The Whitsunday Islands sit in the heart of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, where more than 70 islands rise from wide blue seas and offer an invitation to explore. Whitsunday Island itself is the largest of this group, known internationally for its ribbon of white silica sand stretching over seven kilometers at Whitehaven Beach. This sand feels cool underfoot even in warm sunshine because it’s made of nearly pure silica carried there by ancient ocean currents.
Berat, set along the Osum River in central Albania, is a city shaped by centuries of continuity and coexistence. Known as the City of a Thousand Windows, its white Ottoman-era houses climb the hillside toward a hilltop fortress, creating a striking and harmonious skyline.
Off the coast of Ecuador, the iconic and biodiverse Galápagos Islands, made famous by Charles Darwin’s nineteenth-century research expeditions on HMS Beagle, beckon you. This glittering archipelago, surrounded by vivid turquoise waves, abounds with stunning beaches and spectacular wildlife, perfect for the adventurous traveler.
A series of gates surrounds the two centers of ancient, medieval Fez (sometimes spelled Fes). The principal axes link the center to the gates and a street surrounds the heart of the old city. The Kairouan quarter, which is longer, is crossed by an artery. Narrow, tortuous pedestrian streets, covered passages, stairs and numerous dead-ends make up the dense layout with few urban squares.
Cut length wise by the Turkish/Greek border, the island of Cyprus leads two lives. The Turkish side is traditional and Islamic, while the Greek side is a very modern vacation destination. Limassol is Greek Cyprus's largest city. In the 12th century, it was headquarters for invading crusaders. Nearby Kourion contains an ancient Greek city with a sanctuary of Apollo overlooking the sea.