In a romantic landscape of towering plateaus, sheer cliffs and deep gorges, Luxembourg City always posed a unique challenge to invading armies. Even more so after the 17th century, when the military mastermind Vauban redesigned the walls for artillery, earning the city the epithet, Gibraltar of the North. The old city and fortifications have been … Read more
Dominated by its gothic cathedral, Reims is much more important to many as the unofficial capital of the Champagne wine region. Wine glasses aside, this city in north-eastern France has played a central role in the country’s history from its time as a town of the Roman Empire to the modern-day post-war period. Having welcomed … Read more
On the muddy River Thames, London has more famous sights, culture, entertainment and historical curiosities than you could experience in years, let alone one trip. But we can boil down the capital to 25 essential things to do, and on the way get to know statesmen, royalty and scientists who changed the course of history. … Read more
The attractive city centre streets of Tours have led to this city in Western France being given a series of celebratory nicknames, from Little Paris for its culture, to the Garden of France for its parklands. Situated on the River Loire as it makes its way towards the Atlantic Ocean, the city boasts a historic … Read more
A compact and walkable city of jaw-dropping beauty, Budapest has been the seat of the Kings of Hungary, a centre for Renaissance humanism and the co-capital of an empire. Made up of three separate cities, Buda, Óbuda and Pest, that were unified in 1873, Budapest has experienced more than its share of catastrophe and prestige. … Read more
Delightful Grenoble sits in south-eastern France, in a plain formed from the confluence of the Drac and Isère rivers. Surrounded by pleasant hiking country, it has adopted the mantel of ‘Capital of the Alps’ due to its proximity to these mountains, and has pistes as close as 15 minutes away by road. But Grenoble also … Read more
Split east-west into two roughly equal parts by the River Maine, Angers lies within the province of Pays de la Loire. Bordering Brittany and historically part of Anjou, it was the centre of the Plantagenet dynasty who went on to rule from England to the borders of Spain. Rich in culture, human habitation of the … Read more
Overshadowed by near neighbour Nice, Toulon doesn’t receive anywhere near the acclaim it deserves, despite having been the holiday destination of choose for French presidents. Capital of the Var department in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the city has a fine setting on France’s Mediterranean coast. A major port and trading centre since its founding … Read more
Along with being the largest city in West Yorkshire, the city of Leeds is the fourth-largest urban area in the entity of the UK, a statistic that makes it a force to be reckoned with when it comes to iconic British cities. Flanked on either side by open green spaces and national parks, a visit … Read more
The Welsh capital of Cardiff is the eleventh-largest city in the UK and has long been the cultural and commercial heartland of Wales. Although the nation of Wales often conjures up images of expansive sheep-filled valleys and lonely castles on uninhabited peaks, the bustling capital of Cardiff is anything but quiet and remote. Though there … Read more