I wasn’t sure what to expect from Sofia. It’s been a very pleasant surprise. Having been inhabited since 7000 BC, it’s a city with a lot of history. I enjoyed seeing how the different eras mix and come together to form this vibrant city. St Sofia Church – the city’s namesake cathedral with the remnants…

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…

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.

The rain cleared away and under sunny skies the city sparkles. I spent some time on the Buda side of the river exploring the banks of the Danube and some of the historical sites,

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…

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…

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…

On my last few days in Athens I had a chance to go to two great museums. The first was the Museum of Byzantine and Christian Art. Then on to the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture The stopping by the Greek Parliament to see the guards and the tomb of the unknown soldier. And as…

Less than a minute’s walk outside my apartment, it was market day today. I had seen the no parking signs go up the day before and they don’t mess around here in Athens. I was a huge market spanning several closed streets with endless fruits and vegetables, the occasional olives, nuts and dry beans. From…

Opened in 1837 with some 12,00 graves, the First Cemetery of Athens is a peaceful spot in the middle of Athens not far from the ancient Agora. It is seems to contain one of the biggest collections of marble in the city. The graves are certainly large and elaborate. Not far away is the Panathenaic…