Spanning from Munich to Salzburg in southeast Germany, Bavaria is a picturesque region adorned with fairytale villages, delightful beer gardens, glacial lakes, and breathtaking views of the Alps. Whether you’re exploring breweries and museums in Munich, cycling through the pre-Alps, or getting a behind-the-scenes tour of the real-life castle that inspired Walt Disney, this tiny region is a fantasy playground that caters to a variety of tastes.In the interview below, we caught up with Experience Designer Mario Koch, and Region Expert Florian Marbach, as they share what you can expect on a trip to Bavaria.&nbsp;

Bavaria is adorned with classic pre-alpine scenery, from postcard-perfect rolling hills dotted with dome-shaped churches to baroque art and the sound of cowbells. It’s also the only region in Germany boasting the Alps! There’s so much opportunity to embark on challenging bike rides and hiking that range from scenic walks to multi-day treks in the mountains. The moderate mountain heights mean you don't have to venture far for an authentic alpine experience.

As the wealthiest German state, you’re never far from a well-polished road. The infrastructure makes travel here smooth and flawless, whether you’re going by bike, train, car, or on foot. The local way of life also attracts a population drawn to the outdoors, who still uphold strong traditional values.&nbsp;It's not uncommon to see people wearing lederhosen in their daily lives, because that’s what they have been doing for hundreds of years! It’s also fascinating to hear the region’s distinct dialect still spoken, setting them apart with their own unique language.

It's a diverse mix, from families looking for an active vacation to travellers who want beautiful hikes, grand hotels, and relaxed evenings with minimal transfers. We've had father-son duos keen on biking and large groups looking for cultural-focused experiences. There’s also interest in events like the Sound of Music, and that, culminating with incredible hotels and short distances makes a wonderful experience because we are able to reach new places in a lovely way.

If time is limited, I'd suggest exploring Munich and then heading southeast to Salzburg, where you can visit your first beer garden in the pre-Alps region before heading to one of Bavaria’s lakes for outdoor activities. The area is great for biking, hiking, kayaking, and more adventurous pursuits like canyoning. Among the lakes, Tegernsee Lake stands out as the most scenic, boasting six 5-star hotels. It can get quite busy, so knowing the best times to visit and the ideal spots to take people is important!If you have more time or prefer not to head to Salzburg from Munich, I suggest going southwest to explore the possibilities around Neuschwanstein Castle. While it can get crowded, we have the advantage of getting our travellers in early, before the crowds arrive. We can also arrange visits to breweries where we have connections with the brewmasters and cooking classes where you'll roam around gardens to pick your own ingredients.

Bavarian cuisine effortlessly embraces regional, kilometre-zero, and seasonal ingredients as a way of life rather than just a trend—a tradition passed down through generations. On our active days, expect lunch in rustic alpine huts, where you'll savour farm-fresh cuisine like cheese, buttermilk, cold cuts, freshly baked bread and garden-fresh salads.&nbsp;Dinners offer so many options. In cities like Munich and Salzburg, you have everything from fusion cuisine to Michelin-starred establishments. In smaller towns, young chefs are taking the reins, serving contemporary twists on traditional Alpine dishes.

One of my top picks in Munich is the Residenz München, known for its grotto and baroque theatre. The Schloss Neuschwanstein and other castles associated with King Ludwig are also must-sees. His reclusive nature set him apart, but his unique taste in opera and architecture led him to build these magnificent medieval-inspired castles in the 19th century.Another favourite is Lindahorf Palace. Unlike other medieval castles, Lindahorf was built to resemble the taste of its owner, particularly influenced by Richard Wagner's opera. The palace's interiors are covered in frescos designed to mimic stage sets, making it really special for cultural enthusiasts.

I also love showing travellers Bavaria’s multifaceted history that often goes beyond common knowledge. From Munich's Third Reich history to exploring Eagle’s Nest, the local access and insider information we provide are all thanks to our guides who have devoted their lives to understanding the history of Bavaria. Their passion goes beyond the typical visitor's understanding.

An Insider’s Guide to Bavaria 

Features &amp; Stories

Our Friends

Alpina Dolomites

slow food

Dolomites

Sustainable Cuisine in Northern Italy: In Conversation with Michelin-starred Chef Norbert Niederkofler

Notes From the Road

The Slow Road

Around The World

Notes from the Road: The 5,000-Mile Journey Home During a Crisis

Experts + Insiders

Boats

River Cruises

Europe

Germany

<h2>Shop ‘Til You Drop in Strasbourg</h2>
Strasbourg is for shoppers. Elegant French souvenirs, artisanal soap, chocolate &amp; jewelry, tucked-away book-binding workshops, Laguiole knives in all shapes and sizes, vintage and designer boutiques, <a href="http://www.galerieslafayette.com/magasin-strasbourg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Les Galeries Lafayette</a>, teas from around the world and fromage. Otherwise pick a café terrace, say ‘Une pression’, and observe.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41774 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/strasbourg-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="638" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/strasbourg-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/strasbourg-960-451x300.jpg 451w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/strasbourg-960-768x510.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/strasbourg-960-903x600.jpg 903w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h2>Step Into History in Heidelberg</h2>
 
Heidelberg is for history buffs. With Germany’s oldest university, its baroque Old Town untouched by the ravages of the Second World War, some very picturesque castle ruins overlooking town and Germany’s longest pedestrian street; you’ll wish you’d cycled quicker and gotten here sooner.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41770 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Heidelberg-green-view-960-1.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Heidelberg-green-view-960-1.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Heidelberg-green-view-960-1-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Heidelberg-green-view-960-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Heidelberg-green-view-960-1-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h2>Indulge in the Middle Rhine</h2>
 
In the glorious stretch of the Middle Rhine, there&#8217;s a castle every mile between Rüdesheim and Koblenz. It’s no surprise that the Rhine Gorge became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. Listen carefully to the whispering of the famous Lorelei sirens. Then stop for a Flammenkuchen (imagine a pizza with an extremely thin crust and topped in crème fraiche, onions and lardons) and if you are bold, listen to Richard Wagner’s Twilight of the Gods; whose Norse heroes, before you, rode their bicycles (Editor’s note: The Norse gods had bikes?) along this very stretch of the Rhine.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41772 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rhine-gorge-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rhine-gorge-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rhine-gorge-960-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rhine-gorge-960-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rhine-gorge-960-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h2>Colossal Cologne is an All-Day Affair 
</h2>
Spend five glorious hours in Cologne, the largest city on the Rhine with about one million inhabitants. (Fun fact: yes, the generic term &#8216;cologne&#8217;, a.k.a. perfume, derives from the city&#8217;s famous citrus-scented Eau de Cologne 4711, which made its consumer debut here in 1709). View the city from its riverside bike paths, marvel at its Gothic Cathedral, perform a record-worthy peruse of the Ludwig Museum’s excellent book shop, wish there were time for a glass of local Kölsch, then return hastily to our ship before it leaves for Amsterdam.  
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41776 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cologne-kathedral-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="481" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cologne-kathedral-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cologne-kathedral-960-480x241.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cologne-kathedral-960-768x385.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h2>Embrace Amsterdam</h2>
Not spending at least 36 hours in Amsterdam is a sin worse than any the city has witnessed in its long and very colourful history. A biker&#8217;s delight, the capital city and its iconic canals and waterways are ripe for exploration. <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2015/02/27/things-to-do-in-amsterdam/">Here are a few </a>of my (and <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2018/07/23/17-best-museums-amsterdam/">my B&amp;R colleagues’</a>) favourite things to see and do.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41766 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/amsterdam-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/amsterdam-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/amsterdam-960-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/amsterdam-960-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/amsterdam-960-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

