Did you know that the Glasgow Underground system is the third oldest metro in the world? It opened in 1896. The oldest, of course, is also in the British Isles, the London tube which is a great granddaddy in comparison, having opened in 1863. By the 1970s though, the...
Swimming is one of the most popular forms of exercise and these days, more and more people are enjoying the benefits of swimming outdoors. In England. Yes, although many people in other countries seem to think that Egland is always cold and always raining (it...
In 1939, Roland Stickney designed a prefabricated diner in the form of contemporary streamlined railway trains. These were put into production and were made until 1949. Only two are still in operation and one is the Modern Diner in Pawtucket, RI. Typical of the trains...
Vasa was (is) a Swedish wooden warship that sank on its maiden voyage. This happened in the full view of onlookers. It was an extremely beautiful ship although not as much care was taken with its seaworthiness as its extravagant exterior. However, shipbuilding...
Forget those hair-raising rides at amusement parks and funfairs. Riding on the Stoosbahn, the steepest funicular railway in the world, will certainly get the adrenalin going. The video below gives you just some idea about the ride. It’s not just that the...
The man who is credited as its inventor, Buckminster Fuller, doesn’t describe the Dymaxion as a mere car. This is because it was intended to evolve further into a flying vehicle. Unfortunately the technology to create this was not available in the 1930s when the...
It’s very likely that you’ve heard about Colditz Castle. Even though it became famous (or rather, infamous) eighty or more years ago the very name can still give us a shiver. That’s not because it’s been the setting for a spooky film or because...
A few years ago, Lonely Planet named the Universidad de Chile metro station in Santiago as one of the as ‘Subway stations worth getting off the train for’. This was largely because of its mural, Visual Memory of a Nation. Created by Mario Toral, the first...
This astonishing edifice – a private home – was built in 1976. Architect William Nicholson created the building as part of an experimental series featuring what was referred to, not surprisingly, as ‘Blob Architecture’. The process involved...
Its residents love living there. But the tiny settlement comes in for plenty of criticism. What’s to criticise about this charming medieval town? Well, the first thing is that it isn’t medieval at all – it was created in the nineteen nineties....
Dietrich Mateschitz is one of the wealthiest men in the world. He wasn’t born to wealth but now that he has a fascination for – and a collection of – the most amazing flying and driving machines, he wants to share them so that we can all appreciate...
Bornholm is a pretty special island (as you’ll see in the video below) and one of the most picturesque places on the island is Svaneke. It’s popular with travellers and there’s plenty to occupy you when you visit. But for architecture fans, a side...
There are so many fascinating buildings in London, For travellers interested in architecture, London is without doubt a feast. But among the important, historical and ancient, there are buildings and structures that have stories to tell about relatively recent times...
Did you learn the song at school too? All the time I was singing it, totally learned by rote of course – it never occurred to me that there really was a ‘pont’ at Avignon. But there is and look at that photograph – rather gorgeous, isn’t...
Although its name suggests otherwise, The Green Citadel in Magdeburg isn’t green. It’s pink. With splashes of red, yellow and bright primary colours. It was designed by Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser and is just one of the excellent reasons...
St Fagans National Museum of History in Wales has many outside exhibits that are either original historical buildings or, in the case of the Iron Age roundhouses, replicas of ancient structures. So it might surprise you to know that one of the most fascinating...
For people of my generation anyway, if we were asked the question ‘what subject did you really dislike at school’ then many of us would have the same answer. Mathematics! I don’t really know why that is but I have an idea. Could it be that it was...
The sub-title for this article could be ‘Dine in the Olympic’ – except the word ‘Olympic’ could be crossed out and the word ‘Titanic’ substituted. But I’m getting ahead of myself… I’ll get back to that in a...
Built in 1934, this modernist building housing small but efficient (and wonderfully designed) apartments became popular with its inhabitants – and those inhabitants included artists, designers, writers, architects … and even spies. Today the building is...
You could describe Asmara as a tiny chunk of early twentieth century Italy, right there in Africa – close to the Red Sea. Why Italy? Italy occupied Eritrea for many years and during the Mussolini days, modern architects were encouraged to travel there to create...
