It looks like an ugly lump of concrete and … well, it is. It is also a protected historic monument. Really. The fact that it dates from 1941 gives us a clue as to why it’s a historically important structure. And its name? Schwerbelastungskörper means...
This is a genuine secret garden that was lost – well, unknown – for many years. It had been creatyed in Victorian times but had fallen into disrepair and become overgrown. But in the 1990s a door was found into the walled garden that was buried in the...
Isbjerget means ‘iceberg’ and you can see why that name was chosen for this complex of variously sized apartments. Take a look at the photographs and the drone footage below and you can see exactly why. This award-winning housing development opened in 2013...
Stay in a property that neighbours one of the homes often inhabited by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. Freely wander through the grounds and you might see the royal couple walking their dogs. Stay in a room that has been carefully decorated with pieces...
It started life in 1929. Piscine Molitor, probably one of the most stunning man-made vistas in Europe – has a history that travels from Johnny Weissmuller (who found Hollywood fame as Tarzan of the Apes) through the decades to Pi Patel (whose tiger Richard...
Just look at that bridge. Located in a public park in Gablenz, Germany, the bridge was constructed in the nineteenth century. The park is a popular place to visit as its gardens – abounding with rhododendrons and azaleas – are spectacular. What’s...
I know, it’s a real cliché to say ‘step back in time’ but nevertheless when you visit Den Gamle By in Denmark that’s what you’re doing. Den Gamle By is the old town of Aarhus and has been preserved as an outdoor museum. The photographs...
No, it’s not a roller coaster. But it looks like one, doesn’t it? In fact, it’s an art installation but one that the public can enjoy – by travelling along and around it but on foot rather than at roller coaster speed. And the view is...
In December 2017, Prince Harry and American actor Meghan Markle announced their engagement. The scene for the to-be-historic photographs and interview was Frogmore House, a Grade 1 listed building in the possession of royalty for hundreds of years. Travel specialists...
Millions of passengers travel through St Pancras Station in London every year. With trains going to Europe (Paris, Amsterdam, Rotterdam… via the Channel Tunnel), connections going to various parts of the UK – with all that train activity going on people...
I suspect that you and I could start a conversation about the purpose of art, and what is art for, and what is the importance of art … and I think we’d still be talking about it in a week’s time. There’s a lot of ground to cover there....
It must be one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. And if you’ve been there, I’m willing to bet that you remember that smell, that special aroma of sage, juniper and myrtle blending together in the sun. Marseille is the second largest cities in...
Totally spooky. I can’t imagine what it would be like to see Fort Boyard in the twilight or in a ghostly mist. It’s actually a fort but has the look of a stone ship – pretty forbidding, I think. Work began to create this creepiness in 1801 under...
The Englischer Garten in Munich is so called because its style is based on the parks that were popular in England during the eighteenth-century. This large urban park was modelled on the English versions. This is why it’s easy to see why there was a famous...
Chetham’s is the oldest operating public library in the English-speaking world. It was founded in 1653. If you think that was a long, long time ago then I have to also tell you that the building (the gorgeous building) dates from 1421. It originally housed...
You’ve heard that name before, haven’t you? Hamelin? That’s right, it’s Hamelin where the legend of the Pied Piper began. The story of the Pied Piper refers to an incident which apparently happened in the Middle Ages, in 1284. The story...
The Village of Juzcar nestles in a valley in the Andalusia area of Southern Spain. It is – or rather, was – one of the White Villages of Andalusia – the traditional whitewashed villages that have not changed for hundreds of years. And Juzcar was...
If I told you that the connection between a Swedish water tower and a café in Canvey Island, Essex, UK, was the Sydney Opera House then you’d probably think that I’d lost it at last. Fair enough. But read on. Canvey Island in Essex is not really the sort...
Travelling by train overnight is – to me – one of the most luxurious and romantic ways to get from point A to point B. Someone else has to worry about the driving, the navigating … you’re in a proper bed and not trying to sleep in a cramped...
It’s very tricky to pronounce, it was used as a filming location for an episode of The Game of Thrones – and it’s totally amazing. For centuries, the sea of the Bay of Biscay has been pounding this Basque Country coastline and forming all manner of...
If you’re heading to Germany and wondering about the quality of the tap water then I have good news for you. Germany has one of the best quality water supplies in the world. Water is something that the German authorities take incredibly seriously. You’ll...
See the photograph above? Now that is one gorgeous place to swim, dine or enjoy a luxurious spa day. But here’s what Kings Meadow Pool, now known as the Thames Lido. But in 2009, here’s what the place looked like. And seeing what the place looks like now...
Incredible Irish designer Eileen Gray designed the house that I – and plenty of other people too I’m sure – would describe as a dream home. Completed in 1929, the house overlooks the sparkling blue sea. It was a labour of love – more about...
