Search results for

The small town of Créon is located a little over 12 miles (20km) from Bordeaux. It is one of Aquitaine’s original Bastide towns, centered around a market square, which comes alive on Wednesdays.

Although the market is mainly a food market, you can find some stalls that sell household goods, clothing, etc. as well. As with all markets in France, it’s the town’s weekly ‘social'; people catch up, either with each other, or on the towns news, while shopping for the coming week. People watching is of course great, but its also a chance to engage with the locals, and make use of the French words you may have picked up by now.

We tasted freshly baked breads, delicious cheeses, fruits, and ham, you simply wouldn’t get back in the US. Because of Bordeaux’ proximity to Spain, hispanic influences are strong. Fiestas are put on throughout the summer, and Basque influences make their way into the incredible cuisine here.

An ivy-covered, 17th-century mansion near the beautiful Place de Vosges is now the site of an intimate, five-star hotel. A favorite of sophisticated travelers who value privacy over hype, Le Pavillon de la Reine (named “Reine” in homage of a stay by Queen Anne of Austria) features striking interiors that blend original architectural details and aristocratic portraits with bright colors and contemporary furnishings. The 56 rooms and suites are similarly posh, with touches like patterned wallpaper and textiles, antique chandeliers, marble mantles, and flower-filled window boxes, plus luxe Codge bath products.

Nothing’s more romantic than strolling across a bridge with a beloved, but this bridge means more than just amor—Széchenyi Chain Bridge was the first structure across the Danube in Hungary, built in the mid-1800s and, as a suspension bridge, a marvel of architecture and engineering at the time. Now one of seven bridges across the river, it was the first to connect Buda and Pest, shifting the flows and development of the city. Budapest natives see it like New Yorkers see the Brooklyn Bridge. Lion sculptures guard its entries, it’s lit up at night to dazzling effect, and of course it offers stunning views of the literally blue Danube.

When it opened in 1996, the Belmond Miraflores Park was the first hotel in Lima to take advantage of the city’s Pacific Ocean views. Set along the Miraflores malecón, the 82-room property offers some of the most privileged panoramas in the city, particularly from the heated rooftop pool. Several levels down, the ground floor was completely redesigned in 2010 by renowned Peruvian architect Jordi Puig, who added an open-air lounge and avant-garde restaurant space that now houses international eatery Traguluz. Also on-site is The Observatory, a breakfast buffet spot on the 11th floor, and Belo Bar, a park-side lounge offering pisco cocktails infused with Amazonian fruits.

No, it’s not your imagination. Everyone—men, women, children, even dogs—dresses up in Seoul. Sure, you’re bound to see the odd denim-clad dud, but on the whole you’re more likely to spot bow ties and blazers or blouses and heels walking the streets on a daily basis. If you like a little glitz and glamour in your people watching, head over to Gangnam (yes, the one immortalized by Psy in the song of the same name). Sip a cappuccino at any of the myriad cafes as you watch dolled-up ladies and dandified gents strut their stuff.

This zoo in incredible for a few reasons: obviously, primarily for the animals there. Being in Belize, there are jaguars, ocelots, scarlet macaws... everything you wish you could stumble upon when hiking in the rainforest (if only hiking boots were less noisy!). Most noteworthy perhaps are the scarlet macaws, which are endangered. If you like to research places before visiting, you MUST read, The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw by Bruce Barcott: it tells about the Scarlet Macaw, Belize itself, and Sharon Matola- the woman who started the zoo and fought to save the macaws a while ago. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to hold a boa constrictor (I did!) or meet Matola, who my friends ran into while touring the zoo.

If these walls could talk they’d recite plans for military campaigns and tales of love, lust and betrayal that make this former residence and imperial seat of the Ottoman Empire so intriguing. Walk the dazzling tile-and-mosaic-lined corridors, see the jewels the sultans wore, the baths where they washed, the rooms where they entertained, the quarters that housed their concubines, and the kitchens that created feasts for 5,000 residents.

Cruising down the Garonne river onboard the AmaDolce, the first port we called on was Cadillac, located about 19 miles from the city of Bordeaux. Cadillac, founded in 1280, is a small fortified town, and I bet their charming Sunday market is probably just as old. The market occupies a number of streets in the town center–you won’t miss it. It’s a great place to try all sorts of local specialties (seafood, breads, cheese, sausages), and of course to people watch. The locals not only do their weekly grocery shopping here, markets are also a real social event in France. Friends catch up, stories are exchanged, laughter rings through the streets. Stock up on your picnic needs, as you’ll have no challenge finding a picturesque spot to sit down and snack along the Garonne.

