We feature some of the brightest Instagram storytellers in the Passion Passport community through our Instagram Spotlight series. This week, Agata Kaziuk (@wanderlust_driven_life) takes us through England, Germany, Poland, Turkey, and Israel.

Oxford, England

Oxford is one of the most beautiful cities in England, and I am lucky to call it my home. I love wandering its streets and following in the footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse. Oxford is truly an architectural pearl; I can spend hours sitting on a bench, admiring all those gorgeous facades. Each building here has a unique and long history. If only those walls could tell us their stories…

Istanbul, Turkey

For me, each city has a distinctive personality — some I take an immediate liking to, whereas others require more time for me to truly appreciate them. Istanbul was love at first sight though — a place where I left a part of myself, and a place I often dream of returning to. I fell in love with its architecture, kind people, vibrant streets, lively cafes, and, of course, the cats. I like to think that if Istanbul was a person, we would be great friends.

Jerusalem, Israel

I think everyone can agree that Jerusalem is a truly fascinating place, and for me, it is the city of beginnings and cultural roots. It is a place in which everyone can find something they are searching for.

One afternoon while I was there, I took the rooftop walk to gaze at the Old City from above. I sat down and contemplated life. Every building there — every stone and rock — has witnessed so many important events in human history. Being able to see it with my own eyes was a remarkable experience.

Görlitz, Germany

During my childhood, I passed Gorlitz countless times while traveling between Poland and Italy, but I had never actually explored it before this trip. After watching “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” I decided to finally visit the city in which the movie was filmed. Gorlitz turned out to be utterly charming, and the Upper Lusatian Library of Sciences stole my heart. Sometimes when I head toward a destination, I miss so many beautiful places without even realizing it. Sometimes it’s good to just take a detour or a longer road to let yourself be surprised.

Poznan, Poland

Although I live in England, I love coming back to Poznan because it is the city I was born and raised in. As a child, I spent a lot of time strolling along its cobblestone streets, wandering around the market stalls, admiring the ceiling of Fara Church, chasing after soap bubbles in the Old Market Square, and eating ice cream while watching the goats (the symbol of Poznan) butt their mechanical heads on the clock tower at noon. I am always amazed by the colors of Old Town.

Whenever I visit Poznan, those sweet childhood memories come rushing back to me. I feel that now I truly understand the meaning of that famous Terry Pratchett quote: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back, so that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors.” Even though I often end up visiting the same sights and places, each time I fall in love with Poznan all over again.