Once Upon a Time... a magic route to fairytales
Snow White, Cinderella, Hansel & Gretel, Dauntless Little John, Sleeping Beauty or Tom Thumb are some of the famous characters from the fairytales written by the Grimm Brothers. We all know these tales; we have read or hear them when we were kids, they blew up our imagination to distant places where kindly fairies, handsome princes and princesses or evil queens lived.
Now you can live your own adventure again following the Fairytales route in Germany, which will make your childhood dreams come true.
About 600 kilometers, from Bremen to Hanau, through charming villages and enchanted forests that will take you to an atmosphere from the 19th century and the landscapes where the main characters from the fairy tales lived adventures and misadventures.
The route follows emblematic sites like Hanau, the city where Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm, the worldwide famous writers who create the most well known fairytales, were born. At the center of the Market Square, in Hanau, there is a significant monument in their honor.
The trip also passes by Kassel, the route’s main village, where many of the fairytales take place and you can also find a museum dedicated to the Grimm brothers, the Sababurg castle in Hofgeismar – linked to the Sleeping Beauty’s tale -, Bremen – from Town Musicians of Bremen -, the city of Polle – where the story of Cinderella takes place – or the city of Hamelin, where the famous flutist enchanted kids and rats with his music.
This route is especially recommended for families but also to grownups that retain their childhood’s spirit. Get ready to this magic trip that starts with a “Once upon a time…”
Picture by Christoph Runge
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more infoLe Panier
This Marseille’s quaint neighborhood is the oldest in the city and is located behind the old port, an area comprised between Castle of Sant Jean and Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Majeure . Its Provencal style streets and frontages have an maghreb atmosphere, due to the large Muslim settlement that has occurred in recent decades in this port enclave . Le Panier is characterized by a humble and even somewhat ramshackle appearance, because in ancient times had been a conflict zone, home of pirates and privateers.
Currently, this area has been converted and has nothing to do with what was once. Artisans and artists have reoccupied the streets and set up their workshops. A host of colorful houses, narrow streets with the most peculiar shops, upstairs and downstairs and typical food little bars and restaurants that gives so much charm to the district. The laundry hanging from the windows on the street gives this neighborhood an unusual authenticity. It is ideal for a walk, take pictures, go to lunch one delicious hot chocolate in one of the cafes or visit any of their famous Marseilles soap factories. Bakeries and pastries also charge a special role.
This traditional neighborhood contrasts with the rest of Marseille, more stately. There would still have one of the most emblematic points of the city attractions such as La Vielle Charité , museum and cultural center or Place des Moulins that is also noteworthy for it is on top of the old neighborhood, still retaining two former fifteen windmills, now rehabilitated as dwellings.
Image: phgaillard2001
Don’t you want to immerse yourself in this enchanting city of Provence? Check out our flights here.
more infoLanzarote Is magic
Lanzarote is a spectacular place, almost magical with its volcanic landscapes that look like other planets, its quiet white sand clear watered beaches, small coves and palm oasis. Declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO for its protection and conservation of nature and the environment, it has natural areas of great beauty and interest, such as the Timanfaya National Park, the Natural Park of the Volcanoes or the Guinate Tropical Park.
An interesting option is to go visit the Graciosa, from which you can take excursions to the islands that belong to the Marine Reserve and their wonderful underwater world. You can also tour the island by bicycle and cross paths that will lead us to the most extraordinary places.
With 21 degrees Celsius on average and 4,800 hours of sunlight every 365 days! That is why Lanzarote has pleasant temperatures for most of the year that invite you to enjoy the sea and practice numerous water sports like surfing and windsurfing. You will also find out about its hospitable people -formerly called conejeros due to the large number of rabbits that were in the island- and their ingrained habits.
César Manrique, international artist, has taken advantage of the charms of the island to make them artworks. His work has been recognized as it should in Lanzarote, and he has the César Manrique Foundation which is in Taro de Tahiche. It is the former home of the artist – he designed it himself – were we can see, as well as representative works of César Manrique’s path, his private collection that brings together authors of the importance of Pablo Picasso, Miró, Chillida or Klee.
Do not forget your food! If you visit Lanzarote you have to try, apart from its delicious cheeses and wines, some of the traditional dishes like Sancocho – with fish, wrinkled potatoes, fish fritters or the bienmesabe-traditional dessert made with almonds, biscuits, egg, sugar and lemon-.
Download here the map of Lanzarote and start planning your trip to this magical island.
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Picture By Pedro caba
more infoA visit to Bordeaux vineyards
The quality and diversity of Bordeaux wines are recognized around the world. The wine region of Bordeaux Vignoble produces each year around 800 million bottles of wine, some of them considered the most prestigious in the world and that’s why, occasionally, one gets to pay exorbitant amounts of money. With absolute devotion of its wine growers and thanks to the accumulation of excellent climatic conditions for the growth of the vine, Bordeaux is associated with winemaking excellence.
In the same city, we will find the quartier des Chartrons , which has been traditionally wine merchants’ neighborhood and home of local business, with its warehouses and stores. During the eighteenth century these traders built here beautiful palaces and stately homes that still conserve. And you should get into its Sunday market and taste, alongside the Bordeaux people, a plate of oysters accompanied by white wine.
From the city of Bordeaux , you can visit the vineyards of Bordeaux, the largest vineyard in the world . Real dreamy places like Merloc – with its stunning castles – Blaye Bourg – and its beautiful hillsides covered with vineyards and charming stone villages with Romanesque churches , Dordogne – and the medieval town of Saint-Emilion, famous for its excellent wines and the numerous historical monuments in there – orEntre-Deux-Mers – the largest wine region of Bordeaux bounded by the Garonne and Dordogne rivers – .
To raise awareness of this wine’s treasure, Office Bordeaux Tourist Information regularly organizes trips to various wine regions , in which you can taste their wines and that it will delight oenophiles or amateurs , who want to understand better the wine.
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Picture by Olivier Aumage
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