Categories
Scotland

Eilean Donan Castle: The Most Photographed Castle In Scotland

Eilean Donan Castle
It feels surreal to be standing in front of Eilean Donan Castle

Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most recognisable of Scotland’s many hauntingly beautiful castles. Standing on its own island where Loch Duich, Loch Long and Loch Alsh converge, the lone castle shrouded in mist, set against the stunning backdrop of the tree-covered mountains makes for the ideal photograph!

Eilean Donan Castle
The isolated Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most photographed castles in Scotland

Over the years, Picts, Vikings, Highland clans and Jacobites have all fought over the island, and the castle itself has been constructed and destroyed several times. What you see today is a restoration that took Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae Gilstrap and his Clerk of Works Farquhar MacRae twenty years to turn Eilean Donan from a ruin into a livable castle.

It feels surreal to stand in front of a building that is so iconic. While we didn’t have time to explore the castle, I definitely plan on returning to Eilean Donan Castle one day.

What you need to know:

  • In Gaelic, Eilean Donan translates to ‘the island of Donan’. Donan was a bishop who was thought to live on the island in the seventh century.
  • Many films, including Highlander, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, The World is Not Enough, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Made of Honour have used Eilean Donan castle as a setting, helping it to become one of the most recognisable castles in Scotland.
  • Can’t wait to visit? See the picturesque Eilean Donan Castle in real time by viewing Eilean Donan Castle’s webcam or visiting Eilean Donan Castle’s official website
Categories
Scotland

The Long Way to Lews Castle

What does a castlephile do when she has a spare couple of hours in Stornoway? Convince her new travelling companions to visit the local castle, of course!

Our target for today was Lews Castle. After consulting the map, it looked like we would have to take the scenic route to get to the castle, which (rather strangely) would take us right through the middle of the local golf course. The golf course was easy enough to find, and with an entrance like this, we thought we were on the right track.

Raon Goilf gate
En route to Lews Castle: The entrance to the Stornoway golf club

The signs for Lews Castle pointed into a forest that bordered the golf course, so we left the safety of the sealed road and hit a dirt track. We couldn’t see any sign of a castle. We weren’t even sure in which direction the town was. Should we turn back before we got lost? (And risk the local golfers laughing at the disoriented tourists?)

Almost on the verge of giving up, we noticed groups of university students appearing from somewhere up the hill. We decided to press on a bit further, although the castle was still nowhere to be seen. We heard whirring in the distance. A car engine spluttered. And then the roof of the castle appeared out of the leaves.

The restoration works at Lews Castle
The restoration works at Lews Castle

Unfortunately, the castle was closed for renovations. And the fence to keep us out of the workzone made it difficult to take a nice photo of what was a very pretty eighteenth century castle.

Lews Castle
Despite the restoration fencing, Lews Castle is very striking
Lews Castle
I thought that this was the best photo I was going to get of Lews Castle!

Admitting defeat, our next challenge was getting back to Stornoway. We could go back the way we had come through the golf course, but taking our chances, we decided to follow the students down a path that we hoped would take us safely back to Stornoway.

Five minutes later, we found ourselves back on Stornoway’s main road … only to look back and see this!

Lews Castle
Finally – the perfect view of Lews Castle from across the bay in Stornoway

What you need to know:

  • Stornoway is the largest town on the island of Lewis and Harris
Categories
Scotland

The Randomness of Calton Hill

An observatory. A set of Greek columns. A tower. Oh, and a Portuguese cannon. I’m sure they all tie together somehow. But when you first make the climb up to the top of Calton Hill, what you’ll find seems all a bit … random.

Calton Hill
Calton Hill

Scotland’s National Monument

The National Monument
The National Monument on Calton Hill

Firstly, those Greek columns. While they look like they’ve been transplanted from a mountain in Athens, they actually form the National Monument, a memorial to the Scots who died in the Napoleonic Wars. Designed to be a replica of the Parthenon, the monument was left unfinished when funds ran out.

