Panoramic View # 2 - Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

Climbing a church tower for a panoramic view is a common part of sightseeing in central Europe, nearly every town of note has a tower which is open for visitors to climb. Scaling the hundreds of steps to the top is often a challenge, and sometimes you have to pass directly next to or under a giant bell that may begin to ring at the exact moment you are passing. The bell tower in Hradec Králové, known as the 'White Tower', is 71 metres high, and contains the country's second-largest bell.

The 16th century tower also features an unusual clock face with a long hand that tells the hour, and a shorter hand that tells the minute. Standing on the observation platform at the top gives a dramatic view over the old town square and the surrounding streets featuring many buildings with gothic, renaissance and baroque facades. Outside the old town and across the river is the new town, composed of buildings constructed between the two World Wars in the Rondo-Cubist style by such architects as Josef Gočár and Jan Kotěra. Beyond this in the distance you can see socialist-era architecture which is typical of the region's larger cities.

Hradec Králové is a worthwhile day trip from Prague or Olomouc, but the city also provides access to the Krkonoše mountains and the Ardšpach-Teplice rock cities to the north, so using it as a base for a few days is also a good option.

Panoramic View #1 - Lviv, Ukraine

When I arrive in a new city or town, one of the first things I like to do is climb a tower or hill to get a bird's eye view of the place. It puts everything into perspective, so I can visualise where buildings and monuments are in relation to one another, and to understand how the town has grown and changed over time.

Many east European towns start with a medieval core that leads to concrete housing blocks which ring the centre; when viewed from above, these stages of architectural progression and the reasons for town planning decisions become clearer. You can watch as people on the street stop for a chat, an old man buys a newspaper from a kiosk, trams glide to a stop in a sidestreet, a shopkeeper sweeps the front steps - all manner of daily life going on, a grand spectacle to observe and interpret meaning from.

Viewing the city from the town hall tower in the market square or from the summit of High Castle hill provides an opportunity to see the different parts of the ancient city and the dozens of church spires from an ideal perspective.

One rooftop in the old town has been painted with the image of a horse, exclusively for the viewing benefit of visitors to the town hall tower. The highest point of Castle Hill has a large blue-and-yellow national flag flying high above this proudly Ukrainian city.