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There’s a lot more to the San Fermín festival than the running of the bulls. In Pamplona, a skeptic learns what it’s really like to attend the biggest summer fiesta in Basque country.

Whether you wander by boat, bike, or tuk tuk (or, highly recommended, a combo of all three), Bangkok spills over with places both new and very old to explore. Along the way, modern-day wonders rub shoulders with traditional Thai culture. Hop from the floating market to a day cruise on the Chao Phraya River to a cocktail at one of the city’s innovative bars. Make meals of tastes from street food vendors and mix in some table service at some of the city’s most renowned restaurants. Overwhelmed by all the options? Stop for a Thai massage. Need souvenirs? The weekend market awaits.

AFAR chose a destination at random—by literally spinning a globe—and sent comedian Jorma Taccone on a spontaneous journey to Nairobi, Kenya.

There is so much to fall in love with in Providenciales, the only touristy island in the Turks and Caicos, but there are certain experiences you just must do. The Turks and Caicos are a true paradise, and Providenciales (Provo, to locals) is home to one of the world’s most stunning shorelines, the 12-mile Grace Bay Beach. Other top experiences in the Turks and Caicos include DIY snorkeling, an island fish fry, or taking a homeless “potcake” dog to the beach.

In search of a flightless, sex-crazed, and rarely seen parrot in a land once ruled by birds.

Start by seeking out the country’s beer-brewing monks.

Part Roman bath, part Turkish hammam, part massage parlor—it all adds up to a restorative haven in the concrete jungle that is Manhattan. Aire is part of a chain that started in Seville, Spain, and every location is specially chosen to include an underground bath area comprised of stone and marble pools, treatment rooms, a hammam, and relaxation areas. The Tribeca building dates to 1883; all original architectural elements were restored and garnished with lanterns from Morocco plus marble from Spain. Old wood beams that could have been thrown away during construction were turned into beautiful benches and tables, and candles are the only source of light in most of the 16,000 square-foot space. A salt pool allows you to experience what many travel all the way to the Dead Sea for: effortless flotation. The Eucalyptus-scented hammam cleared out my head so I could leave with renewed vigor for the day’s writing projects. My massage, too, was worth every penny, though you can use the pools and steam room without being treated by a masseuse. And extendd hours (from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily) mean you can drop in even after a full day of work or sightseeing.

In the city’s once-gritty fishermen’s quarter, a group of activist chefs is reviving—and reinventing—traditional cuisine.

After a string of personal losses, a writer heads to Tamil Nadu seeking solace from her sorrows. It takes two temples, a palm leaf astrologer, and the driver of a velour-lined taxi to make her feel whole again.

An aspiring bluegrass fiddler from London discovers much more than music on a trip to North Carolina.

For a truly discreet and relaxing spa experience, look no further than Tomoko Spa in Beverly Hills. Founded in 1999 by Tomoko Kurono, the chic minimalist spa offers a wide range of treatments intended to provide the best technique and renew the mind and spirit. All treatments come with a footbath (Ashiyu), tea, and mochi. Masseuses will customize treatments to target your needs for a personalized experience. Couples can also indulge in special packages, including one that serves you sushi from SUGARFISH! following treatment. Image courtesy of Tomoko Spa.

How do you make sense of diverse, dizzying São Paolo? Talk to the people who make the sushi, spray the graffiti, and build the giant watermelons.

Why we love it: A five-star stay that brings serious swank to Valletta

The Highlights:
- Personal butlers who attend to guests’ every need
- A lavish design with lots of marble, velvet, and leather accents
- An acclaimed three-in-one restaurant serving Mediterranean food with a French twist

The Review:
Opened in the spring of 2019, this five-star property comes courtesy of AX Group, which owns six other top hotels in Malta. Beginning at check-in with a friendly greeting (and a glass of prosecco) from your personal butler, everything at Rosselli is top-notch, from the design to the service to the amenities. The on-site restaurant Grain is actually comprised of three different dining areas: Street serves French and Mediterranean small plates, Under offers a more formal menu, and Over, located on the hotel’s rooftop, is perfect for drinks with a view. There’s also a lounge area with a restored fountain, an outdoor pool on the fourth-floor terrace, and the opportunity to book in-room massages after a long day of touring the island.

The hotel occupies a 17th-century palazzo that was once home to husband and wife Pietro Rosselli and Alusietta Massa. The couple’s family story and crest inspired all of the guestrooms, which feature richly colored textiles, marble accents, plush beds, and bespoke Italian furniture. The Don Pietro room even boasts a wellness enclave complete with a private steam room, rain shower, and indoor terrace, while the palatial Sixteen 34 Suite, named after the year Pietro and Alusietta were married, includes a traditional Maltese balcony and working lounge with a boardroom table.

About an hour’s drive south of Barcelona, past scruffy beach towns along the Costa Dorada, Le Meridien Ra Resort and Spa stands out from its neighbors on a beautiful length of the Mediterranean. Inside the resort gates, an elegant central building, buffed out for the 21st century, does not fail to impress. Originally built as a tuberculosis hospital for children, the hotel has turned its focus from illness to wellness: A three-story modern addition contains the Explore spa, with treatments ranging from all sorts of massages and facials to ayurvedic experiences and thalasso body masks with iodine-rich algae. After treatment, clients are encouraged to prolong the self-care vibe with a visit to the roof, where an indoor-outdoor complex offers glamorous sun beds on a deck, steam and sauna rooms, as well as a pool with stations for bubble jets of varying intensities as well as shoulder-massaging water spouts and soothing currents. Guest rooms are spacious and cleanly modern with midcentury design touches (an angular sconce beside the bed, a curvy Hans Wegner-inspired chair and stool) and a mild color palette. Generous cabinet space speaks to the resort’s summer season—many repeat guests come for a week or two. (For additional space, families can opt to rent one of the on-site apartments.) The resort’s kitchen, which draws inspiration from Catalan traditions, is inventive and playful, employing some molecular gastronomy techniques without any fussiness. Small dishes—accompanied by tiny pearls filled with local vinegar or topped with foam or served in paper cones—are perfect for summer appetites (and can be augmented by more traditional seafood, fish, and ham dishes). The beach itself is a wide, sandy stretch planted with a few palm trees and several rows of beach loungers and umbrellas. Beach servers ferry food and drink from the airy dining pavilion, and a masseuse offers complimentary chair massages. The Mediterranean here, a vivid blue, contains 10% more iodine than elsewhere—a health benefit espoused both by the religious order who ran the sanitarium and by the resort now. As a brand, Le Meridien supports local arts and culture and this hotel is a bright example of that ethos: among many offerings, it hosts literary festivals, visits to the nearby studio of a ceramic artist, cooking lessons on the nuances of Catalan rice dishes, winery tours, live music in the gardens, and is home to four grand bronze sculptures by Salvador Dali. But for all these options, days can pass lazily, too, with a lunch under the grape arbor, or a round of backgammon on the shady terrace facing the beach, accompanied by a glass of rosé. ¡Salud!

In France, many châteaux (a term that sometimes translates to “castle” but can also refer to an ornate, castle-like mansion) are open as museums. However, Domaine de Maffliers, a 19th-century château nestled in the countryside just 45 minutes north of Paris, gives travelers the rare chance to spend the night in one. Though centuries old, the bar, restaurants, and 8 guest rooms have been recently renovated after a fire destroyed much of the building in 2020.

The interiors of each guest room are unique from one another, but all of them exude opulence and luxury—from the velvet chairs and curtains to the freestanding bathtubs—that allow guests to immerse themselves in the grandeur of its history.