Avoiding crowds while still experiencing the best of a culturally dynamic city is a win-win. At these seven spots, you will have more elbow room to see the sights and more chances to connect with locals and dive into their way of life.

Bisbee, Arizona

This former mining town changed its fortune, reinventing itself to become an artists’ haven. During the early 1900s, when copper, gold, zinc and silver production was booming, Bisbee prospered. By the 1970s, the mines dried up and shuttered.

Artists soon started to arrive and turned Bisbee into a creative community. Its downtown looks “straight out of a storybook,” and is a “wonderfully walkable” area, said Travel and Leisure. There are “alfresco art galleries” throughout Bisbee, and the sounds of “near-constant live music” fill the air.

Chachapoyas, Peru

In the mountains of northern Peru sits Chachapoyas, a city named in honor of the civilization that lived here from 800 BCE to 1470. The Chachapoyas, or “Warriors of the Clouds,” built several important sites in the area, including Kuélap.

This ancient fortress, built around 500 AD, comprises “towering defensive walls, over 420 circular dwellings and panoramic views,” said Time Out. A cable car sweeps visitors to Kuélap in about 20 minutes. After exploring the ruins, head back to Chachapoyas for a relaxing stroll through the historic city center, dating back to the 1500s.

Hue, Vietnam

Ornate palaces, pavilions, statues and royal tombs are waiting to be explored in Hue. This is where Vietnam’s last imperial dynasty lived in “extravagant regal splendor” and built a “citadel, gilded in bronze, enamel and lacquer,” said The Times of London.

Visitors can also receive the royal treatment once it’s dinner time. Restaurants in Hue serve the “1,000-plus dishes of the imperial household,” like banh beo (steamed rice cakes), com hen (clam rice), bun bo Hue (spicy beef noodle soup) and nem lui (lemongrass pork skewers).

Matera, Italy

Known as the City of Stone, Matera offers visitors a glimpse of what life was like in this region 10,000 years ago. Sassi di Matera, a network of cave dwellings carved into limestone, is its centerpiece.

The extraordinary settlement is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and features more than 100 rupestrian churches. The Crypt of Original Sin underwent “painstaking” restoration work and is “sure to take your breath away,” said National Geographic Traveler. Considered the “Sistine Chapel of cave art,” its frescoes are the “best in the region.” Artifacts dating to the Paleolithic era fill the Domenico Ridola Archeological Museum, while the Museum-Workshop of the Peasant Culture reconstructs a cave house, public wine cellar, and blacksmith, cobbler and cabinetmaker studios.

Meknes, Morocco

For a “relaxed slice of authentic Moroccan life,” head to Meknes, said Lonely Planet. It may be calmer here, but there’s plenty to do, starting with a trek to the “buzzy” Place El Hedim to see the Bab Mansour gate and wander the Dar Jamai Museum housed in a 19th century palace.

The Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, Morocco’s longest-ruling sultan, is a “dazzling” display of mosaic tiles and “ornate” cedarwood, and though non-Muslims can’t enter the tomb, they can “peer through the doorway” and observe two clocks given to the sultan by King Louis XIV. Inside the medina are several souks dedicated to specific wares, like leather goods, carpets and spices.

Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

More than 800 years ago, when Polonnaruwa was Sri Lanka’s capital, it was a “thriving” religious and commercial center, said Lonely Planet. After a series of invasions and natural disasters, the capital was abandoned, but the “glories of that age” remain.

Polonnaruwa’s archeological “treasures” include hundreds of temples, statues, tombs and stupas in a “compact core.” The sacred Quadrangle, home to many important Buddhist structures, is alone “worth the trip” to Polonnaruwa.

