What might sound like some kind of medical intervention, coffee cupping is actually a form of sampling coffee to discover more about its flavour and aroma. A common practice in the coffee industry, cupping is used by producers and buyers around the globe to ensure a batch of coffee meets quality standards. I thought this sounded like a pretty interesting concept, so I popped down to the elbgold ‘Coffee Lab’ in downtown Hamburg where cuppings take place every Friday. There I m

The Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio at the University of Bologna in Italy comes as a joyous surprise. Carved entirely from wood, the theatre features sculptures of physicians such as Hippocrates, as well as the famous 'Spellati' (skinless) figures - two anatomical models revealing the muscles that lie beneath the skin. . Dominating the room is the marble table in the centre, on which the dissection of humans and animals took place.

Don't be fooled by the plain brick facade of the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, this church of historic and ecclesiastical importance houses an explosion of colour worthy of any rival. The walls and ceilings of the church are richly embellished with colourful mosaics of Christian iconography. Listed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, no trip to this delightful town would be complete without visiting it.

Not long now! The highlight of the year in Schneverdingen is a festival steeped in tradition - the Heather Blossom Festival – which takes place from 22 to 25 August 2019. The heather blooms from August to September every year, transforming the Lüneburg Heath into a veritable sea of pinks and mauves. The landscape takes on a soft purple glow as the sun goes down. It is an amazing spectacle of nature and an annual occurrence during the heather flowering season. Making the most