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☆ I booked a weeklong trip to a mystery destination. I had a lot of fun, but I'd do a few things differently next time.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Andrea G. Preziotti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The company then sent me a trip proposal, which provided a few clues about the city I'd be traveling to. Related storiesBecause the tour company didn't note the terminal information on the envelope, I had no choice but to open the card in the car, which was underwhelming. Andrea G. PreziottiI also enjoyed the other trips Journee booked for me, including a drive along the countryside to a small village southeast of the city. Andrea G. PreziottiAlthough I enjoyed the group excursions, I worried that I wouldn't have enough time to explore the city on my own. Next time, I would book with a friend and have a more direct conversation with the tour company about having more time for independent exploration.

Persons: —, Booking.com, Andrea G, Preziotti, Journee, hadn't Organizations: Service, Business, Newark Airport, UNESCO, Fado Museum Locations: Newark, Lisbon, Alcântara

☆ Britain's Stonehenge sprayed with paint by environmental protesters
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Tourists visit the Stone Age monument Stonehenge. The Stonehenge stone circle, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, is one of the most famous landmarks in Great Britain. Environmental protesters sprayed paint on Britain's Stonehenge on Wednesday, with footage online showing orange marks covering some of the stones of the world-famous prehistoric megalithic structure. In video released by environmental group Just Stop Oil, two protesters were seen running towards two of Stonehenge's megaliths and spraying paint as another person attempted to stop them. The monument in southern England is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Britain's most visited tourist spots.

Persons: Gogh Organizations: UNESCO, Heritage Locations: Great Britain, England, Britain

☆ How the Christ Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro became the symbol of Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-15 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Perched on the Corcovado – a 2,300-foot-high granite outcrop looming above the city – the Cristo Redentor (Christ Redeemer) statue sweeps its arms out in a warm embrace, welcoming visitors to the city of samba. “It is he who finds me when I arrive in Rio.”For over a century, the statue has been a symbol of Rio de Janeiro. Christ Redeemer bags are his top sellers, tied with those sporting the Sugarloaf Mountain. Deemed one of the seven modern wonders of the world, the Christ Redeemer is Rio’s most visited attraction, says tour guide Cristina Arroio. Maybe that’s the ultimate miracle of the Christ Redeemer.

Persons: ”, Gilson Martins, Michelle Obama, Heitor da Silva Costa, Jesus teetering, Paulo Vidal, it’s, Vidal, Instituto Moreira Salles, Jesus Christ, Da Silva Costa –, –, Carlos Oswald, Paul Landowski, Da Silva Costa, Soapstone, Márcia Braga, Work, IPHAN, It’s, Matthew Stockman, Gilson Martins Braga –, “, Braga, ” Gilson Martins, ’, Emmanuele, Tom Jobin, “ Da, O, que lindo, ” Martins, ’ ”, Francesco Perrotta, Lina Bo Bardi, Corcovado, Mauro Pimentel, Cristina Arroio Organizations: CNN, Instituto, Nacional, Historical, Heritage, UNESCO, “, Guanabara ”, cariocas, Bosch, Getty Locations: Rio de Janeiro, Rio, Brazil, Calvary, Polish, Latin America, steatite, Minas Gerais, Braga, Ipanema, Guanabara, ” Rio de Janeiro, AFP

☆ A popular tourist destination in China has installed toilet timers. Reactions are mixed
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Maggie Wong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Boasting 51,000 statues carved into 252 caves and niches some 1,500 years ago, China’s Yungang Buddhist Grottoes is irrefutably a spectacular attraction. And we aren’t setting a time limit such as five or 10 minutes of how long one could use the toilets.”China’s Yungang Buddhist Grottoes features 51,000 statues carved into 252 caves and niches. “A tourist site isn’t an office – who would spend their time in the toilets? Record-breaking visitor numbersInscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, Yungang Buddhist Grottoes is one of the biggest attractions in northern China’s Shanxi province. And Yungang Buddhist Grottoes has been upgrading more than just its washrooms.

