Tours

Since 2015 I have been running small group tours that particularly focus on the idea of communist heritage in post-communist space. Starting out with one seven-day itinerary in Bulgaria, my tour programme has since grown to cover a total of seven countries and one post-Soviet frozen conflict zone. In 2017 I began designing and leading tours for Atlas Obscura too, bringing my lovingly-crafted itineraries to a larger audience than ever before.

There’s only one of me though… groups are small and interest is high, so places tend to fill up fast. Send me a message to be added to the mailing list for advance notice of new routes.

Darmon Richter really likes monuments. Really. … He’s full of dates and figures, but also clearly able to see how stories tie together – connections he made not just from reading the limited literature about monuments throughout the Slavic world but from interviewing scores of people about their lived history. His passion is infectious.” – Ann Abel, Forbes

 

Upcoming Tours

Across the Iron Curtain
Germany – Poland – Slovakia
3–15 October 2025
A Road Trip from Berlin to Bratislava
Details and itinerary

 
 

 

EX UTOPIA Tours

I don’t like package tours… and that’s why the trips listed on this page probably won’t feel like any conventional tour you’ve been on before. Think of this more as a road trip with friends you haven’t met yet – and with an itinerary that’s fluid enough to allow for spontaneous distractions and photo stops.

It’s a road trip packed full of history and architecture, with deep immersion into local cultures, and a diverse range of local expert guest speakers. I believe the result is something quite special… and ever since I ran my first tour back in May 2015, every tour since (barring the Covid era!) has sold out fast.

 

Past Tours

The following list details every tour I have designed and led since 2015. While initially offered solely through this website, later trips have also been run in collaboration with Yomadic [XY], and with Atlas Obscura [AO].

October 2024 – Germany, Poland, Slovakia, 12 days – ‘Across the Iron Curtain’
September 2023 – Serbia, Croatia, B&H, 12 days – ‘Past Future Monuments of the Balkans’ [AO]
May 2023 – Bulgaria, 9 days – ‘Journey Into Bulgaria’ [AO]
October 2022 – Serbia, Croatia, B&H, 12 days – ‘Past Future Monuments of the Balkans’ [AO]
September 2022 – Bulgaria, 8 days – ‘Journey Into Bulgaria’ [AO]
July 2022 – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, 11 days – ‘Baltic Odyssey’ [AO]
May 2022 – Bulgaria, 8 days – ‘Journey Into Bulgaria’ [AO]
April 2022 – Serbia, Croatia, B&H, 12 days – ‘Past Future Monuments of the Balkans’ [AO]
September 2021 – Ukraine, 6 days – ‘Chernobyl by Day, Kyiv by Night’ [AO]
January 2020 – Ukraine, 8 days – ‘Chernobyl Photo Tour’ [AO]
October 2019 – Serbia, Croatia, B&H, 12 days – ‘Past Future Monuments of the Balkans’ [AO]
September 2019 – Ukraine, 6 days – ‘Chernobyl by Day, Kyiv by Night’ [AO]
September 2019 – Ukraine, 6 days – ‘Chernobyl by Day, Kyiv by Night’ [AO]
August 2019 – Ukraine, Moldova, Transnistria, 10 days – ‘The Borders of Bessarabia’ [AO]
May 2019 – Bulgaria, 8 days – ‘Journey Into Bulgaria’ [AO]
April 2019 – Serbia, Croatia, B&H, 12 days – ‘Past Future Monuments of the Balkans’ [AO]
January 2019 – Ukraine, 6 days – ‘Ukraine on Ice’ [XY]
January 2019 – Ukraine, 6 days – ‘Ukraine on Ice’ [XY]
December 2018 – Romania, Bulgaria, 12 days – ‘Arkitektour’ [with Authentic Tours]
September 2018 – Serbia, Croatia, B&H, 12 days – ‘Yugoslav Memorial Tour’
September 2018 – Ukraine, 6 days – ‘Chernobyl by Day, Kyiv by Night’ [AO]
August 2018 – Ukraine, Moldova, Transnistria, 10 days – ‘The Borders of Bessarabia’ [AO]
May 2018 – Bulgaria, 8 days – ‘Arkitektour’
April 2018 – Serbia, Croatia, B&H, 12 days – ‘Past Future Monuments of the Balkans’ [AO]
January 2018 – Ukraine, 6 days – ‘Ukraine on Ice’ [XY]
October 2017 – Bulgaria, 8 days – ‘Arkitektour’
September 2017 – Bulgaria, 8 days – ‘Arkitektour’
September 2017 – Ukraine, 6 days – ‘Chernobyl by Day, Kyiv by Night’ [AO]
August 2017 – Ukraine, Moldova, Transnistria, 10 days – ‘Pop-up Tour’ [XY]
May 2017 – Bulgaria, 1 day – ‘Obscura Day’ [AO]
April 2017 – Serbia, Croatia, B&H, 12 days – ‘Yugoslav Memorial Tour’
January 2017 – Bulgaria, 5 days – ‘Journey Into Bulgaria’ [AO]
January 2017 – Ukraine, 7 days – ‘Pop-up Tour’ [XY]
October 2016 – Bulgaria, 8 days – ‘Arkitektour’
September 2016 – Bulgaria, 8 days – ‘Arkitektour’
September 2016 – Ukraine, 7 days – ‘Pop-up Tour’ [XY]
October 2015 – Bulgaria, 7 days – ‘Arkitektour’
September 2015 – Bulgaria, 7 days – ‘Arkitektour’
May 2015 – Bulgaria, 1 day – ‘Obscura Day’ [AO]

 

Tour Gallery

Check out the photos from previous tours here.

 

Tour Testimonials

You can find out what people have said about my tours here.