Very few people will leave Lisbon without falling in love. Beautiful and unexpected details such as a picturesque street, a magnificent viewpoint at the turn of a street and singular tiled façades will make you slowly fall in love. Its people, among the most friendly in Europe in my opinion, will make you feel at …
Everyone agrees on Istanbul’s magical charm, which still has some grandeur of the Byzantine Empire. When I first visited this summer, I was very impressed by its architecture: mosques, hidden baths and its unique skyline. Anything interesting in terms of architecture is here. If you find any mistakes, or have any suggestions please let me know. My …
London is one of the most interesting European cities in terms of architecture. Besides its history, some of the most relevant towers of the 21st century have been built recently, making it a beautiful city full of contrasts. Anything interesting in terms of architecture is here. If you find any mistakes, or have any suggestions …
Madrid is the city where I was born and where I lived for a long time. Its stunning architecture includes Royal Palaces, contemporary architecture and some very impressive Brutalist buildings. Make sure you check the city from its amazing rooftops too. Along with Salamanca, Barcelona and Ibiza, these are the Spanish cities that I’ve mapped so far. …
As summer slowly waves good bye and temperatures drop down, Zürich becomes ready for the next season. However, two weeks before October, I was gifted with the last kiss of good weather and the happiness that goes with it. Visit Zürich and my friend Philipp Heer organised a short trip to this delightful area of Switzerland … Continue reading
Stockholm is vast and its history is softly infused in the landmarks that stretch across the Baltic Sea. The capital’s architecture – and art – is brimming with significance. From Vaxholm Fortress, built by Russian prisoners (and used as the filming location of Pippi) to the royal palaces of Kungliga Slottet and Drottningholms Slott. From the … Continue reading
As Autumn slowly makes its way in, the cultural calendar picks up steam at the same time cities turn vivid ochre and old gold. Europe is always a good idea for a trip during this season as besides the undeniable charm, there is an interesting and educational program going on. Cities are at their most … Continue reading
What’s the role of religion nowadays? In an increasingly stressful and individualistic world, worship places around the world are doing their best at providing peaceful spaces where a community of people can thrive together, as a group. One might think that such a building typology is declining. On the contrary, investment from several institutions (government, … Continue reading
Northern Europe, with its cold lakes, steep mountains and insane natural features is a feast to the traveler who has seen it all. One wouldn’t easily expect the beauty that seemingly changes with every season. Scandinavia is one of a kind. Harsh climate conditions leave these northern countries buried in snow most of the year. … Continue reading
Anybody exploring Croatia soon? Whilst planning my trip to this historical city, I was interested in a lot more than architecture, which is normally my main focus. Split’s proximity to other islands and exciting culinary scene made my research to go beyond the buildings. In a attempt to share with you all the documentation relevant … Continue reading
Those who have read Agatha Christie’s novel Murder on the Orient Express (1934), will have a vivid mental image of the train I am about to describe: Art deco cabins with shiny polished wood, brass luggage racks, staff members in elegant hats, champagne bar, high-end cutlery and crockery for sophisticated dining. These original Pullman coaches, … Continue reading
Nobody can resist the charm of Barcelona. Especially us architects. In Barcelona, the cradle of contemporary urbanism, the landscape is enriched with endless layers of history. Since its first settlers, Roman colonists, generation after generation built here, one on top of another. Romans, Visigoths and a brief Islamic period are still embedded within the city’s … Continue reading
New York is full of gorgeous, and sometimes secret, Instagram-worthy spots. I’ve picked out the 15 prettiest and most photogenic places to visit in town. Planning a trip to New York soon? Great news, I have some sights to delight your eyes. All of them are special, pretty and even romantic. If you love architecture, … Continue reading
With its rich architectural history (dating back to the Bronze age), tumultuous past and key strategic point in the Mediterranean, Malta has a lot to offer, if one knows where to look. This guide covers everything interesting in terms of architecture. If you find any mistakes, or have any suggestions please let me know in the comments. … Continue reading
Reading is one of life’s best pleasures. And an expression of self-love. Finding time to devour a book can be quite challenging. But finding a good book can be even trickier. Occasionally, I’ve come across really good books. Books about architecture, travel and history – which are my personal favourites. After a while, however, I’ve … Continue reading
Tokyo is rapidly expanding and by 2050 is expected to have an impressive population of 38 million. The city’s infrastructure and architecture are following suit and new constructions are constantly being built. But what typology of buildings are popping here and there across the metropolis? You’ll be surprised to learn that the newer constructions, especially … Continue reading
Summer is coming. And Game of Thrones should be one of the many reasons why you decide to visit Croatia, a country with an adventurous past, delicious food and glorious sunny days. Which happens to be even more amazing in Summer. There are two main starting points in Croatia: Dubrovnik and Split. Today I … Continue reading
