A donkey strolls past me nonchalantly. I laugh, watching the beast tackle the cobbled streets of Istanbul’s Old City with a curious grace. I can hear prayer songs emanate from some of the most ornate places of worship in the world. Home to over 13 million people, Istanbul is an intriguing metropolis of extremes. It [...]

I’m lost again. I glower at my crumpled map and peer at the ageing street signs. Venice is not a city to be navigated, but a labyrinth of alleyways and canals to be explored. I abandon my map and begin aimlessly wandering the city’s 117 islands. Away from the garish gondolas, flocks of tourists and [...]