Planning your Europe trip and in need of help with your itinerary? Or perhaps you are looking for additional information to ensure hassle-free travel? Whether in need of travel tips, thorough info about your destinations, or even ideas on where to go within your budget and the best modes of transport/accommodation – I’m here to help you out!
I have been living in Europe for the last six years, and with my aim of spending less while seeing more, I always conduct extensive research and planning before any travels! To be honest, I love travel planning and have helped several people with their itineraries or even finding out the cheapest and most reasonable travel options for them. I have lived in Germany and Switzerland so far and have extensive knowledge about the area. I am, in fact, one of those people who browse for cheap flights on a DAILY basis and am constantly curious about different cultures, vegetarian food options, and unique experiences.
I would love to help you have a great time on your travels and explore more!
All you need to do is fill out this form below so I can get to know your interests, preferences, and ideas, and I’ll get back to you with a quote as soon as possible.
I remember the moment I started daydreaming about Venice, about seven years ago, while spending the summer with my grandma in a town far away on a different continent. At the time, I was involved in a project with other students and was looking at prospective international conferences to present the same. On coming across one in Venice, my heart started fluttering and my mind conjured up picturesque images of multiple small islands, where we would need a boat even to travel from the conference venue to our accommodation, presumably. Out of all the thoughts I might have had, one fragment of imagination which still remains etched in my mind seemed like a slow-motion scene from a movie, or a dream – with the wind blowing gently across my face, dress fluttering, being surrounded by water and having a Venice boat ride or a typical Gondola, for that matter, as the only means to move around. Unfortunately, that event didn’t work out for us and with that, my Venetian dreams took a backseat. This is certainly an exaggeration, I thought to myself later. After all, can Venice really be that dreamy? Cut to Easter 2017, when after having moved to Europe 5 years ago, I finally took the train to Venice to see the City of Water for myself. Little did I know that just after exiting the St.Lucia railway station, Venice would instantly take my breath away! I gasped in surprise as I was greeted by blue waters of the Venetian canal with the majestic Church of San Simeone Piccolo in the backdrop, instead of trams and buses as is the case generally. It’s time to explore the magical city, I said to myself, as my heart started fluttering the same way for Venice as in the summer of 2010. Here’s an insight into a local and offbeat Venice experience- rowing during a local boat ride in Venice and visiting local wine bars (Bacaros) as an alternative to the expensive Gondola rides.
Over the years, I’ve realized how much I love exploring the local culture, history, and cuisine, beyond just the touristy sights and places mentioned in the likes of ‘Top 10’s’ and Must-sees’. Before visiting Venice, I knew that what I would really love doing would be meeting and talking to the craftsmen of Venice – not just taking a gondola ride, for instance, but finding out more about the people who make them; not just buying any masks available but visiting a local craftsman and asking him about his work routine. With that in mind, I was glad to come across Wanderjack Italy, a startup focussing on creating personalized experiences for exploring the Veneto and Sicily regions, meeting and helping local communities as much as possible. For my first evening in Venice, I was invited to join the Sailing Bacaro Experience with Venice On Board and I was more than happy on finding out that it would involve meeting local craftsmen as well as learning how to row a traditional boat. Bacaro, by the way, refers to local wine bars, and I was curious to try the Cicchetti, or snacks, similar to Spanish Tapas.
Fun fact: Venice has a total of 118 islands, linked by bridges and canals. Isn’t that mind-blowing?
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Check out some boat tours in Venice:
VENICE BOATS: WHAT ARE THE BOATS NAMED?
While visiting Venice, the most common sight would be that of Gondolas – the iconic boats featured in almost every dreamy picture of Venice you might have seen. However, I didn’t know that in the past, they served mainly as transportation for the rich. In fact, it is extremely expensive to build one and get a license to become a Gondolier (think 20,000 Euros approx). As a result, it is pretty expensive to take a Gondola ride too – 80 euros for half an hour or so. You can decide if you want to get on it alone or with a group of people (up to 6 max). Interestingly, there were 15 other types of boats in use earlier, one of which has been completely out of production now and there aren’t enough resources or demands to make many of the others, as Gondolas remain the focus of tourists. My local Jack, Elena, who happened to be the founder of Wanderjack, met us at the busy St.Lucia station and led us through the quiet lanes of Cannaregio to arrive at the veniceonboard workshop. Just in a few moments, we were transported from a busy area full of people to absolutely quiet and narrow lanes of the former Jewish Ghetto. It was astonishing to see how quickly it was possible to stray away from the most touristy areas to the more residential and local ones.
A Kosher bakery spotted in the Cannaregio district of Venice, the former Jewish Ghetto
The workshop that I visited focussed on making Fórcolas, rowlocks needed on boats to rest and operate the oars. It hadn’t occurred to me earlier how different people or even workshops might be involved in manufacturing various units needed for a boat to operate. So, there could be different workshops for boats, oars and Forcolas. Interestingly, the height and angle of the Forcola influence the rowing and so, every boat owner would have to make sure they have the right one for themselves. I found out that I’d be getting to row a Topa, one of the traditional flat-bottomed boats, and sail across the Cannaregio Canal to reach the Bacaro. The organization utilizes the proceeds from these rowing/sailing tours in the restoration of older boats and supporting the local craftsmen. On meeting a craftsman working on restoring a Gondola additionally, I asked how much time it would take for him to complete the work. Not knowing what to expect, I was really surprised on knowing it might take him about 8 months or so!
Forcolas on display. VeniceOnBoard is helping the restoration of old boats and helping the craftsmen of Venice.
Guides from Wanderjack and Veniceonboard – two enthusiastic Venetians who would love to show you their city!
VENICE OFF THE BEATEN PATH
I was eager to sail through the Venetian canal, crossing beautiful houses and churches while getting a different perspective of the island. Of course, as I’m more clumsy and less of a sportsperson, it wasn’t an easy feat for me – including climbing down to get on the boat. But, once that was out of the way, I tried to follow the rowing instructions and tell my brain to not get worked up on the angles, after all, it was all Physics! -(not that it worked too much for me anyway ) Nevertheless, Nicola from Venice on board was extremely patient and friendly and it was a pleasure to spend an hour sailing through the canal, musing over potential traffic jams and getting mesmerized by the beauty of Venice. Also, I have a new-found admiration for all you flawless rowers out there!
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Who’s the captain..eh?
At the end of our sailing experience, Elena, our local Jack, was waiting for us at one of the Bacari we were to visit. The seating arrangement outside the Bacaro was the most unique kind I have seen so far – a giant, stable boat where you could sit with the snacks and drinks purchased from the bar. Venice has a lot of strict laws, one of which allows people to sit outside on the boats only with drinks in plastic glasses – for safety purposes. If you enjoy seafood, Venice would be great for you. But, even as a vegetarian, I got to sample quite a few delicious snacks.
Fun fact: Prosecco is actually made just outside Venice. So, if you are a wine lover, definitely try the locally produced wines and Prosecco when you are in Venice. Aperol Spritz is another popular drink there, but at least one of the bars we visited seemed to take pride in the fact that they serve only the best local wines and not other popular drinks like the Spritz.
People chilling on and off boats along the canal in Venice
That particular lane was full of bars and restaurants, and you could potentially keep hopping from one to the other, taking breaks in between. However, sailing from one bar to another could be the most fun way of bar/pub crawls ever!
I really loved the whole experience and the idea of having a local guiding you through a unique experience in Venice. There’s only so much that a guide book or listicle can tell you about a destination – the best way to experience a place is indeed by meeting and talking to the locals. If you happen to visit areas surrounding Venice or Sicily, definitely check out Wanderjack – take their fun quiz to see what kind of a traveller you are, fill out a form about your preferences and travel style and you can also have their talented illustrator draw out a perfect trip , customized for you. I love the fact that they focus on sustainable and responsible travel and feel that if all of us thought about helping the local communities whenever we travel, it would make such a difference for sure.
If you’d like to live the Venetian way, sign up on Airbnb and consider staying in an apartment. Here are 19 Euros for your first booking. You can also let Wanderjack find suitable accommodation for you, of course.
A big thank you to Wanderjack for inviting me on this experience. All thoughts and opinions expressed are solely my own. Check out Venice on Board for local activities and experiences.
Venice, as soon as you exit the St.Lucia railway station.
If I ask you to imagine visiting a winery and sampling some of the finest wines, Sweden might not be the first country that pops up in your mind. But , for anyone planning a visit to Sweden anytime soon, I have news for you – You can not only visit a winery and learn about the whole winemaking process (from barrel to bottle), but can very well attend a tasting session of some of the world’s finest and even stay back at the wine-themed hotel, relaxing in the rooftop pool if you like- just outside Stockholm, Sweden!The Winery in Solna – about 10 kms from Stockholm Central, is Sweden’s and probably the world’s first combined urban winery and boutique hotel. I got the opportunity to stay at the hotel for 2 days during my trip to Stockholm, and met a lot of people choosing to stay there for a relaxing getaway. Here’s the story behind the hotel and my personal experience :
How to have a unique wine experience in Sweden
THE STORY
It is always interesting to meet people who are passionate about their work. In the case of the Söder and Ruhne families, it was their passion for sharing the art of wine-making , that led to the planning and design of The Winery. Importing grapes from their vineyards in Tuscany, Italy, they produce about 8000 bottles of their signature red wine (Winery Red) in a year and have an expert sommelier giving guided tours of their winery to all those interested. They also host one of Sweden’s biggest collection of wines from all over the world , some of which you can taste and learn more about, if you join one of the tasting sessions.
Wines from around the world
In fact, the design of the hotel is inspired by classic vineyards and the exterior has an industrial feel.On entering the hotel and taking the stairs up to your room, you can spot several of the huge oak barrels , which actually contain the aging wine. Even when you are at the reception, you can catch a glimpse of some of the huge steel tanks, through the glass wall. I also found out later that The Winery is a Green Key hotel, which means that they take a lot of steps to be environmentally friendly.
Signature red wine produced at The Winery,Sweden.
THE ROOM
I stayed in a room on the 5th floor and was glad to find a coffee machine as well as some sweet treats waiting for me. (By the way, I loved Swedish coffee and wish I could have got some back with me!) The decor is tastefully done and you can also peruse over some of the wine-related books and magazines. All rooms have wifi and mine also had a TV, safe, minibar apart from a hairdryer, bathrobe and slippers. This was super convenient as I just had to go one floor up to use the rooftop pool (which I loved) , bar or gym (which I didn’t use ofcourse). You can see how the interiors of the room , including the brick wall, the grape-green colour and huge windows correspond to the overall theme and design of the hotel. You do have the option of booking the breakfast in addition though some rooms have it included.
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RELAXING AT THE WINERY : FOOD, POOL AND MORE
As I mentioned earlier, The Winery is a great place to choose for a relaxing getaway. You can enjoy some of the Italian flavours with local ingredients as well as buy a selection of products at the Terreno Deli and pair the perfect wines with your food at the Winery Kitchen. They also host an Italian buffet brunch (inspired by Tuscany) on Sundays, which can be reserved in advance.
It was interesting to come across the concept of the prepaid card you can use at the Vinotek. Basically, you can load some money on this card and use it to sample any type of wine from the Vinotek dispensers, in the amount apt for you. Your card is charged based on the size of glass you choose.
The rooftop pool and bar are great ways to enjoy your vacation and meet new people. I personally loved starting off the day with a swim but perhaps, you might enjoy watching the sunset while taking a dip and enjoying some drinks or snacks. Do keep in mind that the rooftop bar is open in the spring and summer only. The pool might be closed in the winter if the temperatures go very low. Oak barrels also serve as tables in the rooftop bar.
The rooftop pool and bar at The Winery
GETTING TO THE WINERY, SOLNA AND EXPLORING THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
If you fly into Arlanda Airport (Stockholm has 4 airports) , you can simply take the airport bus (Flygbussarna) and get off at the Järva Krog bus stop. If you are travelling from Stockholm city, you can take the train to Solna and then take a bus to reach the hotel.
