I have come from the north of Italy down to the south, into the heel if you know your geography. I am in Lecce. Nicknamed the Florence of the south, it’s a small city I have been wanting to come to for a while. It has a historical centre full of winding alleys and roads and you never really know what is around the next corner. The local limestone has been used to build and be carved into the most beautiful buildings. This is full on Baroque.
Turin is quite a grand city. If you look across the city’s history it starts to make sense. Home to the Duchy of Savoy in 1563 and it was Turin that was Italy’s first capital when it was united into a single country. While it only lasted from 1861 to 1865 the remnants of fortifications,…
It was a rainy start to my time in Budapest but the city is still very grand. One of my first stops was a poignant memorial, the shoes on the Danube. It marks the spot some 23,000 people were massacred (most of them Jewish) during the fascist regime. The rain provided a chance to visit…
Back on the Buda side to visit St Stephen’s Hall one of the opulent rooms restored after being bombed out in WWII, then being converted to more utilitarian spaces during communism. Over the last few decades Hungary has worked to restore the castle and its many past treasures.
Starting my day in the 13th Arrondissement for its great street art. Then starting at Republique, making my way along the Canal St Martin. What was once an important shipping canal complete with locks. It makes for a long and pleasant stroll. Arriving finally at the City of Science and Industry – an interactive museum….
