It’s almost impossible not to fall under the spell of this dreamscape where round, domed houses known as trulli rise from gentle hillsides. Alberobello will make you feel like you’ve stepped into the pages of a fairy tale, but this small town in Italy’s southeastern Puglia region is decidedly of this world, fashioned from limestone, surrounded by centuries-old vineyards and olive groves, and home to 11,000 residents. You probably won’t be able to resist the urge to make a crack or two about hobbit houses and how “truly” extraordinary they are, but the Alberobellese have heard it all and they are proud to show off one of the most unique townscapes on the planet.

Domed Wonders

Some 1,600 trulli line the lanes of Alberobello’s old quarters, Rione Monte and Aja Piccola, protected these days as a UNESCO World Heritage site. “How?” (as in “how on earth did this otherworldly place come to be?”) is the first question that comes to mind as you meander into the maze and get a close up look at so many strange-looking whitewashed houses with domed, conical roofs (trullo is from the Greek word for dome). Whimsical as trulli seem, they are borne out of practicality, built without mortar from rough-cut local limestone. Materials for the stone walls and corbelled-slab domes were readily available, and masons could assemble houses quickly and easily. Just as important, they could disassemble them simply by removing a single stone — as local lore has it, a distinct advantage if the Naples-based royal treasury decided to impose taxes on householders. With news of an approaching tax collector the entire town could be made to disappear in Brigadoon-like fashion.

Look Up!

Designs of the pinnacles atop the domed roofs are marks of the masons who built the houses, and slabs are often painted with Christian and magic symbols. Shopkeepers have added modern decorative touches of their own, few more exuberantly than Anna Maria Matarese. She’s filled her shop-in-a-trullo on Via Monte Pertica with fischietti, pottery whistles that include a Fiat weighted down with a family and their belongings. These days trulli also provide some cozily memorable dining experiences beneath their domes. Davide Girolamo of Trullo D’oro and other chefs around town serve delicious variations of cucina povera, or poor cooking, that make the most of local ingredients, though octopus served atop a bed of local fava beans and their other creations seem fit for a king.

One Dome, One Room

Most trulli consist of a single room beneath the domed roof. A peak inside a trullo, especially rewarding when this stage-set of a town mounts a historical reenactment, reveals the hardscrabble practicalities of trullo life — a large fireplace for heating and cooking, alcoves for sleeping, often a loft for storage above and a rainwater-filled cistern beneath the stone floor. A few break the mold with multiple domes and multiple rooms. Trullo Siamese was created when two brothers fell in love with the same woman and joined two trulli to accommodate their unusual living arrangement. Grandest of all is the Trullo Savrano, a complex of 12 little trulli surrounding a central, double-height trullo.

Into the Valle d’Itria and Beyond

Beyond Alberobello, the Valle d’Itria dips and rises across rolling hills that here and there are topped with irresistibly picturesque città bianche, or white towns: Ceglie Messapica, Cisternino, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, and Ostuni. Each will lure you into a few hours of aimless wandering, as will Polignano a Mare on the coast. Polignano’s narrow lanes open to seaside terraces perched above the crashing waves and a pebbly beach hemmed in by cliffs. Don’t be surprised if the setting makes you feels as though you’re taking flight into another realm — after all, Polignano’s famous son is Domenico Mudugno,  honored with a statue, and these vistas of sea and sky inspired his song “Volare.” Egnazia, farther down the coast, is an ancient Roman town bisected by the Via Traiana, the road that linked Rome with the port at Brindisi. One of Italy’s many transporting archeological experiences is a descent into Egnazia’s Tomb of the Pomegranates, from the 4^th to 2^nd century B.C. and entered through a stone door that still swings on its original hinges.

Among this abundance of sights, trulli steal the show. They stud fields and groves across the countryside, built on the spot from gathered stones to provide shelter and storage. Spotting one of these humble structures never fails to provide a world-class thrill.

For more information check out the Arteca website and the City of Alberobello website.

Stephen Brewer is an author of Frommer’s Italy and many other guidebooks.

Elyse Weiner is an Emmy Award-winning network news producer and executive, and the creator of iJOURNEYS audio walking tours of cities across Europe.

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The historic city, as high as it is, is entrenched in a river basin tucked between towering Andean Mountain peaks and snow-capped volcanoes lying on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, a Strata volcano. The ageless landscape dictates a long and narrow city with an Historic Center that is one of the largest, least altered and best protected in the Americas, not unlike Bordeaux Historic Center in France and the walled city of Antiqua in Guatemala.

