Going up the Kitzsteinhorn glacier in Kaprun, Austria

Jess, aged 15, writes: During a lovely lakeside stay in Zell am See, Austria, I was lucky enough to visit the Kitzsteinhorn glacier with my grandpa. In the winter, the Kitzsteinhorn is generally used for skiing, but in summer the mountain is perfect for walks and admiring the gorgeous views. Our trip was definitely one of the most impressive in the entire holiday, and we both had a really good time.

The Kitzsteinhorn is about forty minutes away from Zell am See (our base) by bus, and we arrived just past midday. After pausing for a small drink and a pastry, we began our ascent up the mountain in a funitel. This journey was certainly one of the standout moments of the entire holiday.

[caption id="attachment_4114" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The gondola lift up the mountain was incredible![/caption]

The Gletscherjet I (glacier jet one) takes you unbelievably high, and the journey is about five and a half minutes long. The small capsule size and lack of midweek crowds meant that it was just me and grandpa by ourselves, and it was lovely to move around and talk freely without strangers next to us! The views were absolutely magnificent: the towering green mountains stretched into the distance, interspersed with tall trees and trickling waterfalls. This was definitely the most majestic point of our entire holiday, and I loved it.

[caption id="attachment_4136" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] We loved our gondola journeys up the mountain![/caption]

After exiting the funitel, grandpa and I took a walk around the area. Luckily, the ground was flat, making it very accessible. The area consisted of a sports and a souvenir shop, a restaurant, and a climbing frame for children (I enjoyed this, despite probably being too old!) Our walk was short, but very pleasant. We stumbled upon some lambs and a river, and the views beneath us were simply gorgeous.

There are lots of lifts to choose in the winter, but there is less of a choice in summer. Grandpa and I took the Gletscherjet II to the next level: a journey which took about three minutes. This was equally as impressive as our first journey, and again, we had the capsule to ourselves.

[caption id="attachment_4133" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] We took the Gipfelwelt up to the top of the Kitzsteinhorn[/caption]

There is a lot to do once outside of the Gletscherjet II, but grandpa and I decided to forgo this and take the Gipfelwelt 3000 to the highest accessible point of the mountain. This journey took us from the mountain's lush grassy hills to the snow-covered glacier, and we could see people partaking in snow sports beneath us.

[caption id="attachment_4113" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] At the top of Salzburg![/caption]

It was extremely exciting to be at the top of the Kitzsteinhorn, as this meant that we were at the highest accessible point of Salzburg: 3029m high. The Gipfelwelt 3000 panorama was a perfect place for admiring the incredible view and taking photos. It was a stunning view, and it was cool to be at the highest point in the whole of Salzburg!

[caption id="attachment_4134" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The views of the glacier were remarkable.[/caption]

Next came the National Park Gallery, which is located in a 360m long tunnel through the Kitzsteinhorn. It was fascinating to be able to walk through the mountain. We learnt about the formation of the Alps and the different crystals in the Kitzsteinhorn, but had to turn back as the altitude was making grandpa feel slightly uneasy.

Finally, it was time to take the Gipfelwelt, Gletscherjet II, and Gletscherjet I back to the bottom of the Kitzsteinhorn. I had had an amazing time, and was honestly sad to leave. The views from the gondolas had been phenomenal, and the mountain had been just so quiet and beautiful. There was so much grandpa and I didn't manage to do (exploring more of the museum, going to the cinema, or trying out snow sports), yet we still had such a relaxing and interesting time. I would definitely recommend a visit to the Kitzsteinhorn; it was simply a lovely day out.

Jess and her grandpa went on a package holiday with Inghams, flying via Ryan Air from Stansted Airport to Salzburg and then taking a coach to Zell. They were gifted two “summer cards” from the Zell am Zee tourism board, but they had no input into this blog post.

Read more about this holiday here

- you can find out all the other wonderful things that Jess and her grandpa got up to!

What to do in Amsterdam with kids (by Keren)

Today I'm delighted to have a blog post from the author and journalist Keren David. She lived in Amsterdam for eight years, and her children grew up there, so she's the perfect person to give you the rundown on what to do when you're visiting this Dutch city with your family. And it sounds just perfect - from the parks to the museums.

Over to Keren:

For me, Amsterdam is not a city of coffeeshops and dodgy areas, it’s a great place for kids and parents, with lots to do and see beyond the obvious.
Park life

[caption id="attachment_3847" align="alignnone" width="640"] The Vondelpark (pic by Guilhem Vellut, Flickr)[/caption]

The most obvious park is the Vondelpark, which is one of my favourite places in the world. You can hire bikes (try Macbikes in the Leidseplein, which also does kids’ bikes), or roller skates with protective gear (the Vondeltuin at the Amstelveenseweg entrance), or just stroll around. There are playgrounds (we liked the one at the Melkhuis café best), a rose garden, and a good tree for climbing. The Blauwe Theehuis is definitely the best café in the Vondelpark, it’s round and blue and looks like a grounded flying saucer. But for a more active experience, try the Kinderkookcafe where children get to cook and serve the food.