Wroclaw, Poland

The historic city of Wroclaw, spread across 12 islands connected by over 100 bridges, shows off its “cultural credentials” through beautiful design and ample opportunities to attend live performances, said The Times of London. “Gorgeous” Market Square offers examples of colorful gothic, baroque, art nouveau and contemporary architecture, and sharp-eyed visitors will have fun spotting hundreds of small bronze gnomes scattered around the city. Music lovers will appreciate spending an evening at the National Forum of Music, with its renowned acoustics, or attending free, open-air JazzOVO concerts in the courtyard of OVO Wroclaw during summer Fridays.

Brazil is our “destination of the year”, said Jacqui Gifford in Travel + Leisure. With a restaurant scene that’s “on fire”, beautiful “untamed” landscapes, “spectacular” beaches and, of course, unbeatable carnivals, this is the hottest place to visit in 2026.

Brazil has seen a 37% year-on-year rise in visitors, thanks in part to the launch of its International Tourism Acceleration Program, said The Telegraph. The “goal was simple: to improve the country’s international air connectivity”. It’s now easier to reach Brazil than ever, with new flights from Europe to cities such as Manaus and Recife. And, this year, flights are due to begin between Lisbon and São Luís – “the gateway to the swirling dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park”.

December to March is “peak season” in Brazil, bringing the “heat, summer rains and parties to the streets of Rio de Janeiro for Carnaval” in February or early March, said National Geographic.

If you decide to visit during the southern hemisphere’s spring (September to December), consider a wildlife-focused trip with a visit to the Pantanal – the world’s biggest tropical wetland that’s home to an array of creatures including capybaras, giant river otters and hyacinth macaws. August and September is “peak wild jaguar sighting season” when the big cats gather along the river banks to hunt for caimans.

And if you plan your trip for June (winter in Brazil), the seasonal rainwater lagoons at Lençóis Maranhenses reach their highest levels, ideal for swimming, and the weather is dry and sunny. This is also when humpback whales begin migrating from icy Antarctica to breed in the warmer waters off the coast of Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. It’s well worth booking a tour with Projeto Baleia Jubarte.

June to November (dry season) is also the best time of year to visit the Amazon. Consider exploring the dense, tropical rainforest on a river cruise, said Chris Moss in The Telegraph. “As a nature-lover and twitcher, I have marvelled at macaws, kingfishers, hummingbirds and giant otters.” Starting from Belém at the mouth of the Amazon, you can sail as far as Iquitos in Peru.

And if a city break is more your thing, spend a few days in São Paulo visiting the bustling city’s stand-out restaurants, bars and galleries. A trip to the “huge indoor market”, Mercado Municipal, is a “must”, said Time Out. The multi-storey “food heaven” is packed with “colourful and lively” stalls selling everything from delicious baked goods to exotic fruits and vegetables. “Be prepared to loosen your belt by a few notches to eat the market’s most famous sandwich: a small baguette packed with a brick-size wedge of mortadella.” Night owls can stay up late at Fabriketa – an “all-night electronic music party in an abandoned factory”.

Fresh off an early morning Eurostar service from London’s St Pancras, I feel excited when my taxi pulls up outside Maison Proust, and I discover its serene location on a tree-lined Parisian backstreet. Getting out of the car I wonder for a moment if I’m at the right place; I can’t see an obvious sign and its plain grey façade looks more like a private mansion than a hotel. As I contemplate getting back in the cab, a young man in an elegant navy suit appears from behind a grand door and welcomes me with a smile.

Inside, it’s a fun surprise to discover the decadent Belle Époque décor that evokes the style of the salons Marcel Proust would once have frequented. Standing in a darkened wood-panelled entry way lined with glass cabinets filled with curiosities, I am instantly transported back in time – and inspired to read some Proust, a great French author I am loath to admit I know very little about.

Sipping a welcome glass of chilled black tea infused with hibiscus and pepper in the cosy guest lounge and bar, I take in my new surroundings. It’s a theatrical mix of dusky blue velvet, distressed mirrors, wood panelling and tasselled lampshades that sets the tone for the rest of the hotel.

