Beautiful landscapes: Italian San Pellegrino and Alpe Lusia

It's been a while since spring has sprung- magnolia blossoms are gone, cherry and plum blossoms are gone, the bridal-wreath spirea growing on our terrace is in full white bloom, and lavender just started popping out little green heads that will soon turn pale lavender colour- a sign that summer is just over a month away. And I decided to write a post about our wintery visit to the Italian Dolomites. The main reason I am doing this now (and not two months ago) is that I'm legging behind with my posts, but also, last month's weather was kind of crazy here in Croatia. In the middle of April, the temperatures dropped drastically with strong wings on the coast and even snow in some parts of the country. A reminder that spring is still spring- a beautiful, unpredictable season of sunny days, flowers and bright green nature, but also of chilly evenings, rain, and occasional snow. Not just a short step between winter and summer, that seemed to be happening the last few years. So.

Back to our wintery escape in Dolomites. I love mountains- just a few days spent on the sharp mountain air surrounded by snowy peaks clear my mind and recharge my body. I also love skiing, spending the entire day in the open, rushing down the slopes, being phisically active, drinking hot chocolate in the mountain huts, all of it. So each year, we try to choose a nice area, that is not owerflown with skiers or overbuilt with hotel chains. This year, we also wanted to go somewhere relatively close to us, so we ended up in ski area San Pellegrino / Alpe Lusia in Italian Veneto region (yes, apart from Venice, Verona, Padova, Vicenza and other beautiful towns, there is also skiing in Veneto). 

For the first time in years, we stayed at a hotel where we had breakfast in the morning and dinner waiting for us after a long skiing day, and I have to admit it was one of the best skiing holidays (in the true sense of the word). The area itself is beautiful, Italian Dolomites being somewhat rougher than Austrian Alps- lay your eyes on those sharp rocky peaks and you instantly know you're in the Dolomites. What I loved most about San Pellegrino and Alpe Lusia ski area were wide, well kept slopes with not as many skiers as one would expect, and breathtaking vistas all around. Soaking in the scenery was one part of the beauty, rushing down the perfectly laid slopes the other. Even the food and the architecture of the huts were few steps ahead of most Alpine huts I've been to. Savoring a local dish with a beautifully framed mountain view? Yes, please! So we spent five days of sun (and trust me, we had our fair share of snowy storms and dense fog in our skiing history), wind biting us on the ckeeks, real skiing fun, hot chocolate with cream, magenta colored sunsets, some good Italian wine (extra points for that!), and the feeling of exhaustion that is good for you, exhaustion of being out in the open all day, something that has become a luxury in this frenzy world.

I feel like we found our spot, a place to return to. 

*This article was made possible thanks to Ski Area San Pellegrino and Ski Area Alpe Lusia. We had an amazing time and we're truly hoping to be back.

Wishful thinking: A day in Lisbon

Two years ago, I published two posts about a couple of days we spent in Lisbon. There were so many photos left from that trip, that I planned to make at least one more post about it, but I never found the time. This spring, my parents are traveling to Lisbon, which made me daydream about flickering azulejos, colorful trams, houses, souvenirs, warm days, pasteis de nata, jacaranda trees, the river Tejo, broad avenues, crumbling side alleys, giant 25 de Abril bridge, and the sun, the sun, the sun...all that Lisbon is. 

This spring and summer, we have some exciting travels ahead (hints: France, Italy- not a surprise!), but if I'd find myself teleported to Lisbon for just one day, I would spend it something like this:

First I would head to see and smell the jacaranda trees in the Museo Gulbelkian neighborhood. It was there I first encountered those beautiful plants, and the scent they filled the streets with after the rain is one of my first associations to Lisbon now. Then I would have a hearty breakfast at Pastelaria Versailles, conveniently located just a short walk away. On my way, I would admire the azulejos flickering on the sun in all the different colors and patterns (and I'm positive it would be a sunny day). In Pastelaria Versailles, I would not only have typical Portuguese sweet Pasteis de nata, but also croissants with cheese and ham, sweet croissants and a fresh pressed orange juice (because it's a long day ahead!).

I would take a walk down the Avenida de Liberdade with its lush greenery and fancy stores (I would just take a glimpse at those, as I wouldn't want to waste my precious time), to the Praca dos Restauradores all the way to beautiful, open space of Praca do Comercio. I would take in the sun, yellow facades and the buzz of the people attracted to this vivid square just as I am. Then I would be lured by the waters and the fresh breeze of river Tejo. My eyes would squint of all the sun coming from the broad, bright skies and reflecting from the gentle river waves. 

