriving in February 1888, he immersed himself in the vibrant surroundings, creating over 300 paintings and drawings—including some of his most famous works: The Night Café, The Yellow Room, Starry Night Over the Rhône, and L’Arlésienne.
Arles was also where van Gogh invited fellow artist Paul Gauguin to join him, though their collaboration ended in a bitter falling-out. It was in this very city that his struggles with mental illness escalated, leading to the infamous incident where he cut off his ear.
Arles Before Van Gogh
Long before van Gogh’s time, Arles was already a city of immense cultural and historical significance. Nestled in the wetlands of the Camargue and bordered by two branches of the Rhône River, Arles played a vital role in ancient Rome.
Its prominence soared after it supported Julius Caesar against Pompey, the latter backed by Arles’ rival, Massalia (modern-day Marseille). As Massalia declined, Arles flourished. The Romans constructed a canal linking the city to the Mediterranean in 104 AD, facilitating trade and military expansion. By the 4th century, Arles had become a key military headquarters for Roman campaigns across Europe, boasting a population of up to 100,000.
Through the centuries, Arles saw the rise and fall of various rulers, from the Christian Visigoths who ousted the Romans to the Saracens and Vikings who later raided the city. Eventually, it became part of France, developing into a major center of Catholic influence in what was then part of Provence.
Exploring Arles’s Rich Roman Heritage
A visit to Arles is a journey through time, beginning with its remarkably preserved Roman structures. One of the city’s most impressive landmarks is the Arles Amphitheatre, a grand Roman arena still in use today.
This UNESCO World Heritage site once held 20,000 spectators, cheering on charioteers and gladiators. Remarkably, in the post-Roman era, the town’s population shrank so drastically that people lived inside the arena itself, fortifying it with defensive towers. Today, visitors can witness bullfights, theatrical performances, and concerts within its ancient walls.
Nearby, the Roman Theatre of Arles, built in the 1st century under Emperor Augustus, once seated 8,000 spectators. Though time has eroded parts of its grandeur, remnants of the stage, orchestra, and seating area endure. It was here that the famed Venus of Arles statue was discovered in 1651.
Other Roman relics include the Alyscamps Necropolis, an ancient burial site just beyond the city which also inspired some of van Gogh’s works, as well as a well-preserved aqueduct, a historic bathhouse, and the 4th-century Roman Obelisk, which still stands at the center of the Place de la République.
The Heart of Old Arles
The Place de la République serves as the historic center of Arles. Here, the Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall) showcases exquisite classical architecture, while the Basilica of Saint-Trophime impresses with its intricate Romanesque carvings.
The adjacent cloister adds to the city’s medieval charm, and on special occasions and Sundays, locals in traditional Provençal attire gather at the church for cultural celebrations and weddings in traditional costume.
As you wander the streets of old town Arles, you’ll find vibrant cafés and boutiques housed in 17th- and 18th-century buildings. Art lovers can follow in van Gogh’s footsteps with a walking tour of sites he famously depicted or frequented.
Notable stops include Espace Van Gogh, the 16th-century hospital where he was treated after his self-inflicted injury and where he lived during periods of mania, the site of the Yellow House where he once lived, and the Place du Forum, home to the café featured in his painting Café Terrace at Night.
Just outside the city, visitors can see the Langlois Bridge, the iconic drawbridge over the Bouc Canal that van Gogh painted multiple times in 1888.
A Timeless Destination
Arles is a place where history, art, and culture converge. Whether you’re exploring its Roman past, following van Gogh’s artistic journey, or simply enjoying the warmth of its streets and people, the city continues to leave a lasting impression—just as it did on one of history’s greatest painters.
Recommended Reading
For fiction lovers, consider Lust for Life: A Novel of Vincent van Gogh by Irving Stone,Sunflowers by Sheramy Bundrick, Painting the Wind by Michele Dionetti, Eagle in the Snow: General Maximus and Rome’s Last Stand by Wallace Breem.
For a deeper historical and biographical perspective, explore The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh by van Gogh: The Complete Paintings by Ingo F. Walther, Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman, The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles by Martin Gayford, Vincent’s Arles: As It Is and as It Was by Linda Seidel, and The Rock of Arles by Richard Klein—a Roman era look at the city.
Read about Jackie Lapin on the Artsy Traveler Guest Posters page.
If you’re traveling to Queenstown in New Zealand (and I highly recommend that you do!), then check out my suggestions for the ten best things to do.
Queenstown is located in the far south of the South Island, and deserves a place on any traveler’s bucket list. It makes the perfect jumping off point to explore the immediate area before striking out for nearby Te Anau and Milford Sound.
I started my three-week trip to New Zealand in Queenstown–and I’m very glad I did. The scenery in Queenstown and the surrounding area is drop-dead gorgeous. You’ll also find an impressive number of cool activities, and to top it off, the food (and wine!) is excellent and the people are welcoming.
For the Artsy Traveler, Queenstown and surrounding areas in New Zealand are a must-see! Here are ten awesome things to do in Queenstown that I did on my trip, and recommend you try too!
Getting to New Zealand from North America
First, a quick overview about getting to New Zealand from North America. I started my journey on the South Island and then worked my way north, leaving from Auckland three weeks later.
Since I was traveling in March (New Zealand’s Fall), my south to north itinerary made sense because the weather stayed relatively warm as I journeyed north.
The flight from Vancouver, Canada, to Auckland took fourteen hours. I managed to snag an upgrade for a few extra hundred dollars. Thank you, Air New Zealand!
Arrival in Queenstown
After landing in Auckland in the middle of a brilliant red sunrise, I retrieved my luggage, went through customs, walked briskly for ten minutes through sultry sub-tropical warmth to the domestic terminal, dropped off my luggage, went through security, and was soon air borne again for the trip to Queenstown.
I’d hoped to have time to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, but the slow bustle of getting from Plane A to Plane B did not allow for any breaks.
After a short and scenic flight, I arrived in Queenstown.
First look at the stunning scenery around Queenstown
My travel companion is my daughter, Julia. We’re touring New Zealand to celebrate her thirtieth year and my sixtieth!
Julia and I had a bet about when we’d be able to check into our hotel after arriving at 10 am. I was sure we’d get a room immediately. Julia scoffed at my optimism, declaring we’d be lucky to get in by 2. The battle lines were drawn and we chose noon for the waging of a bet. I won if we got in before noon; she won if we had to wait until after noon.
We weren’t that clear on what we’d win but a principle was at stake. The hotel promised to email me when the room was ready. After storing our luggage, we set off to explore Queenstown.
Julia in windy and scenic Queenstown, New Zealand
And now, time for my top ten awesome things to do in Queenstown!
#1: Wander Around Lovely Queenstown
The first awesome thing to do in Queenstown is just wander around. You’ll find a charming, compact grid of mostly pedestrianized streets, a sweeping swathe of green lawn, wide boardwalks fronting the lake, and jet boats bobbing at piers.
The town is the adventure capital of New Zealand, and also known as the Adrenaline Capital of the World. But your first impression will likely be laid-back, pretty, and pleasant. Queenstown reminded me of a cross between the Canadian resort towns of Whistler and Banff with a little bit of the quaintness of Bowen Island (where I live on the west coast of Canada) thrown in.
As in Whistler and Banff, practically every shop in Queenstown was a tourist shop or a restaurant, and a lot of the people walking the streets were tourists. But the town also felt quite down home, like it was a place where people have chosen to live.
Saturday Market in Queenstown
If you’re lucky enough to be in Queenstown on a Saturday like we were, you may catch the Saturday Market. We spent a pleasant hour browsing the market stalls that sold an eclectic mix of handmade items in just about every media imaginable, from soap to hunks of iron to jade to bone to wool (lots of wool) to wood and even to jewelry made from wine bottles.
On our first day in Queenstown, the blazing sun of a late summer day warmed bones aching from a northern February.
Brunch in Queenstown
You’ll find plenty of good places to eat in Queenstown. In fact, three of my top ten experiences relate to food!
On the first morning, we settled on the Pier Restaurant overlooking the water. The food was beyond fantastic. I enjoyed perfectly cooked Eggs Benedict (best I’ve ever had and that’s saying something) and Julia had French toast wrapped around warm preserves. Best of all was the proper latte that soothed away the rough edges of sixteen hours in the air and time-travel from Thursday to Saturday. Where did that extra day go?
Here are some first impression pictures of downtown Queenstown.
Main drag in Queenstown, New ZealandAdventure Tours abound in Queenstown, New Zealand
Deciding on a Jet Boat Ride on the Shotover River
After brunch, we decided to kick off our first day in New Zealand with a jet boat ride on the Shotover River (my #2 awesome thing to do). Julia’s boss had told her it was a must-do, but back in Vancouver, I’d demurred at the extra cost and we’d not booked a tour.
But for some reason, the moment we started strolling up and down Queenstown’s short blocks, we became seduced by the many shiny tour outlets advertising a myriad of Queenstown activities. I’ve never seen a town offer so many activities in such a cheerful, non-pushy way.
