Search results for

The lion cub was licking my hand as if he were a puppy!

Even with the summer crush on the French Riviera in full swing, there are quiet escapes to be found. In particular, I like to take walks along the Sentier du Littoral, the coastal footpath that stretches the length of the French Mediterranean coast. My favorite segment is in St. Tropez, where I head by boat from Ste. Maxime (the Bateaux Verts leave every 10 minutes). From the ferry landing, I start walking—through the narrow streets and old port, under the imposing citadel that has guarded residents since around 1600, past the cemetery, and onto a narrow path that ribbons around the St. Tropez Peninsula. The 7-mile route takes me by inlets of crystalline water, hidden villas whose residents I always wonder about, and past dozens of little beaches that are significantly more serene and less crowded than the frenzy of those found along Pampelonne Bay, where this piece of the trail ends. You can hoof the two miles back to the village, or take the bus.

A famed food critic follows the legendary xiao long bao on its global route from Taiwan to California.

From high-end seafood dishes to, as expected, perfectly-baked treats to go with New Zealand’s sublime coffee, Auckland’s restaurants will tempt you to stay put in the city ... forever. Or, at least, return time and again.

On a trip with a young traveler in tow, a writer reflects on her first Venice adventure—and how it changed her life.

AFAR chose a destination at random—by literally spinning a globe—and sent Meghan Daum on a spontaneous journey to Peru.

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC)—new home for both the National Library and National Opera, designed by Renzo Piano and financed to the tune of €630 million—is a wonder to look at, walk through, and relax in. The library and opera are state of the art; the 42-acre grounds include a salt-water canal where you can learn to sail or kayak, fantastic playgrounds and fountains to keep kids entertained, and the Great Lawn where free concerts, open-air screenings and festivals are staged year-round. Take advantage of the center’s location and drink in the 360-degree views of the city and sea from the Lighthouse, a glass-walled lookout and terrace shaded by a vast solar panel that powers most of the sustainably minded complex. This neighborhood is, after all, called Kallithea, which means “wonderful view.”

Many restaurants around the Cayman Islands have pushed the ocean-to-table movement to new heights. From the Grape Tree Cafe, a popular roadside fish fry, to Morgan’s Seafood Restaurant, a fine dining spot in West Bay, there are plenty of locally-sourced options waiting for you. For a meal well worth the trip all on its own, try the tasting menu at Blue by Eric Ripert, the French chef’s restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton on Seven Mile Beach.

La Ciudadela has been the go-to market for handcrafts for nearly 50 years, and it features crafts and handmade objects from all over Mexico. Expect to find everything from textiles (blankets, tablecloths, and hand-embroidered clothing) to ceramics, plates, cups, and serving dishes. Other items to be had here include mirrors, furniture, jewelry and hair accessories, and all manner of small and large handcrafts, including hand-beaded masks. Toys, dolls, and stuffed animals made by hand by artisans from Chiapas are also on offer. The market is open daily.

Uncorking Switzerland’s Secret

Everyday Universal Experiences: Audrey Scott and Dan Noll, Uncornered Market

Chullpi is a top choice for haute cuisine Peruvian-style. Its chefs insist on Cuzco-adjacent ingredient sourcing that supports local economies, at the same time keeping traditional dishes like cuy (a regional guinea pig species) relevant through contemporary iterations. The flavors are fabulous and the presentation winningly incorporates local history, such as using a serving dish carved to look like the circular terraces at Moray or presenting a pressed guinea pig on skewers over a small fire made of palo santo, a local incense. Portion sizes can be small—the perfect excuse to order more.

The bleak, windswept landscape of Connemara in the West of Ireland is characterized by bogs, lakes, mountains, and miles of stone walls. Connemara National Park is one of the best places to appreciate this unique landscape, with more than 7,000 acres of national park encompassing mountains, including some that are part of the Twelve Bens range, plus Western blanket bog and treeless plains that are home to red deer, sheep, and Connemara ponies. Explore for yourself, and find traces of history dating back thousands of years, including 4,000-year-old megalithic tombs and abandoned farms.

For cross-country skiers, one winter destination rises above the rest: humble Hayward, Wisconsin, where, for a glorious weekend, their obscure sport is king.