Travel to Bath – Podcast with Amateur Traveler
I recently participated in an Amateur Traveler podcast about my new hometown of Bath. I've written lots about the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bath already - the Roman baths, the museums, the writers associated with Bath, and much more... But this was my chance to...
read more
Book Review: Experience Spain from Lonely Planet
Last year I posted a review of Experience Italy, a Lonely Planet guide that explored the country and its culture in depth. Now the second book in the series – Experience Spain – has been published. Again, this is much more than a conventional guidebook; it is a feast...
read more
Visiting Boyana Church, Sofia: A World Heritage Site
The Boyana Church in Sofia is one of nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bulgaria. Situated on the outskirts of the city, on the foot of Mount Vitosha, it takes a bit of planning to get there, and your visit is likely to be brief. So why should you make the effort to...
read more
Hidden Art Galleries: The Churches of Sofia, Bulgaria
We are accustomed to thinking of churches as great works of architecture. But many of them also have magnificent interiors. I was surprised at how many of the churches of Sofia were like mini-art galleries, packed with frescoes and other artworks, a reflection of the...
read more
Top Things to Do in Sofia, Bulgaria
Visitors to Bulgaria tend to head for the mountains or the Black Sea beach resorts. But there are lots of reasons to visit Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital city. Starting with the fact that it is surprisingly affordable, and that it is jam-packed with historic churches,...
read more
What to See and Do in Bradford on Avon
Bradford on Avon is often overlooked by the tourists who flock to the nearby city of Bath. Which is a pity: like Bath, it has an enviable location in the Avon Valley and, unlike Bath, it is a medieval town with lots of older buildings. Whether you visit for a few...
read more
Can the New Venice Tourist Tax Combat Overtourism?
At the end of 2018 the Venice city council announced that it would be introducing a new entry fee, a tax on every tourist entering the city. This is partly a response to overtourism, and partly a way of bringing in much needed revenue. But what precisely is the...
read more