Located in Guatemala‘s stunningly beautiful Western Highlands, the village of Chichicastenango has long served as the regional center of commerce for the K’iche’ Maya people. Every Thursday and Sunday, Chichicastenango hosts a colorful market where travelers and people from surrounding villages can purchase fresh fruit, handmade ceremonial masks, incense, and colorful K’iche’ Maya fabrics made…
One look at smoking Gunung Bromoβotherwise known as Mount Bromoβand you will understand why the majestic volcano in Tosari, Indonesia, on the island of Java, is named in honor of the Hindu god of creation, Brahma. Mount Bromo is one of the world’s most captivating active volcanoes. Surrounded by a sea of black sand and…
Norway has a rich history of nurturing skilled carpenters who build stately churches, boats, and homes out of wood. Electrician Kjartan Aano’s yearning to build a romantic treehouse for his beloved wife Sally inspired the couple to enlist the design studio Helen & Hard to construct a series of wooden treehouses anchored to living, breathing…
The medieval town of Canterbury is home to towering cathedrals, gardens galore, and lovely avenues lined with historic buildings full of cultural treasures. Visitors can tour a medieval church, explore a quirky museum, or unwind at a Canterbury Tales-themed cat cafΓ©. Canterbury also boasts numerous elegant places to stay, ensuring that your time in one…
If ever there was a cave that could conjure visions of gorgeous water nymphs frolicking in enchanted waters, Melissani Caveβlocated on the Greek island of Kefaloniaβcertainly fits the bill. Melissani Cave is home to a shimmering underground lake that once housed a temple dedicated to the mischievous god Pan, who was associated with untamed wilderness….
Quaint Skaneateles, New York, has long served as a getaway for cosmopolitan New Yorkers and other big-city dwellers. Nestled on the northern tip of pristine Skaneateles Lakeβwhich is considered the gateway to the Finger Lakesβthe sleepy upstate New York town is surrounded by breathtaking forests and waterfalls. Visitors can take a boat tour of gorgeous…
The tiny Croatian town of Humβwhich is located on a hilltop in the Istria regionβprides itself on being the smallest town in the world. Even though Hum has not officially been deemed the smallest town in the world by any record-keeping organization, the fact that it is far less than a mile long and wide…
In 1995, the jewelry company Swarovski celebrated its 100th anniversary by creating a theme park/museum in Wattens, Austria—not far from the exact spot where Swarovski was founded in 1895. Artist Andre Heller crafted a green Giant with sparkling crystal eyes whose lair houses an ever-expanding “Chamber of Wonders” known as Crystal Worlds—or Kristallwelten—that showcases the…