The 8 Best Rhine River Experiences

Culture &amp; Lifestyle

Essentials &amp; Advice

<h2>Contemporary Art</h2>
<h3><a href="https://www.berlinischegalerie.de/en/home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Berlinische Galerie</a></h3>
One of the newest museums in the capital, first founded in 1975, this museum of modern art, photography and architecture focuses on art from Berlin from 1840 through today. Located in the hip neighbourhood of Kreuzberg, take a tour through multimedia installations and paintings ranging from Dada and the Eastern European avant-garde movements, along with the history of art from divided and reunified Berlin. 
<h3><a href="https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/hamburger-bahnhof/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-40739 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/MAO-better-tommikoresniemi450.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="573" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/MAO-better-tommikoresniemi450.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/MAO-better-tommikoresniemi450-236x300.jpg 236w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" />Hamburger Bahnhof</a> Museum of Modern Art</h3>
Housed in the former train station, here’s where one of the world’s foremost collections of contemporary art can be found. From the 1960s onwards, this 13,000-square-metre space highlights Andy Warhol’s portrait of Mao (in addition to many other Warhols), along with works by Joseph Beuys, Robert Rauschenberg and Cy Twombly, not to mention Dan Flavin and Cindy Sherman, you will see a wide range of art, from photography, film, visual and other mediums represented throughout. 
<h3><a href="https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/museum-berggruen/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Museum Berggruen</a></h3>
Located in front of the palace of Schloss Charlottenburg, get your fix of modern art at this museum, based upon the collection of the art dealer and collector Heinz Berggruen, a Berlin-born gallerist of Jewish descent who fled Germany in 1936. You’ll see more than 120 works by Pablo Picasso, along with 70 Paul Klee works, along with Matisse, Giacometti, along with works by Cezanne, Georges Braque, Henri Laurens and a selection of African sculptures. 
<h3><a href="https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/neue-nationalgalerie/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery)</a></h3>
The last major building designed by the German-American architect Mies van der Rohe (complete with sculpture garden), it is in the final stages of a redesign and preservation by David Chipperfield. The museum focuses on 20thC art from Europe and North America. Familian names like Munch, Picasso, Ferdinand Hodler, Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, Paul Klee, Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, Francis Bacon, Gerhard Richter and Andy Warhol. Until it reopens in 2019, make your way to the ‘Neue Galerie’ exhibition space at the Hamburger Bahnhof
<h3><a href="https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/museum-fuer-fotografie/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Museum of Photography</a>  </h3>
Since opening in 2004, this comprehensive museum has an ever-rotating series of exhibitions highlighting what’s new and next in photography. On the first two floors, it shares space with the Helmut Newton Foundation, with a permanent exhibition of the acclaimed German-born fashion and landscape photographer’s work and equipment. 
<h2>Great for Families</h2>
<a href="https://www.visitberlin.de/en/museum-fur-naturkunde-museum-natural-history">Museum fur Naturkunde (Museum of Natural History)</a>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-40737 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/nature-museum-dinosaur-450.jpg" alt="Museum fur Naturkunde (Museum of Natural History)" width="450" height="482" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/nature-museum-dinosaur-450.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/nature-museum-dinosaur-450-280x300.jpg 280w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" />Look out for Tristan Otto, a giant Tyrannosaur skeleton, along with the world’s largest dinosaur skeleton, a massive 13.27-metre-long (43.5 feet) brachiosaur. Just as fascinating, don’t miss the excellent ‘wet collection’, which features 276,000 glass jars filled with natural specimens, from crabs, fish, spiders, amphibians and mammals preserved in alcohol in over 12 kilometres (nearly 8 miles) of shelving. 
<h3><a href="https://www.visitberlin.de/en/deutsches-historisches-museum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historical Museum)</a></h3>
Located on the elegant avenue of Under den Linden, the baroque building recounts 2,000 years of German history, with 7,000 exhibits on display. Time travel from the early Middle Ages and learn about the Second World War up until German reunification, art juxtaposed with items from daily life and artifacts that tell the story of the country.  
<h3><a href="https://sdtb.de/museum-of-technology/623/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deutsches Technikmuseum (German Museum of Technology)</a></h3>
Topped dramatically by a US Air Force ‘Raisin Bomber’, you can’t miss this museum, dedicated to science and technology. From steam-powered locomotives and other trains to aircraft, telecommunications, municipal transport and photo and film technology, it celebrates uniquely German achievements in this field.
<h3><a href="https://www.zoo-berlin.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Berlin Zoo</a></h3>
<h3></h3>
Located in Berlin’s pretty Tiergarten, the oldest zoo in Germany was first opened in 1844, with animals donated by Frederick William IV, the King of Prussia. The most-visited zoo in Europe, it spans 86.5 acres and holds about 1,380 different species, with more than 20,000 animals; one of the most species-rich zoos in the world. You will see four types of great apes, from orangutans to gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees, along with an aquarium and aviary.

17 Top Berlin Museums to Explore

Latin America

Argentina

<h3>The Mapuche People</h3>
The Mapuche indigenous people have been around since at least 600 years BCE, and are the most numerous first peoples in South America, at more than 1.5 million people. Most Mapuche live in south-central Chile, southwestern Argentina and parts of present-day Patagonia. There was conflict as the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 16th through to the 18th centuries, with much resistance from the Mapuche. As the Spanish gave way to Chilean independence, the Mapuche were moved to reservations and their traditional lands used for agriculture, with some land disputes continuing to this day.
A collection of various groups of people linked by their common language, Mapudungun, Mapuche means ‘the people of the earth’. Truly connected to the land, much of the culture features healing ceremonies and the use of traditional herbal medicine. There are traditions of the Mapuche shaman, the machi (usually female), who perform ceremonies to heal and ward off enemies or evil. There is also a rich tradition of textile-making (woven blankets or ponchos) that is passed down from one generation to the next, along with silverwork due to trade with Spaniards and Chileans.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40209 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mapuche-people-732.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="485" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mapuche-people-732.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mapuche-people-732-453x300.jpg 453w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3>Nahuel Huapi National Park</h3>
The oldest national park in Argentina, established in 1934, it’s also one of the largest in the region, encompassing several ecozones in the foothills of the Andes and Nahuel Huapi Lake. The altitude of the park rises up to 3,574 metres (11,726 feet) and spans nearly 2 million acres of land. From white-topped peaks that feature year-round snow, this is the perfect place to explore the lakes, rivers, waterfalls, glaciers and deep forests of the Andes; on its western side, the Chilean border trims it.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40213 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Nahuel-Huapi-lake-and-park-732px.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="490" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Nahuel-Huapi-lake-and-park-732px.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Nahuel-Huapi-lake-and-park-732px-448x300.jpg 448w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3>Nahuel Huapi Lake</h3>
Located in the lake region of northern Patagonia and within the Nahuel Huapi National Park, this vast glacial lake takes its name from the Mapuche language, meaning “Island of the Jaguar”. A Jesuit mission was established here from 1670-1673, and another one in 1703, destroyed in 1717 due to a local dispute. There are seven branches in this lake, along with two islands: Isla Victoria and Isla Huemul. The lake is stocked with non-native fish (rainbow, brown and brook trout) ideal for recreational fishing, along with other outdoor activities like kayaking. According to legend, there is a giant cryptid living in the lake, called ‘Nahuelito’, and its sightings reportedly predate Nessie. In nearby Chile, the Puyehue-Cordón volcano complex (of four volcanoes) erupted in the year 2011, blanketing the lake’s surface in volcanic ash for a brief time.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40207 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="504" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px-480x252.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px-768x403.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3>Yerba Mate and tea culture in Argentina</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40210 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/yerba-mate-250px.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="376" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/yerba-mate-250px.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/yerba-mate-250px-199x300.jpg 199w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" />The national drink of Argentina, the highly caffeinated herbal tea, yerba mate, is derived from the ground leaves of the plant ilex paraguariensis, actually a member of the holly family. Rich in caffeine as well as antioxidants, cholesterol-lowering properties and the vitamins B1, B2 and C, it is considered a healthy drink with medicinal properties by indigenous South Americans.
First cultivated and consumed by the indigenous Guarani people in Southern Brazil, the drink spread with European colonization, with Jesuits first successfully cultivating it commercially (although they tried to ban it in Argentina at first). Traditionally served loose-leaf in a hollow gourd and drunk through a perforated metal straw called a bombilla, the serving style is to pass the gourd to each person, drinking it communally; it is refilled continuously and shared. Being highly caffeinated, it is often drunk as a morning beverage. You’ll also find a variation of yerba mate called mate cocido, which is brewed from a tea bag and served with milk and sugar.
In Buenos Aires and in the Welsh regions of Patagonia, a fascinating mash-up of British and Argentine tea culture has sprung up with tea sandwiches and a late afternoon ritual, following the British tradition.
<h2>Where to Stay</h2>
<h3><a href="http://llaollao.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Llao Llao Resort, Bariloche</a></h3>
The most exclusive resort in Argentine Patagonia, Llao Llao boasts breathtaking views of the surrounding lakes, forests, and the soaring Andes mountains. A magnificent indoor and outdoor pool, 18 holes of golf, and an amazing spa are just some of the amenities on offer at this grand hideaway.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40215 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="638" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel-451x300.jpg 451w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel-768x510.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel-903x600.jpg 903w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3><a href="http://lasbalsas.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Las Balsas Hotel</a></h3>
The prestige of this Relais &amp; Chateaux property set amidst the breathtaking Patagonian landscape is an opportunity to encounter Argentina at its natural best. Las Balsas is a haven for those who seek the serenity of wide open spaces, whether finding refuge in the hotel’s spa or pursuing a more active agenda in the surrounding countryside.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40216 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="480" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas-480x240.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas-768x384.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3><a href="https://www.andbeyond.com/our-lodges/south-america/chile/lake-district/andbeyond-vira-vira/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hotel Vira Vira</a> </h3>
Set in a marvellous park and surrounded by stunning volcanoes, Vira Vira sits proudly on the shores of the peaceful Liucura River. Its gourmet restaurant uses wonderfully fresh produce from the property’s farm to design the daily menu. The cozy ﬁreplace is the perfect spot to curl up with a glass of Chilean Carmenère in the evenings.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40217 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="679" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira-424x300.jpg 424w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira-768x543.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira-848x600.jpg 848w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

Lakes & Volcanoes: A New Way to See The Andes

Austria

Hungary

<h4>The Emerging Heart of Central Europe: Bratislava, Slovakia</h4>
With a charming Old Town and inescapable views of Bratislava Castle sitting sentry above the Danube, Slovakia’s capital makes for an utterly pleasant visit. This underrated city of 450,000 is often overshadowed by its neighbours in Austria and the Czech Republic, but it’s a true gem of Central Europe. A walkable city fringed by forests, complete with beautiful hiking and biking paths along the Danube, Bratislava also has some interesting buildings such as the Little Blue Church, remnants of Communist-era architecture and a less crowded, more authentic vibe than larger cities on the tourist trail.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39759 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="458" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px-480x229.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px-768x366.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h4>Panoramic Views and Prayers: Esztergom, Hungary</h4>
While its name may not roll off your tongue, there is one building in the city of Esztergom that is not to be missed: the impressive Esztergom Basilica, consecrated in 1856. The largest church and the tallest building in Hungary, with its dome standing about 72 metres (235 feet tall), it is the seat of the Catholic Church in Hungary. Its gigantic bell, when rung, can be heard for miles around, and from the top of the dome, visitors will be able to see the Danube valley and several mountain ranges. Within, you will find the largest painting in the world on the altarpiece—the Italian painter Grigoletti’s version of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, measuring 13.5 by 6.6 metres (44 feet by 22 feet)!
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39760 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="511" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px-480x256.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px-768x409.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h4>A Bathing Beauty: Budapest, Hungary</h4>
The <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2015/05/11/insiders-guide-the-top-6-things-to-do-in-budapest/">elegant Hungarian capital</a> is also known as “the pearl of the Renaissance”. From its astonishing Parliament building to the massive Buda Castle, and a fantasy mishmash of architectural styles from neo-Gothic to Baroque, Romantic and more, your eyes (and camera) will be delighted in this visually striking city. Uniquely Hungarian and soothing for your other senses are the therapeutic mineral waters found all around town—<a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2017/11/21/insiders-guide-budapest-baths/">here’s our guide to navigating them</a>.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39757 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="541" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px-480x271.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px-768x433.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