In 1978 Quito was honored by UNESCO as the World’s First City for their Cultural Heritage, Traditions and Architecture, and Geographical Beauty, a tribute that also recognized the opportunities Quito provides to experience an historic slice of South America.

A View City Where Nature Speaks

The historic area is crisscrossed with narrow cobble-stone streets covering an impressive 800 acres. From the 15-room Hotel Castillo Vista del Angel high on the eastern flank of Old Town, astonishing 360* views and vivid impressions emerge under the night sky. Countless twinkling stars above are mirrored below as though their twins plunged downward into the valley, landing across the mountainous landscape in a romantic display of Ecuadorian design.

The Quitenos explain, “We compare the weather to politics, unpredictable and tricky. We can have four seasons in one day so a rain coat, sun block, and sun glasses are ideal when you’re out and about. On a clear day we can see 22 volcanoes, but when the afternoon rains arrive it’s time to pop into a cafe for a cup of coffee.”

In the heart of Quito, thousands of houses, and dozens of churches and Cathedrals line Old Town streets just wide enough for a horse-drawn carriage. A maze of white, sky blue, light yellow, and pale peach buildings spread up the sides of the surrounding steep-sided mountains and ancient volcanoes like a mind-boggling jumble of puzzle pieces not yet assembled that challenges visitors to put on their walking shoes and explore.

The streets and narrow sidewalks in Old Town are alive with Quitenos, an engaging blend of students, young nicely dressed business women, families, indigenous groups from the Andes Highlands, Otavalo and Cotacahi, some ingeniously carrying their babies in the traditional backpack, and vendors selling fresh fruit. Yellow cabs weave like crazed ants in search of their Queen through the streets, expertly navigating the five pedestrian-free streets that lace Old Town and connect with legendary Plaza Grande or Independence Square in the heart of the city. The 16^th century square is neatly lined with the Presidential Palace, City Hall, the Cathedral, Archiepiscopal Palace, restaurants, coffee shops, and Café Galeria. The café offers Pacari organic chocolate tastings, not unlike the wine tastings of other regions, where it’s explained that Ecuador’s climate is ideal for producing some of the world’s finest cacao which is shipped in great quantities to Switzerland.

Cathedrals and Churches: An Historic Understanding

Quito’s churches reveal the history of Ecuador and her people preserving the art of the 16^th and 17^th centuries, the architecture, extraordinary wood carvings, rare fine art, and the traditions of the Ecuadorians. Quito has 27 churches in a 33 block area, including La Compania de Jesus, 1605, adjacent to Plaza Grande. The church is considered the crown jewel of the Baroque Period in America with an interior exquisitely covered with 23-karat gold leaf. Nearby, the Cathedral with Rococo, Neo-gothic, Baroque, Moorish and Neo-classic architecture has a dome that can be accessed up a narrow passageway for views of the plaza, and, for those collecting photographs, a special memory.

A guided walking tour leads to San Francisco Market, 1893, offering vegetables, meats, herbs, seasonal fruit from the Andean highlands, roses in abundance, and a food court to experience potato cakes, chicken stew, potato soup, and slow roasted pork topped with fresh juices. Indigenous holistic herb healers encourage an herbal massage and cleansing using leaves, branches, and flowers that leave legs and feet tingling and give instructions not to shower in the evening in order to let the herb treatment settle. Ecuadorian roses are a major export and foremost city adornment leading one local Quiteno to say, “You can buy 25 roses for one dollar so if you’re not a romantic in Quito you have a big problem.”

In this city of neighborhoods, La Ronda is a bit off the tourist trail in the Southern Historic District. It is an artistic and colorful block-long stone-lined alleyway, similar to those in Southern Spain, with flowered iron balconies, restaurants, classic museum-quality wood carvers and small wall to wall boutiques.

Leave The Driving To Your Guide

Sixteen miles south of Plaza Grande is a monument marking the general location of the equator while nearby a Solar Museum with a modern GBS unit calculates the 0 latitude exactly. A location known to Quitenos as “the middle of the world,” the equator is also the origin of the country’s name, in Spanish, Ecuador.

A two-hour drive brings travelers to Otavalo’s craft market and Plaza de Ponchos, South America’s largest outdoor market, a vibrant array of Indigenous weavings from scarves, blankets, and ponchos, to embroidered blouses, hammocks, and jewelry. In contrast, Cotacachi, 45 minutes northwest of Otavalo, is known as the city of leather with some 50 shops.

