The capital of Latvia is the largest city in the three Baltic states and is home to one third of Latvia’s total population. There’s a youthful vitality to Riga that shines through in its thumping nightlife, trendy dining spots and thriving alternative scene. Riga has an absorbing history to uncover, as a Medieval Hanseatic League …
The capital of Iceland is a young, culturally happening city, as well as a launch pad for natural wonders that people dream of seeing their whole lives. Like any cool spot Reykjavík is also constantly reinventing itself, as you can see at the Grandi Area by the Old Harbour. Here fish packing factories have been …
A city with two separate centres, Villingen-Schwenningen sits among the peaks and coniferous woodland of the eastern Black Forest. The elder of the two, Villingen was founded by the mythic House of Zähring and has a millennium of history within its city walls, still guarded by three gates from the 13th century. Schwenningen is a …
In southwest Germany, Kaiserslautern is a scenic city in the wooded hills of the Palatinate Forest. This landscape had been a royal estate since the days of Charlemagne, and the “Kaiser” in the city’s name comes from the Holy Roman Emperors Frederick I (Barbarossa) and Rudolf I who resided here in the 12th and 13th …
The prosperous Westphalian city of Gütersloh is between Bielefeld and Münster in one of the most densely populated regions in Germany. The big employers are household appliance brand Miele, and the international Bertelsmann media trust, both of which have their headquarters in Gütersloh. At the Miele HQ you can catch up on the company’s origins …
The Republic of Ireland’s second city is a town of commerce with a growing high-tech sector spearheaded by Apple, who have their European headquarters here. Cork is also a fresh-faced city as the home of the University College Cork, often touted as the best place to study in Ireland. Cork is only a few minutes …
A city on a grid plan, Limerick is Ireland’s third urban centre and the third strongest economy after Dublin and Cork. This bustling port on the Shannon Estuary fuelled a wave of construction in Georgian times, when the elegant Newtown Pery quarter was born. Earlier, in 1691, Limerick was where the Williamite War reached its …
Ireland‘s oldest city is at the head of the natural Waterford Harbour in the sunny southeast of the country. Waterford was founded by the Vikings at the start of the 10th century, and the city is still in touch with its Norse roots at the Viking Triangle, a cultural zone tallying with old city walls. …
A city streaked with canals on the Corrib River, Galway is affectionately called the “City of the Tribes”. That name recalls the 14 families that controlled trade and politics on Galway from the 13th to the 19th centuries. And what’s exciting is that there are still hints of the tribes to be found, like Lynch’s …
The capital of Ireland for short time in the 17th century, Kilkenny is a city with a long history. St Mary’s Cathedral in Kilkenny is the seat of the Diocese of Ossory, which lies within the same pre-Norman boundaries as the ancient Kingdom of Ossory, dating back 2,000 years. In the 12th century the Normans …