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The Independent
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The original ‘Disney castle' finally named as Unesco Heritage site
The campest castle in Christendom? Without a doubt Neuschwanstein, deep in the Bavarian Alps. Amid meadows and mountains, King Ludwig II's hilltop citadel soars skyward. The playful twirls of towers and turrets will be instantly recognised by anyone who has visited a Disney theme park: Walt himself chose Neuschwanstein as the model for the Sleeping Beauty's castle. Copies of it decorate theme parks from California and Florida to Paris and Japan. The Bavarian monarch envisioned a medieval knights' castle that was 'holy and unapproachable' and where he might 'breathe the air of heaven'. Ludwig called in not architects, but theatrical set designers who shared his obsession with Wagnerian opera – and were clearly unfamiliar with the concept of Mässigung (moderation). They embellished Neuschwanstein with motifs from Wagner's greatest hits. Elements from Parsifal – which resonates with lost souls – decorate the Singers' Hall, including a mural of the sacred forest surrounding the Castle of the Holy Grail. The Schloss boss had a state to run. Ludwig ordered the living spaces and working-from-home area to be connected by an elaborate grotto. The royal bedroom, meanwhile, feels like a Byzantine chapel – complete with cherubs and starlight to lull a weary sovereign to sleep. One castle is not enough for any self-respecting king. The rest of Ludwig's portfolio comprises Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof and the Royal House at Schachen – all added to the Unesco list along with crowdpleaser Neuschwanstein. The Bavarian treasury, though, was not at all pleased. The breathtaking scale and intricacy of the king's vision took the state along the road to bankruptcy. Fifteen years after the foundation stone was laid at Neuschwanstein, but before all of Ludwig's grandiose plans were fulfilled, Bavaria 's political leaders had their king declared insane. He had lived for less than six months in the castle. Shortly afterwards, the beautiful dreamer died in mysterious circumstances - along with his doctor. Just seven weeks later, Neuschwanstein opened as a tourist attraction, despite the king's description of its location as. Since then the castle has become the icon of Bavarian tourism. And at last Unesco has recognised the cultural wealth of such glorious madness.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Kidman's perfectly brilliant as an obsessive, drugged-up therapist: CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews last night's TV
Nine Perfect Strangers (Amazon Prime Video) Rating: Brace yourself for scandalous gossip. You'll be gobsmacked. The sublime Christine Baranski slips this line into Nine Perfect Strangers, as she greets a celebrity nun. 'Sister Agnes, I've met you before,' she purrs. 'Rome, wasn't it? I think Elton played, but he couldn't have, not for a benefit for the Catholic Church.' And explaining herself to the bemused other guests, she drops her bombshell: ' Elton John is gay.' This second series, based on Liane Moriarty's bestseller, overflows with sharp dialogue, crammed with so many clever asides that in places it has the archness and pacing of a sitcom. Baranski plays an oversexed septuagenarian called Victoria O'Clair, treating her toyboy lover Matteo to a therapy retreat in the Bavarian Alps. She introduces her petulant offspring Imogen (Annie Murphy) with delicious spite: 'You must excuse my daughter — 35 is such a difficult age. It's when the panic really sets in.' Sister Agnes (Dolly de Leon) has come in search of 'absolution — but only She can grant that'. Who is the mysterious 'She'? Why, God, of course. You'd be excused for thinking the nun is talking about the show's resident deity, Nicole Kidman, wearing an ice-blonde wig and a face so flawless yet immobile, it appears to be a porcelain mask. Kidman is perfectly brilliant as the fragile, obsessive therapist Masha, part visionary and part insane control freak. Masha has devised a 'psychedelic drug delivery system' that enables her clients to 'experience memories as if for the first time, in a highly neuroplastic state'. In other words, she doses their drinks with magic mushrooms, and watches on a network of hidden CCTV cameras as they lose their minds. Her obsequious pet scientist Martin (Lucas Englander) lays down some ground rules: 'No imperfect dosage, no dosage without consent, and no dosing yourself.' But Masha has already broken that last rule, with the result that she is followed everywhere by the ghost of her young daughter, Tatiana. When Masha is being feted on stage, as a psychotherapy superstar, the little girl is sitting in the wings with her arms wrapped round her knees. And at night, Tatiana stands beside her mother's bed, whispering, 'I can't sleep. I never sleep.' Like that other murder-and-meditation thriller, The White Lotus, this series demands concentration. We have to get to grips with a dozen characters, all with their own neuroses. Wolfie and Tina (Maisie Richardson-Sellers and King Princess) are a lesbian couple with a thing about pianos. Super-rich idler Peter (Henry Golding) has daddy issues, a problem made worse by the fact that Daddy (Mark Strong) is an evil billionaire and one of Masha's ex-lovers. Murray Bartlett, a former White Lotus star himself, is a TV entertainer and puppeteer with a very short fuse. It's enough to make your head spin. Nurse — more drugs please!
