Category: Europe

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

The Seductions of Iberia

on October 16, 2018

“Seductive” may well be the best way to describe the rich and vibrant cultures of Spain and Portugal. Sultry music, mouthwatering foods, ruby-red and bubbling wines, and architectural wonders that stir the soul provide a provocative glimpse of the passions of the Iberian people. Join us, and give in to the seduction when you sample these cultural touchstones:

Wines

In terms of acreage, Spain boasts the most vineyards of any nation in the world. It’s only because of its relatively low yield that it falls to third place in actual production. Rioja in northern Spain is best known for its red wines; Rias Baixas in the northwest is beloved for its white, including the fizzy cava. In Spain’s relaxed culture, wine is commonly enjoyed with lunch and dinner.

In Portugal, fortified port wine is the prize. These typically sweet vintages, grown in the Douro River Valley, are a potent blend of wine and brandy—the latter was added to bottles in the earliest days of wine production to prevent spoilage during long journeys to England and other nations.

UNESCO Treasures

Spaniards and Portuguese cherish their long and rich history. Nowhere is that history better represented than in their combined 59 UNESCO World Heritage Sites—44 in Spain and 15 in Portugal. These cultural treasures, protected by their United Nations status, stand as architectural masterpieces that define their era. In Spain, Discovery Tours travelers visit the hilltop city of Ubeda, Granada’s Moorish fortress of the Alhambra, the Seville Cathedral, and three of Gaudi’s masterworks in Barcelona: Casa Mila, Casa Battlo, and portions of La Sagrada Familia Cathedral. In Portugal, we’ll visit Lisbon’s Jeronimos Monastery and the quaint city of Sintra.

Music

Many associate the Spanish flamenco strictly with the fiery dance. But flamenco also encompasses the music—the song, the specific style of guitar playing, and the hand clapping. The performance art originated in Andalucia, more specifically Seville, among the Romani population in the 18th century. Several of today’s artists are descended from these gypsies and keep their tradition very much alive in dance halls and on the streets of Spain.

In Portugal, a very different style of music fills the clubs, though it is equally sultry and dripping with passion. The style of fado is mournful and full of resignation and longing. In fact, the term is believed to have originated from the Portuguese suadade, or “longing.” Earliest fado—from the 1820s or before—centered on the sea or on the lives of the poor, but today’s songs could be about most any form of loss.

Food

Tapas is perhaps the most familiar form of Spanish cuisine. In Spanish cities, tapas bars seem to dot every corner. These small plates pack big flavor and varied textures, creating a noshing delight made all the more sumptuous by any number of wines. Dishes might be as simple as spicy meatballs, as hearty as croquettes, or as exotic as a fried quail egg over bread with a hot strip of red pepper. Paella is also hugely popular in Spain. Typically prepared in a large pot, the traditional dish has strong Moorish and farm origins and consists of rice, green vegetables, saffron, and rabbit, chicken, or duck. Popular versions are also prepared with prawns and mussels instead of meat.

In Portugal, one of the most prevalent dishes is bacalhau, a dried and salted cod. This plentiful fish has been on European menus for 500 years. Centuries ago, the dish was created out of necessity in order to preserve the fish. Over generations, it has become a staple of the local diet. Many Portuguese even have an affectionate nickname for it—fiel amigo, or faithful friend. Today, it is prepared in hundreds of ways. From seaside to countryside, the Portuguese also love their caldo verde, best prepared fresh off the farm. This simple soup includes potatoes, collard greens or kale, and olive oil and is usually served with slices of chorizo sausage.

Olive Oils

Olive groves blanket the countryside of the entire Iberian Peninsula. But the largest in all of Europe surrounds Ubeda, featured on our Spanish & Portuguese Heritage itinerary. It is impossible to overstate the significance of the olive tree to Iberia and to the Mediterranean culture as a whole. Its oil carries great symbolism for the three major world religions, with the ability to heal, cure, and cleanse. Today’s culinary uses may overshadow its religious meaning, but its history gives us lots to contemplate.

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Spanish Genius

on October 13, 2018

If Spanish artists have proven one thing over the centuries, it is this: Great art breaks convention. It speaks out against the establishment and turns on its head the mainstream notions of self-expression. Here are six ingenious Spanish artists that define six crucial periods in art history, and six remarkable eras in their country’s past. All these artists—with the exception of Gaudi—are represented in El Prado, Madrid’s repository of art.

