Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

Beyond the Postcard: Where the Journey Begins

August 31, 2026

Beyond the Postcard is my OWHC Young Travelling Scholarship project across seven World Heritage Cities: Amsterdam, Bruges, Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, Bern and Nice.

The project looks at heritage not only as something to preserve, but as something that is still lived every day. My focus is habitability: how historic areas function as places to live, move, work, meet, adapt and belong.

In each city, I will follow the same simple workflow:

Walk → observe → talk → follow → map

I will explore the World Heritage area and its surroundings on foot, document places and transitions, speak with local residents and heritage professionals, and follow some of the places, issues and perspectives that emerge along the way.

GIS will help me connect these observations spatially. The map below starts with the seven cities and the route between them, but it will gradually become a record of the places, encounters and urban stories that shape the journey.

 Interactive map – Beyond the Postcard route, from Amsterdam to Nice. The map will grow throughout the journey as new places, observations and encounters are added.

The aim is not to rank cities or arrive with fixed conclusions. It is to use the same exploratory approach in very different contexts and see what each World Heritage City reveals about the relationship between heritage and everyday urban life.

First stop: Amsterdam.

Finding my way through Riga

August 27, 2026

Finding my way through Riga

Day 1

I arrived in Riga at night, so my first real encounter with the city came the following morning. I set off on foot towards the Old Town and gradually let myself get carried away by its atmosphere.

Right in front of the House of the Blackheads, I started talking to a girl from Switzerland. We chatted about why she had come to Riga, what she wanted to see, and what she thought of the city so far. These kinds of spontaneous encounters are one of my favorite parts of traveling – you set out on your own and suddenly, you are not really alone anymore.

I continued exploring the city and even went to a concert at the Anglican Church. Music quickly became something I associated with the atmosphere of Latvia as a whole. I had heard that Latvians have a particularly close relationship with music – from choral singing to major cultural events such as the Latvian Song and Dance Festival.

After that, I stopped for lunch, where I met a lovely Latvian woman and ended up having a really nice conversation with her. I never really know where these conversations will take me, which is probably half the fun. Somehow, lunch turned into another little window into everyday life in Latvia.

After that, I headed to the Art Nouveau district and visited the museum Aigars had recommended to me. I then spent some time wandering through the city’s parks. Riga is surprisingly green for a capital city, and I loved how easily the greenery blends into the city itself. The city canal, winding through the centre and surrounded by trees, paths and little bridges, makes it especially pleasant to walk around. It almost feels like nature is constantly sneaking its way into the city.

Later, I headed back into the centre and explored Riga again in the evening.

 

 

Day 2
 

The second day started with a meeting with Aigars Kušķis, an urban architect who knows Riga incredibly well. And I quickly realized that spending the day with him was going to be very different from simply walking around the city with a guidebook.

We started walking towards through the historic centre towards St. Stephen´s Church and went up the tower. As we walked, Aigars would point things out and explain the buildings we passed — why they looked the way they did, what they had been used for in the past, and how different parts of the city had developed over time.

Then, we continued walking through the historic centre. As we went, he told me about the old warehouses, what used to be stored there, how the area had functioned in the past, and why certain buildings and spaces are where they are today. I loved that he didn’t just tell me what I was looking at, but also why it was there.

We then headed to the Central Market, which was another completely different side of Riga. Aigars told me all sorts of things about the food, local products and everyday life there. I learned about some of the local fish and traditional foods, and of course we had to stop for lunch.

After lunch, we continued towards the Daugava River. We spent some more time there before slowly making our way back.

We finished in the afternoon, and I went back to rest and work on my blog for a while.

Then, at 7 p.m., I met Aigars again, this time with three young people he had arranged for me to meet. We talked about how they see and experience Riga, and the meeting had such a nice, relaxed atmosphere. I also learned lots of little things about Latvian culture and everyday life. It was a really valuable way to end the day.

It was the perfect way to end the day. I went back feeling like I hadn’t just visited Riga – I had actually started to understand it.

