It wasn’t so very long ago that Bucharest found its independence from Ceaușescu, but its roots go back much deeper than that. it’s a very walkable city with many different styles that all seem to come together to give the city a personality. The traffic can be intense but there are also plenty of leafy parks and rose gardens to find some peace again.
An early morning start up on Montmartre which still preserves some of its artistic roots. Saint Chapelle is the former royal chapel and known for its captivating 7200 square feet of stained glass. Next door at the bottom of the Palais de la Justice is the Conciergerie – a former prison which included the former…
One of the most recognized sights in Paris and opera houses in the world, the Opera Garnier celebrates 150 years in 2025. This is also the theatre that was the inspiration for Gaston LeRoux’s Phantom of the Opera. I took a guided tour which was excellent. This was an opera house not built for acoustics…
Coming out of the shadows of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Tirana is a youthful feeling city with with one eye keenly on the future. Originally opened as a museum and conference centre under communist rule, the Tirana Pyramid had staircases installed on the outside of it and now provides great views across the city. The…
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…
A former railway, turned into park, two and a half stories above ground. Just across the river near the Gare D’Austrelitz is this interesting building. Though the clouds were rolling in, there was still some time in the afternoon to get a few external shots of the Louvre and the Tuileries Gardens.
Unique places.