麻豆约拍

Doge's Palace, Venice, Italy

Radio 1 DJ Greg James took in numerous sights when he visited Venice, but top of the list had to be the Doge's Palace (or Duke's Palace). The iconic building was a seat of power for the city from 1340 until it became a museum in 1929. “I'd heard that it was the most unbelievable place ever. And that's true. It is,” Greg says. Among the things that caught Greg's eye was “the most ludicrous artwork” hanging in the palace, which includes paintings by Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese. Tintoretto's Paradise hangs in the Great Council Chamber, which is one of the most impressive rooms in the palace and, at 53 by 25 metres, is described as being one of the largest rooms in Europe.

The palace is also near to Venice's famous Bridge of Sighs, which got its name – as Greg explains – from prisoners who “would all be sighing as they went over from the Doge's Palace to the horrible prison”. Also nearby to the east is the Venetian Arsenal (Arsenale di Venezia), home to the armouries and shipyards that show off Venice's superrich past, and to the west is the Guggenheim Museum. This iconic art gallery is stuffed with Picassos and also features a grave for art collector Peggy Guggenheim and her dogs. “I think it's 12 dogs,” says Greg, noting that “they all died a bit too frequently.”

Find out more about the Venetian sights recommended by Greg by listening to the episode here.

Shah Jalal Dargah, Sylhet, Bangladesh

A heady mix of heat and the smells of sewage and tea gardens will greet you when you reach Sylhet.

Shaun Keaveny and Iszi Lawrence with Nadiya Hussain.

The city in eastern Bangladesh is a place chef and author Nadiya Hussain knows well, as it's the home city of her parents and a destination they have taken her to on numerous occasions.

The most famous of the city's many shrines is Shah Jalal Dargah, honouring the 14th Century Muslim saint Shah Jalal, who is credited as the founder of Islam in Bangladesh. The saint's sword and robes are preserved there and a pond outside is filled with sacred catfish.

Although, Nadiya, as a woman, is not allowed to go into the shrine itself, women are able to enter the complex, and Nadiya she says she enjoys the people-watching there: “It's beautiful to see people kind of just like milling around and it's quite lovely and serene environment.”

To find out why else Sylhet is Nadiya's favourite place by listening to the full episode.

Melissani Cave, Kefalonia, Greece

Kefalonia is one of the largest Greek islands, with the same surface area of New York City. It's an alluring mix of beaches, groves and rugged mountains, and was made famous by the film version of Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

Comedian Kemah Bob was particularly taken with the various caves there. One of the most beautiful is Melissani Cave, where seawater that has filtered through the chalk has formed a spectacular underground lake.

If that wasn't enough, due south is Drogarati Cave where, among the stalagmites and stalactites, concerts are held. “I thought that was insane,” says Kemah, “the idea of people in cocktail attire and fancy shoes just going down the steps into this cave.”

Find out more reasons why Kemah Bob loves Kefalonia so much by listening to the episode in full.

Gander Airport, Newfoundland, Canada

By accident and design, comedy legend Dom Joly has acquainted himself with some fascinating places in Newfoundland.

Iszi Lawrence and Shaun Keaveny with Dom Joly.

Definitely on the happy accident list was discovering Gander Airport, a terminal that would have been state-of-the art in the mid-1950s but now, according to Dom, “looks like something out of Mad Men”.

Now hardly used, Gander was once a crucial transatlantic stopover and, in its heyday, passengers going through included Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles and Ol' Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra, who, according to legend, jumped the queue at the airport bar.

Meanwhile, definitely on Joly's list, as part of researching conspiracy theories for a book, was the Museum of the Flat Earth on Fogo Island. One problem – the museum was closed when he got there, and – mysteriously – remains so.

Find out more about Dom Joly's adventures in Newfoundland by listening to the episode in full.

Temples of Paestum, Campania, Italy

Author and comedian Natalie Haynes brings Shaun to the ancient city of Paestum. Located less than an hour south from Salerno, the city was settled by the Ancient Greeks as Poseidonia around 600 BC, but the Romans later renamed it Paestum, loosely translating as 'sorry'.

The big draw of the city is the three temples, two of which, built in 550 BC and around 450 BC are dedicated to Hera, known as 'queen of the gods' and the sister and then wife of Zeus.

Giving a sense of the size of the monuments, Iszi says: “You might go to the British Museum and think 'oh, those are big columns', but these things are bigger than redwood trees!”

Discover more about the ancient wonders of Paestum by listening to the full episode here.

National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation, Cairo, Egypt

A blast of dry heat and the smell of jasmine, cooking meat and fresh coffee are among the sensations that will greet you in Cairo, Africa's third-largest city.

A statue of Pharaoh Ramesses II.

Writer and presenter Salma El-Wardany was born in the city, has family there and even protested there during the Arab Spring. “Cairo will teach you what it means to be human,” she says, “what it means to truly be alive.”

Among the plethora of places to visit, which include the nearby Pyramids, of course, is The National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. The museum boasts a collection of more than 50,000 artifacts, covering the breadth of Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times to the present day. Among the exhibits you can 'meet' dozens of pharaohs including Rameses II. “Many people believe [he] was the pharaoh in Exodus,” says Iszi, “so you can actually see somebody who's in the Bible!”

To hear more from Salma about the sights, sounds and smells of Cairo, listen to the episode in full.

Blue Lagoon spa, Reykjavik, Iceland

Comedian Rob Auton describes the world's most northerly capital, Reykjavik, as having “an unreal quality”.

He covered a lot of ground including the geysers, whose sulphurous odour prompts Rob to observe that they are like “hot egg – but nature”. Rob enjoyed more geothermal activity at the man-made Blue Lagoon spa, with its distinctive turquoise-hued waters, where he was delighted to find “you could swim up to the bar”. Be warned, however, the spa was temporarily closed at the start of January 2024 due to volcanic activity so check the Blue Lagoon website before making any plans to visit.

Rob didn't make it there, but another attraction of visiting Reykjavik is its massive puffin breeding colony. However, it's existence still counts as “massive tick” for Shaun, who notes: “Puffins have got the strongest stomach muscles of any animal, they're like the Houdini of the of the bird world.”

Find out more about the magical sights of Reykjavik by listening to the full episode here.

The Intramuros, Manila, The Philippines

Densely populated, bustling and humid, with rain and thunderstorms every day, Manila is a buzzing, restless place 24/7. Comedian Darren Harriott enjoyed the easygoing clubs and bars in the Filipino capital, and he also found an all-night casino that gave away airfryers and had sections where gamblers could bring their mums!

Fort Santiago in Manila.

But another attraction of the place is to get away from the bustle of the casinos, rent a bamboo bike and take a trip around the old walled city, The Intramuros. Among the sights you'll see is a rare example of Spanish colonial architecture, the Fort Santiago, built in 1571. If you're there in December, The Intramuros is also home to the spectacular Grand Marian Procession, a parade of more than 100 icons of the Virgin Mary held in front of Manila Cathedral every year.

To find out what else Darren got up to in Manila, listen to the episode in full.

And you can discover a whole world of other unusual destinations, recommended by the likes of Jon Ronson, Jameela Jamil, Steve Backshall and more, by listening to all the previous episodes of Your Place or Mine on 麻豆约拍 Sounds now.