Around the world 2024

2024 | AROUND THE WORLD IN 180 DAYS | 35 LUXOR (SAFAGA), EGYPT 1 OVERNIGHT | 24 -25 MAY 2024 Long before bucket lists, there was Luxor, the site of the ancient city of Thebes and a breathtaking monument to the awesome power and wealth of Egyptian pharaohs during the 16th to the 11th centuries BC. As you stand in a 4,650-square-metre hall at the base of columns towering over 26 metres, your size and place in this ancient world will not be difficult to determine. For a humbler take on life in the desert, travel to a Bedouin settlement to sip tea, break bread and learn about this nomadic culture, or spend the day relaxing on the Red Sea Riviera, where travellers flock for some of the best snorkelling and diving in the world. JERUSALEM (HAIFA), ISRAEL 1 OVERNIGHT | 28 -29 MAY 2024 While the majority of the population is Jewish, Haifa is a diverse melting pot of cultures and faiths. Consider the German Colony, established in the 1800s by German Templars and now a prime tourist area thanks to its excellent restaurants and view of the Bahá'í Gardens. Nearby is Stella Maris Monastery, a beautiful Catholic abbey. Likewise, you’ll find historic sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims if you travel south to Jerusalem, one of the world’s holiest cities and home to treasures such as the Dome of the Rock, Western Wall, Damascus Gate, Church of the Holy Sepulcher and more. Prepare for ample walking and amazement. BARCELONA, SPAIN 1 OVERNIGHT | 5 - 6 JUNE 2024 With broad boulevards, big skies and intriguing architecture competing for your eye at every turn, Barcelona is a city unlike any other. The streets beg to be walked, as you can amble through the centuries with a stroll from the narrow medieval alleyways of the Gothic Quarter to the modern heart of La Rambla. Along this wide, tree-lined promenade, experience the full gamut of Catalonian culture, from whimsical Gaudí homes to tapas bars to street performers to bustling La Boqueria market. You’ll also discover natural escapes nearby if you simply climb the hill to Park Güell, where you’ll see more of Gaudí’s unmistakable imprint on the city. SEVILLE, SPAIN 1 OVERNIGHT | 10 -11 JUNE 2024 You’ll easily fall in love with Seville. The city is just right – big enough to have lots to do but small enough to feel intimate, with enough visitors to be tourist-friendly without being a tourist trap. Get lost in the winding streets of the Santa Cruz neighbourhood, or let your eyes skim the residential rooftops as you sip a glass of wine on the balcony of the Metropol Parasol – known locally as Las Setas, or “the mushrooms” – a modern structure built above ancient Roman and Moorish ruins. Be sure you also make time for Seville Cathedral, a beloved centre of worship in this heavily Catholic region, and of course, the famed Alcázar palace. BORDEAUX, FRANCE 1 OVERNIGHT | 17-18 JUNE 2024 Along a curve in the Garonne River rises the iconic 18th-century architecture of Bordeaux, a brilliant unity of medieval roots, neoclassical style and urban planning so remarkably revitalised that half the city was declared a UNESCOWorld Heritage site in 2007. Stroll through this divine cityscape defined by its parchment-coloured buildings and wide-open squares, the largest of which is the 30-acre Esplanade de Quinconces. The only thing that could draw you outside of a city this gorgeous would be wine regions as revered as Médoc and Saint-Émilion and the elegant countryside châteaux where you can taste these renowned vintages. REYKJAVIK, ICELAND 1 OVERNIGHT | 29 -30 JUNE 2024 Although it’s one of the smallest capitals in the world, Reykjavik is home to two-thirds of Iceland’s population, making it the ideal place to immerse yourself in the local culture. The city exists in harmony with the strikingly beautiful landscapes surrounding it, reflected in places such as the botanical gardens, the Reykjavik Art Museum and the Reykjavik Maritime Museum. Experience the majestic countryside firsthand with a day trip to Geysir – an erupting hot spring – and the nearby waterfall of Gullfoss. For a different sort of adventure, try some harkarl – fermented shark – or play it safe and stick with traditional Icelandic fish stew. Bordeaux