This episode covers everything it's good to know before you visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam: a brief biography of Vincent himself, followed by tips on what to look out for in the museum dedicated to his work.  To finish, there are ideas for 3 more arty venues to visit in Amsterdam if you want to investigate the city's modern art and street art offerings.     Reading Suggestions Van Gogh The Life by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White SmithThe Letters of Vincent Van GoghVan Gogh The Complete Paintings by Ingo F. Walther and Rainer Metzger    Links for this postVan Gogh Museum  Stedelijk Museum NDSM Loods Straat Museum  City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Amsterdam series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be a big help!   

This episode revolves around Amsterdam's top art gallery, the Rijksmuseum.  It starts with a little history,  explaining how art came to be of such importance in Amsterdam's  Golden Age in the 17th century, then continues with some biographical details on the two top artists from the era, Rembrandt and Vermeer.  It finishes with pointers to some of their best-known works, plus ideas for other highlights to look out for when visiting the gallery.   Reading SuggestionsTulip Fever by Deborah Moggach  Vermeer by Christopher Wright Rijksmuseum guidebook      Links for this postThe Rijksmuseum  Rembrandt House Museum   Old World Voyages blog   Essential Vermeer Simon Schama, Great Gallery Tours, the Rijksmuseum  City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Amsterdam series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be a big help!     

This episode on World War II in Amsterdam looks at how 5 years of German occupation affected everyone living there and suggests places to visit to find out more.  We start with the population in general and the Dutch Resistance Museum, then look at the plight of the city’s Jewish population before finishing with a section on Anne Frank: her story and the museum now operating in the building where she and her family lived in hiding for 25 months.   Reading Suggestions The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank   The Dutch Resistance 1940-1945 by Klaas Kastlein and Michael Wenting Links for this postThe Dutch Resistance MuseumThe Hollandsche Schouwburg Memorial SiteThe National Holocaust MuseumAnne Frank House   City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Amsterdam series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be a big help!   

This episode introduces Amsterdam's Jewish culture. There's a little historical context, beginning with the arrival of Jews fleeing from other parts of Europe in the 16th century and ending in today’s city where Jewish culture is centred around the Jewish Quarter. Then there's a description of some of the most significant places to visit, focussing especially on the Portugese Synagogue and the Jewish Museum. The holocaust will be dealt with in the next episode. Links for this post National Holocaust Museum  Hollandsche Schouwburg  Portuguese Synagogue  Jewish Museum      City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Amsterdam series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be a big help!   

This episode takes you to Amsterdam's Golden Age, the era when, as the Encyclopaedia Britannica puts it, ‘the little nation on the North Sea was one of the most powerful countries in the world, dominating the seas and flourishing in trade, science and – especially – the arts.'  First there's a little history to explain how this phenomenon came about and what it meant for Amsterdammers and for the rest of the world, then we visit three different places in the city where you can find out more.     Reading Suggestions The Embarrassment of Riches The Dutch Golden Age by Simon SchamaAmsterdam A Brief Life of the City by Geert MakAmsterdam A History of the World’s Most Liberal City by Russell Shorto Links for this postRembrandt House  Amsterdam Museum  Rijksmuseum    City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Amsterdam series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be a big help!   

The churches of Amsterdam are not always what they seem.  One is more of a national memorial, another is an art gallery and concert venue.  A third is a museum where you can learn the story of the hidden churches which opened in the 17th century and where worshippers gathered for over 200 years.  They key factor is a date – 1578 – when an event occurred which changed everything: the Alteration.  This episode explains what happened and then tours half a dozen of the city’s churches and explains what you can expect to find if you visit them today.   Reading Suggestions Amsterdam A Brief Life of the City by Geert MakAmsterdam A History of the World’s Most Liberal City by Russell ShortoThe Invention of Amsterdam A History of the World’s Greatest City in 10 Walks by Ben Coates Links for this postThe BegijnhofThe Oude KerkThe Nieuwe Kerk The WesterkerkThe Noorderkerk   St NicholasOur Lord in the Attic

The canals ARE Amsterdam and Amsterdam IS its canals.  This episode is all about them, covering both the engineering genius which gave them their UNESCO World Heritage Site status and their beauty, charmingly different in each season.  We bring you a little history, a little atmosphere and 4 suggestions for places to visit to find out more.   READING SUGGESTIONSAmsterdam A Brief Life of the City by Geert MakAmsterdam A History of the World’s Most Liberal City by Russell ShortoThe Invention of Amsterdam A History of the World’s Greatest City in 10 Walks by Ben Coates LINKS FOR THIS POST  The Canal Museum   The Van Loon Museum  The Willet-Holthuysen Museum The Houseboat Museum   City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Amsterdam series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be a big help!     

