Adventures – Page 9 – European Traveler

Pamplona

Worth a visit, even when the bulls aren’t running

By Marilyn Heimburger
Photos by Don and Marilyn Heimburger

Mention Pamplona, Spain, and most people will respond, “Oh, the running of the bulls!”

Although the Fiesta of San Fermin (July 6-14), made known internationally by Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises, is Pamplona’s most familiar claim to fame, the city boasts many other reasons for tourists to visit, even when the bulls aren’t running.

Pamplona is the capital city of the region of Navarre, a beautiful and diverse area in northern Spain, bordering France along the Pyrenees Mountains. It is just one hour by air and a little more than three hours by train from Madrid. Barcelona is a three and a half hour train ride away.

WHERE TO START
Once you’ve arrived and settled into your hotel (the city has one five-star, eight four-star and 20 three-star hotels) start your walking tour at the heart and soul of the city, the Plaza del Castillo.

This tree-lined square was named after the 14th century castle which used to be at one of its corners, and was the site of bullfights from the mid-14th century until 1844 when a bull ring was constructed. Now it has a bandstand in the center and is a popular place for leisure activities and for meeting friends. Cafes line the square, and the streets leading from the square are filled with tapas bars and small shops.

The Cafe Iruna, which looks out onto the Plaza del Castillo, was a favorite meeting place of Ernest Hemingway. It includes the Hemingway Bar, where a life-sized statue of Hemingway leans on the counter, awaiting your Kodak moment. This large cafe was the first location in Pamplona to install electric lights. With its mirrored walls and mirrored mosaic trim bordering the ceiling, the cafe demonstrated the new lights in 1888. Residents gathered inside with anticipation, and as the electric lights were turned on, they rushed in terror to the exits, suspecting witchcraft was responsible for the illumination. The cafe remains an everyday meeting place for the locals. A two-course meal with dessert and beverage costs 13 euros. Or just have coffee while you plan the rest of your route.

SEE THE PAST IN THE PRESENT
Be sure to visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria, in what was the old Borough of La Navarreria. Look for the magnificent alabaster tomb of King Carlos III of Navarre and his wife Eleanor, the 16th century stained glass windows and the 13th-14th century Gothic cloister, which is considered one of the finest in Europe. When the church’s ancient Romanesque exterior collapsed, it was replaced during the 17th century with a Neo-Classical facade, hiding the French-Gothic interior. The figure of Mary in the main altar under the silver canopy has been nicknamed “Mary of the Adopted Child,” since the child in the sculpture is a replacement for the original, stolen during the 16th century. For that reason many families present their adopted children here.

If you visit during the spring, notice the blossom-filled chestnut trees that surround the cathedral. In the fall, pick up a fallen chestnut and put it in your pocket. Locals believe carrying the chestnut will protect you from aches and pains in your bones!

The fortified Church of San Cernin from the ancient borough of that same name also boasts a Gothic interior. The Pocico on the outside of the church marks the location of the well where San Cernin baptized the first Christians in Pamplona. Among those baptized was San Fermin, the son of a Roman general. He became a bishop and was eventually beheaded, giving some historic significance to the red scarves worn around one’s neck during the Fiesta of San Fermin.

The Church of San Nicolas, another fortified church from the 12th century, features a watchtower, a Gothic interior, and the largest Baroque organ in Pamplona.

Gothic cloister of the Cathedral of Santa Maria.

The racket made by turning the crank of this wooden noisemaker still serves as the “Call to worship” at the Cathedral when the bells are silenced from Good Friday until Easter morning.

UNIQUE TOWN HALL
The Town Hall with its remarkable Baroque facade was built between 1753 and 1759 to replace the old one from the 15th century, which was falling into ruin. The launch of a rocket from the upper floor balcony at noon on July 6th each year marks the official beginning of the Festival of San Fermin.

The Navarre History Museum is worth the two-euro cost of admission. A short walk from the Plaza del Castillo, the former 16th century hospital, houses art and archeological exhibits which are arranged from the Prehistoric and Roman ages in the basement through the 20th century on the fourth floor. Included in the collection are intricate Roman mosaics, a Spanish-Muslim casket from the Monastery of Leyere and a painting by Goya.

Pamplona’s town hall — a rocket launched from the upper floor balcony marks the beginning of the Fiesta de San Fermin.

WALK THE BULL ROUTE
The route that the bulls run during the Sanfermines is much easier to see without dodging the bulls. Since medieval times the bulls have been driven through the streets to where the bullfights are held, first to the Plaza del Castillo and then to the bullring.

Follow the 1/2-mile route from the corral at the base of Santo Domingo Street to the niche in the wall holding a small statue of San Fermin. Here the runners pause and sing to San Fermin, asking for protection.

Continue up the street to the Town Hall Square, where the area is wider and runners have many places to escape. Make the 90-degree turn where the bulls often slip and fall, onto Estafeta Street, and look up at the second floor balcony of the Gran Hotel La Perla, from which Hemingway watched the action. Here the route is narrow and the only escape from the bulls is in the doorways of buildings.

