People & Culture

Nat Geo Day Tour: From Plate to Palate - A Culinary Discovery of Spanish Delights

Enjoy a tapas cooking class in Madrid and learn the art of crafting iconic small plates while savoring the flavors of Spain's culinary heritage.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Crafting Lisbon’s Culinary Heritage

Join a culinary experience that combines a visit to a hidden chef's market, a hands-on cooking class, and cultural insights in Lisbon.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Dubai’s Pearl Diving Legacy

Explore the fascinating culture and tradition of pearl diving in Dubai and understand its historical and cultural significance for the UAE.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Paris, the City of Book Lovers

Explore Paris's literary history with guided visits to the Bibliotheque Nationale, time to meet one of the Seine's historic ‘Bouquinistes' - booksellers - and a trip to the Shakespeare and Co bookstore.

Nat Geo Day Tour: The Heritage of Emirati Perfumery

Set off on an aromatic adventure into Emirati Perfumery. Learn about the significance of fragrances like oud, and create your own perfume with skilled guidance.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Handmade in Milan

Explore Isola district's heritage and get behind-the-scenes access to artisan workshops. Get hands-on crafting your own arrangement and savor lunch at a trattoria.

Nat Geo Day Tour: A Morning at Thyssen

Experience the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza like never before with private early access, before it opens to the public. Explore the galleries with an art-historian guide, followed by a Madrilenian breakfast.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Tastes and Tales from Brooklyn's Little Caribbean

Discover Brooklyn's "Little Caribbean," a vibrant hub of West Indian culture in the heart of NYC. Join a local guide, savor island flavors, meet the community, and experience a hidden gem of New York.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Influential women of Turkey, from Past to Present

Roam through the ages and explore the indomitable spirit of women who have shaped society from ancient times to the present day, right here in Turkey. Prepare to be awed by the might of the Greek goddess Artemis, learning her story as you pass by the site of her grand temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. You will also have the chance to follow in the footsteps of the Virgin Mary, visiting the house believed to be where she lived and eventually died. Inspired by a National Geographic article, your guide will discuss Mary's role as 'the most famous woman in the world' and reflect on how in modern day Turkey, the role of the woman is very important. Enjoy exclusive access to the Earth School, an initiative set up by the Mayor of Selçuk herself. This project underscores her dedication to nurturing her community and promoting sustainable agriculture. You'll have the opportunity to meet the locals who are involved. A member of the Mayor's team will accompany you, providing insights into how this initiative is changing local lives and landscapes. Your final stop is an elegant winery where an exclusive pairing menu awaits. The chef will join you to provide details of each course whilst a wine specialist will introduce you to each accompanying vintage. The selection includes wine from Yedi Bilgeler, a winery who have cultivated a vine of the same type that was grown in Ephesus over 2000 years ago, as documented by the King of Ephesus.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Women of Antalya, Past to Present

Nearly two millennia ago, Plancia Magna blazed a trail by making an impressive impact on the city of Perge despite the usual passive role of women at that time. She was born into a wealthy, powerful family, but instead of leading the easy life of the elite, she used her privilege to benefit her city. Her courage, independence and strength of character was celebrated long after her time, and inspired women through the ages to seek influential roles in society. Your National Geographic-trained guide will reveal the ancient city of Perge with a focus on the life and legacy of Plancia Magna, an inspirational figure even today. Perhaps Plancia was a source of inspiration for Hatice Adıgüzel, whose workshop you will visit next. Discover the skills and artistry involved in creating lamps and garden ornaments from gourds, and learn from Hatice herself what sets her business apart - her leadership in a male-dominated workforce and her commitment to empowering local women. During a hands-on workshop, you will have the opportunity to create your own small decorative gourd and learn more about both the craft and Hatice's contributions to the local women's community. She pays her success forward by employing local women to decorate the gourds from their own homes and provides them with seeds to help grow the gourds for the business. This helps women who are unable to work in regular employment due to childcare commitments or similar restrictions by giving them a convenient way to earn.

Nat Geo Day Tour: In Verdi's Footsteps

Giuseppe Verdi is celebrated as one of the most influential opera composers of the 19th century, and his work still enjoys great popularity today. Among his best-known operas are La Traviata, Rigoletto and Aida, each telling a very different story but all offering dramatic music and emotional intensity. Taking a tour of Verdi's Milan spotlights his musical genius and reveals his fierce dedication to becoming a maestro of Italian Opera.Discover the legacy he left in Milan, a city he both loved and loathed, with a visit to the Fondazione Giuseppe Verdi, the house that the Opera maestro built to host retired artists and musicians. Here, you'll get a close up look at the life of Verdi and his wife, including their personal belongings, furnishings, art collections, and their final resting places.Next on the itinerary is an opportunity to meet the current residents of Casa Verdi, many of whom are internationally acclaimed artists, and listen to their extraordinary life stories. You are also invited to attend an exclusive performance for National Geographic travelers by one of the residents.Your penultimate stop is La Scala Theatre. Visit the museum and find out the behind-the-scenes anecdotes about Verdi's relationship with the theatre.At the end of the tour, you'll follow in Verdi's footsteps and indulge in an apéritif at Grand Hotel et de Milan, where Verdi lived for 27 years and in fact, where he took his last breath.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Exploring Antalya's Nomadic Culture

The foothills of the Taurus mountains have been a region of travel and trade for millennia. On this tour, get a flavour of the ancient traditions still alive in the region, and visit a Yörük family to experience their nomadic lifestyle in close-up. First, see the unusual Seljuk bridge at Aspendos, whose fascinating story is represented by its zigzag formation. A bridge has spanned this section of the Köprüçay river since around the 4th century, and your guide will explain its significance. Another sign that this region has a long history of comings and goings is the 13th century Kargıhan caravanserai, with most of its original layout still in good condition. Strolling through the ancient inn's bedrooms, guardian's quarters, bathhouse and prayer hall with your guide you'll get a sense of times gone by and all the thousands of people who passed through here for a rest and refuel on their travels. Yörük people have been following the rhythms of their nomadic lifestyle for centuries. Each spring, they move their camps and flocks from the mild coastal plains to the summer pastures in the mountains. Meet a Yörük family to understand more about their low-impact lifestyle and their humble tented homes knitted with wool from their own animals. You'll also have time to explore the pretty Ottoman village of Ormana, known for its ingenious 'button houses' - built only with stone and timber. On the return journey, you will hopefully catch a glimpse of the famous wild horses of the area.