Persons: China’s, “, ” Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Herald, Getty, Nanchang Evening, Weibo, Heritage Locations: Nanchang, China’s Shanxi

☆ Strasbourg for Book Lovers
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( Seth Sherwood | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Attention, bibliophiles: Put Strasbourg, the largest city in eastern France, on your radar. Once home to the godfather of publishing — the 15th-century printing-press pioneer Johannes Gutenberg — the city is the UNESCO World Book Capital for 2024. The annual Fête des Imprimeurs on June 29 and 30 in Place Gutenberg will showcase all of the trades involved in bookmaking, including through interactive workshops. But the UNESCO events aren’t the only reasons to visit. Strasbourg has many spots for the literary-minded that are permanent fixtures, from comic shops and indie book emporiums to historical libraries and antiquarian specialists.

Persons: Johannes Gutenberg, Gustave Doré —, Julie Doucet, Gutenberg Organizations: UNESCO, Capital, Imprimeurs Locations: Strasbourg, France, Quebec, Gutenberg, Mainz, Germany

☆ Surprising, Unsettling, Surreal: Roaming Through Saudi Arabia
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Stephen Hiltner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Stephen Hiltner/The New York TimesThe sculpted facade of a 2,000-year-old tomb glows in the late-afternoon sun at Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Camels march through the desert on the outskirts of the Empty Quarter, the world’s largest sand sea. For many years these Saudi Arabian scenes, including the lively open-air markets in Jeddah, were off limits to most travelers. As it undergoes a profound transformation, Saudi Arabia is spending lavishly to lure tourists with its luxe new resorts ...... its rich cultural heritage ...... and its sublime natural beauty. Can the Saudi government persuade would-be visitors to look past — or reconsider — its longstanding associations with religious extremism, ultraconservatism and human rights abuses?

Persons: Stephen Hiltner Organizations: New York Times, UNESCO Locations: Prophet’s, Medina, Saudi, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

☆ Croatian millennials can't afford to buy homes. The solution — build on top of their parents' place.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-02 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Joshua Zitser/Business InsiderWhen Dascalescu, originally from Romania, moved to Mokošica in 2017 with his Croatian wife, Diana, buying a home in Dubrovnik wasn't financially viable. Now, Dascalescu and Marlais live on their own floor, beneath her brother and his children, who live beneath their parents. Joshua Zitser/Business InsiderThe popularity of this set-up comes down to price, according to a Croatian real-estate expert. AdvertisementPerhaps as a result, many Croatian millennials are stuck living at home well into their mid-30s — the highest average age in Europe. Given the lucrative potential of short-term rentals, Croatian homeowners might also be building rooftop apartments for tourists, to generate extra income, he added.

Persons: —, Bogdan Dascalescu, Dascalescu, Joshua Zitser, Diana Marlais, Diana, Marlais, Bogdan Dascalescu's, Filip Brkan, Brkan, Ivan Vukovic, Nenad Lipovac, Lipovac, there's Organizations: Service, Business, Real Estate Business Association of, Croatian Chamber, Eurostat, UNESCO, University of Zagreb, BI Locations: Dubrovnik, Old Town, Mokošica, Independence, Romania, Croatian, Dubrovnik wasn't, Marlais, Croatia, Europe

☆ I retired at 48 and decided to travel for six months with my husband. Two decades later, we are still traveling.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( Louisa Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewNot long after my 48th birthday, in August 1999, my husband Barry invited me out for a margarita at Compadre's, a Mexican restaurant near our home in Palo Alto. During our drink, he suggested we rent our house and travel for six months. Renting our Palo Alto home wasn't that simple; this was before the era of Airbnb and digital nomads. Our home was still rented when we returned to Palo Alto after ending our period abroad. Happily, we can write in Eureka, Guanajuato, in our camper van, or wherever in the world we happen to be.

