Bruges Bruges remains one of Europe’s best preserved cities and has both charm and intrigue oozing in abundance out of its cobblestone streets. The fairy-tale city is a place that lives and breathes history. Visiting Bruges is like travelling back in time to the Middle Ages. It is both magical and authentic. I had previously …
Category Archives: Europe
Athens… how to spend time in this ancient city
Athens The ancient city of Athens is a treasure trove for history-enthused travellers like myself. With ancient sites spread throughout the boundaries of the city, a trip to he Greek capital is a must for those with one eye on the past. The question is, even with its almost incomparable history, is Athens worth visiting …
Continue reading “Athens… how to spend time in this ancient city”
Helsinki… sauna time in the world’s happiest city
Helsinki Often considered to be Finland’s only metropolis, Helsinki is well-known for its innovative art, culture, love of everything sauna-related and – according to the World Happiness Report 2020 – being the happiest city in the world! So the question is, why wouldn’t you want to travel here? From a personal point-of-view I’ve always loved Scandinavian …
Continue reading “Helsinki… sauna time in the world’s happiest city”
Zürich… take time out in this Swiss haven
Zürich Switzerland has – for as long as I can remember – been very much on my to-do list, but far too readily shunted down the agenda in place of other destinations. It was time for Holly and I to put that right. The difficulty came, however, working out where in this land-locked nation to …
Continue reading “Zürich… take time out in this Swiss haven”
Sofia… the overlooked Balkan city
Sofia In the centre of the Balkans – sitting midway between the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea – lies the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. Population-wise, Sofia is the 14th largest city in the European Union, and is surrounded by a vista of mountainsides; with Vitosha to the south, Lyulin to the west and the …
Northern Ireland… walking in the footsteps of giants
Northern Ireland and Belfast As the capital city of Northern Ireland, Belfast is the final piece in the Great British jigsaw. The city’s name means ‘mouth of the sand-bank ford’. It is the largest city of Northern Ireland – and the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom and has a population of 343,542 as of 2019 – …
Continue reading “Northern Ireland… walking in the footsteps of giants”
Lisbon… a city of sunshine and splendour
Lisbon The city of Lisbon – or Lisboa to give it its proper Portuguese name – sits in the idyllic position on the western Iberian Peninsula alongside the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus. As mainland Europe’s western-most capital city, Lisbon is one of the major economic centres on the continent. And as is the case with much of Europe, …
Gibraltar… adventures on the Rock
Gibraltar Located off the southern tip of Spain, Gibraltar remains a little piece of the United Kingdom basking in the Mediterranean sun. But far from being the literal definition of ‘Little Britain’, Gibraltar oozes with its own charm and personality for people who visit this micro-British territory. Despite, these days, having their own national football …
Vilnius… the Baltics’ last kept secret
Vilnius Lying deep behind where the former Iron Curtain once cast its oppressive shadow, the city of Vilnius probably remains the least visited capital city from any of the Baltic countries. Yet, slowly, it’s starting to be appearing more and more on intrepid travellers’ itineraries. And what a city full of surprises it is! With …
Paris… the lovers’ city
Paris Living just outside of London in Kent has its advantages. One of them being that – in normal times – it is very easy to get into Europe quickly from a plethora of airports and train stations, as well as numerous ferry terminals on the south coast. And there is no city easier to …
World Complete 