Salvador Dali (1904-1989)

Without question, Picasso and Gaudi created works that represented a shift in artistic sensibility. But another artist, Salvador Dali, took that shift into an entirely different direction—surrealism. Dali is most famous for his painting entitled The Persistence of Memory, in which a quartet of pocket watches melts in a cartoonish, lifeless, desert landscape. The work was meant to shake up our ideas of time and space. Interestingly, it may well have been the scientific advancements of his day that inspired Dali’s work; it followed on the heels of Albert Einstein’s theories that suggested the relativity—and the fluidity—of time.

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

Though Picasso is often associated with the bohemian artistic wave that washed over Paris in the 1920s, he was Spanish through and through. Nowhere is this made plainer than in his masterwork, El Guernica. In this huge canvas—measuring 11.5 feet by 25.5 feet—he depicted the German bombing of the Basque village of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War with horrific images of suffering and terror. More generally, Picasso is known as one of the founders of the Cubist movement, the avant-garde style in which the subjects of paintings were broken apart and reassembled on canvas in an abstract form. It’s considered by many art historians as the most influential artistic movement of the 20th century.

Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926)

A contemporary of Picasso in his later years, Gaudi’s Art Nouveau architectural work enlivens the streets of Barcelona. His most famous work remains unfinished, La Sagrada Familia Cathedral. True to the spirit of the great cathedrals of Europe, its construction has been undertaken by generations of builders—the first stone was laid in 1882 and it is slated for completion in 2026 on the centenary of the artist’s death. Overall, Gaudi’s work defied convention with its curvilinear approach. He achieved a new language of architecture, resulting in a lyrical optimism ripe with color and energy and intense ornamentation. The beauty of his work and its depiction of the Roman Catholic faith have earned him the nickname, “God’s Architect.”

Francisco Goya (1746-1828)

Though Goya was the official painter of the Spanish Royal Crown, he harbored a subversive side. During his service to the king and queen, he painted portraits and undertook other royal projects, but he drew a series of dark and violent sketches that protested the horrors of the Dos de Mayo Uprising (the May 2, 1808 insurrection against French forces) and the subsequent Peninsular War. Later in life, he retired to the Quinta del Sordo just outside Madrid. In this country house, he painted 14 “Black Paintings” directly on its walls. The most famous and disturbing of these is Saturn Devouring His Son, a gruesome work based on the Greek mythological figure who consumed each of his children out of fear that they would overthrow him. Scholars believe these paintings stand as profound outrage toward Spain’s civil conflicts of the day.

Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velasquez (1599-1660)

If it’s an intimate portrayal of the 17th-century court of King Philip IV you’re after, look no further than the works of Velasquez. The baroque-era painter has been called the chronicler of Spain’s Golden Age. He was a true insider, a trusted confidante of the royal family who painted dozens of portraits in the realist fashion. Just four years before his death, he painted Las Meninas (translated as The Maids of Honor). This is the most recognizable of his works, and one of the most analyzed paintings in Western art. In it, the royal child Margaret Theresa is doted upon by an entourage in a large room of the Alcazar of Madrid. Some of them gaze out toward the viewer as if in snapshot, while Velasquez himself stands at an easel gazing at the viewer, as if he is painting this scene by looking into a mirror. In its play on perspective and point of view, it is a brilliant depiction of the philosophy and intent of art that is years ahead of its time.

El Greco (1541-1614)

Though the painter, sculptor and architect Domenikos Theotokopoulos is most closely associated with Spain, he was born in Greece (hence his name, El Greco) and studied his craft in Venice and Rome. It wasn’t until age 36 that he moved to the hillside city of Toledo—at the time Spain’s religious capital—where he was commissioned to paint some of his best-known work. He was most influenced by the Mannerism style of the Renaissance, in which proportions are elongated and “subjects” pose in a highly stylized or exaggerated manner. Many historians, however, say that El Greco’s style is so unique that it cannot be categorized. Much of his work came to adorn the church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo, but his most famous is The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, which portrays a philanthropic local hero being buried by Saint Stephen and Saint Augustine while astonished citizens look on and heavenly images float above.

