City Breaks
Episodes
London Episode 16 The East End and the docks
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A tour of East London, in search of the Old East End and the area's Jewish and multi-ethnic roots. A little history, ideas for places to visit and s...
London Episode 15 Bloomsbury
12 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bloomsbury, London's literary and academic heartland, full of pretty garden squares and the place to find some of the country's top museums, bookshops...
City Break Ideas Episode 13
05 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We dissect three more great travel blogs and bring you a taster of each, picking out inspiration a-plenty for future city breaks and indeed lots of id...
London Episode 14 Charles Dickens
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
London certainly pops up frequently in the novels of England's best-known 19th century author, Charles Dickens, and traces of him can be found all ove...
London Episode 13 Chaucer and Shakespeare's London
21 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our two greatest authors, Chaucer and Shakespeare, both lived and worked in London for most of their lives. Hear about them and their work, discover...
London Episode 12 Victoria and Albert's London
14 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Surely no two people left a greater mark on 'their' corner of London, than Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Hear their story and discover the place...
City Break Ideas Episode 12
07 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lots more city break inspiration this month and what a range we have on offer: everything from Glasgow to Tirana, from an old favourite - Seville - to...
Episode 11 The Strand and Piccadilly
31 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode it's all about London as a centre of entertainment. We're going along the Strand, round Covent Garden, popping into the Royal Opera ...
London Episode 10 Fleet Street
24 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A visit to Fleet Street, a focal point for writers, publishers and journalists since the Middle Ages. Hear some of their stories, find out which of ...
London Episode 09 The Inns of Court
17 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A wander round the Inns of Court, that most peaceful haven just off some of London's busiest streets. Explore the courtyards and gardens, learn abou...
London Episode 08 Buckingham Palace
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What visit to London could miss out Buckingham Palace? Hear a little history, some trivia and some tales from the balcony. Then find out what to loo...
City Break Ideas Episode 11
03 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're crossing continents this month. Three continents in fact, as we are bringing you city break inspiration from three more great travel websites ...
London Episode 07 Whitehall and Trafalgar Square
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode takes you on a stroll through the very heart of London from Parliament Square along Whitehall to Trafalgar Square. We pause at the Cabi...
London Episode 06 The Houses of Parliament
17 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The building might be a stunning Victorian gothic pile, but the history of the Houses of Parliament goes much, much further back than that. Hear som...
London Episode 05 Westminster Abbey
10 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A Christmas day coronation-and-riot in 1066, the weddings of Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria's coronation and Golden Jubilee, Westmi...
City Break Ideas Episode 10
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Inspiration for city breaks from three more travel websites. We take in Winnipeg in Canada in the company of two of its travel-orientated residents,...
London Episode 04 The Tower of London
27 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode will give you the background information you need to enjoy your visit to the Tower of London to the full. Find out the main facts such ...
London Episode 03 The City of London
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This tour of the Square Mile, starts with some stories from its history: medieval days, the plague, the Great Fire and the subsequent rebuilding of th...
London Episode 02 St Paul's Cathedral
13 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We begin our tour of London at St Paul's Cathedral, which stands as a symbol of the city and which has so many links to its past. Hear a little of t...
London Episode 01 Introduction
06 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Red buses and royalty, St Paul's and Piccadilly, London is one of the world's most popular city break destinations. Here is an overview of the serie...
City Break Ideas Episode 09
13 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Loads of inspiration for future city breaks from three great travel websites. We're off to the Middle East, then taking in both Tuscany and southern...
City Breaks Update November 2020
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
City Breaks is taking a short break and this update gives you information about that, as well as introducing the brand new City Breaks series which wi...
City Break Ideas Episode 08
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Lots of ideas for cities for a Christmas break, plus more inspiration for future city breaks from three great travel websites. There's an Italian sl...
City Break Ideas Episode 07
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Some home-grown city break inspiration, plus three intriguing ideas from listeners. One takes us to central Spain, another gives a new take on an ol...
Bath Episode 14 Glastonbury
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our latest episode – the last in the Bath series – takes you on a day out to Glastonbury, home of the abbey ruins, the Tor, the King Arthur legend...
Bath Episode 13 A day out to Wells
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Less than an hour's drive from Bath, Wells is England's smallest city and makes a lovely day out. Hear about the main attractions, including the cat...