Cotacachi is also a glorious stop for lunch, home to the exquisite 23 room La Mirage Garden Hotel & Spa, a five-star expanse of beauty and elegance. A former hacienda, opened in 1987, La Mirage is the only Relais & Chateaux property in Ecuador with a wall of prestigious awards. Chef Hugo Flores works with the local farmers and creates delightful specialties from the Andean Region. Out on the grounds, eight peacocks take turns staring through the windows at Chef Flores’ shrimp, avocado, and pineapple salad.

The Annual Festival of Light

South America’s premier Light Festival in August draws visitor’s world-wide. Twenty-one buildings are cleverly lit along with a street of multi-hued umbrellas, and a stunning 12-minute presentation depicting the history and life of Ecuador, Quito, and their people, created with dazzling artistic skill similar to the quality of Pixar or Disney. The streets of Old Town are blocked from traffic and an evening under the lights of Quito is exceptional.

Drink only bottled water and Quito’s diverse gastronomy offerings will be a distinctive highlight with recipes to share.

When You Go

The official Ecuadorian currency is the U.S. dollar with small bills and loads of singles essential. Driving in Quito is not recommended; a personal guide is. Marcelo Guerra, born and raised in Quito, speaks fluent English and can arrange a tailor-made itinerary.

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or 011-593 9 8458-7400. Various airlines serve Quito including JetBlue connecting through Fort Lauderdale. The Quitenos recommend visiting from December to April with warmer nights, sunny mornings, and easily avoidable bursts of rain in the afternoon.

For further information, visit Quito Turismo

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Hey, wait a minute. Wasn’t that cancelled so we could leave a little bit earlier than usual this morning? OMG, I’m late!

A photojournalist invited along to document the Easy Pace Russia experience, I scramble for my camera kit, dash out of my hotel room at the Radisson Royal, grab an elevator to the ground floor, race through the lobby like Usain Bolt (well, almost) and leap aboard the waiting motor coach curbside, with its engine running, completely out of breath.

“MEA CULPA,” I embarrassingly cry out, as Gennady, our tour director, Vera, our local expert guide, and the 22 bona fide travelers already buckled into their seats, strum their fingers on the armrest or point at their watches. Slinking all the way to the back of the coach, like a political prisoner exiled to Sibera, I can feel the chill coming off everyone’s shoulders as I pass by.

Barely seated, “Alexander the Great,” our expert pilot, puts the sleek, state-of-the-art Mercedes carriage, with business class legroom seating, in gear and we’re into the flow of morning traffic in no time, heading towards the M8 motorway.

Where to? The Trinity Lavra of Saint Sergius, the most important monastery in the country and the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church. Named after one of the Church’s most venerated saints, it’s located about 70km (42 mi) northeast of Moscow in Sergeyev Posad, one of a group of ancient “open-air museum” towns that form the Golden Ring.

Along the way, we steal a glance at the Monument of the Conquerors of Space, a 107m tall, titanium depiction of a rocket rising on its exhaust plume that stands right above the Memorial Museum of Cosmonauts.

“In case you forgot,” announces Vera via the onboard sound system, “the very first man in space, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, made his historic single orbit around the earth aboard Vostock 1 on April 12, 1961.” She adds, “Ten months later, on February 20, 1962, American astronaut John Glenn countered as he orbited the earth three times aboard Friendship 7, and the manned spaceflight race between the USSR and the USA was seriously underway.”

Speaking of the heavens, we’ve just arrived at the Trinity Lavra. Founded in 1337 with the building of a simple wooden church atop Makovets Hill to honor the Holy Trinity, one of the cornerstones in the religious teachings of Russian Orthodoxy, this monastic community is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of 26 areas so recognized in Russia.

“In awarding World Heritage Site status,” comments Vera in our earbuds as we enter through the Holy Gate, “UNESCO cited the Trinity Lavra as an outstanding and remarkably complete example of an active Orthodox monastery that was characteristic of the period of its growth and expansion between the 15th and the 18th centuries.”

This sacred destination, both spiritually and architecturally, is a unique ensemble of more than 50 buildings and constructions. An angelic park-like setting — absolutely spotless despite the foot traffic — Trinity Lavra is simply stunning with life-sized murals adorning many of the facades and a skyline filled with gilded onion-shaped domes and glistening bell towers.

Inside the nine churches and cathedrals of the monastery are scores of religious artifacts, paintings, ceilings filled with heavenly frescos and walls draped in iconostases.

