Experiences – Page 16 – European Traveler

Conrad Brussels…A Warm Welcome and Oversized Towels

When you think of cosmopolitan Brussels, you probably think of chocolates and beer and great food.

But it also has some very good hotels. Take the Conrad Brussels, at Avenue Louise 71, opened in 1993. Avenue Louise is a broad, highly fashionable thoroughfare, and the stately Conrad fits right in.

The hotel lobby area is wide and expansive, and it gives the feel of sophistication and luxury (the hotel is rated five stars; Expedia.com rates the hotel between Superior and Exceptional, or 4 1/2 stars). The exterior of the refurnished building has regained its 19th century elegance.

My quiet room, #519, was spacious (the hotel promotes the fact that it offers the most spacious rooms of any hotel in the city) and featured plush carpeting. It also overlooked the city. There was a large television, a Mr. Coffee machine with a couple of bags of coffee, a tray with a brush, laundry bag, shoe bag, shoe mitt, and an electrical outlet with both 115- and 220-volt sockets.

There was a marble bathroom, robe and slippers, a hi-end Bose Wave radio, and the largest fluffy towels I’ve ever been wrapped in, measuring 4′ x 6′. The room had classic decor and eco-friendly Halogen lightbulbs. A secure key card operated the elevator that featured dark wood paneling and lots of brass and glass.

There was an unbelievable amount of space in the closet for clothes, and a medicine cabinet in the bathroom. There was pull-down bed service in the evening. The bed was comfortable. The accompanying photo was taken in Room #519 while I was there.

The restaurant served a very fine all-inclusive breakfast in the morning with meats, eggs, rolls, fruits, yogurts, cereals, juices and fine Belgian coffee, and more. Friendly service and smiles were noted by the wait staff and the reservation clerks.

The hotel has 269 guestrooms including 39 suites, as well as rooms for the disabled, and of course, non-smoking rooms are available. In fact, there are three entire non-smoking floors in the hotel. For meetings and conferences, there are 15 meeting rooms covering 6,000 square feet.

On TripAdvisor.com one hotel guest wrote,”Classy hotel. Polite and professional front of house staff. Very Good! The bedrooms are very spacious and the king size beds are so comfortable. Only negative point is that some of the bedroom decor was a little tired, however, I did get a cheap deal for the standard of hotel! Worth every penny. “

DINING AND SPA AT THE CONRAD
While I wasn’t able to dine at the Conrad, I can tell you there is Cafe Wiltcher’s with indoor and terrace dining; there’s the Loui Lounge & Bar that offers coffee and biscotti, a light lunch or tapas, and mezza or antipasti. There is also a lobby lounge and 24-hour room service.

There is the health club of the hotel, Aspria Avenue Louise, which features a 56-foot-long pool, a gym, sauna, jacuzzi and a spa offering more than 60 treatments. The health club fee is 25 EUR.

The location of the hotel is about a 20- to 25-minute walk from the Grand Place, which is said to be Europe’s most beautiful square. Unless it’s a pleasant day, I’d suggest a cab which will get you to this area of the city quickly. I did walk to the Royal Palace and the Palais de Justice which is a fairly easy walk from the hotel.

Pricing: Rates will vary depending on the rooms, but I found rates between 389 Eur (for a classic king bedroom or two queen beds) and 564 EUR (for a junior suite with two queen beds or one king size bed). The hotel also offers a Romantic Escape Package that includes early check-in, in-room sparkling wine and breakfast for two, either in-room or in the restaurant.

Overall I enjoyed my quick stay here. The Conrad chain is known for its upscale service, and their Brussels hotel meets these fine standards. Don Heimburger

Have a Very Good Trip…by Train

So, you want to show your wife or your date a very good time.

And you want to do it between Venice and Paris.

That can be arranged.

What is called the World’s Most Romantic Celebration consists of a train trip on the Orient-Express between Venice and Paris.