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Ultimate Itinerary for a German Road Trip from Bavaria to Cologne
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." When you get invited to fly business class to Germany and then hotel-hop around the country, you immediately RSVP yes, pack your luggage, and practice how to say guten tag in the mirror a million times. And that's exactly what I did last spring, when Condor Airlines and Altoff Hotels brought me on a road trip that started in the resort town of Tegernsee, took me into Schwangau (in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps), and ended in the bustling city of Cologne, enjoying all there is to see and do along the way. It was, in a word, incredible. And because I believe that I experienced Germany in the absolute best way (in my humble opinion), I put together this travel itinerary for you, with tips on where to stay, play, and eat while you're cruising through the country. Scroll down and follow my lead for an unforgettable road trip through the mountains and into the city. Ich verspreche, dass Sie Spaß haben werden! (That's "Promise you'll have fun!" in German.) (P.S. The writer received free transportation, stays, meals, and experiences to write this story.) I flew Condor's Airbus A33neo from New York (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA), and felt so fancy flying business class. Not only did the new, modern design make the almost nine-hour flight go by like a breeze—shoutout to the lie-flat seats, mood lighting, and exceptionally good food—but the new plane is also a more sustainable model thanks to enhanced fuel efficiency and reduced emissions, which I love. In addition to their business class seats, the Airbus A33neo also offers four "Prime" seats, which are comparable to first-class suites on other airlines, which all have extra-large 4K TVs, large ottomans, and a ton of extra space. But if you're flying on a budget, you'll be happy to hear that the Airbus A33neo also has both premium economy and economy seats, which I thought looked more spacious than competing airlines. Shop Now Only a 45-minute drive from Munich, along the shores of a crystal-clear lake, lies the quaint spa town of Tegernsee. Here, you'll find the five-star hotel Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt, which offers some of Germany's prettiest views, according to me. The rooms are very spacious—surprisingly so for Europe—and many have private balconies and soaking tubs. My favorite touch? The tasty welcome Pilsners at check-in. But I also loved the on-site Michelin-starred restaurant, Überfahrt, and the amazing spa, 4 Elements, which had lovely indoor and outdoor pools. Shop Now Enjoy a picturesque carriage ride: Trust me, you want to hop on a horse-drawn carriage and trot along the shores of Tegernsee, and the guest relations manager at the Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt can help set you up with a local company that prioritizes humane horse conditions. During the ride, I learned all about the history of the area and experienced the Bavarian countryside, which consists of adorable neighborhoods, mountain views, and cute attractions. Shop through the charming town: My favorite part about Tegernsee is how walkable and charming it is. Exit out the front doors of the Althoff hotel and follow the shoreline, and you'll find both modern boutiques (with designer clothes and accessories) as well as traditional Bavarian shops. See below where I tried on the most stunning handmade dirndl (a traditional dress) at a local store called Trachten Greif. Drink an aperitif next to the lake: Whether you're out shopping, exploring the town, or looking for a quick drink, you're going to want to stop by one of the quaint cafés along the shoreline. My suggestions? Grab a waterfront seat at Franzl for a coffee or spritz, or pop on over to Café Lengmüller for a tasty slice of cake. Dine at Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt: The hotel I stayed at has five restaurants, and the Michelin-starred restaurant Überfahrt—run by celebrity chef, Alexander Herrmann—was certainly the fanciest of the bunch. My favorite experience, though, was at Bayerstube, the traditional Bavarian restaurant where we dined in a private room and had never-ending fondue. Just 90 minutes from Munich, the little village of Schwangau in Southern Bavaria is home to the Ameron Neuschwanstein Alpsee Resort and Spa, where you get views of the Alps and gorgeous green forests. The hotel alone is a good enough reason to visit the area, but you'll also find two castles, Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein, the latter of which is said to have inspired Disney's Cinderella castle. I loved exploring the castles as well as the hotel's five buildings, four of which are ultra-modern. My fave was the oldest building, Jägerhaus, complete with 11 swanky rooms featuring canopy beds, elaborate wallpaper, and antiques. It plays into the whole fairytale aesthetic, and I highly suggest booking this building during your stay if you want an authentic experience. BOOK A STAY AT AMERON NEUSCHWANSTEIN ALPSEE Peep the castles: As I mentioned, Schwangau's hotspots—and the reason travelers visit from all over the world—are Lord Ludwig's two fairytale castles, Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein, perched