Here are 5 suggestions for walks around Amsterdam.  They include possible stopping places and between them they offer a way to see something of all of the main parts of the city.  We give enough detail to follow the route if you take a map with you and a little info on the main places you’ll be passing, although we’ll be coming back to most of them in later episodes.  None will take longer than an hour if you don’t stop anywhere.  . Links for this post Grand Café Restaurant 1e KlasAnne Frank House   Royal Palace Nieuw Kerk  The Houseboat Museum   Albert Cuyp Market  The Reijksmuseum  The Van Gogh Museum    The Stedelik Museum   MOCO   Hop on Hop off bus tours  Boat trips    City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Amsterdam series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be a big help!   

Welkom in Amsterdam! This introduction to our Amsterdam series brings you the basic facts - geographical, historical, cultural - which underpin everything. To capture the spirit of Amsterdam, here’s Russell Shorto’s description of the view from his Amsterdam window: ‘the little boats moored by the quay, the row of tilting, gabled buildings on the opposite bank and, on any given day, a couple of bicycles chained to the railing of a hump-backed bridge.’ So, let's go, or as the Dutch say ‘laten we gaan’. City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Amsterdam series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk     We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be very much appreciated!   

This last episode on the Valletta series brings you lots of different stories from Malta. We start with a little descriptive writing, factual and fictional, followed by mini-biographies of 4 people who’ve featured in previous episodes but not really had the time they deserve: St Paul, St Publius, Caravaggio and Daphne Caruana Galizia, the high-profile journalist murdered for her stand against corruption in Malta.  And to finish, some literary extracts, namely a mystery story set in Malta and 2 World War II love stories. In short, a whole range of new perspectives on Valletta and its surroundings. Reading Suggestions The Kappillan of Malta by Nicholas MonserratLadies of Lascaris by Paul McDonaldSecrets of Malta by Cecily Blench A Death in Malta by Paul Caruana GaliziaA Sunny Place for Shady People by Ryan Murdock Links for this PostShort Lets Malta blog      City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Valletta series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be very much appreciated!   

Here are our ideas for easy days out from Valletta if you want to explore some of the rest of Malta.  We start with the two most popular day trips, to the 3 Cities and to Mdina and Rabat, both very easy to do on public transport.  Then we have a look at hop-on, hop-off bus tours and boat trips.  You could spend a week in Valletta, you could just as easily spend a week doing day trips with Valletta as a base!  Most likely, you’ll do a little of each and this episode will help you plan your excursions to other parts of the island. The Inquisitor’s Palace   Malta at War Museum   St Paul’s Cathedral, Mdina   Carmelite Priory, Mdina  The Roman House, Rabat   St Paul’s Grotto, Rabat   St Paul’s Catacombs, Rabat   Hop-on Hop-off bus tours  Malta Boat Tours   Luzzu Cruises   City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Valletta series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be very much appreciated!   

This episode is dedicated to two topics which are very important in Malta - food and festivities.  Malta has more public holidays – 14 – than most other European countries, plus a whole range of other feasts and festivals.  Of course, food is key to most of them and so this episode introduces you to both.  We cover the varied culinary offerings, influenced by so many centuries of foreign cultures coming to the island and then look at the equally expansive range of celebration days, religious, national and cultural. In short, plenty of fun! Reading Suggestion Taste of Malta by Anton B Dougall   City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Valletta series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be very much appreciated!   

This is a pot-pourri episode, beginning with a look at Valletta’s art scene: the National Art Gallery, 3 artists linked to the island and the oratory where the 2 most famous paintings are hidden away.  Next, some pointers on the city’s architecture: typical design features and the three main periods, all of which are represented by buildings to look out for in Valletta today.  Lastly, a trip to the National Museum of Archaeology, where you can learn lots about the island’s very distant past and pick up some tips to inform visits to the rest of the island. Reading SuggestionSeven Temples on Malta by Betsy Ross-Edison Links for this postThe National Art Museum      The Grand Master’s Palace    St John’s Cathedral   The National Museum of Archaeology  

There are traces of World War II everywhere in Valletta.  This episode begins with a little history from the period and explains why the island of Malta was awarded the prestigious George Cross.  Then we look at 3 museums which all take a different approach, covering the military action here on ‘Fortress Malta’ and also explaining what the war did to the daily lives of its people.  We end with a look at some of Valletta’s memorials to this turbulent period, which are all within a few minutes’ walk of each other at the Floriana end of the city. Reading SuggestionsFortress Island Malta by Peter JacobsLadies of Lascaris by Paul McDonaldChurchill and Malta’s War by Douglas Austin Links for this postNational War Museum   Malta at War Museum   Lascaris War Rooms    City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Valletta series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be very much appreciated!   

This episode gives a little history on the Knights of Malta and explains where to 'find' them in Valletta today.    In fact they’re everywhere, not least in the Maltese Cross you'll keep seeing, on information panels everywhere and in the beautiful buildings they left behind. In fact, they founded the city of Valletta and built it from scratch - Europe's very first planned city. Reading SuggestionsThe Knights of Malta by Joseph AttardThe Shield and the Sword by Ernie Bradford Links for this EpisodeThe Malta Experience and the Holy Infirmary The Grand Master’s Palace   The Armoury  St John’s Cathedral      City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Valletta series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be very much appreciated!    