Persons: —, Barry, margarita, we're, San Luis Potosí, we'll, We've, we've Organizations: Service, Business, Palo, UNESCO, Heritage, Palo Alto, Primera Plus, France's Hautes Alpes Locations: Compadre's, Mexican, Palo Alto, Silicon Valley, Mexico, Guanajuato, California, Eureka, Northern California, Oregon, Guanajuato's centro, San, British, Scotland, Catalonia, France's Hautes, Brittany, Czech Republic, Ireland, Colombia, Portland, Denver, Cuenca, Ecuador, we're

☆ Safaris aren't the only tourist attraction in Africa. From cruises to wine tasting, here's what else you can do
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Harriet Akinyi | Penny Sadler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Bungy jumping at Soweto Towers, a decommissioned power station in Johannesburg, South Africa. Explore the beachAfrican beach towns combine beauty and culture, in places like Seychelles, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Mozambique, Mauritius, Zanzibar, Ghana, Namibia and Egypt. In addition to being a popular stop for world cruises, East and South Africa have their own ocean cruise routes which follow the coastlines and visit offshore islands. But South Africa is the continent's crown jewel. The wine country of Franschhoek, outside of Cape Town, South Africa.

Persons: Toubkal, there's, Thomas Janisch, Zina Bencheikh, Madagascar's Tsingy, Carlo Morucchio, Kenya's Masai Mara, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Mombasa's, Samir Hussein, Luciemarie Swanepoel, Jeremy Villasis, Peter Unger, Kate Powell, Intrepid's Bencheikh, Kevin Bubolz, Wrenelle Stander, Michele Westmorland Organizations: bungie, Getty, Intrepid Travel, UNESCO, Heritage, Wireimage, Diamonds, Sainte, Cruises, Stone, Queen, Cruise Line, MSC, Continental, Penguin Locations: Africa, Morocco's, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Nyangani, Zimbabwe, Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, Europe, East, Namibia, Victoria Falls, Zambia, Jinja, Uganda, Morocco, Seychelles, Kenya, Mozambique, Mauritius, Zanzibar, Ghana, Egypt, Mombasa, Mombasa's Fort Jesus, Fort Jesus, Kaya, Zanzibar's Stone, Madagascar, Swanepoel, Durban, Cape, Kivu, Silversea, Continental Europe, Middle East, Port, Ethiopia, Wesgro, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Cape Town , South Africa

☆ Vietnam’s vintage 1960s steam locomotives are back on the rails
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Train enthusiasts and history buffs alike will soon have a new Southeast Asian destination to visit, as Vietnam prepares to unveil a revamped pair of vintage steam locomotives from the 1960s. The two Revolution Express locomotives are the last working steam trains in Vietnam, dating from when the country was still a French colony, according to hospitality brand Wafaifo Optimisers, which is managing the project. In recent years, the trains have been slowly restored to working condition using original parts, and crafted by the last remaining steam engineers working for the national railway system. Wafaifo & Revolution ExpressVietnam declared its independence from France on September 2, 1945 – a claim that neither France nor the United States recognized. By 1954, Vietnam signed the Geneva Accords – splitting the country into two halves, the Communist-led north and US-supported south, and kicking off the bloody Vietnam War, which would last nearly two decades.

Persons: Wafaifo Optimisers, Wafaifo, ”, Michael Gebbie Organizations: CNN, Revolution, Lang Co, Indochina Rail Tourist Service, Revolution Express, Geneva Accords, Communist, UNESCO Locations: Vietnam, Da Nang, Hue, Lang, Lang Co, Indochina, Revolution Express Vietnam, France, United States, Saigon, Chi Minh City

☆ The European housing crisis warping millennial life: The average Croatian lives with parents until 33
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

According to Eurostat, the EU statistical office, the average Croatian leaves their parents' home at over 33 years of age, its highest figure. Joshua Zitser/Business InsiderIn the US, almost everyone has moved out by then. Joshua Zitser/Business InsiderWhile tourism brings economic opportunities for Vukovic and many others, he says it has also worsened the already dysfunctional housing market. But in parts of Dubrovnik, Vukovic explained, that's not feasible. Joshua Zitser/Business InsiderFor Josip Crncevic, 34, prices feel far out of reach.

