The Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale provides a deep dive into the history of the Rocky Mountain fur trade and the rugged lives of the mountain men who played a key role in shaping the American West during the 19th century. The museum houses a wide range of exhibits, from artifacts such as Jim Bridger’s rifle to archaeological finds from Fort Bonneville. It also hosts annual events like Living History Days and the Green River Rendezvous, bringing the era to life through reenactments and educational programs.

The Swan Valley in Western Australia is a fascinating mix of award-winning wineries, tasty food, impressive art and interesting events, all of which take place in beautiful scenery just 25 minutes away from Perth’s city centre. The best way to experience the region is to follow the scenic route called the Swan Valley Food and Wine Trail. Discover fine wineries, distilleries, breweries, cafés and art.

The beguinages of Flanders and the Netherlands are always oases of calm and stillness, where you might still expect to see an old beguine mumbling her prayers in a doorway. Two of Ghent’s three beguinages have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Although the Old St Elizabeth Beguinage, in Begijnhofdries in Ghent, is no longer enclosed by a wall, making it simply part of the city, it still has a unique atmosphere. Today the Old St Elizabeth Beguinage is known as ‘holy corner’, a place of religious tolerance, because it has no less than three different churches: one is Roman Catholic, one is Orthodox and the other is Protestant. From bleachfield to orchard This open beguinage grew into something of a ‘beguine city’ in the 13th century, with a church, the ‘Grootjuffer’s House’, an infirmary, a chapel, more than a hundred houses for beguines, a bleachfield (a field where linen was laid out to bleach) and an orchard. After the French Revolution, with increasing industrialisation, the inhabitants moved to their new beguinage in Sint-Amandsberg in 1873.