The holiest spot of Trinity Lavra is inside Trinity Cathedral where the relics of St. Sergius, the monk from Radonezh who founded the monastery, may be seen, but not photographed. Also noteworthy, the tomb of Boris Godunov, the tsar who ruled briefly between the Rurik and Romanov Dynasties, sits in the family mausoleum near the entrance to the monastery’s main church, the Cathedral of the Assumption.

The Grim Reaper seems to be stalking us as our Insight motor coach returns to Moscow and drops us off in front of the entry gate to the most famous of the city’s cemeteries: Novodevichy Cemetery, where Russian history sleeps. Established just outside the south wall of the Novodevichy Convent, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, interment during Soviet rule was considered second in prestige only to burial in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis.

Today, the Novodevichy Cemetery, a veritable who’s who of Russian politics and culture, is the final resting place for only those symbolically significant burials, like more-recent arrivals Boris Yeltsin, the Russian Federation’s first president, and Mstislav Rostropovich, the world-renowned cellist.

Just about every field of endeavor is represented, but only luminaries reside six feet under. From architects, athletes and artists, to composers, cosmonauts and chemists. Why, there are even a few spies buried here, along with a World War II female sniper — I swear I couldn’t find her grave marker — and a circus clown! Yuri Nikulin, the Buster Keaton-like, “brainy clown” of the big top, is interred in the most entertaining and most moving of the more than 27,000 plots contained within these hallowed brick walls.

Go here for detailed information on Insight’s six journeys to Russia, as well as more than 100 other premium and luxury-escorted routes around Europe, or call toll-free (888) 680-1241, or contact your travel agent.

You’ve heard the expression, “Napoleon slept here,” right? Well, we’re soon to find out why his stay in Moscow didn’t last very long when we pay a visit to the Borodino Battle Panorama Museum to relive the Grande Armée of France’s bloody skirmish against the Russian Army on September 7, 1812.

The post Easy Pace Russia: Cosmonauts, Churches and a VIP Cemetery (Dispatch #16) appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Courtesy  Robert Curley

Safety and security are always a concern when you travel, and a Caribbean vacation is no exception. It’s a fine line between relaxing and letting your guard down, so while it’s fine to chill out and have a good time on your island adventure, there are a few sensible precautions you should take before leaving home and once you arrive at your destination.

Check the Travel Warnings Before You Go

The U.S. State Department publishes three types of information useful to travelers: Consular Information Sheets, which provide a broad overview on foreign countries, including crime and safety facts; Public Announcements, which include generalized cautions about ongoing security issues; and Travel Warnings, which are the most serious and serve as a red flag about imminent dangers.

Learn About Your Destination

Read the article, Which Caribbean Islands are the Safest, Most Dangerous? Also, Googling “crime” and the name of your destination can yield useful tidbits on crime and safety that you won’t always get from tourism-oriented websites. Sites like TripAdvisor offer insights from fellow travelers on a wide variety of travel topics; some entries can be taken with a grain of salt, but others detail first-hand experiences with petty theft and other crime that can help you avoid trouble.

Ask Your Concierge

Never set out on an independent tour of a strange country without consulting a local expert first. Some locals may take a “no problem” attitude, but you usually can get a straight story on island safety conditions from your hotel concierge. On almost any Caribbean island there are good areas and bad ones — just like back home — and trusted locals can tell you which places to avoid.

Hire a Good Local Guide

A reputable guide not only can steer you clear of troubled neighborhoods, but also can act as a buffer when encountering panhandlers, pushy street vendors, potential con artists, and other sketchy characters during your travels.

Never Leave Valuables in Your Car

Car break-ins are among the most common crimes in the Caribbean. If you must leave items like cameras or other valuables behind, lock them in the trunk or put them out of sight, such as in the glovebox. In some Caribbean countries, rental cars are easily identified by their license plates, making them convenient targets, so an abundance of caution is warranted.

Lock Those Sliding Doors

Keyless electronic door locks may make the front door of your hotel room less accessible, but many travelers forget to lock up the sliding doors leading out to balconies or lanais. To keep your room safe from intruders or thieves, make sure that all the doors are locked before you leave or go to bed at night.

Use the In-Room Safe

Most hotels have an in-room safe that can be used to store valuables when you’re out on the beach or touring. It only takes a second to program the lock, and using the safe to store your jewelry, passports, etc. could save you lots of money and hassles.

Never Take Valuables to the Beach

You don’t want to leave purses, wallets, or jewelry unattended while you go for a swim. Just take whatever cash you need or a single credit card; leave the rest in the room safe.

Yacht Vacations

Yacht thefts have become a problem in some Caribbean destinations. If you arrive by boat, choose a marina with adequate security and be sure to lock up your cabins before heading out to explore.