Nelson Monument

Nelson's Monument
Nelson Monument

Always eager to climb up things, I paid the four pounds entrance fee to climb the tallest monument on Calton Hill – Nelson Monument. After being encouraged all the way up the spiral stairs with messages printed on the wall like “You’re almost to the top!” I came out to the viewing deck. It was a bright and sunny day but taking photos proved challenging due to the fact that a strong wind made me cling to the railing so I wouldn’t fly away.

View from Nelson's Monument: Holyrood, Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat
View from Nelson’s Monument: Holyrood, Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat
The Palace of Holyrood House
The Palace of Holyrood House

It was an unbelievable view. You could look down onto the Palace of Holyroodhouse and its gardens, with Arthur’s Seat towering behind it. You could follow the line of Princes Street up to Edinburgh Castle. You could look over the streets of the New Town, or out to the Firth. (I was glad to get back inside the tower and out of the wind, though!)

The view down Princes Street
The view down Princes Street
The view of the North Bridge from Nelson's Monument
The view of the North Bridge from Nelson’s Monument

The City Observatory and Old Observatory House

The Old Observatory House
The Old Observatory House

Amongst the other monuments on Calton Hill, was the Old Observatory House and the City Observatory. The Old Observatory House is actually available to be rented, with accommodation facilities to sleep eight people.

The Portuguese Cannon

Sign describing the Poruguese Cannon

There was no real explanation as to why this was here. It did look cool, though.

Portuguese Cannon
The Portuguese Cannon

The Dugald Stewart Monument and the Best View in Edinburgh

Dugald Stewart Monument
Dugald Stewart Monument – the place to take iconic photos of Edinburgh

If you want the perfect guidebook photo of Edinburgh, this is where to take that photo. Position yourself with the Dugald Stewart Monument to your right, focus on Edinburgh Castle in the background, and you’ll be standing in the spot where it seems that most travel brochures of Edinburgh are taken.

Whether it is for the unlikely collection of monuments or for the panoramic views of Edinburgh and beyond, make sure you include Calton Hill on your Edinburgh itinerary!

Categories
France

A Day Out to Saint-Martin-de-Ré

I had no expectations about the Île de Ré. All I knew was that it was an island to the west of La Rochelle, and to bring my bathers because there would be a beach. As the bus drove across the causeway that links the island to mainland France, the scenery changed. Gone were the quaint villages, green fields and endless forests. Now we were driving past campgrounds perched on the water’s edge, by salt marshes and through seaside towns as the bus made its way towards Saint-Martin-de-Ré.

Saint-Martin-de-Ré
Looking over the harbour towards Saint-Martin-de-Ré

The French come to the Île de Ré for summer holidays, and there is everything from large camping grounds to fancy hotels to accommodate the holiday-makers. In Saint-Martin, restaurants are clustered together along the harbour, while behind them the laneways lined with souvenir stores, clothes shops and antique sellers lead up the hill to the ruins and bell tower of Église Saint-Martin de Saint-Martin-de-Ré.

Restaurants along the harbour
Restaurants along the harbour
One of the laneways lined with shops
One of the laneways lined with shops

The Église Saint-Martin de Saint-Martin-de-Ré stands at the top of the hill and looks over the town. Visitors to the church can climb the belfry for a better look over the citadel and fortifications of Saint-Martin-de-Ré (part of the Fortifications of Vauban, a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

The Église Saint-Martin de Saint-Martin-de-Ré
The Église Saint-Martin de Saint-Martin-de-Ré

A stroll back down the hill through narrow laneways that shield you from the hot sun brings you back to the water’s edge, where you can walk along the fortifications of Saint-Martin-de-Ré, or make your way back to the harbour.

Laneways
The narrow laneways shade you from the summer sun!
The fortified wall of Saint-Martin-de-Ré
The fortified wall of Saint-Martin-de-Ré

If you find yourself down in the Parc de la Barbette, you might come across a sight unique to the Île de Ré: donkeys who look like they’re wearing striped pyjama bottoms. While now a tourist attraction, the donkeys were originally dressed in trousers to help protect them from mosquito and other insect bites while they were put to work harvesting salt.

