Last week I highlighted one of the two European Culture Capitals, Turku, who is throwing a blow-out bash next year.  Most years there are at least two culture capitals, and this year’s other  capital of culture is the charming little town of Tallinn.

Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, just 50 miles south of Helsinki on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, making it a great daytrip from Helsinki (or vice versa).  I loved Tallin, and this gorgeous medieval town is no stranger here at Europe a la Carte.   Sian points out that it a great place to get hot chocolate, Gloria’s wine bar is also recommended as is a meal at the tasty restaurant Old Hansa.

But those things are there anytime.  What can you expect for the European City of Culture festivities?  The official website suggest a few interesting things going on, including:

• Stories of the Seashore: a forum where writers from all of Europe and globally can share stories
• Rooftop Cinema:  sounds great – bet the stars are beautiful at night up thr!
• 52 Surprises & Ideas: a weekly arts and cultural event
• Maritime Days:  a festival in July celebrating harbour culture

A few other things sound interesting – such as the “60 seconds of Solitude in Year Zero,” but unfortunately much of the content isn’t available in English so I can’t tell you more.  But I can tell you that, European Capital of Culture or not, you’ll love it here.

More Tips on Things to Do in Tallinn

You’ll find more tips in our Tallinn guide.

Click here for the lowest prices on Tallinn hotels

With all the stunning historical sites in Istanbul around you, it’s easy to forget that Turkey has prestigious modern artists too. To create a home for their work and give Turkish modern art the exposure it deserves, the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, commonly referred to as ‘Istanbul Modern’ opened its doors in 2004.The museum has become quite the ‘in’ place for the sophisticated Istanbul art and literature crowd to see and be seen at vernisages and other cultural events.

Istanbul Modern Cafe on the top floor

You should not miss a visit to this remarkable Istanbul attraction when planning your sightseeing. Located in Tophane, just across the Galata bridge, the museum is situated in a vast former dock warehouse right on the shore of the Bosporus. It’s extremely stark, a gray concrete block with a bright red  stripe down the side emblazoned with the words Istanbul Modern. It’s really an impressive contrast to all the opulence of the other buildings which are Istanbul’s landmarks.

The museum is located in a former dock ware house

Picture by nerostrateur taken from wikipedia free licence

Take the Kabatas tram and get off at the Tophane stop. Don’t miss to look at the  fishermen on the Galata bridge and cast your eye over the Galata tower looming in the background.

View of the Galata Tower crossing Galata Bridge

Cross the street towards the waterfront, turn left and start walking. Your route leads you past the baroque Tophane mosque and, next to it, a row of quaint nargile cafes.

Follow an arrow towards the gate to the parking lot and make you way to the entrance of the museum. You can’t miss it anyway as the red sign which is higher  than the building is visible from quite a distance.

In the small park in front of the museum are a few sculptures by modern artists. Whereas the exterior is bare, the interior is beautifully distributed and dedicated to changing exhibitions of Turkish as well as foreign artists. They also have slide shows, videos and audio guides.

Modern sculpture in front of the museum

You are not allowed to take pictures inside the museum, but you can photograph in the museum shop which offers a wide range of art books, posters and such things as stationary and note books  adorned with reproductions of the paintings inside.

The museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm but, like most museums in Istanbul, closed on Mondays. Admission is TYL5.

After you have walked through, climb up an iron staircase and enjoy a coffee and snack in the museum café with a nice view over the water.

More Istanbul Tips

You’ll find lot of ideas for things to do in Istanbul in our Best of Istanbul Tips.

Where to Stay in Istanbul

To help you find a hotel for your stay in the city, you can check out our round-up of the Best Places to Stay in Istanbul, which includes a range of hotels from budget through to luxury.

Click here for the lowest prices on Istanbul hotels

More on European Museums

Find out about more museums in Europe on Europe a la Carte.

Those of you visiting the Eternal City during the Christmas season will be certain to notice the Christmas trees that now grace the city. Christmas trees are a relatively recent import – a northern European tradition. To get a real flavour of Italian Christmas traditions, visitors in should visit the many Roman churches that host a traditional presepio – a nativity scene.

The nativity scene is said to have originated in Italy. It is Saint Francis of Assisi who is credited with having constructed the first  nativity scene in a cave in the town of Greccio, outside Assisi, way back in 1223.

Nativity scenes from Naples are the most famous and even today its craftsman are renowned for carrying on this ancient tradition.

My favourite among the many on offer in Rome’s churches during the holiday season is a Neapolitan nativity scene from 1700 on display is at the Basilica dei Santi Cosma e Damiano (Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian) in the Roman Forum, just off the Via dei Fori Imperiali.