Bath Episode 12 Lacock and Corsham
14 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The first of three episodes suggesting days out from Bath, this one takes you to Lacock and Corsham. Hear about the widowed Mum of eight who founded...
Bath Episode 11 A Bath Anthology
07 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Squeezed into our anthology are lots of authors who wrote about the city and whom you'd enjoy reading before a visit or afterwards when you want to re...
Bath Episode 10 Theatre and Music
30 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hear a little of the history of theatre in Bath, including the story of the 'Theatre Royal', now more than 200 years old, and its predecessors. Fi...
Bath Episode 09 Parks and Walks
23 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A genteel walk - or 'parade' as it was known in the 18th century! - is a very 'Bath' thing to do and this episode will take you on lots. We visit so...
Bath Episode 08 Museums and Galleries
16 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Here we present a selection of Bath's best museums and galleries: the Fashion Museum, housed in the Assembley Rooms and featuring clothes, ranging fro...
Bath Episode 07 Jane Austen's Bath
09 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Austen's novels are a window into life in Regency Bath, a city she lived in for a period and over whose ways she often raised a quizzical eyebrow...
Bath Episode 06 The season, 18th century style
02 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hear what all those elegant visitors were actually doing all day (and evening!) when they came to 'do a season' in 18th century Bath. Find out about...
Bath Episode 05 Gorgeous Georgian Architecture
26 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bath's 18th century building boom left a legacy of lovely crescents and squares which are still today the most impressive areas of the city. This ep...
Bath Episode 04 Taking the Waters
19 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's over eleven thousand years since Bladud is said, thanks to his pigs, to have discovered the healing properties of the waters in Bath. This epis...
Bath Episode 03 In and around the Abbey
12 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This look at life in medieval and early modern times in Bath centres on a visit to the Abbey and to the streets around it. Find out why the coronati...
Bath Episode 02 Roman Bath
05 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Nowhere in the UK will you see better preserved Roman baths than in the city of Bath! This episode centres on them and on the adjoining museum and e...
Bath Episode 01 Introduction
29 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our introduction to Bath, which many people think is the UK's most elegant city, will give you an overview, geographically, historically and culturall...
City Break Ideas Episode 06
22 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Four more city break ideas to tempt you. This week, a US West Coast city known for its very particular vibe, and Germany's oldest university town wh...
A Virtual Visit to Paris
15 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This virtual visit to Paris takes you on a tour of websites, YouTube videos and books which will bring the spirit of the City of Light alive for you e...
City Break Ideas Episode 05
08 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Among this week's five inspiring city break ideas you will find a smart new city in South East Asia, a picturesque canals-and-cobbles city in northern...
A Virtual Visit to Seville
01 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This virtual visit to Seville takes you on a tour of websites, YouTube videos and books which will bring the spirit of the city alive for you even if ...
City Break Ideas Episode 04
24 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Five more inspiring city break ideas, mainly suggested by listeners. There's one of the planet's brashest neon-lit entertainment centres, then there's...
A Virtual Visit to Toulouse
17 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This virtual trip to Toulouse references websites, YouTube videos and books to take you on a virtual tour of this lovely southern French city, often v...
City Break Ideas Episode 03
10 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Five more inspiring city break ideas from our listeners. Find out which cities they recommended and why. Perhaps there is something on the list to...
A Virtual Visit to St Petersburg
03 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Enjoy a virtual visit to St Petersburg, a tour which refers to websites, YouTube videos and books to tell you about the cultural and historical aspect...
City Break Ideas Episode 02
27 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is our 100th episode, and after a small celebration of that and some bits and pieces of City Breaks news, we offer you more city break inspiratio...
A Virtual Visit to Munich
20 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If an actual trip to Munich isn't possible just now, you can always enjoy this virtual visit instead. Go on a tour of websites, YouTube videos, books ...
City Break Ideas Episode 01
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What kind of city break do you enjoy most? Which city would you like to visit next? Here are five tempting possibilities to consider. https://www.city...
A Virtual Visit to Florence
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You can't go to Florence right now. But there's nothing to stop you going on a virtual visit and this episode will tell you all about the best resou...
Paris Episode 22 Literary Moments
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A last look at Paris, this time through the eyes of authors who have set their work there. Four different novelists take us from the observation of mu...
City Breaks Update 01 April 2020
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
News on what the plans are for the continuation of City Breaks during the coronavirus pandemic. https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk
Paris Episode 21 Moments of History
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A look at Paris through history books and historical novels, offering plenty of reading ideas to inspire your next visit! Biographies of Queen Marie...