Donkeys wearing trousers
A sight unique to the Île de Ré: donkeys wearing trousers

The laid-back atmosphere of Saint-Martin-de-Ré lets you unwind and have a holiday away from your hurried sightseeing of your mainland ventures. Breathe in the salty air, find yourself a spot to gaze at the view and enjoy letting go.

Looking out to see from the fortifications
Looking out to sea from the fortifications
What you need to know:

  • The bus to the Île de Ré leaves from the Place de Verdun in La Rochelle. The bus schedule is posted at the bus stop. Tickets can be purchased from the driver.
  • Visit the Saint-Martin-de-Re tourism information office for more information about Saint-Martin-de-Ré
Categories
France

Finding the Phantom at the Palais Garnier

The exterior of the Palais Garnier
The exterior of the Palais Garnier

The Palais Garnier – home to the Opera Nationale de Paris – may well be one of the most lavish places I have set foot in. Designed by Charles Garnier (who also designed the Casino de Monte Carlo), it is spread over seventeen storeys and contains two ballet companies.

Having read Gaston Leroux’s book The Phantom of the Opera, and being a fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, I was curious to know what the real Paris Opera was like. I booked a guided tour of the Palais Garnier, and was on the lookout for signs of the opera house’s most infamous resident.

The Subscriber’s Rotunda

Guided tours begin in the la rotonde des abonnés. While you are sitting on the circular red velvet chaise, you can imagine men dressed in their finest suits and hats and ladies glancing at their reflections in the mirrors that line the room. On the ceiling, the intermingled letters spell out the name of the architect: CHARLES GARNIER and the dates of construction: 1861 – 1875. The rotunda is impressive by itself, but it is nothing compared with the rooms to come.

The Grand Staircase

The Grand Staircase is almost overwhelming. You have to stand still for a few minutes to take it all in. As you ascend the stairs, it’s hard to know where to look – at the statues and busts that line the doorways, the decorative marble and lamp fittings, or at the painting on the ceiling? Take the time to appreciate the full splendour of the Grand Staircase.

The Grand Staircase at the Palais Garnier
The Grand Staircase at the Palais Garnier

The Grand Foyer

Walking along the Grand Foyer, you feel like you are in a grander version of the Hall of Mirrors at the Chateau de Versailles rather than in an opera house in the middle of the city. They have similar designs – a long room along the side of the building with mirrors along one wall and large windows on the other. The Grand Foyer is decorated in musical motifs and along with the Grand Staircase is one of the most sumptuous rooms open to the public in the Palais Garnier.

The Grand Foyer in the Palais Garnier
The Grand Foyer feels like a more opulent version of Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors

The Grand Foyer of the Palais Garnier
The Grand Foyer of the Palais Garnier

The Auditorium

After the splendour of the grand staircase and the grand foyer, passing through the corridor that separates them from the auditorium seems anti-climactic. Dark and plain, it provides a welcome rest for your eyes as you wait to be shown to your seat.

palaisgarnier_door

Off to the side, you’ll find Napoleon III’s entrance, which was especially designed for him to limit the risk of assassination. The Emperor’s carriage could be driven up into the Palais. From here, Napoleon III would be mere steps away from the Royal box. The entrance is also plainer than the rest of the theatre – war broke out and Napoleon III was deposed before the entrance could be decorated.

Once you have taken your seat inside the auditorium, your eyes start to wander again from the rows and boxes of red velvet seats, up to the ceiling with the glittering chandelier and Chagall’s painted ceiling insert depicting twelve famous operas.

Inside the auditorium
The sumptuous seats inside the auditorium
Chagall's painted ceiling
The chandelier suspended under Chagall’s painted ceiling

And as for the Phantom?

While the tour of the Palais Garnier doesn’t take you backstage, or to the fabled underground lake below the building, the Palais Garnier does pay their respects to the legacy and legend of the Phantom of the Opera. The Phantom’s standing request for Box Number 5 is noted with a plaque, marking it as the Loge du Fantôme de l’Opéra. Are you brave enough to book it?

Box Number 5
The entrance to Box Number Five: Loge du Fantôme de l’Opéra

I’d be careful if I were you. You never know where the Phantom may lurking!

