The BBC's Race Across the World has concluded its most extreme season yet, with five teams racing 7,400 miles from Sicily to rural Mongolia. The series followed the ancient Silk Road, taking contestants through nine countries across Europe and Asia.
The race began in Palermo, Sicily, where teams surrendered their bank cards and phones at the 12th-century Baroque cathedral. From there, they travelled across southern Italy, passing through Naples, Sorrento, Puglia and the Calabrian coast, before reaching the first checkpoint in Greece.
The first checkpoint was Fiskardo, a harbour village on the Ionian island of Kefalonia. Known for its Venetian architecture and turquoise waters, the village offered a tranquil contrast to the bustling cities ahead. Teams then journeyed through rural Greece, Athens and Mount Olympus to reach Istanbul, Turkey.
Istanbul, straddling Europe and Asia, served as a major checkpoint. The city is famous for its spice bazaars, over 3,000 mosques, and the historic Hagia Sophia. From there, teams raced across central Turkey to Halfeti, a town partially submerged by the Birecik Dam, where a minaret jutting from the Euphrates River marks the old settlement.
The route continued through Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and finally Mongolia. The season featured teams including best friends Jo and Kush, siblings Katie and Harrison, father-daughter duo Andrew and Molly, cousins Puja and Roshni, and in-laws Mark and Margo.
