Despite its tiny size, Vatican City is one of the most visited places in Europe and an easy addition to a Rome trip.

Summer travel plans often revolve around big, scenic destinations like hill stations, beaches, or bustling cities that promise a break from routine. But sometimes, the most fascinating places on the map are the ones you can barely spot. Imagine a country so small you could walk across it in under an hour, yet so powerful that it influences millions across the globe. That’s the beauty of travel, it constantly surprises you with scale, perspective, and stories. If you are someone who loves uncovering unusual destinations and travel trivia, here’s one that always stands out. Let’s take a closer look at the smallest country in the world, and why it deserves a spot on every curious traveller’s radar.

What Is The Smallest Country In The World?

The smallest country in the world is Vatican City. Covering roughly 0.44 to 0.49 square kilometres, it holds the title of the world’s tiniest nation by area.

Key facts travellers often find surprising:

• It is an independent city‑state
• Located entirely within Rome, Italy
• Recognised globally as the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church

Despite its size, Vatican City functions as a sovereign nation and plays a major role on the global religious and cultural map.

Where Exactly Is Vatican City Located?

Vatican City sits on the western bank of the Tiber River and is completely surrounded by Italy. For travellers already in Rome, reaching Vatican City requires no special transport planning. Entry points are easily accessible from central parts of the city, making it one of the simplest international borders to cross.

Because of its location:

• Most visitors include it as part of a Rome itinerary
• No overnight stay is required
• The majority of attractions can be reached on foot

This ease of access makes Vatican City particularly appealing for short European trips.

Why Is It So Famous Despite Its Size?

What Vatican City lacks in physical scale, it more than compensates for in cultural and religious significance. It attracts millions of visitors annually, many of whom travel specifically to see its landmarks.

Major attractions include:

• St. Peter’s Basilica
• The Sistine Chapel
• The Vatican Museums

For travellers, this means experiencing world‑class art and architecture within a compact, well-defined area. Vatican City also serves as the spiritual centre for over a billion Catholics, reinforcing its global influence despite its limited size.

How Small Is “Small” Really?

To put things into perspective, Vatican City is far smaller than Lutyens’ Delhi, the central administrative district of India’s capital.

Some quick comparisons:

• Total area: Around 44 hectares
• Population: Under 1,000 residents
• Walking time to cover major sites: A few hours

For visitors, this translates into minimal travel fatigue and the ability to explore key landmarks in a short, well-organised visit.

A Tiny Country With Clear Travel Appeal

Despite being the smallest country in the world, Vatican City offers a concentrated travel experience that fits easily into broader Europe plans. Most travellers explore it in half a day, moving between museums, chapels, and public squares without the need for transport.

Why it works well for travellers:

• Easy to combine with Rome sightseeing
• Suitable for first-time Europe travellers
• High cultural value without complex logistics

Vatican City proves that size doesn’t determine impact. For those interested in history, religion, or unique travel experiences, it remains one of the most distinctive country visits in the world.

With travelling after retirement a growing trend, intrepid mature globe-trotters share tips on how to get the most out of more relaxed trips

Taking a “golden gap year” is an emerging trend among retirees, with increasing numbers of older people planning to see the world when they retire.
Retirement travel is being widely documented on social media by people like retired British teachers Jackie and Richard Pickles, whose Early Retirement Wanderlust YouTube channel shares their campervan travels through the UK and Europe.

Another experienced retirement traveller is Tina (who does not like to reveal her surname), who started the YouTube channel This Is Our Retirement with her husband Norm, who died last year at the age of 70, to share their exploration of the world.

“Retirement travel isn’t about seeing as many places as possible,” says Tina, who emigrated to Canada from England in her 30s. “It’s about finally having the time to experience a place properly, noticing the people, the atmosphere and the small moments that make a place special. When you slow down, travel becomes far more meaningful.”