Just north of the Vondelpark is the Hollandsche Manege - a stables and riding school dating from the late 19th century. You can watch the horses training in dressage from the café, tour the stables and book riding lessons in the Vondelpark. The Overtoom, which is the road just north of the Manege has some great furniture shops.

[caption id="attachment_3851" align="alignnone" width="640"] Amsterdamse Bos pic by Matthew Pennell (Flickr)[/caption]

There are other parks too.The Beatrixpark has a paddling pool and a playground, and if you walk around you are sure to see some herons - I once counted 17 in one lake. The Amstelpark is a bit further out, but worth it for smaller children as there is a little train, a crazy golf, ponies to ride, an excellent playground and chickens running wild. But my favourite is the Amsterdamse Bos. The 1,000 hectare forest on the outskirts of the city is entirely manmade (built in the 1930s as a response to high unemployment rates) and is the perfect place to walk, cycle or picnic. There’s a lake with an island which is just for children – the Speeleiland – we used to take a picnic to the artificial beach at the side of the lake, and the kids would swing over to the island on a zipwire. The Bos also has a goat farm where you can feed the animals.

The Artis area

[caption id="attachment_3852" align="alignnone" width="512"] The reconstruction of the book case at the Anne Frank House (pic by Bungle via Wikimedia Commons)[/caption]

Everyone goes to visit the Anne Frank House, and rightly so. But few go to see the monument to the entire Jewish community of Amsterdam, which is quiet and devastating, and, I think, a better place to contemplate the scale of the Holocaust. It’s filled with pictures of a community at work and play, celebrating weddings and barmitzvahs, taking holidays and living their lives. The Hollandsche Schouwburg was once a theatre, but first the Nazis designated it a Jewish theatre and then it became a deportation centre. Some children escaped death by being smuggled by the Dutch Resistance to a nursery across the road.

The Rembrandthuis is one of my favourite museums in Amsterdam. The house where the artist lived and worked has been painstakingly restored, giving a real sense of life in the 17th century. Rembrandt was a keen collector of curiosities, and I never tired of visiting his workshop and looking at all his stuff - from the stuffed armadillo, to Roman helmets and spears. It’s just around the corner from the Waterlooplein market, Amsterdam’s flea market, and then across the road is the Jewish museum and the Portuguese Synagogue - a really beautiful building, lit my candlelight and still in use today.

The Artis itself is Amsterdam’s zoo - quite small, but fun for kids.

Food

Dutch cuisine is mostly mashed potatoes – although you should definitely try poffertjes, little sugar-covered pancakes, and also raw herring with chopped onion, bought from street stalls, for a taste of the local cuisine. Liquorice is the national sweet, and in any supermarket you’ll find dozens of varieties. For the most amazing chocolates you have ever seen, head to Puccini in Staalstraat.

But you can’t go to Amsterdam without trying Indonesian food. My favourite restaurants are Tempo Doeloe (you will need to book) and Sama Sebo, which is right next to the Rijksmuseum. Order a rijstafel for a feast of little dishes so you can try everything. Vegetarians are well catered for.
And for cakes, head to The Pijp, which is full of little shops to explore, and has a thriving street market. My favourite local landmark is a gloriously camp café called De Taart van m’n Tante which is the place to go for the most flamboyant and creamy cakes imaginable.

Museums

[caption id="attachment_3853" align="alignnone" width="512"] The Dutch Royal sloop in the Scheepvaartmuseum, (pic by Hetscheepvaartmuseum via Wikimedia Commons)[/caption]

The Rijksmuseum can be too much for kids, so pick your galleries carefully – the dolls houses were always a favourite for my family. The Van Gogh museum up the road is smaller, and easier to digest. But if your family includes a budding fashionista, then take them to the Tassenmuseum, a comprehensive collection of bags and purses through the ages. When I first visited it, it was displayed in the home of the lady who had collected these bags, but now it has outgrown her, and has its own home in the centre of Amsterdam. Children also enjoy the NEMO interactive science museum. Our absolute favourite though was the Scheepvartmuseum, the maritime museum full of maps and globes, a preserved whale foetus and an 18th century boat to explore.

[caption id="attachment_3860" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Keren's two children and a friend (in their younger days), at the Zuiderzee Museum[/caption]

If you explore outside Amsterdam, then don’t miss Enkhuizen - a short train journey away. From the station you can take a boat to the Zuiderzee museum, a place where Dutch life in times gone by is lovingly recreated. You can sit in the village school and write on a slate, visit a working windmill, and the kids can dress in clogs and traditional clothes.

