Edinburgh, a City of Time Itself

Edinburgh is a city with layers of history. Stories upon stories walk these cobblestone lanes and hide like ghosts within the shadow of medieval closes. This is a city where kings rose and fell, where heroes fought for freedom and where shameful men were nailed to the Mercat Cross. This is a city of good times, of hard times, of Time itself.

Right from the beginning, these were lands born in fire; Castle Rock, at the city’s core, is volcanic in origin. It is on this strategic hilltop that the city’s tale began. Edinburgh Castle itself, with its many previous iterations, has borne the brunt of Scotland’s volatile medieval era; it played a key part in the Scottish wars for independence throughout the 13th and 14th centuries.

During the 16th century, the events of history continued to shape Edinburgh not only as a city, but as the capital of a kingdom. Fuelled on by Protestant Reformers like John Knox, the tragedy of Mary, Queen of Scots, would play out here. With the coming of the 18th century, Edinburgh found itself in the midst of the Scottish Enlightenment. Dozens of monuments found around the city today celebrate illustrious men like David Hume, Adam Smith and Dugald Stewart, tributes to Edinburgh’s maverick thinkers.

The draining of the Nor Loch paved the way for Edinburgh’s famed New Town in the mid-18th century. As the united kingdoms of Scotland and England entered the Georgian period, so too did Edinburgh’s architecture, with Charlotte Square and Calton Hill becoming emblematic of the new era.

Edinburgh today is very much a product of its long, complicated and sometimes difficult history. Every building, every statue and every bustling square holds deep ties to the past; the legacies of war, Reformation and Enlightenment are very much still felt here. And as you walk these streets, you just might feel it too.

Team Citytravelreview/Curso, by Tiger Shen, Edinburgh April 2019

Sample: http://www.curso24.de/travel-news-citytravelreview-sample.pdf

Edinburgh: More than just Haggis, Especially at Night

Edinburgh’s hidden nightlife happens in the narrow streets and low-lying wynds of the city. You just need to start walking and look out for such places; even though they can be difficult to find, they do exist. The revellers circulate in clubs and pubs and underground bars which are often intricately laid out and can feel like labyrinths.

When darkness comes, you can follow the curiously-clothed and sometimes drunk groups of people doing stag and hen nights. Close to the Old Town, you quickly reach the quarter between Niddry Street, North Bridge, Royal Mile and Victoria Street. In this area you will find a lot of partying options. Especially around Niddry Street, the gaps conceal gothic bars, motto clubs and pubs with scanty light. The Hive on the same street is considered the Edinburgh’s most popular club, though that means it’s more mainstream.

If you’re not into that, look into the smaller venues ones that are around because they might be more entertaining. They all have their own special setting and music style, with numerous floors and open basements. There are also some clubs with mixed music like the Espionage in Victoria Street. With a karaoke bar on the top and five floors downstairs, the club is an establishment for versatile music.

You will see queues on every corner in that quarter, so it’s advisable to check out the smaller side streets as well. From a cabaret to an open-air bar, everything’s on offer. Get out on the street and explore the life under street lights for yourself.

Team Citytravelreview/Curso, by Lisa M. Jordan, Edinburgh April 2019

Sample: http://www.youblisher.com/p/2038915-More-Than-Just-Haggis/

Citytravelreview 2019

Wir präsentieren unsere neuen Projekte in der Universität von Nottingham. Dank an die Uni sowie an die Studierenden für die Neugier und die Begeisterung.

Team Citytravelreview/Curso

Hallo, Berlin! – Museums & Galleries

Berlin has over 200 museums and art galleries housing vast collections from classical art to currywurst. Whether you’re looking to spend an hour or a day there, Berlin has a museum to suit every taste. From small privately-owned collections such as the Ramones Museum to imposing state-owned buildings like the Pergamon, history and art buffs will find themselves spoilt for choice. World heritage site Museum Island attracts millions of visitors per year, and with its five world-class museums you will struggle to see them all in a trip, so pick one or two. From the Altes Museen with its collections of Roman and Greek sculpture to the Pergamon with its collection of antiquities and Islamic art. Modern art enthusiasts will enjoy galleries such as Hamburger Bahnhof, boasting a large collection of pop art, and Berlinische Galerie, with its collection of photography and graphic art. For those who enjoy architecture there is the Daniel Libeskind-designed Jewish museum, combining the history of the Jewish people with ground-breaking structural design. If you like to get lost in museums, Berlin is the place for you.