There are also Americans John and Bev Martin, who sold their home, gave away most of their belongings, packed their backpacks and set off to see the world after they retired six years ago. At the same time, they started the website and social media channels Retirement Travellers, which has charted their journey through 114 countries and across all 50 US states.

Bev, 63, says: “Along the way we’ve made plenty of mistakes, learned a few lessons the hard way, and discovered a handful of things that make retirement travel far easier and more enjoyable.”

Here are the retirement travellers’ tips for happy retirement travelling.

1. Do not postpone travel indefinitely

Many people assume they will travel “someday” in retirement, but health and energy can change unexpectedly, Tina says.

“If there’s somewhere you’ve always wanted to see, it can be worth making those plans sooner rather than later.”

Bev says: “It doesn’t have to be a grand around-the-world trip – sometimes the first step is simply booking a flight you’ve been talking about for years.”

2. Use AI to help plan your trips

“Most seniors never think to use AI to plan trips, find unique hotels or create specific itineraries that meet specific needs,” says Tina.

She suggests you might, for example, ask an AI tool to “plan a 10-day trip to Greece for a senior that has difficulty walking for long periods of time”, and the AI will then plan the trip with that specific requirement in mind.

3. Pack far less than you think you need

Bev says most new travellers pack for every possible scenario, but points out that the world is full of shops, pharmacies and laundries.

“If you forget something, you can almost always replace it,” she says.
“We travel full-time with backpacks, which forces us to keep things simple. Travelling light makes airports easier, train stations less stressful and spontaneous detours far more enjoyable.”

She says travelling light also saves money, but adds: “The biggest shift for us was realising the experiences we were having around the world were far more valuable than the things we used to own. Once that clicked, our relationship with ‘stuff’ changed forever. Our packs became lighter, and our lives became fuller.”

4. Do not travel at peak times

As former teachers, the Pickles, who are both in their mid-50s, say they have enjoyed travelling outside peak holiday times.
“The campsites are quiet, the prices are much more reasonable, there are hardly any children around and the weather isn’t too hot as it is in the height of the season,” Jackie says.

5. Go slow

One of the advantages of travelling later in life is the freedom to move at a different pace, Tina says.

“When we were younger, travelling often felt like completing a checklist. In retirement, staying longer in one place, walking through neighbourhoods, visiting local cafes and speaking with residents can create much richer experiences.”

6. Consider comfort and flexibility

Having more flexible plans and prioritising your own comfort become more important as you get older, Tina says.

“Leaving space in an itinerary, planning rest days and choosing accommodation that’s easy to navigate can make travel far more enjoyable.

“Retirement travel doesn’t need to be ambitious to be rewarding – sometimes the simplest experiences become the most memorable.”

7. Travel in a campervan or motorhome

Travelling in a campervan or motorhome helps keep costs down, the Pickles say.
“Campsite fees are cheap, we travel with all the comforts of home, we can self-cater and don’t have to pre-book any accommodation so we can move with the weather,” Jackie says.

“And if we find a place we like, we stay for longer – or we can just move on if it’s not so great.”

8. Become a ‘flex-pat’

Flex-pat is a term coined by the Martins for retirees who want to enjoy living around the world without dealing with the paperwork of becoming formal expatriates.
“Instead of moving constantly, rent a small house or apartment for a couple of months and settle in,” Bev says. “Visit the local markets, find your favourite cafe, take walks through the neighbourhood, and let the rhythm of daily life unfold around you.

“Flex-pats travel on normal tourist visas, stay long enough to get a real feel for a place, then move on when they’re ready for the next adventure.”

9. Do not worry about losing touch with family

The Pickles admit that when they initially set out on their travels, they were worried about losing connections with their family while they were away for extended periods.

But Jackie says: “The world is a much smaller place and we FaceTime them all regularly when we’re away.”

10. Listen to other travellers

Do not worry about being the oldest travellers around – the Pickles say there are lots of older travellers throughout the world, and getting tips from them can be a great help.

