Culture and tourism advices at defineplaces.com? If you’re craving some R&R, the Ma’in Hot Springs is a natural spa 264m (866ft) below sea level. Herod the Great is said to have bathed in the area’s thermal mineral hot springs and waterfalls, where travellers have soaked since Roman times. Believed to help skin conditions and joint pain, water rich in potassium, magnesium and calcium cascades down the hillside and reaches temperatures of 60C (140F) for truly extraordinary bathing in the middle of the desert. Find more information at https://www.defineplaces.com/.
About 57 kilometers south of Marrakesh, this national park is the country’s most popular. This is mostly due to it being home to Morocco’s (and North Africa’s) highest mountain, Djebel Toubkal, as well as a number of fantastic walking opportunities that range from multi-day trekking adventures to afternoon hikes. If you don’t fancy bagging Toubkal’s 4,167-meter peak, you can opt for the lovely, scenic village-to-village Aremd circuit, which has all the sumptuous views without the sweaty effort required for mountain climbing. The time to come is summer, when all the trails are open; even during spring, snow can mean walking activities are curtailed.
This strip of sandy white bliss is the number one beach destination for Dubai visitors. Hotels are strung out all along its length, with this being one of the most popular places to stay for tourists. The beach has excellent facilities, with plenty of sun loungers, restaurants, and water sports operators offering jet skiing. While in the area, brush off the sand for an hour and visit the Majlis Ghorfat Um Al-Sheef, just a short hop from the beach. Built in 1955, this was the summer residence of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoum. The residence, made out of gypsum and coral-block, has been restored and maintains much of the original beautiful decor, giving you a better understanding of the opulent lifestyle of Dubai’s rulers. The Majlis Gardens feature a reproduction of an impressive Arab irrigation system and many shady date palms.
Mondello is an overgrown fishing village flipped into a 19th-century Liberty resort for Palermo’s elite. Imagine Nice, served with a frutti di mare side. A wide arc of beach is backed by more foodie treats. Like mobile carts selling lemon granitas and arancina (fried rice balls). Alicudi is the Sicilian island that Instagram forgot. Irregular ferries and passing yachts call ciaoto the island’s 100 inhabitants. Islanders share a pastoral diet of wild figs and prickly pears served alongside a sustainable daily catch. That’s good news, because this tiny island has no shops, no ATM and no problems.
Santorini’s best known and most popular beach lies on the southeast coast, between the villages of Perissa and Perivolos. A six-kilometer-long stretch of fine, black volcanic sand, it is backed by tamarisk trees and overlooked by a string of seafood tavernas and cafes. There are sunbeds and umbrellas to rent, plus water sports facilities. It is approximately 12 kilometers from Fira. At the base of the cliffs rising to the town of Oia, the port of Ammoudi Bay glistens above sparkling turquoise waters. Descend the 200 or so steps down from Oia, and you are in the picture-perfect setting that is Ammoudi, known for quaint Greek tavernas serving the catch of the day just inches from the waves, and isolated coves ideal for swimming. Another popular activity is cliff diving if that’s what gets your adrenaline pumping.
The most iconic thing to do in Panama City, and something everyone should do, is to visit the Panama Canal! The Panama Canal is well known around the world and it’s vital to world trade. The canal stretches over 82 kilometers (51 miles) and is made up of artificial lakes, and of course, those thin canals you’ve likely seen in photos. The French began construction of the Panama Canal in 1881 but had to stop construction dues to high worker death rates and construction problems. The United States took over the project in 1904 and finished it in 1914. Of course, there are so many more interesting facts about the canal but, you’ll learn about them more when you go. There are a few different tours to the Panama Canal you can do with the easiest and most popular a guided tour to the Miraflores Locks with a city tour.