Paris Episode 20 Memoirs of Paris
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This episode sets out to enjoy the work of a number of writers who loved Paris and wrote their memoirs about living or working there. Hear some gossip...
Paris Episode 19 Two Literary Houses
08 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We visit the two best-known literary museums in Paris, the Maison de Balzac in the 16th district and the Maison de Victor Hugo in the Place des Vosges...
Paris Episode 18 Buried in Paris
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Visits to the Panthéon, where Paris pays homage to France's most respected citizens, and to the city's cemeteries are always fascinating. The world's...
Paris Episode 17 Cafe culture
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
'The last time I saw Paris, her heart was warm and gay. I heard the laughter of her heart in every street café.' (Oscar Hammerstein II). Paris welcom...
Paris Episode 16 Le shopping
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Shopping in Paris is always a delight, whether you are popping to a local food market to choose some of the very best seasonal produce, wandering the ...
Paris Episode 15 Modern Art
11 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A rundown of some of the events and 'happenings' in Paris which celebrate modern art, plus a visit to three of the big hitter museums where you can se...
Paris Episode 14 The Louvre
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The world's grandest art gallery, the Louvre's enormity presents both a pleasure and a challenge. It is said that it would take a hundred days to see ...
Paris Episode 13 St Germain
26 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Parisian district of St Germain oozes class and intellectual allure, being home to the Sorbonne, and also to some of the big publishing houses, th...
Paris Episode 12 The Seine and the Champs Elysees
19 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This episode looks at two of the loveliest ways to see Paris, wandering along the Seine and strolling down the Champs Elysées. Informed by a little h...
Paris Episode 11 Montparnasse and the Latin Quarter
12 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A well-known Parisian saying tells us that the right bank may be for spending and shopping ('La rive droite dépense'), but that the left bank is for ...
Paris Episode 10 Occupied Paris
05 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There are still signs of 'les années noires' (the dark years) of German occupation in Paris to be found all over the city, for example the many plaqu...
Paris Episode 09 Impressionist Paris
29 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Can there be a city and an art movement more intertwined than Paris and impressionism? Home to many of the movement's best-known artists, Paris itself...
Paris Episode 08 The Belle Epoque and the Eiffel Tower
22 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Impressionist painters, the Folies Bergères, the city’s art-deco style metro stations and its grandest cafes all date from the Belle Époque, the 4...
Paris Episode 07 Montmartre
15 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We look first at Montmartre as one of the centres of the Paris Commune. After a visit to the Basilique de Sacré Coeur, built in commemoration of the ...
Paris Episode 06 Napoleon's Paris
08 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This look at Napoleon's Paris focuses on the Emperor himself and the buildings most closely connected with him: the Arc de Triomphe, begun under his o...
Paris Episode 05 Revolutionary Paris
01 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
1789, the defining moment in the history of Paris, is the focus of today's episode. Of course, the Bastille prison no longer exists, but we can visit ...
Paris Episode 04 Versailles and Louis the Fourteenth
26 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A visit to the splendid palace just outside Paris which made Louis the Fourteenth the envy of monarchs all over Europe, yet whose very grandeur helped...
Paris Episode 03 Notre Dame and the Basilique St Denis
18 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The fire which almost engulfed Notre Dame reminded Parisians and the world in general how precious the city's cathedral is and this episode will expla...
Paris Episode 02 The heart of the city
11 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Surely every tour of Paris should start in the heart of the city, on the two islands which were where the very first settlers made their home, the Îl...
Paris Episode 01 Introduction
04 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
So often top of the polls when people are asked what city they would most like to visit, Paris barely needs an introduction! But here is an overview o...
Seville Episode 13 Stories of Seville
27 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hear stories about some of Seville's best known fictional characters. We start with Cervantes' low-life tricksters Rinconete and Cortadillo, operating...
Seville Episode 12 Travel Writers on Seville
20 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
First, some short quotations including one from Lord Byron, who famously praised the city for its ‘oranges and women’ and another from Jan Morris ...
Seville Episode 11 Gastronomia
13 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A Spanish proverb says that he whom the gods favour will eat in Seville. (‘A quien Dios quiere bien, en Sevilla le da a comer’) This episode offer...
Seville Episode 10 Art in Seville
06 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Many of Seville’s art treasures date from the ‘Siglo de Oro’, the ‘golden century’ when the city grew rich on its role as the hub of New Wor...
