Michael Orr, Author at Europe Up Close

Real Madrid Stadium and Tour

Published/Revised June 12, 2014 By Michael Orr This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Real Madrid is arguably the most famous football club in the world. With nine European Cups and thirty-one domestic championships, the club is among the most decorated in Europe. At its 85,000-seat ground, the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid have an entire museum devoted to the awards, trophies and heroes of the club. Given the dramatic history associated with the club, particularly from ... Read Full Article

Ofenwerk Summerfest and South Historic Car Rally

Published/Revised June 14, 2014 By Michael Orr This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Nürnberg (Nurenberg) is a classic German city in the Franconian region of Bavaria. With a claim of a special bratwurst all it’s own, a host of fascinating museums and historic sites, Nürnberg has enough to fill any traveler’s itinerary. But each summer a special event gives insight not only into German traditions but also English, Italian and even American ones. It’s the Ofenwerk Sommerfest ... Read Full Article

Berlin’s Infamous Olympiastadion

One of the world’s most infamous sports stadiums sits just to the west of downtown Berlin. The Olympiastadion (Olympic Stadium) was erected at the request of Adolf Hitler ahead of the 1936 summer Olympic as a demonstration of the power of the newly elected Nazi party. It was designed to resemble the Roman coliseum, but on a much larger scale. Despite the destruction of much of Berlin in the late ... Read Full Article

A Visit to St. Norbert’s Brewery in Prague

Published/Revised June 11, 2014 By Michael Orr This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Only one kilometer west of St. Vitus Cathedral and the heart of the Prague Castle complex sits St. Norbert's Brewery, better known in Prague as the Strahovský klášter (Strahov Monastery), a Premonstratensian abbey that has been in Prague since the 12th Century. Since the 17th Century, beer has been brewed on the premises in a style altogether different from the more modern Pilsner ... Read Full Article

Quick Eats in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a city full of life and activity. Given the many attractions and activities available, it can sometimes feel as though there just are not enough hours in the day to take full advantage of ones time in this beautiful city. A resolution to this problem comes from the bevy of options for accessible food choices and quick eats in Edinburgh. Most visitors to Edinburgh have heard of ... Read Full Article

Warm up to English Beer

Although everyone knows that England is an island, it sometimes takes the dissection of a particular subject to fully remember just how separate the country can be. One such point of comparison is the tradition of English beer. Warmer fermentation, as opposed to the lager-based traditions of the Czech Republic or parts of Germany , has given England a long history of porters, ales and ... Read Full Article

Don’t Overlook Austrian Beer

Published/Revised May 14, 2016 By Michael Orr This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

In the world of beer, Austria is almost always overlooked in favor of its more famous neighbor, Germany. But to ignore Austrian Beer is to ignore a wealth of fine beer choices and varieties. Take a look at Austrian Beer Austrian beers are less distinct by region than in other countries as the most popular style across the whole of the country is Märzen. This style is similar to German Helles ... Read Full Article

A Guide to German Beer

German beer has taken on a mythical quality both within that country and across the world. Many non-German beers claim to be brewed based on the specifications of the Reinheitsgebot ( or purity law), a beer regulatory standard in place since the fifteenth century. Many people have taken to very specific types of German beers such as Weißbier, Pilsener or Bock, and tried to convince ... Read Full Article

Savoring Czech Beer

For over forty years, Czechoslovakia was all but inaccessible for westerners. As Soviet influence enveloped neighboring countries, local delicacies and tastes were, to a degree, lost or forgotten by those outside their borders. Thankfully, over the past twenty years, as Eastern Europe has opened back up and welcomed visitors from around the world, we can enjoy the best the Czechs have to ... Read Full Article

The Joys and History of Irish Beer

Discussions of Irish beer usually begin and end with one word: Guinness. There is no doubt that Arthur Guiness’ great creation is the most famous beer in the world, let alone in Ireland. But there is much more to the beer scene on the Emerald Isle than just the meal-in-a-glass that draws all the headlines. Of course one cannot simply ignore Guinness when dissecting Irish beer. In the ... Read Full Article