Heir B & B is what the press are calling it. Snigger. But no, Prince Charles isn’t actually about to place Buckingham Palace on Airbnb – but he is creating ten new guest accommodations at the Castle of Mey in the wilds of Scotland. The prince’s...
James Bond’s arch-enemy Ernst Stavro Blofeld is hiding out in his mountaintop retreat in Switzerland. It is inaccessible by any means other than a scary helicopter flight. But Blofeld is a criminal mastermind and his goal is a simple one – world...
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...
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...
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...
I’m all for healthy eating. (Most of the time). But when you’re travelling, what a great opportunity you have to sample the cuisine of other cultures. And anyway, there ought to be a rule that calories outside of your own country just don’t...
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...
You’re driving along one of the most scenic routes in Norway. The views are breathtaking. But, as is often the case on road trips, you feel that it’s time for a rest stop. Actually, you need the loo. And what better place to stop that the place you see in...
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...
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...
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...
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 I was a kid, every year our family used to go in the car to Italy. This was a fantastic journey and a lot of the driving was through France. For us three kids, especially the younger ones, this could get a bit boring so we used to play those dreadful spot-the...
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....
Travelling these days is so different than in times gone by, especially for those of us who want – or need – to travel on a restricted budget. Staying in a hostel is a budget-conscious way to see the world and meet new people and costs are low. At time of...
If the Crown pub in Kingsclere, Hampshire isn’t haunted then there’s something very wrong with the modern ghost. The Crown definitely deserves to be one of the most haunted pubs in England because of a WW2 massacre that took place there and was hushed up...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Carciofi alla giudia is a traditional Roman recipe that is a Jewish speciality. It’s a plate of sheer deliciousness, being a wonderful twice-deep-fried artichoke dish. It’s prepared in a traditional manner. (See the video below). Recently though, it has...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The Hotel Negresco in Nice is located on the Promenade des Anglais. Eccentric dancer, Isadora Duncan, died on the promenade in 1927, – by many accounts right outside the hotel. She was wearing a long silk scarf, as was the fashion in the 1920s, when she and a...
In 1926, Agatha Christie was already well-known thanks to her novels. But in December that year she suddenly disappeared. Her car was found abandoned and for the next eleven days, a massive police search was undertaken. It was surmised that she had committed suicide...
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...
Stay at the La Dimora di Metello Hotel in Matera and the terrace above will be an excellent place to sit and enjoy a glass of local wine and gaze at the most amazing scenery. Sassi di Matera, also known as ‘The City of Caves’ is a UNESCO World Heritage...
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...
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...
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...
Hate long-haul flights? I do but nevertheless, I prefer to have a little time in the air to settle down, have a glass of wine and read a book. I wouldn’t have those opportunities though if I took a flight from Westray to Papa Westray in the Orkney Islands....
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...
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...
This fabulous road, which hugs the side of a mountain, was built in Victorian times and used by traffic until its usage was banned in 1995. It was simply too dangerous. At first, I thought this was such a shame – what an incredible drive this would be –...
I’ve written before about the northern seaside town of Blackpool in the UK and how it’s reinventing itself. And it’s doing a good job of reinventing what is probably its most famous feature, Blackpool Tower. Blackpool never really had much going for...
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...
Although the Blue refers to itself as a hostel, many guests prefer to call it a hotel due to the high standard of the facilities. Plus of course, the fact that private rooms are available and not the regular hostel-style dorms. (See examples in the images below)....
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...
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...
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...
It’s not the Eiffel Tower. Nor is it the Prado in Madrid. Forget Barcelona Cathedral, Buckingham Palace and even the Acropolis in Athens. Today, the number one tourist spot is in Northern Ireland. Have you guessed yet? It’s the Titanic Belfast tourism...
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...
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...
Royal scandals tend to be a thing of the past these days but in the UK in the 1930s there was plenty of royal scandal to keep everyone entertained. The British papers tried hard to rise above these matters but the foreign press had a field day with the new king,...
It seems unbelievable to us today. It was June 2, 1988. Joe Cocker gave a concert in Dresden, Germany. That doesn’t sound too unusual, does it? A musician playing a public concert? But it was unusual when you realise that at that time, Germany was still a year...
Most countries in Europe take their native cheeses very seriously indeed. Countries such as Italy, France and Great Britain are a delight for the cheese-lover. But have you heard of oscypek? This cheese is made exclusively in Poland from sheep’s milk. And...
If you’re flying to Paris and are just about to land at the airport, the chances are that you’ll be flying over the ghost village of Goussainville-Vieux Pays . When you’re read the story that led to this village being abandoned, you’ll be sure...