Barcelona is one of the most exciting cities in the world. Since hosting the Olympic Games of 1992 its growth has skyrocketed and new architecture, parks and refurbishment projects have been happening non stop. If you are planning a trip to Barcelona soon, you may find this compilation useful. This guide covers everything interesting in terms of … Continue reading
Again, I find myself longing for travel. My adventurous moments, the ones I lived mixed with the ones I am living right now, come in a strange way of nostalgia that I experience in the present. The lovely paradox of travel is that we can often feel more the experience of what happened when we … Continue reading
Planning a trip to Europe? Then this article will give you some ideas Zürich is under construction. The historical Roman town has been busy at work and new exciting buildings, squares and public parks have bloomed across the city. Since my first trip to Zürich in 2014, a lot has happened around good old Turicum … Continue reading
Instagram has become a major source of inspiration for my work as well as a tool to find new locations for my guides. I am constantly trying to discover new accounts and meeting the bright photographers behind them – always interesting people. If you are looking for architectural inspiration and enjoy buildings as much as … Continue reading
Vietnam’s emerging architecture can be best seen in Ho Chi Minh city and Hanoi, two beautiful cities that I explored in 2016. Because the capital is experiencing so much growth, I’ll be updating this map constantly with its new structures. This guide covers everything interesting in terms of architecture. If you find any mistakes, or have any … Continue reading
One of the most beautiful things about traveling is matching an experience with a personal moment of our lives. A connection between our current state and a place that we are likely to remember forever. I recommend this trip if you are looking for perspective, adrenaline and mental stimulation. Turkey, with its varied landscape, architecture … Continue reading
Last week I visited Turkey as part of a month of birthday celebrations. I took the chance to visit new buildings as well as to revisit some of my favourite locations of Istanbul. And eat lots of baklavas in the meantime. Oh God, I am obsessed with baklava. Istanbul is one of the most interesting … Continue reading
The most meaningful trips I’ve done in my life have always been birthday trips. When I turned 27 I jumped out of a plane. That was a meaningful trip. And a scary one too. To me, birthdays are the real beginning of the year and I always try to block some quality time for myself. … Continue reading
While working on London’s Guide I had the chance to visit UK’s most charming cities and towns, being Edinburgh one of my favourites. There’s something magical about its hills, cobblestone streets and vernacular architecture that will make you want to visit the city over and over. This guide covers everything interesting in terms of architecture. If … Continue reading
After a biiiiiig blogging break I come back with a story worth sharing. The story of a dream come true 🙂 Two years of intense work have led to creating the world’s best architecture guide of London. The books have been published about a week ago and I had some time these past days to … Continue reading
Winter is coming. But that means Eastern Europe starts its fairytale season where colours slowly turn from brown, red and yellow to white. If summertime sadness is leaving you hungry of more travels and you are keen to choose Prague as your next destination, I have some ideas for you. The old land of Bohemia … Continue reading
Yesterday I came back from a small road trip to the Golden Stone city: Salamanca. London’s nonexistent summer combined to the homesickness that I recently started to feel made the fact that I had to go even more pleasing. The real reason behind such a treat was that Spain’s best printers (and tapas) are located … Continue reading
Neoclassical architecture proudly standing next to Communist buildings. Massive governmental structures which have been finished in the wrong period. Long avenues, vintage cafés and buildings with high risk for a collapse. A lot of personality within an emerging city of which I have high hopes. Anything interesting in terms of architecture is here. If you find … Continue reading
If you are looking for some bathroom inspiration, this post will provide some trendy decor ideas. Whether you are a fan of painted wallpaper, love all white or have serious appreciation for tiles. We spend more time than we think in this normally small space of our homes but it’s an important one as not … Continue reading
Dance schools are simultaneously one of the most poetic and difficult spaces to create. The extensive range of styles and disciplines added to the sound, lighting and ventilation requirements make them complex projects. However, the program offers rich opportunity to make the most out of view points, improvising spaces, stunning staircases and dramatic entrances. This is … Continue reading
We love London. Its pretty victorian houses, the flowers everywhere and its overwhelming architecture. There’s a spot on every corner to have a cup of tea with a view, an iconic red bus which will bring you anywhere and the sun shines bright more often than people think. No wonder why London makes the perfect … Continue reading
Bangkok is all about amazing food, rooftops and temples (don’t miss the biggest reclining Buddha in the world). If you know where to look, it can truly be a cultural immersion so hopefully this guide would be a handy tool to prepare your amazing trip to Thailand. Everything interesting in terms of architecture is here, both old … Continue reading
Virginia Duran 