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Author Alex

A travel fanatic, Alex is always on the lookout for his next exciting adventure. Over the years, this has seen him live and work in countries as varied as Brazil, Italy and Sudan, scale snowy peaks in Kyrgyzstan and play professional football in Zanzibar. When he's not traveling to far-flung destinations, he can be found writing about them from his hometown of Brussels – one of the most multicultural cities in the world.

The Best Time to Visit San Francisco for Perfect Weather and Sightseeing

Best Time to Visit San Francisco

Home to both Alcatraz Island and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco is one of the most popular cities to visit in the States.

The Best Time to Visit Mexico City for Perfect Weather and Sightseeing

Best Time to Visit Mexico City

Once the beating heart of the Aztec civilization, Mexico City is a colourful, chaotic, crowded place that couldn’t be more fun to explore.

The Best Time to Visit Rio de Janeiro for Perfect Weather and Sightseeing

Best Time to Visit Rio de Janeiro

Fittingly known as the ‘marvelous city’, Rio de Janeiro is set in one of the most spectacular spots imaginable, alongside white sand beaches amidst scenic rainforest-coated mountains.

The Best Time to Visit Tokyo for Perfect Weather and Sightseeing

Best Time to Visit Tokyo

The largest city in the world, Tokyo is a fun, fascinating, futuristic place to visit.

The Best Time to Visit Berlin for Perfect Weather and Sightseeing

Best Time to Visit Berlin

Known just as much for its thriving art and nightlife scenes as its magnificent museums and moving WWII sights, Berlin is one of Europe’s most visited cities.

The Best Time to Visit Amsterdam for Perfect Weather and Sightseeing

Best Time to Visit Amsterdam

Renowned for its countless canals, charming historic buildings and lively cultural scene, the Netherlands’ capital of Amsterdam is a very popular destination.

The Best Time to Visit Barcelona for Perfect Weather and Sightseeing

Best Time to Visit Barcelona

Renowned for its gorgeous old Gothic Quarter, great football team, and Gaudi’s masterpiece la Sagrada Familia, Barcelona is one of the most popular places to visit in Europe.

The Best Time to Visit Rome for Perfect Weather and Sightseeing

Best Time to Visit Rome

One of the most beautiful cities in the world, Rome is a must-visit for many with astounding monuments and ancient ruins lying around almost every corner.

The Best Time to Visit Bangkok for Perfect Weather and Sightseeing

Best Time to Visit Bangkok

Renowned for its stunning temples, delicious street food and pounding nightlife, Bangkok is one of the most popular cities to visit in the world.

The Best Time to Visit Venice for Perfect Weather and Sightseeing

Best Time to Visit Venice

While it is one of the most beautiful, romantic cities in the world, Venice’s huge crowds and high prices can sometimes make visiting a little less special.

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Bardstown, Kentucky

Bourbon Made This Town Famous, but That’s Not What Makes It Special

George Peabody Library Baltimore Visitor Guide Most visitors don't expect to find one of the most striking interiors in America tucked behind a row of white columns in a quiet Baltimore neighborhood. You walk through the doors of the Peabody Institute in Mount Vernon, turn a corner, and suddenly you're standing beneath a skylit atrium that climbs six stories above a polished marble floor. It stops you cold. The George Peabody Library Baltimore is that kind of place. It doesn't announce itself from the street. There's no flashy signage, no grand plaza. But step inside the stack room and you'll see why people call it a "cathedral of books." Over 300,000 volumes line the walls, and the space itself feels like something pulled from a 19th-century novel you half-remember reading. Johns Hopkins University runs the place as part of its Sheridan Libraries system. This isn’t a museum replica—it’s a working research collection. You can visit for free during public hours, which makes it one of the easiest cultural stops in Baltimore. Whether you’re chasing that perfect symmetrical shot up through the iron balconies or just want a quiet ten minutes surrounded by something genuinely beautiful, the library delivers without asking much of your time or your wallet. Cast-Iron Balconies And The Soaring Atrium The first thing that hits you is the scale. Five tiers of ornamental cast-iron balconies rise from the ground floor and climb 61 feet to a massive skylight that floods the room with natural light. The effect is vertical and dramatic, like standing inside a very elegant cage made of books and ironwork. Each balcony tier is lined with gold-and-black volumes shelved behind low railings, and the repeating geometric patterns of the iron railings create a visual rhythm that photographers obsess over. Point your camera straight up from the center of the floor and you'll get that iconic symmetrical shot that's all over travel feeds. The image almost looks digitally generated, but it's real, and it's been here since 1878. The marble floor adds to the atmosphere. Sound carries differently in here. Footsteps echo softly, and conversations drop to whispers without anyone being told. The reading room on the ground level sits just off the main atrium, offering a quieter space with wooden tables and the kind of warm, worn-in feeling that modern libraries rarely manage. The light keeps the space from feeling like a museum. On a clear afternoon, sunlight pours through the skylight and shifts across the iron railings and book spines, changing the room's character every hour. You could visit twice in the same day and walk away with completely different impressions. A Quick History Of The Landmark George Peabody, a financier who got his start in Baltimore before heading off to London, founded the Peabody Institute in 1857. He wanted to give something meaningful back to the city that launched his career—a free public library, a lecture series, a music conservatory, and an art gallery. The library building itself took its sweet time, finally opening up in 1878. Baltimore architect Edmund G. Lind teamed up with Nathaniel H. Morison, the institute's first provost, to design the interior. Lind focused on that dramatic stack room—he wanted it to feel grand enough to match Peabody's vision but still practical for researchers. Local craftsmen made the decorative cast-iron balconies, and people immediately noticed the design. It stood out as one of the most distinctive library interiors on the East Coast. The collection changed hands a few times. In 1966, the City of Baltimore took over and ran things through the Enoch Pratt Free Library. Then, in 1982, Johns Hopkins University stepped in, and the library became part of the Sheridan Libraries system. These days, the focus is on 18th- and 19th-century works—architecture, religion, science, geography, literature—with gems from folks like Edgar Allan Poe and Walt Whitman. George Peabody Library Baltimore

One of America’s Most Beautiful Interiors Is Hidden in Baltimore

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It’s Hard to Believe an American President Once Called This Beautiful Estate Home

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