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Toro! A Brief History of Bullfighting

on October 11, 2018

To Spaniards, it may well be the greatest show on earth: The matador strides into the ring, dressed in the traditional traje de luces, or suit of light. His sequined buttons and cuffs glint in the Andalucian sun and his black montera hat hovers over his ears like a bull’s horns. Then there’s the cape, la capote, silken and extravagant and blood-red. He stops center ring and raises his arm to the cheering crowd. Then a gate swings open, a bull appears, and one of the oldest contests between man and beast begins.

Prehistoric cave paintings depict men facing the bull with lances. Many ancient writings—including the Epic of Gilgamesh—help scholars date bullfighting to the days before Christ. And Romans famously put their gladiators up against fierce creatures for spectacle. Of course, history and fiction alike would have us believe that in Caesar’s day the Coliseum crowds rooted for the beast. Today, they cheer for quite the opposite.

Come the 1600s, bullfights were incorporated into religious festivals and royal weddings. The setting for these contests was the city plaza—much like jousts were performed for king and queen on open fairgrounds—and the “matadors” (who were most often noblemen exhibiting their skills to the monarchy) kept the upper hand by attacking the bull from atop a horse. Once the warrior got off the horse, perhaps in an attempt to exhibit the utmost bravery to the king, bullfighting’s popularity soared. Even commoners wanted some of the thrill of going up against el toro. To contain the chaos, the bullring was born.

Bullfighting is still popular in Spain. And clifftop Ronda is its historic focal point. Here, the oldest bullring in Spain—built in 1784—hosts an annual festival. Ronda is also one of Spain’s most popular cities thanks in large part to Ernest Hemingway, who captured the bullfighting tradition so brilliantly in one of his finest works, The Sun Also Rises. He wrote that it was “a great tragedy—and the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen and takes more guts and skill and guts again than anything possibly could.” Hemingway’s loving portrayal of Spain and the bullfight etched the country into the public’s imagination.

Recently, bullfighting has come under fire from animal rights groups, igniting the debate about whether the tradition is an art or a sport. Supporters say it is of vital importance to the Spanish identity, a fully realized art form that shares the Spanish stage with the country’s most famous painters like Picasso, its fiery dances like the flamenco, and its music like the rich romantic strings of the Spanish guitar. Critics, however, call it a blood sport. They see it as an act of cowardice disguised as pageantry that results in the great suffering of bulls and, in some cases, the horses that share the ring.

No matter your view, bullfighting holds a rich place in Spain’s history and culture. And you will learn much more about it during our Spanish & Portuguese Heritage program.

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

The Courage of Sailors, the Growth of Empires

on October 6, 2018

Historically speaking, the Iberian Peninsula has been the rudder to Europe’s leviathan. In fact, the tiny country of Portugal ruled the first global empire in history, with colonies stretching as far east as today’s China and as far west as Brazil. The Spanish Empire grew to gain an even broader reach—from today’s California in the west to Indonesia in the east—and has left a cultural and linguistic legacy unrivaled by any other country. How did these two nations expand their reach to the farthest reaches of the earth? One word: Spice.

Discovering the Spice Route by Sea

It might be hard to believe in the 21st century that spices could hold such economic power in the world. But in the Middle Ages they were among the most expensive products on the market. More than food enhancers, spices were used as medicines, in religious rituals, as cosmetics and perfumes, and as preservatives. And some of the most desirable ones were imported from Asia and Africa.

But a major historic event in 1453 cut Europeans off from the trade route between Eastern Europe and Asia: The Ottomans defeated the Eastern Roman Empire, effectively bringing an end to a 1,500-year era of rule by Rome. With the rise of the inhospitable Ottomans, land routes became impassable.

As a result, money was to be made in locating sea routes to Asia. Portugal’s explorers headed down Africa’s west coast and by the year 1488, Bartolomeu Dias sailed around the southern tip of the continent. Dias named the point “Cabo das Tormentos,” or Cape of Storms for its rough seas; it wasn’t until later that the cape was renamed the Cape of Good Hope to convey the optimism it inspired in finding a sea route to India.

Ten years later, Vasco da Gama found that very route. He landed at Calicut on the Indian subcontinent in 1498, expanding Portugal’s spice trade to include pepper and cinnamon and other products that were completely new to Europeans. It was a victorious landing for Da Gama…and for world history. His arrival on Indian shores marked the era’s most significant European establishment of trade in Asia and foretold a wave of global multiculturalism. The Middle East and East Asia followed. Soon, Portuguese outposts traced a route from Lisbon all the way to the China coast.

