hidden europe

Where God grew stones: a Mani odyssey Patrick Leigh Fermor's 1958 book on the Mani region of southern Greece helped put Mani on the map. Today it pulls the tourist crowds, yet it still retains a raw appeal. Guest contributor Duncan JD Smi...

In hidden europe 42, Duncan JD Smith dove deep into the Mani to explore the otherworldly landscapes of this arid peninsula, and this is one of the articles from our magazine archive that is now available to read in full on our website.

www.hiddeneurope.eu/the-magazine...

The places of hidden europe - The fortified village of Váthia with the Cávo Grósso in the distance, part of the Mani region of southern Greece that was put on the map for English-language readers thanks to Patrick Leigh Fermor’s book in 1958.

Photo © Duncan JD Smith

Switzerland beyond the Alps Switzerland is a country of extraordinary variety, complexity and uncertainty. Jung was probably spot-on when he asserted that Switzerland's total preoccupation with itself was the only thing that pre...

In hidden europe 32 we took some time to explore Switzerland beyond the Alps for an article that is one from our magazine archive that is now available to read in full on our website:

www.hiddeneurope.eu/the-magazine...

Or how about the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen, which developed in the nineteenth century into one of the must-see sights of continental Europe, and even today - despite the crowds - it remains spectacular and well-worth a visit...

The places of hidden europe - Switzerland is a country of extraordinary variety, complexity and uncertainty. And yet, when people think of the place, they tend to focus on the mountains and the high meadows, rather than - for example - fine cities, such as Zurich.

Photo © Ron Summers / Dreamstime

Vintage Views: Railways and Wine Tourism What better way to survey some of the world's great vineyards than from the comfort of a train cruising slowly through a region celebrated for its fine wines? Ideally with a glass of wine to hand! We ...

In hidden europe 54 we explored the many different opportunities for rail-wine tourism in Spain, Hungary, France, Portugal and further afield. This is one of the articles from our magazine archive that is now available to read in full on our website.

www.hiddeneurope.eu/the-magazine...

The places of hidden europe - The Hungarian trains which circle around Tokaji Hill afford marvellous views of the region's vineyards… and what better way to survey some of the world’s great vineyards than from the comfort of a train?

Photo © Attila Vörös / Dreamstime

Mapping the identity of islands often comes down to a single thing. The island in The Tempest, for example, is shaped by Caliban. But if you love islands like we do, then the question is:

What is it about islands that so captures the imagination?

The plane is of course the favoured tree of shade-seeking storytellers and philosophers. And it is the perfectly symmetrical shape of the tree which gives character to Peilz, one of only seven islands in Lake Geneva and the only one which, being well out in the lake, really looks like an island...

The captain of the Suisse, a man well versed in the vagaries of the winds and currents in this uppermost part of Lake Geneva, takes care to leave the Île de Peilz off to port, but we pass close enough to get a good view of the single plane tree which so perfectly occupies this tiny Swiss island...

As paddle steamers go, the Suisse is a grande dame . Built in 1910, she still plies the waters of Lake Geneva. From the upper deck there is a fine view of Peilz Island as the Suisse makes her regular late morning run west from Villeneuve towards Saint-Gingolph on the French border...

Moladh Uibhist: In Praise of Uist Driving the spinal road which runs the length of South Uist can be a melancholic or an uplifting experience. Few Hebridean islands evoke such mixed responses. In this article, we explore South Uist an...

Few Hebridean islands evoke such mixed responses, and for hidden europe 60 we explored South Uist to find an island of delicate beauty. This is is one the articles from our magazine archive that you can now read in full online: www.hiddeneurope.eu/the-magazine...

The places of hidden europe - Looking over the peaty blacklands to the hills which line the eastern side of South Uist. Driving the spinal road which runs the length of South Uist can be a melancholic or an uplifting experience...

hidden europe 66 There are many themes to hidden europe 66. One of these explores the intricate relationship between landscapes and nature on the one hand and the human experience on the other. So we discover in this...

We explored many different aspects of the Azores in hidden europe 66, and a couple of these articles are now available to read in full via our website. 5/5

www.hiddeneurope.eu/the-magazine...

