1 . Spain is a country that continues to surprise and let us tell you it’s not all sunbathing and shopping! We’re outlining our top 3 reasons to discover Spain along with our holiday suggestions to help you make up your mind.

From the dramatic, imposing mountains to the countless glistening beaches that dot its coastlines, Spain is a country full of natural beauty and inspiring landscapes. If breath-taking views and unique scenery captures your attention then our top suggestion is to experience a holiday to Tenerife where you can enjoy the inspiring its volcanic views and panoramic scenery. The largest of the Canary Islands, just south of Spain, Tenerife has a rugged, volcanic landscape as well as over 200 miles of coastline boasting a huge variety of flora and fauna.

Did you know that Spain has over 5,000 miles of coastline and thousands of beaches? Wherever you go, you are never far from a beach. From undiscovered, hidden alcoves to popular tourist resorts, there’s a beach for everyone and with over 300 days of sunshine each year you’re guaranteed the weather to enjoy them! This beautiful country also has the most blue flag beaches in the world so now you’ve no excuse! With thousands of beaches to choose from, where will you go?

For many people, one of the highlights of Spain is, of course, the amazing food on offer. The country’s vibrant cities offer up Michelin-starred restaurants and lively tapas bars, while small-town cafés and restaurants offer up traditional dishes such as paella, seafood stew, and chorizo, made with love from family recipes.

Spanish cuisine is known for being delicious, healthy, and full of flavour, so there are many unique dishes available that will tempt your taste buds. If we’ve made you hungry, then you should take a holiday to Costa Brava, a Spanish foodie destination that should not be missed!

2 . Have you heard of these four monuments?

Carhenge. Floralis Genérica. Traffic Light Tree. Hand of the Desert — these are four unusual monuments from around the world you might like to visit.

Carhenge is in Alliance, Nebraska (USA). As the name suggests, it has a lot in common with Stonehenge, the famous stone circle on Salisbury Plain. But while Stonehenge was built with stones, Carhenge was created with cars. The monument was made in 1987 by a local artist Jim Reinders and his family. He used old cars and even an ambulance. At first, the people of Alliance didn’t like it, but they soon changed their minds after it became popular with tourists, who brought lots of money to the town.

Floralis Genérica is a massive statue of a flower. It stands in a pool of water in front of the National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Eduardo Catalano, a native of Argentina, gave the statue as a gift to the city in 2002. Every morning, the flower opens. Ask anyone who has seen it and they’ll tell you that watching it open is an unforgettable sight. In fact, many people believe it is one of the most beautiful statues in the world.

The Traffic Light Tree is situated at Heron Quay, in one of London’s financial districts. The tree has 75 sets of traffic lights. It was created by French artist, Pierre Vivant, and was installed in 1998. A computer controls the lights, which are turned on and off randomly. The roundabout where the tree is was voted the most popular roundabout in the UK in a recent survey.

The Hand of the Desert is in the Atacama Desert in Chile. The sculpture was designed by the Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrazabal. From a distance, it looks as if there’s a giant in the sand who has stuck his hand out of the ground.

If you’re looking for something new to see, you know where to go!

3 . Over the past decade, more and more travelers have been embracing the idea of slow travel. One of the most popular methods of slow travel, if you have the time, is by rail. Here are our picks for some of the best train rides in the world.

The Glacier Express

The Glacier Express takes more than eight hours to cross the 180-mile journey between Zermatt and St. Moritz in Switzerland at an average of 18 mph. The classic red train journey brings you to Europe’s mountains at their very best — with views of snow-covered forests and peaks included!

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway

Running through Tamil Nadu State, the train is the slowest in India due to an extremely steep gradient on the route. It takes nearly five hours to cover a distance of 46 km. Clearly nobody uses the NMR to get from A to B, but for the sheer joy of riding in a train that passes through 16 tunnels, 250 bridges and 208 steep curves on the richly biodiverse Western Ghats mountain range.

No. 6063/6064

With a length of 257 kilometers, the highly popular “small-and-slow train” route winds through the Qinling Mountains, linking 13 stations at the highest cost of 39.5 yuan. Villagers take the train to sell their vegetables in nearby counties to add to their families’ income. Helping poverty alleviation and carrying students to schools, the rail line, running for over 60 years, is a guarantee of and witness to the wish for a better life of the people along its route.

Royal Scotsman

With the full length of 1930 kilometers, the Royal Scotsman marries Edwardian elegance with the comforts of a five-star country house. The train includes elegant lounges, comfortable suites, and an open observation deck. The 9-coach train carries a just 36 passengers maximum with a passenger to staff ratio of 1:3. One of the coaches is the amazing Bamford Spa offering something of a palace on wheels.

4 . The following beach destinations range from ocean-side to lake-side locations, each one offering unique and quality experiences.

 Channel Island

You’ll have difficulty finding a more scenic and adventurous beach getaway with an abundance of sea life. Whales and dolphins visit the area every year. You can also camp on one of the islands in Channel Islands National Park. Hiking, exploring tide pools, diving, surfing-the activities are boundless.

 Gulf Islands National Seashore

Imagine cotton candy-blue water, sugar-white sand and lots of lemonade-yellow sun and the picture will look a lot like Gulf Islands National Seashore. Spend a day at Perdido Key or overnight at Fort Pickens campground. Or consider the “Coastal Curiosities” activity at historic Fort Pickens.

 Indiana Dunes National Park

The park hugs 15 miles of the southern shore of Lake Michigan. From camping to flying kites to a sunset stroll, this lakeshore will continually attract you. You will enjoy 45 miles of trails over rugged dunes (沙丘), mysterious wetlands, and peaceful forests. There are eight beach access points along the shoreline and most parking lots are open from 7 AM until 30 minutes after sunset.

5 . Standing Indian Campground

For those who want world-class whitewater rafting(漂流)

·Location: Located inside the Nantahala National Forest

·Campground Contact: (828)524-6441

·Park Hours: Open 24 hours

·Campground Website

Standing Indian Campground is one of several campgrounds located inside the Nantahala National Forest. Established in 1920, the Nantahala National Forest got its name from the Cherokee word meaning “Land of the Noonday Sun”. The half-a-million-acre forest is also one of four managed by the United States Forest Service and is settled deep within the mountains.

The National Forest is also home to three appointed Wilderness Areas and two Wild and Scenic Rivers. These famed rivers also offer world-class kayaking, canoeing, whitewater rafting, boating, water-skiing, fishing, and swimming. For hikers, the famous Appalachian Trail runs directly through the forest, so don’t be alarmed if you see a hiker walking on the trail. In addition, like many national forests in North Carolina, camping is free of charge at several spots in Nantahala National Forest. At this campground, you can also camp at a height of 3,880 feet under evergreens near the Nantahala River.

The campground also features several loops (环形) that are perfect for tent camping and large enough for RVs. In addition, Standing Indian is a convenient spot for travellers passing through, yet ideal enough for those who want to stay longer.

Campground Breakdown:

·88 Sites in Total

·Standard Nonelectric Premium Site: $20 per night

·Standard Site: $20 per night

·Group Standard Nonelectric: $75 per night, accommodates up to 25 people

·Double Site: $40 per night

Standing Indian Facilities: Picnic tables, fire rings, toilets, showers