Syracuse Cathedral: A Greek Temple Behind a Baroque Facade
The Cathedral of Syracuse, standing in Piazza Duomo on the island of Ortigia, is one of those buildings that makes you wonder whether architecture…
Vienna's Maria Theresa Square and the Art of Imperial Grandeur
Vienna has a remarkable talent for making history feel physically enormous. Walk into Maria-Theresien-Platz, the broad square between the city's two…
Dolma in Baku: What to Order, How It's Served and Why UNESCO Lists It
Ask anyone in Baku for the national dish and you'll get an argument: plov, says one; dolma, says the next. Dolma has the paperwork. In 2017 UNESCO…
Belém Tower Reopened in 2026: Timed Slots, a €15 Ticket and Whether to Go Inside
The Torre de Belém is the most photographed building in Lisbon and, for most of a year, you couldn't go inside it. The tower closed for a restoration…
Big Buddha Temple on Koh Samui: The Naga Staircase, the Dress Code and When to Go
You see the Big Buddha before you land. The statue sits on a small islet on the northeast coast of Koh Samui, a few kilometres from the airport, and…
Burgos Cathedral: El Cid's Tomb, the Papamoscas and Free Tuesday Mornings
Most people pass through Burgos. Pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago walk through it on the way west, drivers stop for lunch on the road between…
Caesarea Maritima: Herod's Harbour City, the Ticket and the Free Aqueduct Beach
King Herod had no natural harbour on this stretch of coast, so he built one. Between about 22 and 10 BC his engineers sank huge blocks of hydraulic…
Catania's Piazza del Duomo: The Lava Elephant, Sant'Agata and the Fish Market Next Door
Catania keeps its mascot in the middle of its main square. A small elephant carved from black lava stands on a white marble plinth, grinning…
Château de Fougères: 13 Towers, a Moat and Brittany's Border Fortress
Most castles stand on a hill. The Château de Fougères sits at the bottom of one. It was built in a loop of the river Nançon on a rocky spur, with the…