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Palermo, Sicily’s capital, is a marvelously jumbled, crumbling blend of old and new—a canvas upon which the region’s complex and ever-shifting history has been painted. Over the centuries, the port of Palermo was controlled by forces from the far corners—from Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans, to Arabs from North Africa, and then Normans from France, who oversaw a renaissance during which many of Palermo’s iconic landmarks and modern tourist attractions were built.

To see some of the vestiges of ancient empires, take a day trip from Palermo to the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its Greek and Roman ruins, including the Temple of Concordia, remain wonderfully intact. Within the city itself, explore the attractions in historic neighborhoods such as the Arab district of La Kalsa, home to the finery-filled Palazzo Mirto. The Quattro Canti (Four Corners) lies in the heart of the old city, with Piazza Pretoria on the corner. From there it’s only a short distance to Palermo’s Norman Palace, another UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Palermo’s star attractions, which houses the Palatine Chapel, famous for its intricate mosaics.

Palermo is also a perfect jumping-off point for sightseeing excursions to the idyllic beaches of Mondello, the medieval coastal town of Cefalù and the mountain village of Monreale, which is known for its exceptional Norman cathedral.

Autumn is busy in Brussels, with school and work beginning after the lazy summer holidays. New expats and students descend on the city, and the streets have a renewed bustle. Festivals and events mark the ramp-up to Christmas (think beer, wine, and food), and a walk in Parc Royale or Tervuren is a great way to see the changing leaves.

Montreal is a truly cosmopolitan city, with a foodie scene that makes it a gourmand’s dream destination. Culturally rich, ethnically diverse, and architecturally beautiful, Montreal is a city where you’ll never stop discovering new reasons to return.

Although the Routeburn Track is a three-day trek, one can walk part of it as a 7-kilometer day hike. The Divide trailhead at one end of the track begins with a steady climb through a beech forest and sub-alpine shrubs and continues with a steep zigzag above treeline to Key Summit. A loop from the summit goes through a variety of environments, including small alpine ponds and bogs. Viewpoints from the summit and along the loop offer stunning vistas of the snow-capped Darran Mountains, Lake Marian, and the lengths of the Hollyford, Eglinton and Greenstone Valleys.

It’s not difficult to find the forts of Antigua; as one of Britain’s crown jewels in the Caribbean, Antigua was fortified with watch stations, formidable ramparts, and more to keep her harbors safe. Today, these forts and fortifications lie in various states of ruin, but many have been given new life as party venues, restaurants, and destinations for the best views on Antigua. Here are my favorite four... plus a curious church, all worth a visit!

The capital of Taiwan is a modern metropolis of towering skyscrapers and bustling street food markets. The Regent Taipei has been known to host visiting celebrities and also had a cameo in the film “Lucy.” For a taste of New Taiwan, book a stay at the W Hotel Taipei. Travelers with a penchant for Old World charm will love the grand, marbled lobby of the Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Hotel Éclat, located in the chic Da-an District, attracts boutique hotel fans.

It’s no wonder Georgia O’Keeffe came to this New Mexico town to paint. The high-desert setting inspires artists. Think of the city as your oyster: Take in the abundance of local works that occupy a surprising variety of spaces. Hop from ceramic studio to folk art museum, and from photography exhibit to cutting-edge gallery. Even the capitol building is filled with artwork.

A perfect 4 days in a new destination means finding culture, great food and authentic experiences. Merida, and its picturesque surroundings with ancient archeological sites, delivered way beyond my expectations. There’s so much beauty there, and there’s so much more to be discovered that I can’t wait to come back. This place is still off the beaten path and selfishly I hope it stays that way a little longer...

There’s no shortage of diverse dining options in Zurich West - from the stylish tapas-sized dishes in Josef to the classical French-Italian cuisine of LaSalle. The opening of Zurich’s first permanent closed market created a plethora of restaurants including the modern Restaurant Viadukt and the popular Markthalle, offering hearty meat-centric dishes. Diners wanting to hit new heights should eat at Clouds - a high-end restaurant atop Switzerland’s tallest tower.