For a trip to the beach it’s Ijmuiden every time. Just half an hour drive from Amsterdam it’s not as smart as some resorts, but you can walk for miles on the beach, and eat the best fish and chips in the Netherlands near where the Newcastle ferry docks.

The Concertgebouw, Amsterdam’s concert hall, has free lunchtime concerts where you can hear orchestras in rehearsal. And in the summer there are free concerts in the Vondelpark.

[caption id="attachment_3850" align="alignnone" width="1200"] King's Day in Amsterdam[/caption]

Try and time a visit for King’s Day on April 30 when Amsterdam has a giant party, and everyone dresses in orange and sells jumble on the streets. Head to the Apollolaan for the best bargains. Children take over the Vondelpark for their stalls. Or, for a taste of Dutch culture come for the Sinterklaas parade in mid November, when St Nicholas arrives at the harbour on his boat from Spain and parades through the streets of Amsterdam. The tradition has caused controversy in recent years, because of the figure of "Zwart Piet", the Sint’s companion. Now there are moves to change Piet to ‘Colourful Piet.’ You’ll see lots of Piets, some on roller skates, giving out sweets and pepernoten - little spiced biscuits.

Keren David is the author of eight Young Adult novels, including This is Not a Love Story, set in Amsterdam.

More European family guides

To Barcelona (by Ella)

To Vienna (by Robert)

To Paris (by Sarah)

Making music at the Haus der Musik in Vienna

[caption id="attachment_3836" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Trying to conduct the Vienna Philarmonic (which wasn't easy!)[/caption]

 

Robert, aged 11, writes:

During our trip to Vienna, we went to the sound museum or the haus der music. The haus der musik is a large, interactive museum full of things to do and information about music in Austria. We started by walking up a set of very special stairs, piano stairs which made a sound when you walked on them. It was so cool and we spent a long time just walking up and down a staircase!

[kad_youtube url="https://youtu.be/VvUJnJCmb9I" width=200 height=100 ]

 

A lot of the first floor was devoted to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and a composer/conductor called Otto Nicolai who used to live in the space where the museum now is. This section was mainly information but there was a room where you could watch Vienna’s New Year concert (which was amazing) and a game where you threw dice and made your own piece of music. This was really cool – especially when mum and I got to hear our composition at the end.

[caption id="attachment_3838" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We made our own composition by throwing dice![/caption]

The Second floor, called the Sonosphere, was all about sounds and hearing. In the first room we listened to the sounds and vibrations coming from a mother and the embryo inside her; this was interesting but a bit weird. The next room held a row of screens, all with activities and facts about parts of sound (e.g volume, pitch, frequency). I found this section really fun as I liked the activities we had to do. If this room is busy, I would recommend waiting and to go on at least one of the screens.

Inside the Instrumentarium was four giant instruments (a drum, a xylophone, a pipe and some type of stringed instrument) where you are allowed to take part in the plucking and drumming. Next there were more screens about sound, my favourite was one on morphing. In this activity one sound changed into another, it was cool but rather strange. After that we went into a dark room where you pressed buttons and the room was suddenly filled with the sound. A lot of the buttons were unresponsive though and we didn’t spend much time there.

The Polyphonium is a room filled with over 30 speakers, all different shapes and sizes. All the speakers were playing different noises and I liked guessing what they were before I read the sign.

[caption id="attachment_3837" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Mozart composed us a piece called Tottenham Hotspur![/caption]

The next few rooms were all about different composers, the first being Joseph Haydn. The next, rather larger room was on the topic of Mozart. As well as just providing information about the composer, the room included an animated Mozart that copied what you did and a screen that created a piece of music by typing in letters. This meant you could type in your name and get a whole musical piece using those letters which were converted into notes. Beethoven was next, then Franz Schubert, followed by a section on Johann Strauss and the final room was devoted to Gustav Mahler.

After a few more rooms we came to The Virtual Conductor where you chose a piece, picked up the baton and had a go at controlling the orchestra on screen. Unfortunately, all three times I tried conducting, I failed miserably and the orchestra kicked me out. Mum didn’t fare any better though!

There were plenty of things we didn’t have time to do but I really enjoyed the things we did. I would definitely recommend this museum for anyone over 6 as it was fun, informative and very interactive. You can read about our whole trip to Vienna here.

The Haus Der Musik is open from 10am to 10pm every day. It costs €13 and €6 for the under 12s. A family ticket, for two adults and three children under 12 costs €29

Four days in Vienna with kids (by Robert)

[caption id="attachment_3799" align="alignnone" width="1200"] View of the Stephansdom, which was two minutes from our hotel![/caption]

Mum, Grandpa and I went on a four night trip to Austria. Grandpa was born in Vienna, but had to leave in 1939 when he was very young, and he was taking me there to show me some of our family history.

