Nevsky Cathedral

the Et’Hem Bey Mosque started construction in the 1790s and was finished around 1820. It was closed of significant period of time under the rule of communism, coming back into use in the 1990s. Liqueni is an artificial lake created in the 1950s. With its leafy forest and great views it makes for a wonderful…

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,…

My day started with a quick 20 min train ride to one of the southern suburbs of Turin, where standing high on a hill was Castello Moncalieri and the lovely historical centre that surrounds it. Originally built as a fortress for the Savoys in the 1100s, it was turned into a “pleasure residence” in the…

The Museum of Carnavalet is an excellent museum in the Marais detailing the history of Paris. Even more remarkable as a city run museum its permanent collections are free to visit. Just down the street is the parish church of St Paul and St Louis As well as the Church of Saint Gervais It’s just…

Up early on a beautiful fall day, so I decided to head across town and up the hill to where there is not only a nice church, it has one of the best viewpoints of Turin as a city. The galleria for a little high end shopping… or catch a film at the Lux Just…

My last full day in Budapest so it was a chance to see St. Stephen’s Basilica. I also had the chance to take in a production of Swan Lake at the beautiful State Opera House. Just a stone’s throw from my apartment is the famous ruin bars. Initially created in buildings that were slated to…