9 Must-Sees Along the Danube River

<h4><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39613 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/mannheim-tower-250px.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="423" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/mannheim-tower-250px.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/mannheim-tower-250px-177x300.jpg 177w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" /></h4>
<h2>World on Wheels: Mannheim, Germany</h2>
Sitting at the confluence of the Rhine and the Neckar rivers, Mannheim is a city of inventors. This pretty university town is where the local inventor, Karl Drais built the first two-wheeled hobbyhorse in 1817, the precursor to today’s bicycle—where would Butterfield &amp; Robinson be without our favourite way of seeing the world?—and where Karl Benz drove the very first automobile on the streets in 1886. It’s also here where his wife, Bertha Benz, took the world’s first road trip by car in 1888.
<h2>The Birthplace of Protestantism: Speyer, Germany</h2>
One of the oldest cities in Germany, originally founded by the Roman Empire in the year 10 B.C.E., Speyer is known for its influence as a powerful seat of the Holy Roman Empire. It is also here where the infamous ‘Protestation at Speyer’ took place in 1529, where the six princes and representatives of 14 Imperial Free Cities protested the imperial ban against Martin Luther’s reformist principles, giving birth to the movement of Protestantism. Naturally, Speyer is also recognized for its splendid red sandstone cathedral built in 1030, itself a UNESCO World Heritage site.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39616 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/speyer-street-732.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="518" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/speyer-street-732.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/speyer-street-732-424x300.jpg 424w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h2>Artistic Inspiration for the Ages: The Rhine Gorge, Germany</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39621 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/German-Corner-Koblenz-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="234" />The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a picturesque 65-kilometre (40 miles) stretch between Koblenz and Bingen in Germany, has inspired countless painters, poets, writers, and composers, especially during the Romantic movement of the 18thC, from the enchanted siren at the Rock of Lorelei (near Sankt Goarshausen) who lured sailors to their demise, and Richard Wagner’s epic opera cycle, the Ring of the Nibelung, which takes place along the Rhine. Another notable spot of German pride is the Deutsches Eck, the &#8216;German corner&#8217; at Koblenz, where the Mosel River joins the Rhine, complete with a statue of William I, the first German Emperor.
<h2>Capital Country: Amsterdam, Netherlands</h2>
It’s almost inevitable to think about iconic tulips and windmills when it comes to the Netherlands, but one surprising fact, uncovered by economic historians, is that the Netherlands has the claim to being the very first capitalist country in the world. Amsterdam was the world’s wealthiest trading city, with the world’s first full-time stock exchange, insurance and retirement funds. (And let’s not forget the world’s first asset-inflation bubble: the tulip-mania years of 1636-1637, when houses were bought and sold for a tulip bulb).
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39614 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Amsterdam-960px.jpg" alt="Amsterdam" width="960" height="638" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Amsterdam-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Amsterdam-960px-451x300.jpg 451w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Amsterdam-960px-768x510.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Amsterdam-960px-903x600.jpg 903w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Feeling inspired to make these experiences your own? <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/start-planning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get in touch</a> with a member of our team to see how we can start planning your perfect trip along the mighty Rhine River.

7 Iconic Spots Along the Rhine River

North America

United States

<h3>Duke Kahanamoku, the ‘Ambassador of Aloha’</h3>
The legendary Hawaiian waterman, also known as ‘The Big Kahuna’, is the father of modern surfing, an ambassador of Hawaii who brought the noble (and otherwise obscure) Hawaiian sport of kings to the world. Born in 1890 in the days of old Hawaii before statehood, he became a well-known surfer in the community. He was one of the original ‘Waikiki Beach Boys’, watermen who earned their living teaching visitors how to swim or surf. Kahanamoku’s swimming abilities took him to the Olympics as a champion swimmer who won gold and silver medals in the 1912 Stockholm, 1920 Antwerp, and 1924 Paris summer games. Post-Olympics, he travelled the world with exhibitions and demonstrations highlighting his swimming and surfing skills, which influenced many people to pick up the sport, especially in Australia and Southern California. In June 1924, when he was living in Newport Beach, California, he saved eight men from a fishing vessel that had capsized in the heavy surf of a violent squall. Using his surfboard, he was able to take people back to shore and return to the scene of the accident quickly. Two of his friends saved four more fishermen in this heroic act. Kahanamoku eventually became an officer of the law in Honolulu and was voted sheriff of Oahu thirteen times. He is commemorated in perpetuity with a 9-foot-tall statue with his favourite wooden surfboard, arms outstretched, greeting visitors and locals warmly to the cherished place where it all began—Waikiki.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39267 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/duke-kahana-statue-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="631" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/duke-kahana-statue-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/duke-kahana-statue-960px-456x300.jpg 456w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/duke-kahana-statue-960px-768x505.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/duke-kahana-statue-960px-913x600.jpg 913w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3>Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39252 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/parrotfish-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="263" />A sheltered bay filled with marine life, you will find more than 400 species of fish and coral reefs in the bay, formed from ancient volcanic eruptions that took place about 32,000 years ago. A former crater that is now filled with seawater, you will also find the green sea turtle using these protected waters as a nursery, as well as abundant parrotfish. Many visitors like to snorkel, feed fish and swim here. Originally used as a recreational area and as a navigational lookout by Hawaiian nobility, there has been evidence of human presence here since the 1800s. As tourism on Oahu developed in the 1980s and 1990s, the sheer number of visitors, combined with lack of awareness of marine preservation means that the multi-coloured coral reef along the shore is no longer alive; you will see the skeletons of the reefs as you swim in the shallows of the bay. The bay sees an average of 3,000 visitors per day and about a million visitors each year; it is closed to tourists on Tuesdays to allow the reef inhabitants a day of rest. 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39253 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/hanauma-bay-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="720" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/hanauma-bay-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/hanauma-bay-960px-400x300.jpg 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/hanauma-bay-960px-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/hanauma-bay-960px-800x600.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3>Haleiwa</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39249 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/shave-ice-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="263" />This cute and colourful beach town, the gateway to the North Shore, is filled with surfer shacks, food trucks, and other one-of-a-kind boutiques and galleries. For a taste of local tradition, don’t miss the traditional Hawaiian treat of shave ice (not ‘shaved’ ice), at <a href="http://matsumotoshaveice.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matsumoto’s</a> or <a href="http://www.aokishaveice.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aoki’s</a>, both mom-and-pop stands. Finely shaved ice covered in homemade tropical syrups flavoured with pineapple guava, passion fruit or more, this rainbow-coloured treat will bring a smile to your face! You can even add vanilla ice cream or the sweet red azuki beans to your shave ice for a little extra variety.  My favourite food truck treat is the North Shore specialty, garlic scampi shrimp from Giovanni&#8217;s food truck (it&#8217;s sold everywhere, but this is the absolute best).
<h3>The North Shore</h3>
This iconic destination for the world’s best big-wave surfers, the North Shore needs no introduction to those in the know. During the winter months (November through February), pro surfers congregate here to ride the biggest waves, towering 9 metres (30 feet) or higher. It’s also prime time to watch the biggest surf competitions in the world, including the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing along Waimea Bay, Ehukai Beach (Banzai Pipeline—the world’s deadliest wave) and Sunset Beach. In the summer months (May to September), when the surf is small and gentle, it’s safe for non-pros to swim or take surfing lessons in protected areas. 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39250 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/surfer-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="540" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/surfer-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/surfer-960px-480x270.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/surfer-960px-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Turtle Bay
One of the last undeveloped spots (save for a bunker that remains from the Second World War, and one resort) on the North Shore, this rocky bay is a favoured habitat for the threatened green sea turtle as well as the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. Traditional fishing areas and ancestral Hawaiian burial grounds are also located here. The sea is not appropriate for swimming, as the ocean shoreline is rocky and dangerous. Here, in the tide pools and reef flats, you will find some uncommonly beautiful limu (seaweed), including martensia fragilis, an iridescent blue, pink, or orange algae species. 
<h3>Waimea Valley</h3>
A sacred place that is an area of historical cultural significance to Hawaiians, this spot, also known as the Valley of the Priests, occupied an elite place in society. In the year 1092, the valley was reserved exclusively for the high priests of Hawaiian society, the Kahuna Nui. 
A kahuna refers to anyone who is a priest, healer, or expert in any profession—it was not exclusively reserved for members of the Hawaiian religion. Kahuna can be generally divided into two categories: ‘craft’ kahuna, such as an expert canoe maker, or an expert navigator; and ‘sorcerers’, including healers or those who were experts in the metaphysical, the divine, and the supernatural. 
When the first Christian missionaries arrived in Hawaii in 1820, the kahuna practices eventually became outlawed or illegal over the years. When King Kamehameha V came to power in 1863, he encouraged the revival of traditional Hawaiian practices and gave ownership of the valley to his exclusive kahuna, Hewa Hewa Nui.  
When we look at Waimea Valley today, it contains a nature park, botanical gardens and arboretum. Look around to see stone terraces and walls constructed during the time of Hawaiian royalty. Its fertile and rich volcanic soil meant this was one of the most vibrant farming communities in all of Polynesia, with fish ponds, domesticated animal holdings, farming plots, where staple crops like taro, sweet potato and bananas were grown. Today, its botanical gardens showcase thousands of species, including an excellent collection of rare Hawaiian and Polynesian plants. 
Things to do in the park include hiking to its beautiful waterfall, or jumping off the top of Jump Rock at Waimea Bay Beach Park (but only when the surf is small or flat)!
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39261 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/waimea-canyon-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="720" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/waimea-canyon-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/waimea-canyon-960px-400x300.jpg 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/waimea-canyon-960px-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/waimea-canyon-960px-800x600.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3>Kualoa Ranch</h3>
A private 4,000-acre nature reserve and working cattle ranch, this popular spot for filming (think Jurassic Park, the TV show Lost, Jumanji, Hawaii Five-0 and many more productions) is located on the windward coast of Oahu. Comprised of three valleys, the Ka’awa Valley, the Kualoa Valley and Hakipu’u Valley, the ranch sits on land that was considered sacred to ancient Hawaiians. From the 13thC to the 18thC, a place where chiefs ruled, and a place of kingship and sovereignty of the Kingdom of O’ahu rests. In 1850, the land was purchased from King Kamehameha for $1300 by an American doctor, Gerrit P. Judd, who was the first person to translate medical journals into the Hawaiian language. Further land was purchased in 1860 and 1870, bringing it to its current size. During the Second World War, the land was occupied by the U.S. military, which created the Kualoa Airfield there; the land has since passed back to Judd’s descendants.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39272 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/kualoa-ranch-horses-732px.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="544" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/kualoa-ranch-horses-732px.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/kualoa-ranch-horses-732px-404x300.jpg 404w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3>Mokoli’i</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39247 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/mokolii-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="233" />A tiny little island in Hawaii known as Mokoli’i, is easily seen from Kualoa Regional Park, sitting on Kaneohe Bay. This basalt islet looks like an old-style conical hat, and was commonly referred to as ‘Chinaman’s Hat’. The name of Mokoli’i derives from an ancient Hawaiian creation myth, where Hi’iaka, the sister of Pele the volcano goddess, cut off the tail of a large dragon-like lizard that was confronting her, and it is said that the island is the remains of this monster’s tail: ‘mokoli’i’ means ‘little lizard’ in the Hawaiian language.
Feeling inspired to experience Hawaii&#8217;s aloha magic for yourself? <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/start-planning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get in touch</a> with a member of our team to see how they can craft your perfect trip.