The plane journey was comfortable and short leaving us plenty of time to check in to our hotel and check out the local area. We stayed in the Hotel Royal, a lovely building that had everything we needed (except for an English TV). It’s situated right in the middle of Vienna meaning we didn’t have many long journeys. It was really easy to walk every where and we were just a few minutes from the Stefansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral) which is a real Viennese landmark.

[caption id="attachment_3800" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Traditional dumplings at Huth Gastwirtschaft[/caption]

We went to Huth Gastwirtshacft , which is a traditional Viennese restaurant, for dinner, and a few drinks as well, and sampled some of the biggest pasta (or dumplings) I have ever seen. They only gave us three pieces but it was more than enough. All the staff were really friendly and the food was very nice. It all seemed very Austrian too.

Day one:

After a filling breakfast of croissants and yoghurt we set out on a tour of Vienna. Our tour guide was Brigitte Timmermann who showed us loads of cool and interesting things. I personally liked the Monument Against War and Fascism, which was made up of four monuments, dedicated to different types of people who suffered from the Second World War.  It is behind Vienna’s opera house, on the Albertinaplatz.

[caption id="attachment_3805" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Part of the memorial against Fascism[/caption]

I also found the archives at the DOW (Documentation of Austrian Resistance) really interesting and it is definitely worth going there and looking at the small exhibition about what happened around the war years. We saw one of the voting cards for the referendum for whether Austria should join Germany under Hitler and it was amazing to see how the “Ja” (yes) was a really big circle and the “nein” very small.  I also loved the view of the city from up high.

[caption id="attachment_3811" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We had lots of delicious cake and hot chocolate in Vienna![/caption]

You may or may not know that Mozart spent many years in Vienna, so there were plenty of shops and buildings dedicated to the composer. After a long time walking we went to have lunch, at Café Mozart. The food served there was great. I had a large portion of crispy fish and chips, heated lemonade (which was really nice) and for dessert a small creamy cake… and half a portion of pancakes! This was probably my favourite restaurant that we went to, so I would recommend going.

Next, we went to the Clock Museum, three whole floors of clocks, watches and sundials. Each room explained how time-telling machines had evolved over time. Although there were some very cool clocks I personally found the museum quite boring but my sister liked it when she went a few years ago.

After we went to synagogue, we had Friday-night dinner at Alef Alef, which is a kosher restaurant. To be honest it was more of a feast. Our table was already covered in bowls and dishes when we sat down and that was only the first course. We were then provided with chicken soup, salmon and vegetables before we even got onto the main course. We had the option of schnitzel or chicken, I picked the schnitzel which turned out to be a very good choice. Dessert was a pudding smothered in sauce but I was too full up to eat any of it!

DAY TWO:

[caption id="attachment_3806" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Outside Time-Travel[/caption]

This was my favourite day of the holiday as it was jam-packed with loads of cool things. First we went to Time Travel which was a bit like the London dungeons (but without being as scary). We were given audio guides that played exactly in time with the tour guide speaking in German -  this was really clever. The experience included a 5D ride where you travel through time, a show about the Habsburg family and a music-off between Mozart and Strauss. There was also a ride that took you on a Viennese waltz, a section where you find out what it was like to be in an air raid shelter during the war and a tour of Vienna on a flying horse. I loved Time-Travel and would definitely recommend it if you go to Vienna with kids. Our hotel also had vouchers for 20 per cent off, so you should look for these in yours!

[caption id="attachment_3807" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert loved the horse and carriage[/caption]

We then went on a 20 minute horse and carriage ride. It was really fun, cosy and exciting and was a really cool thing to do even if it only took a short amount of time.

My great grandparents lived and ran a cinema in Vienna before World War II came along and mucked everything up. It felt really special going into the cinema called the Admiral Kino. I particularly liked the cinema’s old fashioned style which made me think that it hadn’t changed that much since my family had run it. The cinema was beautiful and I loved visiting it. You should definitely go if you are in Vienna.

[caption id="attachment_3808" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The Admiral Kino - the cinema once run by our family[/caption]

The final thing we did was going to the operetta, a light opera, at the Volksoper. We saw the Circus Princess, a lively performance telling the story of love, betrayal and a horse rider called Mr X. The theatre provided the audience with English subtitles on a screen which was very helpful. I really enjoyed going to the operetta as the show was funny and clever at the same time.

[caption id="attachment_3809" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Outside the Volksoper[/caption]

Day three

We visited two different Jewish museums, one explaining the history of the Jews in Austria from Medieval times, and the other displaying people’s stories and objects. I personally liked the latter more become there was a more personal feel. For more on these museums read mum’s post as she explains it in more detail.

Next on the agenda was taking a trip to the Prater which is a large theme park. The Prater is most famous for the Wiener Riesenrad Ferris wheel, which we obviously went on. Like the London Eye it slowly takes you on a vertical circuit giving you plenty of time to take pictures and look at the views. I really enjoyed going on the wheel and couldn’t resist going on some of the other rides too.