Following earthquakes or eruptions, the reconstruction of these small chapels is often prioritised over the rebuilding of the ‘official’ parish church, and for emigrants from the islands, Pentecost is often the preferred time for a return visit. 4/5

There are small chapels dedicated to the Holy Spirit in villages across the islands, and these form the focus for private or communal prayer and festivities — some of the latter quite secular in character. 3/5

The notion of a triune Deity is deeply embedded in mainstream Christianity with reverence accorded to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost). At Pentecost the Holy Spirit stands centre stage, but Azorean Catholics show a remarkable year-round devotion to the Holy Spirit. 2/5

The places of hidden europe - Traditional Azorean chapel in Topo on the island of São Jorge. Note the dove above the entrance that reveals the Azorean attachment to the Cult of the Holy Spirit. 1/5

Photo © H368k742 / dreamstime

We have been using our Letter from Europe to highlight the different pieces from the magazine archive that are now available in full on our website, such as our article from hidden europe 43. You can also find our newsletter archive on our website.

www.hiddeneurope.eu/letter-from-...

Simply wood: a journey into the hills The humblest homes in many villages in the Carpathians are built of wood. So, too, are the grandest buildings - almost invariably the church. Wood has its own benign beauty, and it is the carrier of t...

The wooden architecture of the Carpathian’s provided us with the cover stars as well as a feature for hidden europe 43, and our journey through Poland and Slovakia is one of the articles from our magazine now available to read in full online: www.hiddeneurope.eu/the-magazine...

The places of hidden europe - The vernacular architecture of the Goral villages in the Carpathian Mountains is characterised by an essential simplicity enhanced by the sparing use of decorative elements. These cottages are in Ždiar, a village in Slovakia...

We have been using our Letter from Europe to highlight the different pieces from the magazine archive that are now available to read in full online, such as our article from hidden europe 69. You can also find our newsletter archive on our website.

www.hiddeneurope.eu/letter-from-...

The road to Abergwesyn The tides in the Mawddach estuary never come too early. Nor too late. The rain never beats too hard on the road to Abergwesyn. hidden europe editor Nicky Gardner celebrates the communities in rural Wa...

“I have not lived in Wales for years. Yet Wales still haunts me. Ever more with every passing year. I return from time to time for another fleeting encounter with the Welsh hills, to watch the sandbanks grow on the Mawddach…”

Read the piece in full: www.hiddeneurope.eu/the-magazine...

The places of hidden europe - The old drovers' road from Tregaron across the Cambrian mountains drops down into the Irfon Valley. We followed the road Abergwesyn in Wales back in hidden europe 17…

We have been using our Letter from Europe to highlight the different pieces from the magazine archive that are now available to read in full online, such as our article from hidden europe 69. You can also find our newsletter archive on our website.

www.hiddeneurope.eu/letter-from-...

To the point: A Danish extremity How did the great spit at Skagen come to claim so prominent a space in the Danish imagination? We navigate sand dunes and heathlands to visit the point where waters of the Skagerrak meet the Kattegat.

How did the spit at Skagen come to claim so prominent a space in the Danish imagination? In hidden europe 69 we navigated sand dunes and heathlands to visit the point where waters of the Skagerrak meet the Kattegat. Read it in full on our website.

www.hiddeneurope.eu/the-magazine...

The places of hidden europe - Near the end of the Skagen spit towards Point Grenen. On the left are the waters of the Skagerrak, which is in effect the easternmost extension of the North Sea…

We have been using our Letter from Europe to highlight the different pieces from the magazine archive that are now available to read in full online, such as our article from hidden europe 66. You can also find our newsletter archive on our website.

www.hiddeneurope.eu/letter-from-...

Pure theatre: homage to Lake Lucerne Swiss lakes are in a class of their own. But is there one that just has the edge over the rest? Some may cast their vote for Léman, and others will argue the case for Lugano. But for us it’s Lake Luce...

From hidden europe 66: “Its cartographic footprint hints of endless compromise. It’s a lake with twists and turns, vaguely cruciform in shape. It sneaks surreptitiously between great mountains. …(it) is easily the most theatrical of Swiss lakes.”

www.hiddeneurope.eu/the-magazine...

The places of hidden europe - Looking east over Lake Lucerne from the hiking trail on Mount Pilatus. We think Swiss lakes are in a class of their own, but we think it is Lake Lucerne that has an edge over the rest…

Photo © Damien Verrier / Dreamstime