Fortress and Byzantine Culture

While Lille isn’t the biggest of cities, it sits within the larger European Metropolis of Lille with a regional population between 1.5-2 million. While I explored most of the historical centre there is lots more to come back one day and explore across the region. And the usual steep and traditional winding French staircase to…

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…

Two of the most beautiful churches in Lecce are Santa Croce and San Matteo. Santa Croce is a jaw dropping moment as you come around the corner and see the very ornate facade. I am sure it makes a stunning wedding venue. San Matteo is more bell shaped but just as beautiful inside.

I’ve heard about both Saint-Germain-des-Pres and Jardins Luxembourg for a long time so it was great to have a chance to visit both. The equally large and beautiful Saint Sulpice. Dropping by Montparnasse cemetery to see the graves of famous philosophers Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. and Concorde Metro station where the Declaration…

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 Jardin D’Accilmatation sits between the Arc de Triomphe and La Defense and just above the large wooded Bois de Boulogne. It’s a lovely park, and I hadn’t realized also an amusement park. Getting ready for the day of the dead Sitting on the edge of the park is Foundation Louis Vuitton, a modern art…