Gauja National Park in Latvia
You might very well call Gauja National Park, in the heart of Latvia, the oxygen-rich and spiritual soul of the country. Ancient beliefs are still alive, looming around every corner of the Gauja River, the meandering artery of the region.
Where Snow, Soil and Family Meet
When I check into The Social Hub’s Lavagnini in Florence, I don’t just drop my bag in a room; I drop myself into a living organism. It’s a community in motion, where students, entrepreneurs, and travelers blur together like brushstrokes on a Renaissance canvas.
The rooftop hums with energy as I meet Federico Bellanca, Florence’s cocktail whisperer. Federico, who writes for Forbes and Rolling Stone, is one of our ‘local heroes’—the people who turn the city into a living work of art. From the ‘Alchemist of the Rooftop’ to the inclusive beats of Sofia Chiellini’s ballroom nights, this isn’t the Florence found in guidebooks.
This is the Local Blender in action: a place where the city doesn’t just surround you, it welcomes you in. At The Social Hub, you aren’t just visiting Florence; you are becoming part of its heartbeat.
Hanging with the locals in Florence
When I check into The Social Hub’s Lavagnini in Florence, I don’t just drop my bag in a room; I drop myself into a living organism. It’s a community in motion, where students, entrepreneurs, and travelers blur together like brushstrokes on a Renaissance canvas.
The rooftop hums with energy as I meet Federico Bellanca, Florence’s cocktail whisperer. Federico, who writes for Forbes and Rolling Stone, is one of our ‘local heroes’—the people who turn the city into a living work of art. From the ‘Alchemist of the Rooftop’ to the inclusive beats of Sofia Chiellini’s ballroom nights, this isn’t the Florence found in guidebooks.
This is the Local Blender in action: a place where the city doesn’t just surround you, it welcomes you in. At The Social Hub, you aren’t just visiting Florence; you are becoming part of its heartbeat.
Antarctica expedition
Six-metre-high waves, gusts of wind reaching 111 km/h – anyone wanting to reach Antarctica must pass through the Drake Passage. Those who persevere are rewarded with icebergs glowing blue from within, orcas washing seals off ice floes, and a silence that makes you feel very small. An expedition to the end of the world.
Exploring Chiriquí, Panama
Panama is a country best understood in layers. Elevation, climate, culture and coastline shift within hours, sometimes within minutes. For adventurer and writer Simon Schöpf, this journey into Panama’s western highlands and Pacific coast is not about ticking off highlights, but about reading the land through its textures: volcanic soil underfoot, mist on skin, coffee in the cup, cacao shared at a waterfall, salt spray in the open sea.
Along the Coasts of North & South Carolina
A coastal road trip through North and South Carolina brings wooden verandas, fishing boats, cotton-field backroads, slow mornings in Charleston and wild horses on the Outer Banks. A journey into the real American South: cinematic, layered and full of unexpected encounters.
5 Lesser-Known Cities in the American South
The American South is full of big-name cities, but the real discoveries lie just beyond them. Sip bourbon in Louisville, trace country music to its birthplace in Bristol, walk the frontline of civil rights in Birmingham, slow down in romantic Lewisburg and follow the spirit of Route 66 in Springfield. Five towns, endless stories.
Hiking the Porta del Cel, Catalonia
Hiking the Porta del Cel – the ‘Gateway to Heaven’ – is one of the Pyrenees’ most demanding and rewarding mountain experiences. The trail runs across wild cirques, glacial lakes and cloud-high passes, each step pushes you deeper into the landscape and into yourself. This is trekking stripped to its essence: effort, silence, beauty and the quiet joy of earning every view.
Costa Rica’s Wild Treasures
So small, yet full of records: in relation to its small size, Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world and 99 percent of its electricity is generated from renewable sources. Moreover, in the prestigious Happy Planet Index, it continuously ranks high, showing its ability to achieve high levels of well-being with a relatively low environmental footprint. WideOyster’s lead explorer Malte Clavin discovers the wild treasures of Costa Rica’s rainforests, beaches and swamps.
The Wonders of Taiwan
A capital filled with lavish temples and surrounded by lush green jungle. Gigantic gorges with rushing rivers and high-altitude hiking trails with astonishing views over tea fields and seas of clouds. Dark, quiet forests with centuries-old giant trees and mountain meadows where countless butterflies dance around the flowers – all of this and much more is Taiwan.
