During the tenth labor of Hercules, which was to retrieve the cattle of Geryon, a fearsome giant, he had to pass through the Atlas Mountains, then thought to be the edge of the known world. Legend has it that instead of scaling the mighty mountain range, Hercules smashed through it with his superhuman strength, creating the Strait of Gibraltar and separating Europe from Africa. The Caves of Hercules are said to be the place where he rested after this heroic act before moving on towards his eleventh labor, i.e., stealing the Apples of the Hesperides.

Tucked along Morocco’s Atlantic coast, Asilah is a town where history, art, and the sea meet in poetic harmony. Its whitewashed walls, accented by bright blue doors and colorful murals, make it one of the most photogenic towns in the country. Originally settled by the Phoenicians as early as 1500 BCE, Asilah has seen a parade of rulers - Romans, Idrisids, Portuguese, and Spaniards - each leaving behind a unique architectural and cultural footprint. The Portuguese built the city’s ramparts in the 15th century, parts of which still encircle the medina today. In the 20th century, Moroccan authorities restored the medina, making it one of the cleanest and best-preserved in the country.

Chefchaouen, dubbed as the ‘Blue City of Morocco,’ is a picturesque town nestled in the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco. It is a haven for photographers, artists, and seekers of serenity. What truly sets it apart is its iconic blue palette. Painted in calming shades of sky, azure, and indigo, the town’s medina is a maze of narrow alleyways, staircases, and doorways drenched in layers of blue. With a slow pace, friendly locals, artisanal handicrafts, and unmatched scenery, Chefchaouen is more than a destination - it’s an experience carved in cobalt and tranquility.

For photographers, The Hague is a treasure trove of visuals - from moody canals and Gothic buildings to beachside sunsets and cosmopolitan street scenes. This article will take you on a visual journey through the most Instagrammable spots across the city, including both its old-world elegance and contemporary edge. Whether you’re a street photographer, architecture lover, or casual Instagrammer, The Hague has the perfect shot waiting for you at every turn!

Tucked along the windswept coast of Normandy in northern France, Étretat is a small seaside town famous for its dramatic white chalk cliffs and natural rock arches sculpted by the sea. Once a quiet fishing village, Étretat blossomed in the 19th century as a fashionable beach resort, attracting writers, artists, and Parisian elites. Its raw beauty, combined with the serenity of the sea and sky, has inspired generations. Étretat was immortalized by the French Impressionist painter Claude Monet through innumerable paintings of the town’s striking cliffs. Today, Étretat stands as a jewel of Normandy - a place where cliffs meet canvas, and history lives in the landscape.

The Dutch have a knack for throwing a good party. The nation celebrates everything life has to offer with an amazing number of festivals every year. There is an event to suit every taste and mood, whether you enjoy music, art, or cuisine!

The multicultural Qatari capital Doha is dubbed as the Pearl of the Middle East where the old and the new coexist. Being a city steeped in culture, tradition, and heritage, it is home to some of the most striking museums, galleries, and public art projects in the region. Traditional dhows (wooden cargo boats) bob on the water, palace guards still ride camels to patrol the streets, and in the city's century-old souk, traditional fabrics, fragrances, and even falcons are on sale. That my friends, is Doha for you!

Located in the Middle East at the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, the thriving nation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a federal, elective monarchy made up of seven emirates (autonomous city-states) namely Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah, and Fujairah. In addition to marine boundaries in the Persian Gulf with Qatar and Iran, as well as with Oman in the Gulf of Oman, it shares land borders with Oman to the east and northwest and with Saudi Arabia to the southwest. The largest of the seven emirates, Abu Dhabi is the capital of UAE, and the most populous port city of Dubai is an international financial and commercial hub housing hundreds of global companies in a forest of skyscrapers.

The lavender fields in Provence are among the most well-known in the world. Every year between mid-June and mid-August, when the Provence lavender fields begin to take on their distinctive purple tint, and the countryside gets inundated by their sight and scent, it reminds us that even when life is about to come to a standstill at the whim of the sun's powerful rays, the earth can still ripen, that there can be joy amidst misery. And that, my friends, is not a sight to be missed! Today I’m going to take you along with me on a ride across the best lavender fields of Provence. Let the journey begin!