The Basilica dei Santi Cosma e Damiano  was built in the early 6th century AD and it is the oldest church in the Imperial Forum.  The church features original early Christian mosaics in the apse.

Each year at during the Christmas season, tourists and Romans flock here to see the stunning details of Neapolitan craftsmen in this lovely nativity scene. Jesus, Mary and Joseph are surrounded by hundreds of figures and animals, all set amongst Roman ruins. The details are marvellous and, even after numerous viewings, I find myself admiring scenes I hadn’t noticed on earlier visits.

A visit to see this historic nativity scene in Basilica dei Santi Cosma e Damiano  is my European travel tip if your holiday travels take you through Rome. Be sure to also stop off at the Christmas market on Rome’s lovely Piazza Navona.

Find Great Deals on Hotels in Rome

Click here to find the cheapest prices for Rome hotels on the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

The Europe a la Carte Podcast of 22 December 2010 cover the following recent Blog posts:

• I’m voted Top Traveller  in the easyJet 15 Hour Blogger Challenge – the video of my Challenge to Paris receives the highest number of votes in the Facebook poll.
• The Christmas Goat of Gavle in Sweden – This Swedish straw goat even has its own blog and Twitter stream.
• Las Vegas Hotel Malaga, Spain - A budget hotel with a swimming pool, close to beach.
• Ten of Best Copenhagen Hotels for All Budgets – All these hotels receive at least 80% in verified guest reviews.
• European Christmas Traditions – Including the origins of Christmas cards, fruitcake and nutcrackers.

Subscribe to the Europe a la Carte Podcast in itunes or audioboo.

About two hours north of Stockholm a goat stands in the town of Gävle.  It’s a large goat, a Christmas goat, a straw goat.  This goat is a tourist attraction, it is known, simply, as Gävlebocken.  The Gävle Goat.

A Swedish Christmas tradition accounts for a Christmas goat that also delivered presents.  As a small child, the Christmas goat scared me.  A lot.  It was loud, gruff, and just kind of ugly.  Luckily, the Gävle Goat is less scary and more impressive.

Each year, Gävlebocken is built, and each year, people try to burn it down.  Turns out that a goat made of straw is an inviting target.  This year though, there was a new twist as an attempt was made to steal the goat with a helicopter.  Someone thought it would be a good idea to steal a straw goat that weighs 3.6 tonnes, is 13 meters high and seven meters long.

The chess game between the potential vandals and the protectors of the goat has become a sort of holiday tradition.  Since the first goat was burned down in 1966, 24 subsequent goats have been burned.  So far, the 2010 goat still stands, and would make a perfect day trip from Stockholm for anyone doing some last minute European travel planning.

This goat, as you may imagine when people are trying to burn you and steal you with helicopters, has a story to tell.  That’s why Gävlebocken has a blog, a Twitter account, and even submits itself to a webcamera.  Learn more about the Gävle Goat here.

Picture by plastAnka.  More pictures by plastAnka can be found here.

More Tips for Things to Do in Sweden

We’ve lots more travel tips for what to do in Sweden.

The Las Vegas Hotel didn’t quite make it into my “Seven Best Cheap Hotels in Malaga“, as it receives a guest rating of 76% from 190 verified reviews and I had set a minimum guest rating of 80% for inclusion in that blog post.  However, as the hotel offers double rooms with breakfast for under £50 a night in low season and 76% is still a respectable score from guests, I think it’s worth looking at if you want a budget hotel situated very close to Malagueta Beach and with a swimming pool.

Pool at Las Vegas Hotel Malaga

The pool is pretty close to the busy road which runs along the seafront.  The public areas are a bit old fashioned and dingy. The hotels charges for wifi.

The room which I was shown was on the top floor with a balcony with a sea view and plenty of space for two people. The bedroom and bathroom were a good size. The room was a little dated with dark wood furniture.

Although the room was set quite far back from the road, there was still a lot of traffic noise audible when I was out on the balcony. Once inside the room with the French doors closed, I couldn’t hear much traffic noise.

View from top floor room balcony at Las Vegas Hotel Malaga

The Las Vegas Hotel is good value for money but if you pay a bit more and aren’t too bothered about not having a pool, the family run Hotel California Malaga, also close to Malagueta Beach, offers rooms with much more charm.