At the end of the street the route slopes slightly downhill and narrows through wooden fences that funnel the bulls and runners into the bullring. During the few minutes that the bullrun lasts, all stoplights are kept at red to allow quick passage of emergency vehicles, should they be needed.

ONE MILLION VISITORS
One million people come to Pamplona for the Sanfermines, which opens with a rocket blast from the balcony of the Town Hall at noon on July 6. The bulls run every morning at 8 am from July 7-14. Viewing space on private balconies lining the route can sell for 150 euros per tourist per day. Of the 6,000 runners, on average each year three people are gored, 80 injured and one dies about every 10 years. The runners are dressed in white with a red scarf around the neck, and carry a rolled-up newspaper to hold in front of the bull’s eyes, in case they get too close. A Sanfermines museum is being planned for 2012, so tourists can experience the July event throughout the year.

Pamplona’s Plaza de Toros (bullring) is the third largest in the world, after those in Mexico City and Madrid. The caretaker of the bullring lives year-round with his family in an adjoining house. This “concierge of the bull ring” takes great pride in keeping the building and grounds in beautiful condition, including the small chapel where the bullfighters kneel and pray before entering the ring. Tickets to the bullfights, held each day during the week of the Sanfermines, range from 400 euros in the shaded seats to 10 euros in the sun. Rumor has it that those in the sun usually have more fun partying than those watching the bullfight from the expensive seats. The money collected from ticket sales goes to charity, as does half of the meat from the bulls, which are butchered on site after the fights.

The chapel where bullfighters pray before entering the ring.

Outside of the bullring stands a statue of Ernest Hemingway, who made the Fiesta of San Fermin and the running of the bulls internationally famous. On the morning of July 6, the opening day of the Fiesta, a group of young people traditionally tie a huge red scarf around the statue’s neck, declaring that the festivities can now begin, since Hemingway has joined the party.

DRAMATIC STATUE
The Encierro statue, which vividly depicts the excitement of the running of the bulls, is located a short walk from the Plaza del Castillo, in modern Pamplona. First erected with fewer figures, the statue was so well received that the artist was asked to add to it. The enlarged statue was completed in 2006. The artist put his own face on the figure in the front, about to be stepped on by the bull.

TASTY TAPAS
Known here as “pinchos” (the Basque word for tapas) these tasty, unique small portions of seafood, vegetables, meat and pastries are served in bars on the streets that fan out from the Plaza del Castillo. Although pinchos are available all day, eating dinner late is the norm here, so after 9:30 p.m. wander in and out of the small bars and sample a variety of the offerings while standing at the bar with a glass of wine. Many of the recipes are award winners in local and national competitions. Look for the framed certificates proudly displayed on the walls. Baserri won first place for its vegetable Rubik’s cube. Bar Gaucho is also popular with the locals. An award-winning pincho in the “textures” category features slow-cooked salmon topped with a paper-thin loop of raw white asparagus.

Baserri’s award-winning pincho, the vegetable Rubik’s cube.

FINE DINING
Pamplona and the region of Navarre boast three restaurants with a one-star Michelin rating. One of them is Rodero, located near the bullring and offering a creative tasting menu of an appetizer, three starters, two second courses and two desserts for around 60 euros.

Relatively new to Pamplona is La Mar Salada, featuring chef Martin Iturri, who worked briefly in Chicago with the Lettuce Entertain You organization. His tasting menu, including two types of paella, a rice dish, is outstanding.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Originally a Vasconian settlement called Iruna (meaning “city”), Pamplona was named after Roman General Pompey, who founded the city in 75 BC, complete with drains, walls, moats, public baths, temples and houses. Remains of the Roman baths were recently found under the streets of the old quarter while upgrading the town’s infrastructure.

Occupied by Visigoths and Muslims between the 6th and 9th centuries, the Kingdom of Pamplona was founded in the 10th century by the city’s nobles. The city grew during the next two centuries primarily because of the steady stream of pilgrims trekking over the Pyrenees Mountains through Pamplona to the tomb of St. James at Santiago de Compostela. Travelers who decided to stay in Pamplona, and French traders and free artisans who came to provide services for the pilgrims, founded the Boroughs of San Cernin and San Nicolas. These two boroughs, along with the Borough of the Navarreria, which was inhabited by the locals, were each surrounded by walls, had its own fortified cathedral, and was governed separately.

In 1423 King Carlos III ordered walls between the boroughs to be removed, unified their outer walls, and built a city hall where the current 18th century city hall now stands. Pamplona became a fortress city with the construction of a Citadel and was a stronghold for defending Spain against France. The Citadel, considered the best example of Spanish renaissance military architecture, is now the site of beautiful parks and gardens. More than three miles of the medieval walls are still in beautiful condition, inviting a walk through historic gates, to ancient bastions and over bridges.

Expansion outside of the city walls didn’t begin until the end of the 19th century. Until then, growth within the walls meant not more but taller buildings, an unusual sight in Spanish cities, where 2-3 story structures are the norm. You can see these tall and colorful buildings in the old quarter along the streets that fan out from the Plaza del Castillo.

The symbol of a shell identifies the hostel where pilgrims can spend the night for six euros.