Waiting for my keys, I explore the thickly carpeted space and find a circular library, with a celestial ceiling inspired by “The Rotonde du Soleil” at Opéra Garnier, and a secret alcove. It’s the perfect spot for delving into Proust’s epic seven-volume novel, “In Search of Lost Time” (“À la Recherche du Temps Perdu”, I later learn he’s best known for.

Why stay here?

Set on a quiet street in heart of the Marais with its lively village atmosphere, luxurious Maison Proust is the ideal refuge for those who appreciate hotels with character, art, literature and history, and who seek a tranquil weekend escape in the heart of Paris. With its small, cosy spaces, it appeals to couples and solo travellers looking for a discreet base.

The hotel’s 23 compact, individually designed, street-facing rooms are split across six floors, set off curved darkened corridors. Ranging in size from doubles to junior suites, they’re named after Proust’s friends, including writers such as Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette and Emile Zola and painters such as Edouard Manet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

A peaceful night is guaranteed at Maison Proust, thanks to a combination of triple-glazed windows, blackout curtains, luxurious beds and high-quality linens. Rich colour palettes, sumptuous carpets and opulent fabrics like silk drapes and velvet sofas are décor hallmarks. Lampshades are decorated with pages from Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time”, while bathrooms clad in marble have deep tubs, showers – or both – and luxurious Italian body products made with almond milk and orange blossom.

Before you arrive, it’s worth reserving an hour-long session at the Salon d’Eau, an exclusive Moorish-style relaxation space, with a steam room and a warm 33ft lap pool. Book into Spa La Mer, which offers indulgent treatments like lifting facials and revitalising massages, by appointment only.

Eating and drinking

Although there’s no restaurant at the hotel, breakfast – continental, American or à la carte – is served in the light-flooded glassed-in winter garden decorated with huge portraits of women in Proust’s life.

Come early evening, snacks like truffle tarama, burrata with olives, artichoke hearts, smoked salmon, and French cheeses, to name a few, are served when the bar opens. Drinks-wise, a comprehensive menu features several absinthes, 16 gins and 40 whiskys. Cocktails are as rich as the surroundings, like the Albertine, a sweet and punchy concoction laced with cognac and apricot syrup and topped with champagne.

Things to do

If you can drag yourself out of your artfully decorated salon-style room, the excitement of the Marais awaits. Start with a browse around the cluster of upscale boutiques along the Rue Vieille du Temple, before exploring the dizzying choice of restaurants and bars on surrounding streets. Great options include Candelaria, Mesures, and the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the city’s oldest food market.

And it’s a 15-minute stroll to the Musée Carnavalet, whose temporary collection includes the reconstituted bedroom of Marcel Proust, featuring his polished-wood bed draped with a deep blue coverlet, his cane and coat, and the writer’s precious pen.

The verdict

The quiet yet central location in the Marais is a unique combination that promises a fun-filled but relaxing trip to Paris. With its darkened corridors and small decadent spaces, it’s the perfect romantic refuge from the nearby hustle and bustle, that inspires you to want to be creative, and to read more.

Ellie was a guest of Eurostar and Maison Proust.

When it comes to hotel room views, it doesn’t get much better than having your own private wildlife show. That’s exactly what you get at Chester Zoo, where the new safari-style Giraffe View lodges let you stay overnight overlooking the sandy enclosure where the male giraffes live.

“That’s Meru,” our friendly concierge tells us as we drop off our bags in our room. Beyond the glass, across a small rocky strip of water, the zoo’s eldest giraffe is craning his impossibly long, elegant neck up to a hanging basket of foliage and methodically stripping the branches of their bark. Below him, a smaller, paler giraffe – (Stanley, we soon find out) – prods his shoulder, demanding attention. It’s a mesmerising sight.

Cosy lodges with stellar views

The Reserve only opened last year, but the entire experience already feels like a well-oiled machine. We didn’t arrive until check-in, but wished we had got there earlier when we realised just how much there was to see. As well as an overnight stay in a luxury lodge, the After Hours package includes a two-day zoo pass. Guests get early access on both days from 9am (an hour earlier than the general public) to the Heart of Africa zone – a sprawling 22-acre habitat designed to mimic African grasslands. It’s home to more than 50 animal species, including zebras, rhinos, vultures, antelopes, and, of course, giraffes.

