Riga, Latvia was founded by German crusaders at the beginning of the 13th century. It joined the prosperous Hanseatic League during the Middle Ages, and for a time reigned as the largest city in the Swedish. The Russian Empire took over control in the 18th and 19th centuries, and then the Soviet Union from 1940-1991. […]
UNESCO
Kutna Hora and its Church of Bones
With a full week to spend in Prague, I had plenty of time for a day trip to see more of the Czech Republic. My destination of choice was the Kutna Hora Bone Church, an unusual attraction famous for its skeletal decorations. Creepy as it might sound, I found the macabre display to be surprisingly […]
Getting Wonderfully Lost in the Gardens of Prague
If there was ever a fairy-tale city, Prague is it. There’s a castle on a hill, UNESCO-protected Easter egg-hued architecture, stone bridges spanning a river, and sculptures galore. The gently rolling cityscape is a sea of red tile roofs and spiky church spires. Music and the sweet scent of freshly baked trdelniks waft in the […]
Top 7 Things to Do in Prague
I recently made my second trip to Prague and fell in love all over again. It’s hard to believe a city so beautiful actually exists in real life. Throughout its 1,100-year history, Prague has been influenced by major European powers, including the Holy Roman Empire and the Hapsburg monarchy, which each left its unique cultural stamp on […]
A Weekend in Tallinn, Estonia
Nestled amid rolling hills next to the Baltic Sea, Tallinn, Estonia is about as picturesque as it gets. The medieval old town is ringed by its original walls and watchtowers, providing postcard-perfect vistas at nearly every turn. But quaint cobblestones and colorful architecture aside, are there enough things to do in Tallinn to keep you […]