The Orkney Islands sit just off the northern coast of Scotland. This group of around seventy islands offers wide horizons, quiet roads, and coastlines shaped by wind and waves where visitors often arrive expecting rugged scenery and leave talking about the sense of space from the long beaches to the steep cliffs and sea stacks rising straight from the water. One striking example is the Old Man of Hoy, a tall sea stack that draws photographers and climbers alike.
Manompana is a small coastal town in northeastern Madagascar, located in the Analanjirofo Region along the Indian Ocean. The town sits at a low elevation and enjoys a tropical rainforest climate, with warm temperatures and abundant rainfall throughout the year.
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve lies in South Africa’s northeastern Lowveld, directly alongside Kruger National Park. Covering about 556 square kilometres, it forms part of the larger Greater Kruger landscape, where fences between participating reserves and Kruger have been removed to allow wildlife to move freely. The reserve contains a mixture of savanna, woodland, seasonal rivers, and rocky areas shaped by ancient granite and gneiss formations.
The Peak District National Park occupies a large area in central England, mainly across Derbyshire with smaller sections extending into Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Yorkshire. It is divided broadly into the gritstone moorlands of the Dark Peak, the limestone dales of the White Peak, and the rolling farmland of the South West Peak. Unlike a wilderness park, it is a lived-in landscape containing villages, farms, roads, reservoirs, and historic buildings.
Tianjin is a major city in northern China, positioned near the Bohai Sea where the Haihe River runs through the urban center. Its character has been shaped by maritime trade, river transport, industry, and its proximity to Beijing. The city combines a historic Chinese core with broad avenues, former foreign concession districts, modern commercial areas, and a large port.
Photo Credit: Photo by Quang Tri NGUYEN on Unsplash
Photo Credit: Photo by Casey Lovegrove on Unsplash
Taormina, with its hilltop location above the Ionian Sea, is easily one of Italy's most beautiful places. As it's packed with people in the summertime, recommended months to visit include April and September.
Other Popular Destinations in Italy
Rome
Often called the Eternal City, Rome stands alone as Italy's most visited destination. The third most populated city in the European Union, Rome boasts ancient sites, yet has a modern flair — an exhilarating mix of the Old World and the new.
Venice
Welcome to Venice, with its network of canals, rich history and composition of over 100 small islands in the Adriatic Sea. Fine art, stunning architecture, white limestone bridges, moving about via watercraft... Venice is a singular experience and an astonishing masterpiece of civilization.