[caption id="attachment_3815" align="alignnone" width="675"] By the Ferris Wheel at the Prater[/caption]

Finally we visited Schönbrunn Palace, a beautiful building where the previous leaders of Austria had lived. We had the option of a longer, more detailed tour or a quicker one so we picked the latter as the palace was to close in half an hour. The audio guide was really interesting and I learnt a lot. The gardens were also very beautiful.

Day four

[caption id="attachment_3802" align="alignnone" width="1200"] These stairs were musical keys![/caption]

On Monday we went to the Haus der Musik which was a brilliant museum, all about sound, starting with a staircase which had steps which played musical notes. While we were there we created our own tunes, conducted the Vienna Philarmonic and more. This is a place which families will really love if they come to Vienna and I am going to write more on it in a later post.

Overall I had a brilliant holiday, there was so much to do, and eat. There were so many chocolate shops and bakeries as well as museums, monuments and theatres. I had a great time and can say that there is something for all ages. I also felt very lucky to find out more about my family's history.

[caption id="attachment_3813" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert and Grandpa enjoyed a cake at the famous Demel Cafe[/caption]

We had help from the Vienna Tourist Board while planning our trip, as well as the use of a Vienna Card, which gives you free travel and money off attractions in the city. 

Read the Five Things You Must Do in Vienna, by Jessica (and they are not all the ones mentioned here......)

What happened to Viennese Jews? A moving visit to the Jewish Museums in Vienna

Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever visited, in Europe and the world. Once the capital of a thriving empire, it is now the most important city for a country of just 8.5 million but it still has the grandeur of the place it once was. And the history.

The city certainly has a chequered past–and not only when it comes to the 20^th century. That was when my father, aged two, had to escape from the city of his birth as a toddler, arriving in London just two weeks before the start of World War II. There were some very dark times indeed.

That’s why – when I recently visited this remarkable city with my father and son – I knew we had to make a trip to its two Jewish museums. I would recommend them both whole heartedly.

The first Jewish Museum is in Judenplatz (“Jewish place”) and contains the excavations of the old medieval synagogue, one of the largest in the middle ages. It is a small museum, giving the history of the Jews in these times, when it was a thriving community – and showing what life was like then. We took audio guides round (these include one for children, which my son enjoyed using) and would definitely recommend it – although it is a small museum, which will take only an hour or so to go around.

[caption id="attachment_3784" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The Whiteread memorial to the Holocaust[/caption]

The Jewish community in Vienna was completely destroyed in a pogrom in 1420-1, with over 200 Jews burnt on Erdberger Lände, so it is perhaps fitting that Rachel Whitread’s memorial to the victims of the Holocaust is built over the top of where the old synagogue was discovered.  It is intended to remember the 65,000 Austrian Jews who were killed in the Holocaust.

[caption id="attachment_3785" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert at the remains of the old medieval synagogue[/caption]

The second museum is in Dorotheergasse and you need to leave yourself more time here. We were here for a few hours, but it could have been longer.

The museum was designed with the intention of not being solely a “Holocaust Museum”, but to show the history of the Jews in Vienna as a whole. That means the good and the bad, including the war years and the post-war years when Austria was not willing to face up to its actions, and wanted only to see itself as another victim of Nazi aggression (Hitler marched in to the country in 1938, but to widespread acclaim). That was really about life after survival, and the in face of no assistance from the Austrian authorities, at least for many years

Before 1938, the Viennese Jewish community was huge, around 185,000 people, smaller only than those in Warsaw and Budapest. It’s now around 8,000, and its story means there is so much to see in this museum.

[caption id="attachment_3786" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The box sent to Lilly Bial by her parents - and which she didn't receive until she was 79[/caption]

If it’s possible, I’d recommend a tour (book in advance). We did a short one, and even in that time we found out some fascinating bits of history – not least when we were shown a small box, full of treats, books and photographs, that had been packed for a young girl, Lilly Bial, who had left on the kindertransport and sent to England. She never saw her parents again and the box wasn’t found until 2004, long after they died. It was extremely moving.

Jews were expelled from Vienna in 1421 and returned in the 17^th century, where they lived mainly in a ghetto before being expelled again in 1670. They did return, but were not officially recognised as a community (despite helping to finance wars and industry), being officially outlawed until 1852.  They were at the forefront of the 1848 revolution and its failure was a great disappointment after the emperor then revoked some of their entitlements, such as the right to own property. However, the community was recognised in 1852 and in 1867, every person in the monarchy was deemed equal before the law.

However, even despite this, and a flowering of Jews in Vienna (including famous names such as Sigmund Freud),  it is clear from the exhibition that anti-Semitism never went away and grew, virulently, in the 20^th century.