Be Careful at Parties

Be careful at “jump-ups” or street parties, dance clubs, big party bars, or anywhere else where alcohol, tourists, and locals mix. Suffice to say that your safety risks in such settings rise in proportion to your alcohol consumption. Risks include everything from pickpockets to sexual violence and physical assault. Mixing with the locals is a great part of the island experience, but don’t go alone, drink in moderation, and don’t get too caught up in the party.

Don’t Buy Drugs

Not only is it illegal — even in Jamaica — the last people you want to be associating within the Caribbean are drug dealers. The vast majority of crime and murder in the Caribbean is associated with the drug trade. Tourists aren’t usually targeted, but you would hate to be the exception to the rule.

Being Alone

Don’t wander the beach — or anywhere else — alone at night. Enough said.

Arctic Cruise Tourism and Polar Bear Encounters

A recent and very unfortunate incident in Svalbard where a polar bear was killed in self-defense after attacking a man from a cruise vessel has engaged a lot of people around the world. The international media has given the incident considerable attention, and people in general are very engaged through social media.

Most of the attention has been focused on the bear, and many have criticized the operator for bringing tourists to this part of the world. An online petition asking people to boycott the tour operator involved in the incident has already collected tens of thousands of signatures. Surprisingly few have shown any interest in or concern for the injured man or others involved in the incident.

Polar bear conservation is a topic worth getting passionate about. The Arctic expedition cruise industry cares deeply about the protection of Arctic wildlife and operates under a strict principle of non-disturbance. However, some essential facts seem to be missing from the debate. Some of the criticism has been directed at Norway’s management of polar bears. It is important to keep in mind that Norway has signed the Polar Bear Agreement and, unlike some other Arctic countries, have banned polar bear hunting in Svalbard. According to numbers compiled by Ole J. Liodden in WildPhoto, 7500 polar bears have been killed in Canada, Alaska and Greenland in the ten-year period between 2007 and 2016. In the 45 years that have passed since the polar bear became protected in 1973, 131 polar bears have been killed in Svalbard, almost all of them in self-defense. Out of the 131 shootings, 50 bears, or almost 40%, were killed by scientists or field stations residents. Since in 1973, 15 polar bears have been killed in incidents connected with tourism. The great majority of cases involved people on private skiing expeditions and campers. In 45 years, two bears have been killed in connection with landings from cruise vessels and one in connected with a landing from a yacht.

Two dead bears in 45 years may not be a high number, but it is still two bears too many. It should not have happened, and the expedition cruise industry as a whole very strongly regrets that it did. Still, it was an emergency situation where human fatalities would have been the alternative. In this case, the person suffered moderate injuries before the bear was fended off, but this has not always been the case in Svalbard. There have been tragic deaths following polar bear attacks. Even if the injuries were moderate, the people involved will be marked by this incident for the rest of their lives. Not only have they experienced a trauma, they have also had to execute actions they truly wanted to avoid.

Some has raised criticism toward expedition cruise staff and implied that polar guides lack competence. In the case of responsible Arctic expedition cruise operators, this could not be further from the truth. One of the hallmarks of AECO’s members is their staff is highly educated, specially trained and have extensive polar experience. Staff are tested, certified and regularly trained, including on polar bear safety. Polar guides and expedition leaders are often people who have been drawn to this industry through their strong interest in nature and the environment, and many of them are actively involved in nature conservation efforts.

Some have claimed that expedition cruise passengers are world-weary millionaires who only care about ticking items of their bucket lists. This description completely misses the target. Expedition cruising attracts all kinds people, and you will find people of all ages and nationalities and from different walks of life. These people have travelled to the Arctic to experience its unique natural environment, wildlife and history and are generally eager to learn more about the areas they visit. Through their own experience and the efforts of skilled and engaging expedition leaders, guides and lecturers, they learn about the Arctic today and how it is developing. They see with their own eyes the effects of climate change and marine plastic pollution on the Arctic environment.  They are invited to pick up litter that have been brought to Arctic beaches from other sources, mainly fishing industry in other areas. They see how the glaciers withdraw from global warming, how environmental toxins affect birds and animals, and how a warmer climate allows non-native species to strike root in the Arctic.

Most expedition cruise tourists in the Arctic have a burning desire to protect the environment. While traveling in the Arctic, they engage in beach cleanups, citizen science and submit wildlife observations that are used in science. Both passengers and operators make significant donations to environmental and conservation organizations.

