This place is special to me because it is the perfect place to seek for all things sweet. Soho has a lot to offer and here are some of my favourite place to visit if you fancy for something sweet.

This place is special to me because it is a cute, small, cycle-friendly city. I love ambling through its quaint streets, seeing what's new at my favourite places and shopping without bringing back any plastic...all on a cycle!

Welcome to Bienne, a unique Swiss city that is both French and German speaking, and holds the beauty of both water and mountains. Experience a tour of my beloved's city through his 8 year old eyes: all his favourite places in one map! *My first illustrated map, handmade without access to photoshop or any other editing software!*

This place is special to me because since watching the film ‘Before Sunrise’ I have always wanted to trace the characters steps in Vienna and discover the magic & beauty of the places. Permission to use ‘Delusion Angel’ poem kindly granted by Mr David Jewell.

The Jordaan is the oldest &, in my humble opinion, most beautiful part of Amsterdam. It carries so much history, charm & quirky details. The homes here are breathtaking & theres always some interesting art or collectibles in the home windows, which I love!

I always dreamt of going to Sweden and the summer before last I had the chance to spend one month as an artist-in-residence in a charming villa in Ålem, a small town between Stockholm and Kalmar in Småland, South Sweden. Almost everyday I took my sketchbook and an old green bicycle to ride around the fields and forests in the company of sheep, cattle, horses and elks. I was especially in love with Strömsrum, a tiny settlement of wooden houses with an idyllic setting over the Alsterå river. I discovered it by chance and was impressed by the large manor house dating from the 17th century, which was entirely made of wood. I went on to Pataholm at the Kalmar Strait coast, which looks like a picture book village taken directly from an Astrid Lindgren novel, with small wooden houses painted in fox red, a dreamy harbor and a charming café. I’ve tried all the bicycle routes, cafés and swimming spots myself and have captured my travel memories with this map – if you ever come to Småland you should have a visit!

I've moved around a lot but Graz is the town I call my home town, so it's my special place. The whole old town is gorgeous and the view from Schloßberg is spectacular. Alle of the view points can be seen from the top of this hill, which makes it the perfect place to visit. The Kunsthaus (also described as friendly alien) is definitely one of the stranger buildings I've ever seen.
[Mapping Special Places]

Northern Öland, an island and a county in the south of Sweden, is one of my happy places. My family and I have spent almost ten years in a row there now, it was love at first sight. It's the garden, the cottages, the barns, the beaches, the sea, the landscape ... Evening bike rides between corn fields, or getting fresh cranberry scones from the bakery in the mornings, our dog trying to "rescue" all of us as we swim and play in the sea. Whenever the gray northern weather strikes, I imagine myself walking on the beach, sun set and the sound of the waves.

The golden deer is the symbol of the flag of Öland, and nightingale is the county's animal. The small island just outside of Öland, called The Blue Maiden, is thought to be a magic place in Swedish folklore, it's where the witches were believed to meet up ...

This place is special to me because I'm in awe that such a little strip of coastline can hold all this abundance of wildlife and wonder. In one stroll you can experience ALL the weather, hike the trails, swim or enjoy the ocean, shop for eclectic local wares, eat home made food, and drink a locally brewed beverage. My children often have their classes on the sand dunes or watching the salmon spawn in the fall. I'm very grateful to live here.

A collection of some of the must-see and easily-accessible caves all over England!

This place is special to me because it holds my happiest memories. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to travel to France this past summer; it was my first time traveling overseas! My boyfriend, a Parisian himself, had always told me stories of Paris’ brilliance and wonder after dark. When I finally got the chance to visit, fairytales came to life while running under street lamps and glittering monuments. Those memories were the perfect way to prove that a long distance relationship is possible. Paris had among the most brilliant and colorful sights I have ever seen, and I hope to share them with you through this map!

Venice is the only place on Earth that brought me to tears upon seeing it for the first (and only) time. To me it is just such a unique and special place full of quirks, beauty and history. Flooding has always been a threat to this special city and coincidentally while I was illustrating this map, it was hit with the highest tide waters it's experienced in 50 years. A recent climate change study has said that if global warming is not addressed, Venice could be completely submerged by 2100. I do hope that we citizens of the Earth can work together to effect change so that this treasured city will not some day be only visible in photographs.

This place is special to me because 2 years ago me and my husband got there for our honeymoon. It was the first time we travelled to another country, visited a museum, ate burgers, drank coffee, walked through the Hyde Park - as husband and wife.
It was the best week we could've imagined. We visited a lot of museums, ate traditional dishes, laughed a lot and simply had the best time of our life.

This place is special to me because it holds the perfect harmony of the old and the new, and it’s the place I call home nowadays. I have been living in Madrid for a decade, and this is one of my favourite neighbourhoods. Bubbling with life at any time of the day and night it’s a place where you can find the trendiest people and places. Art exists inside galleries and museums but also in the streets, hip bars, pubs and cafes. My favourite thing are the contrast: the little old grocery shop next to the latest design shop, the bar that has been serving people for a 100 years (true story) packed with the trendiest crowd... If you’re into shopping here you will find the best vintage shops, and the newest design too. I have listed my favourite places in the area so you can have a complete day exploring: you can see art, grab a coffee, go shopping, have a bite, a drink and even dance all night.

This place is special to me because it’s where I fell deeply in love. El Born or La Ribera is the best neighbourhood in the greatest city. My husband and I first visited in 2006 and our hearts immediately felt that they belonged in this place. Now we travel to Barcelona every summer to speak in Spanish, wander the magical winding streets, eat the delicious tapas, drink all the cava, admire the architecture, visit the unique shops and galleries, people-watch in the parks and plazas, soak in the sunshine and breathe in the history. I will never tire of visiting it and I will never fully finish exploring all the secret treasures it holds. I hope you can imagine yourself getting lost in the unique charms around every corner, too.