On arrival, we were given wristbands giving us exclusive access to The Reserve, and were whisked straight out on to the terrace overlooking the lakeside lodges for our welcome drinks. We opted for the Kenyan-inspired dawa cocktail: a refreshing – and surprisingly strong! – blend of vodka, lime, honey and sugar syrup. Despite being April in Cheshire, sitting out on the bright, sunny terrace, it really did feel like we were on safari (or what I would imagine it’s like, as a safari novice).

The lodges themselves are comfortable and modern, decorated in calming shades of oatmeal with plenty of natural wood and pretty rattan wall hangings. But the real draw is the views: floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors open out on to your own private balcony where you can watch the giraffes amble around the paddock. Perfect for families, a cute stuffed toy giraffe is also waiting on the bed.

An after-hours tour to remember

It’s easy for hours to slip by while you sit and watch the giraffes but we managed to tear ourselves away from our lodge for the after-hours tour. Every member of staff we met at Chester Zoo was warm, friendly and, above all, passionate about what they do. Ranger Ben was no exception. Together with another couple staying at The Reserve, we set off to explore the Heart of Africa zone – stopping off at the various enclosures to learn about the animals and their quirks.

We pass the female giraffes (Tula, we learn, is a “diva”, while Kanzee is the “adventurous” one), and stop to look at the inquisitive yellow mongooses, Cinnamon and Saffron. Perhaps most memorable of all are the aardvarks; they’re nocturnal so they’re still sleeping when we visit at dusk but peering into their cave we manage to catch a glimpse of their strange pink feet with shovel-like claws dangling in the air.

Next, we head into the Hidden Savannah – an indoor space where a colony of naked mole-rats are huddled together sleeping. We can’t spot the African bullfrog at first but soon find he’s blending in beneath a log, staying completely still as he lays in wait for his prey. There’s just time to stop off for a talk with another ranger, Ewan, who shows us the “enrichment” puzzles and feeders used to engage the lions and monkeys, and tells us about Chester Zoo’s biggest conservation projects, including work supporting the monitoring of giant anteaters in Brazil.

Back at The Reserve that evening, there’s a range of activities for guests. We opted for the Pangolin Talk, where Ben told us about the zoo’s research tracking critically endangered giant pangolins in southwest Uganda. (Ewan reappeared too, with a slightly unnerving giant pangolin puppet.) The only snag was our evening meal, which, after the incredible day we’d had, was disappointing and didn’t live up to the quality of the rest of our stay.

Skipping the crowds with early access

Thankfully, breakfast was much better, with a selection of pastries, fresh fruit and cooked traditional classics. Determined to make the most of the early access this time, we set out at 9am to explore the rest of the zoo. This felt really special: many of the animals we hadn’t been able to see the night before were just waking up and we could get to the best viewing spots before the crowds arrived.

Chester Zoo was recently voted the best zoo in the UK and it’s easy to see why. Spanning 130 acres, the sprawling site is home to some of the biggest habitats in Europe and with so much more space the animals looked happier and more relaxed than those in the old Victorian cages in London. It’s also a non-profit carrying out some incredible conservation work around the world, teaming up with local partners to support crucial research projects everywhere from Mexico to Madagascar.

There is so much to see and you really will need to get there early to have any hope of getting around the entire zoo. But the memory that will stay with me the longest is waking up, drawing back the curtains, and seeing two majestic giraffes amble right past the window. It’s an experience that will be difficult to top without getting on a plane to explore the countries and wildlife in Africa.

