Jeremy Keith

I spent about half a year in Ottawa, strumming my mandolin down at the Byward Market.

That was over a decade ago. I wonder if the place has changed much?

Brussels is a beautiful city with some lovely buildings, but the real draw for me is the fantastic cuisine. It’s got an extraordinary number of really good restaurants.

Avoid the neon-lit bustling street of restaurants near the Grand-Place: they’re mostly tourist traps. Instead, get off the beaten track, find a cosy little place and enjoy some of the finest food in Europe.

Oh, and of course the beer is uniformly wonderful.

One of the unsung cathedrals of Germany, in my opinion. The gargoyles are wonderful and the view from the top is spectacular. Or you could just stay on the ground in one of the nearby cafes on the square, admiring the view.

Because of the soft sandstone, the Münster requires constant upkeep which is provided by the Münsterbauhütte. You can join their verein if you like and contribute to the upkeep.

I lived in Freiburg for many years and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only is it a beautiful town nestled in the Black Forest, it’s also got a lot going on, thanks to the busy university.

If you want to make a culinary trip to Italy, Bologna is unmissable. It’s a great town to wander around (under the famous porticoes), discovering amazing restaurants serving fantastic local cuisine.

I recommend travelling around October and November when it’s truffle season. :-)

But no matter when you go, Bologna never gets as filled with tourists as, say, Florence. One of Italy’s best kept secrets.