Essential Things To Know About Oahu

Need to Know

Reading for the Road

Travel Tips

B&amp;R Picks

Reading for the Road: A Few of Our Favourite Books About Austria

<h4><a href="http://amzn.to/2FVPZRq" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-38015" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Tin-Drum-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Tin-Drum-199x300.jpg 199w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Tin-Drum.jpg 332w" sizes="(max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px" />The Tin Drum</a></h4>
By Günter Grass
Considered to be perhaps the best German novel written since the end of World War II, this is the surreal story of a mute dwarf named Oskar who lives through Nazi Germany and finds himself in a mental institution. The film was adapted into a film which won the 1979 Palme d&#8217;Or and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
<a href="http://amzn.to/2FVPZRq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more on Amazon &gt;&gt;</a>
<hr />
<h4><a href="http://amzn.to/2HAwHOF" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-38016 alignleft" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Dresden-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Dresden-199x300.jpg 199w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Dresden.jpg 332w" sizes="(max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px" />Dresden: Tuesday, February 13, 1945</a></h4>
By Frederick Taylor
A re-evaluation of the Allied firebombing of Dresden, one of the most destructive, and still controversial, air campaigns of WWII.
<a href="http://amzn.to/2HAwHOF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more on Amazon &gt;&gt;</a>

Czech Republic

<h2>Karlštejn Castle: A gruesome history</h2>
Just southwest of Prague, dramatically soaring atop a rocky promontory, this 14th c. castle was built in a Gothic style by Charles IV, the Holy Roman emperor-elect and then-king of Bohemia. The castle once housed the Imperial Regalia, as well as the Bohemian/Czech crown jewels and holy relics.
Some of its history includes an episode of early biological warfare by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hussite_Wars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hussites</a> in 1422 during a castle siege when the Hussites used catapults to throw dead bodies and 2,000 carriage-loads of animal dung over the ramparts in the hopes that infection would spread. (As you might imagine, it did indeed). There is also a well tower that channels underground water into the castle; a defensive weakness that was known only to the Emperor and his top official. The miners who dug this tunnel were purportedly killed (yikes!) when their construction efforts were completed.
<figure id="attachment_36882" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-36882" style="width: 960px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-36882 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/1200px-Burg_Karlstein_-_Karlštejn_-_panoramio-960px-compressed.png" alt="Karlštejn Castle" width="960" height="720" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/1200px-Burg_Karlstein_-_Karlštejn_-_panoramio-960px-compressed.png 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/1200px-Burg_Karlstein_-_Karlštejn_-_panoramio-960px-compressed-400x300.png 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/1200px-Burg_Karlstein_-_Karlštejn_-_panoramio-960px-compressed-768x576.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/1200px-Burg_Karlstein_-_Karlštejn_-_panoramio-960px-compressed-800x600.png 800w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-36882" class="wp-caption-text">Karlštejn Castle</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Hluboká Castle</h2>
One of the country’s prettiest castles, with its slate-grey/white exterior and stately lines, Hluboká Castle has seen a lot of makeovers, from its initial 13th c. Gothic bones to its expansion and rebuilding in a Baroque style. Finally, in the 19th c., at the insistence of Adam Franz von Schwarzenberg (one of the key families known as ‘the princes of the Holy Roman Empire’), its looks were reconstructed to resemble the romantic style of England’s Windsor Castle.
There is also a lovely English-style park on the castle grounds. The last Schwarzenberg owner fled in 1939 to escape from the Nazis; as a result, the Czechoslovakian government seized the property at the end of the Second World War. The castle has been featured in a few movies, including Shanghai Knights and Underworld: Blood Wars.
<figure id="attachment_36883" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-36883" style="width: 960px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-36883 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Hluboka-Castle-960px-compressed.png" alt="Hluboká Castle" width="960" height="447" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Hluboka-Castle-960px-compressed.png 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Hluboka-Castle-960px-compressed-480x224.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Hluboka-Castle-960px-compressed-768x358.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-36883" class="wp-caption-text">Hluboká Castle</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Český Krumlov Castle</h2>
Amidst the red-roofed town and well-preserved UNESCO World Heritage surroundings, this castle dates from 1240. With over 40 courtyards and gardens, it is unusually large for the surrounding town; one of the largest castles in the country, it’s dwarfed by none other than Prague Castle. On its grounds, you will find a remarkably well-preserved Baroque theatre, which is open to the public only twice a year for a Baroque opera performance. As with Hluboká Castle, the last owner was from the Schwarzenberg family; the property was seized by the Gestapo in 1940 and then confiscated by the Czechoslovakian government in 1945. Today, it’s owned by the state. You may have seen the castle in the films The Illusionist or Hostel.
<figure id="attachment_36884" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-36884" style="width: 960px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-36884 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/czech-republic-2909179_1920-CESKY-KRUMLOV-960px-compressed.png" alt="Český Krumlov castle" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/czech-republic-2909179_1920-CESKY-KRUMLOV-960px-compressed.png 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/czech-republic-2909179_1920-CESKY-KRUMLOV-960px-compressed-450x300.png 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/czech-republic-2909179_1920-CESKY-KRUMLOV-960px-compressed-768x512.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/czech-republic-2909179_1920-CESKY-KRUMLOV-960px-compressed-900x600.png 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-36884" class="wp-caption-text">Český Krumlov Castle</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_36885" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-36885" style="width: 231px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-36885 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/castle-bouzov-192727_1920-350px-compressed-231x300.png" alt="Bouzov Castle" width="231" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/castle-bouzov-192727_1920-350px-compressed-231x300.png 231w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/castle-bouzov-192727_1920-350px-compressed.png 350w" sizes="(max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-36885" class="wp-caption-text">Bouzov Castle</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Bouzov Castle</h2>
This romantic-looking castle was built at the turn of the 14th c. as a safeguard over a popular trade route, and thus occupied a defensive role in the landscape. Various families changed ownership of the castle, including Jiří z Poděbrad, crowned the Czech king in 1458, and the ruling Habsburg family.
During the Thirty Years’ War, the castle was taken over by Hussites and used to imprison captured Swedes. It burned down in 1558; after much remodelling and building, its current Neogothic exterior (and swanky modern plumbing and central heating!) debuted between 1895 and 1910 (thanks to a Habsburg archduke). Once more, during the reign of the Nazis, the castle was confiscated and looted in the 1940s, ultimately returning to the Czech Republic.
Feeling inspired to witness the grandiose of Czech Republic&#8217;s castles for yourself? <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/start-planning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get in touch</a> with a member of our team to see how we can start planning your next trip here.

A Castle Tour of the Czech Republic

With amazing foresight, urban planners made sure that pedalling right into the heart of Heidelberg and Cologne would be green and easy—often, you don’t even realize you’re in the city centre until you’re there! In Koblenz, a cyclist can arrive at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine, the so-called ‘German Corner,’ without seeing a single city structure or traffic light.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-36360 aligncenter" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/strasbourg-909343-1600px-secondary-compressed-896x600.png" alt="" width="896" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/strasbourg-909343-1600px-secondary-compressed-896x600.png 896w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/strasbourg-909343-1600px-secondary-compressed-448x300.png 448w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/strasbourg-909343-1600px-secondary-compressed-768x514.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/strasbourg-909343-1600px-secondary-compressed.png 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px" />
Nowhere is this excellent city biking more evident than in Strasbourg. (OK, not technically German, but definitely Germanic-influenced in its history and attitudes.) Coming from the wine country to the west, a dedicated cycle path follows the parkland corridor of an old canal to the city’s historic centre; en route, leafy backyards, soccer fields, and even grazing cattle mark the way. By the time riders burst out into the timbered-house-lined neighbourhood of ‘Petite France,’ mere steps from the landmark Gothic cathedral, they’ve ridden over ten miles within the city limits.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-36353 aligncenter" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/strasbourg-1354438-1600x1000-960x600.png" alt="" width="960" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/strasbourg-1354438-1600x1000-960x600.png 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/strasbourg-1354438-1600x1000-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/strasbourg-1354438-1600x1000-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/strasbourg-1354438-1600x1000-768x480.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/strasbourg-1354438-1600x1000.png 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
To be sure, there are sections of the Rhine and its sister rivers that are less compelling. The genius of an active river cruise is that travellers float quietly past such areas, and disembark for a ride where beauty, both natural and man-made, abound. And where they’ll be sure to find a bike path that leads the way.

