Show Notes
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 [email protected] if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be very much appreciated
More from City Breaks
This final episode in our Stratford-Upon-Avon mini-series revolves around all things theatrical. First, there's a little history on where in the town Shakespeare found his inspiration, then there are 'visits' to all three Royal Shakespeare venues as well as information on the company's museum of props and costumes. Whether you want to discover Stratford's theatres, see a play or learn more about life behind the scenes, all you need to know is here. Reading SuggestionsKnow-it-All Shakespeare Edited by Ros Barber and Mark RylanceThe Man who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench Fools and Mortals by Bernard Cornwell Links for this postThe Royal Shakespeare Company The 3 Stratford theatres RSC information on Shakespeare RSC Public costume hire The Play’s the Thing (exhibition) 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 Stratford-Upon-Avon mini-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 [email protected] if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be a big help!
Stratford-Upon-Avon has many charms – its Tudor ambiance, its riverside setting – but really there’s only one reason why it attracts up to 6 million visitors in a year. Shakespeare. And this episode is dedicated to places where you can 'find' him there today. There's a little biographical background, focussing mainly on his Stratford years and a run-through of five of the most significant places in his life which you can still visit today. As usual, there is much more detail on the podcast.
Ok, so Stratford-upon-Avon is not actually a city, but as a town which punches well above its weight historically and culturally, we’re giving it an honorary place in the City Breaks collection. This is the introductory episode, with a little geographical and historical context and an idea for a first get-your-bearings walk around Stratford. It will introduce you to Stratford's Tudor gabled houses, riverside setting, swans and boats and, of course, give a flavour of Stratford as Shakespeare's home town, where he was both born and buried and where he bought the town's second biggest house as a retirement pad. So, with no more ado and as the great man himself might have said, shall we wend? Reading SuggestionsStratford-upon-Avon Quick Trips by Cynthia AtkinsA-Z of Stratford-upon-Avon by Will AtkinsSecret Stratford by Nicholas FoggShakespeare The Biography by Peter Ackroyd Links for this EpisodeVisit Stratford-upon-Avon Guided walks around Stratford 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 Stratford-Upon-Avon 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 [email protected] if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be very much appreciated!
Both Vincennes and St Germain-en-Laye make excellent days out from Paris, or even half days as both can be reached by public transport in less than half an hour. Each has a magnificent castle to visit, plus a range of other cultural, relaxation and shopping possibilities. So this episode tells you how to get to each place, following up with what there is to see and do there, plus – bien sûr! – a few of the interesting historical snippets which will inform your visit.
This Paris episode covers two of the most beautiful châteaux in the Paris region. Both are easy to reach on public transport and both have fascinating stories to tell. We cover how to get there, what you can expect to see and make sure we cover the most interesting tales – François I’s show-off gallery, Napoleon’s refurbishment to impress the Pope and the party-to-end-all-parties which went ended in disaster and ruination.