Day 3

On my third day in Riga, I wanted to explore a slightly different side of the city. I started with the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, which gave me a deeper look into the country’s complicated and painful history. After the previous days filled with architecture and conversations, it was a much heavier part of the trip, but an important one.

After the museum, I decided to explore the other side of the river, based on a recommendation I had received. I crossed the Daugava and started wandering around without much of a plan. I discovered a lovely park and a beautiful library, and then, while walking around, I ended up talking to some locals there.

They recommended that I visit Kalnciema Quarter Market to find more locals, so I followed their advice. And I found not only locals but also an amazing market in big wooden building with small stalls, local food and handmade products. It felt like a place where locals actually come to spend their time, rather than somewhere designed just for tourists. And of course, I found there some.

I also tried Vecrīga there, a traditional Latvian dessert made from choux pastry filled with sweet cream. Definitely worth trying.

In the evening, I found a place with live music and discovered an Amy Winehouse tribute concert, which was part of the celebrations marking Riga’s anniversary. After three days of exploring, talking to people and constantly following one recommendation after another, sitting down with live music felt like the perfect way to end my time in Riga.

Last Stop – Angra do Heroísmo

August 21, 2026
I spent three days on Terceira, and during those three days I experienced more than I had in the previous two weeks. So many experiences, new people, and unexpected moments. I honestly can’t even count how many interesting people I met there.

Already on the plane, I met a Portuguese guy named Carlos, who was going to visit his friend Tomás, who lives on the island. In the end, Carlos, Tomás, and I traveled around the island together, exploring different places and discovering what life on Terceira is really like.

Life on the island is completely different. Terceira is far out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and since it’s not the main island of the Azores, there weren’t that many tourists either. Because of that, I was able to focus much more on the local life, history, and culture. And since I met mostly local people, I had a much better chance to see what everyday life on the island is actually like.

On my first day, I met the local vice mayor, and we had a really nice conversation. He showed me around the city hall and told me more about how the city works and what life on the island is like. He also introduced me to Andre, who later took me to a surfing lesson. Thanks to that, I got to experience the ocean from a completely different perspective and try something that is such a big part of island life.

And on my last day, I added another letter to my project — this time, the letter E.

Those three days on Terceira were incredibly intense. So many new people, experiences, and opportunities to discover the local way of life that it honestly felt like I had spent much more than just three days there.

Three Days in Visby: former prison, one trip to hospital and some local stories

August 21, 2026

Day 1

After weeks of planning and looking forward to it, I’m finally sitting at
Prague Airport, flying towards Stockholm – and then on to Gotland, specifically
Visby, the first stop of my OWHC Young Travelling Scholarship project.

Getting to Gotland is a little logistical challenge in itself. You can fly
or take the ferry, but this time I chose the faster option. The moment I step
off the plane, I’m greeted by the typical Gotland wind. Visby immediately feels like my kind of place. It’s the main town of Gotland, with around 25,000 inhabitants, and its historic centre has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1995. Yet despite its history and popularity, it still feels like a small town where everything is close.

And then I arrive at my accommodation. A former prison.

STF Visby Hamn Hostel is located in a building that was used as a prison
until 1998. Today, the former cells are rooms for travellers. So yes, my first
night on Gotland is spent in prison. I noticed a little problem – my leg started to swell.  But I wasn’t going to let that ruin my first evening in Visby. So I headed out anyway. I walked through the historic centre, wandered around the harbour and enjoyed the evening atmosphere. Visby in the evening was simply too beautiful to stay inside. At sunset, I came across an ice cream shop with around a hundred different flavours. Naturally, I had to try one: Coca-Cola. Later, I found out that this ice cream shop is actually a pretty popular spot in Visby. Apparently, I had accidentally stumbled upon one of the local favourites.

But about that swelling. I thought it would go away. It didn’t. It actually reminded me of a similar problem I had last summer. By the evening, my leg was about twice its normal size, so I decided to visit the hospital. It turned out I needed antibiotics and allergy medication. Luckily, the staff were incredibly kind and the treatment worked.