Click here to find the lowest prices on Malaga hotels

Hotel Los Naranjos in Malaga featured in our Seven of the Best Cheap Hotels in Malaga.  It offers a winning combination of  reasonably priced rooms, with double rooms from under £50 a night in low season, an average guest rating of 84% in 98 verified reviews and a location close to Malagueta Beach. The hotel is situated in a street one block up from the prom and it’s less than a 5 minute walk to the beach. The Malaga bull ring, a  selection of cafes, restaurants and supermarkets are all within a 5 minute walk, heading toward the city centre.  You can walk to Malaga Park in ten minutes and the old town in around 20 minutes. There is a bus stop close to the hotel. The hotel has a car park with a daily charge of 12 Euro.

Exterior of Los Naranjos Malaga

The oranges theme continues in the interior with ceramic displays of the fruit adorning the lobby walls.  Most of the reception staff speak a little English. There’s free wifi throughout which guests report as having a decent signal.

Lobby at Hotel Los Naranjos Malaga

The bedrooms get good guest ratings for cleanliness and being well maintained.  The rooms on higher floors at the front of the hotel have sea views and balconies but there is some traffic noise from the street below.  Some guests say that sound insulation between rooms isn’t great.

Room at Hotel Los Naranjos Malaga

So if you’re looking for a cheap Malaga hotel with high guest ratings close to the beach, the Hotel Los Naranjos is worth a look.

Click here to find the lowest prices on Malaga hotels

If you’re holidaying in Copenhagen, you will have to search hard to get a cheap hotel room – and anything approaching a budget price is a little further out of the city centre. But if your budget is a bit higher there are plenty of good hotels located in the city centre. The information in this list of ten of the best Copenhagen hotels is for double rooms on a week night in September 2011 with verified guest ratings of at least 80%; prices are the best quoted for that night and include taxes and fees.

View from a Copenhagen canal cruise

Copenhagen budget hotels

A little further out of town than some of the more expensive hotels, the Crowne Plaza Towers Copenhagen (88% rating, £95) is close to an underground station and only a short drive from the airport. It has modern fittings and amenities and a restaurant in house, as well as being a short walk to other restaurants and shops.

Not exactly budget-priced – but we are talking Scandinavia, after all – the Kong Arthur Hotel Copenhagen (82% rating, £115) is located mid way between the centre of Copenhagen and the airport. It faces Copenhagen’s lakes and is furnished in an antique style. As you are a little further out of the centre the restaurants might be important – they have an eclectic mix of three serving Spanish tapas, a sushi restaurant and an Italian place too.

Round bed at Kong Arthur Hotel Copenhagen by Hardo

Copenhagen mid-range hotels

The Hotel Copenhagen Island (80% rating, £129) is where Karen stayed on her recent trip to Copenhagen and you can read her full review for further details. As an Aussie I’m intrigued to see that the architect who designed the Copenhagen Island Hotel is the son of Jorn Utzon who won the contest for designing our Sydney Opera House. And like the Opera House, this hotel is also waterside and looks particularly attractive.

Hotel Copenhagen Island

The Adina Apartment Hotel (84% rating, £132) is a fifteen minute walk from the centre and located near the harbour. The apartments all have kitchen facilities and a separate dining area built in and you can get two bedroom apartments as well.

The Imperial Hotel Copenhagen (80% rating, £126) is one of the cheaper, yet still good, options for a central Copenhagen hotel. It is right in the city centre near Stroget and the Tivoli Gardens and is a moderate size with 240 rooms.

Stroget in Copenhagen by plassen

Copenhagen high-end hotels

The Clarion Hotel Mayfair Copenhagen (84% rating, £158) labels itself a boutique hotel and was fully renovated in 2008 – although with 106 rooms it’s quite large for a boutique hotel. It is centrally located near the Tivoli Gardens and the Central Train Station. Room prices include breakfast and also a light buffet meal every evening.

One of the more luxurious spots in town, the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Copenhagen (82% rating, £238) is also centrally located close to the Stroget and the Tivoli Gardens – in fact many of the rooms have views over Tivoli; it’s also almost opposite the main train station.

Tivoli Copenhagen by stoneflower

The Marriott Hotel Copenhagen (82% rating, £170 – can be pricier, with rooms often going up to £300) is in the city centre, close to the Christiansborg Palace and the Town Hall Square. It’s quite large with almost 400 rooms and includes a gym and a swimming pool.

As fits a hotel with “admiral” in its name, the Admiral Hotel Copenhagen (82% rating, £164) is right on the harbour and close to the Christianborg Castle. The rooms might be a little small for the price but the location makes up for it if you are planning to do plenty of Copenhagen sightseeing.

The Bertrams Hotel Guldsmeden Copenhagen (84% rating, £179) is actually sold out for the date we checked – so it must be doing something right – but the best available price would have been £179. It is close to the Tivoli Gardens and the Stroget and has a few bonuses like an organic breakfast buffet.