Persons: —, Joshua Zitser, Malohodžić, Ivan Vukovic, Vukovic, Filip Brkan, that's, Josip Crncevic, Crncevic, homeownership, it's, he'd, Marija, Sanja, Angelo, Cikato, Diana Marlais, Bogdan Dascalescu, wouldn't Organizations: Service, Croatian, Business, Eurostat, BI, UNESCO, Heritage, King's, Real Estate Business Association of, Croatian Chamber Locations: Dubrovnik's, Croatia, Dubrovnik, Independence, HBO's, Dubrovnik's suburbs, Marija

☆ No walk-ins allowed: What to know when touring the world’s best wine regions
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Penny Sadler | Erica Lamberg | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Wine touring in the Old WorldFrance Of France's 11 wine regions, Bordeaux, Burgundy (or Bourgogne) and Champagne are the most eminent. The United States California is renowned for wine tasting, though almost every state in the continental U.S. has a wine region or wine tourism area. Visitors can drive between vineyards, bike the Napa Valley Wine Trail, or book a ride on the vintage Napa Valley Wine Train. Barossa is one of the older wine regions in Australia, with some 200 cellar doors within two hours of Adelaide. South Africa South Africa may be considered a new world wine region, but Constantia, a top destination for wine tasting, is centuries old.

Persons: meunier, Chateau Angelus, Viniv Bordeaux, Georges Gobet, Montagne, Kim Kulish, Margaret River, Wine, Joey Estate, River, Groot Organizations: Michelin, Viniv, Afp, Getty, UNESCO, Heritage, Montagne de Reims, Travelers, United, Wine, Sonoma, Australia Wine, Bloomberg Locations: Europe, United States, Australia, South Africa, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Bourgogne, Vin, Chateau, Saint Emilion, France, Champagne, Italy Tuscany, Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Greve, Alba, Piedmont, United States California, Napa Valley, Napa, Texas, Washington , Oregon, Virginia, New York, Yarra, Victoria, Barossa, Adelaide, Perth, Yarra Valley, Melbourne, South Africa South Africa, Constantia, Groot Constantia, South, Cape Town

☆ Japanese store near Mount Fuji issues apology in response to overtourism
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Lawson’s, one of Japan’s largest convenience store chains, has an outpost in the small town of Fujikawaguchiko. Tourists have flooded into Fujikawaguchiko to take one specific picture – a shot of Mount Fuji behind a Lawson’s store, where the mountain’s classic elegance contrasts with the store’s modern neon signage. Although Lawson’s has not encouraged visitors to take pictures of their store, the company nevertheless issued a statement addressing the issue on May 5. Many of them headed to the same destinations, crowding Kyoto’s narrow streets and the walking trails of Mount Fuji. And Lawson’s is not the only Japanese tourist destination that has resorted to putting up signs warning visitors of bad behaviors.

Persons: Fuji –, Lawson’s, Lawson, –, overtourism, Fujikawaguchiko, Semans Organizations: CNN, Fuji, Mount Fuji, ”, Mount, UNESCO Locations: Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi prefecture, –, Japan, Mount, Yamanashi

☆ Watery, Peaceful, Wild: The Call of the Mangroves
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Elisabeth Goodridge | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

It was a sunny afternoon in February at the height of the high season on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, but my partner, Aaren, and I were far from lounging on a white-sand beach, snorkeling over a coral reef or strolling among the Easter-egg-colored buildings of Willemstad, Curaçao’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site — typical activities for travelers to this former Dutch colony. Instead, on a kayak tour with Serlon St Jago, a guide from the Curaçao Rif Mangrove Park, we were learning about the country’s mangrove restoration, and the vital role mangrove habitats play in coastal resilience, protection for marine and bird species, and fighting the effects of climate change.

Persons: Serlon St Jago Organizations: UNESCO Locations: Curaçao, lounging, Willemstad, Dutch

☆ Chinese climbers stuck on cliff for more than an hour due to overcrowding
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Lilit Marcus | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Earlier this week, groups of travelers climbing Yandang Mountain in eastern China were stuck partway up a cliff, clinging to a rope along a fixed climbing route, for more than an hour. Someone like me afraid of heights might just wet myself up there!” wrote one Chinese online commenter. Wenzhou Dingcheng Sports Development Co., Ltd, which manages the via ferrata, said it had underestimated the number of people interested in climbing the mountain. Yandang Mountain is about 410 km (255 miles) south of Shanghai, in Zhejiang province, and is 1150 meters (3,773 feet) high. A popular site for holidaymakers in China, Yandang Mountain was submitted for UNESCO World Heritage site designation in 2001 and remains on the tentative list.

