velvet | monuments
spires-duomo-milan-photo

The spires of the Duomo

Milan is famous as one of the world’s most dynamic fashion and design capitals but there’s one monument whose design will never run out of fashion: the Duomo. The Duomo is the largest cathedral in Italy and one of the largest in the world. Work on the current structure began in the 14th century and [...]

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Being Salvador Dalí

At the Dalí Theatre Museum in Figueres, nothing is what it seems at first sight. The works of the great master, Salvador Dalí, first grab your attention with their intriguing appearance, then tease you with their cunning metaphors and finally tempt you to imagine a surreal world, where no boundaries exist and where everything is [...]

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Windmills of London

Think of London, and you think of… windmills? Perhaps not! You’re more likely to associate them with Amsterdam. But once you get out of the centre, London contains a surprising number of rather fine windmills. It had many more until comparatively recently. For instance there were mills in Shoreditch, Clerkenwell and even Holborn in the [...]

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calci-charterhouse-photo

Enchanting spots: Calci Charterhouse, Tuscany

  The Calci Charterhouse is a magnificent Carthusian monastery located in Calci, at the foothills of the Monti Pisani (Pisan Mountains) about ten kilometers from Pisa. The Charterhouse traces its roots back to 1366 when it was founded by a group of Carthusians. However, its current baroque façade stems from the 18th century. Thanks to [...]

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cheong-fatt-tze-mansion-entrance-hall-photo

Velvet moments: travel photo of the week – Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

The splendid interior of the Cheong Fatt Tze or Blue Mansion in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia. Search for hotels in Penang.

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rickshaw-hainan-temple-penang-photo

Velvet moments: travel photo of the week – Hainan Temple, Penang

A rickshaw passes the ornate entrance of the Hainan Temple in Penang, Malaysia. Read the accompanying post: ‘10 Things To Do in Penang‘. See other Velvet Moments: Impalas at the Serengeti, Tanzania Quebrada de Las Conchas, Argentina Bruges canals, Belgium Sacred Water Temple, Bali, Indonesia Positano, Italy The Great Ocean Road, Australia

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Enchanting spots: Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul

The Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul graces the shoreline of the Bosphorus and is an awe-inspiring showcase of the immense wealth of the Ottoman Empire. The Empire stretched across three continents (Europe, Western Asia and North Africa) during its pinnacle in the 16th and 17th centuries.The Dolmabahçe Palace served as the Empire’s administrative centre in the [...]

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An architectural marvel in Valencia

The City of Arts and Sciences is a string of stunning architectural jewels in the centre of the Spanish city of Valencia. Designed by Santiago Calatrava (one of my favourite architects) and Félix Candela, the City of Arts and Sciences is a modern cultural and entertainment complex built on the old riverbed of the Turia [...]

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Palenque-photo

Enchanting spots: Palenque, Mexico

Palenque, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is another Mayan city that is a sure highlight of a visit to southern Mexico. Nestled deep in the jungles of the mountainous region of Chiapas, Palenque does not receive the large flow of tourists as Chichén Itzá or Tulum so it’s a great place to explore at a leisurely [...]

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chichen-itza-pyramid-photo

Enchanting spots: Chichén Itzá

Chichén Itzá , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and voted as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World, is probably the most popular tourist attraction in the Yucatan, Mexico, with its proximity to Cancun ensuring a steady stream of visitors. Don’t let the large crowds deter you as this ancient Mayan city is [...]

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