travel blog
For travelers, Marrakesh has a lot to live up to. Besides the famously intense experience of its medina, the city is also a design mecca. Outside of Japan, we’ve never been anywhere with such a strong local sense of style. It’s tempting to call it part of the Moroccan DNA, but you still have to... The post Moorish Architecture in Marrakesh: The Almoravid, Almohad, and Saadian Legacies appeared…
Compared to its cousins Marrakesh and Fez, Morocco’s coastal capital is surprisingly relaxed. The economy here doesn’t rely on tourism, and the locals’ calm appreciation of their city’s UNESCO-listed attractions would do Parisians proud. Too many travelers rush through or pass Rabat altogether. They miss out on some of the country’s greatest history and scenery,... The post Rabat’s Historic…
While most of Andalusia draws upon mountain ranges or Mediterranean coastline to complement its buildings, Seville sits along a placid river in a flat plain. Its reputation as an especially beautiful city comes instead from the vibrancy of its architecture. Here the regional palette of white-with-ochre-trim gets amped up to include everything from pale yellow... The post A Guide to Seville’s…
Ronda’s prehistoric community probably felt like they’d stumbled on paradise: a dramatic river gorge slices through a clifftop to form a natural citadel, surrounded by a fertile valley and rolling hills. Over thousands of years, locals developed an architecture which celebrates the landscape rather than dominating it. Roman, Moorish, and Christian styles work together to... The post Historic…
Images of Ronda tend to focus on the wildly picturesque Puente Nuevo, but it’s not the only way to cross the Tajo Gorge. The chasm snakes through the entire hilltop, splitting the town in two. At the other end, two more spans traverse the channel formed by the Guadalevín River. Each of Ronda’s three bridges... The post The Bridges of Ronda, Spain appeared first on Lions in the Piazza .
Constantinople may have been the Ottomans’ ultimate goal, but Bursa is where they proved themselves worthy of it. The empire’s first capital demonstrates how a minor clan from the Anatolian hinterland came to dominate both the Mediterranean and the Muslim worlds. While the intense focus on Istanbul is understandable, we think Bursa deserves more attention... The post Bursa and the Birth of Ottoman…
Depending on your itinerary, the roads through the ancient metropolis of Angkor can feel like the route to paradise or a sweltering zone of bewilderment. The number one issue is time: too many tours try to squeeze all the major monuments into two days. They compound the problem by starting after the cool early morning... The post How Many Days In Angkor? appeared first on Lions in the Piazza .
One of ancient Cambodia s most haunting sights might be the giant faces looming from dozens of stone spires. They hover like omnipotent lookouts, oriented to the four cardinal directions – but their partially-closed eyes indicate an inward gaze. Some retain their full visages along with carved jewelry, while others have worn down to little more... The post The Colossal Faces of Angkor Thom’s Bayon…
Sukhothai translates to “Dawn of Happiness” and refers to a historical period, an artistic style, and a brief but brilliant capital. The country’s history traditionally starts with the Kingdom of Sukhothai, the first independent Thai territory and the foundation of the nation’s culture. It’s easy to understand the nostalgia surrounding Sukhothai while visiting the remains... The post Sukhothai…
What’s not to like about Bergamo? Poised between the lakes at the foot of the Alps, it provides easy access to everything from skiing to La Scala – provided you can tear yourself away from the town itself. Judicious amounts of art, architecture, and culinary pleasures mingle in a scenic layout, all set against a... The post Città Alta, Bergamo’s Old Town appeared first on Lions in the Piazza .