Cinque Terre | Italy

Cinque Terre translates literally as "Five Lands"

Cinque Terre lies in the Liguria region of Italy, comprises of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.

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Every town in the Cinque Terre has a train station

If you are looking to travel to this fantastic seaside location, taking a car probably is the least convenient method. Considering this, it might be worthwhile taking advantage of the fact that every single one of the five towns in Cinque Terre can be accessed by train.

Driving in Cinque Terre is not recommended

As mentioned in the previous point, there are train stations in each of the towns in Cinque Terre so you might not care to read about the accessibility by car. If you are still keen, then it is worth noting that cars are not permitted in the town centres, and taking your car to one of the limited car parks will prove to be difficult and expensive.

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The trails between villages are a designated National Park

Many visitors to the Cinque Terre aim to make the most of the hiking trails that link each of the towns. After their designation as a National Park they are now better maintained, but that comes with a fee to run the trails, and set opening/closing hours. If you are planning to do the hikes between towns, make sure to grab the passes which can allow access to the trails (usually lasting from 1 day to a week).

Don't forget to try the local wine 'Sciacchetrà' 

Any trip to a foreign land wouldn't be complete without a sampling of the local delicacies. One such speciality is the local white wine Sciacchetrà. Made from the grapes from vineyards which neatly line the hills of the Cinque Terre, this sweet honey-like wine is best paired with the locally sourced seafood, or with a biscotti dessert. 

Socotra Island | Yemen

Where is Socotra?

Socotra is actually a cluster of four islands which are found approximately 220 miles from the coast of Yemen in Asia, and lies in the Arabian Sea. Despite it being geographically closer to Somalia in Africa, it actually falls under the jurisdiction of Yemen.

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What are the prominent industries in Socotra?

Workers on the Socotran Islands have many responsibilities, such as harvesting for pearls, growing dates, and fishing. Given the increased popularity in recent years, the tourism industry has also picked up, and locals are now offering multiple activities such as diving, sailing, hiking and fishing.

What is so special about Socotra?

Socotra has a diverse ecosystem which boasts over 800 species of exotic flora, where a third of these species are unique to the island. In addition to this, you can also find unique species of reptiles, land snails, fish, crustaceans and birds.

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Anything interesting about the Socotran history?

In ancient times, Socotra was a trading hub for Romans, Greeks and Egyptians, selling exclusive medicines, frankincense, and also a scarlet red liquid it extracted from the Dragon's Blood tree which is unique to the island (used for dyes and medicines).

How many people live in Socotra?

The main island of Socotra has a local population of roughly 44,000 people, and they are mainly indigenous or of Arabian descent. Of the other islands, only two are populated, and they are home to around 500 people between them.