“We backpacked for seven weeks in Thailand and realised we weren’t the oldest backpackers in town – there’s a whole community of older travellers out there circling the globe,” Jackie says.

“We didn’t book anywhere in advance, and have found in all our travels that listening to fellow travellers is important, as they’re a great source of information on the best places to visit – often slightly off the beaten track.”

Don’t waste another meal at a tourist-trap restaurant. Four food writers share tips for eating like an in-the-know local in an unfamiliar city.

Everyone has different priorities when it comes to traveling: Some people just want to relax. Others want to spend a few hours in a museum or fill up their suitcase in the shopping district. And some of us care most about eating, and eating well.

Out of all of those options, figuring out where to dine can feel like a tougher task: There’s only one Prado Museum, but there are countless tapas spots across Madrid. The first step is to breathe — it’s impossible to visit every amazing restaurant, cafe or bar a city has to offer in a dozen visits, let alone one.

Instead, focus on what’s important to you. The food writer and recipe developer Carla Lalli Music once planned an entire vacation around the pursuit of great croissants. Anthony Bourdain would head straight to the central market of an unfamiliar city, calling it the best place to “get a sense of what a culture loves most dear” — and no doubt endearing himself to a vendor and gathering some choice recommendations.

I like to spend my first afternoon on the ground scrolling through the “Following” tab of a chic coffee shop’s social media account. As it turns out, cool coffee shops tend to follow cool restaurants and bars. Here are more tips from well-traveled food writers on how to track down great dining options, whether you’re the type to make reservations months in advance or play things a little more fast and loose.

Ask the locals

While its easy to make a snap judgment on a restaurant based on Google or Tripadvisor reviews, locals know the dining scene best — especially the beloved haunts where the service is great, the drinks are cold and a table is easy to come by.

Regan Stephens, a writer based in Philadelphia and a co-founder of the travel guide site Saltete, researches local experts before she hits the airport. She recommends restaurant critics, cookbook authors or food tour guides.

“I’m seeking out the people on the ground who’ve lived in the destination and know it better than anyone else,” Ms. Stephens said. She follows them wherever they write: their social media accounts, local publications, even Substack newsletters.

If you’re feeling particularly brave, you can even send an email or a direct message asking if they have a Google map or list that they share with friends and family — and more often than not the answer is yes, Ms. Stephens said.

This method also translates well to in-person interactions. Ms. Stephens will strike up a friendly conversation with a barista, a bartender or an employee at a small shop (“as long as they’re not in the weeds” and dealing with a barrage of customers, she said). Many are more than happy to share their favorite spots with a friendly tourist. But her personal preferred source for an accessible and delicious meal in a different city? Taxi drivers.

“If you were to drive somewhere right now on your lunch break, if you’re about to get off work and meet your friends,” she asks, “where are you going?”

Always be researching

For Lyndsay C. Green, the restaurant and dining critic for The Detroit Free Press, seeking out restaurants for her travels is her “first call of action anywhere I ever go,” she said.

She saves up recommendations year-round, using Instagram’s bookmark function to save posts into folders organized by city. “I really just try to find where real people are going.”

For instance, Ms. Green visits New York City a few times a year, so she keeps a running list of leads. “Then I can refer to it whenever I’m there,” she said. And as a self-identified “Last-Minute Charlie,” she said keeping a running list rather than starting from scratch makes the planning process less stressful. A week or two before she lands, Ms. Green goes through her list, makes reservations and creates a list or Google map of the more casual spots she wants to visit that won’t require a reservation.

Learn to spot a tourist trap

Not all touristy restaurants are bad: Many New Yorkers still heartily endorse the more than century-old Katz’s Deli, even with the line of out-of-towners snaking down the block at all hours of the day.

But not every restaurant is Katz’s. Ms. Stephens of Saltete, for instance, generally avoids restaurants that display pictures of what’s on the menu in the window. “They’re obviously just geared toward tourists,” she said, “to make it easier for them to come in and choose, especially if it’s a place that is outside of the U.S.”