The Phantom of the Opera is there ... ?!
The Phantom of the Opera is there … ?!
What you need to know:

  • Closest metro station: Opéra
    The Opéra station is right in front of the Palais Garnier.
  • Check the official website of the Palais Garnier for entry information and tour schedules
  • Would you go and see: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera if it was being staged in the Palais Garnier? It hasn’t been done, but I like the idea of watching it in the very theatre where the story is set.
Categories
France

A View Over Paris: From The Galeries Lafayette

Did you know that you can look over the rooftops of Paris from the top floor viewing deck of the Galeries Lafayette? From here, you can look down over the busy Boulevard Haussmann and the back of the Opera Garnier, across to La Défense in the distance, or at the domes of the Grand Palais and Les Invalides flanking the Eiffel Tower.

Galeries Lafayette
Looking down the Boulevard Haussmann
The Opera Garnier
The Opera Garnier
View of the Eiffel Tower from Galeries Lafayette
View of the Eiffel Tower from Galeries Lafayette
Looking towards La Défense
Looking over the Opera Garnier towards La Defense
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

  • The Galeries Lafayette is at 40 Boulevard Haussmann, behind the Opera Garnier
  • Take the escalator up to the top floor and walk out on to the terrace.
  • The closest Metro stop to the Galeries Lafayette is: Opera

 

Do you have a favourite view over Paris? Share it in the comments!

Categories
France

Visiting the Grand Trianon

The portico and gardens of the Grand Trianon
The portico and gardens of the Grand Trianon

It’s a long walk from Versailles to the Grand Trianon. Tucked away at the back corner of the grounds of Versailles, at the end of the Grand Canal, the Grand Trianon is a single-storey palace that looks on to a colourful French garden.

Originally built in 1687 by Jules Hardoiun Mansart for King Louis XIV on the site of an older palace and restored at various times by both Napoleon Bonaparte and Charles de Gaulle, it has housed many royal family members and foreign dignitaries.

The portico of the Grand Trianon
The portico of the Grand Trianon. The black and white tiles are beautiful.

After I had been awed by the grandeur of Versailles, and fallen in love with the cosy Petit Trianon, the Grand Trianon had its work cut out in order to win me over.

And it certainly tried its hardest.

One of the hallways in the Grand Trianon
One of the hallways in the Grand Trianon
The Boudoir of Madame Mère, mother of Napoleon. Is that leopard print carpet?!
The Boudoir of Madame Mère, mother of Napoleon. Is that leopard print carpet?!
The Empress Marie-Louise's bedroom
The Empress Marie-Louise’s bedroom
The Emperor's family drawing room
The Emperor’s family drawing room
The Mirrors Room in the Grand Trianon
The Mirrors Room in the Grand Trianon
The Cotelle Gallery - this would make a beautiful ballroom!
The Cotelle Gallery – this would make a stunning ballroom!

So did the Grand Trianon win me over? Not quite.

While I loved the symmetry of the black and white tiles against the red marble colonnaded portico, and the elegant windows and massive chandeliers of the Cotelle Gallery, I felt as if the Grand Trianon was missing something.

Perhaps it was because I couldn’t associate it with anything. While I could link Versailles to Louis XIV, the Sun King, and the Petit Trianon to the whimsy of Marie Antoinette, I couldn’t connect the Grand Trianon to a historical person or event. It wasn’t as awe-inspiring as Versailles, and it didn’t have the cosy feeling of ‘I could live here’ that I felt at the Petit Trianon. It also came at the end of a long day of exploring the estate – maybe it was just bad timing that I didn’t appreciate the Grand Trianon as much as I did the rest of Versailles.

Have you been to the Chateaux de Trianon? Which did you prefer? Share your opinion in the comments!

Categories
France

The Best Places to See the Eiffel Tower

As my train pulled in to the Gare d’Austerlitz station and I set foot in Paris for the first time, I had one thought in my mind: When would I get to see the Eiffel Tower?

I couldn’t go to Paris and miss out on seeing the Eiffel Tower, the city’s begrudgingly adopted icon.

