Tag: Village

There is a single viewpoint that has come to define the Cinque Terre in the global imagination, and that spot is the Manarola Overlook. This is not a formal structure…

The Scalinata Lardarina is more than just a staircase; it’s the grand, challenging entrance to the village of Corniglia and a quintessential part of the Cinque Terre experience. This formidable…

Tucked away in the heart of the Cinque Terre, Corniglia offers a uniquely different perspective from its seaside neighbors. It is the only one of the five villages not built…

Perched dramatically on a rocky spur overlooking the Ligurian Sea, the Castello di Vernazza (or Castello Doria) is not a grand palace but a resilient medieval fortification that symbolizes the…

Guarding the Gulf of Naples, the imposing Castel dell’Ovo (Egg Castle) is the oldest standing fortification in the city. Perched on the tiny islet of Megaride, where Greek colonists first…

A jewel of the Dalmatian hinterland, Krka National Park is a magical landscape where the Krka River carves a spectacular canyon on its way to the Adriatic Sea. The park…

In the heart of the ancient city of Arles, the monumental Arles Amphitheatre stands as a powerful and remarkably well-preserved symbol of the Roman Empire’s legacy in Provence. Built nearly…

Gracefully arching over the River Cher, the Château de Chenonceau is the most elegant and romantic of all the Loire Valley châteaux. An architectural masterpiece, it is a harmonious blend…

In the heart of a vast, wild forest in the Loire Valley stands a castle of such breathtaking scale and fantastical design that it seems plucked from a dream. The…

In the heart of the Loire Valley lies a château renowned not just for its architecture, but for possessing what are arguably the most magnificent gardens in all of France….

Rising from the sea like a vision from a fantasy, Mont Saint-Michel is one of the world’s most unforgettable sights. This magical island, located off the coast of Normandy, is…

The Niassa National Reserve is one of Africa’s last truly vast and untamed wilderness areas, a sprawling expanse of miombo woodland and savanna in the remote northern reaches of Mozambique….

Tofo Beach (Praia do Tofo) is a legendary destination for marine adventurers and a laid-back haven on the southern coast of Mozambique. Once a small fishing village, Tofo has transformed…

Representing the unique allure of Madagascar’s “Great South,” Ifaty and Anakao are not single towns but neighboring coastal areas renowned for their otherworldly landscapes and vibrant marine life. Located on…

Kirindy Mitea National Park is a large and exceptionally diverse protected area located on the southwestern coast of Madagascar. It is a place of remarkable ecological transition, uniquely situated at…

Ankarana Special Reserve is a spectacular and geologically unique protected area in the northern tip of Madagascar. The reserve is a dramatic natural fortress, built upon a massive Jurassic-era limestone…

Ranomafana National Park is one of Madagascar’s most famous and biologically important protected areas. Located in the mountainous southeastern part of the island, its name means “hot water” in the…

Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is one of the most spectacular and otherworldly landscapes on the planet, located in the remote western region of Madagascar. A UNESCO World Heritage site,…

The Blue Nile Falls, known locally as Tis Abay or Tis Issat (meaning “Great Smoke” or “Smoking Water” in Amharic), is a spectacular waterfall on the Blue Nile river in…

The Koytendag Valley, located in the remote southeastern corner of Turkmenistan, is a land of dramatic natural wonders and deep-rooted legends. As part of the wider Koytendag Nature Reserve, this…

Kyrk Gyz (also spelled Kirk Kiz), meaning “Forty Girls” in Turkmen, is one of Turkmenistan’s most revered and legendary natural sanctuaries. Located in a spectacular gorge within the remote Koytendag…

The Parthian Fortresses of Nisa are the ruins of one of the first and most important capitals of the Parthian Empire (3rd century BC – 3rd century AD). Located near…

The Darvaza Gas Crater (Turkmen: Garagum ýalkymy), more famously and ominously known as the “Door to Hell” or “Gates of Hell,” is a spectacular and surreal man-made phenomenon located in…

Mohéli Marine Park, now officially part of the larger Mohéli National Park, is the first and most important protected area in the Union of the Comoros. Established in 2001, it…

Lake Dzia Landze (sometimes written as Dzialandzé) is a beautiful freshwater crater lake located in the mountainous interior of Anjouan, the second-largest island in the Union of the Comoros. Nestled…

Mount Ntringui is the highest peak on the island of Anjouan, the second largest and most populous island in the Union of the Comoros. Reaching an elevation of 1,595 meters…

Lac Niamawi, also known as Lac Salé (“Salt Lake”), is a small but stunningly beautiful saltwater crater lake located on the northern coast of Grande Comore, the largest island in…

The Bahauddin Naqshbandi Architectural Complex is one of the most important and revered Islamic pilgrimage sites in Central Asia. Located just outside the historic city of Bukhara, Uzbekistan, this sprawling…

The Mausoleum of Khoja Mashhad is one of the most remarkable and historically significant architectural monuments in Tajikistan, and indeed in all of Central Asia. Located in the southern Khatlon…

Karakul, or “Black Lake” in the Turkic languages, is a vast and stunningly beautiful high-altitude lake located in the stark, desolate landscape of the Eastern Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan. It…