No one ever approached us to buy a tour; no mascots patrolled the streets doling out flyers with increasing desperation; no tacky advertising marred the store fronts.
But! There were plenty of photographs of smiling people zip lining, rafting, cycling, kayaking, jet boating, sky diving, paragliding, bungee jumping, and engaging in a few more hair-frizzing activities that defied description. We wandered into the slick storefront housing the front office for the world famous Shotover Jet company. Minutes later, we walked out with two tickets for the 4 pm pickup.
Well, why the heck not?
Checking In to Our Hotel
I started looking at my phone around 11:45, expecting it to vibrate with a new email at any second. But the digital numbers clicked to 12:00 and Julia declared herself the winner. Three minutes later, at 12:03, the email arrived—our room was ready.
Sigh.
We trudged back up the hill to our hotel—actually, a lovely walk through the edge of the Queenstown Gardens. Seconds after we checked in, we succumbed to soft beds and that strange nausea that kicks in after too many hours awake.
Hands down, one of the best things I did while in Queenstown was to take the Shotover Jet Boat Experience.
We boarded a small minibus (Queenstown must have more minibusses per capita than anywhere else on Earth) for the short drive to the Shotover River. Once there, we donned rain jackets and life jackets and piled into the bright red boat.
Apparently everyone who is anyone, from Peter Jackson to the Prince and Princess of Wales to various heads of state, has taken a spin (literally) on a Shotover Jet.
On the Shotover River
For thirty minutes, we weaved up and then back down the gloriously scenic Shotover River complete with rapids and weirdly sculpted rocks. The driver carved great swooping swathes from canyon wall to canyon wall, almost touching the rocks in places, his timing impeccable.
Every so often, the driver twirled his finger in the air and then wheeled the jet boat into a tight 360-degree turn. Splashes and squeals were caught on video and still cameras with the results offered for sale after the trip. A biting wind and freezing spray chased away the last vestiges of jet lag, leaving us ravenous for dinner.
Should You Take the Shotover Jet Experience?
I wholeheartedly recommend the 35-minute Shotover Jet experience. Yes, it’s pricey (all of the activities and tours in Queenstown are pricey). However, the Shotover Jet company is the only jet boat company with exclusive rights to roar through sections of the Shotover River that resemble swirling stacks of beige-striped fudge.
The only drawback was that cameras were not allowed on the boat, for good reason as it turned out. We got soaked during the ride. The company took pictures and offered them for sale. However, the cost for three photos was too rich for me, so no record exists of our ride on that sunny day in late February.
Here are links to the Shotover Jet Experience through GetYourGuide.
On our first full day in New Zealand, sparkling warmth and a high UV Index had replaced the wild winds of the day before.
We were booked to go on the Nomad Safari of the Scenes—a four-hour jeep tour of the Wakatipu Basin, the area surrounding Queenstown. The tour was to also include many of the locations around Queenstown used during the filming of Lord of the Rings.
Julia and our guide on the Nomad Safari of the Scenes
You can choose from a wide variety of tours offered by Nomad Safaris. Check their website for more information.
We were picked up in a jeep sporting a license plate with the word Hobbit on it. This boded well for Julia, a dedicated Tolkien fan. For the next four hours we, along with a couple from Iowa and a woman from Australia, enjoyed a non-stop commentary from the very entertaining and enthusiastic guide, a half-Maori, half-English guy called Soap who really knew his stuff.
He even played an Uruk-hai in the first Lord of the Rings movie when he was a teenager. He described the weeks of filming in the rain for the Helms Deep battle scene. Apparently when it wasn’t raining, a guy was standing by to spray the extras with water. I gathered the experience was not exactly pleasant.
Windy Point
We drove first up to Windy Point high above Queenstown and looked down on Deer Park Heights where many scenes from the movies were filmed. We then drove to another location high above the river that doubled as the Anduin River and Pillars of the King (minus the pillars).
The location also overlooked the very first bungee jumping operation in the world. Apparently, New Zealanders invented bungee jumping. For a fee, you can throw yourself off the bridge to the delight of bus loads of tourists (and us high on a hill above).
Arrowtown
The jeep stopped for a quick look at quaint Arrowtown, a gold rush town, before joyriding along a shallow river. Soap maneuvered the jeep in and out of the river and across rocks and sandbanks with much jolting and twisting (all good!).
We had a snack by the river and were introduced to the notorious New Zealand sand flies. After ten days, the bites I sustained on that first day were still visible and still itchy, along with the forty-odd sand fly bites I got since.
Unlike Australia where every second critter will kill you, New Zealand does not have any dangerous animals. The sand flies, however, are a worthy adversary. They may not kill you, but they will make life miserable for many, many days. Ouch.
Skipper’s Canyon
The morning ended with a hair-raising drive through Skipper’s Canyon on a single-track gravel road that was so steep and so dangerous that rental cars are prohibited. I could see why. You could not pay me to drive there although I was grateful to be driven. The views were stunning.
#4: Sample a Fergberger
The Fergberger is a Queenstown institution that has become so popular that the city was obliged to widen the sidewalk in front of the restaurant to accommodate the long lines of anxious burger aficionados.
I don’t usually get dewy-eyed over a hamburger, but I must say that my classic Fergberger with blue cheese was the best burger I’ve tasted, like, ever. To save the sensibilities of my vegetarian readers, I won’t go into detail, but if you are ever in Queenstown and want a burger fix, go to Fergberger and wait in line. Just do it.
A Fergberger is a must-eat in Queenstown
Jet lag hit around 3 pm so we returned to the hotel for wee naps before venturing out again—this time to The Winery and from there up Bob’s Peak.
#5: Sample Wines at The Winery
Our guide on the Nomad Safaris mentioned the Winery—a wine bar in town where up to ninety wines can be sampled. Well, that sounded like my kind of place. Comfy chairs draped with woolen shawls clustered around small tables designed for holding wine glasses and cheese plates.
I was given a chip card and directed to the various walls of wine bottles to sample. The wines were organized by grape type—Sauvignon blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and so on.
Sampling the Wines
I started on the Sauvignon blanc wall, read the descriptions of about ten Sauvignon blancs available for sampling, checked out the prices for a tasting either a half glass or a full glass, and then made my choice. Fortunately, the attendant told me what to try first. I inserted my card, was informed of the cost, pressed the button, held my glass under the spout, and voila! The wine was crisp, clean, and fruity. I was instantly hooked.
We ordered a cheese plate and were presented with a platter the size of a door mat. I do not exaggerate. There was enough cheese and dips to feed all the hobbits in Hobbiton with some left over for the elves. We set to work but were soon defeated, particularly since we were to go up the gondola for a buffet dinner in less than an hour.
A massive cheese plate at The Winery in Queenstown
But back to the wine. I sampled five wines in total, all of which were tasty and reasonably priced. I also chatted with two women from Toronto. One of them was a retired teacher so I told them I was also a teacher and from there the conversation progressed and I end up telling her about my novels.
I didn’t mean to self-promote, honestly, but the retired teacher asked for my card and so what could I do? It just happened that my purse contained a sheaf of bookmarks showing my book covers.
The nice people at The Winery packaged up all the leftover cheese and crackers, and we set off for Bob’s Peak.
#6: Go Up Skyline Queenstown
The gondola ride to Skyline Queenstown at the top of Bob’s Peak high above Queenstown was reputed to be one of the world’s steepest. Riding small gondolas up near-vertical slashes through the trees is always a slightly fraught experience but fortunately the stunning scenery was enough of a distraction to keep the fear at bay.
Skyline Queenstown offered a variety of activities. When I visited, there were walking tracks, two luge tracks, a large gift shop, and a dining room. Oh, and the view over Queenstown and Lake Watakipu!
While waiting for our 8:15 buffet seating, we wandered around taking pictures and then joined the throngs of mostly tour bus groups in the waiting area. The buffet was extensive and, like all buffets, kind of overkill. But the view was out of this world.
View of Queenstown from Bob’s Peak
The ride back down the skyline gondola and brisk walk “home” confirmed our positive impression of Queenstown.
#7: Drive to Te Anau
The next morning, we said a fond, temporary farewell to Queenstown and picked up a car to drive from Queenstown to Te Anau where we’d spend one night before returning for a final night in Queenstown before heading north.
Te Anau, the gateway to Milford Sound, was a bit out of the way, so going there for an overnight stop and then returning to Queenstown made geographical sense.
As someone accustomed to driving on the right, I was feeling a bit of trepidation as I inched the rental car out to the road. Although I’ve driven quite a bit in the United Kingdom, there was no getting away from the frisson of terror that got in the car with me as I prepared to make my first right-hand turn—the “big” turn.
En Route to Te Anau
In a surprisingly short time, I started feeling comfortable driving on the left and was soon enjoying the drive to Te Anau. The first part of the journey was alongside Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand’s third largest lake, as every guide we’ve had so far hastened to tell us.
