Travel and culture news by DefinePlaces? The Middle East’s most easygoing country, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, better known simply as Jordan, has attracted travellers since ancient times. Today, the nation draws over four million visitors each year to its vast desert landscapes, welcoming cities and the extraordinary Dead Sea. Don’t miss these must-visit attractions, including Wadi Rum, The Temple of Hercules and more. Want to experience Jordan without the hassle of having to think about every detail? Join Culture Trip’s epic nine-day trip to ensure you spend more time exploring, and zero time planning. Read extra info at Define Places.
This large square at the entry to the medina is the center of Marrakesh life. The Djemaa El Fna (assembly place of the nobodies) is a vibrant hub of bric-a-brac stalls, musicians, storytellers, fortune-tellers, and snake charmers that never seems to rest. Here, the entire spectrum of Moroccan life enfolds before you. If being down among the thrum becomes too much, it’s also easy to escape to one of the many surrounding rooftop cafés and restaurants, where you can survey the crazy scene from above. The Koutoubia Mosque is Marrakesh’s most famous landmark with its striking, 70-meter-tall minaret visible for miles in every direction. Local Marrakesh legend tells that when first built, the muezzin (man who calls the faithful to pray) for this mosque had to be blind, as the minaret was so tall, it overlooked the ruler’s harem. The mosque was built in 1162 and is one of the great achievements of Almohad architecture. Non-Muslims are not allowed into the mosque itself.
Jumeirah Mosque is considered by many to be the most beautiful of Dubai’s mosques. An exact copy of Cairo’s Al-Azhar Mosque, which is eight times its size, the Jumeirah Mosque is a fine example of Islamic architecture. This stone structure is built in the medieval Fatimid tradition, with two minarets that display the subtle details in the stonework. It is particularly attractive in the evening when lit with floodlights. The Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Cultural Understanding (which also runs a program of tours, lectures, Arabic classes, and cultural meals) organizes guided tours of the mosque designed to try to foster a better understanding of the Muslim faith. Tours begin at 10am daily, except Fridays.
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.
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.
If you want to save money you can visit Monkey Island without a tour from Panama City. I had a friend who went with a group and it cost $40 USD per person for the boat ride and taxi there and back. To do so, get a taxi or Uber to Gamboa Marina. You’ll need your taxi driver to wait for you as it’s hard to get a taxi back to the city from here. If you don’t speak Spanish then you’ll struggle with negotiations, but expect to pay around $30 USD per person for a 30-minute tour (depending on group size.) When I mentioned before that doing a tour through Casco Viejo was a must, some people most likely weren’t that excited. I get it, city tours can be boring especially if you’re not into history – that’s where this next tour comes I handy! This food and drink tour through Panama City is a great option for those who find traditional walking tours a little boring. Instead of just talking about Panama City’s history, you’ll also visit some of the best places in Panama City to eat and drink. We sampled craft beer, enjoyed Panamanian coffee and chocolate, and even indulged in some ceviche at a local seafood market. The tour will have you learning, eating, and drinking your way through the most beautiful part of Panama City, and the best part is that you won’t leave hungry! The tour lasts for 2 hours, so it’s short and sweet. In my opinion, if you plan on doing this tour, do it when you first arrive! This way you can revisit the places on the tour as they are amazing!