Tag Archives: the best

The 50 best UK pubs

The pub is a great British invention. Here, experts pick their favourites for Sunday lunch, picturesque settings, craft beer, history and more. All (but one) are child- and dog-friendly

‘There’s a rock on this beach!’ and other awful tourist complaints

An idyllic Cornish beach has been criticised for the placement of a rock out at sea. From Ben Nevis being ‘too high’ and the Louvre being ‘not very interesting’, finicky visitor reviews are now commonplace

5 of the best holidays in Norway – chosen by locals

Islands, rivers, mountains and villages: holiday destinations from those in the know

Bilbao baggings: the ultimate picnic road trip

It’s no surprise that a region with so many Michelin-starred restaurants is also home to world-class food producers. Time to fill up the picnic basket for a Basque country food odyssey

The Old Town of Rhodes

This is an excerpt from the book Travels through History : 9 Greek Islands , newly available on Amazon. Most travellers to Rhodes, the largest of the Dodecanese Islands, visit the Old Town of Rhodes and the ancient town of Lindos with its acropolis dating from the 6th-Century BCE. It may come as a surprise to learnContinue reading “The Old Town of Rhodes”

Symi

This is an excerpt from the book Travels through History : 9 Greek Islands , newly available on Amazon. In Homer’s Iliad Symi is mentioned as the domain of King Nireus, who fought in the Trojan War on the side of the Greeks and Thucydides writes that during the Peloponnesian War there was a Battle of SymeContinue reading “Symi”

Patmos

This is an excerpt from the book Travels through History : 9 Greek Islands , newly available on Amazon. The island of Patmos has been inhabited since 3,000 BC, but the identity of those first inhabitants has not been conclusively proved. Some believe that the Kares, and the Leleges were the first settlers, others believe the DoriansContinue reading “Patmos”

Samos

This is an excerpt from the book Travels through History : 9 Greek Islands , newly available on Amazon. I had arrived at the town of Pythagorio on the ferry from Patmos. Pythagorio is the Samian destination for ferries from the Dodecanese Islands. The port of Vathy on the northern side of Samos is the terminus forContinue reading “Samos”

Syros

The first historical mention of Syros is made by Homer, who named the island as “Syria” and then referred to it as “dipolis”, meaning it had two cities: Posidonia and Foinikas. The first known inhabitants were the Phoenicians during the second millennium BCE followed by the Minoans, Mycenaeans, and finally, in the early part ofContinue reading “Syros”