Albania’s turbulent past means that there are many fascinating historical traces all over the country. A lot of places have been turned into memorial sites and museums, like Shkodër’s sobering Site of Witness and Memory. Other sites have been given over to abandonment and decay, and are great destinations if you’re like us, fans of…
A Complete Guide to Taking Albania’s Komani Lake Ferry, With or Without a Car
We saw the ferry across Lake Koman described as one of the most beautiful boat trips in the Balkans, and after taking the trip, we have to concur. The boat winds its way along the narrow fjord-like reservoir between steep limestone cliffs and forested mountains, with tiny hamlets and isolated farms perched on the slopes….
The Ultimate 10-Day Itinerary for Northern Albania
Albania might look tiny on a map, but on our recent visit, we quickly realized that it’s a super diverse country with lots of amazing landscapes, and that you definitely need to bring some time to really do it justice. The part that really blew us away was the beautiful northern half of the country…
A Great One Day Itinerary for Sheffield, UK
To be honest, Sheffield wasn’t high on my list of must-visit places in the UK, but I based myself here for a few days to explore the nearby Peak District National Park and quickly realized that the place has its very own gritty charm. Apart from lots of traces of the local industrial history, there…
7 Fun Things to Do in Bakewell in England’s Peak District
Bakewell had everything I expected of a small town in the Peak District: narrow lanes, old stone cottages, a pretty riverside setting and cute cafés serving local specialities (Bakewell Pudding, anyone?). It’s also said to be one of the most frequently visited tourist destinations in the National Park, but as someone who’s been to the…
A Guide to the ‘Princess Bride’ Filming Locations in England’s Peak District NP
I recently spent some days in England’s beautiful Peak District National Park and was immediately enchanted by its impressive landscapes and cute little villages. The bucolic charm of the area was certainly the reason for its use as a filming location for tons of movies, including several Pride and Prejudice adaptations, The 2011 film version…
A 2-Day Itinerary for Pretty Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
Karlovy Vary was one of those places we didn’t expect to like as much we did. I’d always pictured it as a somewhat insipid, stodgy town, mainly visited by bourgeois folks constantly sipping mineral water from oddly shaped porcelain cups. To be honest, that version of the town definitely exists, but there’s also way more…
Visiting the Filming Locations of ‘James Bond: Casino Royale’ in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
Thanks to its beautiful 19th-century architecture, the spa town of Karlovy Vary has served as a filming location for many Czech and international movies, most famously for 2006’s Casino Royale, the first Bond film starring Daniel Craig. In the movie, Bond travels to Montenegro to take part in a high-stakes Poker tournament, but in reality…
A 4-Day Itinerary for Senegal’s Beautiful Basse Casamance Region
Southern Senegal’s Casamance Region felt like a place of transitions to me. For one, this is where the drier Sahel Zone to the north gives way to the more tropical landscapes of the southern parts of West Africa for the first time. Apart from that, there’s a mixture of cultural traditions, languages and religions that…
A Travel Guide to Senegal’s Haute Casamance Region
Senegal’s Haute Casamance is said to be the least visited part of the country, and judging by the tiny amount of other toubabs I spotted, this certainly seems to be true. This also means that traveling in the area gives you as authentic a glimpse into everyday Senegalese life as you’re likely to get. I…