The museum has a permanent exhibition, Our City! Jewish Vienna – from then to now, which covers two floors, and starts by looking at the city in 1945.

The second floor covers Jewish Vienna from the Middle Ages to 1938-45 and it is the one where we spent the longest time, reading about the history and looking at the items of interest. These were wide ranging and moving.

For example, there is a photo of 13-year-old Maximilian Reich in a 1941 Viennese photo studio with St. Stephan’s Cathedral as a backdrop. On the back he wrote a note to his friend Martin Vogel, urging him not to forget him. He was deported three days later.

[caption id="attachment_3787" align="alignnone" width="700"] Judaica - pic courtesy of the Jewish Museum, Vienna[/caption]

The top floor is based around the collection of a man called Max Berger who specialised in Judaica. There are really beautiful Jewish items on show, including ritual objects such Torah shields, pointers and crowns (used when the Torah – or books of the law – are read in synagogue), Chanukah menorahs, Sabbath candlesticks and more, from all round Europe, including many communities which no longer have any Jewish presence at all.

[caption id="attachment_3788" align="alignnone" width="675"] These walking sticks are caricatures[/caption]

There are also some more problematic items, such as anti-Semitic walking sticks (yes really) or other models or postcards which contain people who are supposed to “look” Jewish.

All in all, I felt that these two museums were both important places to visit, to show a side of our history, as European Jews, which no one should forget.

Both Jewish Museums are closed on Saturdays. The bigger museum in Dorotheergasse is open from Sunday to friday from 10 to 6pm, while the other is open from 10 to 6 on Sunday to Thursday and 10 till 2 on Fridays.

You can buy a ticket for both museums, as long as you use it within four days of issue. It costs €12 for aduts and is free for children under 18, as well as being free if you have a Vienna Pass. You can also book a guided tour if you like.

The Museum in Dorotheergasse also has a lovely cafe and there are also a number of temporary exhibitions, which change throughout the year.

Why Playa Blanca, Lanzarote is perfect for families

Jess, aged 14, writes: Some of my earliest memories come from our family's trips to Playa Blanca, a seaside resort on the south of Lanzarote. Our family generally visited every other year along with my Grandma and Grandpa, and having not been for four years, I was ridiculously excited to go back last month. Our family stayed for a week and had a relaxing, enjoyable, and exciting time. It really is a great place for a family holiday.

[caption id="attachment_3599" align="alignnone" width="1200"] In between the villas at Las Casitas[/caption]

Our family stayed in a bungalow at Las Casitas resort, where we had stayed every time we've been to Lanzarote. There's something so special about going back to a place with so many memories attached to it, and it was just as good as I remembered it. The villas are spacious and full of everything we needed, and I preferred the beds to my one at home! The complex includes a tennis court, a pool, and a bar, and everyone we met was lovely. The atmosphere at the quiz night was astonishingly friendly and we talked to lots of people we didn't know afterwards. The WiFi was also pleasingly reliable, although we didn't have to use it much. Las Casitas is in such a perfect and accessible location that we spent most of our time away from the villa.

[caption id="attachment_3634" align="alignnone" width="1200"] At Papagayo. The waves were massive![/caption]

We visited two different beaches in Playa Blanca, and both were lovely. The main Playa Blanca beach is situated directly in front of the promenade, but it's quite small, so we walked past this to Playa Papagayo, which is large and full of deck chairs. The view of nearby Fuerteventura was also beautiful to see. Mum and dad soaked up the sun and lounged on deck chairs, while Robert and I went to the sea. The wind meant that the beach was quiet and the waves were large, but I enjoyed swimming and jumping through them. Playa Flamingo is much busier than Papagayo, but the water was clear and perfect for swimming in. Dad and I also saw fish swimming around our feet!

Robert says: Dad and I went to AquaLava, an awesome waterpark near our resort. It had 5 great waterslides, a heated lazy river and a big area for little kids full of small slides and fountains. There was also a wave pool that started up every hour.

[caption id="attachment_3602" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We had lots of fun on our walks, discovering castles, lighthouses, old buildings, geocaches, carousels, and more.[/caption]

 

Jess writes: Playa Blanca is perfect for walks, as much of it is along a promenade so it is very accessible, and the weather is usually lovely too. One day, our whole family walked about 4km when visiting the Castillo de los Colorados - an old fortress. Another day, mum and I took a 9km walk to the Pechiguera Lighthouse. These walks were lovely as the sea and the views are gorgeous, there were lots of geocaches to find, and more than enough restaurants to try out if we got hungry...

[caption id="attachment_3604" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Enjoying home made ice cream from Gelateria Italiana Verderosa.[/caption]

We were spoiled for choice for food, as Playa Blanca is full of places to eat. We particularly enjoyed the home-made ice cream at Gelateria Italiana Verderosa, and the ridiculously sugary slushies and milkshakes at Good Times. The Canarian potatoes (salty potatoes with two sauces) at La Bahia were the best we had all holiday and I particularly liked eating at Caribe by the marina, where my tuna crêpe was delicious.

