About Us
A lifetime of travel, thousands of photographs and the stories behind them.
MEET STEFAN
Hi, I'm Stefan,
the person behind Sights of the City
Travel has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Bavaria, Germany, in a family where exploring Europe was simply part of growing up. Our parents took us to Italy almost every year, and weekends in nearby Austria meant mountain scenery in summer and learning to ski in winter.
Some trips went much farther. We would pack up the car and drive from Bavaria through what was then Yugoslavia and on to Greece and Turkey, spending as long as six weeks exploring along the way. These were proper road trips, with plenty of stops, detours and new places to discover.
There was just one small problem: I was terribly car sick as a child. I sometimes joke that if I ever got lost on one of those trips, my parents could have found me simply by following the trail I left behind.
Fortunately, the travel bug outlasted the car sickness.
As an adult, I continued exploring whenever I had the opportunity. I eventually made California my home, but Europe remained an important part of my life, and travel expanded to destinations around the world. Some places I've visited only once; others I've returned to many times. I've traveled by car, train, plane, ship, bicycle and on foot — and increasingly appreciate the journey as much as the destination.
Photography also became an important part of how I travel. It encourages me to slow down, notice details and wander into streets, neighborhoods and landscapes I might otherwise have passed by.
Sights of the City brings those experiences, photographs and memories together. It's a place for me to share destinations I've actually explored and, hopefully, give you a few useful ideas for journeys of your own.
A FEW PLACES ALONG THE WAY
A Lifetime of Exploring
From cities and historic sites to wildlife, landscapes and attractions, these are just a few moments from my travels over the years.
THE IDEA BEHIND SIGHTS OF THE CITY
Why I created Sights of the City
Sights of the City started with a simple realization: after decades of traveling, I had taken tens of thousands of photographs in destinations around the world. Many were sitting on hard drives, rarely seen by anyone but me. Behind those photos were also countless memories, experiences and discoveries. I wanted to do something with them — and, more importantly, share them with others.
90+
Countries Visited
6
Continents Explored
Tens of Thousands
Photos Taken
I'm not a professional photographer, and I'm not a travel writer. I do, however, work in tourism, which is perhaps not surprising considering how much I enjoy travel, destinations and attractions. My work is on the sales and marketing side, usually behind the scenes, helping tourism organizations connect with the people who ultimately bring visitors to their destinations.
Sights of the City is different. This is my personal space to step out from behind the screen and share some of the places I've experienced myself.
The site isn't intended to be an encyclopedia of everything there is to see and do. Instead, the guides are built around firsthand experiences: attractions I've visited, neighborhoods I've explored, foods I've tried, journeys I've taken and practical lessons I've learned along the way. Some destinations reflect decades of repeat visits, while others capture a particular trip or period in my life.
That also means I won't pretend to have experienced everything.
Think of Sights of the City as advice from a well-traveled friend: here's what I experienced, here's what I enjoyed, here's what I learned — and here are a few ideas you might want to consider for your own journey.