The Legend of Lake Wakatipu
The lake rises and falls about ten centimeters every hour. This interesting natural phenomena is attributed to the beating of the heart of an ogre/giant/bad guy. The Maori legend is long and involved, but the upshot is that an ogre stole a princess and was burned to death. The shape of the lake is his writhing body and the rising and falling of the water is the legacy of the one part of his anatomy that did not burn—his heart. It’s a much more compelling story than the geological explanation.
The drive to Te Anau was predictably spectacular. The landscape reminded me of the Okanagan Valley in central British Columbia, but also not. That seemed to be the way with the landscape of the South Island. Its mountains, lakes, and trees were just different enough from what I saw at home. They were less wild and yet more untouched.
Pretty much the only evidence of human influence on the landscape we drove through were the fields full of sheep. Lots and lots of sheep. Every so often we also passed enclosures of grazing deer and alpacas. It was storybook land with a slightly menacing fantasy twist. Trees were thickly leaved and exotic-looking with palm-like fronds poking out every so often to remind us that we were in a warmer land than where we came from.
In Te Anau, we enjoyed a picnic lunch of cheese and crackers from The Winery on the shores of Lake Te Anau, which is New Zealand’s second largest and deepest lake. We checked into our hotel and then set off a few hours later for the Glowworm Caves Experience.
#8: Go on a Glowworm Caves Experience
The experience began with a stunning boat ride across Lake Te Anau to a cave system that we explored in groups of ten. The highlight was a 15-minute ride in a small boat—rather like Pirates of the Caribbean—in total darkness. Slippery, dark, wet, and roaring were the words that came to mind.
The guide pulled us along on a chain (I wouldn’t want his job but he seemed cheery enough) through a cave populated by thousands of tiny glow worms. The glow worms don’t like the sound of human voices so we were told to be silent for the duration of our time on the little boat.
Up above, like a star-bangled sky, glowed tiny points of light. Each one was the end of a glow worm that hung from the cave ceiling waiting to catch passing insects. The experience was restful, enchanting even. I felt like Wendy flying to Neverland.
Glow worms on a cave ceiling
Here’s a Glow Worms Cave experience offered through GetYourGuide:
Dinner was pizza and pasta at a cheap and lively place in Te Anau before yet another early night before a full-day trip to Milford Sound the next day.
#9: Take the Milford Sound Cruise
Ever since I started planning my New Zealand trip, I fretted off and on about the Milford Sound Cruise. Even with Julia’s generous discounts, the day-long bus tour and cruise costs a fair penny and there was always the chance—quite a good one I gathered—that we’d see little more than rain-streaked windows and misty mountains. I saw both of those in stereo from my office window back home.
Was it worth the risk? Yes! With its sheer cliffs and thundering waterfalls, Milford Sound was beautiful in all weathers, and the experience of cruising its narrow length out to the ocean was bucket-list-worthy.
That said, I was lucky that our Milford Sound experience took place in picture-perfect weather—shockingly blue skies, pointy peaks and all.
We even saw dolphins.
From Te Anau to Milford Sound
A tour bus picked us up at 7:30 am in front of our Te Anau hotel and, after collecting assorted visitors around the town, set off on the two-hour drive to Milford Sound. Commentary from both the driver and a guide provided just the right supplement to the rugged scenery.
The mountains and lakes and skies were almost like British Columbia, but then again, not really. The trees were different; the vegetation crusting the hills was different; the crystal bright quality of the light was different.
We were home and yet not home.
The trip to Milford Sound took us up and over a mountain pass and back down to sea level. We were then herded onto the boat that would take us on our 2.5 hour cruise of the Sound.
Every minute of the time on the water was filled with immeasurable wonder. I’ve taken a few boat trips in my time—I live on an island, after all—but the cruise on Milford Sound on a sharp, sunny day at the end of February will remain an all-time high point.
The boat sailed past waterfalls that tumbled down streaked cliffs to throw rainbows into the ocean.
Seals basked on rocks, and at the mouth of the sound, several dozen dolphins leapt and swam around the boat.
The boat sailed right to the entrance of the sound and into the Tasman Sea. The wind of the open ocean slammed into the boat and brightened cheeks already red from the bright New Zealand sun.
Here’s a Milford Sound tour and cruise that goes from Te Anau and is offered through GetYourGuide:
On the drive back from Milford Sound, the bus made several stops so people could take photographs. We checked out a canyon with rock walls corkscrewed into fantastic shapes, gazed out over stunning mountain vistas, and even stopped to fill water bottles at a mountain stream.
I was always taught never to drink water directly from a stream. As a result, it was shocking in a good way to dip my plastic bottle into the rushing stream and chug back water so pure and cold that it redefined what water should taste like.
We arrived in Te Anau around 4 pm and piled into the car for the two-hour drive back to Queenstown. The dramatic light of late afternoon threw the surrounding mountains into high relief. This country really was ridiculously scenic.
#10: Take the Dart River Jet Boat Experience
On the morning of our fourth day in New Zealand, we boarded yet another bus, this time for a tour from Queenstown that took us to Glenorchy and the Dart River for our Dart River Wilderness Jet Boat Experience.
The road to Glenorchy snaked alongside the east bank of Lake Wakatipu. Great views of the lake and mountains set us up for our half-day excursion. First stop was the boat launch at the mouth of the Dart River’s massive estuary.
On the Dart River
The young driver revved up the boat and we were off up the river. Every so often, the driver pulled the boat into 360-degree turns. Thankfully, the quantity of spray was less than on the Shotover River trip. We were allowed to keep our cameras out.
The clouds crowded into the valley and the wind whipped up. We flew across the shallow waters, twisting and turning around sandbanks and roaring past the location where Isengard in the Lord of the Rings was filmed. We penetrated a fair way up the river to stop in a magical inlet of deep turquoise water and sculpted rocks. The driver gave each of us a small piece of the local jade that was still gathered from the river by the Maori and carved into jewelry.
I plan to buy a piece of jade in Hokitika on the west coast where I’ve been told many of the workshops are located.
We roared back down the estuary, reaching speeds of 90 kilometers an hour. The sharp, cold wind exhilarated corners of my brain I’ve allowed to become far too preoccupied with work. One of the great joys of travel was the opportunity to wipe away cares and live in the present. Wind, sun, and spray commanded total attention.
Hike through Mount Aspiring National Park
After disembarking, we boarded the bus and were driven a short way to a track leading into the Mount Aspiring National Park. The guide took us for a half-hour nature walk through groves of giant beech trees—except they weren’t really beech trees; the settlers just called them that.
Even I recognized the forest as the location where poor old Sean Bean as Boromir in the first Lord of the Rings movie was set upon by orcs and of course killed. Following the walk, we were taken into Paradise Valley where numerous movies have been shot over the years. The clouds lifted as if on cue and we were treated to the full panorama of snow-clad mountains.
After arriving back in Queenstown, we ravenously indulged in our second Fergbergers. With a tight itinerary to see all of New Zealand in three weeks, we then headed out on the road to Wanaka.
Staying in Queenstown and Te Anau
We stayed in Queenstown for three nights and Te Anau for one night, which was almost enough time to explore the area. If you have more time, consider spending at least a week. You will not run out of things to do.
Queenstown is one of New Zealand’s premier destinations, and for good reason.
In Queenstown, we stayed at the Copthorne Lakefront Hotel. Our lakeview room was comfortable and the view gorgeous. Also, the walk to Queenstown was just long enough to help mitigate the effects of Queenstown’s great restaurants.
In Te Anau, we stayed at the Distinction Luxmore Hotel which was well-situated in the center of town and an easy walk to the scenic lakeside.
Conclusion
Have you visited Queenstown and/or Te Anau and Milford Sound? Share your recommendations and experiences in the Comments below.
When most people think of “fair” Verona, they typically think of Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet.
Two households, both alike in dignity (In fair Verona, where we lay our scene), From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. (Prologue.1–4)
But when I recently stayed in Verona for a week on a house exchange, it wasn’t the romantic story of Romeo and Juliet that I had in mind.
It was the city’s real history. For me, that’s the true romance of Verona.
History of Verona
Thanks to its location along the Adige River in the Veneto region of northern Italy, Verona has been inhabited since prehistoric times. It became a Roman town in the 3rd century B.C. and was one of the most important Italian cities during the Roman era.
Because of its strategic location on the river, it was used as a base for overseeing the northern territories and was at the intersection of many important roads.
Today, everywhere you look, the city teems with Roman art and architecture.
But that’s not all. Medieval Verona is equally represented, with its many artifacts woven seamlessly throughout the city. Add the city’s Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces, and this art-historical wonderland is complete.
No wonder Verona is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Arrival in Verona
My first experience with the city of Verona was at night. We arrived after taking the train directly from Venice, an hour away. We then took an Uber to our house exchange on the left bank of the Adige River.
After settling in, we went in search of a restaurant.
We walked across the Ponte Vittoria (Victory Bridge) and, in five minutes, found ourselves right in the middle of Piazza Brà, otherwise known as tourist central.
The piazza was packed, and the energy electric. We quickly found an outdoor table across from Verona’s famous Roman arena and ordered—what else—pizza!