Irenie was a guest at The Reserve at Chester Zoo, chesterzoo.org

Framed by fjords and mountains on Norway’s southwest coast, Bergen is a beautiful city with a lively cultural scene, including some excellent New Nordic (“Neo-Fjordic”) restaurants. And the islands around it also offer a “very Scandinavian interplay of big, contemplative nature and fresh thinking”, says Toby Skinner in Condé Nast Traveller.

Compared with, say, the Lofoten or Stockholm islands, this archipelago remains “relatively under the radar”, but it is magical even so, and a delight to explore by road and on “peaceful” ferries. It’s a world of rocks and forests, “picture-postcard” seascapes, and villages of white weatherboard houses. Here and there, “immaculate” red boathouses sit by the shore, and there are some great bakeries and artisanal distilleries, as well as stylish boutique hotels.

Among the more recent openings is Lilløy Lindenberg, a private island retreat that sleeps 12 people in a “traditional” house and a “whimsically converted” boathouse. Both have “coolly Scandinavian” yet “playful” interiors featuring locally made objects such as “wobbly, organic-seeming” lamps by the glass-blower Sigrid Rostad. Summer days here are “slow, soft-lit reveries of saunas, boat trips and vegan feasts”, but it’s also worth visiting other islands. On “rocky, windswept” Fedje, you can taste “subtly complex” organic whiskies and spirits at the Feddie Ocean Distillery, and stay at Fab 8 (“crisply designed” apartments in a former sardine factory).

And there are two good hotels in the little fishing community of Bekkjarvik, on Selbjørn – the “traditional” Bekkjarvik Gjestgiveri and the “angular” Beckerwyc House, where the Bocuse d’Or winner Ørjan Johannessen serves “sublime” 16-course dinners made at the restaurant, Mirabelle. Before heading back to Bergen, Bekkjarvik Experience offers kayaking trips, fishing expeditions and more. I loved its sleek, black “Bond-worthy RIB”, which reached speeds of 70mph on a “roller-coaster-like tour of tiny islands”.

When it comes to grand European cities, you would be hard pushed to find one more majestic than Vienna.

As the centre of the Austrian and Austro-Hungarian empires centuries ago, it was a hub of culture, art and, above all, architectural beauty – a legacy that endures today.

Modern Vienna is a thriving metropolis with a stylish centre. Locals and guests can indulge in treats from world-class art to Michelin-standard gastronomy, plus this year it is home to the festival of fun that is the Eurovision Song Contest. There are few more satisfying destinations in which to lose yourself for a weekend.

Things to do

First things first, if you plan to see a lot of sights (and you should!) grab a Vienna City Card and load it onto the ivie digital city guide app. It acts as a public transport ticket and offers discounts on major sights, while the app has suggested routes for self-guided walking tours.

For the best introduction to the city, get wandering! Check out the famous Ringstrasse, a 3.3-mile boulevard that circles the city centre, before heading inside the loop towards St Stephen’s Cathedral. This is the epicentre for high-end shopping, literally or window, among some of the most exclusive postcodes in the world.

You can’t miss the glorious Imperial Palace, seat of the Hofburg Dynasty, and one of the largest palace complexes in the world. It houses the Sisi Museum, which celebrates one of their most famous monarchs Empress Elisabeth, and the National Library, which gives the one in “Beauty and the Beast” a run for its money. You'll find the crown jewels on show at the Imperial Treasury.

You could spend a day at the stunning Schloss Schöenbrunn and gardens that celebrate 30 years as a Unesco World Heritage Site this year, and if you’re a war buff, make your way to the Museum of Military History, home to the car in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot, sparking the outbreak of the First World War.

Music fans really should try to pre-book for a show at the State Opera House, but if you don't have the time, then a behind-the-scenes tour is a great way to get a feel for the world-famous venue. Art lovers can’t go wrong with an afternoon at the Belvedere Palace, where Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss” hangs, but don’t miss out on the gallery’s huge collection of modernist, Renaissance and Medieval art too.