Seville Episode 09 Flamenco
30 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Flamenco originated in Andalucia and has a long tradition in Seville. Find out about its roots in gypsy culture and about all the aspects which combin...
Seville Episode 08 Bullfighting
23 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bullfighting is an integral part of Sevillian culture, whether you are for or against it. We look at the arguments on both sides, then learn a little ...
Seville Episode 07 Triana
16 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We cross the river Guadalquivir to the ‘other’ side, the former working class district of Triana, which has always been a little set apart from th...
Seville Episode 06 The park and the palaces
09 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
An episode about just wandering round Seville for the pleasure of it! Hear about the art-deco charm of the Maria Luisa Park, with its delightful tree-...
Seville Episode 05 Semana Santa and the Feria de Abril
02 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For two weeks every spring, it seems as if the world has come to Seville and this episode explains why. Semana Santa, or Holy Week, sees sombre proces...
Seville Episode 04 The Golden Age
25 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
1492, the year Columbus sailed the ocean blue, marked the beginning of the golden age for Seville, which had the monopoly on trade between Spain and t...
Seville Episode 03 The cathedral, the Giralda and Santa Cruz
18 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Seville's cathedral was built on the site of the mosque when the Christians re-conquered the city, so parts of it – the Giralda, the Patio de los Na...
Seville Episode 02 The Alcazar
11 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Alcazar is the heart of moorish Seville, perhaps the most beautiful building in the city, although there's strong competition. It captivated later...
Seville Episode 01 Introduction
04 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bienvenidos! Welcome to Episode 01 of City Breaks Seville, which will give you an overview of the city, historically, geographically and culturally an...
Toulouse Episode 09 Gastronomy
28 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Gastronomy is a definite highlight of a visit to Toulouse and not just because it's the home of cassoulet. Of course we'll look at the legends behind ...
Toulouse Episode 08 Carcassonne and Toulouse Lautrec
21 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Two ideas for easy excursions from Toulouse. First, the medieval citadel of Carcassonne, silhouetted against the skyline on a million postcards, whose...
Toulouse Episode 07 The Canal du Midi
14 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What more idyllic escape from city-centre Toulouse than to potter up the Canal du Midi on foot, by bike or – best of all – in a boat? Hear how ‘...
Toulouse Episode 06 Art and Architecture
07 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We start with a tour of some of the 'hotels particuliers' which are such a feature of Toulouse architecture, finding out what kind of houses the city'...
Toulouse Episode 05 Museums (from woad to outer space)
31 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The story of Toulouse's museums tells us what has been most important in shaping the city. We visit 9 institutions, starting with Terre de Pastel, whe...
Toulouse Episode 04 The Resistance
24 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The fascinating ‘Musée de la Résistance et de la Déportation is tucked away near the Jardin des Plantes. Its detailed displays of documents, phot...
Toulouse Episode 03 The Capitol
17 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The elegant pink façade of the Capitol, Toulouse’s town hall, which overlooks the magnificent Place du Capitole, is the city’s best-known symbol....
Toulouse Episode 02 Churches and Troubadours
12 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
First, a tour of the main churches in Toulouse. The Basilique St Sernin was founded after the Bishop of Toulouse was martyred by being dragged through...
Toulouse Episode 01 Introduction
03 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bienvenue! Welcome to Episode 1 of City Breaks Toulouse. This opening podcast will give you an overview of the city, historically, geographically and ...
St Petersburg Episode 17 Finding Leningrad in Literature
26 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For the final episode in the series, we are 'leaving' St Petersburg to discover Soviet era Leningrad through the work of three very different authors....
St Petersburg Episode 16 Gogol, Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky
19 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A look at 19th century St Petersburg through the eyes of 3 authors: Gogol, Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. Hear how a long-desired new overcoat caused the de...
St Petersburg Episode 15 Pushkin
12 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Father of Russian Literature, Alexander Pushkin, led a colourful life of semi-debauchery in St Petersburg, and set some of his best-loved works th...
St Petersburg Episode 14 Art and Architecture
05 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Art lovers flock to St Petersburg's wonderful and extensive collections in the Hermitage and of course we will look at some of the highlights to be fo...
St Petersburg Episode 13 World Capital of Ballet
29 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Surely ballet is one of the first things you think of when it comes to St Petersburg. Hear a brief history, beginning with the 'twelve little girls' i...