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Cities and transportJapan
Why most streets in Japan have no name
Japanese addresses point to a block, not a street. How the system works, and how to find a place in Tokyo without getting lost.
The Offbeat Map: The why behind every place
Why things work the way they do in each part of the world, and what that changes for travelers.
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Nature and geographyIsrael and Jordan
Why the Dead Sea is shrinking
The Dead Sea drops more than a metre a year and has lost a third of its surface. What drains it, why sinkholes open and what it means for visitors.
Visas and documentsWorldwide
Travel authorisations: how to find the official site
ETA, ETIAS, ESTA and eTA all have lookalike sites charging several times the fee. The official addresses, the real prices and the warning signs.
Country curiositiesGermany
Why shops close on Sundays in Germany
Sunday rest is written into the German constitution. How the rule works, what stays open at stations and bakeries, and how to get through a Sunday.
Travel costsJapan
Japan’s new travel taxes in 2026: what visitors pay now
Japan tripled its departure tax, Kyoto raised its hotel tax and tax-free shopping is becoming a refund. Every 2026 change and what it adds to a trip.
Cities and transportUnited Kingdom
Why you stand on the right on London escalators
On the London Underground you stand on the right and walk on the left. Where the rule came from, the trial that tested it and what other cities do.
Off the beaten pathPortugal
Monsanto, Portugal: the village built between boulders
In Monsanto, granite boulders serve as walls and even roofs. Why the village was built this way, the story of its 1938 title and how to visit.
Visas and documentsWorldwide
The six-month passport rule: where it applies and where not
Not every country wants six months left on your passport. What Schengen, the US, the UK, Thailand and Indonesia actually require, and how to check.
Off the beaten pathWorldwide
Places that limit tourists: quotas, time slots and bans
Kyoto closed alleys, Machu Picchu has a daily cap and Maya Bay shuts for two months a year. The rules in each place and how to plan so you don’t miss out.
Cities and transportJapan
Tokyo’s train pushers: what’s left of the oshiya
White-gloved staff shoving commuters onto trains belong to another era. How crowded Tokyo’s trains really are now, and how to avoid the crush.
Languages and customsEurope
Untranslatable words and the customs behind them
Fika, hygge, sobremesa, gezellig and Feierabend have no one-word English equivalent. What each one means and the everyday habit it names.
Nature and geographyAustralia
Why Australia’s famous pink lake lost its colour
Lake Hillier had been bubble-gum pink for centuries. A storm in 2022 changed that. What makes a lake pink, and whether the colour will come back.
Languages and customsBulgaria
In Bulgaria, shaking your head means yes
In Bulgaria, the head gestures for yes and no are the opposite of what most visitors expect. Where that comes from, and how to avoid getting it wrong.
Cities and transportCosta Rica
Why Costa Rica gives addresses by landmark
In Costa Rica, an address starts at a church, a pharmacy or a tree that may not exist anymore. How the system works and how to find your way around it.
Visas and documentsEurope
EES: why Europe stopped stamping passports
Since April 2026, Europe’s borders record your face and fingerprints instead of stamping your passport. How the EES works and what it changes for you.
Off the beaten pathFaroe Islands
Faroe Islands: the archipelago that closes for maintenance
Every year, the Faroe Islands close tourist sites for a weekend and invite volunteers to fix them. How it works, and how to get one of the spots.
Nature and geographyIceland
Iceland had no mosquitoes. Until October 2025
For centuries, Iceland was one of the last places on Earth without mosquitoes. In 2025, the first ones turned up. Why it took so long, and what it means.
Food and cultureItaly
Why coffee costs less at the counter in Italy
In Italy, the same coffee can cost double if you sit down. The difference between the counter and the table, what an espresso costs and how to order.
Country curiositiesJapan
Why Japan has almost no public trash cans
Tokyo’s trash cans disappeared after the 1995 sarin gas attack, and most never came back. Why, and what to do with your rubbish while you travel.
Food and cultureJapan
Why Japan eats KFC for Christmas
In Japan, Christmas dinner for many families is a bucket of KFC. How a 1974 ad campaign became a tradition, and what to expect if you’re there in December.
Nature and geographyJapan
Why you now pay to climb Mount Fuji
Climbing Mount Fuji now costs ¥4,000 and comes with a start-time curfew. Why Japan began charging and limiting climbers, and how to prepare for the climb.
Country curiositiesSingapore
Why Singapore bans the sale of chewing gum
Selling and importing chewing gum has been illegal in Singapore since 1992, and the subway is to blame. The story, and what you can pack for your trip.
Food and cultureSpain
Why Spaniards eat dinner so late
A 1940 decree moved Spain’s clocks, but daily habits stayed on solar time. Here’s why dinner in Spain rarely starts before 9 p.m.
Languages and customsSwitzerland
Is it illegal to flush the toilet at night in Switzerland?
Legend says flushing after 10 p.m. is banned in Switzerland. It isn’t, but the myth has a real root. Here’s what the rules actually say.
Visas and documentsUnited Kingdom
UK ETA: what you need before flying to Britain
Most visitors now need an ETA to enter the UK, including Americans and Europeans. What it costs, how long it takes and where to apply safely.
Travel costsVenice
Venice access fee: where things stand now
Venice charged day-trippers 5 to 10 euros until July 2026. How the fee worked, why you can visit for free right now, and what’s planned for 2027.
Visas and documentsEurope
ETIAS explained: who needs it, the cost and the start date
ETIAS will cost €20 and last up to three years, but it still has no start date. Who needs it, how to apply and what to do in the meantime.
Country curiositiesJapan
Tipping in Japan: why it isn’t done and what to do instead
In Japan the price on the bill is the final price, and tipping isn’t part of the culture. The few exceptions, and the extras that can show up on the bill.
Country curiositiesIceland
Why Iceland hasn’t changed its clocks since 1968
Iceland keeps the same time all year and lives with its clocks ahead of the sun. Why it made that choice, and what it means for visitors.
Off the beaten pathItaly
Italy’s one-euro houses: the rules, the costs and the catch
The one-euro houses are real, but the price is only the start. What towns require, what renovation tends to cost and what to check before you buy.