A pilgrim from Canada with her credentials for walking the Way of St. James.

PILGRIMAGE PATH THROUGH PAMPLONA
The Pilgrim’s Way to St. James (Camino de Santiago) has passed through Pamplona for centuries. According to legend, the body of St. James the Apostle was brought by boat to the “end of the western world,” after he was beheaded by in Jerusalem in 44 AD. It is said that his body arrived in the boat covered in scallop shells, and was buried in secret in Compostela, forgotten until re-discovered in 812. Compostela became an important pilgrimage site, with the number of pilgrims reaching its peak in the 12th century.

In the 1980’s interest in the Way to St. James rebounded. A total of 82,000 pilgrims are expected this year because the Feast of St. James (July 25) falls on a Sunday, an event which doesn’t happen again for 11 years. Pilgrims register their name, age, country of origin, and motivation for making the pilgrimage, and carry a credential, which is stamped each time they reach the next destination on their trek. Once spring begins, pilgrims can be seen throughout Pamplona, wearing hiking shoes, large backpacks, and carrying the symbolic scallop shell somewhere on their load. The pathway is marked with the shell symbol and yellow arrows. Hostels provide a place to sleep along the way for a few euros a night.

GREEN CITY
Pamplona, with a population of 180,000, is very proud of its parks, which comprise more than 20% of the city. In fact, the city claims to be the greenest city in Spain, with almost 34 square yards of green space per resident.

An English-style garden (the largest park in the city) is built on the facing of the Citadel. The interior of the Citadel houses the Ciudadela Park. There you’ll find an open-air sculpture museum and military buildings housing art exhibitions. Taconera Park is on a bastion of the ancient walls, and contains a zoo (yes, a zoo) within the moat.

In addition to many other parks, including a Japanese garden, there is a 7-1/2-mile walking path along the Arga River with areas to picnic and fish. Most are easily accessible by foot from the old quarter, ready to explore and enjoy.

EXCURSIONS OUTSIDE OF PAMPLONA
The region of Navarre offers diverse landscapes and opportunities for excursions outside of Pamplona, from the Pyrenees in the north to desert in the south.

The 13th century Romanesque Church of Saint Mary of Eunate is located southwest of Pamplona toward Estella, on the Pilgrim’s Way to St James. The origin of the peculiar octagonal stone building is unclear. Some legends connect it with the Templars, some as a shelter or hospital for 13th century pilgrims, many of whom appear to have been buried there. Some attribute to it the same mystical energies as that of Stonehenge and the pyramids. It continues to be a popular stop for pilgrims today.

HOW ABOUT A WINERY TOUR?
Navarre is known for its fine wines. The Arinzano Winery operated by the Chivite family has been awarded Pago status, which is the highest level of wine in Spain, an achievement shared with only four other estates in the country. The beautiful estate and winery lies along the Ega River, and is open for tours.

Chef Jose at Restaurante Principe de Viana serves vegetables harvested that morning from his market garden.

The area around Tudela, about 60 miles south of Pamplona, is known for its market gardens, producing excellent vegetables from the rich soils in the flood plain of the Ebro River. Visit Restaurante Principe de Viana in Murchante, where Chef Jose Aguado prepares vegetables harvested that morning from his family’s garden. A local specialty served only in April and May is menestra, a vegetable stew with asparagus, artichokes, lettuce hearts, peas, beans and chunks of ham.

*Menestra*, a vegetable stew served only in April and May, is a local specialty. *Photo courtesy Restaurante Príncipe de Viana*

OIL FROM OLIVES
It is a little known fact that Spain produces more olive oil than Italy. To find out how it’s done, visit Hacienda Queiles, an olive oil producer in the Tudela area, that prides itself on green technology and excellent quality. Its olive oil is sold in the United States at Dean and DeLuca, Williams Sonoma and Whole Foods. Tours are available for individuals, families, or groups; e-mail Juan.barral@haciendaqueiles.com

WHERE TO STAY
The city’s only five-star hotel is the historic Gran Hotel La Perla, ideally located in the heart of the old quarter on the Plaza del Castillo. Ernest Hemingway stayed here each time he returned to Pamplona. In fact, his room (which was number 217 until the hotel was extensively remodeled and renumbered to 201) is still as it was when he stayed in it. His balcony overlooks Estafeta Street, where he watched the running of the bulls without leaving his room. Only the bathroom has been enlarged and modernized. Other celebrities, including Orson Welles and violinist Pable Sarasate, also stayed here.

Owned by the same family for three centuries, the hotel’s renovated lobby of glass and stainless steel with white marble floors and stairways is punctuated with antiques from its earlier days: among them an original switchboard, mailbox, and the first elevator in Pamplona, which was still in use until 1991. The hotel also purchased some furnishings, including wooden chairs now in the hotel library, and original recipes (still used with some personal touches) in the hotel restaurant, La cocina de Alex Mugica, from Hemingway’s favorite restaurant when it closed.

