Alnwick Castle is a fairytale-looking castle in Northumberland, England, and it currently serves as the seat of the 12th Duke of Northumberland. It was founded in the 11th century and has served as the seat of Northumberland nobility for hundreds of years. It’s actually still inhabited by English nobility today. However, a main reason people visit is because it’s the location where the first two Harry Potter movies were filmed. The exterior was used as the grounds of Hogwarts. That was the real draw for me and my family to take a trip from Edinburgh and see it – even … Continue reading

As the biggest city in Scotland, there are numerous fun things to do in Edinburgh. Edinburgh is an absolutely beautiful city and one of my favourites. It’s steeped in history and has amazing architecture, history, and culture. There are lots of things to do in Scotland’s capital, and here is a list of 33+ of them.

Places to See in Edinburgh

Go up to Calton Hill.

Calton Hill was established in the romantic era when faux ruins were in style. It has some interesting pieces but also boasts wonderful views of the city.

Visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Holyrood Palace… Continue reading

Stirling Castle is arguably one of the most important places in Scotland. It’s an easy day trip from Edinburgh and is a must-see for anyone interested in Scottish history and castles, as it is a very complete castle with very recognisable residents. We got to stop here for a few hours and had it was definitely worth the visit.

The History of Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle is known as the dividing point between the Scottish Highlands and the rest of Scotland, but it also has incredible historical significance. The castle dates back to the 1100s and flip-flopped in ownership between … Continue reading

I’ll be quite honest with you: Berlin was never on my list of destinations. If you follow my blog, you know that I’m more into cultural history and historical architecture. Berlin doesn’t really have any more historical buildings and a lot of its history is more modern, and obviously focused on the second World War. The people who recommended Berlin to me were all big on nightlife so no, I didn’t want to go.

However I chose to when it became a much-needed stop between Poznan and Dresden. And it was actually a very fun stop.

Before you go, I

Edinburgh is a great city, and I’ve written about it a few times. But if it’s not a great enough city as it is, it’s also a great place for Harry Potter fans to visit as it’s steeped in Harry Potter history. J.K. Rowling moved to Edinburgh to be near her sister, and the welfare-dependent single mother wrote her first Harry Potter novels in this magical city. It’s easy to see where her inspiration came from.

There are a lot of walking tours to take but everything can easily be seen on your own, so I suggest saving some money … Continue reading

Strasbourg is the largest city in Alsace, and the entire region is incredibly cute with old timber-frame buildings and splashes of colour – a marriage of French and German cultures. It’s a great day trip from Paris that’s only 1h45m away by train, but also a visit in its own right.

Strasbourg’s History

Strasbourg has been inhabited since prehistoric times and became a Roman settlement, like many modern-day French cities. In medieval times, it became part of the Holy Roman Empire. It was a “Free City” for centuries and became the city where Johannes Gutenberg first invented the moveable type … Continue reading

I first went to Dublin several years ago but I didn’t know much about it. I’d never heard about the great things to do and see in Dublin, so I only got a day there and assumed it wouldn’t be my cup of tea. I was so wrong. Dublin is a great city and deserves several days to explore, which is why I recently went back to properly see the Irish capital.

Dublin’s History

Of course, Dublin dates back to the days of the Vikings and was founded by the group of wanderers in the 9th century. It still retains … Continue reading

There are so many beautiful towns to explore in Ireland so it was difficult to choose one to spend a day in. After doing some research, Kilkenny looked to be a very viable option with enough to do to fill a day. It was such a good choice! I had a fantastic day in Kilkenny.

The History of Kilkenny

Kilkenny virtually came to be in the 500s when the St. Canice Cathedral was built. Like many medieval cities, people built structures near the Cathedral and you can see today where the original medieval walls were (just keep an eye on … Continue reading

Krakow is the most popular destination in Poland, but Warsaw is the country’s capital and it has a lot to offer. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect before visiting but I actually really liked it. It’s a great place to spend a few days and such an overlooked vacation destination.

The History of Warsaw

Warsaw is relatively new, with continuous settlement estimated since around the 13th century. However it became more important towards the end of the medieval ages. It became the capital of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1596 due to its central location, and continued serving as capital … Continue reading

When people think of Germany, they think of Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich. But in my case, Dresden was on the top of my German bucket list because it’s a baroque masterpiece in its own right. It’s the capital of Saxony and can be an easy day trip from places like Berlin, Prague and Wroclaw. What I found is it’s a great city to visit and even spend a little more time in.

A Short History of Dresden

Dresden has been a settlement since the mid-late middle ages. Its heyday actually came under Polish rule, when Polish King Augustus II (also … Continue reading