The hotel is located quite close to the Friends Arena , which hosts a lot of big concerts, sport events etc and the Mall of Scandinavia, which is said to be the biggest shopping centre in Scandinavia. If you like scenic walks or having a picnic outside, you can either walk over to the Bergius Botanic Garden or to Haga Park, which is a part of the Royal National City Park. You can also visit the garden centre near Ulriksdal Palace and enjoy an afternoon meal or cup of tea.
STOCKHOLM TIPS
If you visit Stockholm, I would personally suggest keeping a day or two to experience The Winery and using the other days to explore the city of Stockholm as well as some of the islands of the Stockholm archipelago. Of course, you can explore the city while staying at The Winery, but just make sure you have enough time to join the winery and wine tasting tours as well as enjoying the pool and facilities. For public transport, you can consider getting a Stockholm Pass, which also includes entry to several museums and points of interest.
It is very easy to take a boat ride to some of the islands – such as Vaxholm, Roslagen or even Nasslingen – which by the way is a small, private island perfect for food, wellness and natural beauty.
As I stop by the painting of the ‘Houses of Parliament’, I’m drawn by the air of mystery around it. I wonder what it must be like to see the mist over the Thames , illuminated by the rays of the setting sun. There must be something special about the city, which inspired the French impressionist artist Monet to create a series of artwork , especially focussing on the Waterloo bridge and the Charing Cross Bridge – amidst the fog. I am at the special Monet exhibition at the Fondation Beyeler Museum, Basel (Switzerland) and cannot resist revisiting his London fog paintings, over and over again. It is interesting to see how travel inspires art and art inspires travel. Isn’t it?
‘Houses of Parliament’ at sunset by Monet- 1904.Monet created this piece while working on the terrace of St.Thomas’ Hospital .
London, sometimes referred to as the ‘City of Dreams’, has inspired a lot of art, literature and hundreds of songs through the years. Interestingly, it was also called ‘The Big Smoke’ due to the rise in the pollution levels, especially in the 1890’s. But, as they say ‘ Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’ , and the rawness of London , with the characteristic fog, caught the attention of quite a few artists including Monet , inspiring him to visit the city on multiple occassions.
Monet’s thoughts on London’s fog. Picture taken at Fondation Beyeler Museum,Basel
Oscar-Claude Monet was born in Paris in 1840 , grew up in Normandy and lived in Paris for some time, where he set up his studio in Pigalle, the Montmartre area. He is known as the founder of the Impressionist Movement. He first happened to visit London when Napoleon declared war against Prussia. Along with protection, London offered him the opportunity to create more art and reach a wider audience. Together with some other French artists, Monet started painting views of the city , fascinated by the light and colours. However, he returned to France soon after and settled in Giverny, outside Paris, where his gardens became the subject of his paintings. If you visit Paris, you can take a day trip to Giverny to see Monet’s gardens. They were also briefly shown in the movie ‘Midnight in Paris’. There are some half day as well as full day tours available too, if you prefer, such as this in-depth tour by Context Travel. Several of his paintings depicting the river Siene , the iconic water lillies and Giverney can be seen at Fondation Beyeler.
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Interestingly, the paintings depicting Charing Cross and Waterloo bridges in the fog were not created during Monet’s first visit, but only after he happened to visit the city 30 years later. It was because his son,Michel, who studied in London, fell ill that Monet’s family went to visit him in London. They stayed at the luxurious Hotel Savoy , which had a perfect view over the Thames , the Charing Cross and Waterloo bridges. Monet subsequently visited London on more occassions to create art and shifted his base to St.Thomas’ Hospital to paint the House of Parliament. He was intrigued by the history as well as the modernity of the city, which is what he portrayed in his work.
Houses of Parliament,London-Credits-Eric Hissinger, Flickr
Monet’s art can be seen in several museums around the world, but until May 2017, Fondation Beyeler Museum is exhibiting 62 of his paintings from major European, American and Japanese museums to mark the 20th anniversary of the museum. “The exhibition will be a celebration of light and color”, showcasing Monet’s impressionist art as well as his popular work from the later part of his life, including Mediterranean landscapes, Atlantic coastal scenes, meadows, cathedrals and more. If you plan to visit Switzerland anytime soon, do stop by our lovely city of Basel and spend time visiting a few of the 40 museums in the city, including the Fondation Beyeler. You can also combine hiking and art while crossing the Swiss-German borders.
I have only visited London once, that too in the summer, but reading about Monet’s experience and his thoughts on London’s fog make me want to visit London in the winter too. I decided to ask some London locals what they feel about London’s fog and here is what they say –
Living in London, the beauty is that you walk a lot around the city with the high rise and historical buildings poking up around every corner. In the fog , London to me is even more beautiful. Get up at sunrise and watch as the colours change as the sun rises and fog begins to lift. I remember walking along Waterloo bridge once in the fog – it was an early morning and I was on my way to a meeting on Southbank. It was very odd as the fog was thick and you could barely see to the other side. As I walked about half way, I could hear music. The odd thing is that Londoner’s just keep on walking with stern faces in their black coats, walking quickly and not paying any attention. Looking across the bridge, the River Thames was a greyish blue and you could see parts of the city from a far poking out of the fog. It’s these times I remember about London – perhaps because in the fog, more of your senses come to life and you notice more of your surroundings. London is a fantastic place to live, with so many diversities – every day is different, but perhaps even more stunning in the fog when we get to see it in a new and different light.
As London’s fog settles into the city covering its streets and bridges like a blanket from the past, I can’t help but think of the fog that Monet captured in his Houses of Parliament paintings in 1903. His paintings capture the fog in the same way that I often experience it–moody and murky, with the tall towers ominously penetrating the blanket of fog. If I’m lucky enough to be crossing Waterloo bridge on an early morning when the fog covers the city, I notice that with each step I take towards the Houses of Parliament, each jagged steeple becomes clearer. It’s as if the blanket is being pulled up…just enough to let a toe deep in slumber slip out into the chilly morning air. As I walk by, I glance over my shoulder into the distance; reminiscing at that brief moment, now in the past. London needs it’s fog, just as much as it needs London.
What do you think about literary and artistic references to London in the fog, Paris in the rain and the overall idea of art inspiring travel? Have you lived in either of these cities or perhaps visited them? Comment below and let me know. Do share the post with anyone who loves art, travel or London!
Pin me! Foggy London image credits: MsSaraKelly-Flickr
Note: All the information about Monet’s life has been taken from the exhibition brochure and mainly from the exhibition Catalogue published by Hatje Cantz Verlag. You can buy the catalogue at the Fondation Beyeler Museum website or even buy other related books at theonline Art Shop.
I was invited to visit the museum but all opinions and feelings expressed are entirely my own.
We could all agree on the fact that love for food is universal. I don’t know about you, but one of the first things I look up while travelling to a new place is of course- food. As a vegetarian, I realize that it’s often helpful to have an idea of what to expect and what dishes to look out for while visiting a new country. So, I thought of compiling a huge post about some of the best vegetarian food options you can try out while travelling across Europe. While some may constitute appetizers, others may be good as the main course and look out for the occasional snacks or dessert items in the list. I’ll be listing countries based on their region and updating the list as I find out more. Thanks to all the bloggers and travellers who shared their thoughts about vegetarian food in Europe.
You can save the following image on Pinterest to find this post easily later. Please do share this post with all your foodie friends. Now,let’s drool over these vegetarian dishes together!
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Western Europe
Vegetarian food in Switzerland: What is Switzerland famous for?
Fondue,Raclette,Rösti and more.
I’ve been living in Switzerland for the last three years and have realized that the traditional Swiss cuisine often constitutes of potatoes,cheese,bread and meat. My personal favourite is Cheese Fondue. I absolutely love this heavenly mix of melted cheese eaten with bread and fruits. You can try it for dinner sometime if you are visiting Switzerland, but like most other things in the country, it’s not really an inexpensive option. Other vegetarian options to look out for are Raclette (potatoes,melted cheese and sometimes,vegetables), Rösti (potatoes again) or even Alpine Macaroni. Then there are some dishes typical to certain regions, like Capuns from the canton of Graubunden, Polenta from Ticino or Cholera (not at all scary) from Valais for instance. I love soups too, like pumpkin , parsnip or leek. Mehlsuppe or flour soup is popular in Basel during the Fasnacht (Carnival). Some popular snacks include the Käsewähe or Zweibelwähe that you can find in bakeries and even in big supermarkets. It is also easy to find Doner and Falafel shops or restaurants offering other cuisines like Italian, Mexican etc. I made some of my Indian friends try Swiss snacks and sweets for the first time and will be linking that video here soon. Meanwhile, here is a short video showing a cheese fondue recipe.
P.S: Switzerland and chocolates often go hand in hand. Lindt may be one of the most popular brands, but there also many others. Here is a fun video about tasting some of the Swiss chocolates and having a fun chocolate challenge!
Vegetarian food in Germany : Are there any traditional vegetarian dishes or desserts?
Germany was the first foreign country I moved to and I soon realized that it wasn’t difficult to find vegetarian food there. While the famous German food may constitute of currywurst/ sausages, Schnitzels or juicy Döner Kebabs (and beer ofcourse), you can also find some vegetarian adaptations and options like dumplings (Knödel), Spätzle, Kartoffelpuffer and more . Plus, it is very easy to buy Falafel wraps , thin pizzas and find a lot of bakeries offering a variety of vegetarian snacks (like Pretzels, Strudels) and desserts. Coffee and cake is a tradition you will observe in the country and if you have a sweet tooth like me, you might have a hard time refraining from trying all the delicious cakes and pastries available! I think my most memorable meal in Germany might have been the time I found the best dumplings with mushroom sauce, in Tübingen,Southern Germany. No matter how much I tried looking for dumplings similar in taste, somehow nothing tasted better after that.I also compiled a short post about some of the best restaurants offering vegetarian food in Bonn and Heidelberg. I am glad to have Maria from Maria Abroad tell us more about the dumplings.
Semmelknödel mit Pifferlingen (Bread dumplings with chanterelles)
This is a very popular vegetarian dish in Germany during the summer and fall months (chanterelle season). Semmelknödel are savory bread dumplings that consist of bread, egg, onion, garlic, herbs and spices. You mix the ingredients together and form tennis ball sized balls that are boiled for about 20 minutes in simmering salt water. The chanterelle cream sauce is so delicious, you want to lick your plate clean, I promise. A creamy roux, coats the juicy chanterelles and every time you bite into a mushroom, you get a burst of earthy, juicy goodness. Chanterelles, unlike most other mushrooms, cannot be grown commercially. Definitely a must try, if you are looking for a vegetarian dish in Germany, which admittedly, can be a bit harder to find in some restaurants.
semmelknödel pfifferlinge- Image from Flickr:Oliver Hallman, webzine-minden.de
Käsespätzle
Lisa from Anywhere’s Perfect shares a picture of Käsespätzle, which is basically egg pasta with a lot of cheese, topped with fried onions.
Käsespätzle commonly found in Germany
I was surprised to know that it is also possible to find Vegan Currywurst in some places! Thanks to Sonja from Film Fan Travel.
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Vegan Currywurst in Germany
The currywurst, a sausage in tomato sauce topped with yellow curry powder, is one of Germany’s most famous fast food dishes. It is especially popular in Berlin, where it is said to have originated in 1949.Nowadays you can get a decent currywurst everywhere in Germany – even a vegan or vegetarian one! For example at Curry & Co., a currywurst restaurant chain in the East German cities of Leipzig and Dresden. Here, you can choose between a steamed or smoked vegan sausage with all different kinds of sauces. My favourite is the peanut sauce! Take the skinny fries in a paper bag to go along. They are the best!Despite the name involving curry, currywurst is usually not that spicy. However, if spicy is your thing, you can certainly try how far you can go at the “Scharfrichter” restaurant in Bremen, which has specialized in hot sauces and offers vegan and vegetarian sausages along with ten different levels of spiciness.Got curious about the currywurst? Check out the world’s first currywurst museum called “Deutsches Currywurst Museum” in Berlin as well as the novel and feature film “The Invention of Curried Sausage” (2008).
Tip: If you do not speak German, remember some words and phrases like ‘Haben Sie vegetarisches Essen?’ to ask if they offer vegetarian food and ‘Kein Fleisch. Kein Fisch’ to refer to food without meat or fish.
