Oberer Schlossgarten, Stuttgart

I don’t really mean the whole park (although there is a plethora of benches, most of them make you feel just too vulnerable under the public eye), but a row of benches that stretches behind a row of statues, in front of the Württembergische Kunstverein building. There are about four benches which are super-secluded, meaning […]

Shakespeare and Company, Paris

Although not an original Shakespeare and Company (the original by Sylvia Beach closed in 1941), this store surely has the vibe of an old dusty bookshop. But that’s about it. Otherwise, I found this place way overpriced and tourist-trappy. The atmosphere could be authentic were it not for so many tourists loitering around just because […]

Beatrixpark, Amsterdam

Tourists are no-goers here: this natural nook is located way off the beaten path. A quiet local park, Beatrixpark was created in 1936-1938 by Jakoba Mulder, a leading Dutch landscape architect, who was also working on the creation of the Amsterdamse Bos. Beatrixpark is my all-time favourite, and, when living in Amsterdam, I never missed […]

Libreria Mondadori, Lucca

What I like about Italy is how tasteful everything is. Even a bookstore in a small Tuscan gem of a city called Lucca. I accidentally found this store on my cobblestoned way from the Duomo di Lucca to Puccini’s museum (both deserve an article of their own). What I loved about Mondadori is that it […]

Trnovski Pristan Embankment, Ljubljana

A unique creation by the famous Slovene architect Plečnik, this area is an embankment used by locals for taking a leisurely stroll, hanging out with friends playing the guitar or (as in my case) reading. Although it is located in the centre of the city, the place makes you feel like you are out there […]

Garden Behind Sant Pere de Galligants, Girona

This magical place is a true hidden gem for readers. Not so many of Girona’s numerous visitors know about its existence, and you will most probably be left to your book and the wonderful surroundings. The spot is located right behind Sant Pere de Galligants, a Benedictine abbey dating from the tenth century, which is […]