Germany's Rhine River: Paths to Glory

Insider's Guides

See + Do

Switzerland

<h2><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-42387 size-large" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/fussen-1600x1000-960x600.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/fussen-1600x1000-960x600.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/fussen-1600x1000-250x156.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/fussen-1600x1000-480x300.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/fussen-1600x1000-768x480.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /></h2>
<h2>3. Hanau to Baunatal, Germany</h2>
<h4>The German Fairy Tale Road <img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-34813 size-medium alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/german-fairytale-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/german-fairytale-200x300.jpg 200w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/german-fairytale-400x600.jpg 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/german-fairytale.jpg 683w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></h4>
Known and loved the world around, the tales of the Brothers Grimm are childhood classics. Traverse this whimsical road from Hanau, their birthplace, to Baunatal, birthplace of Dorothea Viehmann, from whom the Grimm brothers learned many tales. All the classic fairytale characters are here: Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, and more. Along the way, visit many of the towns featured in their stories, including Bremen, and even Sleeping Beauty’s castle in the ancient forest of Reinhardswald. Let these magical stories come to life as you navigate this route!
Highlights: Steinau’s Grimm House, where the brothers once lived; Alsfeld, featuring the house of Little Red Riding Hood; Bad Wildungen’s Snow White museum; UNESCO Heritage site of Bremen town hall and statue of Roland; Sababurg, the Sleeping Beauty castle in the Reinhardswald. 
Route: Hanau to Baunatal, Germany 
Length: 600 km (372 mi.)
<h2>4. Bruck to Carinthia, Austria</h2>
<h4>Austria’s hairpin turns on the High Alpine Road</h4>
Not for the faint of heart, if you’re truly looking for a bucket list drive, Austria’s Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse is the one for you. Yes, it’s scenic, with all the Alps you can handle (no less than 37 mountains), rolling hills and wildflower-filled valleys to those pristine lakes, but you’ll be watching the road as you take 36 thrilling hairpin bends around the mountains, reaching just over 2,500 metres above sea level. Whew! The drive takes about an hour; start early to avoid all the gawkers and photo-snappers.
Highlights: Did we mention the 36 hairpin turns? Once you’ve completed this drive, along with all the tour buses, cars, motorcycles and even brave cyclists taking on this Giro d’Italia route, you can pat yourself on the back for having completed one of the most epic drives of all time, not to mention the highest surfaced mountain pass road in Austria. 
Route: Bruck to Carinthia, Austria. Note that due to impassable conditions due to snow, this route is typically only open June to September. 
Length: 48 km. (30 mi.)
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-34808 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/GrossglocknerHochalpenstrasse-752x500.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="500" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/GrossglocknerHochalpenstrasse-752x500.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/GrossglocknerHochalpenstrasse-752x500-451x300.jpg 451w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
<h2>5. Martigny, Switzerland to Aosta, Italy</h2>
<h4>Switzerland’s Great St. Bernard Pass</h4>
This famed mountain route is home to the iconic dog of Swiss hospitality, the St. Bernard, along with the monks from the same order. On this historic route, used for thousands of years, you’ll pass through the postcard-perfect landscape of the Swiss Alps, surrounded on each side by peaks and crags. As you travel, rise as high as 2,490 metres above sea level through tunnels and winding alpine roads, complete with vivid green meadows and the bluest lakes you’ve ever seen.
Highlights: History is on your side: you’ll be travelling the oldest path in the Western Alps, which was used as early as the Bronze Age, stretching to the Roman era and beyond; it was even marched by Napoleon’s men as they made their way to Italy in 1800. 
Route: Martigny, Switzerland to Aosta, Italy (near Milan). Note that due to impassable conditions due to snow, this route is typically only open June to September. 
Length: 76 km (47 mi.)
&nbsp;

France

Alsace

<h2>Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-34661 alignright" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/strasbourg-909343-1-448x300.jpg" alt="" width="448" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/strasbourg-909343-1-448x300.jpg 448w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/strasbourg-909343-1-768x514.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/strasbourg-909343-1-896x600.jpg 896w" sizes="(max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px" /> </h2>
The city’s main landmark, the cathedral is constructed of dark pink sandstone from the Vosges Mountains, and built in the classic Gothic style between the 12th and 15th centuries. It was once was the tallest building in the world, surpassing the Great Pyramid of Giza at the time; its single spire can be seen all over the city. (Be sure to climb the 328 steps for a fantastic view!) On summer evenings, there is often an impressive light show on the façade of the cathedral that is best viewed from one of the many cafés on rue Mercière.
Palais Rohan<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-34663 alignright" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/La-Palais-Rohan-via-Mon-Oell-Flickr-450x300.jpg" alt="" width="381" height="254" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/La-Palais-Rohan-via-Mon-Oell-Flickr-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/La-Palais-Rohan-via-Mon-Oell-Flickr-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/La-Palais-Rohan-via-Mon-Oell-Flickr-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px" />
South of the cathedral is the Palais Rohan, completed in 1742 in an extravagant Parisian style. It has hosted Louis XV, Marie Antoinette, as well as Napoleon and Josephine and Charles X. Today, it’s home to three excellent museums: Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Musée des Beaux Arts, and Musée Archéologique.
<h2> 
Carré d’Or</h2>
North of the cathedral, on the other side of rue des Hallesbardes, is the Carré d’Or, or ‘golden square’, formed by rues du Sanglier, des Orfèvres, du Temple Neuf and du Chaudron.
This is a great spot for shopping: be sure to visit La Boutique d’Antoine Westermann on rue des Orfèvres; and the Michelin-starred restaurant <a href="http://www.buerehiesel.fr/EN_index.asp">Buerehiesel</a>, known for its famous frog-leg soup (you can even get the soup to go!). Also on rue des Orfèvres is the fine cheese shop Au Vieux Gourmet (try the ripe Munster). For Alsatian foie gras, pop into La Boutique du Gourmet, and for fine sweets and dessert, <a href="http://www.maison-naegel.com/patissier-traiteur-strasbourg/">Naegel</a> is Strasbourg’s finest.
<h2><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-45610 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/strasbourg752x498.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="498" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/strasbourg752x498.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/strasbourg752x498-453x300.jpg 453w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" /> 
Place St. Etienne</h2>
East of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg is the rue des Juifs, and the charming Place St. Etienne. This is the centre of Strasbourg’s nightlife, and is frequented by students and backpackers. Wander down to Quai St. Etienne for a view on the canals, the weeping willows, the churches of St. Etienne and St. Guillaume, and the tiled, classical buildings of the Quartier Allemand (German quarter).

<h3>Český Krumlov: castles and scandals</h3>
The town of Český Krumlov is not the oldest in Bohemia, nor does it possess the most colourful history. What makes it unique in Bohemia—and, in fact, in the entire Czech Republic—is how amazingly well-preserved it is, along with the striking views obtainable from virtually any spot in town.
The Krumlov Castle was established around 1250 and grew over the centuries to become one of the most significant castle complexes in Central Europe (second only to Prague Castle). Over 40 buildings and numerous gardens and courtyards comprise its grounds. The Rožmberk family’s rule brought early prosperity from the 14th to the 17th centuries, but huge debts forced the last Rožmberk—Petr Vok, a noted debaucher—to sell the town to Rudolf II, a Habsburg. The acquired wealth of Český Krumlov was the only thing that kept the town from being destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, but the huge cost left the town broke.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-33804 size-large" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ceskykrumlov_2_960_c-860x600.png" alt="" width="860" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ceskykrumlov_2_960_c-860x600.png 860w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ceskykrumlov_2_960_c-430x300.png 430w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ceskykrumlov_2_960_c-768x536.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ceskykrumlov_2_960_c.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px" />
While the years following the First World War under communism did not actively help the state of the historic buildings, the communists’ lack of interest in the Old Town saved it from sloppy restoration (or worse, conversion into a modern town). Since the end of the communist era, intense revitalization of the town has brought it new wealth and vitality. In 1992, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Post-Cold War tourism has now picked up where the Rožmberks left off, yet Český Krumlov has resisted the fast-food and merchandising chains, neon advertising and other unattractive attributes of commercialization. This is due in part to its UNESCO designation—along with local pride and foresight.
<h3>Šumava: the last wilderness of Central Europe</h3>
 The Šumava “Bohemian Forest” region of pine trees and peat bogs is part of the largest continuous forest in Europe; it is contiguous with the Austrian Waldviertel and the Bavarian forests and represents perhaps the last true wilderness in Central Europe. It was governed semi-feudally by the lords of Krumlov right into the early 20th century.
The Czech part of this enormous multinational forest, the Šumava, partly owes its integrity, like Český Krumlov, to the Cold War. When the Czechs evicted all German-speaking families after World War II, the region remained very sparsely populated. 
This isolation, combined with the poor roads and lack of population preserved the natural environment better than any park could have done—now that the roads are again open and tourists are flocking here for its natural beauty, large parts of the forest have been declared national parks.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-33814 size-large" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sumava_960_c-960x570.png" alt="" width="960" height="570" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sumava_960_c.png 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sumava_960_c-480x285.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sumava_960_c-768x456.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
&nbsp;

Must Sees

Vienna Christmas Markets

<h3>Yuletide Flavours</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-32267 size-medium alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-treats-450x300.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-treats-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-treats-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-treats-900x600.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-treats.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" />Lebkuchen (gingerbread) and stollen (a type of fruit loaf cake) will satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth, while a hearty bratwurst and Christmas carp will still any hunger.
Not to be left untasted is the feuerzangenbowle, a punch consisting of red wine and rum. Second to none to get the Christmas party started.
Personal experience has proven that two to three cups of feuerzangenbowle followed by a casual meander of the market is the ideal recipe for obtaining a cozy blend of nostalgia and seasonal cheers.
Be bold and lace on some skates or try your hand at curling (eisstockschiessen in German).
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-32259 size-medium alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-toys-400x300.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="300" />Admire the nativity scene, then attempt (and almost surely fail) to count the many hand-painted figures. Try to remember the lyrics to Silent Night and let ‘er rip when you are sure to be drowned out by the choir, 50 vocalists strong.
Stop for some caramelized chestnuts, throw moderation to the wind and upend a mug of mulled wine, before continuing on your merry way.
<h3>One Large Weinachtsmarkt</h3>
<figure id="attachment_32266" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-32266" style="width: 400px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-32266 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-mulled-wine-400x300.jpg" alt="There's plenty of mulled wine on offer. " width="400" height="300" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-32266" class="wp-caption-text">There&#8217;s plenty of mulled wine on offer.</figcaption></figure>
With over 20 sub-Christmas markets, it is easy to forget <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2014/08/13/things-to-do-in-vienna/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vienna&#8217;s many other charms</a> and get the impression that the entire city is one large Weinachtsmarkt.
Each with their own specialty – culinary, artisanal, thematic – they will leave no Christmas itch left unscratched.
The grandiose architecture of Vienna’s Ringstrasse, a collection of imposing neo-gothic, renaissance, classical or baroque buildings, has often been compared to a wedding cake.
Vienna’s Christmas market is the icing on top.

