Pompeii, Italy, is a mesmerizing time capsule that invites travelers to step back into the world of ancient Rome. Once a thriving city, Pompeii was abruptly buried under volcanic ash and pumice following the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. This tragic event preserved the city in remarkable detail, allowing visitors today to walk the cobbled streets and witness a snapshot of Roman life, from grand villas and bathhouses to bakeries and amphitheaters.
Providence, Rhode Island blends deep colonial roots with a strong creative pulse. Founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, the city became known for its dedication to religious freedom and independent thought. Walking along Benefit Street, visitors pass rows of 18th- and 19th-century homes, many of which are impeccably preserved and marked with historical plaques. The Rhode Island State House, with one of the world’s largest self-supported marble domes, towers over the downtown area and offers public
Rabat, the capital of the kingdom of Morocco, is located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean on the left bank of the Bou Regreg Estuary. A city of trees and flowers, Rabat combines peace, beauty and Serenity, and is steeped in history.
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.
St. George’s, the capital of Grenada, is a picturesque harbor town nestled within the rim of an extinct volcano. Its horseshoe-shaped Carenage, lined with pastel-colored colonial buildings, offers a postcard-perfect introduction to the island.
The remote and austerely beautiful Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago, lies north of continental Norway in the Arctic Ocean, a mere 650 miles from the North Pole. A hub for Dutch, English, French, Norwegian, and Russian whalers between the 17th and 19th centuries, this collection of glacial islands officially joined the Kingdom of Norway in 1925 with the Svalbard Act and continues to be used in coal mining enterprises. Spitsbergen, the only permanently inhabited island in the Svalbard archipelago, and its largest settlement, Longyearbyen, have become popular stops for tourists, who often arrive on arctic cruises.
This mountainous archipelago offers magnificent views of stark white glaciers and snowfields, which cover a vast stretch of the region. Arctic flora and fauna fascinate; catch a glimpse of polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes, and walruses amongst the mossy tundra and icy coasts. In the summer, visitors will witness the rare splendor of Svalbard’s midnight sun.