The Magic Of Ohrid: 7 Outstanding Photo Opportunities

If the name Ohrid sounds new to you, then you are probably missing one of the many hidden gems of Europe! Ohrid: the town and the lake Ohrid is the name of a beautiful lake, one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe. And Ohrid is the name of the city that lies on the shore of this lake. We are in Northern Macedonia. Bits of history Ohrid is a town of about 40.000 and it’s a very old city. In middle age, it was the middle-point of great cultural transformations. The Ohrid Literary School was established here in

5 of the most beautiful wooden churches of Maramures, Romania

A lot of green around, many hills and a church made completely of wood.  You could think you’re in Norway, but no! You’re much more south: Maramures is a poor, agricultural region of Northern Romania, stretched between the mountains and the Ukrainian border. Maramures Maramures is an interesting area: it still holds ancient rural habits and has beautiful landscapes. In one of its tiny villages, Viseu de Sus, starts its way Mocănița. It’s a narrow-gauge railway built in 1932 and still operational with steam and diesel locomotives to transport wood from uphill to the plant down in the valley. The railroad

Everyday life of a plain West Ukrainian village

Solotvyno is just a West Ukrainian village, on the banks of the river Tisza, right at the border with Romania. Perfect location to investigate plain Western Ukrainian lifestyle, I thought, and that’s why I visited it. A bridge in the outskirts of the village links the two banks of the Tisza river, thus connecting Ukraine with Romania. This was my entry point to the country. Solotvyno, where is it? The village is on the edge of history and geography one could say. But in Central Europe what appears isn’t always the whole of the image. There are hidden streams of

Jugonostalgija

The country that once was called “Yugoslavia” disappeared from the maps at the end of last century and after a cruel war. Outside the former Yugoslavian area, nothing of it remains on maps, just a trace on the history texts. But the “Made in Yugoslavia” Zastavas still run the roads of the new countries that once were federate republics of Yugoslavia, with new plates and old spare parts. And the word “Yugoslavia” is still an evident presence in many houses of Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro. They call it Jugonostalgija….

The special history and amazing beauty of Palmanova

Located in Northeastern Italy, Palmanova, the star-shaped town, is a unique destination. A great example of a Renaissance-era planned town meant to be used as a living area but also as a fortress and stronghold. The star-shaped town Palmanova has the shape of a star. Right in its middle, there is a huge square, an enormous empty space that was once used for military musters. The town was built, following the ideals of utopia, at the end of the XVI century by the Republic of Venice. It was the last outpost before the border with the Austrian empire. Unfortunately, no

Africa hidden secrets: the Datooga of Tanzania

It isn’t easy to get in touch with the Datooga, a pastoralist Nilotic population of Tanzania. Their huts are made of a framework of branches covered in mud with thatched roofs. And they are well camouflaged with the surrounding savannah. As a result. if you don’t know where they are located, you must follow some tracks to find the village. That is to say that Datooga people blend perfectly in with their environment: their dress is the color of the reddish-brown soil. Only on closer inspection, they appear more colorful: patched leather dresses, beadwork, and brass bracelets and necklaces. Origins The origins of Datooga

5 wonderful things to see in Krakow and around

Krakow is a beautiful city. If you are either a street photographer or an urban one, you’ll find here plenty of interesting subjects for your lenses. Walk around the Planty, get lost in the narrow streets of the old town. Visit the many beauties and monuments of the city. Pay a visit to the museum to admire a real Leonardo’s masterpiece like Lady with an Ermine. You have countless possibilities in Krakow. But if you are on a run and just want to see the most appalling photographic subjects, here are my tips for you. 5 wonderful things to see in Krakow

Bernina Express: Riding the Alps by Train – Part 2

The second part of my journey on board the Bernina Express, a lovely red train, popular with tourists, that crosses the Alps and connects Switzerland with Italy. Read the first part here Leaving Ospizio Bernina From Ospizio Bernina Station, we got the next train in our direction and continued our trip: the railway negotiates a difference in height of about 1800 meters from the summit at Ospizio Bernina to Tirano. And it does it in a beautiful way, through hairpin turns, tunnels, and bridges. And there are also wonderful alpine sights!… Well, at least someone says there are! But anyway, by

Bernina Express: riding the Alps by train – Part 1

Bernina Express the UNESCO railroad The Bernina Express is a lovely red train, popular with tourists, that crosses the Alps and connects Switzerland with Italy. The railway was built between 1908 and 1910. It’s operated by a regional company (Rhaetian Railway) and belongs since 2008 to the UNESCO list of the World Heritage Site, being both an old and very scenic rail route. I love trains and train journeys since the time of my youth when I travelled through Europe with an Inter-Rail card for one month every year. But those were times of short money in my pockets and

Safranbolu: Silk Road and traditions in Northern Turkey

When in Safranbolu, sip a cup of salep under a vine; the sun sparkles through the green leaves and the purple grapes. Around you are mosques and Ottoman houses, three caravanserais and the Arasta Bazaar. It once housed all the cobblers of the town and is now a gem of wood and peace, surrounded by vines, with a great bar that serves traditional Turkish coffee. Safranbolu, UNESCO World Heritage town In Safranbolu, the Silk Road was one step from its longed Mediterranean end. I can imagine how the caravans would welcome this green and shady valley just before the infinite

Seljalandsfoss: waterfall of legends

When I was a child and my parents told me tales before sleeping, the treasure of the elves was often hidden behind a majestic waterfall. Well, if there’s really an elve’s treasure, this must be the place where it’s buried! Seljalandsfoss is the waterfall of legends. It’s also one of the most beautiful and famous waterfalls of Iceland.  It is formed by the river Seljalandsá that, almost at the end of its journey, drops 60 metres (200 ft) from over the cliffs of the former coastline. Nowadays between the cliffs and the sea, there is a vast lava plain created

Into the frozen void

Do you remember Ikateq, the Greenlandic ghost village? Well, at the end of the exploration it was time for us to get back to the pier where the tiny boat was waiting for us. Tiniteqilaaq, at the edge of the known world Our next destination is the (inhabited!) village of Tiniteqilaaq. To get there we will sail along the Sermilik Fjord, one of the least explored slices of our world. In winter the fjord freezes and you can venture far inside with sledges. But it’s extremely cold, nobody is living there but seals and bears, there is no food and