Conflict with Spain

But the 1400s also saw great growth in neighboring Spain, and the scramble to seize spice and trade transformed into a scramble to seize land. As they each sent out their early expeditions, Spain and Portugal inevitably came to blows. Their fighting ended with the Treaty of Alcacovas in 1479. This agreement essentially limited Portugal’s reach to points accessed via a southern route along the African coast, and restricted Spain’s conquest to points west toward what everyone believed would be Asia.

Spain’s Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella had another conflict to resolve before devoting themselves to discovering new trade routes—the Reconquista, taking back Spain from the Moors. The ten-year Granada War expelled the Moors from Andalucia and from the coveted fortress in Granada known as the Alhambra. With the Reconquista complete, the monarchs’ attention turned toward a Genoese sailor named Cristoforo Colombo.

The Italian had his sights set on finding Cipangu (today’s Japan) via a westward sailing route. He had already sought support from King John II of Portugal, but that monarch showed no interest. Eager to secure a piece of Asia via a route that still respected the terms of the Alcacovas Treaty, Ferdinand and Isabella appointed Columbus viceroy and governor of Cipangu and financed his journey of 1492. Of course, Columbus reached today’s Caribbean islands instead of the Far East, and Spain ended up gaining more wealth and territory than it ever could have imagined.

One World, Two Powers

The race was on for new land and ever greater power. With it, another treaty became necessary to avoid conflict. The 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas divided the entire globe—parts of it that had yet to be discovered or inhabited by Europeans, anyway—between Spain and Portugal. Six years later, some historians believe that the Portuguese king secretly sent Pedro Alvares Cabral westward, in defiance of the treaty. Cabral landed in Brazil and raised his country’s flag on its beaches. At the time, the story circulated that Cabral had been blown off course and stumbled on those shores by accident.

Of course, the treaty had limited practical application. The vast majority of the land under consideration was unknown to Europeans, which only spurred more exploration. Over the next century, the Portuguese sailed east to claim the “spice islands” of Maluku, sources of nutmeg and cloves. Macau also fell under the nation’s rule. For 80 years, Persian Bahrain was also colonized. The Spanish, meanwhile, sailed west to the Americas. Vasco Nunez de Balboa, upon reaching today’s Colombia, headed north in search of the “other sea” he had heard about. At the Isthmus of Panama, he became the first European to lay eyes on the Pacific Ocean from the New World.

Connecting the Global Puzzle Pieces

If this all sounds to you like the explorers of the day devoted their lives to piecing together a huge global puzzle, you would be pretty close to correct. And it was Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese adventurer who had already sailed to India and heard about the “other sea” off the coast of the New World, who wanted to connect the final pieces. King Manuel I of Portugal refused to fund him, so Magellan accepted support from the newly crowned Charles I of Spain. Sailors, navigators cartographers, cosmographers, and merchants from several nations accompanied him on a voyage of true international interest: They intended to reach the spice islands of Maluku by sailing west.

The voyage was a success, though Magellan died in a battle with Philippine islanders. But his fleet reached their destination in 1521, and one of their ships even returned to Spain.

The courageous men who sailed from the shores of Portugal and Spain began the process of mapping the globe for Western eyes and ushering the world from the medieval age to the modern one. And it all started, in part, because of the European love of spices.

Click here to make your own discoveries on our Spanish & Portuguese Heritage program!

#G1PhotoFridayEurope

The Serenity of Chapel Bridge in Lucerne, Switzerland

on September 28, 2018

Chapel Bridge, or Kapellbrücke, is a famous landmark in the city of Lucerne located in central Switzerland. This wooden footbridge is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe, dating back to the middle of the 14th century. The bridge crosses diagonally on the Reuss River and it is a must to cross while visiting the city. Do not miss the history of the city through the paintings on the ceiling while strolling!

chapelbridge_lucerne
This week’s #g1photofriday was uploaded by user @thetravelingpractitioner using the hashtag #gate1travel. This moonlit scene was taken in Lucerne, Swizterland at Chapel Bridge.  Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Switzerland trips here!