Experiencing the changing Arctic affects people. It makes them want to engage and act. This is how we create ambassadors and people who are willing to take actions to preserve the Arctic, and the environment in general. Restricting the public’s opportunity to experience the Arctic is to rob ourselves of the best tool we have to preserve the environment: people’s interest, knowledge and engagement.

The unfortunate polar bear incident gives reason to evaluate the current state of affairs. Examining which requirements should apply to the tourism industry should be part of these discussions. However, denying people the chance to experience the Arctic should not be up for discussion. Polar bears are present all over Svalbard and can be encountered anywhere and at any time. Several well-known migratory paths cross central parts of Spitsbergen and polar bears are observed in and close to settlements numerous times every year. As long as the Arctic is the home of people and human activity, people and polar bears have to coexist. However, the tourism industry and authorities will continue the work to ensure that we are doing everything in our power to avoid conflicts between the two.

UNESCO Designates Japan’s 18th World Cultural Heritage Set

“The Hidden Christian Sites of Nagasaki”

UNESCO has designated a series of sites associated with the checkered history of Christians in 16th- to 19th-century Japan as the country’s 18th World Cultural Heritage Site. The “site” is comprised of 10 villages in northwest Kyushu, as well as the ruins of Hara Castle — originally built by the Portuguese — and St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the city of Nagasaki.

Because the practice of Christianity was banned in Japan until 1873, Christians (known as Kakure Kirishitan) worshiped — and missionaries spread the gospel — in secret. It is the sites’ “secret” churches in remote seacoast “Christian” villages and isolated islands that are the main component of UNESCO’s recognition. The ruins of Hara Castle are another element, as it was used by Portuguese and Dutch missionaries.

One of the most visible examples of UNESCO’s designation is Nagasaki’s Roman Catholic St. Mary’s Cathedral – also known as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception — built in 1914 after the ban on Christianity was lifted. The original cathedral was destroyed by the atomic bomb that fell on Nagasaki in August 1945 and a replica of the original was consecrated in 1959. Statues and artifacts damaged in the bombing, including a French Angelus bell, are now displayed on the grounds (and at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception). The nearby Peace Park contains remnants of the original cathedral’s walls. Oura Church is another Catholic church in Nagasaki. Built towards the end of the Edo Period in 1864 by a French missionary for the growing community of foreign merchants in the city, it is considered the oldest standing Christian church in Japan and one of the country’s greatest national treasures.

Historically, Nagasaki was long the initial entryway for foreigners to Japan. It was in Nagasaki in 1859, after the United States’ Commodore Perry used gunboat diplomacy to demand an end to Japan’s more than 200-year-old policy of isolation, that diplomats from countries around the world came to demand that the port be opened to trade. Thereafter, Emperor Meiji declared Nagasaki a free port in 1859. And it was Nagasaki that was the setting for John Luther Long’s 1898 novel, Madame Butterfly, which, in 1904, was transformed into an opera by Giacomo Puccini, and remains one of the world’s most beloved operas.

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And the amusement was mine, one shared with fellow passengers as scenery unfolded around every bend in the river. Red-tile roofs topped white stucco buildings of quinta — wine estates — and villages popped up along the banks, church spires rising from their centers.

I was aboard the Emerald Radiance. Unlike Emerald Waterway’s other ships, this one is smaller, 112 passengers instead of 182, to fit inside the Douro’s dams. It passed through five on our eight-day “Secrets of the Douro” itinerary beginning and ending in Porto near the mouth of the river at the Atlantic Ocean.

Such a voyage wasn’t possible a generation ago. The Douro had been a wild river flowing through a narrow passage cut by wind and rain, a raging torrent during high water, too shallow for ships when the water subsided. The dams, built from the 1960s to 1980s for flood control and hydroelectric power, tamed it. Now resembling a necklace of lakes, the river is navigable for 130 miles, all the way east to the Spanish border.

In 2001 a chunk of the river valley became a UNESCO World Heritage site, not only for its importance as a wine region but also for its dramatic landscape and historic structures. Excursions from the ship touched on several more UNESCO sites.

In Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city, a walking tour led me through a web of lanes and alleys and down the pedestrian Santa Catarina where many stores occupy buildings in the art nouveau style. I stopped to take photos at the belle époque Majestic Café where J.K. Rowling sipped coffee during her stay in Porto and dreamed up Harry Potter stories. Around the corner a queue stretched more than a block outside the entrance to the Lello & Irmao bookstore with lavish art nouveau furnishings and a staircase said to have inspired one depicted at Hogwarts in the Potter films. The 1906 building has become a mecca for Potter fans.

