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The towering beauty of Pisa
I have been to Pisa in Italy many times. My daughter lived there for a year so I got to know the city quite well. Last year I wrote an article about The San Gimignano Towers versus The Leaning Tower so I have now written an article about the town of Pisa itself. Pisa, though famous…
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Seattle: Grunge, coffee and heavy industry
One of the most northerly US cities, Seattle is a thriving mix of counterculture verve fuelled by the machinations of heavy industry. Its hotels, bars and restaurants are of as high a standard as you would expect in any major US city but it its distinctive culture and history that make the city unique. Seattle…
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Lesvos – A Hellenic Gem
Situated on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean, the island of Lesvos is the most ‘Greek’ of the Greek islands and provides its visitors with an abundance of Hellenic history and culture in addition to the usual Greek island offerings of idyllic beaches and buzzing coastal resorts. One of the great cultural centres of the…
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Surreal landscapes and fairy chimneys in Cappadocia
One of the most popular tourist destinations in Turkey, Cappadocia is known primarily for its rock. It is impossible to visit the region without coming face to face with some sort of rock formation, whether the eye-catching phenomena known as fairy chimneys, the houses and churches carved out of the rock face or the underground…
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Athens – A Classic Alternative
While many sun-thirsty travellers head straight to the beautiful Greek islands to bronze themselves and spend their hard-earned cash on water sports, great food, clubbing and the odd tipple, they are overlooking a lively and enthralling city in Athens. The Greek capital is one of the great monuments to the ancient world and still holds intellectual,…
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Picturesque charm in old town Dubrovnik
Currently one of the trendiest places to visit in the Mediterranean, Croatia is also widely regarded as one of Europe’s most beautiful countries. Although the nation’s recent tourism boom may seem to be a modern trend, Croatia was in fact a popular tourist destination prior to the outbreak of war in the early 1990s and…
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Drinkers’ paradise – Oktoberfest
The world’s most famous beer festival, Oktoberfest starts on 22 September for two weeks so it’s time to start planning your trip. Beer lovers should have made their way to the Schottenhamel tent by high noon on September 22nd where the city’s lord mayor will tap the first keg of the festival’s beer. Once the ceremonial…
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A 70 year old’s view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb
I climbed the Sydney Harbour Brdge a few years ago and I thought it was a fantastic experience. It was no where near as scary as some people were making out and the height didn’t bother me at all. Some bridge climbers I saw though did turn around before they reached the top as they…
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Escape the usual tourist traps in beautiful Zagreb
If you’re looking for somewhere to go to impress your friends – you might be tempted by the idea of a weekend break in one of Europe’s more secluded capital cities. Whilst Croatia’s tranquil islands and world-class beaches have allowed the country to begin reaping the benefits of tourism in recent years, the country’s capital city, Zagreb,…
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Cologne – Bikers, buildings and beer
Bikers will flock to Cologne this October as Germany’s fourth largest city is due to stage the Intermot International Motorcycle and Scooter Fair. But Cologne has much more to offer than a collection of wannabe Hells Angels – it dates back to the Roman times and possesses some of the most striking architecture of central…
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Singapore – where East meets West
One of the smallest 20 countries in the world, Singapore provides the culturally curious traveller with a snapshot of the Far East cased in a land where Western home comforts are readily available. Although based on one main island, Singapore is actually a collection of 63 islands, most of which are uninhabited, and due to…