Category: Europe

Summary

Airport Rating *****
Reception of locals *****
Cost: £££££

No issues travelling as a Sikh, although you won't find too many Sikhs in the city
One of the richest regions in Europe that manages to blend old world charm with new world technological and economic prowess
Cheap to get to from the UK, but an expensive city to be in with a high cost of living
Main Sights: Marienplatz, Frauenkirche, Asamkirche, Hofbräuhaus, English Gardens, Olympiapark, Allianz Arena

Summary

Update: I originally posted this in 2018 but I've updated in 2023 following another visit. Updates in italics
Airport Rating *****
Reception of locals ***1/2
Cost: ££££

It's the capital city of Austria, and a city with an incredibly rich history being located in the centre of Europe.
Austria has had a recent issue with far right nationalism, and although I saw a couple of other Singh's during my time there, and although it was never overtly hostile, there was definitely a feeling of unwelcomness. things felt a little different the second time around although I still got stares it wasn't as bad.
The architecture of the city is very uniform and incredibly beautiful, with few skyscrapers.
The city produced a number of luminaries in the 19th and early 20th century, and the feel of the city almost transports you back to that time - although I felt I was at least 10 years too young to really appreciate the city.
Main Sights: Schonbrunn Palace, St Stephen's Cathedral, Prater, Hofburg, State Opera, Museumsquartier, Hundredwasserhaus, Naschmarkt, Karlskirche

Summary

Airport Rating N/A
Reception of locals ****
Cost: £££

The largest city in Asturias and one of the most underrated cities in Spain
A city with a beach, an old town, and a large shopping district
No Sikh community in Gijon or the surrounding area
Reasonably priced, although some of the seaside towns nearby are more expensive
Main Sights: San Lorenzo beach, Laboral Ciudad de la Cultura, Cimadevilla, Estadio Molinon

Summary

Airport Rating N/A
Reception of locals ****
Cost: £££

The capital city of Cantabria that gives its name to the popular high street bank in the UK
A port city with direct ferry connections to the UK (but it isn't cheap)
Don't expect to see many Sikhs or Panjabis, or even other non-European tourists
The city itself has amenities that are reasonably priced, although they get more expensive during the summer holidays
Main Sights: Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion, Peninsula of Magdalena, Playa Primera de El Sardinero, Puerto Chico, Mercado del Este, Centro Botin, Llanes, Ribadesella

Bilbao, Basque Country / Spain

11/9/2023

Summary

Airport Rating *****
Reception of locals *****
Cost: £££

The largest city of northern Spain and the Basque Country, a region known for its unique culture and strong independence movement
City has a temperate climate and doesn't get quite so many tourists as other large cities in Spain
Didn't see a single Sikh and very few non-Europeans, but no issues travelling through the city with very friendly locals
Bilbao has a reasonable cost of living, and there is a lot to see and do
Main Sights: Casco Viejo, Guggenheim Museum, Plaza Nueva, Mercado de la Ribera, Basilica de Begona, Artxanda Park, Bilbao Abando, Estadio San Mames, Catedral de Santiago, Iglesia de San Nicolas

Summary

Airport Security *****
Reception of locals ****
Cost: £££

No issues with immigration or airport security when arriving or leaving to Asturias Airport
Didn't see a single other Sikh in Oviedo, but people in the city were generally nice (although they stare)
Walkable city with a beautiful historical core
Quieter than other popular Spanish cities and a lot more cost friendly too
Main sights: Catedral de San Salvador de Oviedo, Plaza del Fontan, Casco Antiguo, Monte Naranco, Santa Maria del Naranco, San Miguel de Lillo, San Francisco Park

Summary

Airport Rating *****
Reception of locals ****1/2
Cost: £££

Culturally and historically one of the most important cities in human history
No problems as a Sikh at the airport or going around the city
Incredible variety of landmarks to visit, and a unique cityscape to see
From the UK - cheap to get to, and reasonably priced food and accommodation
Main Sights: Hagia Sophia, Suleymaniye Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Galata Tower, Grand Bazaar, the Bosphorus, Kadikoy, Taksim Square

Summary

Airport Rating *****
Reception of locals *****
Cost: £££££

A medieval city located at the confluence of three countries: Switzerland, France, and Germany
Widely recognised as the cultural capital of Switzerland
No problems as a Sikh at the airport or going around the city
Cheap to get to (if you're from the UK), expensive once you arrive
Main Sights: The Three City Gates, Basel Minster, Tinguely Fountain, Marktplatz, Town Hall, Old Town

Summary

Airport Rating *****
Reception of locals ***
Cost: £££

No issues at the airport as a Sikh but a few strong stares in the city
A city that feels like an open-air museum with history all around
Excellent night-life near the city centre, and a lot to see and do during the day
Relatively cheap for a European city
Main Sights: Acropolis, Parthenon, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Hadrian's Library, Plaka, Temple of Hephaestus, Panathenaic Stadium, Panagia Kapnikarea, Metropolis Cathedral of Athens

5 Gurdwaras to visit: Part 4 Europe

1/8/2022

Gurdwaras in Europe

The first three articles in this series focused on Gurdwaras in the UK, this fourth part looks a little further afield at continental Europe. While the Sikh population is significantly smaller in continental Europe than it is in the UK, countries like Italy and Spain host rapidly growing communities. This has led to a growth in the number of Gurdwaras in those countries. This is also true in countries with smaller Sikh populations like Ireland, France and the Netherlands. In this article I explore 5 Gurdwaras in continental Europe. You can read the rest of the series by following these links:

Part 1: Gurdwaras in the Midlands
Part 2: (More) Gurdwaras in the Midlands
Part 3: Gurdwaras in London & the South East

<<Previous

Your Journey starts here

Munich, Germany

Summary

Vienna, Austria

Summary

Gijon, Spain

Summary

Santander, Spain

Summary

Bilbao, Basque Country / Spain

Summary

Oviedo, Spain

Summary

Istanbul, Türkiye

Summary

Basel, Switzerland

Summary

Athens, Greece

Summary

5 Gurdwaras to visit: Part 4 Europe

Gurdwaras in Europe

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