Playa Blanca is very convenient for shopping - among the numerous restaurants, there are three supermarkets, clothes shops, and a few very touristy shops, which we avoided.

[caption id="attachment_3605" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We delighted in finding a playground we remember visiting when we were younger.[/caption]

There are lots of other things to do in Playa Blanca. I was very excited when we found a playground that I remember visiting when I was much younger. There are also lots of other things to do on the island with children, such as going to the cactus garden, looking at volcanoes, the animal park Ranco Texas, and visiting César Manrique (an influential architect)'s house. Mum has written a proper guide to the island, so please read it here.

I had so much fun in Playa Blanca when I was small, and it's lovely to know that it's as great as I remembered. There's a lot to do for children and adults alike, and while it's more touristy than I thought it was, I had such a great time. It's such a wonderful place for families to visit and I would love to go again.

You can find out more about holiday rentals at Las Casitas via their website - prices vary throughout the year. We flew with Thomas Cook from Gatwick to Arrecife, which is about 40 minutes away from the resort by taxi.

Photographing landmarks in London and beyond...

[caption id="attachment_2545" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Big Ben seen through the wrought iron gates at the House of Commons[/caption]

 

Landmarks are such special, wonderful places to visit because of the excitement of seeing something so famous right in front of you. Whether it’s the Golden Gate Bridge or the Tower of London, that sense of instant recognition makes the visit particularly exciting.

We’re lucky enough to have visited a number of landmarks over the years but we’ve realised one thing: they’re always busy! So busy, in fact, that it can be hard to cut through the crowds and bustle, and enjoy some time at the place you’ve spent ages getting to.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t go – of course not. We wouldn’t have missed our views of the Eiffel Tower for anything, nor of the White House. But it does make it very hard to get a good photograph!

However, we think that there are ways round this, ways you can get a terrific picture and enjoy the whole experience. Let us give you some examples, but before we do, we'd recommend a visit to the CEWE Photoworld website, where they have a lovely infographic showing the top 10 most photographed places in the world (perfect for bucket list inspiration)!

[caption id="attachment_2551" align="alignnone" width="900"] The Eiffel Tower reflected in the Seine[/caption]

 

The Eiffel Tower
You can’t get much more iconic that his 300m tall construction, which was built in 1887. When we visited, we weren’t disappointed, although I think we might have been if we’d had to stand in a queue for hours to get in! So, our biggest tip is to book online and then take as many pictures as you want. But, if you want something a little different, you've got a number of options. Our favourites include shots from standing at the bottom (giving you a very different view of such a famous structure) and taking advantage of any special weather conditions. I was at the top of the Tower when I spotted that the sun was positioned so perfectly that I could get a picture of the Tower reflected in the Seine. I think it's very special.



Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament
One of the most amazing things we’ve done together as a family is a tour of Big Ben, and we’ve realised that not many people know this is possible. You have to be a UK resident, and it’s free – all you have to do is contact your local MP who will put you in a ballot (you can read more about this on our blog post). You can’t take pictures while you’re actually on the tour, but you can take some as you exit the House of Commons. This means you can get views which most people simply can’t – from inside the Parliament setting, giving you a totally different perspective to that which most people see as they walk by on the outside.
Here’s one of our favourites, plus another (at the top of this post) which anyone could take, through the wrought iron. I just like trying to frame pictures in different ways.

[caption id="attachment_2552" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Notre Dame Cathedral[/caption]

 

Notre Dame
We’re back in France for this one – surely one of the most famous Cathedrals in the world and situated in the fourth arrondissement of Paris. It’s always surrounded by people, so it can be hard to get a beautiful shot without everyone crowding in. Ours came from a trip on the Seine itself – a different view of a beautiful place, with the bridge crossing it in front.

[caption id="attachment_2547" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The Monument (from below!)[/caption]

 

The Monument
We mentioned going down low to get a new perspective on taking pictures and it is a lovely way to get something that bit different. On our trip to the Monument, which marks the Fire of London, I knelt down to take in this vast column which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. If you do visit, it’s also definitely worth walking the 300 steps to the top to enjoy the views.

[caption id="attachment_2548" align="alignnone" width="640"] St Paul's Cathedral, seen from the Millennium Bridge, London[/caption]

 

St Paul's and the Millennium bridge

The Millennium Bridge (which you might recognise from the Harry Potter films) is a pedestrian bridge between Tate Modern and St Paul’s Cathedral, and takes you across the River Thames. I really like this picture of two landmarks together, as I love taking shots which show the old and new sides of a city. London is brilliant for doing this, and one of my other favourite London pictures shows The Shard peeking out from behind the Tower of London.

