From city walks in Hamburg to a Roman literary cafe, we bring you the latest instalment of insider tips from blog network Spotted by Locals
Amsterdam: Gartine – breakfast from the owner’s garden
By Maarten-Jan Meyer zu Schlochtern
Gartine is one of my favourites for a unique breakfast, excellent lunch and English high tea – all served on antique chinaware, which has been collected by the owners with loving care over the years. The atmosphere is easy and pleasant.
All ingredients come from the owner’s vegetable garden, so the dishes are always super fresh and of good quality. On top of that, Gartine adopted 58 chickens at the foundation ‘Adopt a Chicken’ and these provide farm-fresh eggs. They also use products of the ‘Ark van Smaak’ from Slow Food Netherlands. So when you eat there, you eat ‘eco and green’.
Gartine is in a small alley called ‘Taksteeg’ in the old centre of Amsterdam, between Rokin and Spui.
• Details about this spot: Gartine, Taksteeg 7, +31 3204132. Big breakfast €10.95. Open Tue-Sun 8am-6pm.
Rome: Bar-a-book – drinking while reading
Fabiola is the woman who runs it. She prepares excellent aperitifs served on a large wooden table in the middle of the room, so it feels like being at a friend’s party.
There is a list of wines by the glass – not a great variety, I must admit, but they are good at least. The food is homemade: cous cous, vegetable quiches and pies, tarts and little pizzas, sandwiches (mostly vegetarian) and many other snacks, including cakes at times. I like it here because it is located in one of my neighbourhoods, so it really makes me feel at home.
The furniture is totally random – you are surrounded by shelves of books that you can buy – vintage like the neighbourhood. Post second world war kind of design, just like most of the buildings that have been either rebuilt or restored after the area was completely shelled by US aircraft during the war. Now, it is considered one of the trendy-bohemian areas in town.
If you want to do as the Romans do, this is one of the real Roman places to pick.
• Details about this spot: Bar-à -book: drink including buffet food €10,
via dei Piceni 23, S.Lorenzo & Pigneto; +39 (0)645 443358. Tue-Sun 4pm-1:30am. Brunch on Sun 12-4pm.
Lisbon: Miradouro da Gra̤a Рthe perfect viewpoint
A picture is worth … oh it’s such a cliché I am not even going to finish the sentence, but this is one picture opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. (The photo is looking up towards the tree-canopied viewpoint, not from it.)
From the top of a hillside, hugging the historic and picturesque castle neighbourhood, you can see a maze of red tiled rooftops below, the Baixa district, a river to the south and the red 25th of April bridge beyond that – there is not much that this view doesn’t take in. Just take the 28 tram to one of its end destinations – Graça – and walk left towards the cliff.
A pleasant terrace lined with trees and a small kiosk café serving hot and cold drinks makes it an ideal spot to recharge your batteries. All of Lisbon’s beauty lays below you in her haphazard and slightly dishevelled, but charming, manner. It’s these views that bring the romance to the city.
• Details about this spot: Miradouro da Graca, Alfama & Graça.
Brussels: Recyclart – the sound of the underground
If you’re not interested in spots where you have to be hip and trendy but want something more ‘underground’, then Recyclart is the place for you.
Literally because of its location beneath the railway track, and even more so because this former railway station is an alternative artistic hotspot. Meet your cultural soulmates in the bar, or have a look at the art exhibitions, photography expositions or architecture projects.
Want to move your feet? Go the the frequently organised parties or concerts and shake your body to the rhythms of dubstep, electro, worldbeat or guitar noise. Disko disko partizani!
• Details about this spot: Recyclart, Rue des Ursulines 25; +3225025734
Tue-Fri 11am-5pm (bar), 12pm-3pm (food).
Hamburg: Alsterwanderweg – away from civilisation and back
The “Alsterwanderweg” is a hiking trail that runs along the Alster River for about 56km. The southern section of the trail (22km) leads through the ‘Alstertal’ (Alster valley) with wonderful parks and villas, along the outer and the inner Alster, and terminates directly in the heart of Hamburg: at the harbour where the Alster runs into the Elbe River. The trail is very popular with locals year-round as every season brings its own charm to this scenic route.
Take public transport up north to Poppenbüttel to begin your five-hour adventure, either on foot or by bicycle. As you head south, you’ll sometimes follow the meandering river on its right then on its left again.
There are some sections where you’ll need to cross or walk along a street. Some of the many rowing clubs and locks on your way down to Winterhude have restaurants with gorgeous views of the river.
After passing through Eppendorf, you’ll reach the spacious Alsterpark on the outer Alster, a very wide section of the river with a beautiful view of the inner city’s skyline. Finally, you’ll know you’re on the last stretch of the path when you pass under Kennedy – and Lombardsbrücke to arrive at the inner Alster and the city centre.
Leave the Alsterarkaden behind you and terminate this exciting hike at the “Baumwall” or “Landungsbrücken” metro stop. Although the direction of trail is marked by signs, be sure to bring a map with you.
• Details about this spot: Alsterwanderweg, Hamburger Wanderverein e.V, Spaldingstrasse 160; +49 40230086.
• These are edited extracts from spottedbylocals.com.