Vienna's Christmas Markets

<h3>A Riesling Respite</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-31044" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Mosel-Valley-Riesling.jpg" alt="Mosel-Valley-Riesling" width="300" height="450" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Mosel-Valley-Riesling.jpg 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Mosel-Valley-Riesling-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />I wrote this on a riverside terrace in Bernkastel-Kues, two villages in the Middle Mosel known for their medieval market squares and flagship vineyard, <a href="http://www.grapesandgrainsnyc.com/2010/09/19/the-bernkasteler-doctor-the-greatest-vineyard-in-germany/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Bernkasteler Doctor</a>, when my inability to understand anything on the menu encouraged me to focus. Dämpesja? Tertich? Cräwes? Wingertspool? Debbekoche? Uncharted culinary territory.
I eyed the wine list thirstily. Spätburgunder? Dornfelder? Regent? Rivaner? Auslese? Kabinett? Riesling. Riesling! A lifesaver in the turbulent waters of regional cuisine and local appellations. Ein Glas Riesling bitte!
So great was my relief that I might have shouted it. The soothing effect of the first sip – crisp on the tongue, lightly floral on the palate, undeniably mineral – was immediate, and soon I was seated in front of a plate of white asparagus with Riesling sauce and a watercress salad. By the time I was back on my bike, a full two hours had gone by.
<h3>Alone(?) On the Road</h3>
<a href="http://www.romantic-germany.info/Traben-Trarbach.4100.0.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-31006" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Mosel-bike.jpg" alt="Mosel-bike" width="300" height="450" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Mosel-bike.jpg 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Mosel-bike-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Traben-Trarbach</a>, 12 miles and two bends downstream, was my next stop. A short walk past the painted facades of the market square and I was back on the designated bike path by the river. I couldn’t say if the odometer showing 25 km per hour was due to the flat terrain or my third glass of wine.
The going was effortless, wonderfully free of cars, and I didn’t care. With the river’s meandering curves I’d soon lost all sense of direction. The more the sun dipped behind the ridges of the valley the more its steep stone terraces radiated the day’s accumulated heat.
Invisible warm patches alternated with the nip of evening. Luckily towns in Germany are clearly indicated with town signs. Otherwise my state of bliss might have carried me right through to the Rhine.
This was when I formed my theory that perhaps the Germans were wrong about God&#8217;s preferred European haven; any ageing and bearded vintner on a bike was surreptitiously scrutinized.
After all, it’s not every day you get to share a bike path with You Know Who.

Notes From the Road: The Divine Mosel Valley

Experts + Insiders: Amanda Gary

Chile

Combined with the newly paved roads (thanks to the privatization of tolls and upkeep of the Pan-American Highway, which freed up money for the rest of the roads in Chile), this makes for some of the best biking I have seen in this part of the world. Mile after mile of rolling roads through small villages with homemade beer in every bodega—I mean, come on!
<figure id="attachment_30081" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30081" style="width: 450px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-30081 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Vira-Vira-450x300.jpg" alt="Hotel Vira Vira " width="450" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Vira-Vira-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Vira-Vira.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30081" class="wp-caption-text">Hotel Vira Vira</figcaption></figure>
I started in a place I have been hearing rumblings about for the past two years, <a href="https://www.andbeyond.com/our-lodges/south-america/chile/lake-district/andbeyond-vira-vira/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vira Vira</a>—one of those hotels we dream about in the travel biz. It’s a privately owned property from a self-made banker who spent the majority of his adult life living in hotels and never found the perfect place, so he decided to build his own.
Along the way, he and his wife learned how to make cheese, cure meats, and turn this into an almost completely self-sustained place in the middle of adventure land Chile. It’s the perfect measure of luxury and rustic.
After three days there sampling the food and activities (including fly fishing at sunrise out of the backdoor of my suite), I went south to the <a href="https://hoteleracasachile.cl/casa-panguipulli/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Casa Panguilpulli</a> on my bike. This was some of the most stunning scenery I have seen from the back of a bike: volcano, lake, volcano, lake, repeat.
From Casa Panguipulli I kept going south to <a href="https://cantarias-lodge-spa.loslagoshoteles.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Las Cantarias</a>, a fly fishing dream spot on the steps of Puyehue Volcano. Here I met with the general manager, Javier Rosés Dietz, one of those guys living the dream, who cuts through the madness of hotels. He wears Patagonia clothing because he believes in <a href="https://www.patagonia.com/ca/patagonia.go?assetid=3351" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Yvon Chouinard</a> more than the brand. I was very impressed. This guy spends the off-season guiding in Montana, and he knows his fish worldwide.
<figure id="attachment_30082" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30082" style="width: 400px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-30082 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Puyehue-Lake-400x300.jpg" alt="Puyehue Lake" width="400" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Puyehue-Lake-400x300.jpg 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Puyehue-Lake.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30082" class="wp-caption-text">Puyehue Lake</figcaption></figure>
But if fishing is not your sport of choice, the biking is killer, the rafting world class and the kayaking available right off the back steps in the Puyehue Lake. Plus, the sheer amount of hiking trails is head-spinning. That is really true of the whole region; thanks to the (ridiculously) diverse geography of Chile, there are myriad national parks and mountains to climb, all within a few minutes’ drive of each other.
All in all, I came back with a new trip and a new perspective on a region I’ll forever go back to.

In Chile, a New Perspective on a (Very) Old Place

Profiles

Experts + Insiders: Veronika Macas

Eat &amp; Drink

Cuisine 101

<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-27977 size-medium alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Humitas-200x300.png" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Humitas-200x300.png 200w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Humitas.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" />
<h5>Humitas:</h5>
Humitas originated as an indigenous dish and are made from fresh ground corn, sweet basil, butter or lard, onion and paprika. The mixture is wrapped in corn husks and tied with string or strips of corn husk, then baked or boiled. Chilean humitas can be savoury, sweet, or sweet and sour.
<hr />
<h5>Caldillo de Congrio:</h5>
Nobel Prize winning-poet Pablo Neruda immortalized this classic Chilean coastal soup in his ode, Oda al Caldillo de Congrio. The hearty mixture combines conger (a type of eel), potato, carrots, cilantro, onion, garlic and cream and is served with marinated, boiled or fried conger.
<hr />
<h5><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-27978 size-thumbnail" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Paila-Marina-250x156.png" alt="" width="250" height="156" />Paila Marina:</h5>
This traditional seafood soup or light stew is usually served in an earthenware bowl. It typically consists of various fish and shellfish in a base of shellfish stock, with herbs and spices such as paprika and parsley.
<hr />
<h5>Manjar:</h5>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-27971 size-thumbnail" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Chilean-Cuisine-FB-250x156.png" alt="" width="250" height="156" /> Manjar is the Chilean term for a confection considered to be similar or the same as dulce de leche, a deliciously sweet treat made by slowly heating sweetened milk until it caramelizes. In Chile, Manjar is typically eaten like a spread or used on cakes, ice cream and cookies.

Cuisine 101: 7 Delicious Chilean Dishes

In Deep

Africa and Middle East

Rwanda

<h2>Reconciliation and Reconstruction</h2>
Since that dark year, the reconciliation and reconstruction in Rwanda have been nothing short of remarkable. In the capital, broad, newly paved roads are lined with flowerbeds. The streets are spotlessly clean. There is not a speck of litter to be seen. Yet Kigali remains a quintessentially African city, with its colourful costumes, music, vibrant markets and busy storefronts everywhere.
Rwanda’s remarkable turnaround is also evident elsewhere in the country. Villages are similarly immaculate, and lush fields abound. Verdant tea plantations drape over the hilly countryside. Everything is green and growing. Spurred by intelligent conservation planning, eco-tourism is on the rise. And in the industrial and technological domain, Rwanda is asserting itself as a major information hub. State-of-the-art fibre-optic cable is being laid everywhere, part of the country’s master plan to become the service centre for central and east Africa.
Nonetheless, evidence of Rwanda’s turbulent past remains, such as the gacacas, village-level trials for crimes from the genocides. The events of 1994 are not to be forgotten. Still, Rwanda has proven itself a nation with its eyes firmly fixed on the future. As one of the few countries in Africa not crippled by corruption, Rwanda’s economic growth has been impressive.
It is indeed a place poised for great things.
Read more Rwanda facts <a href="https://butterfield.com/get-inspired/facts-about-rwanda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

In Deep: A Brief Introduction to Rwanda

Biking

Portfolio

<h2>Ready to Ride?</h2>
Browse our full portfolio of <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/tripfinder/?fr=France&amp;fa=Biking">bike trips in France</a> or feel free to reach out to our <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/private-travel/#5">Bespoke travel team</a> to plan a custom bike trip of your own!