#G1PhotoFridayEurope

The Parthenon at Sunrise in Athens, Greece

on September 21, 2018

Athens is a true hub of ancient civilization mixed with a modern, lively city. Here, you will find the Parthenon, pictured, the Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and many more ancient Grecian sites. Other points of interest in the city include the Acropolis Museum, the Plaka area and the central plaza of Syntagma Square. Don’t let the ancient sites fool you, Athens has an excellent subway system and has easy access to the Mediterranean and Aegean seas.

athens

This week’s #g1photofriday was uploaded by user @ tsanta2011 using the hashtag #gate1travel. This Mediterranean view was taken in Athens, Greece.  Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Greece trips here!

The Many Beautiful Faces of France
EuropeGate 1 Connections

The Many Beautiful Faces of France

on September 20, 2018

It is little wonder that France is one of the world’s most visited countries. This beloved nation exudes endless romance, epic histories, and rich cultures that have endured centuries. No matter how many times we visit, we never tire of its elegant chateaux, divine wines and cheeses, proud sense of history, breathtaking natural beauty, and sheer elegance. You’re sure to agree that—from the Mediterranean shores of the Riviera to the sweeping farmlands of Normandy kissed by Atlantic breezes—there is no place on earth like it. Gate 1 Travel lets you explore it all your way. No matter how you join us—on a classic escorted tour, an independent vacation, a relaxing river cruise, or even a rail vacation that combines Paris and another thrilling European capital—your France awaits you with Gate1.

Paris: France’s Cultural Centerpiece

It is said that all of France begins in Paris, the romantic city of splendid architecture, priceless art, towering monuments, and the graceful River Seine. The sweep of history is ever on display. The masterful Cathedral of Notre Dame harkens to the city’s medieval age, while the Arc de Triomphe celebrates the aspirations of Napoleon. And the city’s grande dame, the Eiffel Tower, stands regally above it all; the heart races at the mere glance of it.

With myriad delights, Paris beckons you to delve into its many neighborhoods at your own pace, following your own interests. That’s why many of our itineraries provide you ample time to explore on your own. Browse the history-soaked fine arts of the Musée d’Orsay—or go strictly modern at the Centre Pompidou. Write in your journal along the Left Bank or browse the boutiques of the Champs-Élysées. Plus, optional tours reveal the highlights of the Louvre, the splendor of Louis XIV’s Versailles Palace, and the City of Light by night, in all its floodlit finery.

Loire and Normandy: Of Castles & Conquests

Southwest of Paris, a wonderland of more than 300 castles and carefully manicured gardens adorns the countryside of the Loire Valley. Kings and nobles built these fortresses as far back as the tenth century. Many of them—like Chambord, Chenonceau, Amboise—reflect the high ideals of the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment. And speaking of high ideals, the Loire capital of Chartres is home to the greatest Gothic cathedral in all of France, a sight not to be missed. And discover the lovely cities of Tours, renowned for its Loire wines and elegant architecture.

Battles underpin the history of Normandy province, whether in Bayeaux, with its 230-foot Tapestry commemorating the great Norman Conquest of 1066, to the code-named beaches—Omaha and Utah among them—where Allied troops set in motion the beginning of the end of World War II. Mont St. Michel, too, though revered today for its abbey and monastery, was strategically built on a tidal island, leaving the fortress unconquered for the entire Hundred Years War.

Saone & Rhone Valleys: Witness to History, Inspiration to Artists and Chefs

Inspiration is everywhere in France, as a visit to the Saone and Rhone Valleys reveals. Impressionist painters Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin found their muses in central France and the celebrated Riviera. The dreamy provinces of Burgundy, Lyonnais, and Provence with their meandering rivers, vineyard hills, and lavender fields, all gave rise to many of their masterpieces.

Some of the region’s greatest masterpieces are culinary. Dijon, in the heart of Burgundy, is one of the centers of divine French cuisine. Dijon mustard was invented here, and internationally known chefs concoct ambrosia-like dishes in their restaurants. Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site city, is the other shining star of gastronomy, connected by the Saone and Rhone rivers to the wine-growing regions of Beaujolais to the north and Cotes du Rhone to the south.

