We love Europe - that's no surprise to anyone who visits our site. The variety, the history, the diversity and the beauty.
But not always the latter. Even stylish Europe has its exceptions. In this case, Belgium is the culprit. You might see a Belgian house and scratch your head and mumble "why?"
Well, someone has risen…
Many of us have learned, over the years, that Christopher Columbus (real name Cristoforo Colombo) discovered North America in 1492 - way before McDonald's was founded.
But, we now know that half a millennium before Columbus crossed the Atlantic, the Vikings reached the “New World”, as the remains of timber buildings at L’Anse aux Meadows on…
Just look at that. Landscapes don’t get more dramatic than the towering rock formations of Guilin, southern China’s most astonishing natural phenomena. And in the shadows of those giant alien mountains you’ll find something much smaller but almost as dazzling – a hotel. And not just any old hotel: a true design marvel loaded with…
Our affiliate friends easyJet is launching an initiative to inspire younger generations to get thinking about sustainable air travel by designing a zero-emission passenger plane The airline is partnering with world-leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus, zero-emission technology start-up Wright Electric, and world-renowned designer Frank Stephenson, known for his recent innovative work on designs for electric flying…
In this time of uncertainty and - sometimes - guilt about traveling, you can never go wrong if your destination is Europe's Nordic countries - in this case, Denmark and our new affiliate friends, Dancenter. The people of the north have a long history of taking care of their health, and - in this day…
If you're a history afficianado, you'll probably know lots about your chosen area of focus. Some of us focus on cities, whereas others focus on historic individuals or campaigns. No matter your preference, history is fascinating, especially as you learn more and put the pieces together. History makes us who we are. The video, below,…
To many, Russia is an alluring, slightly foreboding dream destination. Perhaps too many films make the wrong impression of the country, but the pull to visit there is strong, and for good reason. One romantic option for travel in Russia is possibility of riding the historic and pricey Trans-Siberian Express from Venice to Moscow -…
We here at Matouring love the UK. One aspect of the land is the sheer amount and breadth of its history. (We have plenty of articles here on our site which you can peruse and enjoy. But, just because its history stretches back thousands of years doesn't mean that it's mired in the past. Hardly. …
...we're not sure, but we don't think so. But it does actually have a load of museums. And they give culture-rich places like Austin a run for their money. And is it really that surprising? This city not only has a fascinating history, it’s also a hub for otherworldly pursuits like innovative fashion, some of…
Concorde was the world’s most iconic airliner and one of the most technically ambitious projects in aviation history. Billions were spent on its development over a span of more than a decade. When the Concorde program was launched, it was to be the next giant leap forward in air travel. Many believed that mass supersonic…
You'd better get busy . . . Where more than half the country is forest, saunas have a 4,000-year history, and the world’s largest choral festival happens every five years... Welcome to Estonia. Often underestimated as being a small Baltic country sandwiched between Scandinavia and Russia, Estonia is undoubtedly so much more than that. Read more…
A book has got smell. A new book smells great. An old book smells even better. An old book smells like ancient Egypt. Ray Bradbury But a new Egypt is even better, and it is getting better every day, indeed, especially when it comes to new architecture. Contemporary Egyptian architecture draws from a rich history.…
To some, the southern United States can still be a mystery. Home of some turbulence over the decades, but also a place of history, style and undeniable charm, It is a place you should visit at least once in your life. Our affiliate friends, the UK's Titan Travel, have just posted a new guided tour…
We're optimists here at Matouring. We always look on the bright side. We cheer the winners and applaud those who don't quite make it. The thing is, they tried - and that's what counts. In another of our series of failed ventures, we present to you Consonno. As their site states - " The history…
Machine-written literature might offend your tastes but until the dawn of Romanticism most writers were just as formulaic. Since its inception in 2015, the research laboratory OpenAI – an Elon Musk-backed initiative that seeks to build human-friendly artificial intelligence – has developed a series of powerful ‘language models’, the latest being GPT-3 (third-generation Generative Pre-trained…
With a rich pre-Colombian history, Ecuador's capital was founded on the ruins of an Incan city but offers everything a modern traveller might need.
It remains the least-altered historic centre in Latin America and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quito’s important sites include baroque gems like San Francisco and Santo Domingo monasteries, as…
Europeans generally like being with each other, visiting each other's countries, and sharing all that it means to be European.
But, as you know, it wasn't always like this. There were headlong battles over land, domains and royalty. These conflicts left scars.
But it isn't what you may think. In fact, there is a day in August…
We would imagine that many of us were educated in more or less the same ways, using the same topics and walking away from it with ever-lasting notions about what history was all about. We've moved on in our knowledge, of course, and every day bring a new enlightenment. Modern science and technology are turning…
History is a "funny" old thing. Like tunics tumbling in a dryer, around and around the dynasties come and go. And, of course, sometimes they just melt into one another and no-one really remembers what it once was like.
At one of the most important places on earth sits Istanbul, Turkey. It still has a sharp…
If you're a history fan, you've likely heard of Tollund Man. On May 8, 1950 the police in Silkeborg, Denmark received an alarming message. During a peat digging 2 days earlier a body had been discovered in a bog close to Bjældskovdal, an area located approximately 10 kilometers west of Silkeborg. The finders believed they…