Strange Old World
Joe Reaney
Strange Old World is a travel podcast that celebrates the weird and wonderful in the world’s most historic cities — from Athens to Zhengzhou.
Every fortnight, a local travel expert reveals the unusual sights, offbeat activities, bizarre traditions and downright-odd delicacies that make their hometown tick.
It’s funny, affectionate, informative and, occasionally, a bit rude. Like all the best things in life. (And yes, it's free too).
In each episode, we ask our city experts to pick:
- One strange thing to see
- One strange thing to do
- One strange festival, event or tradition
- One strange thing to eat or drink
- One strange local legend or slice of history
- One strange thing visitors do (that baffles locals)
- And one strange day trip
We'll also get some straight-up recommendations, advice on when to visit the city, and the guest's favourite oddity elsewhere in the Old World.
You can find out more about the show at strangeoldworld.com. Or follow @StrangeOldJoe on Twitter/X and Instagram.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Top 10 Strange Old World Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Strange Old World episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Strange Old World for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Strange Old World episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Strange Old Ljubljana
Strange Old World
01/30/24 • 43 min
Looking for some unusual attractions in Ljubljana, Slovenia? Look no further.
In this episode, we talk to local expert Mark Baker, writer for Lonely Planet.
Mark Baker is a travel writer, blogger and author with a penchant for offbeat stories and forgotten places. Originally from the United States, he now calls Prague home. In addition to writing Lonely Planet Slovenia, he’s also the author of Lonely Planet Prague & Czechia. Follow his work at markbakerprague.com
In this episode you’ll find out...
- How Jason (of ‘and the Argonauts’ fame) founded Ljubljana... maybe
- Why ‘hot horse’ is a more literal description than ‘hot dog’
- Where you can cycle and kayak through miles of underground mines
...and so much more.
You’ll find all Mark’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com
(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)
Follow Mark on X and Insta and check out his blog: markbakerprague.com
Mark’s latest Lonely Planet Slovenia guidebook is out in spring. Pre-order now
Better yet, if you read Czech, buy his book! It’s Čas proměn (Time of Changes)
Want to know more about Mark’s espionage entanglement? Follow these links:
- Part 1: Introducing 'Inter' — the start of a five-part blog series
- True Spies podcast: Operation Inter
Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Strange Old Lisbon
Strange Old World
02/13/24 • 26 min
Looking for some unusual attractions in Lisbon, Portugal? Look no further.
In this episode, we talk to local expert Ann Abel, senior writer at Forbes Travel.
Ann Abel is an American travel writer who’s now called Lisbon home for nearly seven years. She’s travelled to more than one hundred countries and written for publications including Forbes, Robb Report, Departures, Condé Nast and Afar.
In this episode you’ll find out...
- How sardines and barnacles are at the heart of local festivities
- Which iconic part of the Lisbon landscape is completely fake
- Why ordering a ‘large beer’ is the ultimate tourist giveaway
...and so much more.
You’ll find all Ann’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com
(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)
Follow Ann on instagram.com/abeltotravel or visit her website: ann-abel.com
Here are the two Forbes articles we mentioned on the pod:
- This Wildly Creative Chef Is Putting New Zealand On The Culinary Map
- Berlin's Creative Dining Scene Is Still Going Strong
Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Strange Old Amsterdam
Strange Old World
03/26/24 • 40 min
Looking for unusual attractions in Amsterdam, Netherlands? Look no further.
In this episode, we talk to local travel YouTuber and blogger Jessica Cutrufello.
Jessica runs the YouTube channel A Wanderlust for Life — as well as the blog of the same name. She relocated from the mountains of Virginia to the lowlands of the Netherlands in 2014. Having called Amsterdam home for the last decade, she is passionate about helping others to discover the best of her adopted city.
In this episode you’ll find out...
- Where to go for a reminder that you’re crawling with microbes
- Why eating and drinking on the go can result in some funny looks
- How the Old Town was built on top of submerged wooden stilts
...and so much more.
You’ll find all Jessica’s picks on the pod website: www.strangeoldworld.com
(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)
Check out her YouTube and blog, and follow her on Insta, X and Facebook
Here are three ways to get more travel content from Jessica:
- Read Jessica’s European travel articles at www.awanderlustforlife.com
- Watch Jessica’s travel videos at youtube.com/awanderlustforlife
- Let Jessica help you plan your trip at www.thatch.co/@awanderlustforlife
Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Strange Old Florence
Strange Old World
02/27/24 • 45 min
Looking for unusual attractions in Florence, Italy? Look no further.