The Rhone Valley’s love affair with wine became the fiscal lifeblood of the Popes of Avignon when they relocated the Holy See here and built the gargantuan Palais des Papes. They commandeered the wine-making tradition begun by the Romans here and commercialized it to bolster the local economy. Of course, wine isn’t the only legacy of the Romans in this historic corner of France: The vast Pont du Gard, a massive aqueduct built to transport water, still stands as a testament to their boundless ingenuity.

Southern France: Medieval Gems & Splendid Wine Capitals

The beauty of Mediterranean France seems boundless, too. Elegant Nice invites long strolls on its Promenade des Anglais. In medieval Carcassonne, cobbled streets lead you through a city frozen in time. And a timeless spell lingers over the market town of Lourdes, near the foothills of the Pyrenees. Here, in 1858, a miller’s daughter saw apparitions of the Virgin Mary in a grotto, transforming the village into a pilgrimage setting. Even now, a nightly torch-lit procession to the grotto inspires all who witness it.

In the Bordeaux region, raising a glass is the sacred nightly ritual. The splendid city (which some say rivals Paris in its beauty) is best known for its full-bodied red wines, while nearby St. Emilion tempts with a Merlot-heavy blend of its own. Meanwhile, the city of Cognac has refined the art of making the prized brandy that bears its name.

Expand Your Discoveries Beyond France

As you see, Gate 1 offers a bounty of choices when it comes to exploring the beauty of France, all with prices easy on your travel budget. Stretch the value of your airfare even more by visiting some of its European neighbors. After all, you’ve already flown to Europe, right? Enrich your French discoveries by experiencing the crown jewel of The Netherlands, navigating the winding canals of Amsterdam in a glass-top boat. Revel in the timeless cultural tapestry of Belgium, from the Grand Place of Brussels to the medieval lanes of Bruges. Tiny Luxembourg and richly historic Germany are also nearby. What’s more, you can transform your visit to France into a European adventure when you connect by Europe’s meticulous rail system to cities like London, Amsterdam and Barcelona; take the train farther afield to discover Venetian, Renaissance and ancient treasures of Italy in Venice, Florence and Rome.

Experience France in a Discovery Tours Small Group

If you’d like to discover France on a more intimate scale, gaining greater access to local cultures in the company of a small group, consider getting to the heart of Northern France on our Discovery Tours itinerary. Our sister company limits group sizes to just 22 travelers, opening doors to places and experiences larger groups must forego. You’ll sip the wines of the Loire Valley, witness the rocky majesty of Mont St. Michel, and reflect on the triumphs and tragedy of war in St. Malo and Normandy during unique events and activities tailored to your group size. Bookend your Northern France exploration with stays in glittering Paris and Louis XIV’s dazzling Versailles.

You might also head south, exploring France and Spain on a single journey. Experience the vineyard-laden countryside and preserved medieval cities of southern France, and uncover the iconic cities and famously stunning countryside of Spain’s Basque region. Sample local wines in Spanish Rioja and French Bordeaux. Soak up artistic masterpieces from the Guggenheim in Bilbao to the Prado in Madrid. Marvel at Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s stunning cathedral more than a century in the making. With delights as diverse as the breathtaking beaches of San Sebastian and the unforgettable walled city of Carcassonne, it’s a journey like no other.

No matter how you explore France with the Gate 1 family, you’re assured exemplary accommodations in central locations, a rich array of included features, and unmatched value. As the French would say, c’est magnifique.

Explore France your way! 

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Albania’s Legend of Skanderburg

on September 19, 2018

In Albania, hearts swell with national pride at the mere mention of his name. Born George Castriot into a noble family, the man who would famously go down in history as Skanderbeg led an anti-Ottoman rebellion that planted the seeds of cultural identity for Albania and Macedonia. Fending off the Sultan’s huge armies was, of course, a heroic feat by itself. But locals particularly hold Skanderberg on a pedestal because he once fought within the Ottoman army that he so skillfully defeated.

By Skanderbeg’s time (1405-1468), the Ottomans had already gained a foothold in the Balkans and ruled region with little regard for personal freedoms. At a young age, Skanderbeg was sent away to serve Sultan Murad II and, gaining the confidence of His Highness, found himself in the prestigious position of sanjakbey in the small region of Debar. (In Ottoman days, a “bey” was a chieftain and a “sanjak” was a district.) But it was with great reluctance that he oversaw Debar on behalf of the Ottoman Empire. Soon, the Crusades swept in from the west and claimed victories over the armies of the Sultan, inspiring many officials to revolt. In 1443, during the Battle of Niš, Skanderbeg abandoned his Ottoman army and fled with 300 other Albanians serving the Sultan.