Vegetarian food in France
If you travel around France, you will find each region to have its own speciality. Some vegetarian food easily available would include crepes, baguettes, falafel wraps and now in some places, quinoa burgers. I’ve got suggestions from a lot of people to try out Falafel in Le Marais, Paris , including fellow traveller Deepali Patel . Flammkuchen is also a speciality of the Alsace Region in France. I personally had problems finding vegetarian food in France on two occasions – once in Strasbourg, when I ended up being served with potatoes , yogurt and herbs , and another time in Paris,when I was served plain Pasta because they couldn’t figure out how to prepare something vegetarian. But, this was just by chance. If you look up places before hand, you will not face such issues.
There are also some trendy vegetarian restaurants in Paris, such as the Le 5 Lorette restaurant. Rosemary and Claire of Authentic Food Quest share their experience with us.
Even as non-vegetarians, we were blown away by the ‘burger’ vegetarian-style.” The bright colors and creative presentation engage your senses.The savory and delicious patty, made from quinoa, is topped with slices of fresh avocado and tofu. Served with roasted vegetables, greens and a side of hummus, be prepared for a delicious treat, bursting with flavors.
Where: 5 Lorette, 5 rue Notre Dame de Lorette 75009 Paris
You can connect with Rosemary and Claire on Facebook or on Twitter .
Vegetarian Burger in Paris.Credit: Authentic Food Quest
Netherlands cannot disappoint any food lover, I think. I recently spent24 hours in Amsterdam, exploring the city and food and loved the number of options available. From fast food like krokets to the abundant cheese and mustard options to stroopwafels and Dutch fries, you’ll never run out of options.
Tips from an Amsterdam local
The Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam, has some delicious food that is veggie friendly. Vegan food is a bit harder to find here, but you can easily find veggie friendly Indonesian food all over in Amsterdam (using tempeh as well as tofu) as well as some delicious places to get Middle Eastern specialities, including hummus! For those with a sweet tooth, look out for the stroopwafel as well as the fresh-made cookies from Van Stapele. Dairy lovers who don’t eat meat will be in heaven with all the kinds of cheese that you can’t even find outside of the Netherlands!
Till I got to Amsterdam last Summer, I have never had the opportunity to have the savoury kind of pancake. Till then, I have had only the sweet ones. All this changed when I walked into a Pancake shop one day in Amsterdam and had a Pannekoek. Over the next few days in Amsterdam, I had many of these Dutch pancakes and fell in love with many of the vegetarian variants, both savoury and sweet. The Pannekoek are similar to pancakes and the only difference is that they are bigger in diameter and thinner. I definitely recommend them as a vegetarian.
Pancakes in Amstersdam
Vegetarian food in Belgium.
The food in Belgium is quite influenced by its neighbouring countries. In some restaurants, it might be a bit difficult to find vegetarian food. But, you will love the variety of crepes and waffles easily available. The Belgians also love their fries and their chocolates are delicious. When I was in Ghent, I also found a vendor selling ‘Noses of Ghent’ which I quite liked!Oh, and if you like beer, Belgium is well known for it.
Try out the Noses of Ghent if you have a sweet tooth:)
Waffles in Belgium
I’ve had the most unforgettable waffles in Brussels. The variety of toppings for waffles is bound to leave you utterly confused and wanting to try out all you can! For sure, you can have waffles anywhere in the world, but my waffle experience in Brussels is just unforgettable.Take a look at the picture yourself!
An unforgettable feast for the eyes and my taste buds!Yumm!
Belgian frittes
Belgian fries are in a league of their own. There is a certain crunch when you bite into them that you just can’t find anywhere else.The best part is that you can choose from an array of sauces to plop on top of the fries wrapped in a paper cone that take them to a whole new level. My favorite is samurai which is a spicy mayo but the alioli is a good choice as well. You can find these fried morsels of heaven just about anywhere in Belgium but in my opinion the ones sold out of a truck parked in random spots around the city are the best! If you find yourself in Brussels, try to get yourself to the truck that parks in Flagey–you won’t regret it!
Chances are you might have heard of the Weiner Schnitzel (pan-fried cutlet with meat) when it comes to Austrian cuisine. Austria is home to a lot of dumplings, strudels and some delicious coffee and cakes. Apfel Strudel is one of the most popular desserts from Austria alongwith Sacher Torte and also Salzburger Nockerl. In fact, there are huge queues outside Hotel Sacher in Vienna to taste the ‘Original’ Sacher Torte.
When it comes to main dishes, some typical food includes:
Kaiserschmarrn
Think of Kaiserschmarrn as chopped pancakes. With some flour, eggs,milk, sugar , you can easily make this dish at home. Supposedly,Emperor Franz Joseph preferred this dish alongside meat.I found a Kaiserschmarrn recipe here for you.
Käsespätzle
Another typical dish from Austria, though you will also see variations in Germany and Switzerland. Käsespätzle is like Macaroni and Cheese, generally made with grated Swiss cheese like Emmental or Gruyere, etc. For those interested, here is a Käsespätzle recipe too.
If you like wine, you can visit a ‘Heurige’ or tavern and enjoy some traditional wines with food, although you would be more likely to find meat options there. Here is a blog post I found showcasing 7 taverns in Vienna, Austria. Some suggestions for restaurants offering vegetarian food can also be foundhere.
Southern Europe
What to eat in Italy
I don’t think you can go wrong with food in Italy. From Pasta and Pizzas to Lasagna, Risotto, Ravioli and desserts like Tiramisu, it must feel like being in food heaven!
Pizzoccheri are one of my favourite dishes of all times, a true comfort food that I like having when outside is cold and rainy. It’s a pasta dish from the Italian Alps, made with buckwheat pasta that looks kind of like broken up tagliatelle, potatoes, chard and lots of melted butter and cheese. And when I say lots, I mean LOTS! My friend adds one kilo of cheese for one kilo of butter. It’s truly delicious! Pizzoccheri are a specialty of Valtellina, one of the mountain valleys of Lombardia, my home region in Italy.Chiavenna, a lovely town close to the Italian-Swiss border, is a wonderful place to try pizzoccheri. An alternative would be trying Pizzoccheri in a mountain hut after a nice hike or a day spent on the slopes – definitely something to look forward to!
– Margherita from ‘The Crowded Planet’ . Find them on Instagram.
Tempting Pizzocheri in Italy.Credits: thecrowdedplanet.com
Jewish artichokes in Rome
During my last visit to Rome, I was determined to discover more off the beaten path destinations and try some local food. So I skipped every restaurant that had a menu with pictures on it, I wandered through the small side streets far from busy tourist attractions, looking for some local gems. When I saw locals dining at a restaurant, I knew I found a truly good place.
One of the most delicious vegetarian discoveries was the Carciofi Alla Giudia (Jewish Artichoke) in a small restaurant in the Trastevere district. I never had an artichoke before and I would have never ordered it, was it not for a group of Italians who were eating it as if it was the best meal they ever had. So I decided to give it a try and asked the waiter to bring me the same, not even knowing what it was or how to eat it. It was absolutely delicious! In fact, it was so good that I tried three or four other artichoke dishes over the next couple of days in Rome and I loved them all!
It’s easy being vegetarian in the Azores (an archipelago off the coast of Portugal). In fact, the #1 restaurant on themain island of Sao Miguel offers nothing but vegetarian dishes! It was here that I had one of my favorite meals from our time in the Azores. For starters, I had delectable puff pastry roses with zucchini, cream cheese, island cheese, and thyme, in addition to a trio of bruschetta with a variety of toppings. (Don’t worry, my husband was with me, so I didn’t eat all of this delicious food myself.) My main entrée consisted of zucchini noodles with mushrooms, sweet peppers and local chili pepper chutney, cashews, mint, and local island cheese. As if that wasn’t enough, we simply had to sample the dessert! The three chocolate mousse was divine and my husband had the cheesecake, which he said was to die for! So, while this isn’t just one ‘dish’, it’s a vegetarian meal experience we’ll remember for a long time!
Food in Azores, off the coast of Portugal. Credit: ForgetSomeday.com
Flan
Flan, a creamy custard baked with a caramel sauce, is simple to prepare, yet makes for an impressive presentation. Originally from the Iberian Peninsula, flan has spread throughout much of the New World. Depending on the occasion, I may prepare flan in individual ramekins or in a large dish, which I’ll slice into squares for serving a large crowd. Read more about Flan here .
Before I visited Spain, I didn’t really know much about the cuisine apart from Paella and Tortillas. As Paella traditionally contains sea food, it took me a long time to come across a restaurant in Barcelona serving a vegetarian version. But, my perception of Spanish food changed when I went on a food tour and devoured so much vegetarian food that I just had no more space for the Patata Bravas. (Sorry potatoes, you know I love you.) You will find a lot of olives, some cheese, romesco sauce in the cuisine. You can taste different types of olive oil, have vermouth at 1 pm like many locals, relish the cremat and enjoy a glass or two of Cava.
Pimientos de Padron in Barcelona, Spain
When in Barcelona you must try any and all of the tapas you can get your hands on. Though many are not vegetarian friendly, one of the most traditional options is. Pimientos de padron! These peppers are blistered over a fire and usually served drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. While most are not spicy, every once in awhile you will get one that is. We call it playing pepper roulette because you just never know what you’re going to get until you try. Regardless if you get spicy one or not, they are delicious way to start you meal.
When you travel around Andalusia in the South of Spain, you will see that the food they serve you in the tapas bars is not exactly what you imagine as Mediterranean diet. It is always delicious, but usually involves a lot of fried stuff, and meat or fish are more difficult to be avoided than in other regions of Spain. Nevertheless, since Andalusia is a very conservative Catholic region of Spain, before Easter, when abstinence from meat is crucial, they prepare many vegetarian dishes. Last year when we did a route in Andalusia, we tried some of these, and the chickpea soup we tasted in Alcalá la Real was our favorite. It is a very simple dish based mostly on chickpea, with some spinach, a little bit of tomato and some other vegetables. Spices, including garlic and paprika are added to enrich the flavor. It has a very refreshing taste, a perfect first course if you eat a set-meal in Andalusia.
Padron, Andalusian Soup and Cremat in Spain!Pictures by greatbigglobe.com and surfingtheplanet.com
Vegetarian food in Basque country
Pinxtos
While Spain is not the easiest place to be a vegetarian due to the fact that they seem to consider ham a food group all on its own, it is a little easier up north in the Basque country. There, the tradition of pintxos (essentially a Basque spin on tapas) goes strong. Chefs concoct combinations of local and seasonal ingredients and arrange them artfully on slices of fresh bread, and you can mix and match your selections for about 2 euros apiece. While many pintxos contain seafood or meat, there are always quite a few vegetarian options as well. One of my favorites was this pintxo I ate an indescript pintxo bar in the heart of the Old Town of San Sebastián. It contained the sweetest roasted red and green peppers, funky toasted goat cheese, and a delicious fruit compote drizzled atop. It was perfect with a glass of the local txakoli, a young and slightly effervescent white wine. Delicious!
Malta’s cuisine combined elements from the fresh Italian ingredients with the hearty and a bit of the sweetness of the Arab cooking. One of the best things you can order when you visit Malta is the Maltese or Gozitan platter (depends which island you’re on). The platter contains a great selection of Malta’s freshest ingredients: typical local cheese (fresh and peppered), sundried tomatoes, olives, capers, bigilla (a broad bean, garlic, and parsley spread), tomato paste and olive oil.
The Maltese Platter. Credits:theworldinmypocket.co.uk
Northern Europe
Vegetarian food in UK : What can one get apart from fish and chips?
It was interesting for me to talk to people staying in the UK and find out about vegetarian and vegan food culture. Turns out there are several restaurants and cafes offering vegetarian food. Deepali Patel, a fellow GLT member, recommends Ottolenghi’s cafe in Islington as a ‘veggie foodie heaven’. I also came across this list of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Britain.
