hidden europe 26

This issue of hidden europe travel magazine contains articles on the Croatian village of Jovici, the German spa town Bad Saarow, a village in the Basque Pyrenees and the Danish town of Roskilde.

Picture above: The UK's first national park: the Peak District (photo © James Thew / dreamstime.com)

Summary

This issue of hidden europe travel magazine contains articles on the Croatian village of Jovici, the German spa town Bad Saarow, a village in the Basque Pyrenees and the Danish town of Roskilde.

Lakeside strategies: Bad Saarow

The hinterland of Berlin encompasses some of Europe's finest forest and lake landscapes - too often missed by visitors to the German capital. hidden europe makes an excursion to Bad Saarow, a lakeshore spa town east of Berlin, which was until 1990 divided by a wall.

Rock and rituals: Roskilde

Think of Roskilde, a smallish city on the Danish island of Sjælland. Yes, the annual rock festival. Yet there is much more to Roskilde than the rituals of one of Europe's premier open air music events. It is a place that captures the very essence of Danish identity.

Global versus local: the pursuit of uniqueness

Skip the club sandwich and the frozen margaritas. Remember that the central rite of passage for successful travellers is to escape the prevailing tide of uniformity that engulfs Europe's prime tourist centres. We review a series of guidebooks, all written by Duncan JD Smith, that celebrate that which is unique to various central European cities.

Night boat to Holland

To walk aboard the Pride of Rotterdam as she prepares to leave Hull for the overnight crossing to Holland is to engage with a piece of maritime history. The flag of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company still flies on the ships of P&O Ferries.

Passionate nomads

Three Swiss-born women travel writers slipped from our shared literary consciousness until they were rediscovered by feminist critics. hidden europe editor Nicky Gardner finds in the writing of Isabelle Eberhardt, Annemarie Schwarzenbach and Ella Maillart a dash of inspiration for her own writing.

Tatra politics

A forgotten incident in the history of the Polish Tatra Mountains invites us to consider whether public access really can be reconciled with conservation objectives in European wilderness areas.

Shipping news

There are new shipping routes aplenty for the 2009 summer season. We take a look at what's new in the world of European ferries, with many developments in the North Sea, Baltic and Mediterranean markets.

Radishes in Hesselø

As long as the radishes grown on Hesselø remain red and white, so shall the island be forever Danish. At least that is the perspective of one of the island's last remaining residents. Hesselø is a little remnant of Denmark that is coveted by Sweden - a rare instance of strife disturbing a Nordic harmony of nations.