The fledgling army arrived in Krujë and, presenting a forged letter from the Sultan, proclaimed himself governor and lord of the city. After gaining control of vast reaches of land, he raised a flag that—with its black double-headed eagle on a red field—was a precursor of today’s Albanian flag.

As his rebellion continued, early efforts met great success. His followers grew in number and captured large swaths of land. Skanderbeg’s uprising stands out in European history because there was no “foreign” invader to fend off; simply put, the Sultan was already well established in this multi-ethnic region. Albanians, Slavs, Greeks and Turks were either loyal to Skanderbeg or to the Sultan. In this way, the uprising resembled a civil war more than a cross-border war.

Skanderbeg’s rebellion, in effect, lasted until 1479. He worked to unite Albanian princes and their charges and established a central authority, thus becoming the “Lord of Albania.” Throughout this period, the Ottomans continually tried to establish his country as a gateway to Italy and the rest of Europe. As Skanderbeg’s modest army resisted the formidable forces of the Sultan, he earned praise from all over Europe. The Kingdoms of Naples, Venice and Ragusa even offered financial and military aid to express their admiration.

The Ottomans proved too strong in the end. They ruled over much of the Mediterranean from the 14th to the 20th centuries. But the legacy of Skanderbeg—the first leader to unite Albania under one Albanian leader—endures in the nation’s rich national identity.

You can learn more about this legendary historical figure during our new Majestic Balkans itinerary!

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Romania’s Remarkable Storybook Castle

on September 17, 2018

In the 1870s, when King Carol I of Romania traveled outside Sinaia and saw the rolling and rugged hills of the magnificent Carpathian Mountains, he knew this was the place to build his castle. His Majesty certainly had a good eye for settings; his remarkable home is nestled quietly on a gentle slope, yet it also strikes a commanding pose, seeming to lord over the sweeping cradle in which it is swaddled.

With its Neo-Renaissance and Gothic Revival beauty, Romania’s Peleş Castle is often compared to Germany’s famous Schloss Neuschwanstein, the fairytale wonder that inspired Cinderella’s Castle in Walt Disney World. The first thing you notice are its fanciful towers, one conical, another a sloping hexagon and another triangular. Wood frames outline windows, balconies, and sculpted flourishes. Timber changes color from one wing to the next and it’s all topped with a curvilinear roof. Amid this stunning asymmetry, the eye really isn’t really sure where to look. Yet somehow, it is grand and playful and perfect.

The diverse styles of Peleş Castle were surely influenced by its builders. Queen Elisabeth of the Romanians wrote of the many nationalities who contributed their craftsmanship: “… you could see hundreds of national costumes and [hear] fourteen languages in which they spoke, sang, cursed and quarreled ….” The castle was inaugurated in 1883, though construction continued through 1914.

Within its 34,000 square feet, more than 170 rooms and 30 bathrooms are graced with sculpted wood and stained-glass windows, many adorned with a theme from a different historical period. Lavish furnishings bring luster to the residence and some of the finest art and historical collections in Eastern and Central Europe are here: statuary, paintings, arms and armor, tapestries, and more. This is inarguably one of the world’s finest national monuments.

Today, Peleş Castle hosts a museum, but is also used for some functions organized by the Royal Family. Rooms open for viewing include the Imperial Suite, created in Austrian Baroque style for Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I and featuring a pristinely preserved 500-year-old Cordoban tooled leather wall cover. In the Grand Armory, 1,600 of the museum’s 4,000 pieces of weaponry are on display, including some used in Romania’s War of Independence. The Theater is adorned in lavish Louis XIV style and boasts a mural signed by Gustav Klimt. In the Florentine Room, Italian Renaissance is the theme, accented with Michelangelo touches. The Moorish Salon exudes the decorative feel of North Africa and Spain and even has a marble fountain. And in the Turkish Parlor, izmir rugs, copperware, and silk-brocade wall coverings evoke a vibrant bazaar.

Peleş Castle is a true treasure from Romania’s past. We hope you will see it for yourself during our new Majestic Balkans itinerary!

