Aspen |
| Wednesday, 15 October 2008 00:00 |
 Aspen is a great destination for a ski holiday. In fact, it is the Mecca of winter sports! This small western American city in Colorado is around 124 miles to the southwest of Denver on the Roaring Fork River and is home to the “Aspen Mountain”. With only around 6,400 residents it is a small city, but nevertheless it is one of the richest cities in the United States. On top of that it is actually one of the wealthiest in the world. Most visitors come to Aspen because of the beautiful ski resorts here. Geographically, Aspen is located in a river valley between two mountain ranges that are part of the Rocky Mountains, the Elk Mountains and the Sawatch Range, and to the southwest of Glenwood Springs. Even today Aspen, the place where Gary Cooper had his first ski lessons and where John Denver spent most of his life, is a popular resort destination for famous Hollywood stars. Stars like Jack Nicholson, Goldie Hawn and other celebrities own weekend homes in the picturesque mountains. Don’t be surprised if you see a familiar face on the slopes. Ever since 1949 when the 200th birthday of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was celebrated in Aspen, the city has been considered a cultural center. Every year from late June to the beginning of August the “Aspen Music Festival” is held, which happens to be one of the most famous festivals for classical music. Be sure not to miss any of musical highlights. The free “Music on the Mountain” concerts that take place on Aspen Mountain have magnificent views of the mountainous landscape. The “Dance Aspen Festival” is another open-air event that offers both classical and modern dancing. In downtown Aspen there are many sights worth seeing. Visiting the “Aspen Art Museum” is highly recommended. Here you can see interesting and changing exhibitions of well-known artists on display. In the city center you can found Wagner Park and also the “Wheeler Opera House” in which many performances are held all year round, but especially often during the summer festivals. In the „Wheeler Stallard Museum“, which lies to the west of the downtown, you can learn interesting facts about Aspen. The museum itself once served as the residence of the silver baron Wheeler and was built in 1888 in Victorian style. Directly next door is the „Aspen Historical Society“, where you can book guided tours through the city in the summertime. Since the area surrounding Aspen is worth seeing, it is best to explore this area by car. In the neighboring town of Snowmass Village you can find the „Rocky Mountain Institute“, an experimental center for the research of environmentally friendly technologies. If you would like to experience firsthand what living on a ranch is like, you can take a trip to the „Anderson Ranch Arts Center“. You can find this by going southwest out of the city and traveling to Bush Creek. In the summer on the grounds of the old sheep ranch you can participate in one of the many art classes, which range from photography and painting to pottery and carving. Besides that you will find an art gallery on the ranch which holds many treasures to marvel at. An optimal place for rest and relaxation is the thermal spa “Glenwood Springs” which is approx. 41 miles to the northwest of Aspen. The “Glenwood Hot Springs Pool” belongs to the largest thermal spas in the USA. An extraordinary attraction can be found in the „Yampa Hot Springs Spa & Vapor Caves“, which is an underground escaping hot spa. The city is also home to an interesting history museum, the „Frontier Historica Museum“, in which you can learn about the history of the region. A natural spectacle can be found east of the spa: the spectacular “Glenwood Canyon” which is practically cut through the middle by the raging Colorado River. If you travel by car then you can stop now and then on the countless wild rivers of Colorado. In this sense, have an enjoyable stay and good skiing! |
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