Piazza Brà Restaurants
What to See in Verona
Following is an overview of the places I visited during my week in Verona. While you can see quite a lot of the city in a day, slow down and consider spending a full week, or at least two or three full days. Verona has a lot to offer!
The Verona Arena
The most prominent reminder of Verona’s Roman past is the Arena di Verona. This must-see attraction was built in 30 AD (forty years before the Colosseum in Rome). The ancient Romans staged deadly gladiator and animal fights here—an entertainment staple throughout the Roman world.
Verona Arena, 30 AD
In the following centuries, as was the medieval custom, the arena became a rich source for the construction materials needed to create new buildings in the city.
The structure we see today is the result of this constant scavenging and a devastating 12th-century earthquake.
The arena has been in continual use over the centuries.
In the Middle Ages, judicial disputes were resolved by hand-to-hand combat here, and until the 18th century, this was the site of jousts and tournaments.
Today, the arena is the setting for Verona’s world-famous opera season.
Piazza Brà
The Piazza Brà is the main square in the center of Verona. (The term bra is derived from the German word breit, which means broad.) It’s one of Italy’s largest piazzas and an ideal spot for people-watching.
The welcoming, open space is paved with pink marble and lined with restaurants, majestic historical buildings, and the picturesque Portoni della Brà (Gates of the Bra).
The Portoni della Piazza Brà archways are embedded in Verona’s medieval walls, connecting the city to the suburban countryside at the time.
Verona Tourist Office
The tourist office is located in the Piazza Brà. Here you can buy tickets for the Hop-on-Hop-off bus to explore Verona or book other city tours.
When I was younger, I had nothing but disdain for tourists who chose to explore a city in such a superficial manner.
Now, I’ve realized it’s an excellent way to quickly get the big picture, find your favorite points of interest, and save your feet for the main events—museums, churches, castles, and ruins.
Here are some tours in Verona to consider:
Porta Borsari
Not far from the Piazza Brà stands the impressive Porta Borsari(the Borsari Gate). Built in the 1st century AD, it was the primary entrance to the city in Roman times.
And it was here that medieval tax collectors charged tariffs on goods entering and exiting the city; hence the gate’s name, which roughly translates to “the money purse gate.”
On the other side of the gate is the Corso Porta Borsari, an ancient Roman street. Now, it’s a charming pedestrian shopping district known for its shoe stores.
Porta Borsari, 1st Century AD
Via Mazzini
Another ancient street—Via Mazzini—is slightly beyond the Porta Dei Borsari. The buildings on either side of this marbled walkway house Verona’s most elegant shops.
Although these stores sell the latest fashions, they’re rooted—as is everywhere else in Verona—in the past (literally).
A good example of this is the Benetton store. Its ground floor is covered in glass so you can see the 1st-century Roman domus (home) excavated beneath it.
Piazza delle Erbe
Both Via Mazzini and Corso Porta Borsari lead to the rectangular Piazza delle Erbe (Plaza of Herbs), originally the site of the Roman Forum.
This bustling square, surrounded by historic buildings, is now home to an open-air market, continuing one of the ancient forum’s traditional functions.
Outdoor market stall in the Piazza delle Erbe
Three historic relics adorn the middle length of the piazza: the Capitello, Madonna di Verona, and The Winged Lion of St. Mark.
Capitello
The Capitello (Capital) is a 13th-century canopied podium used in the Middle Ages to swear in magistrates.
Madonna di Verona
The Madonna di Verona (My Lady of Verona) fountain is named for the Roman sculpture it supports. In 1368, the original statue that had inhabited the piazza since the 1st century was restored, given a crown, and placed atop a fountain.
This was at the peak of Verona’s medieval political power, and the sculpture was intended to personify the great city.
Winged Lion of St. Mark
A tall marble column supports the winged lion of St. Mark. The sculpture was erected in 1523 as an emblem of the Venice Republic, which ruled Verona from the 15th to the 18th century.
Casa Mazzanti
Another art historical find in the Piazza delle Erbe is the painted façade of theCase Mazzanti(Mazzanti Houses), originally the residence of the powerful della Scala family, who ruled Verona during its medieval heydays.
In 16th- and 17th-century Verona, the palace facades of the city’s most prominent families were often entirely decorated with frescoes, so much so that Verona was nicknamed the painted city.
Many of these paintings did not survive, were plastered over, or were detached from their walls and exhibited in museums.
One of the best-preserved examples, and still in its original location, is Case Mazzanti, painted by Alberto Cavalli, a collaborator of the Mannerist painter Giulio Romano. It’s easy to see the influence of Michelangelo’s muscular style in these monumental frescoes.
Palazzo Maffei
At the northwest end of the piazza, the Palazzo Maffei (Maffei Palace) provides a grand theatrical finale to the entire space. The original building dates back to the 14th century but was completely redesigned into a sumptuous Baroque mansion in the 17th century.
Today, the palazzo houses the Casa Museo (House Museum) art collection and a fabulous restaurant—the Ristorante Maffei. The museum was closed when we were there, but we were able to eat a delicious lunch between the grand Baroque columns of its elegant courtyard.
Verona’s Roman Theater and Archaeological Museum
From the Palazzo Maffei, we wandered the narrow streets to the picturesque Ponte Pietra (Stone Bridge)—first built in Roman times but rebuilt often since. Crossing the bridge, we came to Verona’s restored Roman theater, dating to the 1st century AD and still used today.
An impressive archaeological museum nestles in the hillside high above the theater in what used to be a fifteenth-century Jesuit monastery.
It’s a steep climb on uneven steps to get to the museum, but it’s worth it for those who like ancient art and a stunning historic setting.
Archaeological Museum
Here are two interesting exhibits in the Archaeological Museum: an ancient Greek rhyton (drinking cup) from the 4th century BC and the torso of a Roman soldier.
Verona’s Piazza dei Signori
Returning across the Ponte Pietra, we came upon the Piazza dei Signori (Plaza of the Lords) with its statue of Dante in the center.
The sculpture was commissioned in 1863 to honor the 600th anniversary of Dante’s birth. Dante lived in Verona for seven years after his exile from Florence. Verona’s oldest café is also in this piazza. It named itself Caffè Dante after the Dante monument was installed. We didn’t eat at Caffè Dante, but I wish we had!
Shown below is the Piazza dei Signori. The Caffè Dante is to the left; the sculpture of Dante is in the center, and the Loggia del Consiglio is to the right.
Palazzo della Ragione and Loggia del Consiglio
The piazza is surrounded by splendid buildings that began in the Middle Ages. The Palazzo della Ragione (Town Hall) was built by the powerful della Scala family mentioned earlier.
They ruled Verona during the 13th and 14th centuries—a time of significant economic and cultural achievement for the city. The palace had four towers in medieval times, but only one remains today—the breathtaking 275-foot-high Torre dei Lamberti(Lamberti Tower).
On the north side of the Piazza dei Signori stands the 15th-century Loggia del Consiglio (Loggia of the Council)—a classic example of Early Renaissance design. The figures on top represent famous Verona citizens.
The two buildings offer a sharp contrast of styles. While the medieval town hall incorporated soaring towers into its overall design to sweep you off your feet, the Renaissance loggia appeals more to the rational mind with its harmonious balance of horizontals and verticals.
The Church and Cemetery of Santa Maria Antica, Verona
Tucked around the corner down a narrow street from the Piazza dei Signori is the little 12th-century church of Santa Maria Antica, which became the della Scala family church.
The sarcophagus and equestrian statue of Cangrande I adorn the church façade above the door.
Cangrande I was the most significant figure of the della Scala family. He protected Dante while in exile and was acclaimed as a great warrior and powerful autocrat who was Verona’s sole ruler from 1311 until he died in 1329.
Next to the church is the della Scala family cemetery with imposing Gothic tombs that almost overshadow the church itself.
Below is the Tomb of Cansignorio della Scala (who ruled Verona from 1359 to 1375). Like his more famous predecessor, Cangrande I, he’s depicted on horseback in full armor.
This is the most richly decorated tomb in the cemetery with the elaborate cast of characters on its base–warrior saints, Gospel figures, the Virtues, and the Apostles–even more impressive than the statue itself.
Dinner and a View
After an exhilarating and exhausting day of sightseeing, a relaxing dinner in a beautiful location is always welcome. With this in mind, we dined one evening at the Re TeodoricoBar and Restaurant near Piazzale Castel San Pietro on San Pietro Hill overlooking the Adige River.
The hill has been inhabited since the beginning of Roman times, and the restaurant has been there for sixty years. The views from this spot are spectacular, and the food outstanding.
Re Teodorico Bar
Re Teodorico view
Verona’s Castelvecchio
The della Scala family adorned Verona not only with magnificent tombs but also a magnificent castle.
The Castelvecchio is a massive fortress built next to the Adige River from 1354 to 1355 during the reign of Cangrande I.
The fortified structure even spans the river, providing the castle inhabitants with a protected escape. Today, everyone can “escape” across this carefully reconstructed and gracefully arched Ponte di Castel Vecchio, a pedestrian bridge.
Civico Museo d’Arte
The castle interior has been restored and transformed into bright exhibit spaces that include the collections of the Civico Museo d’Arte.
