Arrive in Carcassonne in the late afternoon, and youâll soon understand why this place makes travelers fall silent. The sky turns the color of deep lavender, and as the sun sinks, the two-and-a-quarter miles of the cityâs great stone walls turn gold. Far away, the towers look like a childrenâs storybook come to life. Close […]
Cast your eyes from the battlements of Stirling Castle and you could be looking at a map of Scottish history. To the east, fields and hills that witnessed William Wallaceâs most famous victory. To the south, the rolling hills where Robert the Bruce led his men to a nationâs destiny. And right under your feet? […]
Moszna Castle in southern Poland isnât your average tourist stop. If you havenât seen it yet on your map, chances are youâll be surprised by the unique appearance of its 99 towers and eclectic architecture. This fairytale castle in real life is more than just stunning: itâs bursting with history, legends, and quirky details that […]
Iâll never forget the first time I saw Castel SantâAngeloânot because itâs the most beautiful building in Rome (it isnât), but because it stopped me dead on my tracks while I was hurrying to catch the sunset from the Vatican steps. Rome is full of old stones and âmust-sees,â but nothing prepares you for this […]
At first glance, Mont Saint-Michel is a fantasy sketchbook come to life: a crown of jagged rock and spires perched directly on the surface of the sea. It shimmers on the horizon when it is misty, and seems to float above the flat tidal flats at low tide. By the evening, the abbey is a […]
One morning, as I climbed the roads of Sintra, the mist wrapped itself around the hill like a blanket and gazed up into the dense forest. It clung there, hiding what was behind. As the road turned, I saw the Pena Palace, suspended high above the town, as if painted in watercolors of wild yellow, […]
It was dark when I left BraÈov that morning, still enough that I could see my breath fog up the bus window. There was a smell of damp leaves and pine needles, and beyond the headlights the Carpathians rose as ghostly as any of my pre-trip expectations. Dracula, this time I really mean it, this […]