The boardwalk would take me further to the neighborhood of Chiado, and from there I would take the steep cobbled streets of Bairro Alto. I would get lost in those streets, following the colorful trams up an down, exploring little local shops, taking in the atmosphere of crumbling facades, azulejos everywhere and fresh laundry hanging above it all.

It would be almost too late for lunch when I'd realize how hungry and thirsty I am, but I would make it last minute to the restaurant A'Parte. I would sit in their labyrinth-like terrace with a glass of wine and the savory prawn, caramelized hazelnuts, mango and lettuce salad- a dish that for me is the taste of Lisbon: sunny from the mango, fresh from the lettuce, almost too sweet from the hazelnuts and uncompromisingly delicious from the prawns. All that Lisbon is, again.

I was thinking of skipping Belem today, but I won't. There is still some energy left to take the squeaky tram ride down the Tejo waterfront. I would sit by the window surrounded by tourists from all over the world: a loud Spanish family, elderly German couple and giggly American students, all with the same goal of going up the Padrao dos Descobrimentos, looking down on the vast river and little moving dots of hundreds of other visitors. I would listen to all the different languages while the town would pass by my window: I wouldn't want to miss the view of the grand bridge 25 de Abril. 

Once in Belem, I would again enjoy vast Lisbon open spaces (I love that about Lisbon!). It would be windy on the top of Padrao dos Descobrimentos, but I would take some photos anyway and marvel at the grandness of it all from above. I would walk to Torre de Belem and take in the afternoon sun with a fresh drink in my hand. And then I would head back because I would want to freshen up a bit before dinner and a stroll up and down the Alfama neighborhood. It would be a crisp evening (it's still spring after all) and I would be very tired and a little bit cold; the sound of fado would lure me in this time (because last time, we heard fado from our apartment window and on the streets of Alfama, but we didn't go into one of the restaurants where you can enjoy it with a glass of wine). This time I wouldn't miss it, and if I could choose, she would perform, the lights would be dim but warm, and there would be wine, cheese and olives on my table.

What would you do if you had a day in Lisbon? I'm curious to know. :)

My guide to Zagreb

Why is it that we always find other places more interesting than the ones we live in? I've been living in Zagreb for 25 years, I do love this city, I do find it beautiful, and yet I've never written about it here, in this space that I created. I wanted to though, it just never was the perfect moment. And so it happened that I'm writing about Zagreb for another online space, thinking why wouldn't I want to share all my favorite places and hidden corners here with my readers?

I've managed to catch one sunny day last month (and it was a very, very gloomy month), and I ended up with a nice collection of sunny photos that, (even though January is a proper winter month in Croatia), are letting in the possibilty that spring is just around the corner. And for me, that is one of the very best moments of the year.

Most of the travelers to Zagreb probably read everything there is to know about museums, monuments, restaurants and hostels. I am not going to provide here a full itinerary of things to see and do, I just wanted to share my special places, the ones I think a slow traveler might appreciate.

Let's start with the Dolac Market, my main go-to place in the city center. Most of the time I'm heading to the center just because I wan't to buy my groceries there, everything else seems like an unworthy replacement. Ever since its opening in the thirties, it is regularly frequented by the locals, and understandably so. You can find everything there- fruits and vegetables galore, spices, free range eggs, cheese and pasta, Adriatic fish and Dalmatian olive oil, flowers and candles, and even a nice wicker basket- should you find it necessary. Many people like to drink their morning coffee there, grab a burek or cevapcici for lunch, and some of those venues even take care of the night owls, providing greasy dishes with a glass of water in the wee hours.

On a beautiful day, you might want to take a stroll in the green Zrinjevac park, just a couple of minutes walk from the main square. I love it in the winter, when it shines in all those festive lights, I love it in the spring because of the flowers and the bright greenery, and I especially love it in the summer when the giant crowns of the platanus trees offer a much needed shade and refreshment.

First time visitors to Zagreb might want to bring something home, a gift perhaps, and when they're done shopping traditional Croatian souvenirs (I recommend a box of Bajadera pralines!), there are some interesting shops I like to frequent. Harissa spice store opened a couple of years ago, and made life a bit easier to all the Zagreb foodies. It wasn't as simple to find exotic spices and teas before, and it wasn't as simple to buy a nice present that everyone would like, as it is now. The shop smells heavenly and it is really hard not to buy anything there, even if you just came to 'look around'.