Valletta is a very walkable city and this episode offers three walking routes for exploring it.  They could be done in a day if you want to see all the main sights quickly, or you could spread them out over a few days, linger a little, go into some of the places we pass by and build up an in-depth knowledge of Malta's capital city.  Take a street map with you and you should be able to follow the routes easily.  Reading Suggestions The History of Malta by Nuria RehnFortress Island Malta by Peter JacobsLadies of Lascaris by Paul McDonaldA Death in Malta by Paul Caruana Galizia Links for this postOur Lady of Victories Church  The Grand Master’s Palace  The Armoury   St John’s Co-Cathedral   Fort St Elmo National War Museum    City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Valletta series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be very much appreciated!   

Merħba il-Valletta: welcome to Valletta, the capital of Malta.  Valletta is a World Heritage Site, small in scale, easy to explore and known for its stunning coastal views and gorgeous architecture.  Here you can 'meet' such varied characters from history as St Paul, Caravaggio and the Knights of St John and learn some of the island's most inspiring stories: how Malta triumphed during the Great Siege of 1565 and why the island was awarded the George Cross during World War II.     This is the introduction to our Valletta series and the remaining 7 episodes will bring you all the background history and culture you need to really understand the city.  In short, here is all the research you’d do yourself if only you had the time!  See below for reading ideas and useful links. Two useful websites for touristsVisit Malta   Malta Uncovered    3 Guide BooksPocket Rough Guide to Malta and Gozo  Lonely Planet Malta and GozoEyewitness Top 10 Malta and Gozo 4 History BooksThe History of Malta by Nuria RehnFortress Island Malta by Peter JacobsLadies of Lascaris by Paul McDonaldA Death in Malta by Paul Caruana Galizia Maltese CookingTaste of Malta by Anton B Dougall 2 Novels set in MaltaThe Kappillan of Malta by Nicholas MonserratSecrets of Malta by Cecily Blench City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Valletta series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be very much appreciated

Our Marseille Anthology includes some travel writing, plus a range of fiction pieces set in the city.  Extracts include Simone de Beauvoir hiking in the surrounding countryside and Jean-Claude Izzo's description of the Italian immigrant community in Le Panier in the 1930s.  The Count of Monte Cristo's daring escape from the Château d'If is here, as are a meal of boullabaisse in a waterside restaurant and a visit to the underwater caves where prehistoric man left artwork behind.  There are even two passages which help explain why Marseille has sometimes been called 'the wicked city'.   Reading SuggestionsWicked City by Nicholas HewittTotal Chaos by Jean-Claude IzzoChourmo by Jean-Claude IzzoSolea by Jean-Claude IzzoDecline and Fall by Evelyn WaughThe Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre DumasFirst Fingerprint, by Xavier-Marie BonnotThe Marseille Caper by Peter Mayl City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Marseille series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be very much appreciated!           

The author and film-maker Marcel Pagnol is inextricably linked with Marseille – where he lived, set some of his early works and is buried – and with the Provencal countryside around the city.  The area's garrigue landscape provides the backdrop to his popular autobiographical works, La Gloire de Mon Père (My Father's Glory) and Le Château de Ma Mère (My Mother's Castle) and is also the setting for his gripping novels, Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources.  This episode gives a little biographical information, an idea of where to ‘find’ him in the area today and some appetite-whetting snippets of his work. Reading Suggestions Autobiographical worksMy Father's Glory and My Mother's Castle (double volume) 3 Plays set in Marseille (in French)MariusFannyCésar   Two novels set in ProvenceJean de Florette and Manon des Sources (double volume)   Links for this postInformation on walks in Marcel Pagnol territory     Marcel Pagnol’s Birthplace   Aubagne Tourist Office   Le Petit Monde de Marcel Pagnol   Village des Santons in Marseille     Guide to La Treille   Château de la Buzine     City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Marseille series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be very much appreciated!     

This post introduces you to two great pleasures in this Provencal city: Marseille food and Marseille shopping, beginning with the signature dishes and key ingredients of the city's cuisine, plus a few ideas on where to look for restaurants. Then, we outline key items to buy as souvenirs of Marseille, followed by a rundown of the city's main shopping areas and what you can expect to find in each one.   Reading SuggestionsGarlic, Mint and Sweet Basil by Jean-Claude IzzoThe Marseille Caper by Peter Mayle   Links for this post More Information Foodie Guide to Marseille    Shopping in the Le Panier district   Eating out in the Le Panier district Information on Cours Julien   Santons of Provence    Shops and places to visitBar de la Marine Musee du Savon de Marseille de la Licorne   La Cure Gourmande  Olympique de Marseille Souvenir Shop Torrefaction Noailles  Maison de la Boule Maison Yellow  Santons Village in Aubagne   3 Santons shops in Marseille Escoffier  Arterra  Marcel Carbonel     City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time!Check our website to find more episodes from our Marseille series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.ukAnd if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode.  That would be very much appreciated!