Tag: fairytale

Travel/

The perfect day road trip: Roßtrappe – Quedlinburg

January 2023 – Alright if you are as lucky as I am and have the chance to visit Germany with a local then the experience will definitely exceed your expectations. That’s what we did, planned a day trip from Berlin to two iconic destinations Roßtrappe & Quedlinburg.

I was overjoyed visiting both of these destinations and I would totally recommend them. So what are you waiting for? Add them to your bucket list.

A glimpse of Roßtrappe

Let me tell you about this beautiful valley, which takes its name from what is supposedly a horse’s hoof print, visible in stone on the cliff, left by the mythical Brunhilde when she sprang over the gorge on horseback to avoid marrying the giant Bodo. He leapt after her, landing in a watery grave, horse and all. (Source: Lonely Planet).

We drove directly from Berlin and got to the valley by driving through Thale, a town in the Harz (454 m above sea level, district in Saxony-Anhalt). We parked right next to Akzent Berghotel Rosstrappe and made our way to the view point which was really close in proximity walking distance. I was really excited when I realized that the valley was covered in snow.
It felt like pure magic! we walked to the view point and enjoyed the breathtaking scenery. But why don’t you see for yourself.

A glimpse of Quedlinburg

Following the breathtaking views of Roßtrappe beautiful valley, we headed to the UNESCO world heritage town, Quedlinburg. A town known for its medieval streets, its castle complex and for the best cheesecake out there as per German media or Käsekuchen as the Germans call it. Wondering around this beautiful town has been a wonderful experience, it truly felt as if we were walking into a fairytale. A picture is worth a thousand words, that’s what they say isn’t it?

You have to get to “Vincent Cafe” and try out the different variations they offer and you will definitely not regret it. We did! It was the perfect end to a really cold day.

Oh by the way, as we were driving to Quedlinburg we stopped quickly at Thale. There was a local carnival parade which was nice to watch from the comfort and warmth of our car of course. I am from Cyprus after all, not exactly made for snow.

How we got there

I definitely suggest renting a car for the day, it makes things easier and more convenient.

Travel/

Hallstatt: The perfect postcard destination

December 2022 – All right this was a last minute getaway and it definitely exceeded my expectations. Hallstatt is a beautiful small town in Austria, right by the Hallstätter lake. As soon as you get there you will feel like you’ve walked into a fairytale. We visited this breathtaking town during Christmas time and it was worth it but surely this place is just as magical any time of the year. Usually people prefer to do a day trip to Hallstatt from Vienna. If that’s the case since the train ride is minimum 3.5 hrs they will get to Hallstatt at around 12.00. If you are planning to spend the night like we did, then definitely aim for a morning walk to avoid the crowds. It’s worth it, you will have the time to take it all in and enjoy this beautiful town. Two days are more than enough to explore.

Where to stay

There are beautiful hotels in the Hallstatt town itself, with easy access. Since we booked everything last minute we had to book a hotel at a nearby town ( Obertraun ) which wasn’t that convenient (even though it was beautiful) as we had to use the ferry two days in a row.

What to do

Hallstatt viewpoint 

The postcard shot taken at the Hallstatt viewpoint. Go there early in the morning to avoid the crowds and take your beautiful shot.

Hallstatt Waterfall

The waterfall is just a short walk away from the centre of the town so it is worth it to pay a visit. It is an uphill walk but still you will the chance se it right next two one of the parking places.

Hallstatt Skywalk

This is an observation deck where you can view the entire town from the top. You can get there by taking the cable car. A round trip costs €20. Be sure to get there well in before the last ride which is at 16:30. By the time we got there we had 30 minutes to spare but there was a humongous queue of people waiting to decent. In the end we queued for around 45 minutes and managed to descend at around 17:00. Get there early in order to have a chance to explore and also visit the world’s oldest salt mine as well.

Enjoy yourself 

This is a beautiful place be sure to have some time to relax, visit local coffee shops and souvenir shops, eat well and of course enjoy the company of the many swans that live near by. Tourists tend to feed them a lot so they seem to be quite friendly. Now I would advice against feeding the swans as it seems that the bread and other food we give them is not good for them after all. Taking a nice picture is not worth risking the life of a wild animal.

How to get there

Well there are a few ways with which you can get to Hallstatt. 

By train & ferry

We took the train from Vienna Central Train station. It was a 3,5 hr ride. To book your tickets you can visit Trainline. Tip: choose the ride that will not include any train changes. The cost of the train is around €50 each way.

As soon as you get to the Hallstatt train station you will need to take the ferry to cross the lake and get to the city. A return ticket costs €7 (if you are there just for the day you can store your luggage as soon as you get off from the ferry for €3).

By car

If you are on a roadtrip which you definitely know by now I strongly recommend you will get straight to the town and access the free parking available. There are a few parking spots available. Generally note that there are no cars allowed within the town itself other than the ones locals use.