One of the world’s most scenic railways, the Glacier Express, is a trip that should certainly be on your list. It travels through mountain terrain, encountering bridges, tunnels and viaducts, meanders through picturesque villages and offers panoramic views for a...
This amazing mid-century building is the official residence of the President of Brazil but it is open to the public who wish to visit this Oscar Niemeyer-designed masterpiece. It was built in 1957 and 1958. Needless to say, because the building is the home and...
Believe it or not, this scary bridge was open to regular traffic for forty years. Now the trucks and cars that used to cross the Mississippi via this bridge are now ghosts of the past – but the bridge is still open for foot and cycle use. It was first opened in...
The town of Millau dates back over three thousand years. And yet look again at that photograph above. The silver structure you see towering over this tiny town is the Millau Viaduct that majestically spans the valley. It is part of the autoroute system from Paris...
Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross, To see a fine lady upon a white horse; Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, And she shall have music wherever she goes And you can go and see her. See the image above. Banbury is located about 75 miles north of London and is...
Even a humble filling station can be a thing of wonder when it’s created by a world renown designer. The Skovshoved Petrol Station, on the outskirts of Copenhagen, was designed in the nineteen thirties by Arne Jacobsen. His client was the Texaco Company. The...
When you read about the history of this astonishing building – erected in 1975 – it’s likely that you’ll be told that the architect was Spaniard Ricardo Bofill. Well, yes, but in fact Bofill never completed his architectural training. The...
Of course, there are those who think that fast-food burgers are the work of the devil but even amongst us there are also those who love Mid Century Modern architecture (and the lifestyle it conjures up) and if you’re in the Hollwood area, then Bob’s is...
One of the creepiest places in the world, Muynak , is a sad testimony to what the human race can do to totally mess up the natural world. The town of Muynak was once a thriving seaport with a successful fishing industry. It stood on the shores of the Aral Sea –...
Once you’ve visited the obvious tourist traps in London, the chances are that you’ll start to explore the less-familiar aspects of the city. And there are several reasons why you might end up in the Cleveland Street area. For example, Charles Dickens lived...
When you visit the island of Mustique you really are walking in the footsteps of the rich and famous. The island is a private one, these days owned by a company that is made up of the property owners. In the past, the island was a safe haven for Princess Margaret (the...
If you enjoy wine (me!) and love to gaze at architecture (me, again!) then a trip to the Quixote Winery is a must. The Stag’s Leap Winnery was bought in 1971 by Carl Doumani. Over the next two decades, the winery and its manor house were carefully restored and...
The story is more than likely an urban legend but the building is real enough – standing proudly in Moscow since the nineteen nineties. It’s a part of the Russian Academy of Science. The building looks as though it was created in the nineteen sixties and...
Yes, I know that I tend to extol the virtues of other tourist places in England in addition to London, but there are some features of the city that are quirky enough to be included on this website. One of them is to be found in the famous Trafalgar Square. It’s...
Spain remains the second most visited country in the world. But in the twentieth century many of its visitors were flocking to inexpensive coastal resorts for cheap beach vacations. People visited the country but saw nothing beyond the suntan and beachside bars....
Unless we are rather weird, have an unpleasant medical condition or are an alien from another far-off planet, most of us visit the loo a few times a day. But in Kawakawa in New Zealand, people visit the public toilets in order to take photographs and to ooh and aah....
Visiting local markets is an experience that most of us enjoy when we’re travelling. Markets are a great way to explore the local culture and make some great purchases. This one, the Maeklong Market, is a must if you’re visiting Thailand. The wonderful...
The Craighead CAverns are a series of underground caves and huge enclosed areas that make up an extensive cavern system, complete with huge underground lake. The Lost Sea, as it is known, is the largest underground lake in the USA and the second largest in the world....
Isn’t Elephant Rock just fantastic? It really does look like a sleepy elephant dipping his trunk into the ocean. And Elephant Rock is just one of the many sights to see and things to do on this small Icelandic island. The island of Heimaey is just 7 x 4...
Did you know that at one time, salt was an amazingly valuable commodity? They say that in days gone by, salt was more valuable than diamonds. And just like diamonds, salt was traditionally mined from the ground. Visiting a salt mine might not sound like one of the...
Writers, artists, politicians, entertainers … even a well-known fertility symbol are all together in 110 acres in Paris. From Jim Morrison to Oscar Wilde, from Edith Piaf to Maria Callas you can visit them all, or their graves, at any rate, completely free of...