<h2>3. Bordeaux and Dordogne</h2>
<h4>Due East along the Dordogne River</h4>
Prepare yourself for some of France’s best cycling, where the riding is as smooth as a <a href="http://www.chateau-mouton-rothschild.com/vintages/chateau-mouton-rothschild/chateau-mouton-rothschild-2012" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Château Mouton Rothschild</a>. Set out from Saint-Emilion and embark on a day-long traverse to the Bergerac region. Take a quick pit stop in Castillon-la-Bataille, the site of the final Battle of the Hundred Years War ending in the defeat and the final expulsion of the British from Aquitaine. After the short history break, press on and follow the Dordogne River’s meandering banks.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-27527" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Bordeaux.jpg" alt="Best Cycling Routes in France Bordeaux " width="752" height="500" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Bordeaux.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Bordeaux-451x300.jpg 451w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
In Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, a town that straddles the departments of the Dordogne and the Gironde, stop for lunch on one of the town’s many terraces. After lunch, the route follows the Route des Vins into the AOC vineyards of Bergerac and Montbazillac, famous for its dessert wine. End with a final push to the top of a hill, and arrive at the <a href="http://www.abignac.com/en/#/hotel.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chartreuse du Bignac</a>.
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=z5AC45WIZo68.kbO88EMxTPYo" width="752" height="480"></iframe>
Distance: 73 km 
 Recommended Rider Level: <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/about/activity-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Recreational</a> 
 Best time to ride: June &#8211; September
<hr />
<h2>4. The Loire Valley</h2>
<h4>The Touraine and Vienne River</h4>
The picturesque <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2018/04/06/5-reasons-love-loire-valley/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Loire’s</a> castle-lined routes have long been the playground of kings and queens, and the small country roads are perfect for biking.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-27528" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Loire.jpg" alt="Best Cycling Routes in France Loire Valley" width="752" height="400" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Loire.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Loire-480x255.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
Cross through typical Touraine landscapes and pedal along the Indre River towards the village of Azay-le-Rideau. Park your bikes and tour the many châteaux, taking in the Renaissance architecture. Lunch in front of the castle at Côté Cour restaurant is a must. After lunch, cross the Vienne River and arrive at the imposing gates of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_du_Rivau" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Château du Rivau</a> for an opportunity to wander at your whim or will through the magnificent gardens.
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=z5AC45WIZo68.kG9_7YxME09k" width="752" height="480"></iframe>
Distance: 55 km 
 Recommended Rider Level: <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/about/activity-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Recreational</a> 
 Best time to ride: June &#8211; September
<hr />
<h2>5. Provence</h2>
<h4>Petit Lubéron</h4>
We’ve been enjoying every well-trod trail and much-visited town on our <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/trip/provence-biking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Provence Biking trip</a> for decades. On this route, however, we stray outside the <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2015/01/20/bicycles-burgundy-and-bons-viveurs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">region’s</a> hotspots to show you our favourite hidden gems.
Start in the heart of the Petit Lubéron valley. The ride will be like the sea on a strong Mistral day: a flat mirror interrupted by steep (but short) waves. Pass through the spectacular village of Bonnieux before continuing downhill and across a 2,000-year-old Roman bridge (Pont Julien, pictured below).

After this historical crossing, bike up to the spectacular but hidden village of Goult, in which the main square is filled with inviting cafés and shops teeming with wonderful goods. After a quick stop, ride to an exclusive wine domain, owned by none other than the mayor of Ménerbes: the Domaine Ruffinatto. Finish the route with a short trip back to La Bastide de Marie, Ménerbes.
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=z5AC45WIZo68.klY9NtdQujYo" width="752" height="480"></iframe>
Distance: 54km 
 Level: <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/about/activity-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Enthusiast</a> 
 Best time to ride: May &#8211; September 

<hr />
<h2>6. Southwest France</h2>
<h4>Conques &amp; The Lot Valley</h4>
This region offers incredible diversity and beautiful scenery along quiet roads that cyclists continue to rave about years after their first ride. Starting in Saint Cirq Lapopie, a small but stunning village, embark on a nearly 100-km journey to the village of Conques. This ride, although long, is arguably the most beautiful route heading upstream of the Lot.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-27530" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Southwest-France.jpg" alt="Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Southwest-France" width="752" height="480" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Southwest-France.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Southwest-France-470x300.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
Expect a few steep climbs as you ride on the right side of the river bank. Taking your time on this century ride is highly recommended, there are plenty of small villages along this route that are perfect for a long lunch. Your final stop will be Conques, which is best-known for the relics of Sainte Foy, whose presence has made it a major stop on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Camino de Santiago</a> from the Middle Ages until today.
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=z5AC45WIZo68.kSW0lQLP2Ycw" width="752" height="480"></iframe>
Distance: 90km 
 Level: <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/about/activity-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Avid</a> 
 Best time to ride: May &#8211; September
<hr />
<h2>7. Atlantic France</h2>
<h4>Route du Sel on Ile de Ré</h4>
Ile de Ré is one of the most famous and fashionable islands along the French Atlantic Coast, nestled secretly between Brittany to the north and the vineyards of Bordeaux to the south. This island route on our <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/trip/atlantic-france-biking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Atlantic France Biking trip</a> features wonderfully flat biking along the sea on dedicated bike paths.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-27531" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Atlantic-France.jpg" alt="Best Cycling Routes in France " width="752" height="480" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Atlantic-France.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Atlantic-France-470x300.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
Riding along the ancient salt road, or Route du Sel, this scenic loop takes you to the top of the island and back. Pedal down virtually untouched villages such as Ars-en-Ré, Saint-Clément des Baleines or La Couarde and continue on to the hidden villages of Loix and Les Portes before looping back to the port city of Saint Martin de Ré.
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=z5AC45WIZo68.kmJsmdfMOYFc" width="752" height="480"></iframe>
Distance: 82 km 
 Recommended Rider Level: <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/about/activity-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Occasional</a> 
 Best time to ride: June &#8211; September
<hr />
<h2>8. Normandy</h2>
<h4>Deauville Loop via Honfleur</h4>
Though every region of Europe boasts a long history, <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2018/06/25/reasons-to-visit-normandy-france/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Normandy</a> has been deeply shaped by two watershed moments that are pillars of European history and culture: the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the Allied landing on June 6, 1944. Discovering this region is like turning the pages of a history book while riding through lush fields and along white-sand beaches.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-27532" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Normandy.jpg" alt="Best Cycling Routes in France Normandy " width="752" height="480" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Normandy.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Best-Cycling-Routes-in-France-Normandy-470x300.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
Ease into the pace of seaside life on this route. First, ride inland through the famous horse-breeding farms of the area. Deep forests alternate with lush prairie as you descend into Deauville, an elegant resort often called the “Parisian Riviera” for its casino, stately buildings, and annual film festival. There are plenty of options for lunch along the seafront. Continue across the bridge into its sister town Trouville, which preserves the simple fishing village traditions of the coast. Follow the shore back to Honfleur, whose colourful facades inspired the Impressionists.
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=z5AC45WIZo68.kl58XVx0Ka-w" width="752" height="480"></iframe>
Distance: 39 km 
 Recommended Rider Level: <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/about/activity-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Enthusiast</a> 
 Best time to ride: July &#8211; August

The 8 Best Cycling Routes in France

Accolades

Media Mentions

Global Traveler

Butterfield & Robinson Danube Biking Cruise

Columnists

Experts + Insiders: Lewis Evans

Insider's Guide to Berlin

<h2 style="text-align: left;">Jewish Berlin</h2>
German and Jewish histories are deeply connected in Berlin. Sites that testify to the blossoming of Jewish life are often woven alongside those bearing witness to its destruction.
<h3>Holocaust Memorial</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-22475 size-medium" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/csm_Pressefoto_Stelenfeld_mit_Besuchern_Marko_Priske_1_e656376304-320x213.jpg" alt="Things to do in Berlin" width="320" height="213" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/csm_Pressefoto_Stelenfeld_mit_Besuchern_Marko_Priske_1_e656376304-320x213.jpg 320w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/csm_Pressefoto_Stelenfeld_mit_Besuchern_Marko_Priske_1_e656376304.jpg 880w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" />The Holocaust Memorial, or <a title="Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe" href="http://www.stiftung-denkmal.de/startseite.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe</a>, designed by New York architect Peter Eisenman rests in the immediate vicinity of the Brandenburg Gate. The placement of the enormous 19,000-square-metre memorial in the city’s historic centre serves to emphasize its orientation toward the civilian population. Visitors are permitted to walk unrestricted through the field of stelae at any time, day or night.
<h3>Jewish Museum Berlin</h3>
The Jewish Museum has been among the most prominent institutions in the European cultural landscape since it opened in 2001. The spectacular building by American architect Daniel Libeskind has become a landmark of the city. The historical permanent exhibition, covering 3,000-square-metres of floor space, presents two thousand years of German-Jewish history with interactive and multimedia components.
<h3>Alter Jüdischer Friedhof (Old Jewish Cemetery)</h3>
This cemetery is found on Grosse Hamburger Strasse where it meets Oranienburger Strasse. Defaced in 1938, the Nazis ran an irrigation ditch through the cemetery, using most of the 3,000 tombstones to shore up its walls. Only 20 original gravestones remain, one of which marks the burial site of the famous Berlin philosopher Moses Mendelssohn.
<h3>Jüdischer Friedhof Weissensee (Jewish Cemetery Weissensee)</h3>
The largest Jewish cemetery in Germany lies in the suburb of Weissensee in northeast Berlin. Many of the 120,000 tombstones carry more than one name, representing those who lost their lives in concentration camps.
<h3>Synagogues</h3>
The interior of functioning synagogues may be viewed only by attending a service. Guests are requested to announce themselves to the Jewish Community in advance. You can obtain more information by contacting <a title="Jewish Community of Berlin " href="http://www.jg-berlin.org/en/institutions/religious-affairs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the department of religious affairs</a> in the Jewish Community of Berlin.
<h3>Topography of Terror</h3>
<figure id="attachment_22483" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22483" style="width: 320px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-22483 size-medium" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Topography-320x240.jpg" alt="Things to do in Berlin" width="320" height="240" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Topography-320x240.jpg 320w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Topography.jpg 772w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-22483" class="wp-caption-text">The Topography of Terror exhibition</figcaption></figure>
The site of the <a title="Topography of Terror " href="http://www.topographie.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Topography of Terror</a>, next to the Martin-Gropius-Bau and not far from Potsdamer Platz, was the headquarters of the National Socialist regime of terror from 1933 to 1945: among them, the secret police (Gestapo) with their own prison, the leadership of the Nazi party Schutzstaffel (or SS), and the Central Office of Homeland Security for the German Reich.
The exhibition “Topography of Terror” is located on a walkway that leads you through a ditch past the excavated ruins of several buildings along the Niederkirchnerstrasse (formerly Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse). It documents the history of these institutions of terror, situated in close proximity to the Nazi government sector.
<h3>Sachsenhausen (just outside of Berlin)</h3>
Many Nazi concentration camps have been preserved and opened to the public as memorials and museums. <a title="Sachsenhausen" href="https://www.sachsenhausen-sbg.de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sachsenhausen </a>is the nearest to Berlin, and provides a sombre, yet moving, experience. Oranienburg is at the end of the S1 S-Bahn line (40 minutes from Mitte). From the station, follow signs to Gedenkstätte Sachsenhausen, for about a 20-minute walk. It’s a good idea to hire an audio guide (available in English) at the gate.