Among Pamplona’s eight four-star hotels is the elegant Palacio Guendulain, built in the 18th century palace of the Viceroy of New Granada. Located a short walk from the Plaza del Castillo, it was the residence of the Guendulain family (now living in Madrid) for over two centuries until the end of 2008, and opened as a hotel in September 2009. It has 25 guest rooms, a lounge bar and facilities for meetings and events. Some of the guest rooms use furnishings original to the palace. The carriage on the hotel logo pays homage to the exquisite gilded carriage, also original to the palace, which is on display in the lobby.

Antique switchboard from earlier days at the Gran Hotel la Perla

SLEEP IN A PALACE
The Royal Palace of Olite is a beautifully restored 15th century palace, part of which is now a Parador, or hotel. It was commissioned by Carlos III, the king of Navarre who unified Pamplona, and whose alabaster tomb lies in the Cathedral of Santa Maria. It was one of the most luxurious palaces in Europe in its day and contains a hanging garden designed for the king’s wife. Stay in the palace overnight, or for a delightful day trip from Pamplona, take a tour of the palace and the adjoining chapel of St. George, and eat your midday meal at the Parador restaurant.

LOCAL GUIDE
For an English-speaking tour guide who can lead you through Pamplona with insight, humor and local anecdotes, contact Francisco Glaria with Novotur guias.

A knight in armor stands guard at
the Parador of Olite.

TRAVELING THROUGH MADRID?
If you stay overnight in Madrid at the beginning or end of your Pamplona adventure, stay at the Hotel Meninas, located a short walk from Madrid’s Royal Palace and the Madrid Opera House. The adjoining El Cafe de La Opera features professional opera singers who serve you and perform arias while you enjoy your meal.

For information about Pamlona, go to: www.pamplona.es; for complete information about accommodations in Pamplona and the region of Navarre see: www.visitnavarra.info, or www.hostelerianavarra.com; for Spain, www.spain.info.

Central Germany’s Fast Trains

A Rail Europe ticket: your key to the country

By Marilyn Heimburger
Photos by Don Heimburger

Trains in Germany are fast, clean and on time. The comprehensive system that includes high speed trains, regional express trains, local trains, street cars and even buses, is so convenient that in the almost two dozen trips I’ve taken to Germany and bordering countries, I’ve never rented a car to get where I needed to be. But I have picked up some tips to make your train travel much easier.

For maximum flexibility in rail travel, a rail pass from Rail Europe is the way to go. Passes can be purchased for the number of days you need to travel over the course of a determined period of time. You must purchase your pass before leaving your country of origin.

On a recent two-week trip, which included a week-long river cruise in central Germany, I traveled by train before and after the boat trip. So my rail pass was for exactly five days of train travel (any days I chose) over the course of one month, starting on the day the pass is validated. Before boarding the train, fill in the date, have your passport with you on the train, and your ticket is valid for travel all day, on as many trains as you like. Some express trains may require an additional reservation fee; ask an agent if you’re unsure.

FIVE DAYS OF TRAIN TRAVEL
After landing in Frankfurt, I used the first of my five days of train travel to go from the airport to the main Frankfurt train station. Trains leave from the airport to the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof every few minutes. From the train station I could walk to my hotel. Since the main train stations of major European cities are usually in the historic town centers, you can usually walk to most of the “must see” historic destinations. The historical centre of Hamburg, which is North of Frankfurt, is situated between the Main Station and Gansemarkt and there’s a variety of hotels available if heading that route. Sometimes bicycles are also available for rent from Deutsch Bahn train stations.

The next morning I again filled in the date on my rail pass for the day’s travel, which included an S Bahn train to Mainz, a regional express train to Saarbrucken, a Regionalbahn train to Merzig, and finally, a bus to Remich, Luxembourg, where the river cruise began.

The following local trains are available in Germany:

RegionalExpress (RE)
The RegionalExpress connects cities and offers travel in comfortable modern trains. It leaves at regular intervals and links local to long-distance trains.
Regionalbahn (RB)
The Regionalbahn offers a basic service from all local stations. It provides the connection between the regions and city centers. It also connects to the RegionalExpress.
S Bahn
The S Bahn services high-density areas, leaving in quick, regular intervals. Some S Bahn stations have access to longer distance regional trains, making travel within the city and between cities easier.

How do you find the right train? The very large train stations will have electronic signboards listing train destinations, the track (Gleis), and time of departure. If your train isn’t listed, wait a few minutes, and check again. The board is constantly updated as trains come and go. It will also list delays and cancellations. At smaller stations, a list of daily arrivals and departures is printed on signage on the platform. Go to the correct track number, and check the sign on the platform to make sure your destination is listed. Then keep an eye on the clock (there’s usually one on the platform at most midsize and major train stations) and watch your train arrive, usually right on time.

If your rail pass is for first class travel, as the train arrives, look for the cars with a number “1” on the side, indicating first class seating. While even second class sections are comfortable, first class is usually more luxurious, air-conditioned and roomier. Layover time at a station is often short, so it’s important to board quickly. You can move to the first class seating area once you’re on board, but it’s harder if you have a lot of bulky luggage.

Look for the signs inside the train to learn your next stop.