Paintings
The collection features sculptures and decorative arts in addition to paintings by Bellini, Rubens, Montagna, Guardi, Tiepolo, Tintoretto, Pisano, and artists of the 15th- and 16th-century Veronese school.
The detail below is from a painting called Madonna dell’ombrello (Madonna of the Umbrella), created by Girolamo dai Libri (Girolamo of books). Besides being a painter of large-scale works, he was also a manuscript illuminator, which explains his name and his ability to paint such beautiful, meticulous details.
You can see the complete painting below. Although Girolamo is not known as one of the Renaissance greats, I find this piece captivating.
Madonna of the Umbrella, 1530, by Girolamo dai Libri, Castelvecchio, Verona. Photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Statues
Outside on the castle grounds stands the original equestrian sculpture of Cangrande I—a Gothic art masterpiece.
Although Cangrande was christened Can Francesco, his nickname—”big dog” in Italian—probably came from his physical and mental prowess. This nickname also explains the large dog-headed helmet with eagle wings that leans back on his shoulders in the sculpture.
But besides the elaborate helmet, the most striking thing about this artwork is Cangrande’s expression. Instead of looking serious or fierce, he appears to be resting between conflicts with a self-satisfied grin.
History remembers Cangrande as incredibly strong and brave in battle, but he was also known for his friendly and kind disposition. This sculpture, then, celebrates both the great warrior and the affable man.
In a corner tower of the castle’s raised walkways, you can also see the original equestrian monument of Mastino II. He came into power after Cangrande I died. Like his uncle, he’s shown in full armor. But instead of being relaxed, he’s prepared for a fight, his face hidden behind a helmet in the form of a winged mastiff. As with Cangrande I, the helmet references his name. Mastino means mastiff in Italian.
The Basilica of San Zeno, Verona
Leaving the Castelvecchio, we walked west along the Adige River until we came to a large 11th-12th-century basilica dedicated to San Zeno, the 4th-century Veronese Bishop and Patron Saint of Verona.
But let me digress here for a moment. Although I wrote at the beginning of this post that my focus for this trip was not Romeo and Juliet, tradition says this church is where they married. So, as it turns out, we did see one of Romeo and Juliet’s haunts (although not the famous balcony, and quite unintentionally).
The church of San Zeno (pictured in the center below) is flanked by its elegant campanile on the right and the Benedictine abbey on the left with its classic medieval defensive tower. The three make a striking architectural ensemble.
We accessed the church through a side entrance. The front portal stays shut to protect the massive interior bronze doors with their marvelously expressive Romanesque reliefs dating from the 11th to the 13th centuries. Here is a detail from the bronze door.
Along with its masterful bronze portals, the church interior includes an exquisite one-of-a-kind, 14th-century wooden roof and walls covered with frescoes from the 13th to the 15th centuries. Some of these frescoes have peeled away over time to reveal the earlier paintings underneath, making marvelously surreal images.
The pièce de résistance in this church is the elaborate 15th-century painting, Madonna with Saints, behind the high altar. Andrea Mantegna, one of the great artists of the Italian Renaissance, created this exquisitely detailed masterwork.
Staying in Verona
As I mentioned in the beginning, we did a house exchange in Verona, but our friends (seasoned travelers) recently stayed in Hotel Torcolo, located a few steps from the arena in the heart of the old town. They loved its location, antique charm, and a restaurant (pictured below) with great food and wine.
Torcolo Restaurant at the Hotel Torcolo
Day Trip to Lake Garda
During a week stay in Verona, consider taking a day trip to beautiful Lake Garda. The train from Verona Porta Nuova train station to Desenanzo del Garda/Sirmione takes just 20 minutes. Check out the Artsy Traveler post on Sirmione.
So, there’s my take on Verona in a nutshell. It’s a marvelously rich town on so many levels—the architecture, the art, the history, the landscape, the food, and, well, yes, the Romeo and Juliet lore!
Have you visited Verona? Share your recommendations for other artsy travelers in the Comments below.
Here are more posts about destinations in northern Italy:
If you’re looking for a family-friendly outing in Vancouver, carve out a few hours to visit the Vancouver Museum (AKA the Museum of Vancouver).
After getting a good hit of cultural history, walk the seawall or hop on the False Creek ferry to Granville Island for lunch and shopping.
At the Museum of Vancouver (MOV), you’ll discover the cultural history of the city. A series of exhibits take you on a journey past hundreds of artifacts used by individuals and communities that have called the area home.
Take a food tour of Granville Island Public Market
Introduction
I’ve lived in Vancouver all my life. I remember when the Museum of Vancouver was built in 1968. I also remember when, in 1979, Granville Island was transformed from an industrial wasteland to a major Vancouver tourist attraction.
On a recent bright and sunny January day, I joined the throngs of Vancouverites who emerge when the sun shines and headed for Kitsilano. This laid-back residential area is one of Vancouver’s most beautiful with its huge saltwater pool and mountain views from Kitsilano Beach.
Here, I toured the Museum of Vancouver and then rode the False Creek ferry to Granville Island for lunch and shopping.
The spectacular views of this area of Vancouver never get old.
Whether you’re a local or a visitor, make time to visit the Vancouver Museum. Then, get yourself over to bustling Granville Island, an especially enjoyable outing on a sunny day.
Locations
The Museum of Vancouver (#1) is located at 1100 Chestnut Street in Vanier Park (#2) in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighborhood. It is within the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Vanier Park occupies most of Kitsilano Point and overlooks stunning views of the mountains, the ocean and False Creek. Downtown Vancouver is about a fifteen-minute bus or car ride away.
Granville Island is located about a 20-minute walk from Vanier Park under the Granville Street Bridge at the edge of False Creek. For decades, the area was a polluted blight on the Vancouver skyline.
After its extensive makeover starting in 1979, Granville Island now teems with shops and activities, including a great area for children and the world-famous Granville Island Public Market (#3).
Stroll along the seawall or take the False Creek ferry to Granville Island for lunch.
Return to the area to enjoy a matinée at Bard on the Beach (#4), a five-minute walk from the MOV.
History of the Museum of Vancouver
Originally located in downtown Vancouver, the museum was founded in 1894 by a group of art and history enthusiasts who amassed a collection of artifacts and donations from local citizens.
In 1968, the building where the museum is now housed was erected in Vanier Park. The MOV shares its iconic building with the Vancouver Planetarium and the H.R. Macmillan Space Centre. The distinctive dome is meant to resemble the woven basket hats made by Northwest Coast First Nations peoples.
Initially called the Centennial Museum and then the Vancouver Museum, the new building was renamed the Museum of Vancouver in 2009 and the museum positioned as the place to go to learn about Vancouver’s cultural history.
I first visited the MOA not long after it opened in 1968 and have continued to revisit every decade or so, sometimes to take in a special exhibition, or to enjoy the fascinating permanent collection. I always find something new to look at and learn.
Explore the Galleries
The MOV is Vancouver’s largest civic museum and features several history galleries, starting with galleries dedicated to the First Nations people who lived on this bountiful land for centuries before contact with people from other parts of the world, primarily Europe and Asia.
The City Before the City: c̓əsnaʔəm
The first gallery contains The City Before the City exhibition that features c̓əsnaʔəm, the ancestral village of the Musqueam First Nation. On display are bone, stone, and shell objects from c̓əsnaʔəm that have survived for thousands of years.
The exhibition is both respectful and informative, with the aim of educating visitors about the people who inhabited the land before it was transformed by the streets and buildings we see today.
Listening stations encourage visitors to slow down, don a pair of headphones, and then watch and listen to videos narrated by First Nations people about their history and the exhibits.
That Which Sustains Us
The focus of the That Which Sustain Us gallery is on the land itself and how interactions with it are shaped by culture. You’ll learn about traditional ecological knowledge in addition to the consequences of deforestation and the urbanization of Vancouver.
I particularly enjoyed the exhibits showcasing ancestral skills such as making leather from tanning fish skin and creating dye pigments from the mushrooms found in local forests.
Also included is this wall showing words from the Musqueam language.
1900s to 1920s: Gateway to the Pacific
I’m a third-generation Vancouverite, with both sets of grandparents settling in Vancouver around 1911, coincidentally a few blocks apart. My maternal grandmother remembers carrying water to their log cabin, and I grew up on stories about the expanding city.
The Gateway to the Pacific gallery features thoughtfully curated displays related to the lives of the early settlers, both European and Asian. Photographs, mannequins dressed in vintage clothing, and an impressive collection of objects bring the era to life.
Other displays relate to Vancouver during World War I. My maternal great-grandfather, who was originally from England, left Vancouver in 1914 to fight overseas and was killed in 1916 when my grandmother was just 10 years old.
1930s to 1940s: Boom, Bust, and War
The exhibits in this gallery chronicle the growth of Vancouver through difficult times culminating in World War II.
A dark stain on the city’s history was the internment of people from the well-established Japanese-Canadian community following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I know people whose grandparents and parents were relocated to internment camps in the interior of British Columbia. My mother, who lived not far from one of the internment camps in the early 1940s, remembered seeing the displaced people.
