-
Each July, Venice unites to remember its liberation from the bubonic plague that decimated more than a third of its population between 1575 and 1577.
-
‘Susegad’ – which comes from the Portuguese word ‘sossegado’ for quiet – refers to the laidback attitude of Goans, who seem to live in a perennial state of contentment.
-
Once a year, the quiet Italian town of Pagani near Naples takes to the streets to celebrate the ancestral tradition of Zeza’s Wedding: a fake wedding between two men.
-
Thaipusam is a beguiling Tamil festival where followers of the Hindu god Lord Murugan pierce their bodies with hundreds of skewers and hooks to show their devotion.
-
Native Americans, English sailors and pirates all came together on Ocracoke Island in North Carolina to create the only American dialect that is not identified as American.
-
On 28 June 1969, events at New York City’s Stonewall Inn sparked a multi-day riot that birthed the modern gay rights movement and the inaugural pride parade in 1970.
-
Sweden is one of the world’s most individualistic countries. But Valborg, a historical collective ritual to mark the start of spring, brings people together for one joyous day.
-
For Hindus, Varanasi is one of the holiest cities in the world, and ‘salvation homes’ have been set up across the city to house the men and women who come to live – and die – here.
Editors' Picks
-
Follow these powerful women who have pioneered the path to female sovereignty and are truly rulers of their worlds.
-
-
Feel a sense of awe and sheer amazement with these natural phenomena and manmade marvels.
-
-
-
A series that examines the characteristics of a country and investigates whether they are true.
-
