Laura Payne, co-founder of Outdoor Albania and a local travel activist, believes that travelling is all about meeting and connecting with locals and experiencing their cultures – bringing real economic benefits to those who need it most. Laura paid her first visit to Albania six years ago and immediately fell in love with the country’s spectacular scenery and people. She saw the enormous potential for tourism and decided to do something about it that would help the locals too.

THIS ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND ARABIC. Aswan and Luxor have been attracting visitors for centuries. These two southern Egyptian cities and their environs boast some of the world’s most fascinating and best-preserved ancient monuments, like the Philae Temple, Unfinished Obelisk, St. Simon Monastery, Abu Simbel, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Hatshepsut’s Temple, the Colossi of Memnon and the temples of Karnak and Luxor.

This picture shows a number of manmade caves, located in the Erdemli Valley outside the town of Yeşilhisar in Cappadocia, Turkey. Cappadocia became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 in recognition of its cultural and historical heritage. While plenty of other sites are also memorable for the presence of cave homes, Cappadocia is unique in the World for the sheer number of such dwellings. Literally thousands of manmade caves pepper the rock walls of the area’s valleys.

The former imperial city of St. Petersburg, Russia, is brimming with grand palaces, historic architecture and great food – not to mention world-class art museums and pristine parks. Experiencing all the city has to offer can be overwhelming, so it’s a good thing St. Petersburg Urban Adventures can help you locate the secret pleasures and hidden charms of this famous Russian port.