Mirabell Castle Cherub, Salzburg
I have been pondering what places my husband and I have visited that were the most romantic. There are so many. Santorini, Budapest, Florence and Salzburg, for instance.
This little cherub in the Mirabell Palace in Salzburg seems to have a headache as he points the way out the door. Mirabell was built in 1606 by an un-churchy Archbishop, Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, who needed an ostentatious home for his mistress. The mistress was named–I am not making this up–Salome. Back in the day, Archbishop’s ruled, which gave Mozart some headaches of his own, but that is another story.
We came across a wedding in the Mirabell Palace.
Mirabel Wedding, Salzburg
As we walked through the Mirabell Palace, two people, seemingly costumed for The Sound of Music, came in and ascended the marble stairs. They paused for a photo–only the bride looking happy about the whole thing.
Places gain instant romance cred when a bride in flowing white gown floats into view. We run into them everywhere. In a courtyard in the Alhambra, in Granada, Spain, we came across a photo shoot with a bride and groom. No, they weren’t models working for an ad agency. They were not perfect enough for that.
But using the Bridal scale for measuring romanticism, St. Petersburg Russia turns out to be the most romantic place of all. As we entered Peterhof Palace, with the beautiful series of fountains and bridges, a bridal party preceded us. They were obviously enjoying their partying in the famous gardens of Peter the Great.
It was a wonderful addition to our experience of Peterhof, which Peter built in imitation of Versailles. The Nazis bombed it to extinction in WWII and the Communist government of Russia spent millions of dollars as they restored every overblown, over gilded, outsized bit of it after the war.
When we returned across the Gulf of Finland to Petersburg, and sat drinking tea at a square overlooking the river, we saw the same wedding party. Someone told us that in Russia, the wedding party goes off sight seeing after the wedding, still in their wedding garb, while the parents put together the reception. Lovely way to start married life, that…sight seeing.
Now I promise that I will get back to talking about books as soon as I get all this romantic travel out of my head. Where in the world have you seen weddings? And have you answered the questions in the previous post about the MOST ROMANTIC……..???
Photos by VMB, all rights reserved.
Tags: Alhambra, Mirabell Palace, Peterhof, romance, Salzburg, St. Petersburg Russia, Travel, weddings
Finally caught up with all your blogging. Must now go to TOTC to see what you are doing there. What a nice touch for Valentine’s Day. Browning covered all that need’s to be said so I say “dotto”
I didn’t take all you questions as seriously as I should have when you questioned me about romantic places.
Keep pumping me so I can be part of this.
Love Ken
Romantic destination. For me, it’s a small island in the Philippines called Puerto Gallera. Went there with my husband a few years ago. Made our bookings at the last moment, so couldn’t get the hotel that had been reccommended to us on one of the better-known beaches. Ended up on a very small and not spectacular beach.
With no “beach activities,” we decided to relax on deck chairs on the quiet, secluded beach. As the moon came up, we stayed on, listening to the waves lapping gently on the shore, enjoying a gentle breeze.
A moonlit beach, palm trees swaying in the breeze and the sound of waves. It was magical.
As for weddings I’ve come upon. I was in Verona, Italy, last summer — as it happens, to attend a wedding. Made a side trip to Lake Garda.
Wandering around one of the villages, I came upon a wedding party that seemed to have just come out of a castle on the edge of the water. (I’d guess the couple had tied the knot on the castle grounds.) The bride and groom, each eating a gelato (ice cream) and laughing themselves silly, got into a three-wheeler tuk-tuk/scooter and drove off as their guests waved goodbye. Quite a sight.
Twitter: pen4hire
says:
Yes, Ken, you should pay more attention when I ask you questions. But after all these years, I can read your mind anyway!
Pamposh–Your romantic beach locations sounds wonderful, and I’m glad that you also have had occasion to see a wedding party during your travels. Wonderful, isn’t it?