Race Across the World returns to television screens with its most extreme race to date. This year, five new teams compete to be the first to reach the finish line in rural Mongolia. The contestants meet at the starting line in Palermo, Sicily, before embarking on a 7,400-mile race across Europe and Asia, following parts of the ancient Silk Road.
The Starting Point: Palermo, Sicily
The race begins in Palermo, the capital of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean. Teams must hand over their bank cards and phones at Palermo’s 12th-century Baroque cathedral, the Church of San Giuseppe dei Teatini. To reach the first checkpoint, they choose various routes across southern Italy, passing through Naples, Sorrento, Puglia, and the Calabrian coast. Palermo is known for its Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque architecture, as well as UNESCO-protected palaces and churches built by the Normans in the 10th century. The city also attracts tourists for its Mediterranean climate and Sicilian cuisine, including arancini and pasta alla norma.
Checkpoint One: Fiskardo, Kefalonia, Greece
The first checkpoint is the small village of Fiskardo on the northern tip of Kefalonia, the largest of Greece’s Ionian islands. This upscale harbor resort is popular with yachters, who moor in its turquoise waters alongside traditional fishing boats. Fiskardo is known for its original Venetian buildings, intact from when the Venetians ruled the island between 1500 and 1797. Visitors can enjoy family-run restaurants, cafes, and bars along the waterfront, serving local specialties. The village is surrounded by pebble beaches and bays, ideal for swimming, scuba diving, kayaking, or hiring a boat to find a secluded cove.
Checkpoint Two: Istanbul, Turkey
In contrast to the tranquil Greek village, the next checkpoint is the bustling Turkish city of Istanbul. After a 186-mile journey through rural Greece, the ancient capital of Athens, and Mount Olympus, the teams reach one of the world’s most visited cities, drawing over 19 million tourists annually. Straddling Europe and Asia on the Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul is known for its sprawling spice and jewelry bazaars, as well as over 3,000 mosques. The most famous is the Hagia Sophia, a historic Byzantine structure that was a Christian Orthodox church for centuries before becoming a mosque in the 15th century. The city is also a haven for foodies, with Turkish breakfasts, street vendors selling fish sandwiches called balik ekmek, and a strong coffee culture.
Checkpoint Three: Halfeti, Turkey
During this leg, the last team to reach the checkpoint is eliminated. With stakes raised, the pairs race from Istanbul across central Turkey to the town of Halfeti on the southeastern border. Halfeti’s old town was purposefully submerged into the Euphrates River due to the completion of the Birecik Dam in 2000. Residents built a new town, New Halfeti, about 15 kilometers away. Visitors by boat can see semi-submerged stone houses, trees, and historical monuments, with a tall minaret jutting out of the water as the most spectacular sight. The area has become a popular diving spot, offering a unique opportunity to explore an ancient city underwater. To complete the leg, teams must reach a viewing platform opposite Rumkale Castle, a ruined fortress on a large rock dating back to the Byzantine period.
Checkpoint Four: Tbilisi, Georgia
After one team is eliminated, the remaining pairs complete a 1,050-mile journey to Georgia’s capital. Traveling via Turkey’s Black Sea coastline or eastern countryside, they cross the border into their fourth country. With a history spanning over 1,500 years, Tbilisi’s past is reflected in its diverse architecture, from medieval domed sulfur baths to Soviet tower blocks and modern buildings. Georgia lies at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Georgian cuisine blends various flavors, including khinkali dumplings and mchadi, a traditional cornbread. Georgia is also famous for its wine, with Tbilisi known for the Chinuri white grape variety.
The End: Hatgal, Mongolia
After completing the 7,400-mile trek, teams reach the finish line in the remote Mongolian village of Hatgal on the shores of Lake Hövsgöl. Located in northern Mongolia near the Russian border, the region experiences extreme temperatures, with long, harsh winters dropping to -49°C in January. The nearby freshwater lake, the largest in Mongolia by volume, is known as the Blue Pearl and is one of 20 ancient lakes on Earth, existing for around two million years. Each March, a two-day festival is held on its frozen surface, featuring ice skating, horse sleigh racing, ice sumo wrestling, and Shamanic rituals honoring nature spirits.