Here are the details. The trip is eight days and seven nights from $24,750: three nights in Venice; one night on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and three nights in Paris.

Departure dates, which are Sundays and Wednesdays, in 2008 are: March 30; April 6, 13, 20, 27; May 11, 14, 25;June 8, 11, 22, 29; July 20, 27; August 3, 10, 17, 24; September 10, 21, 24, 28; and October 12, 15.

The itinerary consists of:

Day 1 – Venice 
Arrive in the romantic city of Venice and transfer by private water taxi boat to the Hotel Cipriani. A deluxe suite is reserved for three nights in the city of canals.   Overnight in Venice.  

Day 2 – Venice 
A personally tailored guided tour of the city in the morning. In the afternoon, the private launch of Romilly, Lady McAlpine collects you from the hotel and takes you to her home for a visit and refreshments.   Breakfast included. Overnight in Venice.

Day 3 – Venice
Explore the delights of La Serenissima before a final romantic evening, including a ride on a gondola before dinner, at one of Venice’s most exclusive restaurants.   Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight in Venice. 
 
Day 4 – On the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express 
The train’s hostess completes check-in formalities for your journey on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train before your private transfer to the station. Board the train (cabin suite) for the overnight journey to Paris, enjoying superb cuisine and sparkling champagne.   Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight on board.  

Day 6 – Paris
After breakfast, a private car and driver takes you to the French countryside en route to Reims, capital of the Champagne region, where you have a private tasting before lunch at the two-star Michelin restaurant of Chateau Les Crayères, accompanied by fine wines and Prestige Champagne. After lunch, return to Paris. Breakfast and lunch included. Overnight in Paris.

Day 7 – Paris
Time for final sightseeing or shopping in the boutiques and designer stores. In the evening a private car transfers you to Quai de Grenelle, where you board a luxurious private yacht. The vessel’s teak deck and sleek interiors allow you to relish the cozy atmosphere of a 1960s boat. Enjoy a glass of champagne as you cruise along the river Seine, before a romantic candlelit dinner served either on the outdoor deck or the inside cabin. A shower of roses completes the cruise before returning for a final night in Paris. Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight in Paris.

Day 8 – Paris
Your journey comes to an end. Breakfast included. All aboard!

IF YOU GO…
Log onto www.orient-express.com for more details about the trip. Or, call (in the USA) 401-351-7518 or e-mail to: oesales.providence@orient-express.com . From France, call +33 1 55 62 18 00; from Germany, call +41 44 770 1407; from the Netherlands, call +31 35 6955111; and from the U.K., call +44 20 7805 5060

Self-Guided Walks the Wicklow Way

Hiking the Wicklow Way in Ireland’s “Garden County” is an unforgettable experience.

Photos courtesy Tourism Ireland

The 79-mile trail stretching from the southern suburbs of Ireland’s capital, Dublin, through the mountains of County Wicklow and into neighbouring County Carlow is one of the most popular parts of Ireland’s network of long-distance walking trails.

Starting at the outskirts of Dublin, walkers head southwest through the beautiful and varied Irish countryside encompassing rugged mountains, ice-age glacial valleys, upland lakes, mountain streams and pine forests. Along the way are scattered many remnants of Ireland’s long and colorful past, including the extensive remains of the early medieval monastic settlement at Glendalough.

As the walks are self-guided, walkers can proceed at their own pace, and take time to appreciate the spectacular views.

The Wicklow Way is one of 43 National Waymarked Trails in 25 counties in Ireland, offering a variety of hiking experiences against the backdrop of an endlessly stunning landscape.

For more info, go to www.ireland.com

The ‘Champs-Elysees’ of Burgundy Wines

The wines of Burgundy are rich and varied, and are divided into regional appellations, village appellations, Premiers crus and Grands crus. The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is your guarantee of the characteristics of the regional wines. Fall is a beautiful time to drive or bike through the wine routes.