While wandering around Montparnasse, I found myself heading towards the golden dome of Les Invalides. I happened to look to my left and there it was, peeking out from behind a row of trees: 312m of iron. I just wanted to spend all afternoon staring at it. How lucky I was to be in Paris, right next to the Eiffel Tower?

As I tore myself away from the view and began exploring Paris, I realised that I shouldn’t have worried about missing out on seeing the Eiffel Tower. As it’s one of the tallest buildings in Paris, it can be seen from almost anywhere.

If you can see the Eiffel Tower from almost anywhere, where should you go?

Up close

The Eiffel Tower
Seeing the Eiffel Tower up close lets you realise how much work was put in to constructing it

To fully appreciate the Eiffel Tower, it’s best to visit it at ground-level. Look up at the 10100 metric tons of iron above your head, and think about how many components (2.5 million rivets and 18000 metal parts!) the tower is made up of. Gawk at the omnipresent lines of people (be on the lookout for scammers!), and while you’re here, why not climb up the Eiffel Tower?

The Eiffel Tower
Getting right up close to the Eiffel Tower lets you see a different side of the tower

From the Champs de Mars

The Eiffel Tower from the Parc du Champs de Mars
The Eiffel Tower from the Parc du Champs de Mars

The Parc du Champs de Mars is a area of lawn that stretches out between the Eiffel Tower and the École Militaire. It is a popular place for tourists to bring some baguettes and cheese and have a picnic with a backdrop of one of Paris’s most iconic views.

From the Trocadéro

The view of the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadéro
The view of the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadéro

Across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower is the Trocadéro. You’ll find plenty of coaches dropping their tour groups off here for photo opps, but don’t be deterred (after all, it is one of the best places for photographs!).

From the Seine

The Eiffel Tower from the Pont de la Concorde
The Eiffel Tower from the Pont de la Concorde

Whether you’re floating down the Seine on a boat cruise or crossing one of the famous bridges of Paris, you can’t miss the hazy view of the Eiffel Tower.

From the Towers of Notre-Dame

The Chimera Gallery
The stryga, one of the chimeras, looks out over the Eiffel Tower from the Chimera Gallery from the Towers of Notre-Dame

While you’re whispering in the ears of the chimeras as they stare wistfully out towards the Eiffel Tower, ask them what they were staring at before the tower was constructed! The view from the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris will give you a sense of just how much taller the Eiffel Tower is than the rest of the cityscape.

From the Arc de Triomphe

View of the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe
View of the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe

One of the closer vantage points to the Eiffel Tower, if it’s busy at the top of the Arc de Triomphe, you’ll have to wait (or push your way to the front) to get the perfect view of the Eiffel Tower nestled amongst apartment buildings.

From Montmartre

Glimpsing the Eiffel Tower while wandering around Montmartre
Glimpsing the Eiffel Tower while wandering around Montmartre

Looking out from the top of the Montmartre, you can catch a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. While it’s too far off to the right to be seen while standing in front of the Sacré-Cœur, the Eiffel Tower reveals itself just as you turn from the Parvis du Sacré-Cœur on to the Rue du Cardinal Guibert.

From the Tour Montparnasse

The Eiffel Tower sparkles
Montparnasse Tower provides the ultimate view of the Eiffel Tower

My favourite view of the Eiffel Tower is from the top of Montparnasse Tower, where you have an unobstructed view of the city skyline and, if you’re there at the right time, the sparkling tower.

Where’s your favourite place in Paris to gaze at the Eiffel Tower? Share it in the comments!

Categories
France

A View Over Paris: From The Eiffel Tower

Climbing the Eiffel Tower is on most travellers’ bucket lists. With visitors being able to climb the tower since it was constructed for the Universal Exhibition in 1889, it is as much an essential part of visiting Paris now as it was back then.

The Eiffel Tower from the Champs-de-Mars
The Eiffel Tower from the Champs-de-Mars

There are many options for going up the tower. You can climb the stairs up to the first and second levels, or save yourself the sweat and hop into an elevator for a less energy-expending climb.

