Petra surprises people every day who show up looking for the single facade of the Treasury and get an entire town of rock-cut architectural wonders. In addition to the Treasury and the Monastery, there are hundreds of tombs and high places where religious rituals were performed, all awe-inspiring feats of masonry. It would be impossible to see everything in the … Read More
Walking Through Petra at Night
If you’re visiting Jordan, Petra is undoubtedly at the top of your list of places to visit (and for good reason). Petra’s Treasury is a rock-cut facade that is breathtaking in the daylight and absolutely surreal at night! The Petra Archaeological Park closes at sunset, but you can come back at night for the Petra at Night tour—a candle-lit journey down the … Read More
Jerusalem Museum Guide
One would expect a city with as rich of a timeline as Jerusalem to be overflowing with museums, and indeed that is the case. So after taking in the historical treasures of the city, seek out one (or more) of its many museums to gain a deeper understanding of its story. Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat: 10am–5pm Tue: 4pm–9pm Fri: 10am–2pm Entry: 50NIS … Read More
A Guide to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall
The nexus of Jerusalem’s Old City, the Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif in Arabic) with its adjoining Western Wall is the holiest site in all Judaism. Quite possibly the most contested real estate on the planet, it also checks in as the third holiest site for Muslims, after Mecca and Medina. But for visitors not seeking to get too entangled in the … Read More
Navigating the Christian Sites of Jerusalem
When emperor Constantine embraced Christianity in the early 300’s, his mother Helena took a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in search of relics. Based on the traditional locations of events in the life of Christ that had been established by locals and pilgrims, she erected chapels and shrines all over Jerusalem. No matter your religious belief, visiting the holy sites of Christianity is … Read More
Istanbul Museum Guide
If you’re visiting Istanbul for a few days, you may want to invest in a museum pass. This pass is 85TL (about $30) and grants entry to the following museums and attractions for 120 hours from your first visit: Hagia Sophia Museum, Topkapı Palace Museum, Istanbul Archaeological Museums, Mosaic Museum, Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, Museum for the History of Science and Technology in Islam, Chora Museum, Galata Mevlevi … Read More
Museo Frida Kahlo at Casa Azul
If you’re planning a trip to Mexico, you should definitely be familiar with this artistic genius couple: Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Many people have seen details of their life from the Selma Hayek-led movie, Frida. But did you know you can visit their home in Mexico City? Museo Frida Kahlo (Casa Azul) Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, 10–5:45 | Wednesday, Saturday, 11–5:45 Entry … Read More
Getting to Teotihuacán
Teotihuacan is an ancient site located 50 km northeast of Mexico City. It was founded in the 1st century AD and remains one of the most important architectural sites of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Its structures are spread along the 2km main avenue, the Calzada de los Muertos (Avenue of the Dead). This site is famous for its pyramids as well as its multi-level … Read More
Five Things for a Fun Time in Mexico City
Our route to Havana took us through Mexico City, one of the largest cities in the western world. Knowing it would be impossible to see everything this megaplex has to offer, we allowed just three days of our journey to see what we could of the capital city. We flew here for free (using points!) from San Antonio on Southwest Airlines. Unfortunately we didn’t get … Read More