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Best beach bars in the Mediterranean

Once plied by the trade routes of some of the world’s greatest civilizations, today the Mediterranean is better known as a byword for summertime fun and big spending. Europe’s upper classes come to drop big bucks at casinos and clubs on the French Riveria, college students let off steam on Ibiza, history-lovers rove all over the Greek Isles, and those looking for sun hit the beaches. The fair weather, temperate waters, and easy access via car or boat have turned beach bars into the gathering places of choice around this inland ocean, offering the best of all worlds: views, relaxation, a hip party scene, and high-end hospitality. And the good news is that you don’t need to have a nesting yacht to enjoy some of the fanciest beach bars out there. Whether you’re looking to party hard or feel like 1950s European royalty for a day, these are the most extravagant beach bars and clubs in the Mediterranean to do so.

1. Eden Plage Mala

Cap-d’Ail, France

Photo: Eden Plage Mala/Facebook

Classic Riviera scenery and old-school French taste come together at this chic beach bar and club, which is just a short drive from Monaco. The club’s tiny white-sand beach, decked out with vivid red-orange umbrellas, is surrounded by towering cliffs covered in green foliage and luxury ocean view homes perched along the slopes. The waters of the Saint-Laurent Bay make for great snorkeling and swimming, but with a view this good, it’s best to just lay back on a sun chair on the private sunning deck, sipping an Aperol Spritz and dining on calamari. The beach is shared by other bars and clubs, but the superb setting and very Euro vibe make up for the lack of exclusivity.

Where: Plage de la Mala, 06320 Cap-d’Ail, France

2. Monte-Carlo Beach Club Monaco

Monaco, France

Photo: Monte-Carlo SBM/Facebook

This playground for the Monte-Carlo elite has been a Riviera mainstay since the 1930s and recently got a facelift for the modern crowd with an eye-catching white-and-white facade. There are multiple outdoor verandas and patios for dining and drinking, and even a private dock for sunbathing. But the hotel’s standout feature is its Olympic-sized swimming pool, surrounded by striped umbrellas and stately palms. Here you can do laps, dive, people-watch, or just lay in the sun knocking back drinks from the pool’s bar. Or, if you prefer the real deal, the ocean and private beach just a few steps away. And don’t worry, you don’t need to be a guest to enjoy the beach; you can purchase day passes that allow access to the beach, restaurant, and a heated beachside pool.

Where: Avenue Princesse Grâce, 98000 Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Monaco

3. Scorpios Beach Club

Mykonos, Greece

Photo: Scorpios Mykonos/Facebook

Perched on a rocky headland, Scorpios is not only one of the most luxe bars on Mykonos but also one of the most Instagrammable. Southwestern-style pergolas, fairy lights, palm trees, woven lamp covers, and a cohesive sandy color scheme make every angle ‘gram-worthy. Scorpio’s founders designed it to be a modern recreation of the ancient Greek agoras or gathering places, with concerts, meditation and yoga sessions, art exhibits, gourmet menus of seasonal, organic fare, and shopping at the artisan bazaar. But the beach is the highlight, with unobstructed ocean views, sunning areas, and private cabanas. Soak it all in with a glass of wine or a fruity cocktail.

Where: Paraga, 84600 Mykonos, Kikladhes, Greece

4. Amante

Ibiza, Spain

Photo: Amante Ibiza/Facebook

Ibiza: party central. There’s no shortage of waterside bars and clubs on this party-all-day-and-night island off the coast of Spain, but Amante stands out from the crowd. The two-story combination restaurant, bar, and event space is nestled against a rocky cliff overlooking a bay and private beach (a rarity on the island). From the dining and bar terraces, it’s a short walk down to the waterfront, where you can go for a dip or relax on the beach chaise lounges. At the bar, you’ll find a high-end selection of wine and spirits, but the fruity cocktails are especially refreshing. Amante is a popular wedding and business event venue, and pretty much everything here costs a pretty penny, so you’re likely to see lots of big spenders. The moonrise parties for when the full moon rises over the bay also draw big crowds.

Where: Cala Sol Den Serra, 07849 Santa Eulalia des Riu, Ibiza

5. Theros Wave Bar

Santorini, Greece

Photo: TherosWaveBar/Facebook

A short drive from the town of Fira on Santorini, both sides of Theros Wave Bar’s private beach are abutted by craggy sea cliffs, guaranteeing solitude. The white-washed rock walls of the bar and dining room echo the Cycladic style of traditional Santorini architecture, with a large, thatched roof, vaguely Polynesian decor, and a fun selection of Tiki cocktails adding tropical flair. Ocean views are enjoyed from the multiple open-air verandas, decks, and shaded outdoor sitting areas, and in the evening, recessed lighting provides the perfect romantic mood. And, the ultimate fancy flex, beachside bottle service is available, so you don’t need to interrupt your tan for a cocktail or glass of bubbly.