In the UK, the culture is pretty cosmopolitan. Particularly in places like London, it almost feels as if some streets wholly belong to some countries. Brits love their meat, but they are very conscious of the need for eating your veggies, so every canteen, takeaway or restaurant has options galore for vegetarians – particularly mix and match salads with a range of choices. There’s also the classic Brit favorite – baked beans, and you’re never going to miss their incredible love of yoghurts in a variety of flavours, or their love for veggie soups, cabbages sauteed with aniseed, and the wildly popular carrot and hummus. They also have an option for those who want to fit in with meat eaters, but still don’t want to eat meat per se – quorn.
-Sreya Ghosh
Vegan chocolate cake
I know the photo isn’t the best capture of this delicious vegan chocolate and mint cake by Kat’s Kitchen of Keswick in England, but it does capture its sheer tastiness surprisingly well. You see, I detoured back to this wonderful cafe just so I could get a high quality photo for this collab (and to treat Rob and I after a hard day of training for our Rockies Cycling Expedition of course). But though I had a solid plan of ordering food and then taking some delicious looking photos until I had one I liked, I promptly ate half of this heavenly and vegan chocolate and mint cake before remembering my very solid plan…oops!
But it’s just so fluffy and mouthwatering and lovingly full of flavour! The chocolate isn’t too rich, but a perfect blend that goes extremely well with their homemade mint icing. I truly can’t travel through Keswick without stopping at Kat’s Kitchen to have a slice of their ambrosial vegan chocolate and mint cake – and when you stop in to try a slice of heaven for yourself, you too will forever be detouring miles out of your way just to have it again.
2foodtrippers Mindi and Daryl went on a culinary roadtrip across Western Ireland and they have some absolutely droolworthy pictures of cheese platters, fresh salads and ice-cream. Just take a look at this goat cheese salad they had at The Hungry Monk Café located in County Mayo, Ireland, followed by a dessert with fresh flowers!
Delicious goat cheese salad with fresh ingredients – Credits-2foodtrippers.com
Droolworthy dessert-Trish McCambridge’s Strawberry + Mess. Credits-2foodtrippers.com Taken at Kai Restaurant in Galway,Ireland.
Cookies from Ireland
During a road trip in Ireland, I came across Fifteens at every gas station, some of the cookies were commercially prepared, some very homemade looking, reminiscent of a bake sale. Known as a tray bake, this no-bake treat would be easy to prepare with children. When you see the ingredients, you’ll know where the name comes from. I’m already planning my next batch which I will bill as gourmet fifteens – brandy soaked cherries, homemade marshmallows, and maybe some chocolate. You canfind the recipe here .
-Lois B.
Vegetarian food in Estonia
Apple & Butternut Squash Soup in Tallinn, Estonia
In Estonia, vegetarian winter soups made from squash and root vegetables are everywhere. One of the best that I’ve tried was at Peppersack in Tallinn. Peppersake is a medieval-period restaurant that has been used as many things throughout history, but has now been fully restored as a restaurant. The winter soup we had there was an apple and roasted butternut squash soup with pumpkin and sunflower seeds on top. The warm, hearty soup is perfect for the dead of winter in Estonia. They also often make sauerkraut (or cabbage) soup, split pea soup, and lentil stew during the winter in Estonia. All of these soups can be and are made vegetarian, though you’ll also find the addition of pork in many of the stews.
What to try in Estonia:Butternut squash soup. Credits: savoredjourney.com
Vegetarian food in Finland
Valkosipuli Soup
A classic traditional food of Finland. Valkosipuli means garlic in Finnish and while Finland is known for reindeer and other hearty meats they also have tons of vegetarian options. The Finnish people love soup and valkosipuli is one of the most traditional soups but it’s so popular you can still find it everywhere including the Helsinki Market.
The garlic is roasted in the soup so it doesn’t have as heavy a flavour as you would expect. Instead it’s warm and hearty without worrying that you’ll need to stand ten feet away from people when speaking. Many restaurants will have this soup but it’s also a favourite to make at home.
Soup in Finland.Picture by Ayngelina Brogan, BaconisMagic.ca
Vegetarian food in Sweden
I visited Sweden last summer and was a bit sceptical about finding vegetarian food, as Sweden is particularly famous for its fish specialities. I am not exaggerating when I say that I found the best variations of salads every day! Many of the places I visited use locally grown, fresh ingredients alongwith different cheese and vegetables. Here are some pictures of the food I had at Nasslingen Island – located in the Stockholm archipelago. If you visit Stockholm, you should plan to have extra time to explore some of the islands in the archipelago. For those of you who would like a peaceful getaway, with delicious food, wellness options all set amidst nature, Nasslingen is just a boat ride away from the city. Also, coffee and cakes (known as ‘Fika’) cannot be missed out in Sweden.
Delicious health platter at Gota Kanal, Linkpping and Swedish salads at Nasslingen ,Stockholm archipelago.
Karelian Pie
Karelian hand pies are very popular in Finland, Sweden and Estonia (where they are known as Karjalanpiirakat). I first tried them during a guided food tour in Helsinki where we saw them all over town at various shops and with varying ingredients. The ones we tried had a rice and carrot filling. I’ve also had these pies in Estonia and Sweden with different ingredients like mashed sweet potato, and rice and butter. The pie itself is traditionally made from rye, which gives it the dark color, but they are now also being made with white flour.
Karelian Pie in Sweden. Credit:Laura Lynch,Savored Journeys
Roasted Cauliflower
Being able to enjoy an off the beaten path Swedish island of Landsort in Summer is already something. But getting to stay overnight in one of the six unique rooms at the old pilot lookout tower plus having dinner exactly when the sun goes down on the last floor, trust me, was AWESOME! The dish I was served at Lotstornet restaurant, Landsort, Stockholm Archipelago, is this roasted cauliflower that was presented like this for veggies or as a side (accompanying some grilled cod) for non-veggies. It is as simple as cuisine can go really but it was the tastiest cauliflower I ever enjoyed. Thanks Ökå!
Roasted Cauliflower dish in Sweden. Credits: aworldtotravel.com
Beetroot salad
Hermans Vegetarian Restaurant & Garden Cafe has one of the best views of Stockholm, views out towards the archipelago and the islands that make up the capital. It is also known as being the best vegetarian restaurant in Stockholm, serving buffet for lunch and dinner, at affordable prices. The menu constantly changes, with a variety of hot and cold dishes, but if you have the opportunity you must pile your plate with the salads! The Scandinavian beetroot salad is a personal favourite of mine and a Swedish classic, a creamy mix of beetroot and apple, sweet, sharp and bright. Slather this on the homemade bread, baked fresh daily, but do not scrimp on the vegan herb butter. Carrot salad seems to be far more of a ‘thing’ in Sweden. Although it sounds crazy, I find carrot a laborious vegetable, but shredded in a salad it is sweet and crisp and Hermans does not disappoint with a sweet, crunchy, bejewelled carrot and pomegranate salad.
When I visited Prague, a friend recommended Estrella Restaurant, where I realized how delicious carrot and cream soup as well as carrot cake could be! On my next visit to Brno, I came across this restaurant offering a vegetable omelette and loved how filling and tasty it was. Here is a picture:
Delicious vegetable omelette- Brno,Czech Republic
Here’s what Hannah from Getting Stamped has to say about desserts in Czech Republic:
In Europe I head straight for the sweets! It’s no surprise my favorite vegetarian dish is tasty dessert. In particular I love a Trdelník smeared with nutella inside. A Trdelník is a sweet cake like pastry that is made from dough rapped around a stick and grilled over open coals. No matter how you top it’s amazing! I have seen versions of Trdelník all over Europe especially at the Christmas markets in Germany, Austria, and Hungary. One of my favorite things to do in Prague is eat and I never miss my daily dose of Trdelník when I’m in Prague.
Dessert in Czech Republic- Courtesy:Getting Stamped
Vegetarian food in Georgia
Khachapuri
Easily the best vegetarian food that I’ve tried lately is the khachapuri I had while visiting the Republic of Georgia.
If you’ve never heard of khachapuri it’s basically a bread boat filled with hot melty cheese and butter which you break and mix an egg into. The bread is folded in such a way that you rip the crust off and use it to scoop the cheesy filling out with.
This is so delicious that it’s actually the countries national dish! A recent poll of locals actually determined that the majority of Georgians prefer khachapuri over pizza— that’s how good it is.
Even though cheesy bread is something that we think of as an appetizer at home most eat this as a complete meal. Sizes range from small for an individual to the Titanic size that three of us couldn’t finish half of!
Pkhali is traditional Georgian dish made of chopped, fried or steamed vegetables. Usually it consists of eggplant, spinach, bell pepper or cabbage. The vegetables are either rolled in a walnut sauce or mixed in it. The sauce is made from minced walnuts, garlic, onion and some seasoning. Depending on the vegetables, the sauce varies with ingredients. Sometimes vinegar, fresh parsley and couple tablespoons of water are added to it. The dish is very common and a must for Georgian feasts and dinners. It can be served as an appetizer or side dish. Some of the Georgian restaurants offer a plate of Pkhali, which has the mixture of all vegetables. Every restaurant across the country has it, but every region puts its own spin on it.
Pkhali- A Georgian dish. Picture by redfedoradiary.com
Vegetarian food in Greece
Traditionally when eating out in Greece, people get together and have a meze, a selection of small dishes which the whole table shares, most of these will typically be vegetarian. Our favourites include: Dakos salad, beetroot salad, hummus, fava (a chick pea dip with onion and capers), vegetable fritters often made with chickpeas or zucchini, gigantes (giant white beans in a tomato sauce), fasolakia (green beans greek style), spanakorizo (spinach and rice dish). There are so many dishes made with tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini and onions often with some added cheese we are spoilt for choice. Then there’s the savoury pastries and baked cheese dishes. One of my favourites is feta, wrapped in filo baked and served with sesame seeds and honey. Then there’s roasted figs stuffed with cheese. The most surprising vegetables was okra as I always thought of it in relation to Indian food but it is grown throughout the islands.
The last dish I’ll mention is horta, steamed greens served cold with olive oil and lemon juice. The word literally means weeds and the local women walk through the olive groves around us each morning to pick their horta.
– Amanda from Olive, Feta & Ouzo – all about life ,travels and food in Greece.
Dakos Salad- Courtesy Amanda from www.olivefetaandouzo.com
Fassolatha
Popular in Greece since the ancient times, Fassolatha is a favorite dish during winter. The recipe is very simple and the result is hearty. To make it, you need haricot beans, onions, celery, carrots, tomatoes, bay leaves, and oregano. It takes about an hour and a half to cook the soup. Serve it with bread and, if you wish, feta sprinkled on top.
Greek Triology -aubergine salad, beetroot salad and tzatziki with pita bread, Knossos cucumber and kalamata olives. Credits:aluxurytravelblog.com
Vegetarian food in Poland
I am yet to visit Poland but I’m so glad to have Martha from W Ruchu send over a beautiful narrative about food in the country. I’ll be posting the whole story on the blog but here are some excerpts.
Pancakes
My mother is a rather traditional cook, same as both of my grandmothers. I remember them preparing plentiful of typical home cooked and therefore one can say, typical vegetarian dishes. There were of course potato pancakes, made from shredded raw potatoes, some onion, a dash of garlic and fried until golden brown. They were usually served either bare or with cream (oh, do spoil yourself just once). As a child, I liked to sprinkle them with some sugar. They tasted heavenly. In restaurants, you can also find them served with a stew, but don’t be fooled, that’s been taken from Hungarian cuisine. And no salads with potato pancakes! There’s enough work with making them to bother with something else.There were also pancakes – not the fluffy round American pancakes served with maple syrup but thin and big ones, served with a spoonful of cottage cheese, cream and a homemade strawberry jam. Racuchy is yet another version – a small, yeast pancakes with half melted pieces of apple and raisins inside, in some regions called also małdrzyki. You will hardly find them in restaurants but I wish you luck! There are also sour pancakes, filled with cabbage and mushrooms, folded and covered in egg and breadcrumbs, and then fried – krokiety. Some also put a piece of good old yellow cheese inside but I prefer them solely with cabbage. Truly, the variety of yeast and soda pancakes, with topping galore, is endless! These milk and egg delicacies you can find in what is called a „bar mleczny” – milk bar.
Beth McCrea fromMyadventuresomeSoulalso recalls having hot and crisp potato pancakes in a restaurant in Warsaw.
