Tourism and history education 2022? With its endless golden sands, rugged canyons and sweeping star-studded skies, Wadi Rum is an adventurer’s paradise. Ideal for hiking, camel tours and even overnight stays in desert camps, this mystical land of shifting dunes and reddened sandstone has been inhabited since prehistoric times and is home to nomadic Bedouin tribes. It has stood in for Mars in several Hollywood films and was the location of the Lawrence of Arabia film in the 1960s. Want to see it for yourself? With Culture Trip, you can hike through Wadi Rum and stay in a traditional Bedouin campsite on our immersive nine-day Jordan adventure. Read even more info on Define Places.
These lush tropical gardens full of cacti, palms, and ferns, are the work of painter Jacques Majorelle. Originally from the town of Nancy in France, Majorelle came to Marrakesh for health reasons and became well known for his paintings of local Moroccan life. His most famous work, though, was this garden and the vibrant blue (the color now known as Majorelle blue) painter’s studio he lived in on the grounds. After Majorelle’s death in 1962, French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent bought the property, and upon his death in 2008, his ashes were scattered in the gardens. Majorelle’s old painting studio is now home to a fabulous museum dedicated to Berber artistry. A museum dedicated to YSL’s life and famed fashion legacy is currently being built on the grounds as well.
Dubai Creek separates the city into two towns, with Deira to the north and Bur Dubai to the south. The creek has been an influential element in the city’s growth, first attracting settlers here to fish and pearl dive. Small villages grew up alongside the creek as far back as 4,000 years ago, while the modern era began in the 1830s when the Bani Yas tribe settled in the area. The Dhow Wharfage is located along Dubai Creek’s bank, north of Al-Maktoum Bridge. Still used by small traders from across the Gulf, some of the dhows anchored here are well over 100 years old. You can visit here, watching cargo being loaded and unloaded on and off the dhows. Dhow workers often invite visitors onto the vessels for a tour, where you can gain insight into the life of these traditional sailors. Many of the dhows here travel onward to Kuwait, Iran, Oman, India, and down to Africa’s horn. This tiny remnant of Dubai’s traditional economy is still a bustling and fascinating place to wander around.
From April to October, Sicily enjoys one long Mediterranean summer, which means low rainfall, northwesterly breezes, and temperatures hitting 30C (86F) in July and August. It rarely gets hotter at sea. Winds pick up in mid-summer to a regular 10 knots and frequently tail off each evening. Novice sailors should avoid the far windier Straits of Messina between Sicily and mainland Italy. Especially as there’s so much to see in northern Sicily and the Aeolian islands. Sicily has two equally busy airports. Aeroporto di Palermo Falcone e Borsellino is a 30-minute cab ride to Palermo’s marinas via the ritzy seaside resort of Mondello. Aeroporto di Catania–Fontanarossa sits under the shadow of Mount Etna in eastern Sicily, serving the northeastern marinas closest to the Aeolian islands.
The Museum of Prehistoric Thira displays finds from Akrotiri archaeological site in a modern white building located close to the 1950s Mitropolis church in Fira. One of the top tourist attractions is the Blue Monkeys wall fresco. Other ancient artworks on display include marble figurines, painted ceramics, tools, and weapons. Pyrgos was Santorini’s capital before Fira took over in 1800. The tiny village of Pyrgos, located in the middle of Santorini, is made up of whitewashed Cycladic cottages built around the ruins of a medieval hilltop castle. Previously a sleepy, all-but-forgotten town, Pyrgos has, since 2004, started to cater to upmarket tourism with the opening of several small, chic restaurants and boutique hotels.
Most people have heard of the San Blas Islands, but what they don’t know is that there are lots of other amazing islands to explore from Panama City. In fact, most are much closer which makes them more convenient to visit. Below are the best nearby islands you can do amazing day or multi-day trips to: Taboga Island is one of the closest islands to Pamana City and only takes 30 minutes by ferry to reach. Once on the island, you can either stay for the day or stay at one of the hotels on the island and turn this adventure into a relaxing getaway. The ferry leaves from the Amador Causeway and costs $20 USD for an adult. If you want an even better experience then this all-inclusive half-day catamaran tour is a great option.