To coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day, tour guides Ben and Andrew bring up the idea of ‘dark tourism’, debate its merits and discuss some of the destinations they’ve experienced this in such as Chernobyl, Auschwitz and bone church or ossuary in Czechia. They also delve into a few travel wish-lists so get ready to learn more about Russia’s Golden Ring and a Bavarian Wagner festival.

To ring in 2021, tour guides Ben and Andrew tackle a big fish, the issue of Russia and Turkey being part of Europe or not. Do these countries belong in their own special category or are they really Europe? Ben waxes poetic about his first time in Bosnia where a still war-torn Sarajevo had not revealed all of its charms. Andrew recalls rubbing elbows with a soon to be Croatian President during his first time in Croatia.

Why do we still have this outdated concept of Eastern Europe? Andrew discusses his first trip to Russia and how to chill out with Moscow gangsters on the Trans-Siberian Railway. And he chats with Ben about how our personality can affect where and how we travel.