The Côte de Nuits extends from the south of Dijon to Corgoloin and forms the northern section of the Grands Crus route. It is a prestigious hillside that is home to villages bearing the names of the greatest red wines in the world. Here you will find 24 of the 33 grands crus in Burgundy: Chambertin, Clos de Vougeot, Romanée-Conti and many more.

The Côte de Beaune follows on from the Côte de Nuits towards the south, from Ladoix-Serrigny to the hillside of the Maranges. This soil, blessed with the Chardonnay grape, is where the greatest dry white wines in the world are produced (Corton-Charlemagne and Montrachet, among others). Outside of the city of Beaune, which is the capital of Burgundy’s wine regions, the countryside becomes gentler as you approach Santenay and the département of Saône-et-Loire.

ROUTE OF THE GRANDS VINS DE BOURGOGNE – THE ROUTE THROUGH NATURE
The route of the Grands Vins runs from Santenay to Saint-Gengoux-le-National, and is the extension of the route of the Grands Crus towards the south: more than 100 signposts connect around 40 towns via the vineyards of Maranges, the Couchois and the Côte Chalonnaise. This varied route combines villages with nature, and vineyards with wooded countryside, and is dotted with Romanesque churches and castles. You can discover it by car, but also along the water of the Canal du Centre, or by bike along the the many cycling routes.

ROUTE OF THE MÂCONNAIS-BEAUJOLAIS, THE SOUTHERN WINE-GROWING AREA
This route in the south of Saône-et-Loire is the extension of all the wine routes from Dijon. The eight circuits enable you to break away from the main route and explore the most southerly vineyards in Burgundy in greater depth. The main route itself crosses the Mâcon wine-growing region in a straight line and finishes at Romanèche-Thorins (Saône-et-Loire) on the hillsides of the Beaujolais region.

ROUTE OF THE VINEYARDS OF THE YONNE ALONGSIDE THE RIVERS
In the département of the Yonne, the vineyards have developed alongside rivers: the Jovinien and the Auxerrois in the Yonne Valley, the Chablisien in the Serein Valley, the Tonnerrois in the Armançon Valley, and the Vézelien in the Cure Valley. The wines of the Yonne are undergoing a renaissance and deserve to be discovered in all their diversity just as much as the highly famous Chablis.

ALONG THE LOIRE AROUND THE NIÈVRE
The vineyards of the Nièvre, which extend along the right bank of the Loire, belong not to Burgundy but to the Centre-Loire, and have long suffered from a certain lack of recognition. Now another wine route enables visitors to discover all their charms, from the hillsides of Pouilly-sur-Loire, where the famous Pouilly-Fumé is produced, to the Coteaux du Giennois overlooking Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire. This route also takes in Sancerre on the other side of the river in the Cher.

For more information on Burgundy, go to www.burgundy-tourism.com.

Christmas Markets in Luther Country

In Germany’s Luther Country, Advent means Christmas markets. The crisp winter air is filled with the smell of ginger and nutmeg, signaling the arrival of Stollen, a special Christmas cake, and Glühwein, mulled wine. Cobbled streets and squares, lined with half-timbered medieval houses, provide the backdrop for dozens of wooden stalls, selling wooden toys and Christmas decorations, handcrafted gifts and seasonal foods, such as Zimtsterne (cinnamon stars) and Lebkuchen (soft, spiced cookies).

Brass bands play and choirs sing carols, often written by Martin Luther himself. In fact, many Christmas traditions were supposedly instigated by the Protestant reformer 500 years ago. Legend insists one dark and starry night, Luther was touched by the beauty of the pine trees. On returning home, he cut down a tree, took it into his house and decorated it with candles. As well as the Christmas tree, Luther is credited with the idea of Christkind, the Christ child bringing presents. (Kris Kringle is still familiar in many U.S. homes). Concerned that Saint Nicholas, who delvered his gifts on December 6, was too popular, Luther came up with an alternative to “Santa Claus”: a golden angel, with wings and a crown.