Beth from myadventuresomesoul.com had potato pancakes with salad in a Warsaw restaurant though traditionally, people have these pancakes without salad when at home.
Soups in Poland
What I also ate very often were soups. Oh, a sour soup – this is something you will rarely get a hold on anywhere else. Beetroot soup (a clear, vegan version is served in some regions for Christmas’ eve dinner), sourdough soup with eggs called żurek, sour cabbage (kapuśniak), and a sour cucumber soup – all this comes to my mind.
Dumplings
We cannot forget about dumplings, pierogi, can we? You can have them cooked, baked, fried – whatever you wish. A plate of pierogi is a flagship on the Polish table. Making it is time consuming though, so less and less people make them at home, but they are a staple in milk bars (you know them already, don’t you?). Another type of stuffed plumpy dumpling is pyza or knedel. A delicate body of mashed potato and flour, with a dash of water, covers the insides of both sweet and sour filling. You can have them again with cabbage (no dish without cabbage) or seasonal fruits. The typical knedel my grandma rolled in the swift hands of hers was with a sweet ripe plum. Another type, not filled with anything but simply a dough rolled into a long tail and cut into trapeze shapes and cooked, are kopytka, easy and filling. By the way – kopytka means tiny little trotters. Enjoy. Sometimes you can mix them with quark and served with sugar and cinnamon.
Thanks to Marta again!
Polish Dumplings
Vegetarian food in Romania
Sarmale
Sarmale is the traditional food of Romania, which is usually made with mincemeat. However, because Romania is a very religious country and the people usually fast a few times a year, the recipe can be made with rice instead of meat, keeping it’s deliciousness. The rice is mixed with different spices and breadcrumbs and then wrapped inside pickled cabbage leaves. Then the rolls are boiled and put in the oven for a few hours. It’s eaten with fresh polenta and sour cream.
Zacusca (or eggplant paste) is a vegan appetizer, prepared during fall. It is stored in the pantries to be used on fast days (during Christmas and Easter Lent, and all through the year). The base, as the name implies, is made up of roasted eggplants. Roasted red peppers, along with onions, tomatoes, oil, bay leaves, and black pepper are also included in the mix.
Other Romanian food to look out for include Salata de vinete (aubergine salad) and mamaliga cu branza si smantana (polenta with cheese and sour cream).
Vegetarian food in Russia
Sirniki
I can only guess the origins of this dish, but something tells me, Sirniki were born out of necessity. Cottage cheese, the main ingredient in Sirniki and a staple in Russian kitchen, makes a perfect breakfast on its own. Unfortunately its shelf life is not long. We have a saying in Russian that loosely translates to “the poor are good at being creative”.
Here’s what I think happened: many years ago one thrifty Russian woman had some leftover cottage cheese that has gone bad, but didn’t want to throw it away. So she mixed it with eggs and flour, formed patties and fried them on a pan. Et voila! Delicious breakfast is ready! The whole story is not that surprising, given that cottage cheese itself is a product of milk that has gone bad.
Nowadays, of course, women use fresh cottage for this dish. So do restaurants in Russia, so you don’t have to worry when ordering siriniki. They are usually served with sour cream and jam and make a perfect breakfast or dessert.
The experience of discovering an amazing historical city like Belgrade with a friend who is a native and one of the best tour guides was just brilliant. My husband and I stayed with his family.His Mom was kind and lovely enough to feed us with traditional Serbian delicacies and alcohol under the roof of their very uniquely done cozy apartment over some mind-blowing tales from civil wars of Yugoslavia in the 90s. Out of all the food that we ate, two of the recipes that stayed with me forever were of Ajvar and Gibanica. Ajvar reminded me of ‘Baingan Ka Bharta’ from India and also that how sometimes we all are a well blended mixture of each other no matter where we come from. There is nothing like homemade Ajvar. It’s prepared by charring bell peppers over fire, and then combined with roasted eggplant, garlic, oil, and vinegar, to make a spread like paste which can be usually served with grilled meats and enjoyed as a spread with/on all kinds of bread. Gibanica is this, out of this world, Balkan Cheese Pie. It’s prepared using flour, cheese, oil, eggs (optional)/Baking powder, sour cream and some salt if the cheese isn’t salty enough. My friend’s mother stuffed it with spinach which left a flavor I don’t want to forget ever.
Trupti, who recently visited Belgrade, recommends Red Bread Cafe for vegetarian food like burgers, sandwiches, pumpkin soup and healthy smoothies.
Vegetarian food at Red Bread Cafe, Belgrade
Vegetarian food in Slovakia
Slovak traditional vegetarianfood sounds a bit like an oxymoron, but don´t panic just yet, you can still find some! If you have a sweet tooth, you are lucky – one of the typical meals are “makové šúľance” – sweet gnocchi with poppy seeds. You can also try “buchty” (read booh-tee) – look at them on the photo and decide what you prefer!
Check out herBratislava guideif you are planning a trip to Slovakia soon.
Traditional Slovak dish – Buchty
Vegetarian food in Slovenia
Slovenia is a gem of a country , the beauty of which reminds one of fairy tales. From history to mystery, dungeons and dragons , castles and enchanted lakes – there’s a lot to explore in Slovenia. Here’s some recommended food to try:
Mushroom soup –
First thing’s first – I’m a huge fan of mushroom soups and that’s what I order whenever I see it on the menu. I never really learn my lesson though, which is that you mostly get something bland with a few of those generic white button mushrooms floating around and some sorry excuse for a taste. I keep ordering it in the hope I’ll one day get to relive that amazing day in Skofja Loka, Slovenia when I got served a soup made of freshly picked mushrooms straight out of the surrounding forests. The thing with wild mushrooms versus cultivated ones is that there is no comparison when it comes to flavor! The fact that the soup in question was made by mixing at least seven different varieties of wild mushrooms only added to the richness of the taste. The bigger the variety, the better this stuff tastes in the end. Can’t wait to go to Slovenia again and force my husband to teach me how to pick mushrooms myself. It’s a risky business if you don’t know what you’re doing, as you can literally end up poisoning yourself to death.
There is no lack of vegetarian dishes around Europe, and even Slovenia has plenty of vegetarian choices despite being a country where the most common food to eat is meat. One of the most interesting dishes I have tried while I was there last September were the strukli. I had them in Ljubljana, during a food tour – our guide knew where to take us to have good ones. Strukli are pretty much dough rolls filled with ricotta style cheese. I have been told there is also egg mixed in it, but I could not really see it or taste it. Sometimes they appear on the menu as a side dish, others they are a main course and accompanied with a sauce. I tried them as a main, with a deliciously thick mushroom sauce. Sure enough, after having tried them, all I wanted while I was in Slovenia were Strukli.
Thanks for reading! What is your favourite vegetarian food? Comment below and let me know! Share the post with someone who loves food and have a great day ahead:)
’20 things to eat in Amsterdam’ , ’What not to miss eating in Amsterdam’ – While I roamed around the streets of the ‘Venice of the North’ with my cousin and his wife, lists of such sorts kept getting referenced over and over again. You see, all we had were 24 hours in Amsterdam and all that my cousin desired to eat and drink was too much to fit into that time slot. But, trying out as much food as possible through the day seemed to be the main challenge at hand, integrated with sightseeing for all and some shopping (especially for his wife). So, the three of us set off after the hotel breakfast – filled with delicious Dutch cheese, breads, croissants, coffee/hot chocolate, Ontbijtkoek (breakfast cake) for a foodies’ day out in the Dutch capital.
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Getting our city transport cards at the station , we headed towards the city centre and as Murphy’s Law would have it, it started pouring cats and dogs. Typical Dutch/German weather, you might say. As none of us were prepared, we ended up spending a good few minutes looking for umbrellas at the station. At the end of our detour, we could successfully exit the station with the same orange umbrellas (Go Netherlands!) which could be used only for 5 minutes or so as there was NO rain for the rest of the day.
Thanks to our transport tickets, we got on a tram to see the Van Gogh Museum and the touristy ‘I Amsterdam’ sign. A great photo spot if you manage to get a shot without people, that is. Otherwise too, a good way to stretch your muscles and indulge in some acrobatics if you’d like to get on or around any of the letters spelling the city.
The atmosphere was very lively indeed, with coloured bubbles floating in the air and music playing in the background.
Lively atmosphere near the iamsterdam sign
Just a short walk ahead of the sign, through the park, stands the Van Gogh Museum. If only it was as easy to get in as I thought. The entry was supposed to be only from one side and the queue reminded me of the ones in front of the Paris Catacombs or the Notre Dame. Nevertheless, the park makes for a good walk and you can also visit the Diamantmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum nearby. While getting back to the tram station, we noticed the House of Bols , a haven for gin and jenever lovers. Though we weren’t in the mood for an extensive tour and tasting , why miss out on the photo opp?
And then, their eyes met….my cousin darted off across the street and his eyes lit up as he bit into a sausage – the first street food item of the day. ‘Mustard ?’ ‘Yes,please!’
Street food in Amsterdam
After he relished the sausage, we set off towards the canal, thinking of food and shopping again. The good thing about Amsterdam is that you can spot and walk over the canal at many spots across the city. Apparently,Amsterdam has about 100 kms of canals and 1500 bridges!
We got off midway and while the shoppers enjoyed their session, I plotted our next course of action in terms of food hunting. Good thing I had my MTX Sim, I could get internet access without heavy data charges. So, I figured we could go visit a FEBO vending machine nearby. I was curious to try out krokets and other snacks for under 2 Euros. I wasn’t disappointed with the kroketten (vegetarian) and my cousin liked the frinkandellen (with meat) too ; they certainly make for good fillers but we all agreed we needed to find a place for a proper lunch soon.
Walking past further shops, we came across a cheese and mustard store and were too excited to not enter and try out everything on offer. Various types of Dutch cheese are well known – some mild, some stronger, some flavoured. But, I hadn’t seen so many types of mustard sauces earlier. Plus, you could try out several combinations too! I would certainly recommend entering a ‘kaas’ store and trying out the cheese and mustard sauces if you get the chance. Just that I now know that green pesto mild gouda cheese is not for my taste buds. If interested, you can visit the Cheese Museum or one of the Henrig Willig stores for getting an introduction to the various types of Dutch cheese.
Good thing I spotted some Stroopwafels being sold in that store and picked up a pack for trying out. Stroopwafel is basically when two thin waffles are stuck together with a layer of sweet syrup. Another Dutch snack off the list.
Stroopwafel. Picture from Flickr – Jocelyn and Cathy
If it’s your first visit to Amsterdam, you might be interested in taking a canal cruise. For about an hour, you get to cruise along the city canal and admire the architecture of the city. Fun fact : you’ll notice that many of the buildings along the canal seem to be slanted. Here is a great infographic and a shortcut guide to Amsterdam, by Savored Journeys. I wish I had seen it before making this trip, but nevertheless, you should look it up if you are planning to visit Amsterdam soon.
Amsterdam canal cruise at sunset
The slanted houses of Amsterdam
Local markets nearby are full of tulips and other seeds/flowers as well as a lot of souvenirs; so you can pick up some tulip bulbs if interested. I would love to visit the Tulip Gardens at Kuekenhof some spring. The pictures look so dreamy!
Kuekenhof tulip gardens
We continued walking through the streets of the city, stopping at shops and looking out for foodie opps constantly. While the shopping enthusiast was busy again, the two of us wandered until we got our hands on the typical thick Dutch fries – patat or frites loaded with some delicious sauces and onions. You can also ask for some peanut satay sauce , mayo and onions – apparently a common topping combination.
Loaded with sauces – Dutch fries
I have to admit though that getting two big packs of fries with all those sauces wasn’t a great idea. It was getting messy, we were getting full and one of the sauces didn’t really suit us. Luckily, we found our third group member taking a break and ordering a delicious vegetarian meal including black beans, vegetables and rice.
So, now that we were full to the brim, we walked towards the Dam Square – the lively city centre, housing the Nieuwe Kerk, Madame Tausaads Museum, numerous cafes and restaurants. I have never been to a wax museum and if you haven’t either, that might be something of interest. And by the way, while wandering on the street leading to Dam Square, my cousin spotted an ice-cream shop that seemed to be full of locals. I think getting hold of that delicious, creamy ice-cream was definitely one of the highlights of our foodie adventure.