The shop I discovered lately, called Sto Citas? (What are you reading?) is a quirky little place that sells second-hand books and my new favorite brand of natural cosmetic. You can find something to read either in Croatian or English (usually it is not that easy to find used books in English in Zagreb), or buy the nicest smelling soap or cream in all of Zagreb. A company from Dalmatia called Sapunoteka produces them out of local olive oil and pure essential oils, the products are not tested on animals, and the preservatives that they use are allowed in the organic cosmetic industry. Sounds good, right?

If you want to treat yourself with something both esentially Croatian and chic, then head to one of the Borovo shoe stores. Their funky sneakers called Startas made a name for themselves even outside Croatia in the last few years, and quite deservably so. Startas sneakers were first produced in the seventies, and I remember my dad wearing them as a sport shoe in the eighties. As I recall it, they were mostly plain white or blue back then. A couple of years ago, young designers took over the fabric prints- nowadays you can choose between original monochrome or the colorful printed Startas. They are hand made out of natural rubber and cotton, very comfy to wear, and they're produced by one of the rare industries that survived the ninenties in Croatia. I love to support them.

My favorite (not so secret anymore) retreat in the center is the Dezman passage. Couple of years ago it was just another almost forgotten space in the center, and now it became the hippest place around. I don't remember who opened first, but it went something like this: one of the most creative florists and artists from Zagreb opened his beautiful gallery/flower shop there (his flower installations are exhibited in giant shopwindows for the passers-by to enjoy). Then (or before) a nice bar and niche perfume shop opened in front of it; antique bookstore and a very old school photo studio were already there. The street started to awaken, a couple of trendy (but cozy!) bars and designer stores appeared, the old Kino Tuskanac started to have regular program, and a burger place opened just in front of the cinema.

I love to drink my cup of tea (or sparkling wine if its summer) in Velvet Cafe. It is co-owned and designed by the same florist from the beggining of our story, so you can imagine that it is one of the most beautiful bars in Zagreb. Chic drawings on the walls, seasonal flowers and plants, star shaped lights, little biscuits that come with tea and a nice sellection of magazines create a beautiful atmosphere. On top of that, the bar is a free reading zone (you can log in to their network and read an online book, how cool is that?), and the cakes that they serve are delicious.

If you are a movie fan, like I am, you might want to spend an evening in Kino Europa. This beautiful cinema hall was built in the thirties and is today a protected monument. It plays mostly non-Hollywood movies, and is a perfect place to watch not so easily accesible European movies. It hosts main program of Zagreb Film Festival (that keeps gaining more and more popularity each year), but one of the coolest programs that take place there is the collaboration with Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, where musicians play live music to silent films. The cinema bar is a cozy place with antique colorful chairs and the best popcorn you can find in Zagreb. Oh, and all the movies are played in original language, as we Croatians, quite coveniently, don't syncronize anything.

If you decide to visit Zagreb, try doing it on a slow pace. It is small enough that it doesn't require frantic running between museums and sights, but instead enables you to experience it like a local. Have a long lunch or coffee break, sit in the park, watch a movie, go to a concert. Those kind of things take you closer to a city, and those are the things you'll remember most.

Have you ever been to Zagreb? I'm curious to find out what you liked the most!

A beautiful day in Vienna

Let me get back to a couple of days we spent in Vienna last December. I have already written about its Christmas markets and museums, and I'd like to tell you one more story about a beautiful day we spent there eating the most famous Viennese cake (can you guess which one is it? :)), warming up in a palace (surrounded by art, of course) and visiting a contemporary art exhibition. 

First thing in the morning (and it was a bright and sunny one), we headed to Sacher hotel, where we arranged a meeting with lovely Mrs Artacker, who offered to give us a little tour of the hotel, followed by inevitable visit to the Cafe and tasting of their most famous product, the chocolate cake. The whole history of the hotel started with that cake, when young sixteen year old apprentice (that is, Franz Sacher) got the opportunity to make a dessert for a dinner organized by then Austrian minister of foreign affairs, Prince Metternich in 1832. The chocolate cake that he invented turned out to be divine, as it is famous to this day, with the original recipe still being kept as a closely guarded secret. Franz Sacher's son, Eduard opened a hotel in Vienna in 1876, based on the reputation his father made with the Sachertorte. 

