Akureyri, Iceland
As Iceland’s second largest urban area, Akureyri is a fantastic destination to get the summer groove on. One can get to explore some of the most incredible sights in the world while on the island. Situated in the northern side of the country, Akureyri is home to the country’s largest fjord and sits right at the base of the beautiful Eyjafjörður. For travelers looking to take in the view, they can enjoy sophisticated seafood and sushi at Rub23 and the R5 Micro Bar while at it. TV show enthusiasts can marvel at Game of Thrones locations like the Goðafoss waterfall and Mývatn (Midge Lake) which are not too far off.
Palermo
The Sicilian capital has recently received plaudits as Italy’s capital of culture. In truth, the city has long had the credentials of a cultural melting pot going back to almost a millennium. At the city’s Moorish Zisa palace, lies a fantastic memorial stone that records the interment of a noble lady’s remains in 4 languages: Hebrew, Latin, Arabic,and Greek.
Notably, the first synagogue in the city in 500 years isset to open. The location is set to displace an unused baroque church in the Giudecca. Cultural highlights like the Manifesta 12, a roving art showpiece is simply unmissable. The city comes packed with numerous activities and exhibitions in botanical gardens, churches, palaces and the recently restored Teatro Garibaldi theatre.
Russia
In a bid to avoid the disaster of the 2014 Winter Olympics, Russia is expected to pull all the stops to make this year’s edition of the FIFA World Cup goes on smoothly. Many football enthusiasts are expected to hit up Moscow and St. Petersburg to take in the action. During the tournament, there are a number of special events that are going to be held all through the country. Those planning to tour the country and still enjoy the football showcase need to apply for Fan ID’s which will function as visas for the duration of the entire tournament plus an additional ten days.
Amsterdam
On the cultural calendar, the Amsterdam Light Festival is simply unmissable since it illuminates most nights. In summer, contemporary art displays will be the talk of the town in Amsterdam. The world’s biggest street art museum is set to be opened in a former welding hangar with more than 100 works by international artists.
Remarkably, the Brazilian street artist, Eduardo Kobra, has painted a 24-meter-high portrait of Anne Frank on the museum’s façade. Conspicuously, about 800 other modern artworks are rehung on the Stedelijk Museum, opened to the public on 16 December 2017. There’s also the allure of a new LGTBQI-friendly techno club called Jack. Travelers looking to stay in tune with other travel recommendations, Tourist 2 Traveler share some exciting insights.
Cairo
The Grand Egyptian Museum now houses more than 100,000 artifacts in a vast building situated next to the Giza pyramids. The archaeological museum is also notably home to fantastic sights like Tutankhamun’s bed, the Sphinx’s beard,and about 4,500 other pharaoh-prized belongings.
With enhanced security and improved political stability, Egypt has steadily seen an increment in the number of tourists. 2017 was particularly impressive as the country saw a 54% hike as 4.3 million tourists jetted in. In 2018, about 8 million visitors are expected to tour the country, with Cairo being the hotspot.
