For centuries, Porto Ercole has been one of the ultimate summer hubs for elite Italian travelers. Today, it still retains this reputation of being a bite-sized, chic destination to spend a few days—think sun-soaked beaches, generations-old family restaurants, and sleek yachts bobbing in the bay. It's easy to access—located on Tuscany’s Monte Argentario peninsula, you can drive to this coastal village in under two hours from Rome, or take a one and a half hour train journey into Orbetello. Here, days pass by at a slow, leisurely pace; take picturesque strolls along sandy stretches, feast on Tuscan delights, or explore one of the three impressive fortresses towering over the village. In this guide, we highlight some of the very best things to do, places to eat, shop, and drink in Porto Ercole.
How 3 friends without any hospitality experience started renting out over 400 tiny homes in remote locations around the world
20.09.2024 - 09:53 / insider.com
How nice would it be to leave everything behind, unplug from the world, and relax abroad?
This thought lingered in Adrian Chia's mind after a two-week family vacation exploring the Great Ocean Road in Melbourne in 2016.
Shortly after returning hometo Singapore, he floated the concept of living an unplugged life byhis friend Dave Ng, whom he'd met in his 20sduring mandatory national service.
"We were just chitchatting, but Dave started thinking about it seriously," Chia, now 43, told Business Insider. Ng came up with the idea of creating a tiny house on wheels — a mobile house that could be easily relocated if a particular location did not attract guests.
In 2017, the pair decided to sell their businesses — Chia had been working in IT and Ng in waste management— and start a tiny house business called Big Tiny. Theyinvested 100,000 Singapore dollars, or around $77k, each, and dove into brainstorming their first prototype.
"I knew I was venturing into uncharted territory," said Chia, who was married with two young kids and had a newborn at the time.
With no experience in architecture or building, their first roadblock was figuring out how to build a tiny house.
"I can't even change the door knob at home," said Chia, adding that the thought of having to fit a kitchenette, a bedroom, and a living room into a 20-foot space was daunting.
They hired an architect to help with the design of the house and agreed ona few essentials. First, the house had to be on wheels. Next, they had to ensure that the house did not feel claustrophobic.
Six months of trial and error later, Chia and Ng assembled the first prototype home in Chia's garden in Singapore.
They began scaling the business by sending tiny houses overseas. The first two were sent to Australia, one to Victoria and the other to New South Wales.
In 2018, Chia convinced a friend from elementary school, Jeff Yeo, to join the team of founders and help with branding. Yeo had worked as an account director and manager at several marketing agencies.
Together, they raised around SG$4.2 million over two funding rounds, Chia said. That includes SG$3.8 million in the second round, which took place in 2021.
After garnering attention from local media, the team started to receive inquiries on how to purchase tiny houses, Chia said.
So, in 2017, the team started a program that allowed people to buy a tiny house for around SG$90,000. In return, they managed the hotel side of the business by renting the unit back from the buyer. They either rented the tiny house for two years and paid 8% a year or five years and paid 10% a year. Big Tiny then earns from the profit of nightly stays, Chia said.
Although the headquarters is in Singapore, Big Tiny's first move was to send tiny
Singapore Outpaces Hong Kong in Hotel and Tourism Race
Singapore’s hotel market is surging ahead of Hong Kong’s, capitalizing on travelers attending the city-state’s major events while Hong Kong struggles.
Japan is encouraging Americans to visit with free domestic flights. Here's how to book.
Japan is a popular spot for tourists, and a new initiative will make it easier – and more affordable – to visit than ever before.
The Fastest Commercial Train in the World Runs at 267.8 Mph and You Can Take It Every 15 Minutes
There are two types of train trip: The long, slow, and often luxurious train journey that takes you through beautiful scenery that you book specifically to spend time on the rails; and the speedy, no-nonsense, cheap train ride you take to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. In the first category, you’ll find grand trips like Australia’s The Ghan, South Africa’s Blue Train, and Britain’s Caledonian Sleeper. In the second, there are trips from London to Brussels in just two hours, from Rome to Venice in four hours, and from Miami to Orlando in three hours. And if you’re a train traveler who belongs to the second category and likes getting places fast without flying, there are plenty of trains in this world that do just that at speeds previously unimaginable on land, including the fastest train in the world and its closest competitors.
I'm an Introvert, but Taking a Solo Group Trip Changed My Outlook on Travel
If you told me years ago I’d be traveling to Iceland alone to meet a bunch of strangers for a group vacation, I would have called you crazy and laughed out loud.
Arson, Robberies, and Chaotic Soccer Matches Mark the Start of the 2024 Paris Olympics
The opening ceremony for the 2024 Olympics in Paris is designed to be a major spectacle on July 26. Yet issues have plagued the games before they’ve even begun. Just hours before the opening ceremony, arsonists attacked France’s high-speed rail network and disrupted travel to Paris from around Europe for 800,000 people — fans and athletes alike.
How to Sail Through Indonesia's Most Remote Corners on a 16th-Century Wooden Ship
As I watched the Indonesian port city of Labuan Bajo fade into the horizon from the aft deck of Katherina, the bars on my phone gradually diminished before vanishing altogether. I’d spend the next 10 days cruising the coasts of Flores, Komodo, and Alor with SeaTrek Sailing Adventures, during which time my iPhone would be no more than a paperweight with a fancy camera.
Cathay Pacific adds route to Dallas Fort Worth from Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific will launch a new route from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), the airline said on Tuesday.
These are the 50 best hotels in the world
Sep 22, 2024 • 4 min read
World’s most powerful passport: Spain knocked off top spot by Asian nation
Singapore has risen to the top of a ranking of the world’s strongest passports, knocking Spain off the top spot.
I moved to Bali and turned my life into a 'workcation.' There are struggles, but every day feels like a beach day now.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Eliot Davenport, a 32-year-old SEO manager and business owner from Melbourne, Australia. It's been edited for length and clarity.
I'm an Australian living in the US. I route all my flights home through Singapore just to explore Changi Airport.
As an Australian living in New Orleans, I travel home about four times a year, always seeking ways to make the long journey more enjoyable.