But before that, though, I did get to enjoy my first evening in Visby. So maybe my first day didn’t exactly go according to plan.

But honestly? A little chaos, a night in a former prison, Coca-Cola
ice cream and an unexpected hospital trip sounds like a pretty good start to an
adventure.

Day 2

After a long night, I start the day with breakfast at Babka and a walk
through the almost empty morning streets of Visby. The narrow streets, historic
houses and stone walls remind me a little of my beloved Kutná Hora.

Later, I visited Gotlands Museum, which gives me a completely different
perspective on the city. Behind the beautiful medieval walls is a place shaped
by centuries of trade and connections across the Baltic Sea. But my main goal isn’t only to learn about Visby’s history. I want to meet the people who actually live here. And that turns out to be harder than expected.

After the museum, I start approaching locals for the first time. And this is where I discover that finding young residents of Visby is going to be much harder than I expected. Almost every time I approach someone, I end up talking to a tourist – and surprisingly often, they’re from Stockholm.

But the conversations with people from Stockholm aren’t pointless at all. Quite the opposite. Most of them came to Visby specifically to get away from life in a big city. During the conversations, we keep coming back to the same topic – the pace of life. We agree that the world simply feels slower here. People aren’t as stressed, they don’t rush as much, and during the summer the whole island has an almost Mediterranean atmosphere. The sea, cafés, long summer evenings, and life outdoors create the feeling that everyday worries are temporarily a little further away.

Eventually, I manage to find several locals between the ages of 19 and 27. I’m particularly interested in what life on the island is like from the perspective of a young person and whether they can imagine staying here in the future.

Their answers have one thing in common – summer and winter are almost two completely different worlds on Gotland.

In summer, Visby is incredibly lively. Tourists arrive from all over Sweden and abroad, restaurants, cafés, and other businesses open, and young people have plenty of opportunities to find seasonal work. Summer offers a lot of jobs, but it’s also the time when people meet much more often. Because Visby is relatively small, people know each other well, and according to the locals, it’s not unusual for their social circles to constantly overlap. “Everyone knows everyone” isn’t just a saying here.

But when winter arrives, everything changes. The tourists leave, some businesses close, and the town becomes much quieter. While in summer it can be difficult to find a moment of peace, in winter it can be difficult to find enough people – and enough job opportunities. Work is one of the biggest issues mentioned by the young locals I speak to.

For someone who has graduated from university and is looking for a job in their field, finding the right opportunity on the island isn’t always easy. The job market is limited compared with larger Swedish cities, and many young people leave the island after university to look for work on the mainland. Some come back later. Others stay in Stockholm or another larger city.

This is probably the most interesting thing I discover that day. At first glance, Visby seems like the perfect place to live – a beautiful historic town, the sea, peace and quiet, nature, and an incredibly lively atmosphere during the summer. But for a young person thinking about their career and future, life on the island also has another side.

And maybe that is exactly what makes Visby so unique. In summer, the whole island seems to come alive. People spend time outside, work, meet each other, and the town is full of energy. In winter, everything slows down and life becomes much more private. Two completely different rhythms of life that alternate every year.

After a full day, I start looking at Visby differently. It is no longer just a beautiful medieval town with walls and picturesque streets. I’m gradually discovering what life on the island is actually like – not only for tourists, but for the people who call it home.

Day 3

On my third day, I continue looking for locals and trying to understand
where people who actually live in Visby spend their time.

In the afternoon, I had the privilege of getting a walking tour of Visby’s historic centre from Louise Hoffman, World Heritage Coordinator and Site Manager in Visby. She showed me some of the most important places in the city, including the incredibly well-preserved old city wall and several impressive ruins. She also took me to the Burmeister House, one of the oldest surviving merchant houses in Visby, built in the mid-17th century. I really enjoyed seeing these places with someone who knows the city and its heritage so well.

After three days, Visby is no longer just a beautiful medieval town by the
Baltic Sea. It’s a place that comes alive in summer and slows down in winter, a
place with a strong sense of community but also real challenges for young
people.

