PERGAMON – A panorama of an antique Metropolis

The fame of the Great Altar of Pergamon, with its depiction of the Gods’ battle against the Giants, is known far and wide around the globe. From next Friday on, you will have the chance to immerse yourself in this unique exhibition dedicated to the history, art, and culture of Pergamon at the Museum Island Berlin, located within walking distance from the
ARCOTEL John F.

The Collection of Classical Antiquities is organising in cooperation with Asisi Visual Culture GmbH this comprehensive display completemented by Yadegar Asisi’s new monumental panorama of ancient Pergamon in the forecourt to the Pergamon Museum over the course of the entire year. This monumental panorama will offer a unique view from the 300 metre high acropolis of Pergamon over the city below.

Around 450 exhibits from the National Museums’ Collection of Classical Antiquities will be on display, the bulk of which has never been presented before. In addition, the exhibition will be enriched by an array of loans from other collections, both from within Germany and from around Europe. The exhibits will be presented in their original architectural and functional contexts. Paintings, historical photographs and written documents from various archives will provide insights into the exciting history of the discovery and research of the site.

To enhance your experience, the Greco-Roman city of Pergamon will be reconstructed from archaeological digs over the last 130 years and re-enacted in spring 129 AD. A wide variety of sculptures, mosaics, coins, ceramics and metal devices, together with recreated sound effects composed by film scorer Eric Babak and day-and-night simulations, will form a vivid picture of life in the ancient city.

© SMB; Johannes Laurentius

Spielzeit´Europa 2011/2012

The Spielzeit Europa will present 12 artistic productions with performers from over 45 countries from October 2011 until January 2012. The event will take place in the new renovated Haus der Berliner Festspiele in Berlin Wilmersdorf. The coreographer Lemi Ponifaso from Samoa will open this season with an act exclusively created for Berlin: “ Le Savali Berlin”, a very unique piece of work made by artists both from the south pacific and Berlin. Another of his productions “birds with skymirrors” will be presented, a one time composition of dance, ceremony, poetry and vocals about the climate change and the future of our planet.

For the brilliant finale, the coreographer and musician Hofesh Shechter from Israel will transform the stage into a coreographic rock concert. Through a clever dance theatre and an exciting concert, the hall becomes a completely stunning artwork. Impressive light and sound effects ,24 musicans, 16 dancers and a standing public make this renewed act from 2010 an unforgettable evening, whose style is unique among the European stages.This season, the programme will be completed with movies, discussions and of course première parties.

Foto: Copyright © Sebastian Bolesch

The Restaurant Week 2011

ARCOTEL Allegra Zagreb and therefore the restaurant Radicchio take part againt in the action called „Restaurant Week 2011“. To increase the awareness of the gastronomic offer in the city, the creative team of the whole project has put together their gastronomic ideas. This time, about 50 restaurants in Zagreb take part in this action. Gourmets have two weeks time to enjoy the wide range of numerous restaurants, including the restaurant Radicchio, for lunch or dinner. Guests can choose between three 3-course menues. Each menu costs HRK 100,00 and includes a glass of wine.
The chef Marko Blazek and his team are looking forward to the Restaurant Week, because through this action they have the opportunity to present their specialties to a wider audience.

Italian lifestyle at the VELVET LOUNGE

The VELVET LOUNGE offers delicious aperitifs and small tapas in cooperation with APERITIVO by CAMPARI, daily from 6.00 p.m. until 9 p.m.

The aperitif is an integral part of the meal in Italian culinary traditions, as it both stimulates the appetite and prepares the organism for full enjoyment of the main meal. Apéritifs were already widespread in the 19th century in Italy, where they were being served in fashionable cafes in Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, Turin, and Naples. At the end of this century, Apéritifs were exported to all over Europe and produced by Cinzano and Martini & Rossi.

When talking about the „aperitivo“, Italians refer not only to the drink itself, but to the popular tradition of meeting in bars with friends during the evening. More recently, the fashion of the “aperitivo cena” became popular, a term that refers to a small meal or appetizer serverd next to the aperitif. Faithful to this tradition, the VELVET LOUNGE also offers classic appetizers such as olives, sardines, serrano ham, chorizo and tomatoes.

A classic Italian appetizer is the Campari, created in 1860 by Gaspare Campari and consisting of more than 60 secret ingredients. Characteristic of the Campari is its striking red color. Other classics are the Aperol with its fruity-bitter taste and the Crodino, Italy's most famous non-alcoholic aperitif.

Aperitif classics are given a new twist in the VELVET LOUNGE. The Fashion Victim consists for instance of an interesting blend of passion fruit, lime and vodka, whereas the Old Smokey Fashion combines the classic smoky flavour of the Islay whiskey with touches of orange and lemon. Other interesting creations like the Aperol Spritz, the Wild Turkey Sour and Ginger 43 are part of the menu.

Experience with us the aperitivo in its original Italian style. Ideal for relaxing after work or enjoying a nice moment with friends.

Cannstatter Wasen - beer and great rides

Discover one of the largest festivals in the world! Welcome to Cannstatter Wasen. Still today the 24 meter high and highly decorated fruit column in the middle of the festival grounds is a reminder that the young, beloved Wuerttemberg Queen Katharina with her husband King Wilhelm I gave this to the people of the country in 1818 at the end of a period of starvation. Today Stuttgarters together with millions of guests celebrate one of the most beautiful and largest beer festivals and fairs in the world. Things are really exciting in the large festival tents. Up to 5000 visitors can frolicsomely celebrate in each festival tent. Bands wearing traditional clothing ensure the cheerful entertainment and the delicious Käsespätzle (Swabian noodles with cheese), roast, potato noodles with sour kraut, Göckele or crispy knuckles are a good base for many liters of beer.

The greatest rides
Super looping, haunted houses, racy water rides and the largest transportable Ferris wheel in the world make strolling along the Wasen to an enormous jamboree. For the daring, the spectacular rides are pure pleasure, the romantics look forward to the chain carousel and the ship swing. The large huckster's market invites you daily to shop at the Wasen. Whether pots, pans, ceramics or clothing, useful or the curious things - here the visitor to the Wasen finds everything which the heart desires.

Family days
Every Wednesday, the Fair belongs to the family.

Opening celebration and tapping the barrel
With the traditional tapping of the barrel by the lord mayor of the state capital of Baden-Wuerttemberg in the Schwaben Bräu tent of the festival innkeeper Laub, the Cannstatter Fair is officially opened. Colorful groups of people wearing traditional clothing with folkloric displays, proper music and humoristic contributions add to the cheerful fair mood of the guests.

You can reach the Cannstatter Wasen from the ARCOTEL Camino easily by public transport.

Opening hours:

Start: Monday until Friday from noon (tents from 11 am)
Saturday, Sunday and on holidays from 11 am

End: Sunday until Thursday until 11 pm
Friday, Saturday and the day before holidays until midnight

On opening day: carnival rides open at 3 p.m.

Source: Stuttgart Tourist