Medieval Streets & Modern Friendships

A Fairytale Day in Quedlinburg

Wow. Quedlinburg is something else.

We arrived and were immediately struck by how unreal it feels — a proper fairytale medieval town, with timber-framed buildings, winding streets, and history layered into every corner. One of the churches we saw was first mentioned in the 1100s, which is honestly hard to even process when you’re standing in front of it.

What makes Quedlinburg even more remarkable is its modern history. During the East German era, much of the old town fell into disrepair, and there were plans in some periods to replace historic buildings with more standard communist-era construction. Thankfully, those plans never fully took over. After reunification, the town was recognised for its extraordinary preservation and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with major efforts put into restoring the historic centre. Today, it feels like a living village where centuries of architecture are still very much in use rather than frozen in time.

We were lucky enough to spend the day with our friends Aram and Olga, who generously let us fully reset ourselves in the morning. It turned into a very welcome recharge: showers all around, Cotty getting a haircut, and every possible device in our lives finally getting charged. We even threw in a load of laundry, which always feels like a luxury on the road.

Once we were all back to feeling human again, we headed out for a walk through the city — this time with the best kind of guides. It was such a treat to be shown around instead of being the usual self-appointed tour planners.

We wandered through different parts of town, from quieter residential areas to more historic and affluent streets, and also saw the communal gardens that are an important part of Aram and Olga’s life here, where they’ve clearly made it a virtual second home that includes quite a few cat friends.

We stopped for a drink at the castle restaurant, which had beautiful views and a relaxed atmosphere, and was even treated to ice cream I could actually eat, which is always an unexpected delight.

It was incredibly special to share the day with Aram and Olga — Cotty reconnecting with a childhood friend, and me getting to know a new friend. It made the whole experience feel even more grounded and meaningful.

Later, Cotty cooked up his now-famous road trip ramen for everyone, which tastes even better after a long day of walking and talking. We spent the evening catching up properly on life, sharing stories, and raising a toast to a mutual friend we’ve lost, and to all the things that linger in even when life is busy and moving.

It was one of those days that didn’t need much doing to it — just good people, a remarkable place, and time to actually stop and enjoy both.