To delve deeper into Vienna’s cultural heritage, seek out the Museum of Applied Arts, the Foto Arsenal Wien photography museum, the Kunsthistorisches Museum and, my personal favourite, the Leopold Museum, which boasts an astonishing collection of Austrian art. In fact, the entire museum quarter has 61 cultural institutions, alongside bars, restaurants and outside spaces.

To experience what it might be like to live in Vienna, get out of the centre, too, and discover the city’s Grätzels (neighbourhoods). Each has its own unique vibe, from trendy Karmeliterviertel to the cobblestones of Neubau and Spittelberg.

Eating and drinking

Vienna is the only city in the world with a type of cuisine named after it, and its most iconic dish is the Wiener schnitzel (breaded, pan-fried veal cutlet). Try one at Salonplafond, where modern interpretations of Austrian classics are served in a grand dining room.

Michelin-starred Z’SOM takes its name from the Tyrolean dialect word for “together”, but its food is rooted in Latin America and is both exciting and unpretentious. Head chef and owner Diego Briones has created an accomplished, light-hearted menu with hero European ingredients such as white asparagus, accompanied by more unusual combinations like coconut and green papaya. Try it out for a night to remember.

Butcher and restaurant Praterwirt is a locals’ favourite, serving high-quality meats alongside authentic Budweiser lager straight from their own tanks. Perfect for a hearty plate on a cold night. If you’re looking to try an Austrian hot dog, then head to Alles Wurst, where they serve classic sausages alongside steak tartare. Expect to queue as this one’s popular.

Stepping away from the meat counter, Tian Bistro, under the guidance of Michelin-starred chef Paul Ivić, serves a five-star vegetarian menu with combinations such as lion’s mane mushrooms and chimichurri to satisfy the taste buds.

Grabbing a seat at one of Vienna’s coffee houses is a must. Take in the late 19th-century interiors at Café Sperl, or try a kaiserschmarrn, a sort of deconstructed pancake, at Cafe Landtmann, which also has a great outside space to enjoy the sun.

Where to stay

The plant-covered facade of Hotel Gilbert has made it one of the most identifiable and forward-thinking boutique hotels in the city. It has been awarded the Austrian Ecolabel for high sustainability standards, with bathroom products from organic local company Lederhaas and innovative heating solutions. There are 57 rooms, each decorated in a contemporary palette of blues and yellows, with even the smallest rooms well presented with modern bathrooms and plenty of space. A generous buffet breakfast is served in &Flora, the vegetable-focussed restaurant that is also popular in the evenings.

Jaymi McCann was a guest of Wien.info

The deadly outbreak of the rare hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has highlighted the growing trend of tourism in Antarctica.

No tourists visited the icy southern continent until the 1960s and only 8,000 a year set foot there three decades ago. By last year, this had risen to 80,000, with a further 36,000 seeing it for themselves from ships docked in Antarctica’s spectacular bays.

This “unchecked tourism growth” risks “undermining the very environment that draws visitors”, said two academics from the University of Tasmania on The Conversation.

Irreversible melting

Those first tourists set foot on Antarctica on 23 January 1966. The mission, with 57 guests, was intended to “inspire people to become stewards for the planet, by exposing them to one of its most awe-inspiring places”, said The Independent. But some now think the trip was a “mistake” because it began a process that is endangering the “fragile” environment.

Sixty years on, “tourism to the bottom of the world is soaring”, said The Associated Press. This is “driven in part by fears that the frozen landscapes of Antarctica may be irreversibly melting away because of climate change”.

“High costs” and the “time it can take” to travel there mean visitor numbers are “still small”, but they’re “growing so fast that scientists and environmentalists are sounding alarms”. The University of Tasmania academics estimated that the number of tourists could triple or quadruple to more than 400,000 a year by 2033-34.

The draw is clear: the experience of visiting Antarctica, with its whales, seals, penguins and icebergs, is “unique and not replicable anywhere else on the planet”, Claire Christian, from the environmental group Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, told AP. “It’s all really stunning and it makes a huge impression on people.”

