In Central Bulgaria lies the former capital of Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo. It’s small, atmospheric, and visually stunning thanks to it’s unique geographic location and history. General Impressions Bulgaria’s medieval capital straddles a river valley, which gives the Old Town a unique, almost spiral, shape. The Old Town is incredibly climactic, with narrow, multi-level streets carved … Continue reading Travel Guide: Veliko Tarnovo
Transylvania was a borderlands for most of it’s history, and as such, is dotted with castles and other fortifications all across the province. One such fortress is Bran Castle. There are castles in Transylvania that are bigger, or with more impressive interior, but Bran Castle comes to the forefront as it nearly perfectly matches the … Continue reading Meeting Dracula at Bran Castle
I really struggled to come up with a tagline for Bucharest, least of all because I didn’t particularly like the city, though that certainly played the part. As a result of it’s history, Bucharest doesn’t really know what it’s meant to be. On the same street, one can find sleek modern building, grey Communist-era flats, … Continue reading Bucharest: The Confused City
I’m a massive Romaphile. I’m fascinated by Roman history – their politics, their warfare, and their architecture. The Romans are a people that left a mark on European history and culture unlike any other civilisation. It’s little wonder then, that I was right at home in the city where it all started. One of the … Continue reading Exploring the Ruins of Ostia Antica
After a long a harrowing night in the overnight train from Budapest, we arrived in the city of Brașov. This city is the perfect base to explore mystical Transylvania – it has great transport links to numerous other great sights, and there is plenty to see and do in Brașov itself. General Impressions There’s a … Continue reading Brașov: Gateway to Transylvania
Hungary’s capital is a beautiful, lively, and affordable city. It is rife with fascinating history, excellent photo opportunities, and delicious food and drink. It’s little wonder, then, that it quickly became my favourite city in Europe, one which I cannot wait to get back to. General Impressions Hungarians are generally friendly and helpful. The city … Continue reading Budapest: The City of Baths
This was my third time visiting the Eternal City, and it was just as breath-taking as it was previously. Rome is a city dripping in culture and history, and seemingly every corner has something interesting to see, do, eat, or drink. General Impressions Romans expect you to adapt to their customs and speak their language, … Continue reading Rome: The Eternal City
Edinburgh was the other half of mine and Tayla’s trip to Scotland, and was a far cry from the rugged beauty of the Cairngorms. Most of our time was spent in the rustic and medieval Old Town, which enchanted me with its cobbled roads and stone buildings. General Impressions Scots are incredibly friendly. From being … Continue reading Edinburgh: Rocks, Cobbles, and Stones
Our trip to Scotland was just over a week long, but we managed to cram in adventure, history, and mountains in that short span of time. Perhaps my favourite part of the trip (though I can’t say the same for Tayla) was the beautiful Cairngorms National Park. Located in the North-Eastern corner of Scotland, we … Continue reading The Cairngorms National Park, Scotland
Thanks to the now-God-awful weather, we decided that, rather than try spend time outdoors during a Scottish downpour, we would take an earlier train out of the Cairngorms and stop along the way in the rather small city of Perth. I say that, as it has a population only a quarter of that of Colchester’s, … Continue reading Perth
We May Roam 