MAKING CONNECTIONS
When you’ve found a seat, look for the automated sign inside the car that indicates the next stop, and be ready to exit when your destination approaches. Not all trains have this, so having a pre-printed schedule in your hand prior to boarding is helpful. You can print these out from the Rail Europe website before you leave home. To find your next connection at the next station if you need to, check the station train board for the time and track number. If the layover is long enough, stop for a coffee or a snack, or get a sandwich and drink to enjoy on the train at one of the many food shops located in the larger train stations.

The last leg of my day’s travel was by bus to Remich, where the cruise ship was waiting. Since my pass was for travel in Germany only, it was not valid for the bus to Remich. However, the bus ticket was easily purchased from the driver after boarding. Bus stations are usually right next to the train stations, and schedules between trains and busses are coordinated for easy connections.

After disembarking the cruise at Nuremburg, I made my way to the main train station by cab, checked the large signboard, and found the track for my next destination: Dresden. Once again, I wrote the date for my third day of travel in the appropriate square on the rail pass before boarding. You must write in this date prior to each day’s trip.

This inter-regional express train, one-fifth of which was devoted to first class seating, had some cars designated to leave the train at Bayreuth. Look for the signs on the sides and front of each car to be sure the car you’re riding is going all the way to your destination, since some cars may be transferred to other towns en route.

Even though this was a regional train, it traveled at upwards of 90 miles per hour, past farmland, forests, streams and rolling hills and through tunnels, often on super-elevated tracks, and in areas where double tracks allowed for quick, through traffic. The first-class seating area had a table at which I could comfortably eat the sandwiches I bought along. If you don’t have a chance to purchase food at the station, usually a snack cart on long-haul trains is wheeled through periodically, offering coffee, drinks and snacks.

After four days in Dresden, I filled in the fourth travel date on my pass for the trip from Dresden to Frankfurt. In the Dresden Hauptbahnhof, I again bought food to eat on board while waiting for the signboard to list the train to Frankfurt. This trip would be on an ICE (InterCityExpress), one of the premier luxury trains on the Deutsch Bahn rail system. Once on the track platform, I looked for the chart listing the train equipment on this route. Waiting areas on the platform are designated “A”, “B”, “C” and “D”. Check this chart to find where the first class cars are in the train’s consist, and note where they line up in the ABCD waiting areas. You now know where the car you want will be as the train pulls into the station, allowing for quicker boarding.

RESERVATIONS MAY BE NEEED
Reserving a seat is recommended on some heavily-traveled routes, even if you have a first class reservation. Making a reservation costs a small amount and is easily accomplished at a Deutsch Bahn service counter at main train stations. The lines move quickly, most agents speak English and will efficiently take care of your request.

With a reservation you are assigned a specific seat in a specific car. The seat will have a sign above it designating it as “reserved,” and is reserved solely for you. Sometimes seats are reserved for a segment of the route beginning at a station down the line, and these seats must also be kept free for the passenger who reserved them, even if they are empty for the first part of the trip. Sometimes reservations on busy routes fill up quickly, so decide early if you want to be sure to have a seat. I didn’t bother with reservations on another trip from Vienna to Venice once, and ended up clutching my first class ticket while sitting on my suitcase the entire way in the vestibule of the standing-room only car.

Since Dresden was the starting point for this train, the equipment was already at the station ready for boarding when I arrived. I had plenty of time to check the “consist” at the platform, and found the car number and seat that was on the reservation. While I came prepared with sandwiches and snacks, dining car menus in first class offer coffee, tea, soft drinks, beer, wine, hot and cold sandwiches, soup, salads and pastries, which can be ordered and brought to your seat or purchased in the dining car. The menu changes monthly.

The ICE train is truly an express train. Super-elevated tracks allow for fast curves and a smooth ride, often at speeds of 100 to 120 miles per hour. The only stops were at main train stations along the route. As the beautiful German countryside sped by, I could see Wartburg Castle near Eisenach, and noted the exact location where the border and guard towers had at one time divided Germany into East and West.

Upon arrival (right on time) in Frankfurt, I walked to the hotel, and enjoyed another evening of exploring the city center on foot. The next morning I filled in the last date on the rail pass for the trip from Frankfurt’s main train station to the airport. Train travel through central Germany was easy and actually fun. I enjoyed the ride, taking it easy, and leaving the driving to someone else. These iron rails can be such a delight!

For more information, go to: www.raileurope.com or the DB website: www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/trains/index.shtml, but you will still need to purchase your ticket from Rail Europe before you go.

Budapest: Cultural Continental Capital

High-domed and in 19th-century neoclassical style, Budapest’s Royal Palace dominates high ground on the Buda side of the river. The complex includes the Hungarian National Gallery.

By Tom Bross
Photos courtesy Budapest Tourism

For a memorable trip combining two culturally rich continental capitals, start in Vienna by immersing yourself in music, fine-arts museums and some of that city’s famous Kaffeehäuser coffee houses.

DAY ONE
At the Vienna’s Westbahnhof, board an ÖBB Austrian Railways EuroCity train (www.oebb.at) headed for Budapest. The journey takes slightly more than three hours, covering 135 miles/217 km. by way of low-level Danube valley terrain. While approaching Hungary’s capital, you’re treated to urban riverbend panoramics meriting their UNESCO World Heritage eminence (as of 2002).