River ships arriving and departing Porto pass under the double deck Luis I iron bridge made by a student of Gustave Eiffel in 1887. The master himself, creator the Eiffel Tower, designed another of Porto’s five bridges, but it is Luis I that gets the most attention. Daring — or foolish — youths jump off its lower deck into the river, a spectacle best seen from the adjacent Ribeira neighborhood of pastel-hue houses and arcades. Waterfront cafes, bars and shops make Ribeira a popular spot to hang out, day or night.

Our walking tour transitioned to a motor coach to cross the bridge to the opposite bank of the Douro and the “new town,” Vila Nova de Gaia or simply Gaia. To avoid taxes in Porto, the Douro Valley’s earliest winemakers kept storehouses here to be close to Atlantic where sailing vessels from around the world docked.

About half of the wines made from grapes grown along the Douro are table wines. The other half of the region’s grape harvest becomes port. About 48 hours into their fermentation, grape spirit — 77 proof — is added giving port a high alcohol content.

The Douro River Valley ranks as the oldest demarcated wine-growing region in the world, established in 1756. Only fortified wines from the valley’s eastern vineyards can legally be called port, a name protected within the European Union.

Wine producers still keep warehouses in Gaia. Our group stopped for a tour and tasting at Taylor’s Port founded in 1692. One of the managers led us through the port-making process, telling us about three of Taylor’s up-river vineyards where grapes are still stomped by foot. Port comes in several varieties — including tawny, ruby, rosé —consumed with dessert or as a nightcap. White port, such as the chip port we sampled at Taylor’s, is drier and served as an aperitif.

Portugal’s other well-known wine, Mateus Rosé, also comes from the Douro River Valley near the town of Vila Real where our group visited the 18^th-century Mateus Palace. Its fanciful exterior, with baroque towers and flourishes, appears on the label of the wine’s iconic, flask-shaped bottle. But that’s where the palace’s connection to this sweet, slightly fizzy wine ends. The Count of Mangualde, who owns the palace and resides there part of the year, does not make Mateus Rosé but collects a royalty for the image on every label.

The connection between wine and the Douro kept popping up all week during my cruise. In the village of Pinhao, the ship’s tour escorts led us on a walk to the old train station where 24 blue-and-white tiles from the 1930s illustrate wine cultivation and production. Passengers had a chance to try tile painting in a workshop on board, one of several Emerald Radiance activities that also included a presentation by “Cork Lady” Paula Guimaraes. Most of the world’s supply of cork comes from Portugal harvested from the bark and used not just to seal wine bottles, but for making a variety of products Paula laid out in the Horizon Lounge: wallets, hats, belts, jewelry.

I joined passengers one night for a dinner on shore in the warehouse of the Quinta da Pacheca wine estate. Strolling musicians entertained us as we drank wine and port and feasted on local fare, some dishes incorporating olives and almonds grown on trees alongside vineyards in the valley. The “Almond Capital of Portugal,” Vila Nova de Fox Coa, lies just a few miles from the Douro on the route our excursion took to the Coa Valley Archeological Park.

The world’s largest open-air Paleolithic rock art site encompasses about 50,000 acres at the confluence of the Douro and Coa rivers. Petrogylphs dating back 10,000 to 40,000 years were found here during preliminary work to construct a dam on the Coa in the 1990s. The discovery was kept secret, but when word leaked out preservationists rallied to save the area. UNESCO stepped in, adding it to its list of World Heritage sites in 1998.

But the museum merits a visit for two additional reasons: its location and its architecture. The building stands on a hillside overlooking both river valleys. I walked onto the terrace of the museum café for the week’s best view of steep hillsides terraced with vineyards. A ship slowly cruised the Douro far below, an ant floating through a canyon.

Other Instagram-worthy views presented themselves on the ship’s excursion to Lamego. Our motor coach dropped us at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies perched on a hilltop overlooking the red-tile roofs of the city. Our tour escorts gave us the option to ride the motor coach down to the city center, but encouraged us to tackle the 686 steps and take time to enjoy the view. The stairway is broken up by nine terraces where the now-familiar blue-and-white tiles form murals of religious scenes and statues depict the Stations of the Cross. Changing views of the city below and the sanctuary above kept my camera clicking and in less than an hour I finished the descent, my gimpy knee no worse for the wear. On religious holidays, the faithful make the more difficult climb up the granite stairs, some on their knees.

We put Portugal behind us on an excursion into Spain. Salamanca lay a two-hour drive from where our ship docked at the Spanish border. Yet another UNESCO World Heritage site on our cruise, the Old City deserves its nickname, “The Golden City,” for the tawny sandstone buildings aglow in the midday sun.

