Culture & History Travel Guides in the USA, Europe, & Beyond
This site consists of 3 monasteries located in different parts of Greece. I visited Daphni Monastery, which is on the outskirts of Athens. My Visit My trip to Daphni Monastery was simple and without fanfare. I only learned that this was a UNESCO site and close enough to Athens to visit on my own when … Read more
After living in Sofia for two years, I still can’t believe what a secret Boyana Church is. Even though it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its location in the neighborhood of Boyana means that it’s still a bit off-the-beaten-path for travelers coming to Sofia. Here’s everything you need to know to visit Boyana Church from … Read more
Quick History of the Sofia Christmas Market Officially known as the Koledaria Christmas Market, the Weihnachtsmarkt is a German-style Christmas market in the heart of Sofia. It’s a smaller, let ostentatious version than those in other cities (from what I hear. This was my first European Christmas Market, but I’ll be in Vienna’s in a … Read more
Now your statues are standing and pouring sweat. They shiver with dread. The black blood drips from the highest rooftops. They have seen the necessity of evil. Get out, get out of my sanctum and drown your spirits in woe. -The Oracle of Delphi to the Athenians as the Persians Approached My Visit Delphi is … Read more
Introduction Regardless of what kind of camera you use, you can take stunning travel photography to remember your trip and share with your friends. Travel photography has been my favorite hobby since 2007, when I bought my first DSLR (a NikonD40). In the last year, I’ve upgraded my equipment, but some of my favorite … Read more
Getting Nervous Many people who visit Greece give the capital a few days. They do a checklist tour of the historic sites (The Acropolis, the Agora, the Temple of Olympian Zeus…), then they bounce. Some go to the islands, while others start touring around the mainland. I didn’t meet any other tourists while I was … Read more
Seeing Meteora, that was the main reason I chose to go to Greece. Yes, I wanted to see the Acropolis and some islands and connect with the beginnings of democracy and philosophy. But really, I wanted to feast my eyes on the beautiful monasteries built atop rocks that seem to be suspended in the air. … Read more
When we think of ancient history, the classical Greeks might come to mind. When they thought of ancient history, they thought of the Trojan war and the great (and potentially mythical) figures of Mycenae. Take Agamemnon. The powers in heaven permitted him to capture Priam’s town, to return home honoured by the gods. But … Read more
Epidaurus, Epidaurus. When you think of visiting Greece and taking in some of the most significant historic places in the world, you think of climbing to the top of the Acropolis to stare down the Parthenon and whispering questions to the Oracle of Delphi. You might picture exploring the seaside Temple of Poseidon or marching … Read more
A Missed Opportunity I didn’t grab one of rocks, and I have lived to regret it. I knew it the instant one of my friends asked me if he could have one, that it would have made the perfect souvenir. In Cyprus I went to the beach where Aphrodite is thought to have emerged from the sea … Read more