Dam Square
Spending time at the Dam Square was a delight but more than half the day was over and we had quite a few places to get to. So, for our next destination, we got on tram 14 from Dam Square to Flevopark and got off at the Pontanusstraat stop.From the distance, we could spot it – a picturesque windmill with the canal in the foreground. Netherlands used to have about 10,000 windmills in the past. Amsterdam still has 8 of them. Now, this was not just a windmill – the reason we were there was because there was a brewery just next to it too! The Windmill Brewery is a great place for those wanting to sample all the different types of Dutch beer and meet locals. Something in the air was driving the pigeons erratic too. Their constant attacks on all the food was quite an adventure in itself and made it easier for people to gel with each other. Pretty sure the pigeons were quite full by the end of the evening .
With a great start to the evening at the brewery followed by walking around the area, we got back to Dam Square and stopped for coffee. It was getting dark and we decided to get to the Centraal and then go towards the Red Light District, followed by dinner. Unfortunately, a misadventure resulted in my cousin losing his day pass and even after a lot of enquiry and requests, we figured the pass couldn’t be replaced. However, time was short and there was no time for whining. So, getting a one-way ticket for him, we set off towards our penultimate destination of the night. Amsterdam is as lively at night as is in the day. There is no dearth of restaurants, cafes , pubs or clubs – depending on your mood and interest. In fact, we also found a museum open and decided to venture inside it. The Sex Museum- Temple of Venus , located at Damrak Street , costs 4 Euros to enter and showcases theories and events from the time of the ancient Greeks to Marilyn Monroe, Mata Hari and portrayal of the subject in movies, books and current times.
Red Light District – a controversial and touristy area of the city where you better not try taking out your camera. The streets on either side of the canal are lined with glass cubicles, pubs, clubs and the special coffee shops. And then, it’s on you as to how you’d like to spend the rest of the night – stroll around and get back to the city for dinner and calling it a day or explore the streets and try out what you please. You’ll always find the city bustling with people, no matter what time of the day or night it is.
“Some tourists think Amsterdam is a city of sin, but in truth it is a city of freedom. And in freedom, most people find sin.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
If you are still on your food quest, you can choose to try out one of the recommended places for dinner and then for breakfast the following morning. However, for us, things didn’t go as planned that night and the next morning. We ended up having Mexican food around midnight and could not manage having the ‘Eggs Benedict‘ my cousin had been raving about. But, that’s what happens a lot while travelling. Things don’t necessarily all go as planned. The important thing is to make use of the opportunity at hand and have a good time, wherever you are 🙂
I’ve had the opportunity to visit Amsterdam twice – both for about 24 hours. I hope to spend a longer time in the city at some point and experience the city at its best. Do you have any suggestions for me/ Comment below and let me know what you’d like to do when you visit the Dutch capital! And please do pin / tweet/ share this post on Facebook with your friends, especially the foodie ones.
It’s been three years since I moved from Heidelberg,Germanyto Basel,Switzerlandand 5 years since I moved from India to Europe! Talk about time seeming to fly! Since then, I have received a lot of questions and curious comments about living in Switzerland. Just to clarify some of the most common things I’m asked, not everyone is super rich or obsessed with expensive Swiss watches ; nor are people on ‘a perpetual holiday’ or a ‘year-long vacation’. Switzerland is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in the world, but just like anywhere else, life in Switzerland can have its own advantages and challenges. So, here are some personal and light-hearted observations about life in Switzerland – some things I learnt and some habits that changed.
What I realized after moving to Switzerland :
That there are 4 national languages in Switzerland and Swiss-German is quite different from German.
So, German, French, Italian and Rumantsch are the four languages spoken in Switzerland, depending on the region you are staying in. If you visit Zurich,Basel,Bern, you would most likely hear Swiss-German all around. Geneva and Lausanne are located in the French-speaking parts and you could practice some Italian while visiting Lugano,Ticino in the South of the country. Romansch is only spoken by a small group of people now. However, after a few months of my stay in Basel, I realized that a lot of the words I was hearing in my daily life did not seem like the German I learnt before coming here. And that’s when I found out about Swiss-German. To top it, there are even different dialects in Swiss-German (Basel,Bern,etc). If you’d like a heads up before visiting the region, feel free to check out this list of common Swiss-German words.The good thing is that you can get away with English or French quite easily too, especially as Basel is located very close to both, the French and German borders (literally a tram ride away).
2. That Switzerland is a democracy in the true sense.
Switzerland is said to be one of the ‘rare examples of direct democracy.‘ People can bring up issues they care about and if a certain number of people sign the petition(atleast 50,000 or so), a referendum is carried out. The voice of the people is vital and this system also facilitates a lot of debates and discussions about the pros and cons of each issue. Also, power is not vested in one person alone as a seven member ‘Federal Council of Switzerland’ acts as the head of the state.
Basel: By the Rhine
3.That there’s more to Switzerland than chocolate and cheese ..and more to Swiss chocolate than Lindt!
Most people would probably associate with Lindt with Swiss chocolates, but there are quite a lot of other brands making great chocolates and desserts too. For instance, try walking into a ‘Sprungli‘ store to sample their macaroons and chocolates , or other confectionaries like Läderach and Beschle. In the supermarkets, you can easily get Frey and Cailler too.
Switzerland is popular for cheese and chocolate, but that’s not all they have to offer.
I just discovered Beschle chocolates but they are simple too good!
4. Education and research par excellence.
If you are considering moving to Switzerland for education or research, expect great infrastructure, several opportunities, international exposure, support for attending summer schools, conferences and general support, career advice from the University. Institutions like ETH Zurich, University of Basel, EPFL Laussane, HSG St.Gallen and many others are quite old and renowned universities that strive for excellence. If you are interested in finding out about research at University of Basel, consider following their new blog- Sci Five. And if you are enrolled as a student or researcher, do make use of the skill development workshops and other such opportunities organized free of charge.
5. That you can drink water from any fountain or tap in the city.
If there’s one thing you won’t have to worry about at all while visiting Switzerland, is getting drinkable water. Basel itself has about 200 fountains (1200 in Zurich apparently) and you are free to refill your bottles whenever you like. And when you are home, there’s no problem at all with water from any of the taps. (So, in theory, you could also have a sip of water if you are thirsty in the shower 😛 )
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6. That most Swiss people are extremely fond of hiking….and also Ovamaltine.
Right from early childhood to adulthood, hiking seems be such a natural way of life for so many people here! So much so that some people have called it the real national sport of Switzerland. 44% of the current Swiss population apparently goes for about 20 hikes a year. I have just gone for a couple of times in the past three years (Eee I wouldn’t be amongst the 44% ever ), but have seen people well equipped with some of these items: good hiking boots , a bag pack filled with ample water, fruits,cheese,bread, snacks, a wind jacket, mint/candy, camera and Swiss Army Knife depending on your choice. Check out this hilarious account of boots and hikes that I came across recently. Oh, and try mentioning Ovamaltine to apply as a spread on bread or getting the cookies/chocolate to see their eyes brighten up!
What I’ve learnt while living in Switzerland. Picture taken in Ticino
7. That playing indoor games is cool, no matter what age you are.
As kids, we all play a lot of indoor and outdoor games, but after moving to Switzerland, I was thrilled to see adults passionate about them too. While many of my friends like playing Sedler for hours, I love participating in a round of ‘Werewolf’ or ‘Who am I’ or some of the other word and picture games like ‘Dixit’ and ‘Time’s up‘. And on nights when we are tired, I don’t mind screaming ‘Pizza machen’ while playing a card game involving making pizzas!
8.That everything is super-organized,
even garbage segregation and collection from different areas of a city.
We received a huge chart by post, detailing all dates for all types of garbage disposal in our area. There are two days per week for leaving general trash outside your house in a specific garbage bag (Bebbisack), 1 or 2 days per month for all paper disposal, a day for leaving old furniture outside and glass /tin need to be disposed at particular locations only (glass needs to be seggregated based on its colour). It’s impressive how everything works so smooth!
9. Thathouse-hunting can be similar to the strenuous process of job-hunting!
I went through the complete ordeal of house hunting with friends and it wasn’t a lot different from the stress that comes with job hunting. The three of us put in immense time and effort for 1-2 months to shortlist places, ask for an appointment to visit the place, collect and fill out forms, arrange for ALL possible documents including references, work contracts, salary statements, passport copies , cover letter, clearance letter and anything else that was needed (some people wanted financial documents of my friends’ parents for security and proof). Then, IF we were shortlisted by the agency, we would be called for a meeting (or interview) and then we would await the results patiently. To give you a rough idea, we completed and sent about 8 dossiers, each time getting a proof of mail from the post office, got shortlisted for 2 flats and finally got 1. Phew! It might be easier for families to look for flats though as many agencies seemed to prefer renting out flats to families for long-term instead of a trio of friends. Once we signed the contract, more adventures awaited us including finalizing the house insurance, looking for, transporting and assembling all furniture, buying and fitting all lamps ourselves, drilling nails/ shelves to the wall, measuring windows and buying curtains, etc. For me, it was the first time that I needed to deal with all of this as I had never moved into a completely unfurnished flat earlier. I am so glad I got to learn all of this from my Swiss friends who had grown up helping out their parents with such things and were pretty good with drilling as well as assembling furniture. I realized how essential it is to learn to do things by yourself and feel it would be a great idea to teach kids some of this stuff at school, irrespective of where they are located.
10. That there’s a lot of awareness and encouragement to be more environmentally conscious in your daily life.
Remember the garbage collection chart we received by post? Well, we were also sent a bunch of tips about how to reduce energy consumption in daily life and simple suggestions that can be kept in mind while working in the kitchen. Also, I suppose twice a year, the authorities evaluate the energy consumption and then transfer a small amount of money to you if lesser energy was consumed than expected and paid for. In fact, now that I think of the time I stayed in a student dorm (which had excellent standards by the way), we were also given a workshop on how to make our own compost for the organic waste produced in the kitchen. I feel little things incorporated in the regular lifestyle do have a lasting impact on one’s mind and contribute to the betterment of the environment.
The beauty of SWitzerland
11.That patience is the key when it comes to bureaucratic procedures.
This is a crucial point. There’s a lot of bureaucracy in Switzerland and you may be asked for a lot of papers, detailswhile applying for visas, permissions, etc. Be patient as it can often take a long time. Make sure you submit all required documents (attested as required), and then wait patiently. I’ve had to follow up and get in touch with the authorities a few times as I was panicking because of my visa delay.
12.Needless to say, everything is indeed expensive -even attestation of documents and getting clearance letters.
But, cheaper alternatives are possible too.
You cannot avoid the expenses that come with living in Switzerland. But in some cases, you can look for cheaper alternatives. Once you settle down in your city, walk around, talk to people and you’ll find out places where you could eat, shop without going overboard. Basel is really easy to walk around and we are also located very close to Germany and France. So, it is quite common for people to drive/bike or take a tram to either of the bordering countries to shop. Plus, if you get all your bills stamped at the customs while getting back, you can also get some VAT refund based on your bills. Even if you do not want to venture out of the borders,you’ll realize that some supermarkets (like Migros,Denner) are cheaper than the others (like Coop,Manor,Globus etc). While it may not be the best idea to eat out everyday (unless you have lunch at reasonable rates in your cafetaria or so), it is certainly easy to buy all groceries you need and cook at home.
Swiss banks
Opening and maintaining an account in a Swiss bank will incur extra charges too, depending on your profession and salary. For instance, I had initially come to Switzerland on a short-term visa (L-permit) for my thesis work and had to pay 200 CHF as a deposit for opening my account in a private bank. Not really the most convenient thing to do when you are not getting paid yourself. Anyhow, if you are a student or aged below 30 and have a B-permit , then you can get more benefits ofcourse. However, you cannot get a post-paid credit card if you do not earn more than a certain amount. You can still have a pre-paid credit card which can be topped up instantly via online banking. Some things I experienced: getting charged an additional 5 CHF for withdrawing money without your debit card (atleast with Post Finance) , being able to pay for a lot of bills online (and also Swiss Air tickets) using the Post finance debit card, but not being able to use this debit card outside Switzerland. So, you’ve got to weigh your pros and cons.