Where: Eros Beach, Vlychada-Santorini, Greece

6. La Scogliera Positano

Positano, Italy

Photo: L’incanto

Overlooked by the pastel, terraced houses of Positano, the darling of Italy’s Amalfi Coast, La Scogliera Positano is always a favorite among vacationers and those seeking a taste of classic European beachside elegance. Backed by rocky sea cliffs, the small, pebbly beach is dotted with blue-and-white striped umbrellas and lounge chairs, with access to the water and nearby promenade. The onsite restaurant and bar serve fresh, delicious seafood dishes and Italian classics, washed down with wine or summery cocktails. A day pass costs 45 euros and comes with your own beach chair, shower access, towels, complimentary water, and a floaty mattress to relax out on the waves. And in the evening, it converts into a lounge and dance club, with DJs and an extensive drinks list.

Where: via Marina Grande 4, 84017 Positano SA, Italy

7. Xuma Beach Club

Bodrum, Turkey

Photo: Xuma

Set back from a white beach and surrounded by hills, Xuma Beach Club always draws a crowd during the sweltering Turkish summers. The waterfront is always crowded with umbrellas and sun chairs, with a long wooden dock where you can relax and sip a nice mojito or dive into the refreshingly cool waters. Other activities include dining at the two on-site restaurants, playing beach volleyball, or getting a massage. And in the afternoons and evenings, DJs and musicians pump up the energy and turn the place into a hopping dance club. This is one of the most popular beach bars in Bodrum, so you’re bound to see fancy yachts anchored offshore and jet-setters partying it up.

Where: Yalıkavak Mahallesi Küdür Caddesi 81, 48400 Muğla, Turkey

8. Hula Hula Beach Bar

Hvar, Croatia

Photo: Hula Hula HvarFacebook

At the moment, visitors to Croatia are all about visiting the filming sites for Game of Thrones. But don’t discount the beach party scene, especially in Hvar, a gorgeous Adriatic port city dating from the 13th century. The Hula Hula Beach Bar is always a happening spot with dance parties, endlessly flowing drinks and plenty of sun and sand. You can throw your money around by renting your own private portion of the beach or a boat for a day, as well as indulging in fresh seafood, fancy cocktails, and overflowing Champagne from the beach bar and restaurant. There are several dining areas and verandas spread along the upper beach, as well as airy pavilions for massages and dance parties. Hula Hula is especially popular with the young crowd, so there’s always hip music playing from a rotating cast of DJs and musicians, and the parties last well into the night.

Where: Vlade Avelinija 10, 21450 Hvar, Croatia

9. Kiki’s Beach Bar

Hacienda Bay, Egypt

Photo: KiKi’s Beach Bar/Facebook

The Miami Beach of Egypt, Hacienda Bay is distinguished by its endless sandy beaches flanked by trendy homes and Cerulean waters. Kiki’s is the beach club of choice, with hip, open-air pavilions decorated with artfully shaped bamboo and wafting fabrics intersected by dance floors, palm trees strung with hammocks, and dining areas. Dance parties fueled by boozy summer-themed drinks and up-and-coming DJs dominate the summer, but there’s plenty of space to chill and relax on the wide beaches, where waiters bring inventive cocktails and fresh Mediterranean cuisine right to your lounge chair.

Where: Hacienda White, North Coast, Egypt

10. Nammos

Mykonos, Greece

Photo: Nammos Mykonos/Facebook

Designed to resemble the care-free vibe of a luxury yacht, the Nammos party complex, which consists of cabanas, spa, restaurant, and event spaces, comes with its own private beach for swimming, sunbathing, partying, and smoking shisha (hookah) under shaded pergolas. The beach-side bar includes one of the most lengthy and exclusive Champagne lists on the island, as well as cocktails, beer, and wine; the bartenders can even whip up something special just for you. This is truly where the jet-set come out to play: Beach bottle service is par for the course, and you’ll probably see some uber-fancy yachts anchored off-shore. Nammos even offers yacht service, so if you’re lucky enough to be on one, you can get food and drinks delivered yacht-side right to you.

Where: Psarou Beach, 84600 Mykonos, Kikladhes, Greece

More like this: The 8 most stunning waterfront bars in the world

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Best cities to staycation in the US

“Staycation” kinda sounds like a word your parents made up to make sitting at home all summer sound fun.

“Yes, we know the Wentworths are summering in Mallorca, but instead of a vacation, we can have a STAY-cation!”