Persons: Everest, rungs, ”, I’m Organizations: CNN, Sports Development Co, Labor, UNESCO Locations: China, Wenzhou, Shanghai, Zhejiang province

☆ Two Men Are Charged Over the Felling of the Sycamore Gap Tree
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Jenny Gross | More About Jenny Gross | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Two men in their 30s were charged on Tuesday in connection with the chopping down last year of the 200-year-old Sycamore Gap tree, which stood in a dip along Hadrian’s Wall in northern England. The beloved sycamore’s mysterious felling, which took place on a stormy September night, led to an outpouring of sorrow, anger and confusion at the senselessness of the act: Why would anyone cut down one of Britain’s most iconic trees? Two men, Daniel Graham, 38, and Adam Carruthers, 31, from Cumbria, England, were charged with damaging both the tree and part of Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, according to the local Northumbria Police. Hadrian’s Wall, about 100 miles southeast of Edinburgh and near England’s border with Scotland, was built by the Roman Army after the emperor Hadrian’s visit to Britain in A.D. 122. “We recognize the strength of feeling in the local community and further afield the felling has caused, however we would remind people to avoid speculation, including online, which could impact the ongoing case,” Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Fenney, the senior office on the case, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Persons: Daniel Graham, Adam Carruthers, Hadrian’s, “, Rebecca Fenney Organizations: UNESCO, Heritage, Northumbria Police, Roman Army Locations: England, Cumbria, Northumbria, Edinburgh, England’s, Scotland, Britain

☆ Mount Fuji: Japanese town putting up eight-foot barrier to block tourist photos
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A picturesque Japanese town is putting up a giant mesh barrier to block a popular selfie spot near Mount Fuji. Fujikawaguchiko, at the foot of the Yoshida Trail to Mount Fuji, has become overrun with foreign tourists trying to get the perfect photo of Japan’s most famous mountain. And now the town has had enough and is putting up the mesh barrier to block the view, a local official told CNN. The town of Fujikawaguchiko is in Yamanashi prefecture, to the north of Fuji and about 62 miles (100 kilometers) west of Tokyo. Many of them head straight to Mount Fuji, an icon of Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage site, leaving garbage and causing erosion along the way.

Persons: Philip Fong, “ Overtourism, Masatake Izumi, – Organizations: CNN, Mount, Getty, UNESCO, CNN Travel, Disney Locations: Mount Fuji, Fujikawaguchiko, AFP, Yamanashi prefecture, Fuji, Tokyo, Japan, Yamanashi, Austrian, Halstatt

☆ The extraordinary ancient secret places hidden under Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Lisa Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Less obviously visible but equally impressive are the historical treasures, some more than 12,000 years old, that can be found underground. Unlike the Basilica, this underground chamber was completely forgotten about until less than 15 years ago. Other than locals herding their livestock through the ruins of a garrison city dating to the 6th century, few people went there. Now, the site has given up numerous treasures including rock-cut tombs, an olive processing workshop and a series of underground cisterns. Yeraltı, literally meaning underground, was originally a dungeon in the basement of a fort built by the Byzantines in the 8th century CE.

Persons: James Bond, Theodosius II, Theodosius, Derinkuyu, tufa, émigrés, Han, Rümeli Han, Sarıcazade Ragıp Pasha, Sultan Abdülhamid II’s, Sancaklar, Göbeklitepe, Yeraltı, –, Fatih Sultan Mehmet, Grand Vizier Bahir Mustafa Paşa, dervish Organizations: CNN, Love, UNESCO, Şanlıurfa Archaeology Locations: Turkey, Europe, Asia, Russia, Faith, Istanbul, Constantinople, Fatih, Belgrade Forest, Valens, Dara, Mardin, Nevşehir, Cappadocia, Derinkuyu, Taksim, stairwells, Sancaklar, Büyükçekmece, Mecca, Göbeklitepe, everyone’s, Şanlıurfa, Karaköy, Yeraltı, Ottoman, Grand