My mother moved to Vancouver in 1942 when my grandfather got work in one of the many new factories gearing up production for the war effort, and met my dad in high school. I remember my grandmother’s kitchen looking very similar to this one:
1950s: The ‘50s Gallery
For many of the people who settled in Vancouver, the post-war city was a hopeful place where home ownership was within reach. That was certainly the case for my family. We moved into our first house in the Kerrisdale neighborhood of Vancouver in 1960.
The exhibits in this gallery bring back fuzzy memories. I got a kick out of the old wringer washer which reminded me of my brother trying to put my Barbie doll through the wringer. He was not successful, as I recall.
Check out the display of neon signs. Vancouver was famous for its neon, mostly clustered along Granville Street. The full-size car is a nice touch.
1960s – 1970s: You Say You Want a Revolution
If you were born prior to the 1970s, you’ll experience a major walk down memory lane in this gallery. And even if you’re not from Vancouver, you’ll likely recognize something of your past in the exhibits.
As in many places in North America, the 1960s and 1970s in Vancouver were a time of contention. The city was growing fast, with protests, “hippies”, and alternative lifestyles front and center. The environmental group Greenpeace started in Vancouver during this period.
A highlight of this fun yet also thought-provoking gallery was seeing a poster with my husband’s name on it. Gregg Simpson was very active in the art scene during the late 1960s and early 1970s, both as an artist and a musician.
I spent quite a bit of time squinting at the many old photographs in the exhibit to catch a glimpse of him. We weren’t successful, but I did see many familiar names in the old posters and commentaries.
Completing Your Visit
The MOA is not a large museum. You can tour it in about an hour, depending on how long you like to spend reading the wealth of information provided.
After your visit, consider taking one of the adorable False Creek ferries to Granville Island.
MOV Practical Information
Getting There
If you’re visiting Vancouver and staying downtown without a car, your best option is to either take the #2 bus or rent a bicycle (weather permitting). Here are all your options:
Take the Bus
The museum is about a five-minute walk from Cornwall Avenue where the #2 bus stops. Plan your route on Translink.
Take the False Creek Ferry
From various points around False Creek, catch a ferry that stops at the Vancouver Maritime Museum (#5). Then, walk south-east for about five minutes to the museum entrance. If you’re planning on more explorations, consider buying a day pass for the False Creek ferry in advance.
Ride a Bike
Use the Mobi Bike Share service to cycle to Vanier Park. The bike share is located at Chestnut Street and McNicoll Avenue, just west of the MOA.
Walk from Granville Island
Walk west along the seawall for about 15 minutes. Note that in the winter months, the seawall may be closed for maintenance. If that’s the case, retrace your steps and take the ferry.
Drive
From downtown Vancouver:
Cross the Burrard Street bridge heading south.
Veer right onto Cornwall Street as you come off the bridge.
Turn right onto Chestnut Street (this will be the first street).
Turn right onto Whyte Avenue.
Turn left into the parking lot.
From the south:
Take Burrard Street going north.
Turn left onto Cornwall Street just before the Burrard Street Bridge.
Turn right onto Whyte Avenue.
Turn left into the parking lot.
Museum Hours and Ticket Prices
The MOV is open 7 days a week from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission costs $17 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, and $10 for youth ages 6 to 17. Children under five and individuals who self-identify as Indigenous enter for free.
For more information, check the Museum’s FAQ page.
Taking the Ferry to Granville Island
Nineteen little ferries ply the waters of False Creek, stopping at the places shown on the map below. The stop for the Museum of Vancouver is Maritime Museum (Kitsilano Beach).
For a round-trip cost of $10 for adults and $7 for seniors/children, you can take the ferry to Granville Island where you’ll find an excellent indoor market, restaurants, food stalls, and lots of fabulous shops.
I pretty much always find something to buy whenever I visit. On my most recent trip to Granville Island, I couldn’t resist purchasing a gorgeous red leather purse inset with a First Nations design of a raven.
Rates vary depending upon the route and the number of zones covered. If you choose, you can sail all the way to Science World at the easternmost end of False Creek. Check the rates.
The ferries scoot back and forth across False Creek and are a lot of fun to ride:
Catch the ferry from the dock below the Vancouver Maritime Museum, which is about a five-minute walk to the west of the Vancouver Museum.
Buy a return ticket on the ferry (they take credit cards) if you’re parked at the museum, or get a one-way ticket and then take a bus back to your home or accommodation. You can also purchase a day pass and explore more of False Creek.
Granville Island
The Granville Island Public Market is the main attraction on Granville Island. Here, you’ll find a dizzying array of produce, seafood, bakery items, gourmet edibles, gift items, and flowers. Lunch options also abound from food stalls serving up everything from perogies to poke.
Pro Tip: Treat yourself to a cannelle at Le Bise Bakery. They are seriously to die for.
Take your food outside and enjoy it while gazing out at the boats plying the waters of False Creek with the skyline of Vancouver and the mountains beyond. Here’s one of my favorite views towards the Burrard Street Bridge:
Shopping on Granville Island
After lunch, wander around the many shops on the island or even take in a performance at the Vancouver Arts Club Theatre next door to the market.
If you want more than a quick bite at the market, consider stopping in at the Tap & Barrel – Bridges Restaurant or the Dockside Restaurant. Both offer scenic views of the mountains and water and plenty of seafood options.
Other Vancouver Museums
Here’s a quick roundup of three other Vancouver museums worth visiting.
Museum of Anthropology
If you really want to dig into Indigenous history, head out to the Museum of Anthropology (#6) at the University of British Columbia, arguably the best museum in Vancouver. You’ll discover a comprehensive collection not only of indigenous art from BC, but also from across Canada and around the world.
Science World
If you have children (or even if you don’t but just like science!), then Science World (#7) should definitely be on your itinerary. Tons of hands-on interactive exhibits, cool science shows, and world-class feature exhibitions will keep you entertained and informed.
Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
If you’ve visited the Museum of Anthropology, then you’ll have already seen some of Bill Reid’s magnificent work.
The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art (#8) in downtown Vancouver exhibits the Bill Reid SFU Art Collection in addition to contemporary Indigenous Northwest Coast Art.
Where to Stay in Vancouver
Visitors to Vancouver are spoiled for choice when it comes to accommodations. Be warned, however, that prices are steep, especially for downtown hotels with views of the magnificent North Shore mountains and the ocean. Here are two of my favorite hotels in Vancouver:
Granville Island Hotel
The Granville Island Hotel (#9) is the closest hotel to the Museum of Vancouver and the Granville Island Public Market. It’s a great choice that’s a bit off the beaten track from downtown Vancouver.
Sutton Place Hotel
Located on Burrard Street (and so an easy bus ride over the Burrard Street Bridge to the Museum of Vancouver) and around the corner from plenty of good shops and restaurants on Robson Street, the Sutton Place Hotel (#10) is one of the more reasonable options in Vancouver with comfy 4-star rooms.
Vancouver Tours
GetYourGuide offers a few tours that include Granville Island. Here’s a foodie tour of Granville Island Public Market.
And here are more options for touring Vancouver. Why not really splurge and take a seaplane flight over the city? On a clear day, the views are amazing.
The Museum of Vancouver is worth a visit if you enjoy cultural history (which I do!).
The location of the museum is also a major plus. After you’ve toured the museum, you’ll enjoy breezy views of the ocean and mountains and perhaps take a ride on one of the little False Creek ferries.
Have you visited the Museum of Vancouver? What were your favorite galleries? Share your recommendations and observations in the Comments below.
Here are more posts about museums I’ve visited and heartily recommend:
So you’ve decided to visit Austria. Great choice! What words does Austria conjure up for you. Waltzing? Mozart? The Sound of Music? Mountains?
If music was one of the things that came to mind, then put Austria–and Vienna in particular–on your must-visit list.
As a life-long devotee of classical music (I’ve played piano since I was five!), I always enjoy visiting both Vienna and Salzburg. I get a thoroughly classical music hit touring the houses of some of my fave composers, enjoying concerts, and checking out the wonderful House of Music in Vienna.
And if you’re a museum-goer, you’ll swoon in Vienna, which has some of the largest and most varied museums in Europe. And then there are mountains! Travel west from Vienna to experience mountain vistas in Salzburg and Innsbruck.
Austria Highlights at a Glance
Explore the Tyrol and take a tour to Castle Neuschwanstein just over the border in Germany
Visit Salzburg and commune with Mozart and The Sound of Music
Practical Tips for Travel in Austria
In this post, I cover some of the basics of visiting Austria: when to visit, must-see events, transportation, accommodations, and food.
But first, a bit of trivia! Did you know that Vienna has been named themost livable city in the world for the past three years (2022-2024) in a row (and several more times before that)? In 2024 the city earned a rating of 100 out of a possible 100. Wow!
Another of my favorite cities in Europe also made the cut in 2024 — Copenhagen is #2. My home town of Vancouver tied for 7th place, which isn’t too shabby!