Here are just some of Luther Country’s most authentic Christmas markets.

(clockwise) Christmas Stollen; Lebkuchen; Zimtsterne

ERFURT
November 27 – December 22
Although Erfurt’s 162nd Christmas Market spreads throughout the old town, the focus is on the Domplatz, the vast Cathedral Square. The 200 market booths sell everything from Thuringian bratwurst (Germany’s favorite grilled sausage) and Christmas cookies to handmade toys or traditional, handmade Christmas decorations. Children love the giant Ferris wheel,

the 90-foot-tall Christmas tree covered in candles, and the 40-foot-high wooden pyramid. Most of all, they love the nativity scene, set in a fairytale forest, complete with near life-sized, hand-carved figures. Gardeners should not miss the floral Christmas exhibition in the underground vaults of the cathedral.

LUTHERSTADT WITTENBERG
November 28 – December 23
In the market square, a statue of Luther looks out across the Christmas market, with its stalls decorated with pine boughs, lights and Christmas ornaments. In the air is the scent of mulled wine and roasted almonds. Across the square is the Marienskirche (St. Mary’s Church), where Luther preached. Special are the town’s Adventshöfe, medieval courtyards, where local artists and craftsmen sell their wares. In the Cranach Courtyard, named for Luther’s great friend and painter Lucas Cranach, the weekend of December 8 and 9 features weavers and knitters, wood carvers and basket makers.

QUEDLINBURG
November 30 – December 23
With more than 1,300 half-timbered houses, Quedlinburg is one of Europe’s most romantic cities. And during the Christmas Market, strolling along the cobbled streets is like walking through history. One unique event is the “Advent in den Höfen” (December 1-2, 8-9, 15-16), when some 20 private courtyards open to sell special Christmas gifts, often handmade. Another highlight is the world’s largest Advent calendar! At 4:30 p.m. every afternoon for 24 days, children look out for the star that marks the house where the next scene in the Advent calendar will appear. When the door opens, fairytale characters appear and dance, sing or play for spectators.

WERNIGERODE
November 30 – December 22
Dominated by its 12th-century castle, Wernigerode’s annual Christmas market has a fairy story backdrop: a 15th-century town hall, half-timbered houses and a 35-foot-tall Christmas tree. The stalls serve traditional food and drink, hand-made toys and ornaments for the home; evenings are filled with concerts of seasonal music. From December 15 to January 8, 2013, the Castle hosts its own special Winter Market. Children meet a fairy at 3 p.m. and receive presents from St. Nikolaus (Santa Claus) at 4 p.m. They also love to ride the Christmas train in a historic carriage, pulled by a steam engine through the snow-covered countryside.

LAUSCHA
December 1-2 and 8-9
Each Christmas, this small town in a steep, wooded valley in the Thuringian Forest, plays a vital role in every American home. This is where the first glass Christmas tree ornaments were created in 1847. In 1880, F. W. Woolworth, the five-and-dime store pioneer, brought a batch of these glass balls to his store in Pennsylvania, and the rest is history. The tradition continues in Germany’s glassblowing capital, where you can watch artisans creating works of art at Lauscha’s Museum of Glass Art. At Lauscha’s annual Christmas “Kugelmarkt,” or glass bauble market, you can buy these handmade decorations in all shapes and colors.

WARTBURG CASTLE, EISENACH
December 1-2, 8-9, 15-16
Wartburg Castle is where Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, changed history when he translated the New Testament into German. And this UNESCO World Heritage Site just outside Eisenach is still a massively impressive fortress. At Christmas, however, a historic Christmas Market transforms the castle, with artists and street performers, craftsmen and knights. Meet candle makers and barrel makers, rope makers and lantern makers, minstrels and puppeteers. With cheerful booths and medieval decorations, this is a like a trip back in time. And the medieval food is delicious, from roast apples and honey to mead.