Sometimes the most interesting part of travelling is what you can’t see at first glance.

IBIZA — Another Island. Another Move. More People.

August 11, 2026

I spent three days in Ibiza and, just like on the previous islands, I wanted to keep moving, meet local people and experience the island a little differently than the average tourist.

I started by walking through the historic city. I was trying to find some locals and get a feel for everyday life, but during peak season, that wasn’t easy at all.

Eventually, I decided to keep moving by hitchhiking — and that’s how I met a few local people who told me a little about the island and what life there is actually like. I eventually made my way to my campsite, where I met Carlos and Carlos. 😄 I ended up spending the next day with them. We went snorkeling, swimming, talked about the island and simply enjoyed the day without any real plan.

 

Of course, there was plenty of movement too. I went out for another GPS drawing run and created another letter for my project — V from the word Move. 🏃‍♂️

In the evening, we went for a walk around the city. It was clear that Ibiza during peak season is very touristy. But thanks to Carlos and Carlos, I got to see a completely different side of the island — a more local, everyday side, which was honestly much more interesting to me.

 

 

 

 

Three days, lots of movement, hitchhiking, the ocean, new people and another letter added to the collection. ❤️

Island number two – Rhodes

August 7, 2026
🇬🇷

I spent 4 days in Rhodes, during which I observed local life. Since it was the peak of the tourist season, it was interesting to see the difference between places full of tourists and the quieter parts of the island, where people still live their everyday lives.

On the very first day, I started working on my project and created another letter for my word MOVE, specifically the letter O. This project is gradually helping me capture each place not only through memories but also through creative expression.

On the second day, I met Poly, and we had a short conversation about how life on the island changes during the tourist season compared to the quieter period when the island is not full of visitors. It was interesting to hear a local perspective and understand how tourism influences everyday life for people living there.

I tried to discover not only the famous tourist spots but also the atmosphere of the island, its local culture, food, and way of life. Rhodes impressed me as a place with a rich history, beautiful nature, and friendly people, although many places were influenced by mass tourism during the high season.

Unfortunately, I spent the entire last day at my accommodation because I wasn’t feeling well, so I didn’t have the chance to explore the island further. Nevertheless, these 4 days were a valuable experience for me and an opportunity to discover another part of Greece from a different perspective.

A Day on Gotland – Discovering Movement

August 3, 2026

My journey to Gotland started in Nynäshamn, where I spoke with a local chef before taking the ferry. He told me that the island is mainly a summer destination, where people enjoy being active through running, cycling, walking, and outdoor activities.
After arriving, I went for a run and created the first letter of my MOVE project – the letter M.

 

Later, Maria showed me the old town of Visby and explained Gotland’s history as an important trading center. Sandra then showed me hidden places where locals spend their time, giving me a different view of the island.

 

During the busy summer season, meeting locals can be difficult, so I appreciated the chance to spend time with people who live on Gotland. We ended the day by playing Kubb, a traditional Swedish game.

 

This experience showed me that movement is not only about activity, but also about exploring, connecting with people, and discovering new places.

My OWHC MOVE Journey Begins

July 26, 2026

On July 28, my journey as part of the OWHC MOVE project officially begins with a flight to Stockholm. Although Stockholm is not one of the four cities included in my project, it will be the starting point of an adventure that will take me to four island cities inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

After spending a day in Stockholm, I will continue by ferry to Visby on the island of Gotland. From there, my journey will take me to Rhodes, Ibiza, and finally to Angra do Heroísmo in the Azores.

Throughout the entire journey, I will use photography, video, and personal experiences to document how movement shapes everyday life in these historic cities. My goal is to show that world heritage is not made up only of monuments, but above all of people and their daily lives.

The project will also include my own personal running challenge. In each city, I will complete a route that will create one letter of the word MOVE, and together these four routes will form a symbol connecting all four destinations.

I look forward to sharing this journey with you through photos, videos, and stories from each city.

The adventure begins on July 28. The first stop will be Visby on the island of Gotland. See you there!