Search results for

Two of Tasmania’s most abundant wine regions ripen within a 20-minute drive from Hobart. With a similar latitude to the famous wine regions of France and Germany, the Derwent and Cole valleys produce wines more like those of Europe than mainland Australia. Sip a wide range at such wineries as Stefano Lubiana Wines—the first Tasmanian winery to achieve biodynamic certification—and Frogmore Creek, a pioneer of organic wine and artistic cuisine. There’s also hand-pumped beer (try one of the seasonal sours) and cider at the Two Metre Tall Farm Bar Wednesday through Friday and on Sunday afternoons; award-winning whiskeys at Sullivans Cove; and probably the best paddock-to-plate dining in all of Tasmania at the Agrarian Kitchen Eatery.

Ciudad Perdida (or “lost city”) is believed to have been a political and spiritual center for the people that inhabited the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta highlands around 800 C.E. Treasure hunters “discovered” the complex in the 1970s and plundered its ceremonial artifacts. The subsequent arrival of archaeologists and anthropologists failed to turn up the site’s true origins with any certainty, but indigenous Arhuaco and Kogui people believe it was a sacred city. It seems to have been abandoned around the same time the Spaniards arrived. Today’s visitors can still see a network of 169 terraces carved into the mountainside, overlooking the Buritaca River. The city can be experienced two different ways—choose to hike in (a four-to-six-day guided trip) or to fly over on a helicopter tour (though note that aircraft are not permitted to land).

The most high-adrenaline way to see Sydney Harbour, BridgeClimb has been dressing up locals and travelers in jumpsuits and safety harnesses to ascend “The Coathanger” since 1998. Along the way, they learn fun facts about the Sydney Harbour Bridge, like how it was built using six million rivets, which bridge workers tossed to each other when they were white hot and ready to weld. You’ll also gain a new appreciation for the Sydney Opera House as well as the world’s deepest natural harbor, which just so happens to be the birthplace of European Australia. At the top, strike your favorite Zoolander pose, or try “the koala,” which Ben Stiller invented during his climb.

For those of the sporting lifestyle with discerning taste, this local boutique houses European brands of elegant and decadent alpine chic wear. There are very rare finds, from rich leather blazers embellished with horn detailing, to handmade, embroidered Austrian cashmere ski sweaters. It also dabbles in mountain lifestyle décor with furnishings, dishware, and fixtures to outfit any house in to the ultimate Colorado ski lodge.

The Forbidden City gets top billing in Beijing, and that’s good news for visitors to Jingshan Park. The 23-hectare (57-acre) park is just north of the Forbidden City, separated by a moat. A former imperial park dating to the 11th century, this was where the emperor and his family, living in the Forbidden City, would come to stroll. The big draw here is the hill (shan means mountain) with five summits, each of which has a mid-16th-century pavilion that once housed copper Buddha statues, destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century. Stake out a spot on Wanchun (Ten Thousand Spring) Pavilion from where, on a clear day, you have a stunning view of the entire Forbidden City, the Bell and Drum towers, Miaoying Temple, and Beihai Park.

If, like most visitors, you head for Tucson between Thanksgiving and Easter, you’re probably seeking sun and warmth while the rest of the country deals with the winter blahs. And you’ll most likely find what you’re looking for. There’s a reason why golfers, cyclists, hikers, and runners flock to southern Arizona this time of year. But, once or twice a decade, the lush Sonoran desert might get a snowfall—it never lasts for long, but every saguaro, ocotillo, cholla, and prickly pear cactus will be edged in ephemeral white. As soon as the sun comes up over the mountains, you’ll start hearing the drip drip drip of the inevitable melting...And by the next day you’re likely to be wearing shorts again. Saguaro National Park, which flanks both the western and eastern edges of Arizona’s second-largest city, is the ideal place to go for a hike in the rare desert snow. The Eastern (Rincon Mountain) division of the park has a hilly eight-mile one-way loop road with access to numerous trails. Drive slowly and yield to the runners and senior-citizen-cyclists-in-spandex with thighs of steel. Get out and up into the saguaro-studded hills before the unlikely landscape disappears...Keep your eyes open for bobcats, mule deer, and the pig-like javelina. (You’re less likely to encounter a rattlesnake in the winter months, but this is still desert wilderness.) And if there’s no snow, you might be treated to spring wildflowers. Don’t forget your sunscreen...

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg in a burgher’s house at Getreidegasse 9 on January 27, 1756. He lived here in the heart of the city for several years before his family moved into a more spacious residence, now called the Mozart-Wohnhaus, across the river. Mozart’s birthplace (or Geburtshaus) features several floors showcasing historic furniture, letters, memorabilia, and many of the family portraits painted during his lifetime (although Mozart’s musical genius was not appreciated in the city during his life). It also displays his early instruments, including violins, his clavichord, and a harpsichord, as well as locks of the composer’s hair.

