Florida is the southernmost state on the USA mainland. Known as "The Sunshine State", it became a popular winter destination for the well-to-do from colder climates over a century ago, as well as the center for citrus production in North America. Its roots in agriculture are still present, with tropical fruits being a chief export.…
Scandinavia or, more broadly, the Nordic countries, is a European region north of the Baltic Sea. At almost 1.2 million square kilometres (463,000 square miles) it is the largest region in Europe, but home to only around 24 million people, accounting for a mere 4% of the population. Scandinavia consists of Denmark, Sweden and Norway.…
France, officially the French Republic (French: République française), is a country with which almost every traveller has a relationship. Many dream of its joie de vivre shown by the countless restaurants, picturesque villages and world-famous gastronomy. Some come to follow the trail of France's great philosophers, writers and artists, or to immerse in the beautiful…
Aruba is a Caribbean island 15 miles north of the coast of Venezuela, and is one of the four "countries" that together form the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is 30 km (19.6 miles) long and 9 km (6 miles) across at its widest point giving it an area of approximately 70 mi² (184 km²). This flat island with…
About World Central Kitchen From chef José Andrés Almost ten years ago, my wife Patricia and I had a big dream to start World Central Kitchen. We envisioned an organization that would create smart solutions to hunger and poverty, and for many years we saw an amazing impact through our clean cookstoves initiative, culinary training…
Colombia - Twice the size of France, and with a diversity of landscapes and cultures that would be hard to find even in countries five times its size, Colombia should by all rights be one of the world's top travel destinations. Pick a climate, and it's yours—if you find the light jacket weather of Bogotá…
Inspired by its sister index, the European Consumer Airport Index, we looked at Europe’s 50 largest railway stations and ranked them in terms of passengers experience, ranked according to a mix of factors ranging from how crowded platforms are and accessibility to the number of destinations and cleanliness.
Note - as of 1-Dec-2020, travel restrictions are in place for Brazilian travel. Brazil (Portuguese: Brasil) is the largest country in South America and fifth largest in the world. Famous for its football (soccer) tradition and its annual Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife and Olinda. It is a country of great diversity, from…
Cuba is the largest Caribbean island, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. It lies 145km (90 miles) south of Key West, Florida, between the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas, to the west of Haiti, east of Mexico and northwest of Jamaica. Understand Cuba became a U.S. protectorate in 1898 after American and…
Secular meets sacred. Writer Keith Flanagan Recently, abandoned churches have had an unlikely saviour: the hotelier. Sure, it may not seem like a match made in heaven—sacred spaces serve a higher purpose, while hotels are hedonistic by design—but the typical church architecture of an open layout, vaulted ceilings, and walls of stained glass offers a distinct…
Bolivia is a beautiful, geographically diverse, multiethnic, and democratic country in the heart of South America. It is surrounded by Brazil to the northeast, Peru to the northwest, Chile to the southwest, Argentina and Paraguay to the south. It shares with Peru control of Lake Titicaca (Lago Titicaca), the world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805m).…
Nevada is an arid state of the USA, lying between California and Utah. Most of the state is within the Great Basin, but parts of the northeast drain into the Snake River and the the southern portion is within the Mojave desert and the Colorado River. Please note that while many outsiders pronounce the state's…
Italy (Italian: Italia) is a country in Southern Europe. Together with Greece, it is acknowledged as the birthplace of Western culture. Not surprisingly, it is also home to the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. High art and monuments are to be found everywhere around the country. It is also famous…
Switzerland (German: Schweiz, French: Suisse, Italian: Svizzera, Romansch: Svizra, Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It has borders with France to the west, Italy to the south, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east and Germany to the north. The climate is temperate, but varies with altitude. Switzerland has cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy…
Nestled between the Caribbean, the South Pacific, and the South Atlantic Oceans, South America is the wilder of the Americas, and a continent of superlatives. The world's biggest rainforest and the largest river (Amazon), the highest mountain range outside Asia (the Andes), remote islands (Galapagos Islands, Easter Island and Fernando de Noronha), heavenly beaches (such…
When the holiday travel season approaches, many Americans head to airports to get to their destinations. Whether it's traveling to see family or heading to a tropical location to escape the chilly weather (and maybe family as well), no one wants to deal with problems and delays once they're at the airport. So what are…
Alaska is the 49th and largest state in the United States of America. Separated from the rest of the country, (the “lower 48”), by Canada, Alaska lies on the Arctic Circle. It is still the least densely populated state in the union and for a long time was home to the lowest population. America’s final…
People all around the world just love Europe. With so many countries, and their individual styles and personalities, it's hard not to be drawn in. But, as in many places in the world, Europe is starting to creak with the sheer number of tourists annually - an impressive 6% growth in 2018 - and sometimes…
Spain (Spanish: España) is a diverse country sharing the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the country with the third-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, after Italy and China. Spain is considered an exotic country in Europe due to its friendly inhabitants, relaxed lifestyle, its cuisine, vibrant…
Portugal shares the Iberian peninsula at the south-western tip of Europe with Spain. Geographically and culturally somewhat isolated from its neighbour, Portugal has a rich, unique culture, lively cities and beautiful countryside. Although it was once one of the poorest countries in Western Europe, the end of dictatorship and introduction of Democracy in 1974, as well…