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Visiting the newly reopened top level of Borobudur at sunrise is worth everything it takes to get there. I imagine people who scale a mountain feel much the same, and symbolically, the summit of this 8th century Buddhist shrine is the mountaintop....

One of my favorite shops in Kapadokya is Sultan's Carpets located in Goreme. If you happen to be in the area, say hi to my friend, the modern day Suffi, Shemsettin Kantar, or Semse as he likes to be called. International interior designer obsessed...

On having one Eurail pass and one day to spare between the big X's marked Paris and Barcelona, I craved the soothing ad-lib of a tiny, not-so-known area in the South of France. Bordeaux, Marseille… all remarkable cities I'm sure, however my...

55 Luftballoons took off before the sun came up over the stunning landscape of Cappadocia Turkey. The landscape was beautiful to see from above, however I think I was more in awe of a sky full of balloons which felt like such a unique experience.

As is often the case with travel expectations, there’s so much more to a site than what we can see in the confines of a screen or read in black and white letters on a page. Often the real place is a shock of depth, colors and aromas, and the way...

Wandering side streets in San Gimignano, as in other Tuscan hill towns, lets you juxtapose and contemplate your life lived on this block and the one left at home a million miles away.

The view of mainland Croatia and of the Adriatic sea brought infinite peace. From our terrace in a little authentic village on a beautiful untouched Croatian island...

One of the first stops outside of Cusco was on the Anta plain at 12,375 ft. The 16th century ruin of Chinchero is rumored to be the birthplace of the rainbow. I would be hard pressed to argue those refractions of light could have a more beautiful...

Set amidst the hilly forests of northeastern Romania, the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina are some of the most spectacular works of art and architecture in the world. (This is not hyperbole). The exterior walls are covered with vibrant Byzantine...

Oldest national park in southeast Europe . It's 16 lakes connected by waterfalls and is a World Heritage site.

Ngamba Island Sanctuary in Uganda is one of the only places in the world where you can have an up close experience with almost-wild chimpanzees. I’ve taken an hour-long boat ride from Entebbe to the island, for the opportunity to walk and play...

Petroglyphs are always worth a stop. About 40 minutes north of Globe, on US 60/AZ 77, as the highway winds down through its hairpin curves to the bottom of the Salt River Canyon, stop at 'Hieroglyphic Point.' (It'll be on your left.) This pull-off...

This cistern is thought to have been built after the Nika revolt in 532 AD. It was known as the Basilica Cistern during the Roman period. After the conquest of the city by the Ottoman Turks, it was forgotten and nobody knew that it existed. It was...

From my brother (Erdem Sengul's) camera - the tourists and worshippers in Suleymaniye Mosque in silence, a peaceful escape from the scorching heat outside.

Walk into Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) and look up to the heavens to see why so many conquerors and their respective religions claimed this basilica turned mosque turned museum as their own. Visitors will swoon over the Byzantine gilded mosaics,...

The Galata Tower is one of Istanbul's most striking landmarks. The nine-story stone tower offers a panoramic vista of Old Istanbul and its environs. Save Galata for the end of the day, timing it so that you reach the top just in time for sunset...

On the pretty island of Hvar, beneath the Bastijana Winery of Andro Tomic, lies a jewel of a wine tasting hall. The dramatic cellar is called Triclinium and has been strikingly constructed out of various types of limestone in a similar manner to...

A stay at the Hotel Royal Barriere is a treat in itself. Staying there during racing season is a real highlight! Early each morning, horses are brought to the beach for workouts in the surf of the English Channel.

You can't see the expressions on our faces, but for people who normally stay away from organized tours, a float above this valley is well worth the effort. It feels like you are floating above another planet. The terrain is out of this world....

[I lifted the description from Wikipedia. Definitely come here if you're in Namibia. There are quite a few tourists so if you do, come early and go with a proper outfitter, you can have more solitude and an easier time getting in.] Deadvlei is a...

I'd gone purely for the music. Each autumn the Museum of Appalachia hopes the three-day Tennessee Fall Homecoming, a festival that showcases bluegrass and old-time - and mountain crafts. After tasting a little donkey-milled sorghum (sweet, odd...

its really great view over looking the red sea resort live with luxury resort at sharm el sheikh.

In a swift four-minute ride, the Dubrovnik cable car can deliver you to the top of Mount Srdj for a bird’s-eye perspective of the Old Town and surrounding areas. Sometimes, on really crisp days, Italy will appear far out on the horizon. Even...

In Dubrovnik, you have to walk the walls. It's a must. Not only for stellar views over one of what is arguably one of the most beautiful old cities in the world, but also for the friendly faces you might find. Like this one. My friend Katie...