Summers in the Netherlands can be a genuine celebration with the sun, sea, beach, festivals, music, overnight stays, lovely pavement cafés, delectable food, and fine wine! The longest day of the year, or the Summer Solstice, which occurs on June 21, marks the beginning of summer, according to the astronomical calendar. June, July, and August are regarded as the summer months by meteorologists. As a result of its maritime climate, which is influenced by the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, the Netherlands experiences a variety of weather conditions throughout the summer, including a few hot days with temperatures considerably over the 25-degree threshold.

Tuscany in central Italy is not only one of the most well-known regions of the country, but it's also unquestionably one of the most picturesque travel destinations in all of Europe. A few of the attractions that make a trip to Tuscany unforgettable include the fascinating hilly landscapes, pine forests, cypress avenues, rolling hilltop vineyards, golden yellow fields, olive groves, idyllic medieval villages, an immeasurable wealth of art treasures, authentic cuisines, and locally brewed wines. In addition, it is regarded as one of the most significant Renaissance cultural landscapes, having numerous sites and attractions on the UNESCO World Heritage List. No wonder photographers from all over the world come to Tuscany to shoot the best photos of their lifetimes!

Today I’m going to tell you a summer story. An epic summer story of a 6000 km road run across Milan, Tuscan villages, Florence, Pisa, San Marino, and towns on Lake Como, from the Netherlands.

Being a maritime country with a 450 km coastline, the Netherlands is famous for its beautiful beaches. Since the Netherlands has a lesser number of sunny days in the year, with the arrival of the summer, beachgoers, wildlife lovers, and watersports enthusiasts visit the splendid Dutch coastal towns to enjoy some fresh air on the beach, have a drink at a beach club, take a stroll down the promenade or through the dunes, watch the seagulls steal french fries from a scared couple, or ride the giant waves on a windy day!

Being Dutch citizens ourselves living in the Netherlands since 2013, and having traveled to 100+ cities, towns, and villages across all the 12 provinces of the country, we’ve discovered many hidden treasures that are not featured in any travel brochures or websites, and many of our Dutch friends aren’t even aware of them, making them perfect for crowd-weary travelers.

Being Dutch citizens ourselves living in the Netherlands since 2013, and having traveled to 100+ cities, towns, and villages across all the 12 provinces of the country, discovering many hidden treasures on the way that are not featured in any travel brochures or websites, I can safely proclaim that we’ve seen this country more than many of the locals.

Today I’m going to tell you a summer story. An epic summer story of an 8000 km road run across Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia from the Netherlands.

The Moselle Valley region offers families the opportunity to vacation by the Moselle, spend time with their families, have fun, be active, and learn new things right from a child-friendly guided tour of the Cochem Castle, the Reichsburg, to a ride on the chair lift up to the Pinnerkreuz, the fantastic viewpoint above the small town of Cochem, from where it's not far to hike to the Klotten Game and Leisure Park, which, among other things, has a large enclosure with wild animals, to a must-do boat ride from Cochem to Beilstein, that will leave you awestruck! So based on our personal experience, today I’m going to share with you the tips and tricks on how to get the most of this amazing piece of creation named the ‘Moselle Valley’ over a weekend with your family. Let the journey begin!

For most travelers, Black Forest is just about Cuckoo Clocks, Triberg Waterfalls, Lake Titisee, or big cities like Baden Baden, Heidelberg, Freiburg, and Feldberg, where you will find most of the crowd. But that surely is anything but the real ‘Schwarzwald.’ Experiencing the real Black Forest is by driving through dense and dark stretches of woodlands, serpentine climbing mountainous roads, lush green valleys, postcard-perfect villages while expecting to run across a wicked witch or huntsman, taking a break to pluck a few apples from the orchards, tasting wine while driving across the vineyard trails, or stopping the car in the middle of nowhere when you spot a deer.

