Beneath the enchanting scenes of the Seine and Paris’s cobblestone footpaths lies the route for one of the city’s oldest tours. Since the latter part of the nineteenth century, the Paris Sewer Museum has guided tourists and locals alike through the pungent labyrinth of its underground system.
It’s a true feat of early engineering and design – construction began in the 1300s – but this museum isn’t for those with a delicate disposition. With fully dressed mannequins posed as workers and thoroughly entertaining information about the city and its catacombs on offer, this is a tour that neither you nor your nostrils will be able to forget.
Marvel at the giant balls once used to clean the sewers, which look like they could have been plucked from the set of an Indiana Jones movie. Paris’s sewer network spans some 2, 100 kilometres, and tours were once conducted by locomotive-drawn carriages and also by boat. Guided tours are available, or go it alone.
Who would have thought a Swedish national park could attract so much controversy? Hidden in the Kullaberg Nature Reserve in Skåne in the country’s south, is the giant sculpture Nimis (Latin for ‘too much’), constructed by controversial Swedish artist Lars Vilks. Built entirely from driftwood – at least so it’s believed – Vilks started crafting the structure in 1980, and it took two years before anybody even noticed.
Once it was uncovered, a series of convoluted court battles between Vilks and the local council led to the artist to declare one square kilometre of the nature reserve as autonomous from Sweden. And so the Royal Republic of Ladonia was born in 1996.
The micronation has a flag, a motto, two unnamed anthems, a capital, several official languages, a government, a queen, a president, a vice-president, a state secretary and almost 18,000 citizens worldwide. You can apply to become a citizen via the website for free, or even opt for a noble title for a small fee. Despite all this, nobody actually lives there.
The sculpture itself is impressively large, and as you climb down through it you feel as though you’re entering Netherland. The driftwood has been intricately cobbled together using nails and whatever else Vilks could get his hands on, to create an epic wooden labyrinth with tunnels you can climb through, and towers you can climb on. It’s awesome in both scale and concept.
Its most familiar calling cards might be coffeeshops and the Red Light district, but Amsterdam offers plenty beyond these less than salubrious features. A city founded some 800 years ago, there is a wealth of history hiding in its canal-side cobblestone streets. And with a little research you can uncover it all in one fell swoop by foot or on one of the capital’s ubiquitous bicycles.
Most conveniently, a KLM flight attendant has done all the hard work for you and come up with a handy pre-plotted route that includes 37 of Amsterdam’s most impressive edifices and takes in the vast bulk of the city’s thoroughfares.
Visitors begin (and finish) the 13-kilometre walk at the palace-like Amsterdam Central Station – a rijksmonuments, or national heritage site, built in 1889. After that you’ll mosey along one of the oldest canals in Amsterdam, delving straight into the tangle of tiny alleys that is De Wallen, the Dutch capital’s largest Red Light District.
Next up is Zeedijk, the home of the the city’s Chinatown, where you’ll stop to eye the 15th century De Waag, or Weigh House. It’s said to be the oldest remaining non-religious building in all of Amsterdam. This turreted structure was even depicted by Rembrandt in his 1632 painting The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp.
Then you’ll whizz over countless bridges, through numerous stone squares and past several museums, galleries, breweries and historic warehouses before landing on Prinsengracht, or Prince’s Canal, often called one of the city’s most beautiful stretches.
Some three hours later you’ll wind up at the final stop, and the most Dutch of all institutions: the gin bar. Neck more than 70 different liqueurs and genevers in tulip glasses, all produced in-house using traditional 17th century craft methods.
If you want to get your mitts on a tangible replica of these historic houses you’ll need to fly business class with KLM, where each passenger is presented with their own miniature delft house. Every year on the date of KLM’s anniversary, 7 October, a new house is added to the collection. There are 97 models now.
Waterfalls, vast glaciers and volcanoes. Need we say more? Covering 13 per cent of Iceland’s landscape, Vatnajökull National Park is as versatile as it is large. And although this natural playground of fire and ice was designated a national park as recently as 2008, its attractions formed eons ago. In the north, you’ll uncover Dettifoss, considered to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe; the iconic horseshoe-curved cliffs of Ásbyrgi; and volcanoes erupting from the earth between threads of glacial rivers. Among these volcanoes are Kverkfjöll and Snæfell, the colourful craters of Askja, and the Queen of the Mountains – otherwise known as the volcanic table mountain Herðubreið.
