Search results for

With divine pasta and funny putti, the handsome Duomo and the dreamy young Lotharios leaning on Vespas, with leather workshops and nonnas doing the weekly shopping, Florence offers visitors an urban experience that is equally rich in historic romance and everyday modern life. Join the parade of visitors to worship in the galleries of the Uffizi or watch the parade from a café table beside a busy piazza, but head to this Renaissance stronghold and make your own history.

Shimmering canals, world-class museums, a potpourri of cultures, an eclectic shopping scene, and a raging nightlife are just a few of Amsterdam’s must-do experiences. Use your time wisely and you can experience it all. Or just roam freely, letting Amsterdam lead you through its 400-year-old grachtengordel (canal ring), lined with must-do experiences and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada is a place where elk still wander through town and bears are often spotted along the highway—and the locals prefer it that way. This is a place where residents prefer cabins to condos, and believe 5-star ratings pale in comparison to the 5 million stars in the night sky. Glacier walks and mountain hikes, scenic cruises and epic road trips, Jasper is the largest park in the Canadian Rockies and it’s got the diversity of wildlife, wild views, and adventures to prove it.

A miniature volcanic archipelago made up of seven idyllic islands, only two of which are inhabited, Îles des Saintes (commonly known as Les Saintes) is one of Guadeloupe’s crown jewels. This reef-hugged set of isles offers French sophistication mixed with a funky, laid-back Caribbean lifestyle. Take a day-trip via daily ferry to Terre-de-Haut, the archipelago’s main island, and enjoy the white-sand beaches, sailing, and snorkeling in the bay or head up to Fort Napoleon on foot or by rental scooter for panoramic views. Make sure to dine at one of the French and Creole bistros along the water, and to try a local tourment d’amour—a crusty-edged, soft-centered tart flavored with guava, pineapple, or coconut.

Hiking in this enchanted land is a must, with options varying from light to vigorous. Accessible all-season terrain is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts who relish canyon lands, peaks, and elevation inclines—not to mention pristine air and picturesque tableaux. Expect to see flawless aspen groves and wide panoramas of Santa Fe and the surrounding desert, and don’t forget to carry water.

If you’re looking for a great snorkel experience accessible to Waikiki, I found Hanauma Bay a great spot. Turtles and fish galore.

The Morton brothers opened Lily’s in 1999 in the spirit of their grandmother, who greatly influenced them to a love of food and an appreciation of family. Modeled after her home, the dining room is a cozy place to spend an evening enjoying fine food cooked with love, surrounded by the ones you love. Menu highlights include Stuffed Pork Chops, steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels with Huntsman Cheese and Salmon Hash and Eggs. Sunday Brunch is a favorite with locals.

Wander along the souklike Via del Saracino until you come upon this large café with a great view over Positano’s main beach. You can have a cappuccino and pastry in the morning, a sandwich for a quick lunch, and then stop in later in the day for a cold treat. (The outstanding popsicles here are made from the juices of Amalfi lemons and other seasonal fruits.) It’s also a great spot to simply sip a beer while taking in the view of the action down on the Spiaggia Grande. For the sports fan, the bar’s multiple screens usually play baseball, soccer, and tennis.

The largest of Tanzania’s state-administrated national parks, Ruaha is home to the Great Ruaha River, imposing baobab trees, and one of the greatest populations of elephants in any African park. It has few lodges and therefore few tourists. It is also wilder than its close neighbor, the Selous Game Reserve, and boasts a truly authentic safari experience. Night driving is not permitted, nor are walking safaris, generally, due to the large number of elephants here. But hidden away on the Jongomero River in the remote southern area of the park is the Jongomero Camp, which is both fantastically luxurious as well as truly one with its surroundings. It is possibly the best camp in the whole of Tanzania, and its guides are second to none. In addition to the breathtaking campsite itself, it offers “fly-camping” trips on which the adventurous traveler can spend the night under the stars.

It took 424 years to build this Gothic showpiece, but considering the hundreds of sculptures jutting out from the facade, the timing is almost understandable. At 466 feet tall, the Strasbourg Cathedral was, from its completion in 1439 until the mid-19th century, the highest Christian structure in the world. Today, it’s fallen to sixth place, but its frontispiece is still considered one of the greatest medieval picture books of all time. Inside, a gander at the 12th- to 14th-century stained glass and organ (with parts dating back to 1385) is optional, but climbing the spire’s 322 steps to enjoy panoramic views over the city as far as Vosges and the Black Forest is pretty much obligatory. Make sure your visit coincides with the 12:30 p.m. hour, when the cathedral’s astronomical clock comes alive with apostles parading before Christ.

The Seattle Great Wheel, completed in June of 2012, is located at the Seattle Waterfront. It is a little expensive, and nerve-wracking on the way up, but it’s worth it. The Ferris wheel is one of the biggest in the U.S., and provides a spectacular view of Elliot Bay, Downtown, and much more. In addition, at one point during the ride, it actually goes over the water!

What a safe and easy way to escape the city! From Dublin’s Connelly Street, you can be there in 20 minutes using the DART. It’s quick, easy and safe. I decided to venture out to this fishing village and I was not disappointed! Great down time, stunning views (great change from looking at all the city buildings) friendly folks and out of this world dining!!! Seafood is definitely the order of the day but I can’t guarantee that it was caught from off the nearby pier!

There certainly are other ways to while away a summer day in Greater Portland, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better experience than island-hopping aboard a Casco Bay Lines ferry. Sure, you can simply ride out to an island for a look-about and return, or enjoy a sunrise, sunset, or moonlight cruise. But for a real immersion, consider the Mailboat Run. You’ll be among islanders, visitors, pets, and freight to-ing and fro-ing between Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Long, Cliff, and Chebeague islands. The 2½-to-3½-hour working cruise is offered twice daily year-round; bring your own picnic lunch on the morning run or snacks for the afternoon one.

Seminal American artist Georgia O’Keeffe drew inspiration from the lunar landscapes of New Mexico. Follow in her footsteps at some of her favorite painting spots—The White Place, The Black Place (part of Bisti Badlands), and the home of the “Lawrence tree”—or splurge on a 10-day art retreat at her remote studio getaway, Ghost Ranch. View her most famous works and her letters and journals at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, then stop by her adobe studio to see her paints, easel, and impeccable mid-century furniture. Grab a Georgia O’Keeffe biography at Bode’s, her favorite general store in the center of Abiquiu, then round off your art odyssey with “The O’Keeffe Table” at Eloisa: a five-course tasting menu that pays tribute to the foods O’Keeffe cooked at home. —By Edmund Vallance

A visit to Sweden is all about going on journeys: from dog sledding to traipsing through art galleries or down hiking trails. Or back in time courtesy of the Vasa Museum and Drottningholm Palace, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Whether you soak up the midnight sun on a road trip or stay in one city and day trip out to the Stockholm archipelago or that perfect viewing spot for the Northern Lights, you’ll find your perfect Sweden.