Film Festival in Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – July 2-10,2010

• Official web-site
• Book hotel in Karlovy Vary

One of the most popular film festival is held from 2nd to 10th July 2010 in Karlovy Vary. Be sure when you book hotel there take hotel with parking as it is hard to park there in center.

Some impressions from the 2009 Film Festival in Karlovy Vary.

1. Adolphe Bridge

Actually, you can use the bridge if you drive or walk, but you can also go down and walk in the park above the bridge – it is really nice and calm.

Adolphe Bridge - unofficial national symbol - total length 153 meters, clearance below 42 meters

Park under the Adolphe bridge

2. Casino that is not a casino

Probably the most popular phrase about this casino – “this is not a casino”. It’s actually small exhibition of contemporary art.

Center for contemporary art exhibitions.

Contemporary art exhibition few steps from Adolphe bridge, must visit as it is a chance to see some really unusual piece of art, like this billiard table.

3. Catacombs

Catacombs that supposed to be protection during war and now one of the tourists attraction. Normally, you will not need ward clothes there.

Luxembourg. Catacombs. 200 years back this place was visited by Napoleon as well as other famous persons.

4. Um Tunnel – another unusual art place

Um Tunnel is actually a long tunnel, which is located on the -4 floor level.

Am Tunnel - Tunnel with contemporary art and photo exhibitions

5. Mudam

The combination of old castle and modern buildings

Mudam - Old castle and modern buildings - in the east part of the city

6. Grund Part of Luxembourg

If walk from the Adolphe Bridge by the park to the east you will get to the really nice part of the city with historical museum and really nice streets with small cafes.

Grund part of Luxembourg

7. Vianden

Vianden is one of Luxembourg’s main tourist center with hilly, historic streets. Really beautiful place, probably the reason why Victor Hugo spend some time in Viaden.

Vianden is one of Luxembourg's main tourist center with hilly, historic streets

Hope it will be a tradition to exhibit winners of international contest of caricature and cartoon in the Castle in Vianden

8. Esch-sur-Sure – beautiful “village” in Luxembourg.

Other tourists attraction, differently worth visiting if driving from Clervaux

Another small, quite and beautiful "village" in Luxembourg. One of the other tourists attractions, differently worth visiting if driving from Clervaux

9. Clervaux – photo exposition – The Family of Man

Besides the nice countryside you will find in Clevraux really interesting photo exposition - The Family of Man

Clervaux's Cathedral

10. Echternach

The final or the start point of the journey may be Echternach!

Echtenach - green and beautiful. Just few kilometers from highway to Germany.

Hamburg center - by Alster and Rathaus

Hamburg is “Hafen-city” (Port-city) so you will find there storehouses made out of red brick and port itself, with huge number of tourist ships and huge cargo ship.

Cargo ship in Hamburg Port

Storehouses of red brick

Every night at 22 p.m. there is a colorful fountain show in Planten un Blomen park.

In Marine Museum you will find everything from marine art to some fancy ships, like Nautilus submarine

Hamburg Planetarium is also worth visiting, there is a projection device that creates a great show sharing the history and nowadays ideas about space and space research.

Open-air u434 submarine museum - great experience inside u-boot

Great auto museum placed on 3 floors - it is not focused on certain brand, but shows the most famous cars produced in Germany.

Few tips about driving

• There is Elbtunel the tunnel under Elbe, and there are always traffic jams in the weekends, so if possible, choose another road.
• If you need a long-term parking, check the Vinci Parking

Dinner in Hamburg

• Check the “Colonnaden” street (Stephansplatz or Gansemarkt U-bahn stations) – you will find there a number of inexpensive Italian restaurants (10-12 Euro per person) and there is also a sushi-restaurant with “All you can eat” option for 16 (?) Euro.

Short distance travel from Hamburg

• Bremen - you will find there the statue of famous Bremen musicians
• Stade – old city near Hamburg

Long distance trips from Hamburg

• Amsterdam (Netherlands)
• Copenhagen (Denmark)

• Drive and use ferry service (about 60 Euro per car, ferry is every hour)
• Drive and use paid bridge (30 Euro, as far as I can remember)

I’ve taked “bridge” route – it is 30 minutes longer, but the country side is really beautiful, more over, if drive to Copenhagen to the west, you can Visit viking ships museum.

I've taked "bridge" route - it is 30 minutes longer, but the country side is really beautiful

Now few words about visiting interesting museums and places:

The “Belive it or not” – the branch for the Ripley’s museum. The most interesting experience was with the tube, where walls were rotating, if you get in, you start thinking the actually, not the walls, but floor is swinging. Very interesting, very unusual.

If you get in, you start thinking that actually, not the walls, but floor is swinging. Very interesting, very unusual.

Design museum – it another “must visit” place – the exposition was devoted to light – a lot of information about light physics with examples that you can see and touch.

Learn light physics - with examples that you can see and touch

The Mermain is the symbol of Copenhagen, don’t use public transportation to get to it – walk by the park instead.

The Mermain is the symbol of Copenhagen, don't use public transportation to get to it - walk by the park instead.

Classical museum are also very interesting, in Glyptotek you will find many sculptures by Roden. National museum is near – good structured and well represented information about Denmark, there are no audio-guides in museum, but it is really interesting, for instance, this check this kviz-picture.