When you visit the market town of Bedale in North Yorkshire be sure to visit the building in the photograph above. Take a selfie of you and it and ask your friends if they can guess what in earth this tiny house’s original purpose was. It was built in the early...
No-one today really seems to know why the buildings of Guatape are painted in such wonderful colours. Or why they tend to feature brightly coloured murals at the bottom couple of feet of the walls. However, the result is spectacular. The lower level murals, which...
It was a matter that was debated at the time, but in recent years it’s pretty well known that the musical phenomenon that was The Beatles would not have had the quality of music that was created without the person who was referred to as ‘the Fifth...
Back in those days, no-one ever thought that this ordinary suburban semi-detached house on the outskirts of Liverpool would one day become a museum. Some would even call it a shrine. One of the strangest musical phenomena in living memory was that of The Beatles, a...
If you’re not fond of heights then El Caminito del Rey is somewhere that you really shouldn’t go. But if heights don’t bother you, or if you enjoy being scared out of your wits then this scary hike is definitely for you. The walkway runs alongside...
Well, here we have two very different musicians. One, in recent memory, lived in the twentieth century. The other in the eighteenth. But surprisingly, only a wall separated their living quarters. George Handel lived at 25 Brook Street in Mayfair. Two hundred years...
This is the most fabulous state park with tropical foliage, exciting wildlife, plenty of outdoor activities and campgrounds. Once a week there’s even a highly-recommended farmers market. Visitors rave about this historic site … even more so when they...
Yes, the story goes that a sea monster by the name of Ogopogo is alive and well and lurking in the Okanagan Lake of British Columbia, Canada. It seems that the Canadians are no more level-headed than the Scots who, of course, have their own Loch Ness version. What is...
I know that this article has a cumbersome title. And I know that usually, the title will be the name of the place I’m talking about. That’s just easier for everyone. Like ‘Fort Lauderdale, Florida’ or ‘Whitby, Yorkshire’. You know...
El Peñón de Guatapé, the Rock of Guatapé, is the weirdest thing – as you can see from the photograph. (See the video below too). This isn’t man-made, it’s a natural object. And there it sits, all alone, just waiting for you to visit it. Not a...
What you see above is probably the most famous pedestrian crossing in the world. Recorded in 1969, Abbey Road was an album by the Beatles and the cover featured the four band members walking across the road on the crossing. Use the map below to locate the crossing our...
This amazing castle in the Czech Republic dates from 1240. It’s an astonishing place to visit. The town of Český Krumlov is a designed UNESCO World Heritage Site and quite rightly. You can see some of the highlights of the castle in the video below. Since the...
In the USA, domestic air conditioning wasn’t available until the mid-nineteen fifties but other countries had the problem solved in ancient times. Take, for example, the beehive houses of Harran – examples of which are pictured above. Beehive houses were...
In 1799, English poet William Wordsworth, moved into Dove Cottage – a former inn – near Ambleside in what is now the stunning Lake District National Park. The area is justifiably famous for its hills, mountains, waterfalls and lakes. A couple of years...
Norway has stunning scenery. The lakes, the mountains … they are beautiful and popular with travellers. But what can be done for those who live in the small towns and villages that are set in the shadow of these mountains? The tallest mountain in...
What do a twentieth-century showjumping horse and a delicious tropical fruit have in common? This hill in South Wales, Blorenge. I’ll come to that in a minute.Borenge is described sometimes as a mountain, sometimes as a hill. As I like my mountains to be rugged...
Some people think that they were built by aliens but the fact of the matter is that the Cape Romano Dome House, now abandoned, was built in 1980 by an American businessman named Bob Lee. (I’ll admit that the alien story is more romantic though). I imagine that...
Reluctant as I am to use an aged cliché, it’s nevertheless important when we’re travelling to have some time to ‘stop and smell the flowers’. Travelling can be very hectic, especially when most of us only have a limited number of time to spend...
If you’re travelling up the Mi motorway from the south of England to Yorkshire or Scotland or all points north then watch out for a sign directing you to Chesterfield. This lovely Derbyshire market town is worth visiting for several reasons but a tourist...
