Kilkenny is a city where history sits beside everyday life, and stories from centuries past shape the streets visitors walk today. At its heart stands Kilkenny Castle, first built in the 12th century and home to the Butler family for more than 600 years. From here, the Medieval Mile creates a natural path through the city, linking key sites such as St. Canice’s Cathedral. Its round tower, one of the few in Ireland still open to climb, rewards visitors with wide views across the rooftops.
Marzamemi, a small fishing village on the southeastern coast of Sicily, offers an authentic taste of Mediterranean charm. Known for its picturesque stone buildings, vibrant piazzas, and crystal-clear waters, Marzamemi captures the essence of coastal life in Sicily. The town’s centerpiece is Piazza Regina Margherita, surrounded by rustic houses and lively seafood restaurants where visitors can savor the fresh catch of the day.
Isola Bella sits on Lake Maggiore as part of the Borromean Islands, closely tied to the ambitions of the Borromeo family who reshaped the rocky outcrop in the 17th century.
North Seymour Island, located just north of Baltra in Ecuador’s Galápagos archipelago, is a compact but biologically rich destination known for its wildlife encounters. Though small in size, this flat, arid island punches far above its weight when it comes to natural spectacle, offering a rare chance to observe iconic species in a remarkably close setting.
Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Seychelles, offers a pristine and unparalleled escape into nature's untouched beauty. The atoll, the second-largest in the world, is renowned for its remarkable biodiversity and is home to the Aldabra giant tortoise, a species found nowhere else on Earth. This enormous tortoise population is one of the key attractions for visitors, providing a rare opportunity to observe these majestic creatures in their natural habitat.
Doubtful Fjord (Doubtful Sound) is a large fjord in southwestern New Zealand, in the same region as the smaller but better known Milford Sound. It is home to an unusually large population of bottlenose dolphins, as well as a variety of birds, fur seals, penguins, and often even humpback whales.
Unlike Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound is inaccessible by road, so boat cruises are the only transportation available to visitors. Day trips operate out of the small nearby town, Manapouri.