MAPPING SPECIAL PLACES - A walk along London's Southbank! There is nothing quite like sitting down on a bench after a stroll along the south bank.
It’s such a whimsical place perfect for both Londoners and tourists alike.
And yes going to the South Bank is a touristy thing I still do after so many years of living in London. This space is special to me. In 2006 arrived in Waterloo Station on the Eurostar from Germany via Brussels with only one bag and the idea of staying here for one year. Everything about London and South Bank was new and exciting to me. Fast forward it was the beginning of many years of adventures in this special town. There are so many great places in London that I love and where I go to off the touristy beaten tracks, but for some reason, I always come back to this lively stretch of the river and its surrounding area. This is is one of the most vibrant parts of the city for me and such a great place to soak up London and it's fast-paced rhythm even if it is just watching busy people walk passing by. Whenever I cross the Golden Jubilee bridge at night after meeting up with friends in a bar on the South Bank, I think “This is London. I can’t believe I live here” when I look at the city skyline.

This map shows a selection of the spots you can discover when taking a walk along the Southbank - a perfect spot for a wander along the Thames or a drink with a view of the city skyline.

This place is special to me because... of it's beautiful architectural artistic history. I've always found Rome to be such an inspiring place as an artist, and I've been wanting to create something that would portray that very serene and almost surreal feeling I get from seeing and visiting Rome. The goal of this piece was to show Rome as a courtyard full of marble statues depicting my favorite Roman monuments and various tourists in ancient Roman garb!

This place is special to me because it holds many great memories for me and it is where I met my closest friends. It will always hold a special place in my heart. It also has many great places to visit and is famously the home of the Beatles.

This place is special to me because I now call it home. Two years ago we moved from the city of Bordeaux, to this golden sweet wine producing region of France where the fall morning mist causes the grapes to have “noble rot”, creating a high concentration of sugar in the grapes before they’re picked and made into wine. The landscapes are beautiful here. Sauternes is home to Chateau Yquem, a wine so special, that it’s the only Premier Grand Cru classé “Superior” in the world.

This place is special to me because I have a lot of great memories in Warsaw, where I went to school and studied. I think there are quite a few places to see around the city, and even more importantly, many things to do. This map can be a small guide about where to go, what to do, and also what to taste in the central area of Warsaw.I hope this map will encourage people to come and fall in love with a city with beautiful heart and difficult history.

This place is special to me because these are my favorite things to do and places to take my friends and family when they come to visit me in Beijing.

This place is special to me because my girlfriend and I visited the island during a milestone birthday. It was my first time visiting the Keys and I was blown away by the lush trees and flowers, the intriguing history, the abundant sunshine, tropical birds and marine life...and the delicious fish and fritters! There's simply no better place to celebrate a birthday, Key West is truly a paradise! This map is now a cherished keepsake of my vacation, but it can also be used as a guide for anyone planning their first-time visit!

This place is special to me because I climbed to the Tiger’s Nest monastery and visited with the monks. It was an arduous, extraordinary journey which will never be forgotten. The town of Paro also features the National Museum of this amazing country, which is filled with friendly people, cows, and dogs everywhere.

This place is special to me because I love living and working here, surrounded by the colorful architecture of Downtown Queretaro. I really enjoy going on walks around the beautiful streets and plazas where you can sit and experience the happy atmosphere. Its a place where you find all kinds of activities, from music and film festivals, to museums, theatre and nightlife. 

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!

This place is special to me because since I was little I had always had a fascination with witches, black cats, and the strange and unusual. Salem’s history is iconic and always draws in the curiosity of many, from the famous Salem witch trials, to being the film location for the cult classic Hocus Pocus. The charming pubs, historic locations and museums aplenty will surely put a spell on you as well.

This place is special to me because it combines the beauty of the Ukrainian mountains and the sophistication of a European city. Here live the most talented people on planet Earth. Uzhhorod city champion of mini-sculptures!

This place is special to me because it perfectly connects past, present and future. Attracted by it‘s myth I visited Bad Gastein. Located absolutely idyllic, 1002 meters above sea level, surrounded by the Austrian alps of Salzburger Land, there is a lot to discover: charming Belle Époque buildings, it‘s iconic waterfall in the town centre and the alpine scenery. The thermal springs made it to an popular bathing resort in former days. There was an endless coming and going of famous artists, royals, novelists and composers. After it has been temporary forgotten it‘s been rediscovered by young creative people, who became aware of it’s great potential. Little boutique hotels and alpine lodges with new concepts opened. Bad Gastein is absolutely worth a journey to experience this unique historic atmosphere, the new established urban chic, combined with the stunning scenery which invites to ski and hike.

This place is special to me because I have been creatively inspired by this place from childhood. Santiniketan is a small university town in West Bengal, India approximately 180 kilometres from Calcutta. It was the birth place of Bengal School of Art, a movement in the early 20th century, against colonial influence, which changed Indian art. Santiniketan school was established by poet-philosopher-visionary and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore which later became Visva Bharati University (1921) and attracted the most creative minds in the country and the world. Artists like Abanindranth Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar Baij contributed immensely to this place and to art education, embracing rural arts and crafts and an environment where art would be a part of life. The architecture of Santiniketan is unique and is a beautiful blend of various cultural influences fused with sculptures, art, music and literature. It attracts a lot of tourists as well as art enthusiasts as a hub of creativity. Classes are still taught in the open and nature and its seasons are still celebrated instead of religious festivals. My map concentrates on the main attractions, the multi layered culture and its inhabitants of this town – the Santhal community, the students, the flora and fauna. A trip to Santiniketan is like an art pilgrimage to me!