Your tips for the best Copenhagen Hotels

If you have any recommendations for places to stay in Copenhagen please leave a comment.

As we celebrate the Christmas holiday, there are a number of unique celebrations and traditions around the world that originated in Europe.  Throughout Europe, countries like France, Germany, Norway, England, and others have their own unique ways of celebrating Christmas.

As we look ahead to Christmas, here are some well-known and unusual Christmas traditions throughout Europe.

1.  Mistletoe - This tradition originated from the Celtic Druids around 500 B.C. in England.  These pagan worshipers loved nature and believed that holly and mistletoe warded off evil spirits and helped ensure futility.  In the Christmas tradition, mistletoe was symbolized everlasting life through Christ and faith which would never die.

An English tradition, kissing under the mistletoe has been practiced for years though no one is certain how the tradition started.  It probably has something to do with with the fertility celebration by the Druids.

Mistletoe (Flickr: Dramatic)

2.  Christmas cards - The first Christmas card was issued in December 1843 by Sir Henry Cole.  During this time of the year, holiday messages were written on calling cards to friends and acquaintances.  Sir Henry Cole was too busy and hired London artist John Calcott Horsley to design a card with a Christmas message.  The first Christmas card greeting read “Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you.”  With post offices in England and the United States, this Christmas tradition was spread.

Christmas Card (Flickr: mjurn)

3.  Fruitcake - For people who have tasted fruit cake, it is something that is either loved or hated.  However, the tradition of the fruitcake began in Italy.  Italians have a variety of fruitcakes – panettone (big bread), pandoro (golden bread), panforte (strong bread), and pandolce (sweet bread).

Fruitcake is a blend of break and fried fruits celebrated and eaten throughout various regions in Italy.  While each region enjoys its favorite, the history of fruitcake is debated.  Many believe it may have been created in the 12th century by Sienese monks.

However, the popular, romatic story of fruitcake is that of panettone,  A baker from Milan fell in love with a woman and wanted to capture her love with a delicious cake.  His mixture included eggs, candied fruit, and too much yeast.  The result was panettone version of fruitcake which is popular all over Italy.

Panettone (Flickr: ben hanbury)

4.  Silent Night - This famous Christmas carol was first performed in Austria in 1818.  Legend has it that a local priest was out on Christmas night to bless a baby.  On his way home, the experience of that night on a starlit evening inspired him to write a poem.  Franz Gruber, the church organist, set the poem to music and on Christmas Eve 1818, the song was performed for the first time.  In Obendorf, Austria, the Silent Night Chapel stands on the place where Gruber and priest Joseph Mohr stood as it was performed for the first time.

5.  Nutcrackers - Nutcrackers were believed to originate from the Nürnberg region of Germany.  Legend has it that a man was on his deathbed but schoolchildren sang to him and he recovered.  In appreciation, he gathered what he had – wire, prunes, figs, and walnuts – and made a little man.  These became very popular and were sold in the markets.

Over the years, the Nutcracker became a wooden figurine of policeman, soldiers, and more used to crack the toughest of nuts.  These wooden versions were designed in 15th century Saxony as miners became woodworkers and developed these popular figures.

Nutcracker (Flickr: mikejmartelli)

For many celebrating Christmas, many of the popular traditions originate from Europe.  From mistletoe to Silent Night, the origins of these traditions go back many years.  While the origin of some of these Christmas traditions aren’t certain, it is these Christmas traditions which make celebrating Christmas in Europe so memorable and fun.

In the Europe a la Carte Podcast of 18 December 2010, I talk about why Malaga in Andalucia, southern Spain is such a great European city break destination, covering the following Blog posts:

• Photo Tour of CAC Malaga – You can see modern art at this free Malaga attraction.
• Exploring Malaga Park - This beautiful green space has charming tiled fountains and a kids play area.
• Malagueta Beach – With a beach so close to the city centre you can combine city buzz with beach life.
• Hotel California Malaga - This family run hotel, close to Malagueta Beach, has characterful rooms with free wifi.  The  California was just above the £50 a night limit I set for my post about cheap hotels in Malaga.
• 10 Things to Do in Malaga – My tips include shopping for Flamenco dresses, visiting Atanzaras Market, the Alcazaba and Malaga Cathedral.

Subscribe to the Europe a la Carte Podcast in itunes or audioboo.

Where to Stay in Malaga

Malaga makes a great city break destination I’ve researched the best cheap hotels in Malaga. I also recommend the family run, characterful Hotel California, which cost a little above the £50 a night limit I sent for inclusion in budget hotels.

Click here to find the lowest prices on Malaga hotels