Last week, I travelled back in time alongside the Romanesque route (Rota do Romanico) in northern Portugal. It’s a cultural route that takes you on an astonishing journey back to the Middle Ages and the time when the first pan-European style, the Romanesque, appeared. The route covers an area of 2000 square kilometres and consists of 58 sites, including monasteries, churches, castles, bridges, and other beautiful monuments.
Sopoćani Monastery is a beautiful place located in the green landscape of south Serbia. It’s a 13th-century monastery famous for its extraordinary frescoes. Although it had a turbulent history, it found its place on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its artistic and cultural importance. Here is the Culture Tourist guide to Sopoćani Monastery, including its history, art and tips for visiting.
Studenica Monastery is the largest and one of the most important monasteries in Serbia. With its fantastic architecture and wonderful location in the middle of intact nature, it looks like a place out of this world. If you’re interested in medieval architecture and monastic life, Studenica Monastery in Serbia is a place to visit. Here is the Culture Tourist guide to that fantastic place.
As explorers and travellers, we are always looking for hidden gems, destinations that haven’t been discovered yet by the large amount of tourists. It’s hard to find those special places in today’s globalised world. However, last week I spent a few days exploring the medieval monasteries in Serbia. And was thrilled to found some of those authentic places there.
Driving in a car towards Spišská Kapitula and Spiš Castle feels like travelling back during the Middle Ages. Surrounded by dreamy hills, in the distance, all of a sudden, you see two white towers of Saint Martin’s Cathedral and a white castle above them. Same as they did during medieval times, they serve as a landmark that lets you know you’re on the right path. And while arriving closer to them, they become even more magical. It’s almost as the time stands still at that little corner of Slovakia. The charming small town of Spišská Kapitula and the Spiš Castle located next to it were my favourite places I visited in Slovakia. There is not much information online, so here is the Culture Tourist guide to Spišská Kapitula and Spiš Castle in Slovakia.
Transromanica is the Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, spanning through nine countries and including more than fifty sites. Last week I visited one of its member countries, Slovakia, and explored some beautiful medieval sites there. Exploring them felt like travelling back through time. Here is my travel journal in which you can read more about it.