EUROQUEST SideTracks

  There are few places in Europe with a more disturbing history yet of such surprising beauty: Dresden, capital of Saxony in the former East Germany, devastated by an infamous air raid in February 1945 and by the millenium floods of August 2002 exactly a decade ago - yet shining ever so proudly above the banks of the Elbe river with beautiful buildings both historic and new.  See the full gallery on Posterous Every time we arrive in Dresden, guests are pleasantly surprised by the city´s charms, beauty and unparalleled historic legacy. From driving into central Dresden and seeing its magnificent skyline, preferably from the other side of the Elbe river in Dresden Neustadt in what is called the "Canaletto view", to exploring the area around Our Lady´s Church and the recently restored Neumarkt, Dresden is a place of discovery, depth and character. For centuries it served as the seat of the WETTIN dynasty, the kings of Saxony, whose most illustrious l...

Few visitors to the Czech Republic ever venture much beyond Prague, although the Czech lands certainly have more attractions in store for those who do in fact leave the capital. On previous occasions we touched on other UNESCO World Heritage sites in Bohemia and Moravia, such as the famous Trinity Column in Olomouc or the "Garden of Europe" around the Palaces of Lednice and Valtice. The single most important destination for visitors outside of Prague, however, is a small town couched in the Vltava Valley in Southern Bohemia by the name of Cesky Krumlov. With a population of merely 15000 people, this gem of a Bohemian city boasts the second largest castle complex in the Czech Republic after Prague and ranks among the most scenic and athmospheric destinations in all of Central Europe. The name Krumlov or Krummau in German makes direct reference to the city´s magnificent geographical location on a meandering bend of the Vltava River.The town´s setting is indeed sp...

Along the Adriatic Sea, just south of Dalmatia, we find a Bay hidden from the rest of the Mediterranean. Sailing in this direction in early morning, we first set sight on the magnificent mountains over which the sun begins to rise...the Black Mountains, which give the name to this, the 6th smallest nation in Europe, Montenegro. It is also one of Europe´s youngest countries, having recently just proclaimed its independence from Serbia in 2006 in what was left of the former Yugoslavia. Despite its miniature size, the country offers impressive variety in scenery, fauna and flora - going swimming and skiing in one single day is certainly a possibility here.  See the full gallery on Posterous Montenegro still remains also one of the best-kept secrets in Europe, hidden as it is from the rest of the world in this remote Southeastern corner of the Adriatic Sea. Here we find the opening to what some erroneously would call Europe´s largest and most southern Fjord,...

See the full gallery on Posterous Leaving behind the Atlantic coastline of Northern Spain, we proceed inland for about only 15 miles to enter what may rank among the most unique biospheres of the Iberian Peninsula, the PICOS DE EUROPA National Park. We suddenly feel reminded of Switzerland, as the vegetation turns lush & green, the humidity and rain fall increase and we gently wind our way uphill into the most scenic sections of the CORDILLERA CANTABRICA, as this mountainous part of Spain is called.  See the full gallery on Posterous The Picos de Europa National Park is the first of its kind in Spain dating back to 1918 and was extended to include parts of Asturias and Castilla-León in 1993. It reaches peaks of up to 2600 meters (9000 feet) and in large parts offers a unique Mediterranean-Atlantic microclimate where the production of wine and ORUJO (firewater, a kind of grappa) flourishes, particularly in the scenic LIÉBANA valley. It is here tha...

Most visitors to Las Vegas flock to Sin City for the glitz & glamor of the Casinos and the neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip. Yet few may know that Southern Nevada also constitutes the perfect gateway for scenic excursions in both directions, either North towards Zion, Bryce Canyon or other National Parks in Utah or Southwest towards the beautiful Mojave desert shared by both Nevada and California. On previous occasions, Euroquest Sidetracks has touched on highlights and hidden treasures of the Mojave, including China Ranch, Kingston Peak or the bizare cave church of the "Christ of the Andes". Over 2 years ago, we previously presented an article entitled "Escapes in the East Mojave National Preserve" featuring a general outline of the magnificent desert landscape on a drive between Las vegas and Palm Springs, California. This gem of a desert secret, however, merits a more detailed account of the very highlights that make it so special: the fields of Josh...

Many visitors local and foreign alike enjoy the sunny desert climate of Palm Springs, California. Year-round sunshine and mild temperatures in the winter months attract snowbirds or foreign tourists from colder climes, while local visitors from the large California metro areas, such as Los Angeles or San Diego, tend to flock to the Coachella Valley of Palm Springs to get away from urban gridlock & enjoy a few quiet days in the sun. Most tend to spend time, however, along the main throughways of Palm Canyon Drive & Indian Canyon Drive downtown or prefer to lounge by the pool in the sun. Major outdoor attractions of greater Palm Springs also include a tramway ascending 3000 ft. above the city with splendid scenic views and numerous hiking possibilities, or a visit to the nearby Indian Canyon & Taquitz Canyon Reservations. The latter offer breathtaking natural habitats, yet are not free of charge & often tend to be crowded. The tramway too attracts huge crowds filli...