The Cultural Tutor’s Grand Tour: The Story of Europe in Six Cities

By: Cup and Nuzzle, Sheehan Quirke

Narrated by: Sheehan Quirke

The story of Europe in six cities.

Prepare to be taken on a journey taking in the most fascinating stories in Europe’s rich history.

In times past, young gentlemen would embark on Grand Tours - enlightening journeys to absorb the sights, sounds and stories that defined Europe. But these days, all you need to experience the world is a pair of headphones…

Your guide is Sheehan Quirke - known to millions online as The Cultural Tutor – whose mission is to seek out the fascinating history hiding in the seemingly ordinary details of Europe’s most incredible cities, and deliver them straight to your ears.

His philosophy is that everyone can learn about history and culture if they take a moment to notice the world around them. Now, that philosophy comes to life in a funny, fascinating and occasionally moving trip through Europe’s past, on a journey from one side of the continent to the other.

In The Cultural Tutor’s Grand Tour, the ephemera of the everyday opens up to reveal a world of high art and low cunning: where a love affair can trigger a World War; a lamp-post can birth a cathedral; and a cup of coffee can take you on a journey of a thousand years.

So sit back and enjoy the ride: your own personal life-affirming, eye-opening, Grand Tour.

Episode One: Paris

Our Grand Tour begins in the City of Lights, host to millions of tourists every year. But we’re not here for Cafe au Lait and the Tour D’Eiffel.

On this first leg of our journey, we’ll encounter marauding Vikings and a billion-dollar widow, strap in for the car chase that began all car-chases, and dredge an ancient King from the bottom of the Seine.

Episode Two: Barcelona

Crossing the Pyrenees, the ruins of an ancient farmhouse unlock the secrets of the second stop on our Grand Tour - Barcelona.

This is a rebel town, with a long history of reinvention and a proud, singular identity. Walking across the city to the peak of Montjuic, we’ll take in the surprisingly seedy birthplace of Cubism, a very unusual Christmas tradition, and the unlikely Merseyside origins of FC Barcelona’s famous team colours.

Episode Three: Naples

Prepare to lose yourself in the labyrinthine streets of this ancient city, marveling at its countless contributions to the world of art, music and - lest we forget – food, from the distant origins of pizza to the special chord that unites the Beatles and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

You’ll also hear a firsthand account from history's most famous volcanic eruption, discover what Virgil has to do with Welsh pharmacies, and go underground with Charles Dickens.

Episode Four: Vienna

A journey through the streets of Vienna streets brings us to the coffee-house that hosted some of the 20th century’s most infamous figures, a life-or-death mission behind enemy lines, and the tragic afterlife of a Master Freemason.

We’ll also investigate the love-affair-turned-whodunnit that paved the way for a global conflict, and discover the winding chain of tutelage that links Beethoven and Batman.

Episode Five: Sarajevo

From a clocktower that reveals the secret of history’s 10 missing days, to a gravestone that sheds light on the perilous journey of a sacred Jewish text, our stay in Sarajevo brings us as far afield as Ancient Rome and the pre-history of the Steppe.

Then there’s the Bosnian poetess who helped us to understand Homer, the dark past and bright future of a bobsleigh track, and the ancient language that put the ‘M’ in a thousand words for Moon.

Episode Six: Istanbul

Standing at the bridging point between one continent and the next, Istanbul is the final stop on our Grand Tour, where we’ll discover more beautiful stories (and some much-loved felines).

Here, we’ll bounce to the music of 12th-century robots, swoon to the world’s oldest love poem, and meet the enslaved woman who rose to the Ottoman Empire’s most powerful echelons.

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History meets storytelling

I like the author's way of telling stories and how they're interwoven into the fabric of the different cities that he visits. I feel like each episode could be a book all on its own. It only scratches the surface but gives an appreciation to the places he describes. I never wanted to go to Barcelona but now I want to go and see a street lamp there!

Unusual and interesting history, great audio

Interesting content about Eastern European history, narrated by a knowledgeable and fun creator. Lots of surprising and new to me information. Highly enjoyed it!

Pretty interesting listen

I really enjoyed the Cultural Tutor’s Grand Tour. As someone who loves history and travel, it was such a pleasure to listen to and learn from. I especially enjoyed the stories and connections about things like pizza, Van Gogh, the Vikings, and so many other fascinating details that still influence our lives today. It made history feel alive and meaningful, and I know I’ll look at many of these places differently when I travel to them in the future. I’m really glad I listened and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys culture, history, and discovering the stories behind the world around us.