up in the hills. Neuschwanstein is gorgeous and grand, but I actually preferred visiting Ludwig's smaller, summer residence, Hohenschwangau. It's filled with 19th-century art and furnishings and is rich in Bavarian history. Check it out to learn about the interesting life of Lord Ludwig—trust me, he's got quite the story. Take a gondola trip to the summit of Mount Tegelberg: When you're surrounded by mountains all day long, you're going to want to get to the top of 'em at some point. The best way? Via a ten-minute gondola ride up Mount Tegelberg, at TegelbergBahn. Once you've reached the summit, you can see both castles and a bird's eye view of the region. Oh, and I'd be remiss not to mention that if you're there in the warmer months, on the way down you'll notice a mountainside toboggan ride that you one million percent need to go on. It's as fun as it looks, and it's not just for kids. Eat a traditional Bavarian meal at a beer garden: You can't visit Germany without going to a beer garden. Luckily, the Ameron hotel has one on-site: Bräustüberl and Alpseestube Biergarten. Grab a casual bite to eat (I recommend the spaetzle and schnitzel), and wash it down with a cold lager. The Summer Shandy was also incredibly refreshing. Dine at : If you're looking for more of an elevated dining experience—whether that be for date night or a special celebration—the resort's restaurant is the perfect vibe. It serves farm-to-table meals based on seasonal availability, so you're truly getting the freshest food. The view isn't half bad either, considering you can see both castles while chowing down. After soaking up all the traditional Bavarian customs and gorgeous landscapes, I embarked on a five-hour drive to the city of Cologne, one of Germany's most vibrant cities. I stayed just outside of the city at the incredible Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg. This bright white, 18th-century palace has a marble-floored lobby, grand furnishings, a cobblestone driveway, and perfectly manicured gardens. My room was equally as lavish, and the dining experience at their two-Michelin-star restaurant, Vendôme, made for a once-in-a-lifetime stay. Shop Now Take on the Cologne streets: Because Cologne is one of Germany's oldest cities, it's rich in history, so I suggest dedicating a full day to exploring, like I did. If you're only there for a day or so, you won't have enough time to see it all, so try to prioritize the top, must-see attractions. I recommend checking out the iconic Gothic Kölner Dom Cathedral (which's one of the largest in Europe and took over 600 years to finish!); Old Town, which is filled with historic buildings, cobblestones, and fun homes; and Glockengasse, a street in the center of the city, and the birthplace of 4711 Eau de Cologne. There's a house on the street that has been turned into a museum and store where you can learn about one of the oldest and most famous colognes in the world, and why the city was named after it. Visit during Carnival: If you're looking for a wild and wonderful experience, visit Cologne during Carnival (aka Kölner Karneval), which kicks off in November. The city comes alive with costumes, parades, parties, music, and food. I visited in the spring, and leftover confetti still lined the streets. Locals made me promise to come back for the "best party of the year". Lunch at a traditional brewery: For a bite to eat and a beer to drink, check out the famous Peters Brauhaus brewery, which is one of the oldest breweries in the city. There, order some German delicacies like bratwurst, sauerkraut, or schnitzel and pair them with Cologne's signature beer, Kölsch, which is unique to the city. It's super refreshing and light, and tastes perfect paired with German food. After a few glasses of Kölsch, I was inspired to hit up a few of the local bars, where I had just a few more. Try the tasting menu at : If you're staying at the lavish Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg, you need to have at least one meal that's equally as fancy. The hotel's multi-Michelin-star restaurant, Vendôme, led by the famous Chef Joachim Wissler, has one of the most unique menus I've ever experienced. We enjoyed one of the tasting menus, complete with a wine pairing, and I felt like I could quite literally taste each and every ingredient in the dishes. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience. You Might Also Like Here's What NOT to Wear to a Wedding Meet the Laziest, Easiest Acne Routine You'll Ever Try
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Nine Perfect Strangers review: The only people likely to be traumatised by this moribund thriller are the viewers