Underwhelming to a seven-year-old, but as you get older, the idea of sticking around your hometown and taking a break sounds a little more appealing. No airports. No long drives. And maybe not even a hotel. Of course, some cities have more for staycationing locals than others, so the good people at WalletHub examined the 150 most populated cities in America to find which one was best. They factored in 43 different metrics from recreational trails per capita to beer gardens, coffee shops, swimming pools, and boat tours. Then, they ranked them in three categories: recreation, food and entertainment, and rest and relaxation. What follows are the 10 overall best, as well as the bottom five, with some suggestions for what to do in all of them.

1. Honolulu, Hawaii

Photo: Izabela23/Shutterstock

The fact that the largest city in Hawaii is also the best place for locals to take a staycation should come as about as much of a surprise as the Golden State Warriors winning another championship. The city where endless tropical hikes and tourist-free beaches are less than an hour across the island also ranked first in tennis courts per capita. And nearby Pearl City ranked fifth in public golf courses. Add in a glut of beachfront hotels and one of the best Chinatowns in America, and you’ve got a pretty good spot to spend a weekend at home.

2. Orlando, Florida

Photo: aphotostory/Shutterstock

Most Central Floridians fall into one of two categories: “Disney People” who have annual passes and go to the parks whenever they’ve run out of things to watch on Netflix. Or, more commonly, people who’ve been to Disney World fewer times than you have. Which is a shame, because with the world’s biggest tourist attraction is just a short drive down I-4, Orlando is a perfect city for a staycation.

Theme parks aside, Orlando has developed into a solid city with a passionately followed MLS team in Orlando City SC and a showcase PAC at the Dr. Phillips Center. Those wanting to escape the city might also look to Winter Park, one of the best small food cities in America and home to Rollins College. Or meander through the Mills 50 neighborhood and its bevvy of Southeast Asian Restaurants. Orlando also has the most aquariums and ice cream shops per capita, so if things get slow you can always go look at some fish.

3. Chicago, Illinois

Photo: Lucky-photographer/Shutterstock

Summer is the perfect time to staycation for Chicagoans, as simply moving oneself to a different neighborhood will find you smack in the middle of a new weekly festival. In June alone, you can head to Lincoln Park for the Chicago Taco and Tequila Festival on June 15, hit the World’s Largest Block Party in West Loop Gate June 21-22, or take in the Chicago is Drag Festival in Andersonville. Looking for a Pride Party? Chicago has over 10 of them.

Interestingly, for a cold weather city, Chicago ranked fourth in swimming pools per capita and tied for first with Honolulu for most tennis courts. They’ll likely all be packed, as Chicagoans devour sunny weather like they’ll never see it again. Chicago’s also got the most spas per capita, so if the weather isn’t cooperating you can always spend your staycation getting a massage.

4. San Diego, California

Photo: Dancestrokes/Shutterstock

No big shock here as the nation’s most temperate city scores highly for rest and relaxation and recreation. Though most visitors to San Diego are familiar with the outdoors at Balboa Park and the sands at Pacific and Mission Beaches, locals don’t get the chance to head there as much when caught in their day-to-day routines.

Later in the summer, San Diego also offers the opportunity to spend a weekend at the races, when Del Mar Thoroughbred Club begins racing July 17. Spend a weekend where the surf meets the turf, where Southern Californians deck themselves out like it’s the Kentucky Derby every weekend. It’s the one place outside Kentucky where people still get up for horse racing, even if they don’t have a clue how to bet. And with perfect weather and stunning views, the track is a perfect local getaway.

5. Portland, Oregon

Photo: Jess Kraft/Shutterstock

Watch enough Portlandia and you might assume a staycation in Portland consists of pitching a tent downtown and subsisting on the nearest water fountain. But there’s more to the Rose City, which boasts the most beer gardens and coffee shops per capita in America. So you can enjoy your favorite quintuple-hopped nitro IPA at night, then wake yourself up with some fair-trade cold brew.

6. Charleston, South Carolina

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Given the explosive growth Charleston has seen in the last decade, you might say half the city is full of people on a permanent staycation. The city ranked seventh in recreation and ninth in R&R, meaning you’ll have plenty of ways to burn off all the delicious stuff you eat at FIG and Husk. It’s also home to two of TripAdvisor’s Reader’s Choice top 10 hotels in the world, with at the French Quarter Inn (number six) and The Spectator (number three).

Historic Charleston also tied for the most museums per capita in America, meaning new locals will have plenty to discover. And it’s just a short drive to the coastal hippie enclave at Folly Beach, which seems a world away from the streets clogged with horse-drawn carriage tours and bachelorette parties.

