Southern Italy: from Magna Graecia to Italian Unification When you ask people about Italy, more often than not one of the first places they mention is the capital city, Rome, or the submerged streets of …
For centuries, trade via France from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean has been of the utmost importance for the country’s cultural and economic development. From as far back as the 3rd century BC when Cornish …
Visiting Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia: The South Caucasus’ Entwined Histories and Must-See Sites Visiting Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in one trip makes logistical sense as the countries sit next to each other south of the Caucasus …
Trans-Siberian Landscapes and Wildlife Even in a fast-paced world where travelling long distances means hopping on a plane and journeying through the air for a few hours, the Trans-Siberian Railway continues to have a magnetic …
The Delicate Art of Art Restoration The Netherland’s Rijkmuseum recently announced that it will be restoring Rembrandt’s The Night Watch, its most famous and most treasured painting by the Dutch master. Rembrandt’s group portrait masterpiece, …
Monet’s Giverny Garden Claude Monet French Impressionist Claude Monet (1840-1926) was a pioneer of a major art movement, but he created a thing of beauty that he believed eclipsed even his own celebrated works of art. …
Mature Travellers Discovering Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Austria. It is best-known for its capital Budapest, the country’s cultural and commercial centre and …
Your Next Holiday Destination: Germany The Moselle River, which runs through Trier, Germany’s oldest city. Once labelled the “sick man of Europe”, Germany is now the continent’s largest economy and the sixth largest economy in …
15 Must-See Sites in Berlin
- 7 mins read
Architecture, Art, Blog, Europe, Germany, Lists, over-50s, small-group
15 Must-See Sites in Berlin Berlin, capital of Germany, venue of the Berlinale, seat of the German Parliament, and location of UNESCO-protected Museum Island, occupies a place of prominence as a cultural and economic powerhouse. …
Guillaumot prevents Paris collapse
- 8 mins read
Architecture, Blog, Europe, France, heritage, History, over-50s, small-group
Guillaumot prevents Paris collapse. Modern-day Paris On April 24, 1777, architect Charles-Axel Guillaumot, newly minted Inspector of Quarries, experienced the worst first day at work. More than two years prior, in the afternoon of December …
Ancient Routes, Fresh Eyes: Nine European Pilgrimage Routes for the Modern Traveller The word ‘pilgrimage’ or ‘pilgrim’ comes from the Modern French word pèlerin, which means ‘foreigner, stranger’, highlighting the concept that the faithful is not of …
Practicing Responsible Travel In January this year we reported on a growing problem: the overcrowding that affects tourist cities across the world. Time Magazine recently called it “The Tourist Trap”, because it is not as simple …
Lisbon Travel Notes for mature & senior Travellers Travellers, meet Lisbon. Lisbon, Travellers. Hello there. Olá! I am Lisbon, an elegant Portuguese city perched upon the banks of the sparkling River Tagus. Locals call me ‘Lisboa’. …
Barcelona for mature and senior travellers The entrancing cosmopolitan city of Barcelona is one of the cultural highlights of Europe. Situated on the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula, the Catalan capital is famous for …
Learning about Ireland for Seniors In order to uncover the treasures of Ireland, you must connect its rich heritage with its physical beauty. Explore geology and natural history at the Cliffs of Moher and Slieve …
Crete history for travellers Crete is one of the most beautiful and traditional regions of Greece. Although Cretans have fought generations of invaders, they are a people whose courtesy and hospitality is legendary. These lands …
Around the World in Six Coffees; Italy, France, Japan, China, Morocco & Argentina Order a cappuccino in Italy after 11am and expect to receive strange looks. In Argentina, don’t be surprised when your coffee order …
A Greek Odyssey Greece (Greek: Ελλάς, Hellas) is located in sun drenched Southern Europe, on the southernmost tip of the Balkan peninsula. It boasts extensive coastlines and islands in the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean Seas. …
English Village History The English Village lives in the imagination of anyone who has ever read classic British literature, or watched a BBC costume drama or binged Midsomer Murders. The archetype is of course a …
Uncovering Caravaggio The following article picks up on, and extends, our general introduction to Caravaggio. Here, we we delve further into the details of Caravaggio’s early life and relationships, and use available evidence to piece …
Who was Caravaggio? Caravaggio became the greatest painter of religious works of the early 17th century. His dramatic but naturalistic style of painting emphasised the common humanity of his subjects, the apostles and martyrs of …