The hotel today makes you feel like stepping back in time; the original interior design with all the chandeliers, festive draperies and antique furniture; the ever polite staff which will always hold a door, take your bag and ask if there was anything they could help with. We sat down for a drink (hot chocolate) and a Sacherorte (because if you're at Sacher, then you might as well have everything chocolate) in a dusky setting of the Blue Bar. The simple, chocolatty flavour (oh, and the texture!) with a hint of fruit was just what we needed on a winter morning in Vienna, all spiced up with the festive atmosphere of the hotel.

Last time I visited the Belvedere palace was when I was fourteen year old Vienna / 18th century enthusiast (as funny as it may sound), but I don't seem to remember much of its art collections. The Belvedere collection is mainly known for Klimt's paintings, his Kiss being the most famous of all (and the most exploited as a print on every Vienna-related souvenir). My personal favorites are his landscapes in the other room, so flowery and colorful, that you could almost smell the spring, the apple orchards, the meadows. 

The Belvedere is also a beautiful Baroque palace, built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy in the first half of 18th century. I have to admit that given its beautiful gardens, water features and the layout of the complex (there is a lower and an upper palace), the nicest time to visit would be spring or summer. Winters in Vienna have their charms and I love visiting then (oh how festive they are!), but I'm thinking now of a visit to Vienna in spring, when all it's charming parks come to life and the weather is warm enough to enjoy Viennese Baroque architecture all day long!

In the neighbourhood of Belvedere palace stands 21er Haus, a 20th century building and a home to the Belvedere's contemporary art collection (you can buy combined tickets at the Upper Belvedere Ticket Office). The building was designed by Austrian architect Karl Schwanzer as an Austrian Pavillion for World Exhibition Expo '58, held in Brussels (the well known Atomium was designed for that same exhibiton, and how different those two buildings are in their approach!). 

Somehow we always end up enjoying contemporary art exhibitions the most, be it that there are significantly less visitors there, or that the architecture itself is always interesting, with its giant open spaces and lots of glass, or that contemporary art in fact echoes the world of a modern man. This exhibition was no exception, and we ended up with a conclusion that we have to visit 21er Haus each time we go to Vienna!

After a couple of days trying to reserve Salm Brau beerhouse in the neighbourhood of Belvedere, we went there without a reservation and (surprise, surprise) got us a table. And how perfect evening to a great day it was! We had ribs and beer (we were in Vienna after all) and they just might be the most delicious ribs I ever had. I don't know if the tiredness and winter air had anything to do with it, but I am still dreaming about that dinner. 

This is the last post about Vienna for know (till the next time I visit), and I would love to hear some of your thoughts. Is all this art talk interesting to you, or too much?

Let me know!

This article was made possible thanks to the Sacher Hotel, Belvedere Museum and 21er Haus, and I thank them for that. We had a truly wonderful experience and we're looking forward to our next visit. 

Viennese Museums: Albertina and Leopold

Vienna is known for its culture: architecture, music, painting, urbanism. In fact, I can without exaggerating say that I decided to study art history because I fell in love with Vienna on my first visit: Baroque palaces, Gustav Klimt's paintings, Otto Wagner's architecture, Hundertwasser's imagination, the museums. And when it comes to museums, the selection is so varied that it's hard to choose which ones are going to fit in your busy traveler's schedule. In my case, I always know that Albertina is going to be on the list- it is an institution really, with one of the biggest prints and drawings collections in the world, a nice permanent loan collection of Impressionists and 20th century art and amazing temporary exhibitions. This time it was Pointillism, one of my favorite painting styles.

Ways of Pointillism exhibition

We came to Albertina first thing in the morning on our second day in Vienna- it was so cold that only a short walk on the main streets of Graben and Kartner Strasse was an option; we were eager to enjoy a nice morning surrounded by art and warmth. Albertina collections and temporary exhibitions are definitely overwhelming to see in only one day- we focused on Ways of Pointillism, The Colour Woodcut in Vienna around 1900 (both temporary exhibitions) and the permanent collection Monet to Picasso. Before I explain why did I love the Pointillism exhibiton so much, just a few words about the style itself. It was derived from Impressionism, but also marked the end of it. It challenged it in a way that where Impressionists painted with little brush strokes, Pointillists used little dots of paint, and where Impressionists painted spontaineously out in the nature, Poinitillists painted in the studio while studying the optics and the use of colour. Curator Heinz Widauer explained it far better than I did in this short video. 