Our walking tour led us through the 18^th-century Plaza Mayor with its City Hall and Royal Pavilion, the public market where platters of ham, cheese and olives were passed around for us to sample, and the city’s first university dating back 800 years.

The 33,000 university students in this city of 150,000 give Salamanca a youthful vibe and we were charmed by the music students who performed for us at the end of our tour. Dressed in the medieval costumes of troubadours, they assembled in a shady courtyard to play traditional songs on guitars, accordion and tambourine.

We’d reached the farthest navigable section of the river at the Spanish border, so the Emerald Radiance turned around for its return to Porto giving passengers a second opportunity to go through the locks on the Douro’s five dams. This exercise never failed to draw a crowd to the sundeck. Even passengers like me who are fairly clueless about mechanical things are impressed by these feats of engineering and thankful for their existence. Without the dams, a river cruise across this colorful swath of Portugal would not be possible.

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Ibiza, once the playground of Europe’s indulged youth, has matured into a destination with more sobering pursuits. Certainly, the party reputation lends some cache to the older folks looking for some cred with their offspring, and the clubs are still there, but visitors are finally noticing the historic sites and archaeological digs as they take in the charm and beauty of the island.

Ibiza’s old town, Dalt Vila, is surrounded by the best preserved ancient walls in the Mediterranean. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that contains a castle, cathedral, museum, and many private homes – all of which make up the original city of Eivissa. There are restaurants and bars, and tons of funky shops (a remnant of Ibiza’s hippie era) for distractions from the history – if you need them. I enjoyed the architecture and the views from the walls. I love being surrounded by the parapets and ramparts of ancient times; they give an often crazy world some perspective.

But the history is not all contained within the walls. Spreading out below one gate is the Cuban barrio, created when those Ibizans who emigrated to Cuba returned and recreated their old neighborhoods below the walls. The distinctive architecture would be familiar to anyone who has visited Cuba.

A short drive from there will take you to the Necropolis of Puig des Molins, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the Phoenicians, who settled here before Christ was born, buried their dead. Subsequent conquering civilizations followed suit, so Carthaginian, Roman, Moor and Christian graves can be found here as well. While most of the graves were looted centuries ago, archaeologists still found ceramics and some jewelry in the stone coffins. I was surprised to see glass and metal that were found in some of the earliest ones. The onsite museum has a large display of them and exhibits that explain the different eras expertly.

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site (Spain has more than any other country) is the ruins of the Phoenician settlement in Sa Caleta, atop the red cliffs surrounding the secluded crescent beach and clear blue waters of Ses Salines. Dating from 654 BCE, it is one of the earliest settlements on the island. All that is left to see are the reconstructed foundations of the shelters built here eons ago.

Sharing the same vantage, and for the same reasons, are the remnants of concrete bunkers constructed in the 1930s to protect the island from enemy invasion. Below them, at the water’s edge, the rustic fisherman’s shacks line the shore providing easy access to the sea. Each element is picturesque in its own way, but together, especially at sunset, the sum is greater than its parts, and the beauty in the slanted sunlight is almost surreal.

You could almost say that about the whole island. Everywhere you look you’ll find stunning architecture and scenery – even underwater. In Playa de Figueretas is another UNESCO World Heritage site, the underwater Posidonia Meadows. Billed as the largest living organism in the world, the sea bed is covered with a posidonia plant that stretches for miles. Posidonia is like sea grass and integral to the livelihood of Ibiza. Its presence keeps the water of Ibiza’s famous beaches clear, while providing food and protection to various sea creatures. Because it is a deciduous plant, its leaves are washed ashore where they pile up and protect the beaches from storm erosion. They can be harvested and used for animal bedding, fertilizer on the fields, and in the early days were layered on roofs between clay as insulation.  No wonder it is so protected!

While in Ibiza I strolled the cobblestone streets, explored the red cliffs and blue sea-caressed beaches, snorkeled the Posidonia Meadows, visited the museums, and dined in some of the finest restaurants. Oh – and I also went to Pacha, the club, to see what all the fuss was about and dance off the many calories I consumed with all that fine dining. It wasn’t hedonistic, it wasn’t drug-crazed, and it wasn’t a drunken party. It was just another side of the complexity that is Ibiza – the jewel of the Mediterranean.

To learn more about Ibiza check out http://tourism.eivissa.es

You can follow Richard on his Facebook page and Instagram account where he posts more content.

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