Nicole Kidman has worked hard over the past decade to parlay her Hollywood fame into a parallel career as a force in prestige television. She hasn't given up on the big screen, and was recently to be found steaming it up in a romp about a brief but intense affair with a much younger man, Babygirl . But it is with shows such as Big Little Lies that she has had the most success – a track record that comes to a tumultuous halt with the appalling second series of Nine Perfect Strangers (Prime Video from Thursday). Season one was an undercooked tale of paranoia and skulduggery set amidst a retreat for the mega-wealthy. It had the bad luck to launch in the same summer as White Lotus – a tale of paranoia and skulduggery set amidst a retreat for the mega-wealthy. One became a phenomenon, the other did not - despite top mugging by Kidman as gurning guru Masha Dmitrichenko in her unsettling statement wig. Four years later, Masha is somehow still in business, despite the previous season culminating in an orgy of paranoia and violence. True, several massive lawsuits and 'multiple Federal investigations' are looming. No matter. A billionaire in the Bavarian Alps wants to whisk Masha – and her new wig – away from her legal woes, on the proviso she runs another retreat with another nine volunteers. Kidman does her best, but her performance is 90 per cent iffy Russian accent. Meanwhile, this year's cast of dysfunctional one-per-centers make for a threadbare bunch – the quality of guest cameos low to non-existent. Series one featured Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon and Luke Evans – the best the follow-up can muster is White Lotus's Murray Bartlett (as a disgraced kids' TV presenter) and indie singer King Princess, playing a tortured piano prodigy. The biggest star aside from Kidman is Mark Strong, a mega-bucks baddie who shares a dark history with Masha. READ MORE The White Lotus-ness of it all is hard to get past. The difference is that the HBO hit had the pretence of social satire (that satire was, in fact, just hipster nihilism, but it did string you along convincingly). Nine Perfect Strangers, by contrast, has nothing to say, and while it knows what it wants to be – Agatha Christie for audiences weaned on Succession – it has no idea how to get there. Masha's big gimmick is using psychedelic drugs to both unlock one's inner trauma and, so she claims, communicate with the dead. However, the only people likely to be traumatised by this moribund thriller are the viewers. Unlike the characters corralled in Nine Perfect Strangers, they have the choice of running for the hills – an option many will find all too tempting. Nine Perfect Strangers season two is on Prime Video now
Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Nine Perfect Strangers, season 2, review: Nicole Kidman's psychobabble drama is one insufferable mess
Actors playing drunk always make me giggle, they so rarely get it right. But actors playing high on psychedelic drugs raises the hysteria bar to a whole other level. As performed on the returning Nine Perfect Strangers (Amazon Prime Video), it's excruciating. In its first run, Nine Perfect Strangers, based on a Liane Moriarty bestseller, introduced us to glacial psychotherapist Masha, played by Nicole Kidman with an enigmatic cool that's practically cryogenic, whose specialty is gathering a disparate group at a wellness retreat and sorting out their assorted issues. Masha is dealing with her own grief, her young daughter having died in suspicious circumstances. She uses psychedelic drugs to unlock repressed memories and, in a stretch you really have to bend to go with, she uses the drugs to connect with the dead. I did say bend. First time around Masha's guinea pigs were tolerable enough. But in its second run, the discordant nonet she's gathered at a new location, a towering sanatorium high in the Bavarian Alps, really are a piece of work. Apparently, they are all Jungian archetypes, but I'll leave that to the psychology graduates. To the non-shrink specialists, what they are is a supremely irritating bunch of indulged stereotypes with Mummy and Daddy issues. A TV puppeteer, a celebrity nun, a piano prodigy… put those in a joke and you might get a punchline, but open up their issues for drama and all you get is a feast of trippy over-acting. The set-up is very Agatha Christie, the ties which bind Masha's inmates loosely together gradually revealed over eight episodes in which her own cunning revenge plan – luring a big-shot billionaire into her spider's web of intrigue – are gradually revealed. It's that central storyline, Nicole Kidman's Masha shadow-boxing with Mark Strong 's media magnate David Shark, where Nine Perfect Strangers really sticks in the craw. Every time they cross swords and dig into their dark history – spoiler: she blames him for the death of her daughter – they somehow end up having a snog. Yeah, I can see how that would happen. Full of lazy dated references (we get characters doing Spice Girls repartee, like it's the 1990s all over again) and dreary psychobabble that's meant to sound to sound meaningful but just comes across as cringe – 'Are you afraid to go deeper?' – this really is a career low for Kidman, Strong and a supporting cast including Christine Baranski, Murray Bartlett and Annie Murphy, none of whom convince that their characters are anything more than cyphers from a psychology textbook. We've had a lot of rich folk trauma dramas lately and Nine Perfect Strangers adds very little to the party with its uninspired rehash of Philip Larkin's This Be The Verse ('They f--k you up, your mum and dad'). It looks glamorous and talks the prestige TV talk, but it's a hollow, self-indulgent emotional vacuum. As Strong's bad billionaire faced his supposed comeuppance at the closing episode's Poirot-style dénouement, his exasperated outburst took the words right out of my keyboard: 'Just f---king kill me, I can't take any more!'
