Here’s my guide to visiting the breathtaking Alçobaca Monastery in Portugal. Alçobaca is a former Cisterian monastery founded in the 12th century by Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques who hailed from Guimaraes. It’s a UNESCO-listed site and a must see landmark in Portugal. This guide tells you everything you need to see inside and gives … Read more
Here’s my complete guide to visiting the UNESCO-listed Coimbra University in Coimbra Portugal, with must know tips for visiting. Coimbra is the perfect midway stop between Lisbon and Porto and well worth a visit. The fortress-like university on the hilltop is one of Portugal’s most impressive UNESCO sites. You’ll be awed by the splendid architecture … Read more
Jeronimos Monastery is Portugal’s most visited heritage site. It’s a stunning testament to Portugal’s Age of Discoveries and a magnificent example of Manueline architecture. The monastery is a twisting mass of honey colored stone that glows like gold in the sunshine. There’s also a marble esplanade dotted with gardens and fountains. In this guide, I … Read more
Here’s my guide to the top attractions and best things to do and see in Belem. Belem is an architecturally-rich suburb of Lisbon. It’s an easy mini day trip from Lisbon. It’s just southwest of the city center. Belem is Lisbon’s prime cultural district. It’s a must see for its cluster of UNESCO-listed monuments. Some … Read more
The charming and cobbled Old World cornucopia of medieval Óbidos Portugal is just an hour north of Lisbon. The dreamy UNESCO village is perched fetchingly on a hill and encircled with stout medieval walls. It’s decorated with splashes of ultramarine and saffron yellow paint and filled with bougainvilla-covered whitewashed homes a cherry pots of geraniums. … Read more
Porto is a magnetic fairytale city with an unrivaled location on the Douro River in Portugal. The city is a mosaic of Medieval, Gothic, Renaissance, and Neo-Classical architecture with a pinch of picturesque crumbling buildings. Church spires vie with draped laundry to set an atmospheric stage. Porto has magnificent churches clad in wild sky blue … Read more
The Medici were the most celebrated family of the Renaissance era. Florence is synonymous with the Medici and the Medici is synonymous with Florence. Everything the Medici owned, created, and commissioned is gorgeous, including the palaces they lived in. There are three to visit: This guide will give you a rundown of everything to see. … Read more
Here’s my complete guide to the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence Italy. I tell you everything to see inside and give you must know tips for visiting and getting tickets. The San Lorenzo complex is vast. It includes the basilica itself, Brunelleschi’s Old Sacristy, the Medici Chapels, the Medici Crypt, and the Laurentian Library. … Read more
Planning a visit to Carcassonne France? Here’s my guide to the top attractions and best things to do in the UNESCO-listed marvel. Carcassonne is a breathtaking city of stone with a spectacle of a 10th century medieval fortress. As I sojourned through southern France, I initially wasn’t quite sure if I’d even make it to … Read more
The Roman Baths are the top attraction in Bath England. Dating back to 75 A.D., the baths are the best preserved ancient baths in Northern Europe. In 1987, they became a UNESCO heritage site. This guide gives you an overview of the history of the Roman Baths, what to see when visiting the complex, and … Read more