For sure, Copenhagen is a port-city – so things like “self-made U-Boat” seems to be usuall there:

Copenhagen is a port-city - so things like "self-made U-Boat" seems to be usuall there:

Viking Boats Museum is located in the Roskilde town (Vindeboder 12, Copenhagen, Denmark), but it worths visiting it.

You will find there copies (free to visit under open-air) and originals of Vikings ships:

A lot of copies (free to visit under open-air) of Vikings Ships

Also, the process of viking-ship-building is covered in details, starting the tree selection and processing ending the discussion of sailing experience.

The process of viking-ship-building is covered in details

If you think there too many bicycles in Amsterdam - you are right. 3-level parking for bicycles near main train station.

One of the most unusual place to visit is a very small Boat Houses Museum. If you like the idea about living in the boat-house, you’ll find it really interesting.

There are more than 2000 boat-houses in Amsterdam, building new is not a problem, but all possible parking places are now occupied, so it is not possible to build a new house, but one can buy existent one.

There are more than 2000 boat-houses in Amsterdam

The price is typically lower (200000 Euro) than for the normal house, but yearly maintain is higher (500-1000 Euro).

Get inside on of the boat-houses - now it is a museum

It is good located – check visitors information here.

• Venice is of the most beautiful and romantic places in the worlds, that is probably one of the reasons, why hotels in Venice are VERY expensive

Venice is of the most beautiful and romantic places in the worlds, that is probably one of the reasons, why hotels in Venice are VERY expensive

• there are just two big parking in the beginning of the Venice island, people move there only by boats

There are just two big parking in the beginning of the Venice island, people move there only by boats

So the logical thing to do would be stay in some town near Venice and combine – visiting sights of interest in Venice with swimming and taking sun bases on the beach.

Staying in Hotel Excelsior in Lido di Jesolo:

PROs:

• hotel is located near Venice;
• large and secure parking;
• direct access to sea sandy beach; or swimming pool (about 25 m) in case of bad weather;
• they have cook (even two, I think) who prepares delicious food!

CONs:

• actually, there was only good experience from the hotel itself
• people in Lido di Jesolo, as in any Italian city, have a “siesta”, so from 14-00 to 16-00 it is hard to find place to have a dinner, so better have dinner at the hotel

One of the best resorts in Italy is Lido di Jesolo, located on the Venetian Riviera. It is only 40 km away from Venice, but it allows you to experience the best of the Veneto Region in Italy: Venice, the beach, shopping, partying, etc. A 15 km long promenade of bars, restaurants, shops and of course, the beach, is everything one needs for a perfect vacation in Italy. From Lido di Jesolo there is a boat that takes you directly to St. Mark’s Square in Venice in about 30 minutes. It is one of the most beautiful views of the city and definitely a pleasant trip.

Hotel Excelsior in Lido di Jesolo (near Venice) is a perfect place to spend your vacation in Italy. It contains everything one needs to enjoy: private beach, pool, bar, restaurant as well as friendly staff and great service. Make sure you eat at the hotel also. Although there is a stereotype of hotel food being not so great, this is definitely an exception. The new chef, Francesco, who prior to coming to the Excelsior worked at the Nobu restaurant in London , is bound to make you fall in love with the cuisine. Besides traditional Italian food, there is always fresh grill, amazing salad bar and much much more.

For more information: www.excelsiorjesolo.com

Jailhotel - hotel placed in old prison in Luzern, Switzerland

PROs: it also placed near the old city center.

CONs: no parking by the hotel, but you can use one of parking-houses near in about 5 minutes walk.

Address: Löwengraben 18, Luzern; Web: http://www.jailhotel.ch/

Luzern JailHotel room in a prison-style

Here are few useful links to check:

• Information about vignette in various countries, including prices.
• Another site, but seems to be a little outdated.

Some tips:

• Germany in the centers of main cities you will need a special CO2 Ecology Card (Umwelt Plakette). For more information check the map of zones at official site, in short green Umwelt Plakette is “the best” as it allows parking in center (just allows, you will still need to pay for paid parking). You can order this “Plakette” via Internet (seems to cost about 20 EURO) or you can drive into gas station and they will help you to find the local technical shop where the Plakette is for sale (costs about 6 EURO). Most likely in your home country it is also possible to get Plakette, for instance, for Czech Republic use first google results.
• Denmark: roads are free, but some bridges are paid, if you travel from Germany, check the beginning of this post.
• Roads are free for “normal” (not trucks) autos: Netherlands, Germany
• In Czech Republic Vignette is known as “znamka”, it is for sale in post offices and on gas stations
• Remember to tell at the shop what car are you driving (for cars heavier than 3.5 tons the price is higher)
• In Hungary the Vignette is fully electronic now, meaning you will be asked to write down the plate number of the car when buying Vignette and you will not have any sticker.
• In Switzerland you will have a Vignette for a year, for about 30 Euro (I’m not sure about exact price).
• When crossing border pay attention to the signs with “Vignette”, typically, you will see this signs together with gas-station sign before and after the border.
• Read carefully, instruction on Vignette when you buy it for a first time, for instance, in Hungary, the Vignette is fully electronic, but you still need to keep receipt (with your car plate number) for some period.