Revisting Latvia’s capital city
Although I celebrated my 50th birthday with friends in Latvia’s capital Riga, my memories of it 16 years later, are a little sketchy. However, now more grown up or at least older, we returned for some serious sightseeing. Riga is known for its Art Nouveau architecture, and a walk down Alberta iela, with one of […]…
It was hard to believe a visit to a Nuclear Power Plant would be so fascinating
Before embarking on our month-long tour of the Baltics, we would never have imagined that our visit to Lithuania’s Ignalia Nuclear Power Plant would be one of the highlights. We began in the city of Visaginas, purpose built in 1975 to house the plant’s workers and families. Its design was typical of a Soviet ‘planned […]…
Oscar deserved an Oscar for his performance in the Soviet bunker
It’s hard to believe that a secret Soviet bunker which could shelter 250 of Latvia’s Communist elite from a chemical or nuclear attack for up to three months, could remain classified until 2003. The bunker is now open to the public, and although group tours began at 3pm, we had a long journey afterwards and […]…
Sightseeing in Estonia’s intellectual and cultural capital
We stayed for two nights in Tartu, Estonia’s second-largest city, which is regarded as the country’s intellectual and cultural capital, as it’s home to the University of Tartu, one of Northern Europe’s oldest universities. It was therefore appropriate that our sightseeing began at Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats), known for the iconic ‘Kissing Students’ fountain. […]…
The Old Believer villages along the shores of Lake Peipus
The interestingly named ‘Onion Route’ runs along the western shore of Lake Peipus in Estonia. The name comes from a long-standing tradition of onion cultivation in the area, by the local community of Old Believers, a religious minority originally from Russia who relocated in the 17th century. We began with lunch in the most southerly […]…
Modern Wine and Food from Põltsamaa
Whilst driving between the Estonian capital Tallinn and Tartu, we stopped in the village of Põltsamaa which suffered significant destruction due to an air raid in June 1941, with most of the wooden houses destroyed. However, the church and Põltsamaa Castle, dating back to the 13th century, survived due to their robust stone construction. An […]…
Eating in the Estonian Capital Tallinn
We stayed in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, for three nights but ate out only once. This was at Troika, a popular Russian-style restaurant on the historic Town Hall Square. Although there was a large outdoor terrace, in late September it was chilly and we were shown down a long narrow passage to a large empty […]…
Visiting Estonia’s largest Island
Saaremaa, the largest island in Estonia, is in the Baltic Sea and separated from the mainland by the Moonsund Strait. A modern car ferry took us from Virtsu firstly to the smaller island of Muhu, which is often referred to rather disparagingly by those from Saaremaa as their doormat. The 30-minute crossing was €24.90 and […]…
A food based tour of Estonia’s Summer Capital
Whilst staying in the Estonian town of Pärnu, a three-hour private walking tour allowed us to discover its food scene as well as more general sights. Although only the fourth-largest city in Estonia, it’s officially recognized as the ‘Summer Capital’ from late June to early September, due to its beaches, spas, and festivals. Beach Park […]…
Latvia’s Switzerland
Whilst driving between Riga and Pärnu, we stopped at Gauja National Park, in northeastern Latvia, the country’s largest and oldest national park, established in 1973. It’s famous for the scenic Gauja River valley, often called ‘Latvia’s Switzerland,’ with sandstone cliffs, caves, and dense forests. Having reached Sigulda, with its eye-catching ‘S!’ logo, we passed its […]…
Central accommodation in Bilbao
We chose the Barceló Bilbao Nervión for our four-night stay in Bilbao, and overall, it proved to be a comfortable, well-located base for exploring the Basque city. Before arriving, we completed the hotel’s online check-in, which made the arrival process incredibly quick and efficient. Within minutes we were settled into Room 535 on the fifth […]…
Spain’s Ultimate City for Wandering, Wine and Food
Having visited southern Spain several times, we headed north for a change, hoping the Basque coast would offer a more comfortable summer escape and we were not disappointed. While much of Spain was sweltering, San Sebastián greeted us with warm sunshine, refreshing sea breezes and perfect temperatures for the leisurely exploring of what is said […]…