In this episode, we talk to local expert and travel journalist Nicky Swallow.
A musician by training, Nicky Swallow first moved to Florence in 1981 to play in the opera orchestra. She tried bruschetta drizzled with newly-pressed, grass green olive oil early on, and was hooked. She has been writing about Florence for the past 20 years and continues to travel extensively throughout the country.
In this episode you’ll find out...
- How Florence’s medieval football match gets surprisingly violent
- Which of a cow’s four stomachs tastes best with salsa verde
- Why you should ignore a Hollywood star’s wine-drinking advice
...and so much more.
You’ll find all Nicky’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com
(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)
Read Nicky’s travel articles in all the big publications, including The Telegraph, Condé Nast Traveller, The Guardian, AFAR, Travel + Leisure and The Florentine
Her latest book, Cala di Volpe, is available on Assouline Press or from Amazon
Classical music fans should also check out her festival: Incontri in Terra di Siena
You can also follow Nicky on Twitter (X) and Instagram. Connect with Joe by following him on X or Insta — or get in touch at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Strange Old Lagos & Yorubaland
Strange Old World
03/12/24 • 39 min
Looking for strange attractions in Lagos & Yorubaland? Look no further.
In this episode, we talk to local travel journalist and tour guide Pelu Awofeso.
Pelu is a culture and travel writer and contributor to Lonely Planet and Medium. A winner at the CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards in travel reporting, Pelu is also the author of several Nigeria travel books — his latest, One for the Road, is out now. He regularly guides tourists around Yorubaland and Nigeria.
In this episode you’ll find out...
- Where to pick up monkey heads, snakes and other ‘fetishes’
- Why you shouldn’t ask a tour guide to go to Makoko floating village
- How an ancient Yoruba city was the place where the world began
...and so much more.
You’ll find all Pelu’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com
You can read his travel articles about Nigeria on the Lonely Planet website.
His books are available in various places. Head to Amazon to buy Nigerian Festivals, Route 234 and Tour of Duty. Visit Rovingheights Books to get White Lagos and 9 Degrees North. And nip across to Paystack for One for the Road
Want to book Pelu as your Lagos tour guide? He’s on Facebook, X and Insta
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Strange Old Tokyo
Strange Old World
01/16/24 • 44 min
Looking for some unusual attractions in Tokyo, Japan? Look no further.
In this episode, we talk to local expert and freelance writer David McElhinney.
David is a Northern Irish journalist and editor based in Tokyo and Belfast. Since first moving to Japan in 2018, he’s written travel articles — as well as pieces on Japanese art, culture and current affairs — for the likes of Lonely Planet, Tokyo Weekender and CNN Travel. He’s currently working on a guidebook to Japan.
In this episode you’ll find out...
- Where to witness the genitalia-celebrating Festival of the Steel Phallus
- Why curry bread and pit-viper liqueur beat salted squid guts
- How rockabilly and jazz music have found a loving home in Tokyo
...and so much more.
You’ll find all David’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com
(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)
Read his articles for Tokyo Weekender and check out his freelance website
Here are a couple of the Japan-focused articles we mentioned on the pod:
- Spirituality Without Religion on the Kumano Kodo
- In Praise of Silence: Japan’s Ancient Relationship to the Absence of Noise
- Jazz Kissa: A Musical Culture Unique to Japan
Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Strange Old Oslo
Strange Old World
11/21/23 • 42 min
Looking for some unusual attractions in Oslo, Norway? Look no further.
In this episode, we talk to local expert Jason Moore, host of Zero to Travel.
After a decade on the road as a nomad — before it was cool — US-born Jason moved to Norway and created the top-rated Zero To Travel Podcast (10 million downloads, 700+ Five Star Reviews). In it, he shares thoughtful interviews, unconventional perspectives and actionable advice to help you travel the world on your terms.
In this episode you’ll find out...
- Which travel writing guru introduced Jason to an unusual artwork
- How wrongly-prepared lutefisk (dried ‘funky’ fish) can kill people
- Why locals don’t talk to each other on the street... but you should
...and so much more.