A Map of Austria
The map below includes the four places mentioned in my posts about Austria: Vienna (#1), Salzburg (#2), Innsbruck (#3), and tiny little Pinswang (#4) where we stayed on a driving trip through Austria on our way to Italy. Click a number to view links to more posts.
Here’s where I cover some of the basics of visiting Austria: when to visit, must-see events, transportation, accommodations, and food.
Decide When to Visit
First off, decide when you want to visit. If you are hoping to enjoy cultural delights such as opera, festivals, and music events, including performances by the Vienna Boys Choir, then visit between September and May.
I’ve visited Austria in both May and September and the weather was perfect for touring apart from the occasional day of rain.
Check Events and Exhibitions
Before you visit Austria, check online for exhibitions and performances. Also be on the lookout for local festivals.
Austria is not a large country and it’s easy to travel around. The drive from Vienna to Salzburg takes about three hours, four if you include a few stops.
Trains are also fast and efficient. Consider taking trains between cities (Vienna to Salzburg to Innsbruck) and then either renting a car to tour the countryside or booking a small group guided tour.
A good strategy when visiting Austria is to fly to Vienna, see the city for a few days, and then pick up a car to explore the rest of the country. We did that on one trip and found driving out of Vienna relatively stress-free compared to some other European cities such as Paris and Rome.
Public Transit
As a relatively small country, Austria is easy to explore by train. You can zip from Vienna to Salzburg in about 2 and a half hours. If you don’t want to drive, use the trains to get between the major cities (Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck) and then take day tours.
Small Group Tours
I highly recommend small group tours run by locals as a stress-free way to explore the countryside. If you enjoy driving, then by all means rent a car. But if you’d rather relax and leave the driving to someone else, consider day tours. I’ve sometimes left my car at my hotel and taken a small group tour of a particular region that I’d rather not drive through (e.g., tortuous Alpine roads).
Driving Through Austria
Often, I’ve driven through western Austria when traveling from Germany to Italy, crossing at the Brenner Pass.
On a recent trip, I stopped for the night just across the border in Austria from the town of Fussen, Germany. The town is famous for being close to “Mad Ludwig’s” castle, otherwise known as Neuschwanstein.
I spent the night in the tiny and impossibly charming village of Pinswang nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. Called the Gutshof zum Schluxen, the 3-star bed-and-breakfast was everything a place in the fabled Austrian Tyrol should be.
The proprietor wore lederhosen, the wine was local, the dinner hearty and very Austrian, and the room with a view over the valley was comfortable and quiet.
If you’re staying in Munich and don’t have a car, see the castles on a guided day trip.
Castle Neuschwanstein in Schwangau Germany just over the border from Austria
Safety in Austria
Austria is a safe country to travel in. I stayed on my own for several days in Vienna. Every evening, I walked around the city and took transit to my apartment and I never felt in danger.
But, as always, be aware of your surroundings and wear your money belt!
I found Austria, and Vienna in particular, expensive. Even the 3-star bed-and-breakfast we stayed at in the Tyrol, the Gutshof zum Schluxen mentioned earlier, cost about €140 for one night.
Expect to pay €250-400 or more for a centrally located, good-quality hotel room in Vienna. When you’re looking for accommodation in Vienna, choose places within the old city walls.
You could opt for a budget hotel on the outskirts but I don’t recommend doing so. You’ll waste too much time commuting through dreary suburbs into the wonderful city center. Spend the money and book a good hotel in the old city.
I made the mistake of being budget-conscious to a fault on one trip to Vienna when I booked an apartment about a 40-minute tram ride from the city center. Sure, the place was inexpensive, but the hot water ran out on the second day and it was located in a nondescript neighborhood, kilometers from the action.
Apartments can be a good bet in Vienna, but again, book one in the center of the city. You’ll find excellent ones listed on HomeAway and on Booking.com. Click on the map below to find hotels in Vienna.
Two words describe food in Austria: hearty and filling. If you like wiener schnitzel, you’ll have no trouble getting well fed in Austria. Every menu includes it along with other staples such as tafelspitz, which is boiled beef with root vegetables. The broth is flavorful but when I tried it in Vienna, I can’t say I was impressed.
Homemade Breaded Wiener Schnitzel with Potatoes
For dessert, just try to resist Apple Strudel–layers and layers of flaky pastry, tender apples, powdered sugar–yeah, what’s not to like?
In Vienna, set aside an hour or two to drink coffee and eat a slice of sachertorte in one of the iconic coffee houses. Invented by Franz Sacher in 1832 for Prince Metternich in Vienna, a slice of sachertorte will slide down pretty darned smoothly–chocolate sponge cake, apricot, dark chocolate icing.
Sachertorte puts the ‘ee’ in sweet.
Sachertorte
Apparently, December 5 is National Sachertorte Day in the United States. Who knew?
Conclusion
Have you traveled to Austria? Share your experiences and recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
Here are more posts to read next to help you plan your Austria trip:
Visit Porto, drink port wine, and stay in a place overlooking the river
Portugal vs. Spain
Portugal is not at all like Spain, which the Portuguese appreciate your remembering. Speaking Spanish in Portugal and expecting to be understood will not make you any friends. You’re far better to speak English.
Perhaps the key to differentiating Portugal from
its brasher and bigger next-door neighbor is to compare their two signature
music styles.
Fado music with its soulful, heartbreaking,
yearning harmonies captures the essence of Portugal just as the relentless,
in-your-face rhythms of flamenco is Spanish to the core.
Although small compared to Spain, Portugal packs a solid artsy punch. Spend a few weeks in Portugal exploring all it has to offer—and you’ll come away with plenty of reasons to return.
Portugal and the World
As a result of the Age of Discovery, Portugal has had an outsized effect on the planet. Over 260 million people worldwide speak Portuguese.
Find time for a trip to Portugal to experience friendly people and a unique culture, a fascinating history that includes ancient megaliths, Roman ruins, and world explorers, and a stunningly varied landscape.
Because of Portugal’s remoteness from the rest of Europe, fly there directly, then rent a car. We’ve driven to Portugal from France a few times and it’s a long way!
Introducing Portugal
A Bit of History
You may be surprised to learn that Portugal has its share of megaliths similar to those in Carnac in France and in other countries bordering the Atlantic.
And did you know that the Romans conquered Portugal (although it took several decades) and that many of Portugal’s cities and towns trace their roots to Roman founders?
Hanging out at the Cromeleque dos Almendres, an amazing megalithic site near Évora in the Alentejo
During the Age of Exploration spanning the 15th to
17th centuries, Portugal sent scores of ships across the Atlantic to colonize
huge swathes of the New World, most notably Brazil.
In modern times, the Carnation Revolution of 1974
led to the peaceful overthrow of fascism. The revolution is commemorated as a
national holiday—Dia da Liberdade—on April 25.
Portugal is an extremely popular tourist destination—so much so that you’ll need to plan strategically to avoid crowds, particularly in Lisbon and in the Algarve.
Fortunately, there’s more to Portugal than big cities and sunny beaches. You’ll discover plenty of off-the-beaten-track, artsy sightseeing to keep you busy. Pop into Lisbon by all means, but make time in your itinerary for as much of Portugal as possible.
Planning to Travel in Portugal
Portugal extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the south to the Spanish border in the north and is bordered to the west by the Atlantic and to the east by Spain.
To drive from the Algarve in the south to Porto in the north takes about five hours—a distance of 554 kilometers over excellent and generally empty toll roads.
Choose Your Transportation
Even if you’ve been reluctant to drive in Europe because you’ve heard horror stories about traffic jams and impossibly tiny roads (and those stories are true!), consider driving in Portugal.
The toll freeways are lightly travelled, making getting from point to point exceptionally fast and easy. Even off the freeways, the traffic isn’t bad, with the notable exception of Lisbon.
I don’t recommend driving in Lisbon. Narrow streets, steep hills, lots of annoying tuk tuks, and speedy drivers make Lisbon a nightmare for drivers. Drop your car at the airport and take a taxi or a private transfer into Lisbon.
The recent arrival of scores of tuk tuks darting around the streets of Lisbon is not an improvement.
Public Transit
Getting to Portugal by train is challenging, as we discovered when we tried to get from Seville in Spain to Tavira in the Algarve. We ended up taking a bus across the border, then caught a train from Tavira to Lisbon.
Check the Omio and Trainline websites for rail schedules to see if traveling in Portugal by train makes sense for you.
Renting a Car
I suggest you fly to Lisbon, pick up your rental car at the airport, head out to explore Portugal, and then drop your car off at the airport. Grab a taxi into Lisbon and tour the city for a few days before flying home or to another part of Europe.
On our most recent trip to Europe, we picked up
our car in Amsterdam and dropped it off in Lisbon after driving over 6,000
kilometers. Open-jaw car rentals are the best!
TIP: Don’t arrange to pick up your rental car in the center of the Lisbon. Take a taxi to the airport and pick up the car there.
Driving Tips
Driving in Portugal is delightful—beautiful scenery, excellent roads, and as mentioned, very little traffic. There have been times when driving in Portugal that we wondered if the apocalypse had started without our knowing. There were that few cars on the road!