Cape Town already feels like it’s at the tip of the world, but the sensation is magnified at Tintswalo Atlantic, where guests get cozy in suites just a few feet from the ocean. Park in the lot just off famed Chapman’s Peak Drive and take the hotel van, which winds its way down a steep road and drops guests at a collection of semi-detached units. Each is themed after a different island—Zanzibar, Antigua, Sicily, and, oddly enough, Robben (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned). The details are thoughtful, however, from the elaborate, wood-carved headboards to the seashell-encrusted bathroom walls and idyllic paintings. It’s hard to find a setting more romantic and remote. In the unlikely event that you want to venture out, there’s a shuttle that whisks guests to Cape Town, just over 30 minutes away.

South of San Pedro is the award-winning luxury resort of Victoria House. The plantation style property is unlike any other on Ambergris Caye, offering some of the best views of the Caribbean Sea. Despite being one of the larger properties with 42 rooms spread out over 10 acres, Victoria House is one of the most intimate resorts. A majority of the staff at Victoria House have been there for years and it shows. Their love for Victoria House and its guests is genuine and evident throughout every part of the resort. Look for several dining options on property, including the more casual Admiral Nelson Bar, perfect for daytime dining, and the more high-end Palmilla, an ideal spot for a romantic dinner. Meal plans are available for guests looking for a more all-inclusive experience. Victoria House offers a range of room styles, from staterooms and plantation rooms to private suites and villas. Rates start at $195 for staterooms all the way up to $1,775 for a five-bedroom villa.

If anything’s endemic to Orange County it’s surfing—there are 40 miles of coastline here, after all. It’s not hard to find passionate practitioners of the sport, but doing is one thing and teaching is very much another. For newbies or even intermediate surfers looking to get back on a board, La Vida Laguna’s approachable, confidence-boosting instructors are the surest way to success. In private and semi-private lessons, their goal is to ensure that their surf pupils—starting from age eight—stand up on a wave, of course, but they also want to create more ocean advocates in the process. Wave safety and selection plus etiquette training are part of the lessons, along with pop-up drills, positioning, and gentle pushes at Thalia Beach, which has consistently calm waves for beginners. Guides also lead stand-up paddleboard lessons, hikes, and kayak adventures (expect frequent sea life sightings), tailoring and combining experiences upon request. Appointments are necessary and can be made on the phone, online, or at the company’s historic Craftsman bungalow in downtown Laguna. Local tip: For fewer surfers in the water, book a couple lessons on weekdays during the winter season.

There are few places with as much ambiance as the Coffee House at McMurdo Station. When you drum up your ideas of what a coffee and wine bar in Antarctica should look like, this matches to perfection. I enjoyed my time there so much that I also spent numerous hours behind the bar serving up bottles of wine and lattes with an occasional biscotti to scientists, contractors, and several notables who traipsed through the Station as “distinguished visitors.” The building was once used as an exclusive Officer’s Club, but has since been opened up to the summer population of as many as 1100 people. After a cold day of work or weeks in a field camp, folks can warm up with a coffee or hot cocoa; often with a spot of Amaretto, Baileys, or whiskey thrown into the frothy mix. The fact that dry milk is the staple on station is usually secondary to the use of a ‘real’ espresso machine, and it also makes special deliveries of fresh New Zealand milk by friends in the Air Force all the more special. The coffee house culture runs deep here where people come to play a game of cribbage, socialize over knitting, chat with the bartender/barista, listen to live local music, watch a movie, or just escape from the weather.

The Sugar Palm restaurant is the first Cambodian restaurant that many visitors to Siem Reap try, and it often becomes a favorite. The food is some of the most delicious, traditional, home-style Cambodian food in the country. It also happens to be served in a very traditional, Khmer teak-wood house, with high ceilings and wide verandahs—oozing atmosphere.


Everything on offer is scrumptious, from the amok trei or fish amok, to the hearty Cambodian chicken curry. If you’re not a fan of pungent and sour flavors but want to try one of Cambodia’s quintessential ingredients, prahok (fermented fish), then this is the restaurant to do it. The prahok k’tis (a minced pork dip made with prahok) is a fairly tame albeit still very tasty iteration of the dish. The owner-chef, Cambodian-New Zealander Kethana Dunnett, is often around if you have questions about the cuisine. Kethana is the go-to person for celebrity chefs -- from Gordon Ramsay to Luke Nguyen -- when they are in the country filming food programs, and she certainly knows her stuff.