When it comes to over 90% of Norway, rugged is an understatement. This was one of the primary motivations for the Vikings’ journey south, and many Norwegians chose to depart and settle in the United States. However, with millions of tourists visiting each year, the west coast of Norway, which is endowed with breathtaking mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, fjords, and the sea, has resurrected its former splendor. And why are they flocking to Norway, despite the fact that it is one of the most costly locations in the world? A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

The Algarve, Portugal's southernmost coast, is renowned for its jaw-dropping cliffs, golden sands, scalloped bays, and sandy islands. But the Algarve's narrative doesn't finish with "sun, surf, and sand"; there are plenty of other attractions, including activities, beach bars (and discos), sand castles, diving, entertainment, and fun. Portugal's top vacation spot sold its soul to tourism in the 1960s when it turned the whitewashed fishing villages perched on low cliffs overlooking sandy coves into vast conglomerations that ranged from uninspiring vacation homes to brash resorts that now line the country's central coast between Lagos and Faro.

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, the second-oldest capital (after Athens) in Europe, and the westernmost capital city in continental Europe is situated on the estuary of the Tagus (Tejo) River and serves as the nation's principal port, largest city, and commercial, political, and tourism hub. The name of the city, which is a variant of the old Olisipo (Ulyssipo), has been linked to three people: Ulysses (Odysseus), the hero of Homer's Odyssey; Elisha, who is said to be the grandson of the Hebrew patriarch Abraham; and, more plausibly, Phoenician colonists.

The Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska) in Montenegro carves a deep gorge into the southern Adriatic coast of former Yugoslavia, forming four magnificent bays surrounded by mountains, often referred to as Europe’s southernmost fjords - the ‘Mediterranean fjords.’ Situated amidst these fjords, the towns of Perast and Kotor are a crossroads of land and sea, a natural contrast of stone and water, a dialogue of island and wave, sometimes in peace, but more often in conflict, and a melting pot of tradition and history. Today I’m going to take you along with me on a ride across the 11 best things to see and do in the Bay of Kotor. Let the journey begin!

Dubrovnik is unquestionably and unmistakably the crown jewel of Croatia's mesmerizing coastal medieval cities. That is why Dubrovnik has been used as a gorgeous backdrop in films such as "Game of Thrones," "Star Wars," and "Pirates of the Caribbean." Dubrovnik, sometimes known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic," is truly magical. Whether you're here for the first time or the hundredth, the grandeur of the ancient town never fails to inspire amazement.

Barcelona, Catalonia's dynamic capital, is a gorgeous seaside city known for its alluring cultural attractions, legendary architecture, world-class dining scene, and Mediterranean sunny lifestyle. Where colossal temple columns, historic city walls, and subterranean stone passages provide a peek into Roman-era Barcino, the Gothic quarter's gloomy streets, past peaceful plazas, and majestic 14th-century cathedrals transport you to the Middle Ages, and the mix of inventive and quirky wonders of Modernisme, by Gaudi and his Catalan architectural colleagues mesmerize you. Where a jog, a bike ride, or a long leisurely stroll along the seaside, followed by a refreshing dip, against a backdrop of sun-drenched beaches makes your day complete. Where flamenco's rapid-fire rhythms, brassy jazz spilling out of cellars, and hands-in-the-air indie-rock at old concert halls make your night.

Attica is a historical region in east-central Greece comprising Athens, the capital of Greece, and its countryside, that has acted as the seat of Greek civilization for ages and held a very important position in Classical history. Geographically, it is a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Aegean Sea, with the rest of the continent to the north. Although Athens and its suburbs occupy the majority of the area, it also features sparsely inhabited communities, particularly along the boundaries. Archaeological sites, highland villages, seaside towns, and numerous beaches can all be found in Attica.

Even before you've ever visited Santorini, it's possible that it has already conquered a corner of your imagination. The island looks like a giant slab of layered cake resting in the middle of the indigo Aegean, with multicolored cliffs soaring over 300m from a sea-drowned caldera, sapphire waters of the Aegean Sea, and gleaming snow-drift of white Cycladic houses topped with half-spheres the color of a stormy sky. The reflections on the buildings and the glow of the orange and red on the cliffs appear tinged with every color of an artist's pallet as the sun sets.