I also really like this picture because it’s from a different angle, so it’s not too full of tourists!

[caption id="attachment_1347" align="alignnone" width="1712"] We got to take pictures in front of the castle with no tourists around![/caption]

 

Disney’s Magic Kingdom
This is one of our most special pictures from what our children would term our “best ever” holiday. As you can see it’s just us in front of the iconic Cinderella Castle. Why? Because we were incredibly lucky.
We were picked to open the park, one of just 365 families to get this honour in a year, and that meant we were ushered in early and able to take photographs with no one else around. I’d obviously recommend this, but it’s not quite as easy to do as the other examples!

We love taking photographs and we actually print them out and put them in albums (I know, we’re old school). This means we can look at them again and again. Sometimes we have logjams of all the pictures we take, but we never regret taking them. It’s wonderful to have memories which last forever.

Disclosure: we wrote this piece in conjunction with CEWE Photoworld who are running a new travel photography campaign featuring the top 10 instagrammed landmarks around the world. From the Eiffel Tower to the Burj Khalifa, it covers great tips on how to get the best shots around - so please take a look! CEWE can also help you turn your treasured shots into your very own professional looking photo book.

Ella goes to Copenhagen, Denmark

[caption id="attachment_3457" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Ella and her brother outside Kronborg Castle, otherwise known as "Hamlet's Castle"[/caption]

It's so lovely to have another guest post from my very gorgeous niece Ella, who’s 16. So far, she has written on Barcelona, Whitstable and the Veggie Prets in London! Now she's telling us about her trip to Copenhagen.

"This summer, I was lucky enough to visit the beautiful city of Copenhagen. Having never been to Denmark before, and having no idea of the language or culture, this was a very insightful and exciting trip – and one I would highly recommend.

The Tivoli Gardens were the highlight of my holiday. Known for stunning scenery, the gardens did not disappoint – and this was one for all the family. Whilst our parents sat entranced by the beautiful flowers, buildings and waterfalls, my brother and I loved going on a wide variety of rides and rollercoasters. One of my favourites was described to be similar to Disney’s “It’s a small world” – but this one was a history of Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales, and is definitely not to be missed. As well as the slower paced rides, there were plenty of rollercoasters to choose from – varying in speed and scariness! There really is something for everyone.

Entry into Tivoli was quite pricey, so I would recommend dedicating an entire day to spending there to get your money’s worth. In addition to the entry fee, you do have to pay for the rides. These cost anywhere between 25 and 75 DKK (£3-£8). My brother and I both bought wristbands for 220 DDK each (£26) – these allowed you unlimited access to all the rides for one day, and are particularly good if you are there off-peak, and can avoid long queues.

The statue of Hans Christian Anderson’s Little Mermaid is a supposed must-see during a trip to Copenhagen. However, my family and I found it to be very under-whelming, probably due to all the hype it’s given! In saying that, I wouldn’t advise you to avoid it all together – perhaps rather than dedicating a trip to it specifically, you can settle for seeing it on a boat trip.

We used our first morning in Copenhagen for a sight-seeing boat tour on the canal. This was the perfect way to start our holiday, and get a great taste for the beauty and intricate architecture of the city. As well as glancing The Little Mermaid, a wide variety of other sights are to be seen – including The Copenhagen Opera House, and the impressive Black Diamond Library.

The tour takes approximately an hour, and is guided in English, Danish and one other language per boat - varying between German, Italian, French, Portuguese and Spanish. I would definitely recommend it, but make sure you wrap up warm!

It is no secret that Copenhagen is an expensive city. Prices are all very high, and perhaps this wouldn’t be the ideal destination for a solely shopping holiday! We found a good way to get around the high costs, especially in restaurants, was to buy supermarket food and make our own meal once a day. The people we encountered were all very friendly, which made shopping in a supermarket full of a completely unknown language a much easier task.

[caption id="attachment_3459" align="alignnone" width="750"] Nyhavn[/caption]

I loved walking around and getting a feel for the beautiful, quirky city – a walk on the colourful Nyhavn is definitely not to be missed! This is the cute and attractive harbour, where the buildings are painted a multitude of different colours, and the atmosphere is lively and fun.

We also embarked on a very interesting day trip to "Hamlet’s" castle. If you’ve hired a car, the hour long drive from Copenhagen to Helsingor is a great way to see a little more of Denmark. There are many fisherman villages on the way, and the drive is very beautiful. The castle itself is also quite a sight! It is called Kronborg Castle, and is the actual castle that Shakespeare set Hamlet in (otherwise known as Elsinore).

Copenhagen is a city that many tourists and residents choose to cycle around, so renting a bike is another great way to become acquainted with the city.

Overall, I really did have a lovely holiday, and Copenhagen is definitely worth a visit."

 

More by Ella on Barcelona and Whitstable, Kent