7. Seattle, Washington

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

To absolutely no one’s surprise, Seattle claimed the top spot for coffee shops per capita, as the birthplace of Starbucks tied with Portland, Orlando, and Las Vegas, among others. Nor is it surprising that a city with multiple lakefront parks and Mt. Rainier nearby ranked ninth in recreation and fourth in food and entertainment. Though some might debate if the Mariners have qualified as “entertaining” since about 2002.

Beyond baseball and national parks, the Emerald City has a lot of unexplored gems for locals to enjoy, whether it’s wine tasting in Woodinville or exploring the craft cocktails and unexpected wilderness of Bellevue and the Eastside.

8. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Photo: Shutterstock/Sean Pavone

The city once synonymous with spring break and hanging chads is now one of the best places for outdoor activity in the country, ranking second for both R&R and recreation. With miles of canals and plenty of water toys to use on them, this city 25 miles north of Miami is making its mark as a legitimate adult destination. Beachfront hotels like the W, the Conrad, and the Atlantic are beckoning locals to spend a weekend on the shore.

Those hotels have opened up some impressive bars and restaurants in the past few years as well, from the rum-heavy Burlock Coast at the Ritz Carlton to Steven Starr’s El Vez at the W. You can enjoy craft cocktails at the W’s Living Room Bar or at the Conrad’s Terra Mare, which serves them with a heaping side of fresh seafood. Away from the beach, cruising the restaurants of Las Olas is always a welcome break from reality, as is visiting the monthly Art Walk in FATVillage.

9. Tampa, Florida

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Tampanians are already in on the secret that their city is a fantastic place to spend a few days away from home. And not just to tour strip clubs either. Booking a room downtown and strolling the city’s new Riverwalk, stopping at pop-up margarita bars and taking a water taxi home is time-honored Saturday tradition. As is taking a boat up to Rick’s on the River and wasting the day on the shores of the Hillsborough.

Just across the bridge you’ll find the white sands of St. Pete Beach and Clearwater where you can drink beers with your toes in the sand at spots like The Undertow Beach Bar. Or if crossing the bay is too daunting, hit Cypress Point Park for one of the best hidden beaches in Florida. To eat, locals can splurge at one of America’s classic steakhouses at Bern’s or stroll around Hyde Park before grabbing drinks at On Swann.

10. San Francisco, California

Photo: Margaret.W/Shutterstock

If you live in San Francisco, going on vacation means a “holiday” from places with $20 drinks. Of course when you’re also paying SF rents, going anywhere other than Oakland might be cost-prohibitive. So staycationing it is! The City by the Bay ranked fifth for overall recreation, and spending your hard-earned time off hiking and biking around Golden Gate Park is as good a way to experience it as any. As is crossing the bridge to Tilden Regional Park in Oakland or Angel Island in the middle of the bay.

SF also ranked sixth for food and entertainment, so take your staycation as an opportunity to try one of the hundreds of local restaurants you’ve read about but never visited. They’ll likely be expensive, but if you opt to save money by staying in your own bed for this “getaway,” it leaves space in your budget to splurge.

And…. the bottom five
178. Irving, Texas

Photo: Philip Lange/Shutterstock

If you live in this city northwest of Dallas, perhaps taking a short trip within the Metroplex to Ft. Worth or Big D is the move. If not, well, there’s always the Ruth Paine House Museum, one of America’s best spaces dedicated to the Kennedy assassination. Or the Irving Arts Center, where during the summer your can catch live outdoor theater and concerts. Other than that, you’re stuck in a city that ranked 164th for entertainment and 127th for recreation, so you’ll need to get creative.

179. Bridgeport, Connecticut

Photo: Wendell Guy/Shutterstock

Sadly, the city that started Subway Sandwiches does not have an abundance of tourist attractions dedicated to everyone’s favorite gas station food chain. Nor does it have much else in the way of food, since it ranked 163rd in food and entertainment. What it does have is the Beardsley Zoo, which is worth a visit if you have kids, as well as the Discovery Museum and Planetarium and a P.T. Barnum Museum. Bridgeport also brought us the Frisbie, and you can visit the place where the Frisbie pie company started the craze. It’s now a parking lot, but the new home is still open and slinging pies to everyone.

180. Yonkers, New York

Photo: John Arehart/Shutterstock

If you’re a fan of harness racing, you’d be surprised to see Yonkers this low on the list. If, like most people, you have no clue what harness racing even is, seeing Yonkers at 180 doesn’t raise an eyebrow. This Westchester County bedroom community is a popular weekend staycation for those who work in Manhattan, mostly because it means they don’t have to commute anywhere. If you feel like getting out and exploring, however, Yonkers does have a LEGOLAND discovery center. And Untermyer Park, which was a favorite hangout of serial killer David “Son of Sam” Berkowitz. You can also visit the Science Barge — a floating greenhouse on the Hudson River. Or go find out what harness racing is, and maybe win a few bucks in the process.

