Discovering the City of Dickens and Shakespeare with a London Walks Tour
Our guide was loud and theatrical, and had no problem making himself heard by the crowd of people clustered hopefully around him. “It had to happen sometime,” he boomed. “A North American telling you about those two icons of English literature, Dickens and...
Discovering Roman London
London’s long history is one of its many attractions for visitors. Yet less is known of the city’s Roman past than of the Middle Ages or the colourful Tudor period. This is largely due to the fact that most of Roman London has been obliterated or obscured by later...
Kew Gardens: London’s “Lesser Known” UNESCO World Heritage Site
London has four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but one – the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew – is less visited than the others. Each of the others – the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, and the Greenwich Museums – attracted more than 2.5m...
Baelo Claudia and Carteia: Two Roman Towns in Andalucia, Spain
It was surprisingly easy to walk across the border from Gibraltar to Spain and pick up a hire car. We were now in Andalucia, an area variously colonised by the Phoenecians, the Romans and the Moors. And our destination was two ancient Roman towns: Baelo Claudia and...
Exotic Plants and Molly Bloom: the Alameda Botanic Gardens, Gibraltar
The Alameda Botanic Gardens are one of the must-see places on Gibraltar. There is much to recommend them: a beautiful setting, with a wide variety of plants, and an intriguing blend of the everyday and the exotic. And, for those of a literary bent, there is the...
Defending the Rock: The Walls and Fortifications of Gibraltar
People have fought over the occupation of Gibraltar for centuries. In the last two millennia the Moors, the Spanish and the British have all had a foothold on the Rock, lured by its strategic location at the entrance to (or exit from) the Mediterranean. Defending the...
The Hollow Mountain: Gibraltar and Its Caves
Gibraltar is full of caves. They are a part of the long history of the Rock, stretching back to the earliest times. One of the most famous – and the one most easily accessible to visitors – is the spectacular St Michael’s Cave, close to the top of the Rock of...
More Than Just a Day Trip: What to See and Do in Gibraltar
The vast majority of visitors to Gibraltar come as day trippers, either on cruise ships or across the Spanish border. A quick tour around the sights, and perhaps a drink and a bit of duty free shopping before heading off back to the ship or the holiday resort. But...
A Continuous Tradition: The Roman Spa and Hot Springs of Bath
Over the years I have developed a mild obsession with Roman remains, seeking them out across Europe and elsewhere. But even better than ruins are those Roman sites that are still in use today, giving a sense of direct connection to the past. I’ve written before about...
Reliving Medieval History at Mount Grace Priory, Yorkshire
At first sight, Mount Grace Priory looks more like a Jacobean house than a medieval monastery. You approach a grand façade with a formal stepped garden complete with pond and sculpted bushes. But walk through the house and you will find the most complete Carthusian...
