With plenty of intact pre-WW2 architecture, Hrodna (Grodno in Russian) is arguably Belarus’ prettiest city. It has a decidedly European flavour, much of it derived from its central pedestrianised street, ironically named vul Savetskaya (Soviet St). The Soviets demolished many of the city’s beautiful old churches after the war. Several have been rebuilt since, and …
continue reading »
Who knew that you could ski in Ukraine, home to the Carpathian Mountains? This mountain range is stretched across Central and Eastern Europe, making it the third largest mountain range after the Urals (Russia) and Scandinavian mountains (Norway, Sweden). The Carpathians and their foothills also have many thermal and mineral waters, with Romania having one-third of the European total. Bukovel …
continue reading »
Welcome to Belarus! Long regarded by travellers as little more than a curiosity, Belarus has suddenly emerged as one of Europe’s ‘it’ destinations. Fuelling that rise are relaxed visa requirements, a sneaky-good art and cafe scene, and hospitable locals. While political dissent remains muted, the country seems to be having fun again. Minsk is where …
continue reading »
Having visited Kiev and Chernobyl, Lviv will come across as un-Ukrainian to the visitor. Mysterious and architecturally lovely, this Unesco-listed city is the country’s least Soviet and exudes the same authentic Central European charm as pre-tourism Prague or Kraków once did. Its quaint cobbles, bean-perfumed coffeehouses and rattling trams are a continent away from the …
continue reading »
History of the incident 26 April 1986. The fateful day of the Chernobyl disaster, a catastrophic nuclear accident. Shortly after midnight at the no. 4 light water graphite moderated reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, an inadvertent explosion of the core reactor during an emergency shutdown of the reactor while undergoing a power failure test. It occurred near the now-abandoned …
continue reading »
Kiev is the largest city and capital of Ukraine. It was said to be the birthplace of the Slavic people, becoming the former capital of a united Soviet Ukraine in 1934, before standing on its own when the Soviet Republic dissolved in 1991. Its natural beauty remains intact, with the scenic Dnipro River cutting through …
continue reading »
London is a year-round destination, suitable for all ages and traveler groups. One of the world’s most visited cities, London has something for everyone: from history and culture to fine food and good times. Despite having visited London twice previously, I had yet to visit the Buckingham Palace, so I set out to do it …
continue reading »