I don’t know about you, but I am a sucker for knight lore! One of my favorite (and most well known) groups of knights were the Knights Templar, and not just because they got a major shout out in National Treasure. When thinking of the Knights Templar, your mind probably goes straight to the Crusades…
Pamplona’s City Walls: Remnants of the Middle Ages
Read moreWhen you think of Pamplona, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the famous Running of the Bulls (San Fermin) that takes place each July. You probably don’t know, though, that this city has one of the most sprawling and well preserved medieval fortress complexes in all of Europe! Pamplona’s City Walls stretch…
Muiderslot Castle: A Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam
Read moreSpending a week of my summer in the Netherlands was one of my greater decisions. The weather was great, it wasn’t too crowded, and we were able to visit tons of cute places around the country! One such place was Muiderslot, a medieval castle dating to 1280 AD. Muiderslot stands in Muiden at the mouth…
An Afternoon at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
Read moreI remember the first time I visited Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. I was probably 10 or 11 years old and my grandmother and mom took my sister and me on our way to visit family in Danville. There were farm animals, really cool old houses, and lots of incredible music. I had always looked…
View from the Top: Nafplio’s Palamidi Fortress
Read moreThe Palamidi Fortress has one of the most beautiful views in all of Greece, so why do so few people know about this historic wonder? I was fortunate enough to visit the fortress while studying abroad in Greece; I still consider the hike to the top (and the charming city of Nafplio) to be one…
Ancient Olympia: The Birthplace of the Olympic Games
Read moreAbout once every two years, viewers around the world tune in to watch the Olympics. These games are rooted in a 3000 year old tradition that started in Greece’s “Valley of Gods”. Olympia was one of the major sites in Greece that helped shape the nations identity due to the Olympic Games. While the modern…