Travel is fun and sometimes surprising. But isn't that what makes travel so exciting? With so many nations, there are a plethora of fascinating travel facts. Whether you want to learn more about your next vacation spot or amaze your dinner guests, here are 14 fascinating travel facts to keep you entertained:
1. Beaches of Barcelona Barcelona had no natural beaches before the early 1990s since its seaside resorts were dominated by local industry. The coastline line was entirely refurbished when Barcelona was chosen to host the Olympic Games, and now Barcelona has seven gorgeous beaches! In fact, National Geographic just ranked it the finest 'beach city' in the world.
2. Wine fountain of Italy There is a free wine fountain in Ortona, Italy! Yes, you heard it right. The "free for the public" fountain was opened by Dora Sarchese Winery, primarily to serve travelers coming to the Camino di San Tommaso. It's not the first public wine fountain in Italy. St Mark's Square in Venice opens a fountain during its yearly carnival. The one in Ortona is open all year, and while the vineyard won't say what sort of wine is pouring through the fountain, travelers have loved it.
3. Lakes of Canada There's something special about Canada's lakes. There are simply too many of them. Did you know that Canada has 60% of the world's total lakes? Yeah. You won't have to worry about missing out on a lakeside vacation in Canada.
4. Shortest Commercial Flight If you are ever planning to go to Scotland, you can try this short ride. The world's shortest commercial flight connects the islands of Westray and Papa Westray in Scotland's Orkney Islands. It just takes about a minute and a half to get there.
5. Late Certificates in Japan If a train is running more than five minutes late, passengers are given a 'delay certificate,' which is said to be the most punctual in the world. The certificates can be used to justify a passenger's tardiness to supervisors or schools. Some trains in Germany and Paris also give delay certificates.
6. Bangkok is just a nickname Thep Krung Amon Mahanakhon Ayuthaya Rattanakosin Mahinthara Mahadilok Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Amon Awatan Piman Prasit Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam. Yes, it is correct! Bangkok is the world's longest city name, which makes sense for a city with such a rich culture and tradition. Join a local expert on a guided tour to learn more about Bangkok's fascinating facts.
7. Jet Lags round the world Traveling from west to east causes more jet lag, according to science. The normal cycle of sleep/wake modes on our internal clock is significantly longer than 24 hours. From west to east shortens the day, whereas traveling east to west lengthens it, making it more straightforward for the brain to adjust.
8. Wishing Fountain Given that throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain is a well-known practice, it's hard to imagine that every single one gets taken — but it's true! Millions of euros have been sucked from the Trevi, cleaned, weighed, and then donated to local charities across Rome!
9. Narrow buildings of Amsterdam Many people are familiar with Amsterdam's compact streets and buildings, but few are aware of why they were constructed in this manner. Owners paid a fee based on how much sidewalk each property took up in the 1700s, which is why inhabitants chose to narrow the sidewalk as much as possible!
10. Riverless Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is devoid of any permanent natural rivers. It is not the only country in the world. There are 20 nations where there are no natural rivers. When it rains severely in Saudi Arabia, water collects in wadi valleys.
11. Parisan didn’t like Eiffel Tower After it was shown to the public, the renowned skyscraper was dubbed "monstrous" and "ridiculous." It is even believed that contemporaneous writer Guy de Maupassant despised the structure so much that he ate lunch every day in the tower since it was the only spot in Paris where the landmark was not visible.
12. Only visible living object from space The Great Barrier Reef is a natural wonder. Yes, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the world's only living object visible from space. Nothing but the finest for one of the natural world's seven wonders.
13. Pyramids of Sudan According to several sources, Sudan is home to roughly 250 pyramid constructions built by monarchs of ancient Kushite kingdoms between 2500BC and 300AD. That way more that what Egypt has. There are around 100 pyramids in Egypt.
14. Leaning Minarets of Taj Mahal This was done on purpose to guarantee that if the structure fell, the minarets would not fall on top of the central tomb, destroying it. It's also true that the renowned monument was created by a team of 20,000 workers and craftsmen, but the classic claim that they were all amputated by Shah Jahan, the king who commissioned it, when it was finished is most likely a hoax.