Tunisia - The Great Mosque of Kairouan, also known as the Mosque of Sidi Okba, is one of the most prominent and oldest Islamic monuments in the world. Located in the city of Kairouan in central Tunisia, the mosque was originally founded in 670 AD by the Arab general ...

Saudi_Arabia - From the platform at 200 meters, we have a view over the entire city. We can see our hotel, the fort, the mosque on the edge of town, and directly in front of us, the Kingdom Tower. This skyscraper, shaped like a bottle opener, is the tallest building ...

Netherlands - The Amsterdam canals are iconic for the Dutch capital. In rings around the center, they give the city a fresh, open impression. Amsterdam distinguishes itself from many other European cities with this feature. Originally, the canals date from the Middle ...

Moldova - From Curchi, we drive to nearby Old Orhei. Near the village of Butuceni lies the Orthodox Orhei Vechi Monastery. This cave monastery is considered one of the most beautiful in Moldova. As we enter Butuceni, it’s not immediately clear where we should ...

New Zealand - At eight o’clock, we drive onto the grounds of Abel Tasman Kayaks. We have booked a kayak tour in Abel Tasman National Park. We are immediately introduced to Balwi. Our guide for today is of Indian origin. He has been living in New Zealand for four ...

Montenegro - After a two-hour drive, I arrive at the Ostrog Monastery. This Serbian Orthodox monastery, dating back to the 12th century, is built into a cliff face. Before visiting the monastery, I order a sandwich on a terrace—I’ve hardly eaten today. Then I ...

Martinique - The Absalon Trail on Mount Pelée, located on the beautiful island of Martinique, offers adventurous hikers an unforgettable experience through one of the Caribbean’s most iconic and majestic volcanoes. This trail, named after the French naturalist ...

Cape_Verde - Over an hour later, we get out at the Serra Malagueta National Park information center. Alberto buys our entrance tickets and shows us on the map the route we’ll take today. “Many people only walk to the transmission mast and back,” he says. “It’s ...

Kyrgyzstan - The center of Karakol feels much more like a village. Yet the city has 75,000 inhabitants. The sights are all concentrated around the main road running through the town. I walk to the Chinese mosque. The entirely wooden mosque strongly resembles a Buddhist ...

Japan - We drive to Himeji via the toll road. Himeji is home to the largest surviving feudal castle. The castle tower is especially impressive. From the outside it appears to have five floors, but inside there are six levels. This was intended to mislead attackers. ...

Tunisia - The Mos Espa set in Tunisia is an iconic film location used for the Star Wars prequels, notably The Phantom Menace (1999) and Attack of the Clones (2002). Located in the vast Ong Jmel desert near Nefta in southwestern Tunisia, the site is known as the ...

Honduras - Saul is already waiting for me in front of the hotel. He immediately starts telling me all sorts of things about Copán—about the men on the square and his frustration with the litter they leave behind, about the cathedral, and about the people of Copán. ...

Greece - The landscape becomes more rugged as we approach Meteora. Steep rock points protrude in the landscape. In the 14th century, hermits lived in these hard-to-reach places. Later, monks built monasteries on the rock points. Many monasteries were destroyed ...

Germany - The Bed and Breakfast is located right in the center of Monschau. Everywhere stand the typical half-timbered houses. It feels as if time has stood still here. We wander through the streets. The old center of Monschau isn’t very large, but every street ...

Georgia - From Mestia we continue driving to Ushguli. Mestia is located at an altitude of 1,400 meters. Ushguli at 2,200 meters. This makes Ushguli the highest continuously inhabited mountain village in Europe. We do wonder if this is not higher in the Alps. The ...

Chile - For the first hour, we walk over gravel and rocks. Then we reach the first patches of snow. Soon we climb through the snow. As the sun rises higher, it also gets warmer. We zigzag slowly up the volcano. By following the tracks of those ahead, a kind of ...

Antigua and Barbuda - Nelson's Dockyard, located in English Harbour on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean, is a historical and cultural treasure that showcases the region’s rich maritime heritage and fascinating history. Named after the famous British Admiral Horatio ...

Morocco - Amtoudi is an off-the-beaten-track attraction for most tourists in Morocco and yet one of the most captivating stops to visit. The reason is simple: Amtoudi has one of the oldest and best-preserved granaries, or agadirs, as they are called in North Africa. ...

Moldova - Just before two o’clock we arrive at the wine cellars of Milestii Mici. The Lonely Planet recommends making a reservation in advance. We tried to make a reservation from the Netherlands, but never received any reply. At the reception desk, it turns ...

Saint_Lucia - The Piton Management Area is a large natural reserve near the town of Soufrière. The two “Pitons,” volcanic peaks that rise over 700 meters side by side from the sea, are visible from almost everywhere on Saint Lucia. These two eroded remnants of ...

South_Africa - The guide apologizes and asks if we had received notice that he would be late. We hadn’t! We quickly set off, picking up four German tourists along the way, completing our small, friendly group. We start the tour along the coastline heading south. At ...

Malawi - At the souvenir market, dozens of vendors try to sell their carved wooden figurines. Since we’re the only tourists here at the moment, everyone comes to us. The more skilled vendors politely introduce themselves, strike up a conversation, and try to ...

Switzerland - The Abbey of St. Gallen is located in the city of the same name, which developed around the monastery complex. We park in a garage in the Klosterviertel district. The cathedral towers rise above the city. A guide recommends visiting the monastery library ...

Ukraine - The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was a major accident involving one of the reactors at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which occurred in 1986 near the town of the same name in Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union), close to the Belarusian border. ...

Kuwait - The Grand Mosque of Kuwait City, also known as Al-Masjid Al-Kabir, is not only the largest mosque in Kuwait but also one of the country’s most impressive architectural landmarks. Located in the heart of Kuwait City, the mosque is a key spiritual and ...