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 …
History and Legacy of the Silk Road
- 10 mins read
Archaeology, Art, Asia, Blog, China, History, small-group
The History and Legacy of the Silk Road The Silk Road (also called the Silk Routes) was an extensive system of trade routes formally established during the rule of China’s Han Dynasty. The routes traversed …
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 …
Exploring York Like a page out of a history book, the North-Eastern city of York in the United Kingdom is a Gothic wonder. What lies beyond this walled Roman fortress, aside from York Minister, …
Exploring Kazakhstan. “Land of Wanderers” Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world and covers a landlocked area bigger than all of Western Europe. But unlike Europe, it does not figure prominently in the …
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 …
History of Persian Carpets
- 9 mins read
Blog, heritage, History, Iran, mature-travelers, Middle East, over-50s
History of Persian Carpets: From the Nomadic Tribes of Iran to Europe’s Richest Inside the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque (colloquially known as the “Pink Mosque”) in Shiraz, Iran, with the floor covered with beautiful Persian carpets. …
New York City: Architecture Styles Through the Ages What makes the Empire State Building different from the Haughwout Building in SoHo? How do the surrounding skyscrapers allow just the right amount of natural lighting for …
The Shoguns of Japan: An Introduction to Six Centuries of Japanese Cultural Evolution
- 17 mins read
Asia, Blog, heritage, History, Japan, mature-travelers, over-50s, small-group
The Shoguns of Japan: An Introduction to Six Centuries of Japanese Cultural Evolution From 1192 to 1867, Japan was ruled by military dictators called the shogun. The civil government continued under the imperial court in Kyoto, …
Malta, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica: Educational Journey through History
- 19 mins read
Blog, France, heritage, History, Italian History, Italy, Lists, Malta, mature-travelers, Odyssey, over-50s
Malta, Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica: An Educational Journey through the History of the Western Mediterranean This article takes you on a journey through the beautiful islands of the western Mediterranean–Malta, Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica–by tracing …
Trans-Siberian Railway: Travel advice. What is it? The trans-Siberian railway was once hailed ‘the fairest jewel in the land of the Tsars’. Crossing Russia, Mongolia and China, this web of tracks provides unrivalled views of …
Six Short Walks through Britain Britain is renowned for its walking trails, and many world travellers choose to roam its green, rolling lands. How better to get a sense of its dramatic landscapes? From granite …
From Cairo to the NAC: Egypt Builds a New Capital City
- 8 mins read
Archaeology, Blog, Cultural, Egypt, heritage, History, mature-travelers, over-50s
From Cairo to the NAC: Egypt Builds a New Capital City On July 11, 2018 Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi laid the first stone of what was to become Egypt’s new capital. The city is …
Learning about Manchester’s Early History Well-known parts of Manchester’s history include their textile boom during the Industrial Revolution and the first steam engine railway to Liverpool. But what about its precursor? Manchester saw different leaders …
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 …
Early History of Sicily: From the Phoenicians to the Arab Conquest (Antiquity to the 10th Century) Sicily in Southern Italy is the largest island in the Mediterranean, separated from the mainland by the Strait of …
Beauty and Artistry in Iran: The Persian Garden and Persian Mosaic Tiles
- 7 mins read
Architecture, Art, Blog, Cultural, heritage, History, Iran, Lists, Middle East, over-50s
Nasir al-Mulk Mosque in Shiraz, Fars Province, Iran Beauty and artistry can be seen everywhere in Iran, and its philosophy and religious beliefs are reflected in the country’s public and private spaces. In this article …
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 …