Many seasoned world travelers consider Hallstatt, Austria to be the quintessential picture-perfect small town. More than one visitor has had to pinch themselves when they stumble upon this stunning town which is surrounded by towering mountains and located on the shores of a placid alpine lake. One glance at the serene streets of Hallstatt will…
Roughly 100 years ago, Picher, Oklahoma was a booming mining town. Residents took great pride in the town’s multiple thriving zinc and lead extraction sites. Picher’s seemingly endless supply of lead was used to fashion ammunition for soldiers fighting in World War I and World War II. As lead extraction expanded, so did poisonous piles…
From a distance, Nördlingen appears to be a fairly standard German town, populated by snug rows of buildings with red orange sloping roofs. If you stroll around on a sunny day, you may notice that certain stone structures in the town sparkle in the sunlight. Much of the stone used to construct the town of…
In the days before trains, planes, and automobiles medieval towns had to rely on sturdy, towering walls to protect their populations from hostile invaders. Countless remnants of formerly grand defensive rampart walls are scattered throughout Europe. One of the most stunning examples of a fully intact rampart wall is in the Tuscan town of Monteriggioni….
The small Spanish town of Castellfollit de la Roca is not the ideal travel destination for those who are claustrophobic or afraid of heights. Castellfollit de la Roca is located atop a frightfully narrow cliff with a 160-foot drop. Throughout most of the town, a single slim walkway separates rows of multistory dwellings. The town’s…
If you’re the ultimate homebody—Whittier, Alaska may be your dream destination. Whittier started out in the mid-1950’s as a military outpost. In recent decades, civilians have begun to trickle into a former army barracks at the heart of the town called Begich Towers. Begich Towers is currently home to 75% of Whittier’s 300 permanent residents….
When most people think of ghost towns, they think of dusty Western towns that were abandoned two centuries ago in the wake of a dried up gold rush. Mostly, they imagine them to be in California or Nevada. However, the United States has countless ghost towns in virtually every state. One of America’s most haunting…
Sicily is probably in the list of must-visit places of many travelers. Only a few, however, are aware of the town of Cefalu, which is, for those who have explored most of Italy, considered as one of the most beautiful seaside destinations to visit in the boot-shaped country. One of the best things about Cefalu…