Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
The Rasender Roland is Rügen’s most charming little icon, a steam-hauled narrow-gauge railway that still feels gloriously out of step with the modern world. It has been running since 1895 and links Putbus with the island’s seaside resorts at a relaxed 30 km/h, which is exactly why the journey is part of the pleasure rather than merely a means of getting somewhere.
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The Circus in Putbus is one of the most striking town spaces on Rügen: a perfectly round square framed by elegant white classical buildings, with a disciplined, almost theatrical symmetry that gives it a calm and refined feel. At its centre stands a tall obelisk, while paths and lawns radiate outwards in a neat pattern, so the whole place feels both formal and airy rather than crowded or ornamental. The effect is of a planned landscape in which architecture and open space are meant to be experienced together.
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The Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Turm is an observation tower in Bergen auf Rügen, built as a memorial to the poet and ‘patriot’ Ernst Moritz Arndt. It is one of the town’s best-known landmarks and stands on the Rugard, giving it a prominent position above the surrounding landscape.
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Zadar is one of those Adriatic cities where the past feels woven into everyday life. Its roots go back more than 3,000 years, beginning as an ancient settlement that later grew under Roman rule, and you can still see traces of that long history in the street plan, the old walls and the remains of the Roman forum.
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Krka National Park combines dramatic limestone scenery, clear river water and a series of travertine waterfalls in one compact area. What makes it feel memorable is that the landscape changes from calm stretches of river to powerful cascades, with wooded paths and viewpoints that give it a far more varied character than a simple waterfall stop.
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Klis fortress, perched above Split in a commanding position between the mountains and the coast, has spent most of its life doing exactly what a fortress should do: watching, defending and surviving. Its roots go back to the Illyrians, and over the centuries it became a key stronghold under the Croats, then a hard-fought prize during the Ottoman advance, when it stood as one of Dalmatia’s most important defensive positions.
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Often called the green lung of Split, Marjan is the forested hill that rises on the western side of the city and has long been part of Split’s identity. It was already mentioned in the 8th century, and over time it became a place where the people of Split went to walk, rest and enjoy the sea views.
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Diocletian’s palace in Split began as a vast Roman retirement residence, built for Emperor Diocletian at the end of the 3rd and start of the 4th century. He chose the site near his birthplace in Dalmatia, and the complex was designed as both a fortified palace and an imperial home, with temples, courtyards, and ceremonial spaces fitting for a ruler of his status.
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Plitvice Lakes National Park feels less like a typical national park and more like a living landscape of water, limestone and forest. Its chain of terraced lakes changes colour from turquoise to deep green depending on the light, while travertine barriers constantly reshape the waterfalls and channels. The result is a place that looks almost unreal, especially when the water is clear and the surrounding woods are in full leaf.
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The Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo in 1984 stand out as one of the most atmospheric and, in many ways, unexpectedly charming editions of the Games. At the time, Sarajevo was part of Yugoslavia, and the event symbolised a rare moment when East and West came together in a relaxed, almost intimate setting. The city itself, surrounded by mountains and steeped in history, provided a dramatic natural backdrop that felt both authentic and unpolished compared to the more commercialised Winter Olympics that followed. There was a genuine warmth in the organisation and a sense that the Games belonged to the people rather than to global sponsors.
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