Good Transport System
Local transport system is excellent and trains/trams are always on time. Tickets are not very cheap but you can consider buying a Halbtax (Half fare card) if you intend to stay in the country for more than a year. That way, you might be paying 175 CHF or so annually but getting a half fare on all tickets throughout Switzerland (including a discount on local transport) for the whole year. If you do not have this card, you can also look for ‘Supersaver fare’ on the website for limited cheap train tickets. I love the concept of discounted day passes though that let you travel around the country for a day and include usage of all public transport, boats, plus discount on mountain trains. Look up ‘Gemeinde TagesKarte’ for reserving the special passes in your canton and look out for places like Coop, Post Office selling discounted passes in the summer. Day or weekend trips are a lot of fun as you can reach a lot of places within two-three hours of travel. You can buy monthly passes for your city transport alone too, if you would be using the buses or trams on a daily basis.
Some ways I changed in these 3 years
I didn’t realize it earlier but now I definitely appreciate the sunlight more. This is just a personal observation. After spending 4 years in a city that almost always had high temperatures, let’s just say I wasn’t that enthusiastic about sun bathing or hanging out in the sunlight when the temperatures soared above 30 degrees Celcius. Summer can get quite intense here (upto 39 degrees Celcius max), but it only lasts for about 3-4 months on the whole.
I started cooking a lot more at home and learnt a lot of new recipes from my Swiss friends. Simple things like making themed cakes for friends (like the cat themed cake), baking Christmas cookies and making Fondue or Raclette at home are a lot of fun and also a great ways to spend some quality time with friends. By the way, I love Fondue so much that I might just be an unofficial ambassador for this delicious treat. Wait till you see my Fondue love T-shirt soon:)
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I am also glad to get introduced to the world of art in the Cultural Capital of Switzerland . Basel is home to 40 museums, a number of art galleries, the world’s biggest art event and most importantly, numerous creative people and art lovers. I found out there’s a lot of different ways in which artists perform to communicate their thoughts. There’s more to art than museums alone and the people make a strong difference in the way you understand and perceive art.
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Moving over my fear of not being able to hike well due to lack of fitness and being left behind if I go with a group (which did happen the first time) , I managed to complete another short hike, thanks to my friend who was extremely encouraging and supportive and did not mind the slower pace despite being a pro hiker. Getting support from friends in a foreign country and doing something new definitely boosts your morale and gives you a happy high. This summer, I also tried to keep another fear aside and tried to swim in the river, just like the locals. Though I didn’t ace it yet, but getting into the river itself was a small first step for me. Now, need to finally learn to ski this winter and then swim better next summer. Not sure if I’ll retry sledging anytime soon though,since I had a terrible experience the first time.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Please do leave your thoughts in the comment section below and share the post on the social media of your choice. You can also save it on Pinterest and refer to it later.
I stand gazing at possibly the best preserved medieval cathedral in Sweden, with the structure standing at over 100 meters high. ‘It took about 300 years for Linköping’s cathedral to be built this way!’, I exclaim to myself. With my mind replaying flashes of the articulate details I had just seen inside , including the glass sculpture of Maria and the ‘Tree of Life’, I turn to face the Linköping Castle. How many changes and events might have been witnessed by this 12th century Castle! After all, this or the Market Square might have been the spot where the largely popular public execution of six Swedish nobles was held , way back on March 20, 1600…
September , 1598, Sweden. The Battle of Stangebro has just concluded, resulting in the defeat of King Sigismund of Sweden. His opponent, his uncle, Duke Karl, enters into a treaty with him. Sigismund chooses to leave the country, but a price had to be paid. Karl wouldn’t want any supporters of Sigismund in his kingdom anymore.Six of his trusted counselors from his ‘Privy Council’ would be handed over. In six days. Six days was all that Gustaf Axelsson Banner would get to be with his wife and their newborn son. Who knew what lay ahead for these brave noblemen. Gustaf bids goodbye to his family and is detained in prison at Gripsholm Castle, Stockholm for the next year and a half. He is then transferred to Linköping where the six noblemen are sentenced to public execution. An event that will go down in history as the Linköping Bloodbath. The brave Banner , the first of the six to be executed, steps up, makes a heroic speech about his innocence and his loyalty to Sweden, throws some coins at the executioner and bows down to prepare for his end. An untimely end at age 52.
Last farewell to Gustaf Axelsson Baner when he is beheaded in Linköping Square, painting by Fanny Brate. Image from Wikimedia Commons.
I enter the Castle as I notice some of the jesters taking a break outside. The oldest part of the castle dates back to the 12th century though a lot of destruction, renovation and changes took place until the 1930s. Sweden was very different back in the 11th and 12th centuries; it was a unified Christian kingdom and later included modern-day Finland. You might associate the Vikings with Sweden (about 800-1000 AD) but there’s a lot more to Sweden’s history, particularly military history with Denmark, Russia and Norway through the centuries. I make my way to the old tower of the museum and am taken back in time as the jester guide takes us through the exhibit and tells us about the history of Sweden right from the time that Stockholm was founded by Birger Jarl in 1250. The Old Sweden.
Going back in time: At Linköping Castle Museum
Located about 200 kms south of Stockholm, Linköping (pronounced “Linshooping”) is the fifth-largest city in Sweden (seventh-largest in terms of population) and is the capital of the county of Östergötland . Rich in history and culture , Linköping offers scenic beauty and an insight into Sweden’s political as well as industrial past.
As someone interested in history , mythology and culture, I had quite a few questions about Sweden – some of them like:
How did the people of Sweden live in olden times ? What would they eat and how would they dress up? What were their beliefs?
I was glad to get to know a lot more on my visit to the Gamla Linköping Open-Air Museum .This neighbourhood in the old town of Linköping is preserved as an open air museum to highlight the life of people from about the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s. The typical red houses (with apt interiors), cobblestone alleys, well-maintained gardens (some with berry trees), classrooms and guides dressed up in the attire suited to that era – it all culminates into an enriching experience.
Typical Swedish houses in Gamla Linköping
Dressed up in a white and blue costume from that era, our guide took us around the neighbourhood and gave us a sneak peak into the lives of the people a hundred years ago. As we entered into a house that still had several possessions of the family who once lived there, I noticed a lot of old furniture and pictures. They had also kept a bowl of coffee beans on the table and I couldn’t help noticing some kind of soup placed on the iron stove. ‘It’s made of nettles’, we were told. As Sweden was going through an economic turmoil at that point, people did not want to waste anything. Sometimes, people on the guided tour are also made to taste some fresh nettle soup.It does need to be cooked for a long time though. Depending on the season, visitors might also get to try some elderflower lemonade or gingerbread cookies made in the house.
Possessions of the former inhabitants of this house
Coffee and Sweden
During my time in Sweden, I noticed the variety of food products made of berries. Lingonberry jam, for instance, is a staple item in the Scandinavian cuisine. Many people would also eat it with meat balls. Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are also commonly found growing in Sweden. I was glad to see some berry trees in the garden of this particular house we visited and also happened to see berry picking in action!
Another fact I got to know was that in the mid 1800’s, only the rich people could afford to send their kids to a private school. We got the opportunity to enter some of the classrooms in the school museum and see for ourselves the types of desks, slates and equipment used to teach the kids at that time. Remember how Sweden wanted to minimize the waste? Well, I could not believe seeing a rabbit claw being used as a duster in the classroom! Besides, they also had sand boxes on which the kids could write and erase with sticks.
While walking through the interactive open-air museum, we got to see several craftsmen demonstrating their skills. For instance,there was rope making taking place in the learning area and we were also introduced to the process of dying yarn using plant extracts.
Of course, you cannot miss out on the Swedish custom of having ‘fika’, which is a time for getting together, having coffee and relishing traditional cinnamon buns.And that’s what we observed in the cafe located at Gamla Linköping too. If you visit Sweden in December, you can also find a Christmas Market in Gamla Linköping . What a perfect setting it must be!
Mouth-watering Swedish desserts
To bring some more perspective into the timeline of Sweden, Sweden’s first electric railway opened in 1895. In the same year, Alfred Nobel wrote his will and declared his wish to award the Nobel Prizes for excellence in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace. Interestingly, the Peace Prize awardee was to be selected by the Norwegian committee and it might have been so because Sweden and Norway constituted one Kingdom until 1905. The 2nd Olympic Games were held in Paris in 1900. The first Nobel Prize was awarded in 1901 in Sweden. Since then, the tradition of awarding the Peace Prize in Norway has just been carried on.
Now, in the 1940’s, Saab,the Swedish automobile company, moved into the area and started manufacturing planes. As a result, the Flygvapenmuseum (or the Air force Museum) is a treat to visit if you love planes and history too. From seeing some of the oldest planes to seeing those used in the post Cold-War era and seeing models of houses from the 1950’s to 1980’s, adults and kids can easily spend several hours here. As of 2016, the entrance to the museum is free of charge.You can take bus no. 13 from the Linköping travel centre (Resecentrum) to the museum and get off directly infront of the museum.
The Flygvapen Museum, Linköping
You can also touch some of the aircrafts and learn a lot in this interactive museum
Woop! Back from time travel. Time to indulge in some scenic views and enjoy some culinary delicacies of Ostergotland.
A perfect summer day in Sweden
Where to eat, what to do and how to get to Linköping
If you visit Linköping, you ought to take a short ride and visit the Göta Canal,which hosts the Berg Locks, a renowned work of engineering. Apparently, it has been named ‘Sweden’s Greatest Wonder’. While you can go for a long cruise, you can also just hop on a bus from Linköping Central to Bergs Slussar, have lunch or ice-cream by the canal and see the boats pass through the Berg Locks which are connected to form a staircase. This system allows small ships to travel across 190 kms of the long waterway in Sweden and the canal connects many rivers and lakes to form an easy route from the west to the east of Sweden. Interestingly, this canal was constructed out of anger for Denmark-Norway when they started levying huge taxes for shipping goods in the Great Belt. Today, it serves as a popular tourist attraction and you can hop on to a canal cruise to experience the mechanism first hand.
Berg Slussar, near Linköping
Walking towards our canal cruise
We enjoyed our lunch at Restaurant Kanalkrogen, directly overlooking a part of the canal. If you like fish, you should try out the specialities of the region like Herring or Salmon. As a vegetarian, I enjoyed a lot of delicious salads in Sweden. By far, my week in Sweden has been the only time when I primarily ate the most delicious salads ever with fresh and locally grown ingredients and absolutely loved it all.
So you get an idea of the regional specialities.
The vegetarian option (Health plate) was delicious!
For dinner, we headed back to Linköping Market Square (Stora Torget) and enjoyed Italian food at Restaurant 1864. I was surprised to see they even had Limoncello (a typical Italian drink)!
Strolling around the Linköping City Square
Heading for dinner to 1864 at Stora Torget
Although Linköping has a small airport, you can also easily get a train from Stockholm Central Station or even from the Arlanda/Bromma airports in Stockholm. It would take you about 1.5 to 2 hours if you take the train from Stockholm Central and about 2-3 hours if you travel directly from Arlanda airport. Besides, it is also easy to take a bus from Skavsta Airport or a direct train from Kastrup Airport, Copenhagen.
From Linköping Central Station, you can take bus 3,12 or 13 to reach Gamla Linköping (Old Town) and take a 1 hour guided tour of the Open Air Museum or simply stroll around by yourself. As I mentioned earlier, you can also visit the Air Force Museum easily by taking bus 13 from the Central Station.
For visiting the canal, take Bus 522 from Linköping Central Station to Bergs Slussar or Buses 520,521 to Vreta Kloster Kyrka and then walk a few minutes to reach the restaurant. For all updated timings and connections for local transport, you can refer to the Östgötatrafiken website.
I went for a day trip to Linköping from Stockholm and came back to HTL Hotel, but I would have loved to spend an extra day there as there was so much to see and do. If you are in the region and have time, you could certainly consider staying overnight. Some options I found online were :
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and find it useful to plan your next trip to Sweden. Please do share the post with anyone who might be interested in knowing more about Sweden and let me know your thoughts in the comments.
