The city of Stoke-on-Trent, known to many as Stoke, can be found about halfway between the sprawling cities of Manchester and Birmingham. Founded in 1910, Stoke quickly became the centre of England’s pottery production, exporting its goods all over the world. Today, you can still see remnants of its past dotted around town, while its … Read more
Stradling the mouth and the banks of the River Wear, the port city of Sunderland has grown from an industrial coal exporter, glassmaker and ship-building mecca to a city of modernity and culture. Often overlooked for its local Tyne and Wear neighbour Newcastle, Sunderland has begun to carve its place as one of the northeast’s … Read more
Situated in France’s Massif Central, Saint-Étienne lies between Lyon and Toulouse. Capital of the Loire, it developed into a market town during the Middle Ages. Saint-Étienne eventually became a city known for its industry, which ranged from ribbons and lace making to weapons. But when these traditional employment opportunities began to dry up, the city … Read more
Once a Hanseatic City, Riga grew up on the banks of the Daugava, close to the river’s mouth on the Baltic. Riga’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, showing why this city has been coveted by successive empires, leaving a diversity of monuments in their wake. As well as a cute old core, … Read more
Nimes has seen its fair share of ancient empires come and go. This could be down to its Mediterranean climate, which makes it one of the warmest cities in France. Or it could be down to its fine location, just 50 kilometres north of the Med in southern France. Of them all, it is the … Read more
The capital of Iceland has a youthful appearance, with few buildings older than the 19th century, but also has a youthful character as one of best places to go out at night. All around there’s haunting scenic beauty befitting the world’s northernmost capital, on a bay scattered with grassy islands and bounded in the distance … Read more
More than 1,500 years after the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, the capital’s monuments are still among the most recognisable in the world. There’s nothing original about that statement, but it underlines the exciting sense of continuity between the ancient and the present in modern Rome. You can enter ancient palaces to view frescoes … Read more
Ireland’s capital is a bite-sized kind of place, easy to navigate on foot and with public transport options like Dart (train) and Luas (tram) for attractions and coastal villages on the outskirts. A big swathe of the city centre is taken up by Trinity College Dublin, and as well as hosting a world-class library, this … Read more
Before enduring a 200-year tug-of-war between powers to the east and west, this resilient and unique city on the Vistula was the capital of a federation that held sway over a big slice of Eastern Europe. For all the destruction brought upon Warsaw, there are thrilling fragments from the 16th and 17th century when the … Read more
A port city through and through, Brest has seen its fair share of empire builders come and go since it grew to prominence in the thirteenth century. Close to the westernmost point of mainland France in Brittany, the city developed around the mouth of the River Penfeld, which opens out into the mighty Atlantic. While … Read more