St Patrick’s Grave in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland

For someone so universally popular, St Patrick’s grave isn’t all that impressive. It’s covered by a modest, unsculpted slab of stone with his name carved on. Well, part of the name is anyway – there’s a great chunk missing that has taken the C, K and half the I with it.
The grave is outside Down Cathedral, which is perched on a hillside above the small town of Downpatrick, Northern Ireland. It’s the sort of place that is invariably buffeted by huge winds, and you feel heartfelt sympathy for any old ladies trying to get up.
According to legend (and most of what we know about St Patrick should be taken with large pinches of salt), St Patrick died in nearby Saul. From there, angels descended and told those in charge of the body to put it on a cart and bury it in the first spot that the oxen stopped. Well, after lugging him up that hill, it’s no wonder they stopped there.

Getting to St Patrick’s Grave in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland

Nearest International Airport: Belfast International Airport or Belfast City Airport, depending on which airline you’re travelling with.

Using public transport: Take bus 15 or 15A from Belfast’s Europa bus station. The journey takes around an hour. Then prepare for an uphill walk.

More information: Down Cathedral

Mendel Museum in Brno, Czech Republic

For a place with such huge significance, the Abbey of St Thomas in Brno, Czech Republic, is remarkably understated. It's arguably the birthplace of modern science.
The patch of grass outside once played host to the world’s most important greenhouse, while a small flower bed of red and white begonias demonstrates the scientific laws that were discovered there.
The man who put this loveable Augustinian abbey on the map was Gregor Mendel, the former abbot.
He was the monk who discovered the laws of genetic inheritance. So much has come as a result of this discovery – confirmation of Darwin’s evolutionary theory, many medical treatments, cloned sheep, the human genome project – that his name should be far better known.
The small museum by the begonia bed explores the importance of Mendel’s work, and tries to explain in layman’s terms how dominant and recessive alleles work.
It also goes into his life, and tells the extraordinary story of a monk from a European backwater who revolutionised the way we think about ourselves. His work was 99% drudgery – meticulously growing peas and logging their characteristics.
But from those humble garden peas came so much – and the Mendel Museum is a fascinating little diversion for any traveller visiting this part of Central Europe.

Getting to the Mendel Museum in Brno, Czech Republic

Nearest International Airport: Brno Turany airport receives a few international flights (usually the budget airlines such as Ryanair and Smart Wings), but most international visitors will fly into Prague then get the train. That said, Vienna (Austria) and Bratislava (Slovakia) are actually closer to Brno than Prague.
Using public transport: There are good train links to Brno from Prague, Bratislava and Vienna. Take tram number 1 from the central train station.

More information: Mendel Museum

Kiev Caves Monastery, Ukraine and its mummified monks

Kiev’s astonishing monastery complex, which is full of cave churches and golden domes, is well worth its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Caves Monastery (or Pechersk Lavra) is the size of a small village, and is crammed with museums, churches, treasures and bizarre passageways. It sits on the hills above the Dnipro River, and supposedly dates back to 1051.
This was when the Greek Saint Antoniy and his lackey Feodosiy started digging caves out of the rock for their fellow monks to worship and study in.
It’s still regarded as the holiest place in the Ukraine and the lower Lavra (as the part with the caves is known) is still run by the church. Bearded monks can be seen sweltering in their long black robes as they work the gardens.
But the monks everyone comes to see are dead. They lie in glass tombs underground, and can be visited via a series of dark, claustrophobic passageways. Travellers can just buy their candle at the gate, then head down the steps.
Silence, respectful dress and “no blackguarding” are expected, as the Caves Monastery is a pilgrimage site.
For non-believers, however, the sight of women in headscarves frantically crossing themselves every few seconds, then attempting to kiss the feet of the long-dead holy men is rather unusual.

Getting to Pechersk Lavra
Nearest international airport: Kiev Borispol is a fair trek out of the city, but only domestic flights tend to go to the smaller (but closer) Zhulyany airport.
Using public transport: Get the Metro to Dnipro or Pecherska – it’s about a fifteen minute walk from both. Taxi drivers will happily take tourists there as well, but may impose special nationality and gullibility surcharges.
More information: Go to the Kiev caves monastery website.