As they cross a high railroad bridge, passengers get wide-angle overviews of the two-part metropolitan layout. Hilly Buda, topped by the Castle District, looms above the river’s west bank. On the opposite side—with the enormous neo-Gothic Hungarian Parliament building as a focal point—flat Pest sprawls toward its parks, squares and buzzing commercial areas. (Regarding multinational Danube terminology, what’s called the Donau back in Vienna flows downstream to become the Duna here). Disembarkation at skylit, 19th-century-ornate Keleti station means you’ve arrived at Baross Square in the heart of Pest. Keleti’s completion in 1867 came when the Austro-Hungarian Empire had maximum geopolitical clout. That explains the two cities’ long-time kinship.

Several upscale hotels are in the station’s immediate vicinity such as the five-star Le Meridien, splendidly converted from a limestone police headquarters, with its 218 rooms (www.lemeridien.com). The comparably cosmopolitan Kempinski Corvinius opened in 2005 (www.keminski-budapest.com). Not as central, but walkably close to colonnaded Heroe’s Square and vast City Park, the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal dates from Hungary’s 1896 Magyar Millenium and comes complete with deluxe spa amenities (www.corinthiahotels.com). Less pricey, more intimate and decorated with contemporary panache, the four-star, 57-room Atrium Hotel (www.atriumhotelbudapest.com) opened recently on a quiet side street located three blocks south of Keleti.

If Buda’s Old World atmospherics are more to your liking, check into the family-run, 27-room Hotel Victoria (www.victoria.hu), nicely situated for Duna vistas. The newer, four-star Novotel Blue Danube (www.novotel-bud-danube.hu) is another riverfront “recommendable.” A slick, Americanized Hilton (www.budapest.hilton.hu) was added to Buda’s skyline 30 years ago.

The Chain Bridge, one of the city’s beautiful Art Nouveau landmarks.

If you’re exploring Pest at midday, take a lunch break at Mühesz, providing an international menu and Budapest-brewed Dreher beer. Choose this indoor/outdoor restaurant for its location on sophisticated Andrássy Avenue—another UNESCO World Heritage Site, lined with imposing mansions and public buildings. Among them: 1884’s State Opera House, matching its Viennese counterpart for grandiose architecture and lavish interiors (Bertalan Székely’s murals on the foyer’s vaulted ceiling, for instance, and flamboyant Károly Lotz frescoes above the main hall).

Wrought-iron railings seen on this Parisan-infuenced boulevard frame stairways descending to continental Europe’s earliest subway line, the M-l metro, inaugurated in 1896 to coincide with millennium celebrations. So, sure enough, Andrássy Avenue extends straight ahead toward the Millennium Monument on Heroes’ Square—marble-paved open space.

From there, tree-shaded walkways curve into City Park’s ponds, botanical gardens, Budapest’s zoo and the Széchenyi Spa Baths, Europe’s biggest such complex, fed by thermal springs discovered 150 years ago. Backtracking to the square, make at least a quick tour of the Museum of Fine Arts before closing time at 5 p.m. (Tuesday-Sunday). Collections include Raphael’s The Esterházy Madonna and a Dürer self-portrait, plus paintings by Rembrandt, Tiepolo, El Greco, Picasso and Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s 1556 masterpiece: St. John the Baptist’s Sermon.

For tonight’s meal, choose Belmondo, virtually next door to the Opera House. Singing waiters entertain in this two-level dining salon, where fish and vegetarian courses are on the menu, augmented by an extensive wine list. Here’s your chance to taste-test classic Hungarian beef goulash, served spicey-hot and traditionally accompanied by tarhonya noodles.

Sidewalk cafés line both sides of Pest’s trendy Andrássy Avenue, one of Budapest’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

DAY TWO
Make the most of a full day in Pest. No need for a hasty breakfast, because English-language tours of Kossuth Square’s Parliament complex don’t commence until 10 a.m. The crown and coronation regalia of St. Stephen (Hungary’s revered national patron) glimmer in display cases. In nearby St. Stephen’s Basilica, admire jewel-encrusted reliquaries, mosaics and paintings. Then climb to the dome’s 315-ft./96-meter observatory for all-around city-and-river views.

In a museum-going mood? Pest has dozens—ranging from ethnography to agriculture, geology to photography, railroading to contemporary art and natural history. The memorabilia-filled Béla Bartök Memorial House (Csalán Utca 29) was the 20th-century composer’s residence. Bold Art Nouveau design makes the Museum of Applied Arts a visual standout, with aqua and gold Zsolnay ceramics covering the dome and roof in dazzling patterns. Also compelling: north-side Budapest’s Jewish Quarter and its Byzantine-Moorish, twin-turreted Great Synagogue (Dohány Utca 2), consecrated in 1859.