☆ The beautiful African paradise islands that most tourists don’t know about
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Joe Yogerst | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —A couple of African paradise islands have been on the radar of avid world travelers for some time. Shellfish Bay on the island’s windward side shelters one of East Africa’s most spectacular beaches, a crescent of white sand framed by 100-meter dunes. Bazaruto Island Resort, the island’s top digs, can arrange scuba diving and snorkeling, sailing on traditional dhow boats, guided 4x4 wildlife safaris, sandboarding on the dunes and other outdoor activities. Lamu’s best beaches are on the island’s windward side, around a 30–40-minute walk via Shela village. — and an ancient stone nilometer for measuring the river’s water level — reflect the island’s importance during pharaonic times.

Persons: São Filipe, Denis, Ponta, Ariadne Van Zandbergen, Dar es Organizations: CNN, Ethiopian Airways, oneworld, Getty, UNESCO, Heritage, Cabo Verde Airlines, Overseas, Paris Orly, Animalia Museum, Egypt, Vogue, Reserve, Dar es Salam Locations: Mauritius, Seychelles, Canary, Africa, Madagascar, Addis Ababa, Bazaruto, Mozambique, East, sandboarding, Johannesburg, Vilanculos, Lamu, Kenya, Manda, Malindi, Nairobi, JamboJet, Fogo, Cape Verde, Cabo Verde, West Africa, Pico, Verde’s, Praia, Overseas Territory, Réunion, French Caribbean, L’Hermitage, Saint, Paris, Antananarivo, Elephantine, Egypt, Aswan, Bissagos, Guinea, Bissau, Bubaque, Pemba, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Tanga, Dar, FlightLink

☆ Cambodia says YouTubers are tormenting monkeys for clicks, and it plans to punish them
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

YouTubers are abusing monkeys at the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, authorities said. The group overseeing the archeological site is prepared to take legal action, a spokesperson added. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAuthorities in Cambodia say YouTubers are tormenting monkeys at the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, and that they're prepared to take action against the worst offenders.

Persons: —, they're Organizations: Angkor UNESCO, Heritage, Associated Press, Service, Authorities, YouTube, Business Locations: Cambodia

☆ In Kyoto, Five Hotels to Add to Your Travel Wish List
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( John Wogan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Andre Fu, the interior designer behind hotels like the Upper House in Hong Kong and Villa La Coste in Aix-en-Provence, France, has infused his signature aesthetic (extravagantly refined, with warm woods and luxurious textures) within the confines of a particularly historic area of Kyoto. The 161-room Mitsui, opened in late 2020, sits across from Nijo Castle, an enormous 17th-century compound and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s in stark contrast to the hotel, whose only timeworn element is an imposing entrance gate — a traditional wood structure over 300 years old and a remnant of the days when the Mitsui family lived on the grounds. Once past the gate, you’ll find a glass-and-steel building, designed by the Japanese architect Akira Kuryu, and landscaping that’s meant to echo the original garden pathways of the Mitsui residence, planted with cherry trees and steppingstones that meander above a glassy pond. Rooms from about $1,360 a night.

Persons: Andre Fu, Villa, Mitsui, Akira Kuryu, Tetsuya Asano Organizations: Villa La Coste, Mitsui, UNESCO, Ritz Paris Locations: Hong Kong, Aix, Provence, France, Kyoto, Nijo

☆ Garisenda Tower: Italy races to stop leaning tower from collapsing
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Sharon Braithwaite | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The 48-meter (158 feet) Garisenda tower was built in the 12th century, during a boom period of the northern city’s history, but two centuries later it had already begun to tilt. Today, it leans at an angle of four degrees, just a little more than the Pisa tower’s current 3.9-degree slant. A rendering showing how the equipment from the Tower of Pisa will be used on the Garisenda tower. Michele Lapini/Getty ImagesWhile less well known than its counterpart at Pisa, the Torre Garisenda has long been a tourist attraction in Bologna. Today the bell tower is a stable monument mainly thanks to those steel pylons which will hopefully give the Garisenda tower a second life.