The story I am going to tell you today is a legend. I don’t know whether it’s true – but I rather hope that it is. But before I get to that, I’m going to tell you several things that are absolutely true that all come together in the story of...
I’m pretty much in love with France and if I had to live somewhere other than my favourite Florida, then France it would be. Especially the south. Especially Marseilles. In fact, here’s a quote from Vincent Van Gogh: I am working with the enthusiasm of a...
The Old Town of Safranbolu is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers a spectacular sightseeing opportunity for the traveller. It’s easy to get to the town via train or road especially if you’re travelling from Istanbul or Ankara (Ankara being...
In 1923, the Crescent Sign Company of Los Angeles were commissioned to create a huge sign. It was to advertise a new housing development, the name of which was Hollywoodland. It was intended to be a temporary structure that would last for about eighteen months –...
If you speak British English, then you will refer to it as a ‘lift’. If you’re American, or were taught to speak English in the American way, then you’ll call it an ‘elevator’. But despite this difference, I’ll bet that we all...
Most days during meal preparation, I’m likely to grab the bottle of olive oil. Sauteeing, dressing a salad, that olive oil is used so many times. And sometimes I’m in danger of being one of those children you hear about who think that meat comes in a...
For many years now, travellers have been attracted to abandoned places. This isn’t surprising as most have an atmosphere that’s hard to compare with anywhere else. It’s as though, forgive a little poeticness – these place still retain the...
Yes, there really is a place called Two Egg in Florida. Google maps will even confirm it. And doesn’t it amuse you that it’s two singulars, rather than being Two Eggs? The Two Egg website says that the name developed because of the farm produce that the...
The monument depicts a mortally wounded lion and was described by Mark Twain as ‘the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world’ It was carved in 1820-21 to commemorate the Swiss Guards who died in the French Revolution. Mark Twain describes it...
This quirky bookstore, which seems to be so very French, was opened in Paris in 1951 — by an American, George Whitman. Although it’s a legitimate commercial concern and sells new and secondhand books it’s also a sort of literary drop-in centre and...
The British Isles, The United Kingdom, Britain … all give you a clue that when you go there, you have the chance of not only visiting England. You’ll find plenty of articles on this site about places to visit throughout the UK – places that...
United Record Pressing opened up for business in Nashville in 1949. The business was a success – creating the new and popular vinyl records. It was a specialist business indeed. As the business expanded into the fifties and early sixties, it was Motown music...
That’s the name of a place in Wales. Truly. My Auntie Mavis knew how to say it. I don’t. Do you? (The videos down the page might help). So how is it that a Welsh village acquired such a name? Well, today if you address an envelope to a resident and...
When I was a kid, we often spent our family holidays travelling around the area you see below on the map. Favourites were Monaco, Nice, Cannes and Northern Italy. So it’s quite likely that I’ve been to Villefranche-sur-Mer but I really want to go there now...
If you’re a motor racing fan (like me) then the Nurburgring needs no introduction whatsoever. But have you driven it? If not, add it to your to-do list right now. These days, the ‘ring even offers plenty for the non-motorsport fans in the family....
There are a couple of unusual things that you might need to know if you come across this sculpture in London. The first is that it isn’t the work of one artist but of a collective. That’s not terribly unusual but stand and watch the sculpture for a few...
When you visit Key West these days it’s difficult to imagine that events of true creepiness took place there. Today it’s a pretty innocuous place and plenty of fun for cruise passengers and tourists. But one of the creepiest events I’ve ever heard...
If you were to create your dream island, what would it be like? Mine would be exactly like Fernando de Noronha. Tropical weather, stunning views and, as you can see in the photograph above, the deepest blue and sparkling ocean. There are swaying palm trees, lovely...
Lake Maggiore is simply beautiful. This sparkling lake is located partly in Italy and partly in Switzerland. And during the early twentieth century, there was a curious legend regarding the lake – a legend that turned out to be true. Locals were sure that a 1926...
Château de Candé is situated in Monts, Indre-et-Loire and, although it isn’t one of the grandest chateaux in France, it has an interesting historical significance. It was here in June 1937 that the abdicated king, now retitled the Duke of Windsor, married his...
it seems that in the 1930s, Hitler and Mussolini were on the same page when it came to building coastal resorts of the people. Hitler had Prora and Mussolini had Colonia Fara. And both still exist and are equally spooky. Also, both are in the process of being...