You’ll find all Jason’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com
(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)
Follow Jason on Instagram and check out his podcast at zerototravel.com
You can also check out his Oslo-based band Laundry House on Spotify
Here are a couple of the Zero to Travel episodes we mentioned on the pod:
Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Strange Old Prague
Strange Old World
12/19/23 • 42 min
Looking for some unusual attractions in Prague, Czech Republic? Look no further.
In this episode, we talk to local expert and freelance journalist Mark Pickering.
Mark moved to Prague 14 years ago to teach English and eat his body weight in fried cheese. When he's not babbling excitedly to students about literature, he writes travel and lifestyle articles for the likes of The Guardian and VICE, delving into the dark crevices of Czech Republic and its wonderful sub-cultures.
In this episode you’ll find out...
- When two men urinating in public has nothing to do with a stag party
- Why ‘pickled cheese’ is a lot tastier than it sounds
- What to say (or not to say) when going to the toilet
...and so much more.
You’ll find all Mark’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com
(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)
Follow Mark on LinkedIn or discover The Little Book of Czenglish on Facebook
Here are a few of Mark’s Czech travel articles we mentioned on the pod:
- I Went to an Illegal Pig-Killing Party — VICE
- A David Cerny sculpture walk in Prague — The Guardian
- I Went on a Tour of Prague's Drugs and Prostitution Hotspots — VICE
You can hear Joe’s ‘straight up’ Prague picks on DK’s Where to Go podcast
Follow Joe on X and Instagram or get in touch at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Strange Old Istanbul
Strange Old World
12/05/23 • 33 min
Looking for some unusual attractions in Istanbul, Turkey? Look no further.
In this episode, we talk to local expert Pat Yale, author of Following Miss Bell.
After a career in the travel industry, Pat became a Turkey guidebook writer for Lonely Planet. She lived for almost 20 years in a cave house in Cappadocia, but now resides in Istanbul. Her new book Following Miss Bell: Travels Around Turkey in the Footsteps of Gertrude Bell was recently published by Trailblazer.
In this episode you’ll find out...
- Which annual festival features men pretending to whip themselves
- Where to get the tastiest spit-roasted sheep intestines in the city
- Why you should think twice about blowing your nose in Istanbul
...and so much more.
You’ll find all Pat’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com
(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)
Follow Pat on x.com/patyale or check out her website: www.patyale.com
You can also buy her book, Following Miss Bell: Travels Around Turkey in the Footsteps of Gertrude Bell, on Trailblazer, Amazon or at your local bookshop
Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Strange Old Tbilisi
Strange Old World
01/02/24 • 43 min
Looking for some unusual attractions in Tbilisi, Georgia? Look no further.
In this episode, we talk to local expert Emily Lush, blogger at Wander-Lush.
Emily Lush is an Australian writer and photographer who has lived in Georgia since 2020. Her travel blog, Wander-Lush, is the internet's most comprehensive resource for travelling in Georgia and the South Caucasus. Her work has also appeared in publications like CNN, National Geographic, and Condé Nast.
In this episode you’ll find out...
- When it pays to walk into random people’s apartment buildings
- How Tbilisi paid a high price for failing to restore a Shah’s testicles
- Why you should never eat your dumplings with a knife and fork
...and so much more.
You’ll find all Emily’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com
(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)
Follow Emily on X and Instagram or follow her Wander-Lush blog on Facebook
Here are the three Tbilisi travel guides we mentioned on the podcast:
- 52 Unique Things to Do in Tbilisi: The Ultimate Guide
- Buy the Digital Nomad Guide to Tbilisi on Gumroad
- The Tbilisi City Guide — coming soon on Wander-Lush
Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Strange Old World have?
Strange Old World currently has 15 episodes available.
What topics does Strange Old World cover?
The podcast is about Weird, Places & Travel, Society & Culture, Europe, History, Hospitality, Strange, Podcasts, Obscure and Travel.
What is the most popular episode on Strange Old World?
The episode title 'Strange Old Andalusia' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Strange Old World?
The average episode length on Strange Old World is 37 minutes.
How often are episodes of Strange Old World released?
Episodes of Strange Old World are typically released every 13 days, 23 hours.
When was the first episode of Strange Old World?
The first episode of Strange Old World was released on Oct 31, 2023.
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