Ponder two lunchtime possibilities. The circa-1897 Central Market Hall (more of those multicolored Zsolnay rooftop zigzags)—jam-packed with stalls purveying produce, breads, meats and cheeses—includes an upstairs niche where drinks, sandwiches and sugar-sprinkled, paprika-seasoned palacsinta pancakes can be ordered. Or, similar vintage but classier ambience: Gerbreaud, the quintessential mid-European pastry shop/coffee house/tea room/casual restaurant, facing Vörösmarty Square’s sculpted stone fountain.

Shopping, people-watching, café-relaxing. Accomplish all three by exploring a popular pedestrian corridor, located two blocks in from Pest’s riverfront. Namely: Váci Utca, hemmed in by neoclassical, Bauhaus and radical new postmodern buildings.

When nightfall approaches, floodlights click on, illuminating the historic Chain Bridge (1849) and Baroque buildings flanking Pest’s riversides. Your cue for a boat ride, therefore time to settle into Spoon, a sociable onboard restaurant. Follow dinner with drinks in the lounge, ideally big-windowed for watching the city lights while cruising the Duna.

DAY THREE
Ride a funicular railway up a 48-degree slope to reach the Buda heights, locale of the Royal Palace. Amidst courtyards, gardens and ornamental gateways, attractions inside this neoclassical include the Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest History Museum and Hungary’s National Library (containing more than two million books).

Beneath the ramparts, rows of Gothic and Baroque housefronts overhang tangles of gaslit streets laid out in the Middle Ages, now loaded with souvenir shops. (You’ll notice pockmarked walls, hit by bullets fired during the 18-day Hungarian Revolution in autumn 1956—Budapest’s heroic populace vs. Soviet troops and tanks). For lunch, find a sidewalk table at Walzer, a chatty little café near Holy Trinity Square. Then stroll upward to the picturesque Fishermen’s Bastion, an arcaded pavilion dating from 1895. A longer walk gets you to Statue Park, hilltop dumping ground for 41 gigantic Communist-era statues, ripped from citywide perches after “comrade” bureaucrats and Russian Red Army soldiers finally departed in 1991.

Guitar-strumming in a 15th-century palm court complements tonight’s candlelit dinner at Alabábardos, within sight of central Buda’s tall-steepled Mátyás Church. Enjoy continental cuisine along with fine Hungarian and Austrian wines.

DEPARTURE
A Hungarian National Railroad line connects Pest’s Nyugati station (a decade “younger” than Keleti) with domestic and international terminals at Ferihegy Airport (BUD), 10 miles/16 km. southeast of town. The transfer takes merely half an hour.

Beginner’s Budapest

By Don Heimburger
Photos by the author

The Eastern European capitals are becoming “closer” to visit each year with better airline routes, and in some cases, reasonably-priced tickets. It’s really not correct to call them “Eastern,” a friend of mine said, because if you look at a map of Europe, they are still close to the “West.” Consider perhaps cities in Belarus, the Ukraine and Romania as “Eastern,” he suggests.

So Budapest, a recent destination of mine and the capital of Hungary, was not particularly hard to reach, after I determined that a Rail Europe train ticket was the most economical form of transportation from Munich. It was, however, a 7 hour and 22-minute train ride from the Bavarian capital, but with trains being an easy and relatively inexpensive form of European travel, I opted for that.

FIRST IMPRESSION
My first impression of this city of about 2 million people (it’s much larger than Prague), came as I departed the train and walked among hundreds of train travelers to the door of the massive train station, where I met hundreds more people on the streets. The city seemed vibrant, active and alive. It also seemed like I should have studied the Hungarian culture a bit more before I arrived, just to ground myself better in what I was about to see.

Divided by the Danube, the city is really two cities in one—hilly Buda in which is located Castle Hill—and Pest, located on the east side, and flat. The most prominent building on the river is the Parliament Building, closed when I was there because of a national holiday. In fact, the whole area was roped off by the police.

My overriding concern about going to Hungary was the language: I didn’t know a word of Hungarian, and I found it hard to pronounce words. I did learn that “Utca” meant “street,” “Hid” meant “bridge,” and “Furdo” meant ”bath.” I also found as I went along that I didn’t necessarily need to know any words in Hungarian. Most of the shopkeepers, hotel personnel and tourist guides knew enough English so that I could communicate well enough.

GUIDEBOOK HELPS
I’d suggest picking up a guidebook at a local travel store before arrival, and then arranging for a city tour of the highlights before attempting to proceed on your own. The reason for the city tour is that because of the size of the city, you’ll not likely be able to find all the attractions yourself, or want to walk to them yourself.

The tour (www.cityrama.hu), will take several hours, but you will have seen the crème of the attractions of the city. If you plan to stay a few days, the Budapest Card provides free services or discounts at more than 100 places, from public transportation and museums, to thermal baths and restaurants.

The three-hour Cityrama “City Tour” costs 28 euro and includes free taxi pickup at your hotel. The tour starts at the Chain Bridge, which is especially beautiful at night; a romantic walk along the river near the Chain Bridge is memorable. The Parliament Building, built in 1896 for the city’s millennium celebration, features a unique Neo-Gothic design, and reminds one of its counterpart in London. At one time a large red communist star was anchored from the tallest spire. Guided tours are available in the portion of the building which was vacated by the House of Lords.