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

This is Macedonia; Astounding Nature, Enriching Culture and Incredible History

on September 8, 2018

With its secluded location north of Greece, east of Albania, and west of Bulgaria, Macedonia boasts a rich and enduring culture that has been shaped and, yes, sometimes tested, by its geography and its history. Today, it is one of Europe’s best kept secrets, where deep-rooted traditions blend with some of the Balkans’ most dramatic mountains and sweeping valleys that give rise to rivers that flow to the Aegean, the Adriatic, and the Black Seas. Macedonia is, by all accounts, a breathtaking spectacle of natural and cultural beauty. All this in a nation that’s not much larger than the U.S. state of Vermont.

Intimate in scale yet vast in its beauty, Macedonia is best explored in a Discovery Tours small group. As we hope you will soon find out for yourself on our new Majestic Balkans trip.

Skopje: A Stunning Capital Where East Meets West

The nation’s capital of Skopje wears its pride with the aplomb of any European cultural center. Ottoman Turks ruled here for 500 years and vestiges of their culture are everywhere, lending the city an “east-meets-west” atmosphere. Its historic centerpiece, the Kale—kale means “fortress” in Turkish—overlooks the city. In its heyday, oneskopje3 renowned writer visiting in 1660 remarked that “one cannot see so much refinement and art” as he saw here.

Much of that era’s flavor also seeps through the stone lanes of the Turkish Bazaar, known locally as Čaršija. Home to some 30 mosques and a number of historic caravansaries, its stalls are brimming with colorful carpets, handmade crafts, carved dolls, and all the traditional makings of Macedonia. With its vast collection of historic architecture, it is perhaps Skopje’s most significant area of cultural heritage. Nearby, one of the 20th century’s greatest humanitarian figures, Mother Teresa, was born in 1910, when the city was part of Albania.

Stobi: The Pompeii of Macedonia

Macedonia has been occupied and ruled by many empires throughout its history. Another city you will visit paints a fascinating picture of the region’s early past. The ancient site of Stobi was home to the Paeonians, believed to have been allies to the Trojans. When the Persians invaded in the 5th century BC, they exiled the Paeonians to Asia, which eventually opened a door for Philip II of Macedon to conquer the area around 355 BC.

Some 200 years later, the Romans moved in to establish their new province of Macedonia Salutaris. They made Stobi its revered capital. Today, its incredibly preserved remains—a grand amphitheater, a palace, basilicas, baths, residences, and more line ancient stone streets. Like Pompeii, Volubilis, or any other surviving treasure, it provides fascinating insight into life in the Empire.

Remarkably, this ancient land provides an ideal environment for a rich viniculture. The most common wine you will see, and perhaps drink, is Vranec, a lush red. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes are also grown here. And for a unique wine tasting experience, be sure to sample Stanušina Crna, a high-quality wine not known outside the country. You will have the chance to sip and swirl at a local winery after your visit to Stobi.

Ohrid: A Lakeside Jewel of Culture and History

Lake Ohrid straddles the Macedonia-Albania border. With its red-roofed houses and hilltop fortress overlooking pristine waters, the lake’s namesake town and its surroundings may remind you of Italy’s Lake Como. Ohrid and Lake Ohrid hold a rare distinction of holding UNESCO World Heritage status as both Cultural and Natural Sites. And it’s easy to understand why.

When the 17th-century Ottoman traveler Mehmed Zilli traveled through scenic Ohrid, he observed that there were 365 chapels here, one for every day of the year. Whether ohrid2legend or fact (today there are far fewer), the reputation stuck and Ohrid is still known as the “Macedonian Jerusalem.” The Church of St. Sophia is one of the most important in the nation, boasting splendid medieval architecture and beautifully preserved frescoes dating as far back as the 11th century. One of the most dramatic remaining ecclesiastic centers is the Monastery of St. Naum, perched on a rocky upwelling beside the lake. But the most dramatic site of Ohrid is the Fortress of Tsar Samoil; its ramparts look out over the lake as if still searching for invaders approaching by boat. Ancient Greece, too, left its mark in Ohrid, in the form of an open-air theater tucked between two hills.

Discovery Tours is pleased to bring our small groups to the cultural and scenic heart of Macedonia, long a crossroads of culture, commerce, and—today—discovery. We hope you will join us on our new Majestic Balkans itinerary!

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