Whichever way you choose to climb the Eiffel Tower, however high you want to go, the view from all levels of the Eiffel Tower is fantastic.

Views from the first level of the Eiffel Tower

First, catch your breath!

Whether you arrived via the elevator or you climbed the 345 stairs, your first glimpse of the views from the Eiffel Tower will leave you a little breathless.

Champs-de-Mars from the first level
Looking down at the Champs-de-Mars from the first level of the Eiffel Tower

On the first floor, you’ll find the 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant as well as an exhibition about the Eiffel Tower, but what you’ll really want to do is look over the Champs-de-Mars and the Trocadéro and take in the views. They’re beautiful.

Got your breath back? Fantastic, because there’s another flight of stairs waiting for you to continue your climb!

The Eiffel Tower
Looking up at the queue on the second floor waiting to take the elevator to the third floor

Views from the second level of the Eiffel Tower

Champs-de-Mars from the second level
Looking down at the Champs-de-Mars from the second level of the Eiffel Tower

The views from the second level of the tower are just as good as the first (Just compare the last few photos!). 58 metres higher than the first level, you may end up with more photos on the second level, especially if you’re intending to catch the elevator up to the third level. The queue for the elevator can be quite long, and being in the queue forces you to move slowly around the second level, giving you the benefit of being able to enjoy the views for longer, and notice things that might otherwise have passed by in a blur.

The Seine
The Seine from the second level of the Eiffel Tower

Views from the third level of the Eiffel Tower

You’ve made it! See all of Paris before you, and take a rest. You’ve earned it!

Champs-de-Mars from the third level
Looking down at the Champs-de-Mars from the third level of the Eiffel Tower

While you could argue that the view on the third level is similar to the other two, on this level, you can show how far you’ve come by pointing your camera downwards. You’re now 276 metres above the ground. Luckily, there’s an elevator waiting to rush you all the way back to ground level!

Looking down from the top of the Eiffel Tower
My favourite photo of the Eiffel Tower: looking straight down from the third level

Do you have a favourite view of Paris? Share it in the comments!

What you need to know:

  • Be prepared to queue. The queue to climb the stairs up the Eiffel Tower is usually shorter than the queue to take the lifts.
  • Details about climbing the Eiffel Tower can be found on on the Eiffel Tower website
Categories
France

A View Over Paris: From the Arc de Triomphe

The first time I went to Paris, I didn’t even think of climbing the Arc de Triomphe. Standing back at a safe distance where I could take a photo of it from across the roundabout was fine with me.

La Défense
The Arc de Triomphe

On my second visit, armed with a Paris Museum card and running out of attractions that were still open, I headed for the Arc de Triomphe, and made the climb up the spiral staircase to the top.

La Défense
Looking towards La Défense

It’s worth visiting the Arc de Triomphe just to spend some time watching the eight lanes of traffic. With everyone on the roundabout stopping to give way to cars yet to come on, it’s a wonder that through all of the chaos no one seems to crash.

Luckily, you don’t have to weave through the cars to start the climb to the top of the Arc – there’s a pedestrian walkway near the Avenue de la Grande Armee that goes underneath the road (take it – it’s a lot safer option!).

View of the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe
View of the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe

With an almost 360 degree view from the top of the arc, you can see all sides of Paris, from the CBD, the hill of Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower, and how Parisians try to get a little bit of greenery into their lives.

Green space in Paris
Green space in Paris
Eiffel Tower
Looking towards the Eiffel Tower
The Sacre Coeur
The Sacre Coeur
View from the Arc de Triomphe
Roads leading from the Arc de Triomphe
Vines from the Arc de Triomphe
Some views of Paris you can only find from the Arc de Triomphe: vines hanging from a building

If you’re there around 6:30PM, there is a daily service where the memorial flame is lit near the tomb of the unknown soldier, as a remembrance for all French soldiers who have fallen in battle.

Memorial flame
Daily lighting of the Memorial flame

So for the chance to be in the middle of one of the world’s busiest roundabouts, climb the Arc de Triomphe and enjoy the view.

The Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe