Parikia is the capital of Paros, one of the most beautiful Greek islands in the Cyclades. Paros is a perfect alternative for avoiding the crowds of Santorini and Mykonos without skimping on idyllic Aegean beaches and charming Cycladic villages. Parikia is the capital of Paros and the island’s major port, yet it’s also one of the loveliest villages on the island. The best things to … Continue reading Parikia: Paros’ Captivating Capital
You could lose hours in the seemingly never-ending gardens of Versailles. Between the English gardens, French gardens, Petit and Grand Trianons, fountains, orangeries, greenhouses, lakes, grottos and my favourite, Marie Antoinette’s fairytale hamlet, there is so much to see here. In terms of beauty, I think the gardens leave the palace for dead. The Temple of Love is a neo-classical temple in the English Gardens at … Continue reading The Temple of Love in the gardens of Versailles
The Glendalough monastic city is one of the most treasured Early Medieval sites in Ireland, and has attracted pilgrims for more than 1400 years. Today, it’s one of the most beloved sites in Ireland’s Ancient East region and a popular day trip from Dublin. Highlights of a trip to Glendalough include wandering through the magnificent Romanesque ruins of the monastic city and an amble through the … Continue reading Glendalough: Ireland’s Ancient Monastic City in the Wicklow Mountains
Miami is one of the most seductive cities in the USA. Beyond the crystal clear waters of South Beach, Ocean Drive’s art deco hotels and Miami’s megaclubs, the city’s vibrant Latin American culture is what really makes Miami tick. It’s a perfect example of America’s regional cultural diversity and is one of the reasons Miami is one of my favourite travel destinations in the USA. The beating … Continue reading Exploring Miami’s Little Havana
New York City has a rich and diverse culture thanks to generations of immigration. The city has benefited from welcoming immigrants in countless ways, and the most tangible is it’s diverse and delicious cuisine! On a summer trip to New York before we moved there, I took the Tenements, Tales & Tastes food & history tour with Urban Adventures so I could learn how generation of … Continue reading Tenements, Tales & Tastes: A Food & History Tour of New York City
As one of the biggest city parks in Tokyo, Yoyogi Park is a hive of activity. Yoyogi Park is home to the Meiji Shrine, as well as the Tokyo Flea Market. In spring it is a popular spot for enjoying the cherry blossom trees, but when we visited in Autumn, we found the Autumn instalment of the quarterly Earth Garden festival, which was a nice surprise. Japan … Continue reading Exploring Yoyogi Park: Meiji Shrine, Earth Garden & The Tokyo Flea Market
The elegant dome of the Pantheon is an iconic fixture of the Parisian skyline. I was excited to see inside, when I was in Paris for the first time, with my family. The Pantheon’s purpose is to serve history, but the building itself is also a legacy of Paris’ tumultuous history. Paris is a city that celebrates and honours the past better than any other city … Continue reading The Pantheon, Paris: Home of France’s Heroes
I was warned about temple burnout in Japan. Before visiting, I couldn’t image becoming numb to the historic beauty of shrines and temples. This was my first time travelling in Asia, so I hadn’t done the temple trails before. I also didn’t plan on visiting enough temples to put me at risk of burnout. I wasn’t in Tokyo for the temples, so I’d only planned to visit the … Continue reading Visiting Tokyo’s Senso-Ji Temple
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space museum is a military & space exploration museum, docked in New York City at Pier 86 in Hells’ Kitchen. History, technology and military service are on display at the Intrepid Museum. The star attractions are the USS Growler submarine, the Enterprise space shuttle and 28 aircraft dotted around the upper deck. I acknowledge the Wappinger and Lenape people as the First Nations … Continue reading Out of this world: The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, NYC
The L’Hotel National des Invalides in Paris is a French military museum and memorial complex, as well as the final resting place of the Emperor Napoleon. A military museum is usually the last place you’d find me, but I was spending the morning with my Dad, whose passion for history is so infectious that he made it interesting. My sister, Georgie, had just returned from her student … Continue reading A Visit to Napoleon’s Tomb at L’Hotel des Invalides, Paris