Hyde Park is happening. Catering to the University of Chicago crowd and its visiting dignitaries, the five-year-old Sophy takes inspiration from hometown literary and musical heroes, whose artworks ornament the walls in the popular and always convivial Mesler restaurant. Taking the title of the first boutique hotel on Chicago’s South Side when it opened in 2018, the property occupies a prime spot on 53rd Street—a vibrant commercial hub lined with shops and restaurants owned and frequented by a diverse population that range from academics to local politicians to the city’s cultural influencers. Former UofC professor Barack Obama’s home (and his under-construction presidential library) are nearby.

Located across the Tiber River from the Centro Storico, Trastevere is a kaleidoscope of ivy-covered buildings, complicated Italian history, and bombastic nightlife. The heart of the neighborhood is Piazza Santa Maria, a large square where street performers show off their stuff, and Porta Portese’s massive Sunday flea market. Film buffs can take a walk through the maze-like side streets for a glimpse of director Pier Paolo Pasolini’s early life before heading off to one of the neighborhood’s many bars for a craft beer or aperitivo.

Though from Guadalajara (he never let friends forget), Pritzker Prize–winning architect Luis Barragán lived much of his life in Mexico City, where he designed and constructed this, his last residence, completed in 1948. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the home is open to be toured by small groups—by appointment only; English-language guides are available upon request—who want a chance to tap into Barragán’s brand of minimalism, which involved bold monochromism and a masterful use of light; striking horizontality and framing applied to windows, gardens, and views; a highly sui generis Catholic spirituality; and, not least of all, the architect’s bizarre need for control, in everything from what staircases guests might use to what records got played in different rooms.

Although Brussels is most famous for its Art Nouveau architecture, is has some notable modern buildings as well. One of the most recognisable is the love-it-or-hate-it Berlaymont Building, at the Schumann metro stop. Known by its detractors as the “Berlamonster,” this huge glass and metal lopsided X-shaped structure is home to the European Commission. Whatever your feelings about the Berlaymont, its imposing stature is impressive. EU flags representing the EU member states, line the back of the building. Wander through the EU district at lunchtime and see the Eurocrats in their ‘natural habitat’ in the surrounding restaurants and cafes.

Just across the street from Montréal’s City Hall (or Hôtel de Ville), the Château Ramezay has been witness to almost three centuries of history. It was first built in 1705 by Claude de Ramezay, then governor of Montréal, as his official residence. While the building principally served as the home of later governors, it was also briefly the headquarters of the Continental Army when American troops occupied the city. (Benjamin Franklin spent a night in the house during that period.) In 1895, it began its current incarnation, as a portrait gallery and history museum. The collection includes prints, drawings, photographs, and other works of art, as well as humble household objects, that shed light on the daily life of the city’s residents and First Nations peoples in Québec over the centuries. Be sure to leave time to explore the small kitchen and pleasure gardens, as well as the orchard, for an introduction to the horticultural practices of settlers in New France and residents of 19th-century Montréal.

The Royal Hirschgarten, – normally just referred to as the Hirschgarten (Deer Garden) is Europe’s largest beer garden, with seating for an incredible 8000 people! Its’ original purpose was to serve as hunting grounds for Munich‘s nobility. Part of the history is still retained today, with deer in a large enclosure that guests can observe over a choice of Augustiner, Kaltenberger Brewery beers with their King Ludwig brands or a beer from the Tegernsee Ducal Breweries.

Located just off Main Street, the Washington School House Hotel eschews Park City’s typical rustic style for a pared-down, flea-market–chic aesthetic. Before being reimagined as a design-oriented inn in 2011, the 1889 building served as a schoolhouse for miners’ children and a dancehall for the local outpost of Veterans of Foreign Wars. Today, the interior is anything but traditional, from the whitewashed living room with 16-foot ceilings to the antique mirror and the white, lacquered antler chandelier. Outside, a heated pool sits on the hillside surrounded by aspens and boulders. There’s also a fire pit, fashioned from a steel Olympic torch from the 2002 Winter Games.

Each of the guestrooms and suites is unique, though all feature reclaimed wood floors, crystal chandeliers, and tall windows. An artful collection of European antiques and vintage paintings adds a bohemian vibe, while white marble bathrooms offer heated floors, walk-in showers, clawfoot tubs, and period fixtures. Guests can also look forward to plush hooded robes and top-notch toiletries from Molton Brown.

This busy restaurant sits on Rue Saint-Paul, a street in Lower Town that’s lined with antique shops, hence the name. Buffet de L’Antiquaire is a classic diner—but with a Québecois twist—that has been a mainstay of the city’s dining scene for more than 40 years. The reasonably priced menu lists traditional dishes like boudin (blood sausage) and pork stew among the entrées and sugar pie and crepes among the desserts. (You can also order more typical diner fare, from burgers to omelettes.) It is open early to late, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, adding to its popularity.