181. Oxnard, California

Photo: Mariusz Lopusiewicz/Shutterstock

Aside from the funny name, it’s a bit surprising to find this Southern California beach town so low on the staycation list. Granted, it ranked next-to-last for food and entertainment, but if you can be entertained by the sound of the Pacific Ocean crashing against the shore, it’s a pretty nice place to spend a few days. The beaches are softer and emptier than they are 60 miles down the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica. And it’s also home to some pretty solid museums at Mullin Automotive Museum, and the Carnegie Museum of Art.

182. Chula Vista, California

Photo:

World’s trippiest street art murals

Increasingly, it seems that today’s most widely revered artists aren’t the traditional masters whose work is on display in galleries in New York and Paris, but street artists, who use walls and sidewalks as their canvas. They may not be household names, and indeed, may not even have names at all, but when you pass one of their pieces on your way to work, you’ll definitely stop and marvel at it, and probably take a few pictures.

Street art comes in many forms, but the most jaw-dropping pieces are typically those that play tricks on your eyes — that convert a mundane wall into a 3D masterpiece or a simple sidewalk into a world of many layers and perspectives. From a massive hole that makes you feel like you’re falling into the center of the Earth to artwork that blends in with the natural environment, these are a few of the coolest street art murals in the world.

1. Rue de Petit Champlain Mural, Quebec City

Photo: Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock

Next time you visit Quebec City, make sure you take a stroll around the Petit Champlain district — the oldest neighborhood in the city. At 102 Rue du Petit-Champlain, you will find a mural by an unknown artist, painted in the trompe-l’oeil style (an optical illusion meaning “deceptive to the eye”). You’ll feel like you’re looking into the interior of a ravaged old house, but you’re actually looking at a series of scenes depicting the history of the neighborhood. The mural shows the bombardments of 1759, landslides of 1889, and a fire in 1682.

2. Giant Bookshelf, Jan Is De Man, Netherlands

Photo: Jan Is De Man

It might look like the side of a library or bookstore at first glance, but it’s actually just an ordinary building, with the world’s largest bookshelves as a facade. Street artist Jan Is De Man was commissioned by the building’s owners to create a mural, so he asked local residents to suggest their favorite book titles to be featured in the piece. As a result, the titles are truly representative of the community’s broad and diverse tastes. The artist told My Modern Met, “We’ve noticed that this project brought people together without pushing it. They met each other through books. Regardless of the differences in cultures, regardless of the differences in political point of views.”

3. Carcamo de Dolores, Diego Rivera, Mexico City

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This mural may be visually stunning, but it’s even more notable for its location. Inside Mexico City’s Chapultepec Park, there is a hydraulic complex called the Carcamo de Dolores where the river once fed the city’s water supply. The building was built by architect Ricardo Rivas as a tribute to water, celebrating the use of water throughout Mexican history. The little-known and infrequently visited mural can be seen inside a tunnel — once fully submerged in water — that leads to a tank in the center of the building. The tunnel itself and all sides of the storage tank are painted, telling the story of water’s role in society. Since originally the mural had to withstand a constant flow of water, the mix of paint had to be tested in laboratories to ensure it would hold up. The mural is just a half hour’s walk from the Auditorio metro station.

4. The People’s Progression Towards Equality, Jared Bader, Philadelphia

Photo: Mural Arts Philadelphia/Facebook

Street art lovers in Philadelphia certainly aren’t lacking works to admire. The “Mural Mile” is the term used to describe the city’s plethora of murals, consisting of over 3,600 designs across Philadelphia. Among the most well-known and impactful of these murals is “The People’s Progression Towards Equality,” which depicts the struggle for civil rights. Much like the mural on the Rue de Petit Champlain, this piece of street art creates the illusion that the viewer is looking through the side of a transparent building, glimpsing the rooms within. The scenes powerfully depict how African American culture was incorporated into the American lifestyle during the period of Reconstruction, and the role of Abraham Lincoln in the fight for equality.

5. Chase Your Dreams, Odeith, Portugal

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Portuguese artist Odeith takes optical illusions to the next level. In Chase Your Dreams, painted on an unnamed wall, he uses anamorphic techniques (vantage point manipulation) to create a 3D illusion. He is particularly well-known for his spray-paintings of massive insects, which appear to be leaping off the walls and terrorizing the viewer. Chase Your Dreams is somewhat more innocuous but has become one of his most popular and well-recognized works. Notice the shadow on the ground, which makes it appear like the airplane is popping out of the wall. You can check out some of his other eye-popping works, including his popular 3D insects, on his website.

