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 …

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 …

Kiev and Chernobyl… Ukraine’s best and worst kept secrets

Kiev Ukraine has always been a fascination of mine. Perhaps it’s the lure of the unknown or perhaps it’s proximity to the world’s worst nuclear disaster that sparked my imagination. All I know, however, is that for as long as I can remember I wanted to go there and see it in all its raw, …