Eric Asimov, a wine columnist for The New York Times Food section, is even more blunt: “This may seem obvious, but touristy restaurants are especially prevalent in touristy areas.” He suggests looking in “neighborhoods less overrun with tourists.” Avoid the areas around the Eiffel Tower in Paris; think the Montmartre neighborhood instead. “And to avoid waits, make reservations whenever possible.”

Susmita Baral, a senior travel editor for Travel + Leisure, agrees that standing in line to eat — which cuts into your time spent exploring — is not a fun activity.

“You have to be willing to wait, and more often than not, like, is a meal worth waiting in line for?” Ms. Baral said. “For me, no.”

Book a food tour

You don’t have to be an internet sleuth or a well-connected food writer to maximize your dining experience. Ms. Baral recommends booking a food tour as part of your trip, on a site like Airbnb Experiences. Guided tours with a local are a great way to learn in an informal setting: “You can ask about dishes that you should try or heritage cuisine or local cuisine that maybe isn’t as mainstream to travelers and tourists,” she said.

A food tour is also an excellent way to learn key phrases and local etiquette. On a recent food tour in Osaka, Japan, Ms. Baral not only got a taste of the city’s dining scene but also learned how to carry herself as a tourist. “She taught us how to order a beer at a bar,” she said of her guide. “She taught us how to yell and say, ‘Excuse me.’ And how to order for two versus one.”

Her only regret? That she didn’t book the tour on the first or second day of her trip.

Travelling is something most people love-exploring new places offers a fresh experience every time. Among today’s youth, trekking has become an increasingly popular way to connect with nature, especially through mountains, waterfalls, and scenic valleys. It may seem exciting and adventurous-thanks to movies and friends’ stories-but trekking isn’t as easy as it looks.

Along with physical stamina, it demands proper planning and awareness. Especially if you’re a beginner, a well-prepared trek is key to a safe and enjoyable experience. Here are some smart tips that will not only enhance your trekking journey but also help you avoid common problems.

Here Are 8 Tips For A Great Trekking Trip:

Get a Medical Check-Up

Before heading out, especially if it’s your first trek, consult a doctor. You might have underlying health issues that you’re unaware of, which could become serious in high-altitude or remote locations. A simple check-up can prevent major trouble later.

Know Your Trekking Route

Gather detailed information about your trekking destination. Know the terrain, weather conditions, local culture, emergency contacts, and available amenities. This helps you stay prepared for any unexpected situation during the trek.

Choose the Right Backpack

Invest in a good-quality waterproof backpack to protect your essentials from rain or accidental water splashes. If your bag isn’t waterproof, carry large plastic bags or covers to keep your items safe and dry.

Pack Smart and Light

Trekking involves a lot of climbing and walking on uneven paths. Carry only the essentials-overpacking will slow you down and tire you out quickly. A light and well-organised bag makes the journey easier and more comfortable.

Carry Water and Snacks

Stay hydrated and keep your energy up by carrying water, energy bars, dry fruits, or fruits. Dehydration and fatigue are common on long treks. You can also carry electrolyte sachets to mix with water in case you feel drained.

Avoid Solo Treks

If you’re trekking for the first time, never go alone. Always go in a group or with experienced trekkers. This ensures safety, shared resources, guidance, and better decision-making in tricky situations.

Wear Proper Trekking Shoes

Footwear matters a lot. Wear comfortable trekking shoes with a good grip to help navigate rocky or slippery trails. Water-resistant shoes are a plus in case of rain or wet surfaces.

Take Regular Breaks

Don’t exhaust yourself by walking non-stop. Take a short 10-12 minute break every hour to rest your muscles and re-energise. These breaks also allow you to enjoy the natural beauty around you.

If you’re planning your first trek, keep these tips in mind. They’ll not only make your adventure smoother but also safer and more memorable. Happy trekking!