The people of Ireland have long celebrated their culture and strong national identity through music and food. Yes, food! Many tourists and travelers consider the entire country’s cuisine to be nothing more than hearty pub food to be avoided. And, of course, there have been significant international influences (Chinese, French, West Africa, Polish, Tex Mex, …
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, recently named Glasgow a UNESCO City of Music, as part of the Organization’s Creative Cities Network. It joins Bologona in Italy and Seville in Spain, as the only three European Cities of Music. Glasgow was chosen for very good reason; check-out some of the statistics: – in an average week, 127 …
The oldest population center in Ireland, Waterford is a beautiful medieval city with a long, proud history and a world-famous export: crystal. Waterford was founded in the 9th century by the Vikings. It was invaded by the Anglo-Normans in the 12th century and was the site for several religious battles and a civil war before becoming a tourist hot …
Any in-the-know tourists will tell you that Belfast in Northern Ireland is a hidden paradise, full of history, ambiance, and hospitality. There are a ton of things to do in Belfast. And frequent express trains connect Belfast with popular Dublin in less than two hours. While a day is simply not enough to fully experience …
When people think of Scotland, they likely think of bagpipes, whiskey, and castles. And, castles are a large part of the landscape in Scotland– from those offering sweeping vistas – to fortifications in city centers – to crumbling ruins in the highlands that have taken their former inhabitant’s secrets to the grave. Visiting castles should be a part …
The border between the United Kingdom’s two largest nations, England and Scotland, has been a contentious place for hundreds of years. It’s one of the world’s oldest borders, first established in partial form by the Treaty of York in 1237. Today, the area offers a number of interesting and unique areas for tourists to discover. Here …
The Netherlands is a coastal nation, with the entire western side of the country boardering the sea. Dutch beaches are characterized by massive sand dunes and broad sandy beaches which, in the right conditions, can be a delight. Unfortunately, there is a misconception that the weather in the Netherlands is always grey – which isn’t necessarily true. …
Widely regarded as one of Europe’s most beautiful capitals, Edinburgh never ceases to astound the visitor with its beauty. Princes Street divides this city into two main areas, The Old Town and New Town, both with their own character and beauty. Choosing where to stay in Edinburgh is difficult because of the wealth of great …
In Celtic, Glasgow means “a dear green place” and that it is, although a bit less green since its naming. With a proud history as a shipbuilding, trade, and financial center, contemporary Glasgow is sleek and modern and its Manhattan-style town planning affords many sweeping vistas of the city’s impressive Victorian buildings, as well as …
The beautiful photographs and interesting stories in the book, Grand Literary Cafés of Europe, by Noel Fitch, provide both the background behind the history of café culture in Europe and great ideas for places to relax on your next European city trip. “Coffee is the beverage of thought, dialectic and dream”. From the first cafés …