6. Reclining Lady, Vinie, Eauze, France

Photo: Vinie/Courtney Arthur/Facebook

Street artist Vinie is known for incorporating elements of the natural world into her art, and this Reclining Lady piece is no exception. Created for the Magnac Eauze street art festival in Eauze in the south of France, the mural shows a voluptuous female figure reclining in the grass. In keeping with Vinie’s classic style, the greenery growing along the wall blends seamlessly with the figure’s head of hair, becoming part of the work itself.

7. The Crevasse, Dún Laoghaire, Ireland, Edgar Mueller

Photo: Edgar Mueller

This work was created back in 2008 during the “Festival of World Culture” in Dun Laoghaire and is perhaps the best example of linear perspective in the world of street art. If you’re afraid of heights, this piece might make you break into a cold sweat just standing at its edge. Edgar Muller’s manipulation of vertical lines creates a convincing illusion that the viewer is about to step off a precipitous ledge and tumble down into a dark abyss.


More like this: The 9 best street art cities in the world

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Snowfall in Queensland, Australia

A rare snow is falling in areas of Australia that aren’t exactly used to it. The snow, coming to areas as far north as subtropical Queensland, has been described by Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology as a “rare” sight. Indeed, the state has not seen significant snowfall since 2015, and people are being encouraged to stay indoors amid heavy rain and strong winds.

Queensland is typically referred to as Australia’s “Sunshine State,” with meteorologist Lachlan Stone saying that the region’s snow is being produced by a rare cold air from the south. Snow had also fallen around the town of Stanthorpe, southwest of Brisbane, which recorded near-freezing temperatures this week. The Blue Mountains region west of Sydney recorded about two inches of snow, and even road closures and travel warnings.

According to the country’s weather bureau, 55 mph winds “will whip up heavy surf conditions, making coastal activities dangerous.” The conditions are so severe that ferry services in Sydney Harbor have been suspended, though surfers are still likely paddling into the storms trying to catch the perfect wave.

The low temperatures and unusual snowfall come on the heels of Australia’s hottest summer on record, stoking concerns about climate change and leaving many Australians apprehensive about the coming winter.

H/T: BBC

More like this: How to visit Queensland’s Gardners Falls

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Trump imposing new Cuba travel ban

On Tuesday, President Trump announced new restrictions on US citizens traveling to Cuba. Currently, most people reach Cuba via a cruise ship or through organized tour groups, and both methods will soon be prohibited. According to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the new restrictions are the result of Cuba playing a “destabilizing role in the Western Hemisphere, providing a communist foothold in the region and propping up US adversaries in places like Venezuela and Nicaragua by fomenting instability, undermining the rule of law, and suppressing democratic processes.”

Travel to Cuba has never been completely free but was allowed under organized group tours called “people-to-people” travel. Now, the restrictions already in place are getting even tighter. “Going forward,” said the State Department, “the United States will prohibit US travelers from going to Cuba under the previous ‘group people-to-people educational’ travel authorization. In addition, the United States will no longer permit visits to Cuba via passenger and recreational vessels, including cruise ships and yachts, and private and corporate aircraft.” Commercial flights from the US, however, will continue to be allowed.

Former president Barack Obama made headlines for making US-Cuba travel easier than it had been in decades, but President Trump seems to be turning back the clock on relations between the two countries. “Cuba remains communist,” said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, “and the United States, under the previous administration, made too many concessions to one of our historically most aggressive adversaries.”

Unsurprisingly, not everyone is as pleased with the new restrictions as Wilbur Ross. James Williams, president of Engage Cuba (a coalition of businesses in favor of positive US-Cuba relations), says, “The federal government should not be policing where Americans go on vacation. Our core freedoms should not be held hostage by politicians for naked partisanship.”

If you’ve already booked a trip to Cuba, you will likely still be allowed to travel. The Treasury Department has said that “certain group people-to-people educational travel that previously was authorized will continue to be authorized where the traveler had already completed at least one travel-related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or reserving accommodation) prior to June 5, 2019.”

H/T: CNN

More like this: What it’s like traveling to Cuba as a Cuban American

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St Michael’s Mount seeking gardener

Gardening might not sound like the most glamorous task, but when you’re the official gardener of St Michael’s Mount off the coast of Cornwall, it’s not just a mundane chore anymore. St. Michael’s Mount is located about 500 yards off the coast of Cornwall, England, and is home to a medieval castle and a huge garden. A new Head Gardener is needed on the island to maintain the difficult greenery and work closely with the castle’s Lord and Lady St. Levan. Of course, you will be living on the island, as well, alongside the other 30 permanent residents in a Victorian house with castle views.