I visited Wadi Rum on the way to Petra–a perfect detour. The landscape feels like that of another planet. Petroglyphs can be found all over, proof of human travel through this area for thousands of years.

The endless fence that separates us from the absolute beauty of an untouched America.

If going to lake atitlan in guatemala, you have to stay here. Incredible boutique hotel. Stay in room #1.

Giethoorn is considered the Dutch Venice. Rent yourself a boat and spend the afternoon floating around, you won't regret!

The hills and coast around Lima can seem almost lunar--the climate is arid, despite the 'garúa,' the low-lying but rain-less clouds that hang around this part of Perú for about half the year. But the desert is archaeologically rich. Lima itself is...

Hiking down the Schilthorn may be hard on your toes, but it's a high-altitude feast for the rest of your senses...From the Lauterbrunnen valley south of Interlaken, you can take a cable-car up to the summit and then hike down to Mürren, across...

Torino is a Roman-built city that is perfectly situated in the north of Italy. For its beauty and history alone, it should make your list of must-see cities in Europe. Interestingly, the Republic of Italy, the Slow Food Movement, the Fiat 500,...

If it's possible to fall in love with a wine, it happened to me in Gavi. Rolling hill after rolling hill full of sunflowers and grapevines. Gavi is in the region of Alessandria, Piedmont and was named after a princess in the middle ages that...

Looking down the rooftops of Arles from the Arles Amphitheatre.

The Jungfrau is one of the main summits of the Bernese Alps, located between the southern canton of Bern and the northern canton of Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch. It's the perfect place for the quintessential Swiss experience. The...

A wonderful opportunity to get out in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness near Cooke City, MT. We spent two days mushing through gorgeous winter landscapes. A great addition to a winter vist to Yellowstone.

Climb the grand baroque staircase and pass the Jesuit church, cross Gundulić Square, and follow the COLD DRINKS WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VIEW signs. Then, yes, walk through the walls. Buža translates to “a hole-in-the-wall,” and a...

With volcanic soil and a subtropical climate, the island of Jeju-do has become a center for tea cultivation. On a quick visit to this island off the southwestern tip of Korea, you are practically obligated (by hotel concierges, taxi drivers,...

Maya Bay is no real secret - Leonardo DiCarprio's The Beach took care of that - but it is still one of the most naturally stunning places on earth. The old Thai longboats that settle in on the beach help add to the atmosphere too. As far as pure...

So clean, so calm, so beautiful. San Miguel may not have world known attractions but what it does have is worth experiencing.

Flying down a dirt road in Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh India we popped over a small hill and came face to face with a Kulwah, a 3 year old male Tiger. For the next few minutes our driver backed up, sometimes at the speed of light,...

A friend and I were walking down the road, lugging our suitcases and looking for our hotel when I glanced up and saw this view. It was one of those moments when I realized how insanely beautiful the Amalfi Coast is, especially in peak summer. The...

Built in the 14th century as a villa for a powerful shogun, Kinkaku-ji temple, commonly referred to as the Golden Pavilion, is an easy bus ride from the main bus terminal in Kyoto. The temple is one of the most popular buildings in...

There are no roads to the small village of Bulnes, located in the Asturias region of northern Spain. To reach the village, locals and wandering visitors must either ride the funicular (cable railway running through the mountain) or hike about an...

This photo shows a local neighborhood "map" in the window of one of my favorite stores anywhere, Metsker Maps in downtown Seattle. "Without geography, we're nowhere," proclaims a bumper sticker from what's been a family-run institution for over...

Bariloche, in gorgeous Argentine Patagonia, is generally known as a winter vacation spot, drawing skiiers and boarders from all around the globe. Still, there's a strong case for visiting in the summer -- the main point in favor being: it looks...

A half-day deliciously well spent...Take a food tour of the Kadikoy market on the Asian side. Foodie Banu Ozden was born in Istanbul, college and a little food industry experience in the USA, and back to Istanbul. She takes small groups on a walk...

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is truly a mystical place, filled with Native American folklore. The Tonkawa people who inhabited the area in the 16th century thought it was special because they thought they saw ghost fires flickering at the top...

If Dubrovnik is the Pearl of the Adriatic then Hvar Town is Mini Pearl. It has everything to offer that Dubrovnik has but on a far smaller scale. Hvar Town is a picturesque little town located on the southwestern coast of Hvar Island. The heart of...

Bali sometimes gets an unfair review as being an overhyped and overly-touristed exotic destination. On the contrary, my husband and I enjoyed our three weeks there immensely. We divided our time between unassuming, coastal Jimbaran and Ubud (of...

The sunrise at Borobudur is one of those magical experiences that makes us spend so much money on travel. The site of the smoking volcano on the horizon, combined with the brilliant hues and Buddhas on the summit of the temple mountain, make this...