Transitioning to the south you’ll encounter part of the park known for its towering mountain ridges. Here the central volcano of Öræfajökull and Iceland’s highest peak, Hvannadalshnjúkur, scrape at the sky. Witnessing it all from afar is breathtaking, but there’s nothing quite like setting off on a true adventure. Pull on your explorer’s hat and join an ice walking or climbing tour, try your hand at snowmobiling across the glacier or descend between the glassy walls of an ice cave. Though the Vatnajökull glacier’s icecap covers a large portion of the park (it’s the largest icecap in Europe), the variety of geological curiosities that inhabit the national park make for an incredible visit.
If you want to experience Barcelona’s unique blend of medieval and modern, there’s only one place to stay. The Grand Hotel Central stands in the centre of the city’s vibrant El Born district, just steps from the picturesque Gothic Quarter. Recently renovated, the building retains the stately charm of 1920s neoclassical architecture, fused with sleek modern design elements and amenities.
Browse the in-house art gallery or order a cocktail from the rooftop SkyBar to sip while basking poolside. Hungry? The bar serves light Mediterranean snacks, but for something more substantial, head down to the City Bar & Restaurant for award-winning Catalonian classics, like gazpacho and sausage. Benvinguts a Barcelona!
Before the sun sets on the Italian resort town of Livigno all the action takes place at the base of either the Mottolino or Carosello 3000 lifts. Here you’ll find Stalet, where skis are dislodged and dancing and drinking commence.
If that all gets too wild, head into town where there are about 140 bars. We know it’s never about quantity over quality, but most of these are quite small places and many have unique offerings: Jpioca does cocktails, the Echo Pub is attached to a microbrewery, the Kuhstall downstairs at Hotel Bivio is the spot for live music, and Kokodi is number one for late-night dancing divas.
Bet you didn’t know Ireland has cracking cuisine. With a population of just 4.5 million, it punches well above its weight when it comes to creating delicious things to put in your mouth – and we’re not just talking about whiskey and Guinness. Sink your fangs into artisanal produce on a tasting trail through Dublin, the country’s cool capital city. Throughout the morning you’ll learn about the history of its thriving gastronomic scene and sample a generous assortment of products – think cheese from cows who graze on Ireland’s famous rolling hills, bagels loaded with Burren smoked salmon, silky chocolate and refreshing cold-pressed juices. Wash down plump oysters with a glass of white wine and, in true Irish style, enjoy a nip of something stronger in one of the city’s many excellent pubs.
The Culpeper is an old-school Whitechapel boozer gone a little bit fancy. Exposed brick and scuffed communal tables are updated with the addition of angular light fittings and plenty of foliage. There’s a decent range of beers on tap, a list of natural wines and cocktails that feature herbs grown on the roof of the building. In fact, there’s another bar up there, with a glasshouse-style undercover area and al fresco tables among the potted fruit trees and beds of thriving greens.
You can’t go wrong, really, since there’s also a solid menu of rustic pub grub created from seasonal produce. The fantastic Sunday roast is particularly grand if you’ve been up early searching for bargains at the neighbouring Petticoat Lane Market.
For a relatively small place Norway’s capital Oslo punches well above its weight when it comes to interesting sights. And one of the best ways to take in this leafy city is from a rather elevated position. Standing atop the arresting, angular Oslo Opera House, set by the water’s edge in the very heart of the capital, will allow you privileged views of the Oslo Fjord, with bright clapboard houses scattered along its shore line. While turning 180 degrees on the spot will provide views of both the city, and beyond the hills and mountains that surround it.
The marble-embellished roof of the opera house was designed by Norwegian artists Kristain Blystad, Kalle Grude, Jorunn Sannes. And aside from enjoying the near 360-degree panoramic views from on top of it, the opera house also plays host to a number of events, such as plays and concerts performed both within its walls and outside in its sprawling forecourt. Whether you take a stroll on the iconic roof or see a moving ballet performance, the Oslo Opera House is a highlight of any visit to the Norwegian capital and should be at the top of your to-do list.
If you haven’t been you dream about going and if you have been then all you do is dream about going back. Greece is the type of place that leaves you with a lingering taste for more. An overwhelming (yet very much welcome) array of local food, drink and ancient sights surround you, whether you’re sailing the Cyclades, exploring the Ottoman influence in the Dodecanese or immersing yourself in the mythology of the Ionian islands. And with more than 6000 isles at your toes there is plenty to uncover.
Heading north come Aussie winter means trading short, cold days for balmy European nights. Your daily routine on these Hellenic islands might consist of eating spit-roasted lamb souvlaki on the heady shores of Mykonos, cycling to the lazy beaches of Naxos or exploring the archaeological sites splashed all over Rhodes.
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