Persons: CNN — It’s, Matteo Lepore, ” Lepore, Lepori, Michele Lapini, Torre Garisenda, Dante Aligher’s, Asinelli Organizations: CNN, Torre, Pisa tower’s, Bologna Bologna’s, “, UNESCO Locations: Bologna, Pisa, Garisenda

☆ Barcelona’s famous Sagrada Familia will finally be completed in 2026
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona will finally be finished in 2026, more than 140 years after construction started, officials have confirmed. “The Chapel of the Assumption is expected to be finished in 2025 and the tower of Jesus Christ, in 2026,” the Sagrada Familia said in a statement announcing the publication of its 2023 annual report. When complete, the Sagrada Familia will become the world’s tallest church, overtaking Ulm Minster in Germany. The Sagrada Familia pictured in 1940 Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesWhen Gaudí died in 1926, only an estimated 10%-15% of the project had been built, including one transept, a crypt and some of the apse wall. The construction of the church was carried out illegally for 137 years, until 2019, when a building permit was finally issued by Barcelona’s city council.

Persons: Jesus Christ, Christophe Simon, Antoni Gaudí, Virgin Mary, Jesus, Gaudí, Pope Benedict XVI Organizations: CNN, Assumption, Getty, Ulm Minster, Construction, Spanish, UNESCO, Authorities Locations: Barcelona, AFP, Ulm, Germany, Catalan, Barcelona’s

☆ The genius Roman creations that still amaze us today
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Guy Kesteven | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

That’s because Roman passions for outrageous, oversized architecture went hand in hand with detailed record-keeping and relentless imperial PR. We should warn you that the lines to get in now are likely even longer than the Roman ones though. While it was forgotten for over 1,000 years, this UNESCO World Heritage site now gets over 2,500,000 visitors a year. Mahmud Turkia/AFP/Getty ImagesWhat: Spectacularly preserved Roman portWhere: Libyan coastWhoa: Seeing is still not believingThe undoubted winner of the “most incredible Roman site you’ve never heard of” award is Lepcis Magna. That’s made this dramatic structure a designated UNESCO World Heritage site and well worth a visit on any Roman road trip across Europe.

Persons: Genghis, Marco Cantile, Volcanically, Pliny, hadn’t, That’s, Pont du, Pont, it’s, Mahmud Turkia, you’ve, Magna, Septimus Severus, “, Emperor Augustus, Tiberius, Domitian, Nero, Maximus, Don’t, Augustus, Vindolanda, Hadrian, Antonine, Aphrodisia, Caracalla, Caracalla aren’t, Diocletian, Guy Kesteven, Sarah, Freya Organizations: CNN, Scottish Borders, UNESCO, Heritage, Lepcis Magna, Getty, Coliseum, YouTube, Royal Holloway University Locations: Rome, Africa, Scottish, Italy, Herculaneum, Naples, Mount, Gardon, France, AFP, Libyan, Libya, Palatine Hill, Trier, Germany, Europe, England, Roman, Scotland, Anatolia, Turkey, Aphrodisia, Caracalla

☆ ‘World’s oldest bread,’ dating back 8,600 years, discovered in Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Amarachi Orie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Archeologists in Turkey say they have discovered the world’s oldest known bread, dating back to 6600 BC. Around the oven, archeologists found wheat, barley, pea seeds and a palm-sized, round, “spongy” residue, it said in a press release Wednesday. Flour and water had been mixed in, with the bread having been prepared next to the oven and kept for a while. “It is an exciting discovery for Turkey and the world,” Kavak said. The organic matter – both wood and bread – was preserved by thin clay that covered the structure, according to Türkcan.

Persons: Turkey’s, Ali Umut Türkcan, Salih Kavak, ” Kavak, “ Çatalhöyük, ” Türkcan Organizations: CNN, Turkey’s Necmettin Erbakan University Science, Technology Research, Anadolu University, Anadolu Agency, Gaziantep University, UNESCO, Research Locations: Turkey, ”, Çatalhöyük, Turkish, Konya

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