Team CTR Berlin 2014
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What’s Up Edinbro? – Scottish Lifestyle

What comes to your mind when you think about the Scottish lifestyle? Are bagpipes popping into your head, or whisky, golf, kilts and haggis? That is right! These are a few very important aspects of Scottish life, but Scotland has more to offer. Discover the interesting story about the unicorn, why a Scotsman has to get some IRN BRU after an evening with too much alcohol or what a fried Mars bar is. Go out and learn to dance at the ceilidh, so you can act like you are from Scotland. We’ve found the most important things you have to know and try when discovering Scottish lifestyle.

Find out more by taking a look into our travel guide book
Team Curso/CTR Edinburgh 2014, Scottish Lifestyle by Laura Sedlmaier
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Edinburgh Up Close

Up Hills and Down Closes: To begin your trip into the lovely city of Edinburgh, here are a few highlights of some popular and well-traversed AREAS. These overviews will give travelers an impression of what they can expect to find in the many different districts of Edinburgh.

Find Your Way Around the Maze:
To see some sights and explore new areas, this TOURS section
should be a good place to start. Most of the excursions are
walking tours to explore parts of the city while learning from
her inhabitants. Two bus routes have also been included to
provide an idea on how to get to various parts of the capital.

Discover “The Athens of the North”:
CULTURE is an important part of society to understand when
visiting somewhere new! Explore the area, spend some time in
any of these fantastic places, learn, but most of all have fun – your
exposure to the colorful world of Edinburgh is well underway.

Telling Auld Reekie‘s Story:
Much of Scotland’s history can be observed in the numerous
MUSEUMS scattered throughout the city. With impressive
collections, entertaining exhibitions, and unbeatable prices, the
museums are an absolute must-see when visiting Edinburgh.

Goodies – With or Without Tartan:
If you don’t have short arms and long pockets, this section is
a definite cause for celebration. SHOPS line the streets of
Edinburgh, up high and down low, some popular and still others
waiting to be discovered. Come and see what you can find!

It’s not all neeps and tatties!:
A long day of exploring can only mean one thing: time for FOOD!
Treat your taste buds and gratify your appetite at any of these fine
establishments located throughout various districts of Edinburgh.

Finish your day with PUBS & ENTERTAINMENT like the Scots
do! Experience the hospitality of the local people, enjoy some
good drinks, or find a fun way to relax with friends. It’s all right here.

Find out what’s behind the chapter description by taking a look on our travel guide book
Team Curso/CTR Edinburgh 2014
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Viva Los Madrileños

Madrid hat vielen bedeutenden Charakteren in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart enorme Inspiration in Bereichen wie der Kunst, dem Kino, Sport und Politik gegeben. Die Kreativität der Akteure ist heute in den zentralen Stadtteilen der spanischen Hauptstadt präsent. Auch während der Curso/CTR Projekte Reisejournalismus und Spanisch dient uns die große Vergangenheit Madrids immer wieder als hervorragende Quelle der Inspiration. Im Rahmen der Recherche für das Projekt-Buch können unsere Studierenden in Madrid den Spuren der zahlreichen berühmten Persönlichkeiten in der Hauptstadt folgen. Dem kreativen Flair im pulsierenden Madrid folgen. Den ökonomischen Problemen Spaniens zum Trotz ist Madrid eine kreative Besonderheit und Schönheit in Europa geblieben und entwickelt sich jeden Tag weiter. Berühmte Menschen, die tatsächlich in der Stadt geboren wurden, sind gar nicht so zahlreich. Madrid war immer ein Anziehungspunkt für Kreative aus aller Welt. Aber auch geborene Madrileños drücken der Stadt ihren Stempel auf.

Miguel de Cervantes war während des Goldenen Zeitalters der Kultur im sechzehnten und frühen siebzehnten Jahrhundert einer der produktivsten und kreativsten spanischen Schriftsteller. Er wurde eine halbe Autostunde von Madrid entfernt in der alten Hauptstadt Toledo geboren. Wir verdanken ihm zahlreiche Theaterstücke und Gedichte von denen sein wohl berühmtestes Buch Don Quijote de la Mancha, das als erster moderner Roman gilt, noch heute als ultimatives Meisterwerk bewundert wird.