Photo: Shelli Jensen/Shutterstock

According to the job description, it’s no easy task. “Gardening on a rock in the middle of the sea,” it begins, “isn’t for the faint-hearted, nor is abseiling from the battlements of a castle. But the Garden Team on St Michael’s Mount take all this in their stride as well as the general terrain which would challenge the most agile mountain goat.”

The island’s Walled Garden has a rich history, planted around 1780 and containing a wide variety of herbaceous and tender perennials. Beside the garden are the East and West Terraces where aeoniums, aloes, echeverias, and sempervivums grow year-round.

Photo: Alexander Jung/Shutterstock

To qualify, you should have “substantive previous management experience and a lot of ambition,” and you should also be prepared to “raise the profile of the garden via external advocacy.”

St Michael’s Mount is only accessible by boat during high tide, but during low tide, you can actually walk out to the castle on a cobblestoned pathway.

You can learn more about the garden and life on the island online, and apply for the position via email.

H/T: Atlas Obscura

More like this: These beautiful, real-life secret gardens are the ultimate escape

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Grandparents cycle 12,000 miles

If you thought your two-mile bike ride each morning was an accomplishment, check out this couple in their late 60s who just biked 12,000 miles. After their retirement, Peter and Chris Lloyd (not to be confused with the guy from Back to the Future) just completed an epic journey across 16 countries, from England to China. The trip took 18 months and brought them through the deserts, cities, mountains, and a wide variety of other landscapes in Europe and Asia.

The couple, married 37 years, documented their journey on their blog “Cycling Wall to Wall,” a nod to their starting point at Hadrian’s Wall in Carlisle, England, and their destination, the Great Wall of China. They didn’t book luxurious hotels to rest their tired bodies but instead chose to spend most nights in a tent pitched in the wilderness. Some of their favorite portions of the trip included the 600-mile-long Pamir Highway in Tajikistan and glimpsing the Great Wall of China for the first time, signifying that their journey was nearing an end. According to Peter and Chris, the best part of the trip was meeting friendly and hospitable strangers along the way.

Photo: Cycling Wall to Wall

This isn’t the first time the Lloyds attempted this journey, however. Back in 2017, they made it 1,000 miles to Hungary, where Peter slipped on tiles at a health spa and broke his femur. After his recovery seven months later, the couple set out again, from their original starting point in Cumbria.

“There were obviously testing times along the way,” Peter told The Daily Mail. “Having to get on with life in such foreign places wasn’t always easy. Overall the experience was absolutely incredible. If we can do it, just about anybody can do it.”

You can catch up on their journey through their blog posts online and maybe get inspired to follow the same route.

H/T: The Daily Mail

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Unusual green spaces in Berlin

After World War II shattered 80 percent of the city, thousands of trees were imported to Berlin from across Europe in an effort to disguise destruction with foliage. As a result, Germany’s capital city is being reclaimed by nature. Trees erupt from the pavement and creepers wrestle down crumbling facades. The city teems with delightful parks, but it’s the spaces where natural and man-made collide that offer the most insight into the city’s history. These urban spaces give Berlin an unusually charming green thumb for a major international hub.

1. Tempelhofer Feld

Photo: katatonia82/Shutterstock

Tempelhof Airport has witnessed scores of historical milestones. In 1909, Orville Wright mesmerized crowds with his new flying machine, just five days after Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin landed his eponymous airship. When the Nazis took power, millions rallied here to hear Hitler speak. In 1948, at the start of the Cold War, the Soviet Union blockaded supply routes to West Berlin. This forced the Allies to transport vital supplies to residents by plane, an exploit that became known as the Berlin Airlift.

Sadly, passenger use declined with the opening of Tegel International Airport, and in 2008 Tempelhof was closed for good. But in 2010, shrewd town planners reopened the space as Tempelhofer Feld, a colossal public park replete with wildflower gardens, barbecue pitches, and a quirky mini-golf course. Best of all, the original runways remain (a photo of your best airplane impression is mandatory). THF Berlin offers tours of the decommissioned terminal, one of the largest free-standing buildings in the world.

Where: Tempelhofer Damm, 12101 Berlin, Germany

2. Teufelsberg

Photo: Marcus von Wilamowitz/Shutterstock

This area in the far west of Berlin was originally slated to be a Nazi military technology facility, but it was never completed and was destroyed in the war. After WWII, trucks piled up rubble from the devastated city to make the nearly 400-foot-tall Teufelsberg into the highest point in Berlin. Developers draped grass, trees, and ski slopes over the mountain to create a verdant recreational space, with panoramic views over the city. In the 1950s, Americans built a listening station on the peak to intercept signals from the Eastern Bloc. The station was abandoned at the end of the Cold War, and today you can take tours of the decaying complex.

