Declared by Unesco as “World Heritage Site”, the town of Portobelo is known as a “historic monument collection” since you can visit several sites in the same place. Many of the fortresses, castles and buildings have been preserved almost intact along the years: examples are Fort Santiago, San Jeronimo, San Fernando, the Customs and Controller’s building, and the San Juan de Dios Church famous for the Black Christ. During the sixteenth and seventeenth century, Portobelo became one of the most important silver-exporter ports of Nueva Grenada, the Spanish Colonial Jurisdiction which included today's Colombia, Panama, Ecuador and Venezuela. Portobelo also became one of the most important departure points from the “Indies”. For the same reason, this town was subject to many pirate attacks from Francis Drake, William Parker, William Hiking, Henry Morgan, Edward Vernon, and William Kingles. This coastal town is famous for serving excellent seafood and it is close to other great Caribbean destinations.

Named after its owner, who was the Minister of Finances at the end of the 18th century, Dar Hassan Pacha is a well-preserved palace, rebuilt throughout the years. It served as residence for governors and emperors passing Algiers. While Dar Hassan Pacha is closed to the public, it is a popular motive for pictures for its impressive facade and lovely central patio.

For many travellers, a visit to Northern Cyprus feels like stepping back in time. This region, which is controlled by Turkey, is a world away from the busy resorts, malls, and familiar international chains that can be found in the south. Instead, visitors will find remote villages and a slower pace of life. This sense of suspended animation can be traced back to the Turkish invasion of 1974, which led to the north becoming isolated from the rest of the world and self-proclaimed as a republic, recognized only by Turkey. Northern Cyprus stretches from the Karpass Peninsula to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis, and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave. The southernmost point of Northern Cyprus is the village of Louroujina. This region is separated from the rest of the island by a buffer zone controlled by the United Nations, which also divides Nicosia, the largest city on the island and the capital of both north and south Cyprus. Despite its isolated status, Northern Cyprus has a lot to offer travellers. Its two prettiest towns, Girne and Gazimağusa, are located here, as well as half of the capital city. The region is home to three of the island's mightiest Crusader castles (St Hilarion, Buffavento and Kantara) and the island's most important archaeological site at Salamis. The Kyrenia Mountains, in particular, are a hiker's paradise, and many of the region's beaches are relatively untouched by high-rise resorts. Additionally, a visit to Northern Cyprus provides the unique opportunity to experience two very different cultures: the Orthodox Greek Cypriot and the Muslim Turkish Cypriot worlds. The north can also feel more affordable than the south, as it is not part of the Eurozone. Its tourist infrastructure is not as well-developed yet.

Kolossi Castle, a former Crusader stronghold, is steeped in history. The original castle was likely built in 1210 by the Frankish military, while the current structure dates back to 1454, constructed by the Hospitallers under Commander Louis de Magnac. The castle once held great strategic importance and housed extensive facilities for sugar production, a major export for Cyprus during the Middle Ages. Today, the castle consists of a three-story keep and an attached rectangular enclosure, showcasing military architecture of its time. The region is also renowned for the production of the sweet wine, Commandaria, which is considered one of the oldest continuously-produced and named wines globally. The wine was declared to be the "wine of kings and the king of wines" by Richard the Lionheart when he celebrated his conquest of Cyprus by wedding a Spanish princess in this very castle.