Luis Buñuel war Salvador Dali freundschaftlich sowie künstlerisch eng verbunden. Er war ein besonders kreativer Filmregisseur des zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts. Ursprünglich inspiriert von Dalis surrealistischen Werken schuf Buñuel zahlreichen Surrealismus in bewegten Bildern. Im Laufe seiner Karriere kamen eine Vielzahl von Filmen aus verschiedenen künstlerischen Bereichen hinzu; darunter bedeutende Werke wie Viridiana, Belle de Jour, und Le
Fantôme de la Liberté.

Penelope Cruz ist die wohl bekannteste Leinwandschönheit Spaniens, geboren in Madrid. Hier begann ihre Karriere im Alter von sechzehn Jahren die sie bis nach Hollywood führte. Sie blieb ihrer wundervollen Heimatstadt sehr verbunden.

Redaktion Curso/CTR Madrid-Projekte

Aktuelles zu den Praktikumsprogrammen Reisejournalismus und Spanisch in Madrid

#Berlin

It would be an understatement to say Berlin has “plenty to see and do”; this city rewards even the casual wanderer with a plethora of incredible buildings and monuments. Facing the iconic Brandenburg Gate with the Victory Column behind you, you only have to turn right to see Lord Norman Foster’s magnificent glass-dome atop the Reichstag, whilst further along lies the sobering and haunting Holocaust memorial. Turning around takes you down historical Unter den Linden and if you walk the other way you can get lost in the leafy green acres of Tiergarten. Head-spinning yet? Thought so.

The best sightseeing in Berlin is well planned. Book your tickets for the Reichstag in advance, plan your walk around Checkpoint Charlie in advance and make a list of ‘must sees’ and opening hours to really maximise your time and take it all in. Don’t worry if you don’t have the time to see everything. Berlin isn’t going anywhere, and with a history as diverse as this spanning over ten centuries, it is well worth a second, or even third visit.

Team Curso/CTR Berlin

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Berlin there, done that…36 hours in Berlin

Start your Saturday morning with breakfast at Ana Blume cafe in trendy Prenzlauer Berg before heading to the Brewers Free Walking Tour at 11am to get an initial glimpse of what Berlin has to offer. Afterwards, duck into the metro at Pariser Platz (Brandenburger Tor) and take the S25 to Yorkstraße, where you can change to the U7 to Mehringdamm. Here, indulge your fast food craving with Berlin’s best kebab at the famous Mustafa’s – don’t be put off by the line, it’s worth the wait! Energy restored, you’ll be ready to tackle the East Side Gallery, a short metro ride away at Warschauer Straße. Then, if you’re feeling peckish despite the huge lunch time kebab, wind off your sightseeing tour with dinner at Burgermeister a short 10 minute walk from the Wall in gritty Kreuzberg.

Appetite sated, go home to change into your glad rags and head to the Weinrei for a glass of wine or five before hitting Club der Visionaire to dance the night away. If you wake up feeling not too refreshed, soothe your hangover with a fresh fruit and cream waffle at Kauf Dich Glucklich and recover your senses with a cup of warm Earl Grey.

Blow away the remaining cobwebs with a gentle stroll down the road the Mauerpark flea market and rummage around the hundreds of stalls for some vintage bargains to round off your weekend in Berlin – just make sure they’ll all fit in your suitcase on the way home.

Team CTR Berlin – a guide for young travellers

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Inspired by Edinburgh

City of Literature, city of writers, grey stones reflect the misty sky, behind them tales are woven. Inspiration, imagination find ideas in cobblestoned closes, alluring alleys and streets, intricately intertwined. Get lost in them, disclose stories, hidden behind historic façades.

Writers through the ages have taken inspiration, from plots, history and life in this city of creativity. They are still present, stories float through the air, words, ideas, beautifully crafted. Characters beloved feel so near, not just products of creative minds, of restless writers, but friends, as if they were real.

Scot To Be Fun – Discover Edinburgh

Team Curso/CTR, Franziska Lange

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