Visit the Narvik area in Norway and you’ll find that the scenery is breathtaking. And as you look out over the fjord, at the blue waters, you might spot an incongruous man-made object. It’s been there since 1940 and was once the proud ship, the Georg...
Chuck Berry was known as the father of rock ‘n’ roll and today, the house he lived in for several years and where he wrote several of his most well-known classics, is on the National Register of Historic Places. The house was already 40 years old when the...
St. Peter’s Church has an unusual connection. The clue is in the church’s location. Wikipedia describes Woolton as ‘an affluent suburb of Liverpool’ and this might suggest something to you. Liverpool is well-known for many things, one of which...
In the late nineteenth century, Claude Monet – the painter who was known as the Father of Impressionism – was travelling on a train in northern France. He spotted a very small but very attractive village called Giverny. He decided that this was where he...
It was June 10th, 1944 – at the height of World War Two. The village of Oradour-sur-Glane in Nazi-occupied France was destroyed by the Germans. The inhabitants, over 600 men, women and children, were massacred. In the entire village, there were only six...
The photograph above typifies Baku as the city is an unusual mix of extremely modern architecture plus ancient buildings. It is one of the quickest-growing cities in the world and has every possible modern amenity along with a huge slice of history and romance. The...
Imagine. You’re going to stay at a private island in sunny California. It has amazing wildlife and a fascinating history. What’s more, it’s not going to cost you a penny – your stay will be absolutely free of charge and even all your meals will...
I can’t even begin to describe to you that wonderful moment when I realised that Maggie Smith was going to play Miss Shepherd in Alan Bennett’s Lady in the Van. And a marvellous film it is too. For those who don’t know, it’s the (largely) true...
They say that writer Guy de Maupassant used to eat lunch every day at the restaurant atop the Eiffel Tower – because it was the only place in Paris that didn’t have a view of the thing. This ‘fact’ is doubted by my family as we once drove...
Dark Hedges is a stunning – and rather magical – parade of beech trees to be found in Northern Ireland and brought to general attention by its use as a location in the TV series Game of Thrones. This dark avenue of gnarled trees was planted in 1775 as the...
Way back in 1990, Flo Hayler started collecting Ramones memorabilia. He collected tickets and t-shirts, posters and pants. These were to form the basis of the Ramones Museum in Berlin. Yes, you’re right of course, the Ramones are mostly associated with their...
Here’s another seriously spooky hotel, this time the Grand Hotel Campo dei Fiori in the Italian Alps. The hotel was abandoned when tourism declined in the area. Since its abandonment, in the late 1960s, the hotel fell into a ruinous state. Furniture and decor...
The Hebridean Islands are well-known because of their incredible scenery, wild seas and astonishing wildlife. The islands are largely unspoiled and the Isle of Lewis is no exception. And if you want to baffle a friend with a trivia question, who do these three...
Paris is a beautiful city. Few people would argue with me there. But what exactly is the deal with reproducing wonderful places? Tianducheng is a suburb of Hangzhou in China and Paris has been reproduced – not very well – in a development that was built in...
Kunsthofpassage is a series of alleyways in the student district of Dresden. The area contains quirky bookshops and cafés – and unusually decorated buildings. One of the most famous is the one you see above. A series of drainpipes are displayed not only in an...
The wreck of the Francisco Morazan can still be seen just a couple of hundred yards from the shore of Lake Michigan. Yet the ship floundered and was abandoned in 1960. The ship was built in 1922 in Germany and you can still tell today, looking at the wreck, that it...
Even though French iconic singer Edith Piaf died as long ago as 1963, most people would recognise her voice today. Even those who aren’t old enough to remember her will probably know this: And there is a private museum dedicated to her in Paris. It can be...
Bunce Island has a fascinating and rather chilling history. Today the island is deserted but in 1670 a castle was built there by a British slave trading company which became a hub for the slave trade. People from the west coast of Africa were kidnapped and shipped as...
York is a truly amazing place. It’s packed with history, ancient architecture, museums, parks … there are fabulous places to eat, the local scenery is unbeatable and it’s even a great place to shop. Bizarrely, you can also – free of charge...
