Charlottesville, Virginia is a small city with deep roots and a lively sense of place. It's home to the University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 and now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside Jefferson’s Monticello estate. Both sites are working institutions where architecture, education, and ongoing dialogue shape how visitors experience the past.
Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is one of Africa’s most vibrant and unpredictable cities. Sprawling along the banks of the Congo River, it’s the third-largest city on the continent and pulses with music, art, and personality at every turn. Across the river lies Brazzaville, making Kinshasa part of the only pair of national capitals facing each other across a single waterway.
Margarita Island, known locally as Isla de Margarita, sits just off Venezuela’s northeastern coast in the warm Caribbean Sea. The island's famous beaches span from quiet coves to wide-open shorelines. Playa El Agua stretches for over two miles with swaying palms and lively beachfront restaurants serving fresh snapper, tostones, and cold Polar beer. For those seeking less crowded sands, Playa Zaragoza offers calm waters and a glimpse of everyday coastal life.
Raglan, on New Zealand’s North Island, is a coastal town that has earned international renown for its surf culture while retaining a bohemian, community-centered spirit.