Nearly 3,000 years old, Málaga, Spain, on the banks of the Mediterranean, offers an intriguing mix of the ancient and modern.
Images of Phonecians in long tunics and mantles trading goods at the port have given way to happy locals in brightly colored sundresses and espadrilles.
The Phoenicians named it Malaka (meaning salt), but the city is…
World Culture
Emerging from the poor districts of Havana and Matanzas in the 19th century, today rumba is one of Cuba’s most popular art forms. Influenced by African and Spanish traditions of music and dance, its distinctive, syncopated sound requires masterful musicianship and fierce passion from its performers. But, despite being born of marginalisation and oppression, modern…
Some people have all the problems. For example, they live in Paris, not so far from Gare de Nord. They opt to take a night train. Luxurious, fast and totally European. But, they wake up suddenly, only to realise that they're in Venice, not three stops down. Tsk. Such problems. All jokes aside, European rail…
Food fans are aware of where food has gone in the past decade or so. Between blow-torched puddings to accompaniments made of foam, our ancestors wouldn't know what to make of it all.
However, one constant that has always remained with chefs everywhere is the inexhaustible desire to have a Michelin star on the door. This…
Does imposing the death penalty lower rates of violent crime? What economic policies will lead to broad prosperity? Which medical treatments should we allow and encourage to treat novel diseases? These questions have a few things in common.
They bear important consequences for us all, and so policymakers and the public would like to know the…
We periodically write about Wales, the oft-forgotten member of the United Kingdom's family. The country sits in the background, reinventing itself over and over. Once known only for coal and sheep, Wales has been transforming into a destination, as both of those means of putting food on the table are diminishing. The natural path is…
At its heart, Russia is a fabulous place. With so much history, expansive terrain and the sheer diversity of its population, its lure as a place to visit is often obscured by politics and other kinds of maneuvering. When we talk about history, we must remember that the Soviet era is now history, too. And,…
Asia has so many wonders, and so much rich and deep history.
One that is well-known, but not always on at the top of everyone's list is Mount Phou Si in Laos. It is a 100 m high hill in the centre of the old town of Luang Prabang in Laos.
It lies in the heart of…
Chances are, when you think of visiting Europe, you usually will choose France, Italy, Spain or - recently - Croatia. They are the natural choices. But it's likely that you haven't given too much thought to Albania. While not a full member of Europe yet, many Europeans consider it as such. The country is Southeastern…
British author and playwright Patrick Leigh Fermor said of the Peloponnese region of Greece in his novel Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese, “Passing by, you see Mani in three days, walking in three months, and in order to see its soul, you need three lives; one for the sea, one for its mountains and…
Gibraltar, colloquially known as The Rock, (or simply 'Gib'), is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom sitting at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Spain to the north and the people of Gibraltar are ferociously loyal British citizens despite being bilingual in English and Spanish. When you step inside, you'll feel like you're on…
Panama is world-famous for its 48-mile canal that connects the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean. Each year, over a million people visit the canal and are able to witness this engineering marvel at work. Panama is very proud to have this magnificent creation operating 365 days a year, enabling the world's cargo to be…
GEEK ALERT: if you visit this website often, you'll know how much we love technology, especially aircraft. We've recently written that one of the giants (literally) of the skies, the Airbus A380 might be heading off into the sunset, to fly no more. As the world gets smaller and aircraft get better (ie: better fuel…
Many Americans have a way of saying where they live in this format: "Oh, I come from West Irishtown in the upper Cuyahoga Valley" instead of saying "Cleveland." Many non-Americans sometimes get confused with that very specific sentence structure. It's an endearing thing, but it can baffle others. So this article follows that pattern in…
The European Union is a marvelous thing. Twenty seven united countries. Almost as many different languages, customs and levels of advancement. An estimated total population of about 447 million.
One of its main tenets is to make all countries equal, with good social health and freedom for all. Equals among equals. And it does a good job…
Ahhh, New York. The city that never sleeps. But fear not, you won't have any sleeping problems whatsoever when you stay at the Walker Hotel Tribeca. An established hotel for decades, the property has had a complete refresh: clean design, minimalist décor, an excellent location (Tribeca is one of NYC's hippest destinations) and prices that…
Ahh Monaco. Glamour, money, riches, style, more money, stars, even more money . . . and skids marks. What are we talking about? The annual Monaco Grand Prix. International racing in the second smallest country in the world. Drivers come to Monaco from all around the world to battle for to vie for the top…
We here at Matouring have often written about the wonders and the practicalities of rail travel. Much of the world uses it as the default mode of travel. But the United States has still not caught on to this global way-of-life. Like it or not, the United States has a big transportation problem. According to…
Brazil has an undeniable allure for most people: it almost seems electric. But, it is also a vast and highly populated country, which can give some people cause when they think about traveling. But, it doesn't have to be, as this guide from our affiliate friends, Casai, will show you. We start with São Paulo. For…
As of this writing, the past few years have been tumultuous, to say the least. Between pandemics, anger in the streets, despicable political maneuvering and change in almost every country, the world is not the one we that thought we knew. One such event was Brexit. For those not aware, this was an event that…