Just where the commercial zone ended at the outskirts of the village, the road became optimized for car traffic. While there were sidewalks all along the road within the limits of the long stretched settlement of Aufenau, here were only crash barriers. Cars rushed along the modern road at or above the allowed limit of …
Office buildings, car dealerships, fast food restaurant and retail outlets line up for five kilometers on both sides of the road that leaves Frankfurt to the east. The Hanauer Landstrasse seems to have nothing to do with a historic route. But then again, you can find one of these traces of the past: Hidden between …
The Elbe estuary in Hamburg is a natural obstacle for modern land-bound traffic. Yet the harbor made Hamburg into a traditional trading city. The old Elbe tunnel is part of both, the harbor and the means to cross the river. It is a hidden gem of industrial heritage in the vibrant city. 19th century …
Starting an adventure on your own doorstep is something very exciting. With my Via Regia project I was able to do just that. As a warm-up to the Frankfurt to Leipzig route, I walked through the Rhine-Main agglomeration from Mainz to Frankfurt in search of an old long-distance trade route. The Old Mainz to Frankfurt …
I have just returned from a short holiday in Andalusia. It is always surprising to me, how much Roman heritage can be found throughout Europe. One thing that struck me was a stretch of Roman road in Andalusia that I stumbled across, when looking for things to do on a day trip to the Sierra …
Amsterdam is known for its canals. The network of these artificial waterways is a part of the special appeal that this cosmopolitan city has. But what is the story behind the Amsterdam Canals? When you look at the map of Amsterdam you notice a ring of concentric canals around the city center. The large scale …
What does a centuries-old road through the heart of Germany look like today? This is what I want to find out in the next couple of months, when I walk from Frankfurt to Leipzig on a route that is known as the Via Regia. History of the Via Regia For centuries the Via Regia was …
Do you think about crossing the Scottish Highlands as part of the TGO Challenge and you come from outside the UK? Have a look at this post for some tips that might help you to plan the TGO Challenge from abroad. I took part in the TGO Challenge in 2015 and enjoyed it a lot …
Globalization may be a modern buzz word, but it is reality in Hamburg for more than 100 years. The city built a whole warehouse district in the late 19th century for precious goods from around the world: the historic Speicherstadt (literally: warehouse city). If you’re in Hamburg, make sure the historic Speicherstadt is on your …
Imagine a railway pulling super-heavy trains across a mountain range in the Arctic. That’s the Ore Line from Kiruna to Narvik. There are several ways you can explore this impressive route. Iron ore from the mine at Kiruna in Swedish Lapland is shipped by this railway for more than 100 years now to the ice-free …