Ways of Pointillism exhibition

Henri Edmond Cross: Provence Landscape, Ways of Pointillism exhibition

I loved the presentation of Pointillism: first of all, the selection of paintings was impressive; there were canvases from Seaurat, Signac, Monet, van Rysselberghe, just to name a few. Second of all: I've never thought of some of the included artists as Poentillists, and yet they did use the technique, like Van Gogh, Mattisse and Piccasso. Third, the presentation was beatiful: the colour of the walls resembled main tones of the paintings (purple, rose), the lights were dim and directed to the paintings in the way that they shined like jewels in the shadowy rooms. I think that we managed to capture the atmosphere on our photos, at least a bit. 

Ways of Pointillism exhibition

We proceeded to The colour woodcut in Vienna around 1900 exhibition, which was chic in design with its lapis lazuli coloured walls and amazing graphics from prominent Viennese Secession artists. Woodcut rose to fame in Europe at the end of the 19th century (after a period of stagnation), inspired by amazing Japanese woodprints which used unusal perspectives, and were definitely ahead of time compared to then European painting. Viennese woodcuts are defined by stylised motifs, square format (Secessionists strived for the clarity of form) and contrasting hues. Amazing exhibition, I wish we had more time for it, but the good news is that all of the exhibited pieces are from Albertina's own collection!

Permanent collection is a must if you're into late 19th and 20th century art (and I mean, who isn't?), and it keeps expanding all the way to contemporary art. There is everything you might want to see- from Monet's Water Lillies to crazy Picasso's ceramic. (How cool is his depiction of a nun being chased by the devil depicted on the photos below?) Also, the collection is not overwhelming and it might be a perfect dose of art for a culturally spent morning!

Colour woodcut in Vienna around 1900 exhibition

Permanent collection, Albertina

The next day we visited Leopold Museum in MuseumsQuartier, a very cool cultural area in the center of Vienna, which hosts about 70 cultular facilites, cafes and shops. The museums are located inside of a number of courtyards, there is no traffic and esentially it feels like a small city inside of the city. Leopold Museum hosts the biggest Egon Schiele collection, as well as other prominent Viennese artists such as Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoscka and Koloman Moser. I have always been impressed with Secessionist movement and Wiener Werkstatte (Vienna's Workshops) that proceded from it, so I was thrilled to see not only the Secessionist paintings and magazine design but also furniture, jewelry and design objects by Wiener Werkstatte. It is a complete collection of Viennese turn of the century art, and I wholeheartedly recommend you to visit if you are interested in Art Nouveau (Secession is a sort of its Austrian form).

MuseumsQuartier courtyard

Wiener Werkstatte displays in Leopold Museum

Viennese Secession at Leopold Museum

Egon Schiele exhibition at Leopold Museum

The museum is also home to largest Egon Schiele collection in the world, and there is a current exhibiton of his works taking place at the moment. I say current, because some of the works like watercolors, drawings and prints are photosensitive and cannot be exhibited all the time (they are usually being kept at museum's depos). If you're going to Vienna any time soon, I suggest you to take this opportunity and see the exhibition- apart from the Egon Schiele's amazing works, the presentation itself is special, with its contrasting dark interior and flashing rays of light directed into the paintings. It's a dramatic atmoshpere, for sure.

The architecture of the museum itself is interesting as well- a bright cube made out of limestone from the outside with unexpected vistas inside of the museum and breathtaking views of the city center and MuseumsQuartier courtyard from above. We did spend quite some time marveling at the sunset reflected on the dome of the Museum of Art History on the other side of the Ringstrasse (Vienna Ring Road). And after an afternoon spent in the museum, why not have a drink in one of the cool bars inside the Quartier?

MuseumsQuartier courtyard with a view of Leopold Museum

Views from Leopold Museum: Museum of Art History

Museum of Art History, view from the Leopold Museum

Christmas market in MuseumsQuartier

This article was made possible thanks to Vienna Tourist Board, Albertina Museum and Leopold Museum, and I thank them for that. We had a truly amazing cultural experience in Vienna. There is still so much to see the next time. 

Have you ever been to Vienna? Curious to hear about your favorite cultural spots (or they don't even have to be cultural, I'm basically interested in everything Vienna-related). :) 

Any thoughts on this mostly art-concentrated post? Yes, no?

Let me know!