Quenching your thirst for travel
If you love history and wine, Trier, Germany is the destination for you. With two days in Trier, you can hit all the major highlights. You can spend the days immersing yourself in ancient Roman ruins, and imbibe in some incredible-tasting wines in the evenings. (Click here to read more about Trier’s wine scene and … Read more Two Days in Trier, Germany for History Lovers
If you love innnovative engineering projects and Roman military history, then a visit to the Falkirk Wheel and Antonine Wall in Scotland are must-sees. The Falkirk Wheel So, what exactly is the Falkirk Wheel, and why is it so special? Well, for starters, it’s the world’s only rotating boat lift. But why would you need … Read more The Falkirk Wheel and Antonine Wall, Scotland
Athens has so many interesting archaeological sites and ruins that it’s hard to visit them all if you’re only here for a few days. Luckily, we had plenty of time to explore this ancient city, so we fit in as many historic sites as possible. One of the most interesting was the ancient cemetery of … Read more The Ancient Cemetery of Kerameikos in Athens
Pretty much everyone who visits Athens makes a stop at the Acropolis and the Parthenon. After all, the Parthenon is a spectacular feat of engineering, combined with beautiful classical architecture. But did you know that the Parthenon is NOT the largest Greek temple in the world? That title goes to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, … Read more The Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens
If you’ve ever read a newspaper, poured concrete, used a public toilet or walked across a floor with radiant heating, your life has been touched by an invention created by the ancient Romans. Even our current Gregorian calendar is based on the older Julian calendar. The months of the year? All named by the Romans. … Read more Uncovering Ancient Pompeii, Italy
What better place to spend your birthday than at a castle? My husband and I share the same birth date, which just happened to coincide with our trip to Portugal. We decided to spend the day in a sweet, picturesque little town called Sintra. Sintra has a ridiculous number of castles and palaces littering its … Read more Exploring the Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle), Portugal
The ancient Roman city of Jerash (also known as Gerasa), and the current modern city by the same name, are located about 48km north of Amman, Jordan. It’s the second most-visited site in Jordan, with Petra being the first. Background People have inhabited this area as far back as the Neolithic Age, around 7500–5500 BC. Archaeological … Read more A Stroll Through Jerash, Jordan
Everyone has heard of the Great Pyramids of Giza and the mysterious Sphinx that guards them. But the pyramids of Saqqara aren’t nearly as famous. This actually makes them a great place to visit, since they aren’t nearly as touristy as the Great Pyramids. It’s also the place where pyramid building got its start. So … Read more Exploring the Lesser-Known Necropolis of Saqqara, Egypt
If you love archaeology and history, then a visit to Palatine Hill is a must if you’re ever in Rome. It’s just a short walk from the Roman Colosseum and the Roman Forum, and you can easily spend half a day here exploring the ruins of a bygone era. Pre-historic Occupation and the Myth of … Read more Exploring the Imperial Ruins of Rome’s Palatine Hill
Abu Simbel is the site of two ancient temples located in Aswan, Egypt. At least, this is where they’re located now. This isn’t their original location. And how they got here was no easy feat. First, a bit of history: The ancient Egyptians built the two temples in the 13th Century BC under the reign … Read more The Engineering Marvel of Abu Simbel, Egypt