No worries about the little goose pictured here, it already had a name by the time the buyer walked away from the stand. Definitely pet, not food.

Location, location, location—it’s an adage that holds true at Lido House. Opened in 2018, the boutique hotel took over Newport Beach’s former city hall complex—putting it in the center of town and, most notably, right down the street from the stylish shopping and dining hub Lido Marina Village. The hotel’s rooftop bar (the only one in Newport), spa, and cabana-lined saltwater pool have also become destinations in and of themselves. An upscale Cape Code sensibility prevails in the 130 guest rooms and suites; there are also five three-story cottages, each with a private roof deck and one-of-a-kind furnishings selected by a local interior designer. The Lido Limo provides surfboards, bikes, and shuttle service to the beach a few minutes away. At the hotel’s restaurant the Mayor’s Table Pacific Pub & Kitchen, it’s worth splurging on the eight- to 14-course no-menu meal at the chef’s counter, where executive chef/partner Riley Huddleston makes magic with the freshest ingredients available. Fair warning: Morning mimosas from the champagne cart and Dungeness crab doughnuts at night might become hard-to-break habits.

While the state of Virginia generally has more historic accommodations than you can shake a stick at, few would argue that the Houses of Colonial Williamsburg trumps them all. Guests can truly immerse themselves in an 18th-century environment (with 21st-century conveniences) with a stay in one of the original homes, shops, offices, or kitchen buildings of the Revolutionary City. Two dozen cottage-like buildings vary in size and layout, with period antiques or reproduction furnishings. Tavern rooms are closer to traditional hotel rooms, with private bathrooms and sitting areas and a great room downstairs with a fireplace for gatherings. All rooms and houses have access to the amenities of the Williamsburg Inn and Spa, discounts on Colonial Williamsburg tickets and passes, and preferred reservations for dining, spa appointments, and golf tee times. What guests are really paying for, though, is location and uniqueness of experience rather than luxury.

Celebrated on Broadway and in film as the title character in The Unsinkable Molly Brown (with unsinkable being a reference to her survival as a passenger of the Titanic), Margaret Brown was born in Missouri and moved to Leadville, Colorado, with two of her siblings when she was 18. She later met and married J.J. Brown, and the couple became rich after J.J. devised a method of reaching gold in one of the mines. They moved to Denver and bought this house in 1894. It went through several owners after the Browns, but it was eventually acquired in 1970 by Historic Denver, a foundation that restored it to the state it was in when the Browns lived there. The house is open for tours that offer a deeper dive into Margaret’s interesting life as a socialite and philanthropist.

Across New Zealand you’ll find weekend farmers’ markets packed with vendors of artisanal products and organic fruit and vegetables, as well as innovative food trucks providing tasty options for breakfast or lunch. Held in the leafy surrounds of Christchurch’s historic Riccarton House, this Saturday-morning institution attracts gourmands from across the city. For travelers, it’s a great place to try cheese and salmon from around the South Island, sample craft beer from local breweries, and stock up on baked goods for on-the-road picnics. Must-visit stalls include Sausage Sisters (for hearty pork-and-apple-sausage rolls) and Utopia Hot (for freshly baked waffles with seasonal fruit).

If you’re keen on buying moderately priced tea sets and a variety of Chinese teas, this massive indoor market is the place to come. Charming it’s not—it can be crowded and the stalls are fluorescent-lit—but hundreds of teas from across China are sold here. Sip malty pu’er tea from southern Yunnan Province, vegetal longjing green tea from the fields of Hangzhou, and floral jasmine from Fujian Province. Most shops sell teas in quantities of 100 grams, though you’ll get a better price if you buy half a kilo. Although Beijing is easy enough to navigate on your own, this is one place where, if you don’t speak Mandarin, a guide is extremely helpful.

This brightly colored shopping center that is part of the Playa Dorada tourism complex houses a mix of stores. There are the typical souvenir outlets hawking T-shirts, knickknacks and beach hats, along with shops selling handicrafts made of beads, leather and straw. You can also score local rum, coffee and cigars at decent prices. Feel free to haggle for bargains; it’s expected here.

This is dinner (or lunch) theater like you’ve never experienced before. You’re guaranteed a show at the Miraflores Restaurant, atop the Miraflores Visitor Center, when your table has views of the ships passing through the locks. It may be a touristy spot, but the restaurant gets high marks for its lunch buffet and dinner menu, with the ceviche and fresh grilled fish especially good options.