Vasa, the ship that sank

The Vasa is a Swedish warship built in the early 17th century. The ship sank after sailing about 1,300 meters (1,400 yd) into her maiden voyage on 10 August 1628. Vasa was built top-heavy and had insufficient ballast. Despite an obvious lack of stability in port, she was allowed to set sail. After a few minutes she encountered a wind stronger than a breeze and started to heel to port, pushing the open lower gun ports under water, causing water to rush in on the lower gun deck. The gun ports were open because it was intended to give a cannon salute to the crowd and many VIP’s who were in the harbor to see the maiden voyage of Sweden’s biggest warship. The inflow of water heeled Vasa over further, and she quickly sank.

The Amalfi Coast, located along the southern flanks of the Sorrento Peninsula near Naples, is by far Italy's most scenic stretch of coastline. A landscape with cliffs rising out of the sea, medieval villages terraced into hillsides is what you can expect. No wonder that Unesco decided to add this unique Mediterranean landscape to the World Heritage list in 1996. The Amalfi Drive, which we follow, is a narrow road that threads along the high cliffs above the Tyrrhenian Sea. Add in drop-dead views and mad Italian drivers, and this will be a road trip to remember.

Amalfi Drive

A small guy named Frodo once had a ring with the inscription: One Ring to rule them all. If the had a GPS in Middle-Earth, it would point him not the way to Mordor, but directly to Iceland. There they have a road unlike any others: the Ring Road, or Route 1. 830 miles of adventure and surprises, majestic lava fields mingle with snow-capped mountains to create a world that would make our little Hobbit feel like he still is in Middle-Earth. This road trip is epic and unforgettable in many ways: relax in natural hot springs and see the erupting geysers, walk on the ancient ice of glaciers and explore volcanic craters.

Iceland Ring Road

The Pacific Coast Highway runs along the central California coast and offers an exhilarating driving experience. The twisting, cliff-hugging, 123-mile (198-kilometer) road threads through Big Sur, where mountains plunge into the Pacific. In some places, the road has sharp drop-offs and narrow turns, so stay alert. This route can be difficult to drive with RVs or other oversize vehicles.