Climate and tourism news 2022? Jordan’s largest and most compelling Roman site, the ancient city of Jerash is a must for history buffs. It’s now considered one of the best-preserved sites of Roman architecture outside Italy and visitors can take in its public baths, squares and temples. Colonnaded Street is the city’s impressive main road lined with columns on both sides and paved with the original stones still rutted by the wheels of chariots. This vibrant city in the north of Jordan is surrounded by pine forests and built on the site of an ancient market town once visited by Emperor Hadrian. The city is overlooked by the imposing Ajloun Castle, which has stood on a nearby hillside for nearly 1,000 years. Though damaged by earthquakes and attacked by the Mongol, the city remains surprisingly well preserved, with a small museum and impressive views. Find more information at Define Places.
These lush tropical gardens full of cacti, palms, and ferns, are the work of painter Jacques Majorelle. Originally from the town of Nancy in France, Majorelle came to Marrakesh for health reasons and became well known for his paintings of local Moroccan life. His most famous work, though, was this garden and the vibrant blue (the color now known as Majorelle blue) painter’s studio he lived in on the grounds. After Majorelle’s death in 1962, French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent bought the property, and upon his death in 2008, his ashes were scattered in the gardens. Majorelle’s old painting studio is now home to a fabulous museum dedicated to Berber artistry. A museum dedicated to YSL’s life and famed fashion legacy is currently being built on the grounds as well.
Dubai Mall is the city’s premier mall and provides entry to the Burj Khalifa, as well as the Dubai Aquarium. There is also an ice-skating rink, gaming zone, and cinema complex if you’re looking for more entertainment options. The shopping and eating is endless, and there are nearly always special events such as live music and fashion shows within the mall. The most famous of these are the annual Dubai Shopping Festival in January and February and the Dubai Summer Surprises Festival in July and August.
As the largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily promises more sand, sunshine and secret anchorages than almost anywhere else. The Aeolian Islands – seven sub-tropical isles and scores of volcanic specks – are Sicily’s biggest yachting draw. Italian A-listers and humble fisherfolk sail atop crystalline waters suffused with seismic bubbles. Both enjoy platters of seafood spaghetti served on volcanic black-sand beaches. Sail in and join the club. They don’t call the island of Stromboli “the lighthouse of the Mediterranean” for nothing. A puffing volcano stands 924m (3,032ft) above the sea, offering sailors a 24/7 navigation point for the other six Aeolian Islands. Tie up in Stromboli’s mini-marina. Then tuck in. Island cuisine is a fiery mix of volcanically charged chillies and swordfish steaks.
See the ruins of Hellenistic temples and foundations of Roman and early-Byzantine buildings at ancient Thira, located on the southeast coast of Santorini. Ancient Thira dates back to the ninth century BC. Among the ruins, you’ll find religious sites, a theater, a gym for military trainees, and old administrative buildings. Finds from the site are also displayed in the archaeology museum of Fira. Lying close to the upper station of the cable-car in Fira, the small archaeological museum displays finds from Ancient Thira, ranging from the Dorian, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods. Inscriptions dating from the Archaic to the Roman period, clay figurines of animals, and beautiful ceramic pottery are some of the finds exhibited at this museum.
The San Blas Islands are a highlight in Panama! For most people, including myself, it is the reason we ended up in Panama City. For those who don’t know, the San Blas Islands are a group of 378 remote islands off the coast of Panama. The water here is turquoise, the beaches are pearly white, and the coconuts and abundance of sea life make it one of the most beautiful island paradises on earth – and a top attraction in Panama! Visiting the San Blas Islands is most commonly done on a 3 to 4-night adventure from Cartagena in Colombia to Panama City (or vise versa.) This is the best way to see the islands and if you have time I highly recommend it.