Climate and tourism advices right now? The Roman city of Jerash, 49km (30mi) north of Amman, retains its grandeur even in ruins, with ceremonial gates, colonnaded streets and theatres. The Temple of Artemis is one of the most striking sights with its stately Corinthian columns that would once have dominated the city from its hilltop setting. It was built between 150 and 170 CE and dedicated to Artemis, the revered goddess of hunting and fertility. Keep your eyes down in this 19th-century Greek Orthodox church, where the oldest known map of the Holy Land is assembled on the floor with more than a million mosaic pieces. The map was constructed in the 6th century CE and was originally between 15 and 25m (49 and 82ft) wide, made of more than two million pieces. Less than a third has survived but this artistic masterpiece is still a remarkable sight to behold. Find extra details at https://www.defineplaces.com/.
Built in 1565 by the Saadians, the Medersa (madrassa – Islamic school of learning) of Ben Youssef is the largest theological college in Morocco. The warrens of rooms (with student cells that once were home to 900 pupils) are clustered around small internal courtyards in typical Islamic architecture style, but the main internal courtyard is the real highlight here. The fine zellige tiling, stalactite ceilings, cedar-wood detailing, and Kufic inscriptions used as decoration across the courtyard’s interior make this medersa one of Morocco’s most beautiful buildings and a star medina attraction.
Dubai Creek separates the city into two towns, with Deira to the north and Bur Dubai to the south. The creek has been an influential element in the city’s growth, first attracting settlers here to fish and pearl dive. Small villages grew up alongside the creek as far back as 4,000 years ago, while the modern era began in the 1830s when the Bani Yas tribe settled in the area. The Dhow Wharfage is located along Dubai Creek’s bank, north of Al-Maktoum Bridge. Still used by small traders from across the Gulf, some of the dhows anchored here are well over 100 years old. You can visit here, watching cargo being loaded and unloaded on and off the dhows. Dhow workers often invite visitors onto the vessels for a tour, where you can gain insight into the life of these traditional sailors. Many of the dhows here travel onward to Kuwait, Iran, Oman, India, and down to Africa’s horn. This tiny remnant of Dubai’s traditional economy is still a bustling and fascinating place to wander around.
Mondello is an overgrown fishing village flipped into a 19th-century Liberty resort for Palermo’s elite. Imagine Nice, served with a frutti di mare side. A wide arc of beach is backed by more foodie treats. Like mobile carts selling lemon granitas and arancina (fried rice balls). Alicudi is the Sicilian island that Instagram forgot. Irregular ferries and passing yachts call ciaoto the island’s 100 inhabitants. Islanders share a pastoral diet of wild figs and prickly pears served alongside a sustainable daily catch. That’s good news, because this tiny island has no shops, no ATM and no problems.
Wine Tours are among the most popular activities in Santorini. The island is renowned for its excellent white wines, known as some of the best in Greece. You can visit many vineyards (known for being the oldest in the world!) on the island, and taste the best wines. If you’re interested in Santorini’s History, the ancient site of Akrotiri is one of the island’s best place to visit. This archaeological site is often compared to Pompeii, in Italy. Akrotiri is an ancient Minoan city destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 1,613 B.C. It was only rediscovered in 1967 during an archaeological excavation. The site is one of the most important in the Aegean Sea. The archaeological excavations are still on going in this very large site. Many remains are probably still undiscovered! In Akrotiri, wooden footbridges allow you to walk in the city. There, you will admire the ancient buildings, the streets and many ceramics. Unlike Pompeii, the city of Akrotiri was uninhabited when the eruption occurred, as no human remains or valuable objects were found on the site. What happened to these people? No one knows yet if they moved elsewhere on the island, or sailed to Crete.
Last on our list of the best things to do in Panama City is another attraction that gets you out of the city without actually leaving. In fact, Metropolitan National Park in Panama City is the only protected national park located within a city’s limits in Central America. The park is filled with great hiking trails and you can see an array of wildlife including monkeys, sloths, and birds. The wildlife isn’t as present as other parks and you do have to spend some time searching for them, but they are there is you’re patient enough. To get to Metropolitan National Park, simply jump in an Uber and get dropped at the visitor center within the park and head off and explore. During my visit, I hiked all the trails and it took just over 3 hours at a steady but enjoyable pace. Be sure to hike the Mirador Cerro Cedro trail, from there you get magnificent views of the city.