During World War II, the Allies dropped 142,000 bombs on Stuttgart, destroying 39,125 buildings. Needless to say, with some sporadic exceptions here and there, it doesn’t have much of an Old Town anymore. I stepped off the train from Frankfurt and emerged from the very sturdy hauptbahnhof onto a newish and heavily congested pedestrian zone: Saturday Christmas shopping was in full gear. But this was just an ordinary shopping area. Once I arrived at the Christmas market, the number of people seemed to have quadrupled. Welcome to one of the largest Christmas markets in Europe. Read more >
Author Archives: stephentravels
Have Yourself a Merry German Christmas: Day 3
Of all the cities I was visiting, I knew the least (well, virtually nothing) about Freiburg, but I included it on my itinerary because I read that it had one of the best Christmas markets in Germany. So, with no points of reference and no notions of what the city would be like, I boarded the train to Freiburg. As it would turn out, the markets didn’t seem to exceed any of the others I had seen so far (they were just as delightful), but, oh, how I loved this city. Read more >
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Have Yourself a Merry German Christmas: Day 2
Christ Child figures welcome visitors to the Christkindlesmarkt.
Famous for its eponymous trials, a string of military tribunals conducted by the Allied forces after World War II that involved the prosecution of prominent members of the Nazi machine who participated in the Holocaust and other war crimes, Nuremberg always seems to be conjoined with Judgment at, that classic 1961 all-star film with Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Judy Garland, William Shatner, Richard Widmark, Maximilian Schell, and the Berlin-born Marlene Dietrich. But this 1,000-year-old city boasts so much more than that isolated event, from gorgeous churches to an imperial castle to an outstanding opera house — and Christmas markets that date back to 1628. Read more >
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Have Yourself a Merry German Christmas: Day 1
Ever since I was a child, the Christmas markets in Germany held a special appeal for me. For some inexplicable reason, they seemed to epitomize this most festive holiday, more so than those in any other country. I knew that, someday, I would have to see them. Several decades later, I made the dream a reality. After careful research about the cities with the best markets, I had to select a central location from which I could make easy day trips to other cities over the course of one week, traveling by train and sparing myself the hassle of changing hotels every night. I pinpointed Frankfurt as my home for seven days. But the city was more than just my base. It was my introduction to a centuries-old tradition that exceeded all my expectations and made me conclude that this is how you must spend some time in December. Read more >
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Peeping Into Kitchens and Hiding From the Soviets in Tallinn’s Kiek in de Kök
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, the Old Town in Tallinn, Estonia, survives as one of Europe’s best preserved medieval fortifications. As I emerged from my hotel, the wonderful Savoy Boutique Hotel, every day, I was completely enchanted by its beautiful churches, cobblestone streets, old merchant houses, and medieval gates around its perimeter. The city’s most distinctive feature — the defensive wall around it — incorporates a couple of dozen towers. One particular tower, Kiek in de Kök, boasts an unusually wild history. In the 16th century, soldiers joked that they could look through the windows on the top level into the kitchens of the homes beneath them, and, in the 20th century, criminals and punk rockers could flee from police during the Soviets’ crushing 50-year-hold on Estonia in the tunnels underneath the tower. Read more >
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Party of Five: The Best Plazas in Mendoza, Argentina
Renowned as a base for some unparalleled hiking opportunities in the Andes Mountains and for the vineyards surrounding it that produce, among other wines, the full-bodied Malbec, the city of Mendoza in western Argentina shouldn’t be overlooked as a destination in and of itself — and I’m glad I devoted some time to staying in town. In many ways, such as its abundance of sidewalk trees, it’s like no other city in Argentina. One of its delightful highlights are the five plazas in the heart of Mendoza — an X-shaped arrangement of green oases in a city that’s already fairly leafy. Each one of this quintet of plazas honors a key player, whether it’s a person or a country, in the nation’s history, and each is chock full of attractions that impressed me with its beauty and thoughtfulness. Read more >
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When Orange Is More Than Your Morning Juice
For those of us who live in certain climates, autumn brings a joyful change of season, when comfortably brisk days replace oppressive summer heat, and green foliage gives way to all-too-brief displays of flashy colors — especially a vibrant orange. If you don’t reside in a locale that’s blessed with this annual switch, you can get your fix of orange with an intricately carved jack-o-lantern or a Cincinnati Bengals game. And if you’re not privy to any of this, there are still plenty of oranges around the world that will capture your attention. Read more about my top five oranges >
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What Lies Beneath Seattle, Washington
A forgotten but not-so-secret city wound its way under my feet in Seattle. I didn’t know it existed, but my first hint that something lurked below was the small and thick amethyst-hued squares of glass embedded in the sidewalks around Pioneer Square. I found myself wondering what purpose they served. When I discovered that they were skylights for an underground city, I simply had to know more. Fortunately, there’s an exceptionally popular tour that explains all the mysteries. Read more >
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The Best Clocks in the World Tell More Than Time
When you fall back this weekend, take a good look at the clock or wristwatch you’re adjusting. Is it a strictly functional device that displays the inexorable march of time? Or is it a work of art? Clocks have come a long way since sundials and do more than merely inform you that you have arrived early at an airport or overslept again. The best ones also tell great stories — or have great stories told about them. Read more about the top five clocks in the world >
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East Meets West at Khazana in Edmonton, Alberta
My third gray, drizzly, chilly day in Edmonton, Alberta, took a delightfully warm and colorful turn when I opened the door to Khazana. Consistently ranked as one of the best Indian restaurants in Alberta’s capital, Khazana (which means “treasure”) captures the timeless spirit of India through both its décor that combines traditional and modern and its outstanding menu of the finest the subcontinent has to offer. Bolstered by polite and flawless service, this fine-dining establishment creates a culinary experience of unmatched authenticity. Read more >
Stephen Travels 