Zorn’s House, Zorngården, Mora, Sweden Behind the yellow-painted timber walls of this modestly sized house, lies the delightful home of Anders Zorn and his wife Emma, right by the Mora Church. Unfortunately you aren’t allowed to take pictures inside, nor are you really allowed to linger, because you have to take guided tours. This isn’t an ideal combination for me,…
‘Zorn and Carl Larsson – Art and Friendship’ Exhibition, Zorn Museum, Zornmuseet, Mora, Sweden It’s funny how sometimes a small town can be famous for some major things. Mora, quiet, tiny and generally unobtrusive, is famous for three symbols of Swedishness: the Dala Horse (produced in a village nearby), the sturdy, multifunctional Mora knife, and the artist, Anders Zorn. As…
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Zermatt, Switzerland If you’re into hiking and skiing, the area around Zermatt is a paradise, with just so many options it’s incredible. If you’re not so into those sorts of things, then you have the exciting option of going up Europe’s highest aerial cableway to the mountain station in the Alps. Now, I’ve never been up a mountain…
Without any doubt, one of the most wonderful times to be in the sedate town of Geneva is during the Escalade. To commemorate the bravery of the town back in 1602 when it was attacked by Savoyard forces, Geneva holds a weekend of events which celebrates the brave Genevois and allows you to join in. I have written about the…
Montreux Christmas Market, Montreux Noël, Montreux, Switzerland I am the hugest fan of Christmas markets and for the past few years I’ve been lucky enough to visit at least one each season. Two years ago we visited the one in Basel, which was pleasant. Last year we went to Zurich, which I assumed would be more Germanic, but I found…
St Mauritius Church, Pfarrkirche St. Mauritius, Zermatt, Switzerland In the heart of the small town of Zermatt is the comparatively dominant Catholic church of St Mauritius. From the outside, it doesn’t look too grand, and inside it’s not that grand either – but it is charming and definitely worth a brief visit. The first mention of the church is from…
St Peter’s Church, the ‘English Church’, Zermatt, Switzerland Perched on the hills that steeply rise from the central street of Zermatt, is the little English Church. From the outside, it looks sort of Swiss. But inside – well, it feels awfully English. Which is the way it should be. The church is English. From 1862 the visiting English held services…
Museum of Ancient Art and Ludwig Collection, Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig, Basel, Switzerland Recently, Sister-Chickpea asked me why I’d never ended up writing up a post about the Basel Museum. Honestly, it’s because I’ve had such a backlog of posts to write, I’d forgotten about it. Then I found out that they were closing many of the galleries to…
Lugdunum Museum, Lugdunum Musée, Lyon, France If you first approach the Lugdunum Museum from the base of the Roman Theatre, you may be struck by the bunker-like quality of the architecture. Depending on your aesthetic sense, your heart may drop. You may get a flashback to the days of the Cold War. You may think, ‘Why? O why?’ But don’t…
The Theatre and Odeon of Lugdunum, Lyon, France France is blessed with many fine Roman archaeological sites. So many cities in the south of the country have ancient origins and by just walking around the streets you can see evidence of the Roman period in dramatic remains like amphitheatres, or more mundane sights such as reused stones in houses. On…
Museum of Fine Arts, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lyon, France Knowing that Lyon is one of France’s most culturally significant towns, I had high hopes for its Museum of Fine Art. The museum is housed in an important former abbey, which has its origins in the 6th century. In 1659, the abbess Anne de Chaulnes began construction of the Royal Abbey…
Matterhorn Museum – Zermatlantis, Zermatt, Switzerland It’s not really surprising that the prosperous, neat and tidy town of Zermatt has a neat and tidy little museum. Upon descending into the heart of the hyper-modern glass dome of the Zermatt Museum, you quickly find yourself in a little village square. Which is neat and tidy. In fact, the whole place is…