Where: Teufelsberg, 14055 Berlin, Germany

3. Mauerpark

Photo: elbud/Shutterstock

The Cold War “death strip” was the space within the Berlin Wall that bristled with guard towers, dogs, and electric fences. Part of this has been transformed into the shabby Mauerpark (Wall Park), though a section of the Berlin Wall remains. A flea market springs up here on Sundays, heaving with war memorabilia and other tchotchkes. At 3:00 PM, a local celebrity who goes by Joe Hatchiban — though his actual name is Gareth Lennon and he’s from Dublin, not Berlin — fires up his battery-powered machine for Bearpit Karaoke, a raucous open-air karaoke event held in an amphitheater that has developed enough of a cult following that aspiring singers travel here just to take part. As you wail through your best Steve Tyler impersonation, Hatchiban offers advice, such as the best time to rip off your shirt or throw in an air guitar solo. No matter how off-key you are, you’re guaranteed a great reception. The park itself is quite a site, as well.

Where: Gleimstraße 55, 10437 Berlin, Germany

4. Spreepark

Photo: RobertKuehne/Shutterstock

On the banks of the River Spree lies an abandoned amusement park that is among the most photo-worthy spots in all of Berlin. The VEB Kulturpark Plänterwald opened in 1969 to mark the 20th birthday of the German Democratic Republic. It was hugely popular with East Berliners, with 1.7 million visitors a year at its peak. After the Berlin Wall came down it was sold and renamed Spreepark. Visitor numbers dwindled, and the park closed in 2001. Over the years it has become an eerie memorial to Soviet Berlin, with a rusting Ferris wheel, toppled dinosaurs, and dismembered mammoths, only accessible via guided tour. Developers have been circling the site since 2016 and have already removed pieces of history — get there now before it’s too late.

Where: Kiehnwerderallee 1-3, 12437 Berlin, Germany


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Circus using holographic animals

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the ethics of circuses over recent years, specifically with regard to their treatment of animals. One circus in Germany, however, seems to have a found a handy loophole — a way of still giving the audience a memorable animal experience without exploiting those animals: holograms. Circus Roncalli has been in business since 1976, entertaining crowds with elephants, horses, monkeys, and other animals, but now it’s taking a daring step into the future.

All the animals used in Roncalli’s circuses are 3D holographic images created by projectors. The circus’ agency TAG/TRAUM partnered up with Bluebox and Optoma to install 11 laser projectors around the circus’ arena, for a 360-degree holographic viewing experience.

Photo: Circus Roncalli/Facebook

Photo: Circus Roncalli/Facebook

Since animal rights activists often criticize circuses for keeping animals in captivity, on tight schedules, and in unclean conditions, the holographic circus seems to be the perfect solution. No, you aren’t seeing real-life animals, but the incredible technological spectacle is still worth the price of admission. If anything, it’s more magical. And with growing calls to ban circuses from using wild animals, these holograms might just become a trend.

H/T: Boredpanda

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Family finds lost Lewis Chessman

If you need some extra cash, it’s worth rummaging through some old drawers. Not only might you find some loose change, but if you’re lucky, you’ll discover a centuries-old trinket that could fetch millions at auction. At least, that’s what happened to this anonymous family in Edinburgh, who recently found a Lewis Chessman in a drawer. The chessmen were first discovered on Scotland’s Isle of Lewis in 1831, but five pieces have remained missing for over a hundred years. Now, the newly discovered piece could be worth upwards of $1 million at auction.

The family’s grandfather, an antiques dealer, had purchased the 3.5-inch piece at auction back in 1964 for just $6, having no idea about its real value. Indeed, the chessmen are among the biggest draws at the British Museum and the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. They are considered to be an important part of European civilization, though the family didn’t guess the piece’s true value when they brought it in for assessment.

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Alexander Kater, a Sotheby’s expert who examined the piece, said, “We get called down to the counter and have no idea what we are going to see. More often than not, it’s not worth very much. I said, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s one of the Lewis Chessmen’.”

Since the four sets were discovered in 1831, one knight and four warders have been missing. The piece discovered in Edinburgh was a warder, bearing a shield, sword, and helmet. The original trove of chessmen were believed to have been underground for about 500 years before being first discovered.

The warder will go on display in Edinburgh on Tuesday, and then in London just before the auction on July 2. If you’re interested in making a bid for the piece, you’d better be prepared to spend at least $1 million.

H/T: BBC

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