You’ll pay tolls to travel on the highways and these tolls do add up. Always make sure to get a ticket at one of the drive-through booths before you enter a toll freeway. We missed the toll booth on one stretch of our trip and were obliged to pay for the entire length of the freeway rather than just the small portion we traveled on. Ouch!
The distances in Portugal are short compared to Spain. String together several small towns for a day of exploring or pick an area to home-base. The Algarve, the Alentejo, and Porto are all good choices.
TIP: Be careful about driving into the center of a Portuguese town or city. You might find yourself lost in a maze of tiny back streets as we once did in Porto. Find a large, secure parking lot as close to your hotel or apartment as you can comfortably drive on main roads. Then walk to your place or hail a taxi.
Driving into Portugal
You cross the border into Portugal from Spain to
the north and Spain to the east.
The drive from Seville to the southwest tip of the
Algarve takes just a few hours. Other options are crossing the border about
halfway down Portugal’s eastern border via Salamanca or driving south from
Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.
I snapped this shot as we drove into the Algarve from Spain. Note that sparse traffic!
Check for Events and Exhibitions
Before you travel in Portugal, check online for
exhibitions and performances. Also be on the lookout for local festivals.
In 2019, friends I was visiting in the beach town of Figueira da Foz in central Portugal told us about a fantastic exhibition of the work of M.C. Escher in Porto which was next on our itinerary. What luck!
In one of the rooms in the exhibition, you can see the effects of Escher’s trademark optical illusions.
Gregg is small…
Gregg is tall.
Ask at your hotel about local exhibitions. The same day we saw the Escher exhibition in Porto, we were strolling through central Porto after attending a fado concert when we spied a poster for a Picasso exhibition.
Although past 7 pm, the exhibition was still open so in we went to enjoy a wonderful half hour followed by a glass of port that was included in the ticket price.
Artsy Favorites in Portugal
Fado
Fado’s roots can be traced back to the 1820s, but likely extend far beyond that. It’s a form of song characterized by mournful lyrics and heart-bending harmonies soaked in melancholy.
The Portuguese word saudade captures the meaning of fado—a longing for what’s lost, a resignation to the cruelties of fate. Fado literally means fate.
I once heard fado described as Portuguese hurtin’ music and that pretty much sums it up.
A fado singer in an Alfama restaurant in Lisbon
Fado is performed only by men in Coimbra and by either a male or a female singer in Lisbon and is accompanied by one or two guitarras (10- or 12-string guitars), one or two violas (6-string guitars), and sometimes also a viola baixo (a small 8-string bass viola).
Fado in Lisbon
Gregg and I adore fado and seek it out whenever we travel to Portugal. In Lisbon, you’ll find fado in restaurants in the Alfama and Bairro Alto districts.
You’ll hear the music spilling out as you walk by. Go in, order a meal, and prepare to be blown away.
Our favorite place that we return to on every visit to Lisbon is Restaurante Canto do Camões on Travessa da Espera in the Bairro Alto.
It’s small and intimate with a friendly owner, good food, and wonderful fado. The place doesn’t appear to have a website, but you’ll find reviews on TripAdvisor. On our last visit there, we had a great chat with one of the guitarists who had lived in Toronto, and bought his CD.
Fado and food service alternate. You’re served your food while the performers are resting and then you’re expected to be quiet during the performance.
A table of diners started talking and were promptly shushed by the owner—and rightly so!
Guitar in a fado club
To learn more about fado, visit the Fado Museum in the Alfama district of Lisbon.
Here’s an option for a fado performance in Lisbon:
In Coimbra, fado is sung by men only, often groups of students. The experience is different from Lisbon but just as soulful.
When you’re in Coimbra, go to the Cultural House àCapella – Fado Center for the nightly show that starts at 9:30 pm. The center is housed in a 14th-century chapel and includes a bar and tapas service.
The Alentejo region of Portugal, notably around Évora where I suggest you stay for two nights, is a treasure trove of megalithic sites.
In fact, the area is considered the most important area for megaliths in the Iberian Peninsula.
Most of the megaliths are standing stones that date from the Early Neolithic period (5500-4500 BC). Megaliths abound in fields around Évora: more than 10 megalithic enclosures, 100 isolated menhirs, 800 dolmens and 450 megalithic settlements. Wow!
Almendres Cromlech near Évora
Head west out of Évora to the Almendres Cromlech (Cromeleque dos Almendres), a megalithic complex reputed to be one of the world’s oldest—over 2,000 years older than Stonehenge.
More than 100 standing stones bristle down a hillside. Wander among them at will, take pictures and commune with the ancestral forces. Whenever we’ve visited, the place has been virtually deserted.
Follow the road signs to the site from the small
village of Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe.
Not far from the Almendres megaliths is the Almendres Menhir which was erected to mark the sunrise in the summer solstice.
If you don’t have a car and want to see the megaliths, check out this full-day tour from Lisbon:
The Romans colonized Portugal like they did most of western Europe and left behind a number of impressive ruins.
I visited two of the principal sites—the Roman temple in Évora and the ruins of Conímbriga near Coimbra and the largest of the Roman settlements excavated in Portugal.
Roman Temple in Évora
The evocative remains of the Roman Temple of Évora dominate the main square. Also referred to as the Temple of Diana (Templo de Diana), the temple is believed to have been constructed in the 1st century A.D.
Apparently, there’s scant proof that the temple was erected to honor the goddess of the hunt, and that referring to the temple as the Temple of Diana might be the result of a legend created in the 17th century by a Portuguese priest.
Portugal, Alentejo, Évora: Temple of Diana
Who knows? You can’t miss the temple when you visit Évora. Hang around until sunset to get some nice shots of the columns against the blue sky of the Alentejo.
Conímbriga
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Conímbriga, located about 16 kilometers from Coimbra. Check it out on your way into Coimbra coming from the Alentejo. The highlight of the site is the villas paved with amazing floor mosaics, particularly the Casa dos Repuxos (House of Fountains). We were riveted.
The museum features a scale model of the forum showing
how it looked back in the day, along with plenty of objects from the site
including mosaics, sculptural fragments, coins, jewelry and everyday household
items.
Behind a pillar at Conímbriga
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Artsy Travelers make a beeline for the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon—Portugal’s answer to the Louvre. What a great place with a marvellously eclectic range of artworks from the private collection of oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian.
You’ll see treasures from the West and the East including Egyptian relics, Chinese porcelain, Western paintings, and room after room of jewelry, furniture, sculptures, and more. Artists include Rubens, Rembrandt, Turner, and Degas along with stunning works by jewelry designer René Lalique.
In addition to the founder’s collection, the Gulbenkian features what is considered the most complete collection of modern and contemporary Portuguese art.
After touring the museum, chill out for awhile in
the beautifully landscaped gardens before catching a bus or the metro back to
the center of Lisbon.
Here’s on option for getting tickets to the Gulbenkian that includes the Modern Art Museum:
English is widely spoken in Portugal as is French. In Portugal, American and British TV shows are broadcast in English with Portuguese subtitles which may account for why more people in Portugal speak English (or so it seemed to me) than do people in Spain.
In Spain, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any TV channels in English except for some very repetitive news channels. Programs not originally broadcast in Spanish are dubbed in Spanish.
In Portugal, people don’t expect tourists to know Portuguese, but you’ll earn more smiles if you at least make an effort.
And it’s probably not wise to speak Spanish as a substitute for Portuguese. In my experience, people would rather speak English or French than Spanish. Although you’ll hear some similarities to Spanish, Portuguese is its own very distinct language.
Here are a few useful words and phrases.
Sim – Yes
Não – No
Obrigado/Obrigada – Thank you. Men say obrigado. Women say obrigada. You’ll probably be okay sticking with obrigado if you prefer not to be gender specific.
Por favor – Please: the magic word in any language
Olá – Hello. Use this a lot!
Não estou entendendo – I don’t understand.
Você fala inglês? – Do you speak English?
Bom Dia – Good morning.
Como você está? – How are you?
Boa Noite – Good evening.
Eating in Portugal
Fish and pork are two staples in Portugal. The food is generally plain and filling. Accompany it with a few glasses of vinho verde and finish off with a glass (or three) of port wine.
I became quite attached to port on my most recent trip to Portugal when we visited Porto and sampled port across the river in Gaia. Read more in Exploring North and Central Portugal.
Enjoying a glass of port in Gaia overlooking Porto
We enjoyed the best food of our travels in the
Alentejo region where gourmet restaurants are sprouting up to showcase the
local cuisine.
As in Spain, portions in Portugal can be generous.
Be careful not to over-order! These days, Gregg and I often order one dish to
share. We always have enough food and the servers don’t mind.
Staying in Portugal
We’ve had good luck with our accommodations in Portugal (three trips, so far). Service is excellent, rooms are spacious and comfortable, and rates are reasonable, although Lisbon is expensive.
On average, we pay €100 a night for a comfortable three-star hotel, and about €150 for a similar hotel in Lisbon.
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