I am thankful to Visit Linköping and Swedish Railways for organizing this day trip and introducing me to so many interesting facts, stories and food. All opinions and thoughts are my own. I have a lot more to tell you about Sweden. But, until next time.
It will soon be time for Christmas markets to adorn the streets of numerous towns in Europe!Everything about this season is magical; the lights, decorations, liveliness,food and happiness all around. Germany is known for it’s Christmas markets, and if you are thinking about where to go this winter, here are some suggestions for the best Christmas Markets in Germany:
1. Cologne Christmas Market
The wonderful thing about Cologne as a German Christmas market destination is the endless amount of different market styles they have on offer. You won’t have time to visit them all in one day, but jumping between the different styles can be a fun day out. You can visit up to 7 different markets in total, all within walking distance around the city of Cologne. You can visit the home of the elves or the Fairy tail angel market; so many different styles and variations to explore. My favourite was the St Nicholas Christmas market, which was the most traditional market I visited in Cologne and had traditional Christmas songs being played by a band in the background, added a nice scenic vibe to the market and they also had the best-mulled wine on offer in Cologne. Enjoy picking up the boot shape mug as a souvenir of your visit.
The Munich Christmas market will be opened from November 25th in 2016 and will go on till December 24th. Christmas markets in the city date back to centuries ago, with the “Nicholaus Markets” of the 14th century and a “Nikolaidult” that took place near the Beautiful Tower in Kaufingerstrasse in 1642. Cat Gaa from Sunshine and Siestas shares her thoughts on the Munich Christmas market.
It was by luck and a little bit of coaxing that I found a cheap flight from Seville, Spain to Munich just before the holidays and that my cousin had a week off or work in Frankfurt. I’d been keen on visiting a Christmas market in Germany, and Munich’s dozen or so Weihnachtsmarkt warmed my Christmas-deprived soul like glühwein. Wrapping my hands around a warm mug and in the presence of family, Christyn and I browsed handicrafts, shared brats and bought one another ornaments for our trees. For someone accustomed to a warm Spanish Christmas, a chill in the air and family was all I needed.
Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is arguably the best market in Germany. It is clearly one of the best visited – boasting over two million visitors in the four short weeks the market is open every year. The stalls, with their candy-striped awnings, occupy neat little rows. The stalls sell all manner of traditional handcrafts, including little “smoker” men (carved figures that hold smoking incense inside) and carved wooden toys. A horse-drawn stagecoach takes visitors on a ride over the cobblestone streets of the medieval old city. On weekends, the Nuremberg Christmas market is a throbbing mass of people huddling together to stay warm. During the week, you can explore the market in tranquility, eating the local Nuremberger sausages (eaten three in a roll) and drinking gluhwein (hot mulled wine). We’ve visited many of Europe’s markets, but Nuremberg is one of the best.
Every year, my girlfriends from university and I jump on a plane to visit our best friend from university in Hamburg. Hamburg is home to my favourite Christmas market, which just so happens to be the biggest one that lies in front of the Rathaus. From the end of November onwards, the citizens of Hamburg go out to the Christmas markets every evening to grab some food, gluhwein (mulled wine to those non-Germans among us) and make merry, before moving on to party till late at the nearest bar. To gear up for your night out, the market in front of the Rathaus has some of the best food around, assorted flavours of bratwurst, fresh seafood and crepes are common offerings across Hamburg’s markets but added to this you have stalls selling smoked salmon, hot funnel cake rolled in cinnamon sugar, flavoured cream cheeses from the bizarre (curry) to the delicious (pomegranate and mint) and stands weaving hot candy together before your eyes. Of course if you’re stopping by, you have to visit the Christmas decoration store to shop for a traditional Christmas bauble, buy an iced lebkuchen as a gift for your sweetheart, and watch Santa swing across the sky on his sledge at 4, 6 and 8pm everyday.
Heidelberg is a beautiful old city, nestled among hills and forests, with the ancient castle overlooking the Neckar river. The Christmas markets too are dreamy , and the Old Town looks magical with lights and decorations. You can also find another Christmas market at Kornmarkt, which has a more fairy-tale like look to it. Besides, from November end to January 10th, the city hosts “Germany’s most beautiful ice-rink” on the Karlsplatz, where you can go for skating.
The lively city of Berlin must be a treat to visit during Christmas. There are about 60 Christmas markets every year, some traditional, some more urban,some eco-markets and some especially creative for kids. You can check out the list of Berlin Christmas markets 2016 here. The Berlin Tourist Office recommends not to bring any suitcases, bags or bigger backpacks due to security measures.
This is what Amanda from Marocmama has to say about Berlin:
My family and I live in North Africa and so, winter and Christmas don’t usually make much of an appearance. We went to Berlin with the hope of finding Christmas and we were successful! While there is no shortage of markets, our favorite was Alexanderplatz Neptunbrunnen. It’s a smaller market but the kids love the fountain in the middle of the skating rink. We also could sit down and watch them without feeling overwhelmed by hordes of people. In one of the food stalls, we discovered Dresdner Handbrot – a new favorite food treat.
The Dresden Striezelmarkt, at the Altmarkt Square, is said to be Germany’s oldest Christmas market and will be open from November 24th,2016 to December 24th. 11 different Christmas markets are put up across the city, ranging from traditional to medieval. This year, the Striezelmarkt is celebrating it’s 582nd anniversary, and the experience would be memorable for sure! Sid- The Wanderer has an elaborate post about his experience in the Christmas Markets in Dresden.
When it comes to Christmas markets, Germany is quite prolific. From quirky small local to huge traditional ones. Everyone wants to see the Christkindlmarkt in Nürnberg or enjoy a delicious mulled wine at the oldest one in Dresden, but what about the less traditional ones? Bremen has a couple of those.One is the popular Schlachte Zauber in the Schlachte promenade by the river Weser, with its pirate ships, daily concerts, and old school artisan products. And another being the relatively new Findorffer Winterdorf, set up outside the culture and art center Schlachthof, which offers all sorts of healthy alternative products including a tasty vegan menu. It is decorated with thousands of fairy lights, colourful signs, and a disco ball making of it one of the coziest Christmas markets around. These alternative Christmas markets are a wonderful way of breaking out from routine, but if you really want to visit the main Bremen Weihnachtsmarkt, make sure to stop by the Ratskeller’s stand for the most delicious white wine mulled wine you’ll ever try!
It’s fine to go eat alone at a restaurant.No, really. It’s fine to go shopping alone, travelling alone
or just sitting by the river, doing nothing- alone.
If you had told me this six years ago, you would have seen bewildered looks on my face. ‘How can someone go shop alone for clothes?’ I used to wonder. ‘Wouldn’t it be too boring?’ I still hear similar comments from a lot of people regularly. ‘ How can I go out to eat alone?’ ‘How can I travel alone? It could be risky..or boring. Besides, XYZ told me this story of…’
Well, friends, let’s just get this straight.
It’s fine to go eat alone,shop alone or sit around doing nothing- all alone.
It’s fine to go swing in the park, all by yourself
and watch people as they go by- while smiling to yourself.
It’s fine to do things you always wanted,
even sitting under the star-lit sky and getting cozy with your blanket.
There’s absolutely nothing awkward in being happy all by yourself;
to smile and reach out to strangers, offering them help.
No harm in talking to the person sitting next to you on the train;
Who knows what friendships and adventures are awaiting your way?
The key, my friends, is to be happy and content.
Have confidence in yourself and you’ll never repent.
Have a smile on your face and patience of course;
Take your time but become good pals with yourself for sure!
People are great and so is everything around us.
You just need to realize you can experience the magic that surrounds us.
Alertness and conscientiousness are what you’ll always need;
after all, you are your own responsibility.
Don’t let people tell you what you shouldn’t or can’t do alone.
Develop the negatives into positives and focus on your goals.
Wait for no one if you really want to go;
people will join you if they really care or want to!
It’s great to have supportive family and friends,
and to have the assurance that you can fall back upon them.
But, don’t let their physical absence near you hold you back in any way,
or miss out on opportunities because you were too afraid to try.
Believe in yourself and you’ll be amazed at what you can do;
You’ll then realize that the stories of being happy and alone are indeed magical and true!
If you like poetry or random thoughts on life, here are three other pieces you might like:
Imagine travelling around the world for 30 days with a companion AND having your flights and hotels covered! Wouldn’t that be exciting?Well, I am thrilled to tell you about atravel contest that could make your dream trip come true.Radisson Blu, one of the largest group of hotels in the world, is hosting an online game called Paper City(named after a project) that will give you clues to guess the names of 5 cities correctly. After this, you would have to write about your dream destination and who knows..you might get the chance to go globe-trotting with a friend!
If you could go anywhere..where would it be?
As travel planning gets me all excited, I have been looking into all the places where Radisson Blu hotels are located(they have nearly 300 hotels in 69 countries by the way) and thinking of which destinations I would choose if I ever got such an opportunity. But, apart from this contest, there is another reason as to why I was already looking into their hotels last month itself. You see, during my recent trip to Stockholm, I participated in a photo contest run by Radisson Blu and won a voucher that could be used at any one of their hotels in the next two years!
A post shared by Menorca@EuropeDiaries (@menorca_c) on
Radisson Blu Hotel at Strandvagen, central Stockholm. . The bright lights from the Grona Lund amusement park are a sheer delight at night!
So, here are some of the places I would love to travel to! Let me know where you would plan to go if you won such a trip.
TROMSO, NORWAY : Those of you who have known me for some time or followed this blog, you might know about my fascination with the Northern Lights. Visiting the north of Norway or Finland in the winters has been high up on my travel wishlist, and that is something I would love to include in my dream trip. I came across a Radisson Blu hotel in Tromso, a Norwegian city located above the Arctic Circle that would be great for viewing the Northern Lights as well as exploring the Fjords, visiting the northernmost animal park and other exciting activities.
Hunting for the Northern Lights is on the top of my travel wishlist.
GRAN CANARIA, SPAIN – Though I MUST visit Balearic Islands in Spain (Menorca,Mallorca) at some point , I would also love visiting the Canary Islands. Gran Canaria is an island the Spanish archipelago (Canary), of volcanic origin, and is known for its black lava and white sand beaches. Looks interesting and perfect for a relaxing holiday to me!
Would you jump off into the sea like that?
Gran Canaria looks heavenly!
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – I have never been to South Africa, and if I did have a chance to do so, I would love to visit Cape Town, along with many more cities and National Parks. Cape Town sounds great owing to all the natural beauty there: the Table Mountains, the Atlantic as well as the Indian Oceans, beaches,wineries and friendly people.
Sea Point Promenade, Radisson Blu Le Vendome Hotel,Cape Town
4. SYDNEY,AUSTRALIA – Lately, I have been thinking a lot about spending at least a month in Australia at some point , exploring the many cities, natural landscapes and the islands nearby.Whenever I go there, I would also want to visit New Zealand and then French Polynesia somehow. So, while thinking about a round-the-world trip, I knew Australia would feature on it for sure. I found a Radisson Blu hotel in Sydney and this would be one of my choices if I hypothetically won this contest.
Sydney Opera House
5. DENARAU ISLAND, FIJI – So I just told you about my desire to visit Australia and have already mentioned French Polynesia earlier . If I do visit that part of the world, I would love to see as much as possible and take the opportunity to go back in time (quite literally). You see, in about 4 hours from Sydney, you can fly to Fiji and that’s where the International Date Line runs through (island of Taveuni). I am indeed fascinated by history, culture,traditions and scenic beauty but I am also interested in visiting this particular island and experience jumping from one day to the other!Besides, Fiji would be a great place for water sports, adventures and cruising too.
Torches by the sea. Image:Radisson Blu Fiji
Fijian warrior. Image: cultural show at Radisson Blu,Fiji
The world is huge and there’s so much out there to explore. It was really difficult to come up with just 5 dream destinations. But, I am curious to know, where would you go if you won this contest? Make sure you participate via this link and do comment below to let me know about your dream trip. All the best! Contest ends on October 12th, 2016.
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