Insider's Guide: 16 Things to Do in Berlin

George Butterfield

They began providing immersive and authentic travel experiences long before those became industry buzz words—not because George was trying to distinguish himself in the marketplace (after all, at the time there was no market for this kind of thing), but because he just couldn’t imagine travelling any other way. It wasn’t so much a business model as a philosophy, and while innovation has always been a hallmark of B&amp;R, George’s vision has remained constant.
<figure id="attachment_21080" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-21080" style="width: 605px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-21080 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/George_China_1988_inset.jpg" alt="China, 1988" width="605" height="212" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/George_China_1988_inset.jpg 605w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/George_China_1988_inset-320x112.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-21080" class="wp-caption-text">China, 1988</figcaption></figure>
While he wasn’t always sure it would work, he knew he had struck on something special; in fact, he believed in his idea so strongly that he was able to persevere against that most heady of obstacles, the opinion of his mother-in-law, who considered travel “a futile pursuit.”
As George grew up, so did B&amp;R. After years of successfully running student trips he began to notice that the parents of his young travellers were expressing similar interest in biking around Europe—though they were admittedly less enthusiastic about the hostels their kids were staying in.
<figure id="attachment_21081" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-21081" style="width: 320px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-21081 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/India-320x235.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="235" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/India-320x235.jpg 320w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/India.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-21081" class="wp-caption-text">Chatting with locals in India</figcaption></figure>
An unabashed believer in treating yourself well, he swapped out the hostels he had been using on student trips for great hotels, and made sure to include stops at some of the region’s best restaurants along the way. It took a few tries to get the concept off the ground, but by 1980 George had struck upon a formula that combined his curiosity about the depth of a place and his firmly held respect for its history with an appreciation for the good life.
Five decades and <a title="PURE Awards " href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2014/11/10/br-wins-big-pure/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many accolades</a> later, the industry term for the style of travel he pioneered is “active luxury.” To George, it’s simpler than that.
“The reasons we travel remain the same as they always have: We love exploring new places. We think biking and walking are the best way to see a region’s people, history and culture. And at the end of the day, we like to treat ourselves well with a great meal and a great hotel,&#8221; he said in 2000.
“We travel in style and comfort. I guess we’re known for that. But for me, it’s always been about the journey.”

For George, It's About the Journey

<h2>New and Improved</h2>
Well, not quite “do it again.” There will have been many changes and improvements since that first trip. In fact, as I write these Notes from the Road, intrepid B&amp;R guide and researcher <a title="Lewis Evans" href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/author/lewis-evans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lewis Evans</a> is out on some of those same roads, modernizing, changing and improving what we did a long time ago. Personally, I’m looking forward to doing it again in a somewhat more comfortable style—and with a lot fewer worries than we pioneers had in 1966.
<figure id="attachment_21063" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-21063" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-21063 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Hotel_inset.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="424" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Hotel_inset.jpg 640w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Hotel_inset-320x212.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-21063" class="wp-caption-text">Having grown up a touch since 1966, we&#8217;ve swapped out the youth hostels for slightly more comfortable digs.</figcaption></figure>
As just one example of how our trips have improved, today our one-geared bicycles are merely a memory. B&amp;R has moved along and so, fortunately, has bicycle technology. We of course have kept abreast with those advances and have all the gears we need for our journey. The youth hostels (and even the hay barn!) we stayed in years ago are no longer our destination for the night. Having grown up a touch, we now have a preference for the finer things in life, and our hotel lineup (featuring the beautiful <a title="Ueberfahrt, Rottach-Egern" href="http://www.seehotel-ueberfahrt.com/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt</a> pictured above) reflects the taste we’ve been refining for decades. And while there will be plenty of opportunity to sample gulaschsuppe, wurst and wiener schnitzel, today there’s also a crop of exciting new young chefs in the area offering modern takes on traditional Bavarian fare.
The world of B&amp;R has expanded greatly since that first trip some 50 years ago. But if our success during this period has taught me anything, it’s that some things—some of the very best things, in fact, like good food, great company and the pleasures of seeing the world by bike—never change.
I hope you’ll join us on the road to see for yourself.

Notes from the Road: Munich to Salzburg

Food and Travel

Champagne

Wine Regions of France

History

In 1940, the Nazis seized control of the region; overnight the names of towns were changed and schools were prohibited from teaching French. Monuments were torn down, and even the wearing of berets was forbidden.
When Allied forces liberated France in 1945, the French retaliated by outlawing the teaching of the Alsatian language; signs with the slogan &#8220;It is chic to speak French&#8221; were posted everywhere.
Today, Alsace is part of France, but retains a very German flavour. There are many German factories in the region and German tourists flock to Alsace in the summertime. Some Alsatians think of themselves as culturally closer to Germany, while others believe they have more in common with the French.
One thing is for certain: the inhabitants of this beautiful, distinctive region are Alsatian, first and foremost.

In Deep: Alsace

Departures

Italy

Top Tier Wine Experiences

Favourite trip you’ve ever taken? (I know, I know, but try to narrow it down to one!) 
In 2003 my wife and I kayaked the outside of the BC coast from the Alaska Border to Vancouver Island. Fifty-two days of pristine scenery, crazy weather, unforgettable wildlife sightings, huge ocean swells or mirror-calm seas, freeze-dried veggies (yuck!) paired with fresh fish and foraged berries, massive sand beaches and even bigger sea cliffs. Oh, and great company. Bliss and adversity—often on the same day. It’s a trip I revisit in my mind regularly.
Favourite trip you’ve ever designed? 
Impossible to answer, although I tend to really enjoy planning big rambling odysseys.  I’ve planned and researched  three  60-plus day trips in the USA and Canada in the last five years, which can be a bit harrowing but fun, and I’m working on a 40-day Himalayan journey for a couple right now. I’d like to go on that one myself, but I don’t think they’ll invite me. On the other end of the scale, I also planned a four-day Places on the Verge trip to the Alberta Oil Sands that was highly interesting and educational to research.
Food is such a gateway into a new region. What’s the most memorable meal you’ve had on the road? 
I was researching travel opportunities in Mongolia in 2006 or so. In the far west of the country there is an extensive population of expat Kazakh nomads, who live in yurts and follow their flocks around the open steppes and mountain valleys. I was lucky enough to meet a large extended family, who was celebrating successfully moving its herds to the summer pasture. They invited me for a meal, which consisted of five kinds of animal fat, boiled into submission, covered with a layer of homemade dumpling. I sat to the right of the headman, and after his wife placed the pot in front of him, he pulled a large knife out of his boot (honest), poked at the largest piece of Bactrian camel fat, identified by its luminescent yellow hue, and offered it to me. With 20 expectant faces watching every move, I managed to eat it, smiled at the cook, and settled in for a very long meal.
<h3>&#8220;I’d like to visit Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar&#8230; it will really annoy my friend Tyler Dillon if I get there before he does.&#8221;</h3>
What’s your most embarrassing travel story? 
I hate costume parties, dressing up etc. For the final night of a very fancy <a title="Bespoke" href="https://www.butterfield.com/private-travel/bespoke/" target="_blank">Bespoke</a> trip in Venice, I was coerced into wearing the most ridiculously foppish outfit of a baroque-era Venetian Prince. We had to walk through St Marks Square to reach the venue. There were four of us guides in period costume, and we must have been stopped by 100 tourists for photos. They thought we were street performers. However, luckily my embarrassment was upstaged by one of my co-guides, who stepped on the hem of her dress and went down in the middle of St Mark’s Square like a lacy sack of spuds.
You&#8217;re a B&amp;R veteran, you must have a good George Butterfield story. 
At the end of my very first guiding job for B&amp;R, I was sitting in the office in Beaune, labouring over my trip accounts. Sitting near me, also trying to balance his trip accounts, was an older guy. At one point he grumbled out to the rest of the office, “what happened to the days when we used to just hand the guides a pile of money and tell them to spend it and run a good trip? This paper work is killing me!” That was my introduction to George Butterfield. After that, I knew I’d be able to get along in this company.
And finally, in all your gallivanting around the globe, what’s the craziest thing you’ve seen or done while on a trip? 
Definitely classified information. First rule of guiding: what happens on a trip, stays on a trip. I can’t believe you even asked that!

Experts + Insiders: Tom Abraham

Wine Regions

Columnist Georgia Yuill: Hotels and Haute Couture

Guides

Team in France

Stellar Guides: B&R Tour Guides in France

Snapshots

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

germany

Blog posts for 'germany'