90 km South of Samarkand, the great capital of the Timurid Empire, on the other side of the mountains, lies Kesh, now known as Shahrisabz, the city where Amir Timur (known in the West as Tamerlane) was born. Shahrisabz is actually the Persian name of the city, meaning "green city".…
Tashkent (Uzbek: Toshkent) is the capital city of Uzbekistan and the most populous city of former Soviet Central Asia. Most package tours to Uzbekistan or even many travellers just pass by Tashkent, but this is a mistake - it is completely worth staying 2 days in Tashkent.Tashkent is a historical…
A thousand kilometres West of Tashkent, Khiva (Uzbek: Xiva), historical capital of Khwarazm, is the remotest of all Silk Road cities in Uzbekistan.Even though its buildings are generally more modern than those in Samarkand and Bukhara, only Khiva preserves a complete and unscathed wall. In Khiva, until the beginning of…
The Metro is one of the main attractions in Tashkent! In the Soviet Union, when a city reached a population of 1 million it needed a metro system. Construction of the Tashkent Metro - the oldest in Central Asia - started in 1972 and its first line opened in 1977.Now…
If you are travelling to Albania, or just thinking about it, check out our other posts about Albania:7 Days in Albania, our guide to an essential trip in Albania.Insider guide of Tirana, with walking tours & the best local recommendations by Anida.10 Albanian dishes you really have to taste2 days…
For centuries, Bukhara was one of the main cultural and religious hubs of Central Asia. It also had a bustling trade activity due to its location by an oasis in the Silk Roads. Samarkand is probably more famous in the West, but Bukhara's historical importance is even greater.Bukhara does not…
Samarkand is a legendary city, its name the most evocative in Uzbekistan and all Central Asia. Nowadays, Samarkand (Uzbek: Samarqand) is the second most populous city in Uzbekistan and a must in any trip in the country. Actually, only a few large monuments survive of its old city, but what…
When we told people we were travelling to Uzbekistan, not few didn't quite understand what we were saying - "what's there to see?" was a typical question and the more prejudiced "wow! a stan?" ("-stan" is a suffix that means land, just like we say "England" or "Finland"). To be…
León is undoubtedly one of the most interesting towns to visit in Spain, because of its historical architecture, its cuisine and atmosphere (great for tapas lovers). Surprisingly, León is not such a popular destination. Few foreigners have ever heard of this historical city, and even less know its wonders. León…
Before starting with Tirana...if you are planning a trip in Albania, check out our other posts about Albania:7 Days in Albania, our guide to an essential trip in Albania.10 Albanian dishes you really have to taste2 days in Korçë, the best Christmas destination in AlbaniaAlbanian riviera - best beaches &…
Mérida is the capital city of the state of Yucatan and its largest city and cultural and foody capital of the Yucatan peninsula. Unlike the centre of Mexico, Yucatan has Mayan roots, and 20% of its population speak the Maya language. You will quickly realise that its cuisine and their…
Uxmal is one of the most impressive Maya archaeological sites in the Yucatan peninsula. It was probably our favourite ancient city in Mexico, along with Monte Albán - we certainly loved it more than super-famous Chichén Itzá, and it was quite a different experience, far from the crowds. It was…
Mitla is the second largest and most interesting archaeological site around Oaxaca, after Monte Albán. Even if Monte Albán is really the absolute must, Mitla is certainly a place not to miss if you are in Oaxaca. The main attraction of Mitla is its intricate wall decoration of xicalcoliuhqui (or…
Monte Albán is one of the most interesting archaeological sites in Mexico and certainly a place you can't miss if you visit Oaxaca. Monte Albán is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, along with the old city of Oaxaca. It is, by itself, a good enough reason to go to…
Oaxaca de Juárez (or simply Oaxaca) is the capital city of the State of Oaxaca. Oaxaca preserves one of the most beautiful historical city centres of Mexico and is famous all over the country for its excellent cuisine and mezcal.Oaxaca lies by Sierra Madre del Sur, one of the main mountain…
Teotihuacan is the most misterious civilisation in Central America. When you visit its ruins, you don't need to be an archaeologist to understand the high level of development and sophistication it attained. There are also many beautiful ceramic, gold and stone objects from Teotihuacan in faraway regions. However, they haven't left…
When you travel to Mexico, you can't miss its capital city! It is one the most fascinating cities in America, and certainly that with more history to show. This great metropolis offers pre-hispanic heritage, monumental colonial architecture, great museums and fantastic food for any budget.Our first trip to Mexico started…
In this article, we will show you the most important art nouveau buildings in Barcelona, including all of Gaudí's heritage in the city. In two days we could visit all these places, including entering Palau Güell, La Pedrera, Park Güell and Hospital de Sant Pau. We couldn't visit Sagrada Familia…
The famous old city of Barcelona is not as mediaeval as it looks - a lot of its gothic was carefully fabricated.
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