Behind the Parliament is Kossuth Ter, filled with monuments such as the one to Lajos Kossuth who led an uprising in 1848. The Museum of Ethography (focusing on folk art and country life) in the old Supreme Court Building houses artifacts from the pre-WWI days in Hungary.

Shops, theaters, cafes and more line the Andrassy Ut as the road connects the City Park where you’ll find the zoo with its playful buildings, the famous Szechenyi Baths with several different pools to soak in, the Vajdahunyad Castle (a replica of the famous castle in Transylvania), the Museum of Fine Arts, the Palace of Art and Heroes’ Square. At the baths, you’ll soak in water containing calcium-magnesium-hydrogen carbondate and sulphate-cloride.

I spent quite of bit of time in this area of the city, and would have spent more if the weather had cooperated. Heroes’ Square is where you’ll meet the most “historic” Hungarians in statue form; the very large open area has as its backdrop the imposing Millennium Monument. In the adjacent City Park is where the famous Gundel Restaurant is located (see sidebar). During the 19th century, citizens used to ride their horses in this place and take along a picnic lunch. In the winter, the lake is frozen, so ice skating is a popular past time.

In the other direction, the House of Terror, former headquarters of the Nazi-sponsored Gestapo and secret police, Budapest Opera House, with its neo-Renaissance architecture, fits well with the similarly-elegant neighborhood on Andrássy Avenue. Hungary’s greatest architect, Miklós Ybl, designed the building for the Millennium celebrations. Construction started in 1875 and the building was finished in 1884. Ybl oversaw the work himself with painstaking care. Hundreds of statues and paintings decorate the building both inside and out.

Another attraction in Pest is the Great Market Hall, a multi-level cavernous structure at the end of Vaci Utca, which should take care of most of your food needs if you’re looking for fresh meats, bakery goods, fruits or vegetables or paprika, and it will also satisfy your need for Hungarian souvenirs. This is a good place to hang out for a couple of hours and find lunch at one of the many fast food stalls,

At Buda Hill, you can walk up the hill (about 30 minutes), or take the chairlift to the top of Janos Hill (1,729 feet). The Erzsebet Lookout tower offers a panorama overview of the city below. The area is divided between the “royal” section and the civilian section, with Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion highlights of the civilian section. Streets that lead away from Trinity Square are dotted with Baroque-style buildings and mansions that hide Gothic ruins.

For a rest and refreshment, try ice cream or a pastry at the Ruszmurm Cafe or sit for a while at Kapisztran Square and listen to the bells of the Magdalena Tower. Be sure to see the Royal Place complex. Once the home of lords and royals, it is now the home to museums.

There are more than 200 museums in Budapest, some of which include the Hungarian National Museum, the Budapest History Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Military History and the Ludwig Museum.

An interesting aspect of Budapest that many may not know about are the caves in the area. Monaco is the only other city that can boast a dripstone cave—Budapest has several open to the public: there’s the Palvogy, the Szemlo and Matthias Hill caves (qualified climbers only).

More highlights:

New York Cafe—The most ornate cafe of 320 that operated in the years preceding WWI, and it has remained the most elegant since. Gilded columns, reliefs and shining mirrors evoke the aesthetics of the early 1900s.
The square-shaped chocolate cake named after Jancsi Rigo, a gypsy musician, and its original creator Joseph Dobos, is a caramel-covered cake you’ll want to try while you’re in town.
Margaret Island, in the middle of the Danube, is a large, lovely park where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

What have I left out? Actually quite a bit, but once there you’ll have plenty to do and see. Hungary’s capital is the hub of political, artistic and social energy. It’s full of history and grandeur, big bridges and wide boulevards. With impressive treasures and friendly people, Budapest is a spot you’ll not want to miss.

Wine Festivals Abound in Germany’s Historic Cities

From the first red wine produced along the Mosel River during Roman rule to the sweet Riesling for which the country is renowned, German wine is woven into the country’s culture and history.

Many member cities of the Historic Highlights of Germany are inviting travelers to experience this firsthand this fall with a series of wine-themed events, activities and offers.

In Mainz, more than 50 wine growers from throughout the region assemble during the first weekend in September for the annual Mainz Wine Market (photo at left). The event has craft stalls, rides, music and fireworks and, of course, dozens of wine stands. Wine-making goes back nearly 2,000 years in Trier, where several two-night packages feature special themes such as wine cultivation during Roman rule and a combination of World Heritage site visits and wine culture.

In Heidelberg, packages include the Heidelberg Wine and Chocolate Tasting with five wines from regional vineyards and five fine chocolates. Wine has long been central to life in Koblenz, located at the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers, where the “Wine Village” welcomes visitors to enjoy a glass of wine in the quiet setting of half-timbered houses.

Würzburg, situated on the Main River, is home to several wine estates, where visitors can enjoy tours and wine-tastings—including the Juliusspital, whose 400-year old, 800-foot long wine cellar makes it one of the oldest and largest German wineries.

Historic Highlights of Germany suggests two “Dream Routes” that focus on wine. Click on “Dream Routes” on our site at: www.historicgermany.com