‘Loved to death’

Between 2002 and 2020, nearly 150 billion tonnes of Antarctic ice melted each year, according to Nasa. Experts warn that more visitors will bring an increased risk of contamination, illness and other damage to the continent.

Tourists can threaten ecosystems by compacting soils, squashing fragile vegetation and bringing in non-native microbes and plant species. They can also disturb breeding colonies of birds and seals.

Each cruise ship visitor to Antarctica produces between 3.2 and 4.1 tonnes of carbon, and that doesn’t include their travel to the port of departure. This is comparable to the carbon emissions an average person produces in a year.

So the answer to Antarctica avoiding being “loved to death” may “lie in economics”. Some suggest a rule requiring visitors to pay a tourism tax, or a “cap-and-trade system” to limit the number of visitor permits for a fixed period.

The guidelines of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators stipulate that only 100 people can set foot on the ice at any given time, and ships carrying more than 500 passengers are not allowed to dock.

Visitors are told to avoid touching the ground with anything but their feet. Some crews and passengers use vacuums, disinfectants and brushes to keep shoes and equipment free of bugs, feathers, seeds and microbe-carrying dirt, said AP.

Airlines cut 13,000 flights globally in May as jet fuel prices soared due to the conflict in the Middle East.

In the future, these “spiralling” fuel costs could “spell the end of budget flights”, wrote Cathy Adams, news features editor, travel, in The Times.

Why are prices up?

Airfares have risen 24% year on year, according to the consultancy group Teneo. The price of jet fuel, usually the second-largest element of airlines’ costs after crew, is rising. In the week ending 1 May, the price of a barrel of jet fuel had risen 101% year on year to $181 (£133), according to the International Air Transport Association’s Jet Fuel Monitor.

These hikes are then passed on to travellers. Prices on some routes, such as London to Hong Kong and Singapore, have tripled since the start of 2026. Carriers including Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Emirates are adding fuel surcharges.

Other airlines are warning of price rises once their current hedge arrangement – which allows them to buy fuel at a fixed price – expires.

Are higher prices here to stay?

For the time being, yes. Even once the Strait of Hormuz is reopened to allow the free flow of crude oil and refined jet fuel, it will take a “minimum of three months for lower fuel costs to work their way through the supply chain”, Bryan Terry, the managing director at Alton Aviation Consultancy and former director of industry fuel services at the IATA, told Adams.

“Even then, airlines will try to hold higher fares in place as long as they can to recoup the costs and losses they’ve absorbed since the conflict began”, so passengers should “start thinking of elevated airfares as the new normal for the foreseeable future”.

There are other factors expected to push prices up in the longer term. Aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus are struggling with production delays and engine shortages, which means fewer available seats overall.

Major carriers have signed “historic contracts” with pilot unions and ground crews over the past two years, and some of the cost of the wage increases is passed on to passengers, said Fly Fairly.

Finally, EU climate laws mean prices will be 13 to 14 times higher in 2030 than in 2019, claimed Airlines for Europe.

How can I find cheaper flights?

In the “near term” there are “bargains to be had” as airlines “battle to fill their planes” for a summer season during which travellers are “nervous to commit to overseas holidays”, said Adams.

The “very thin silver lining” is that as airfares go up, the cost of extras such as baggage and seat selection “typically goes down”.

As usual, airlines and agents continue to advise passengers to “book sooner rather than later” to “lock in a good deal”. Meanwhile, “whether we’ve seen the last of the £9.99 flight to Spain remains to be seen”.

Packing for a trip is stressful enough without the added worry of how much it will cost you to bring your suitcase on the plane. But with many airlines raising checked baggage fees amid the ongoing war with Iran, it is becoming a cost that is worth taking into account in your travel budget.

In recent months, “most major airlines have hiked the price to check a bag by about $10” in an effort to “address the added costs” of operation and of jet fuel, both of which have increased since the start of the war, said The New York Times, citing airline executives. That means for most airlines, “you’ll pay at least $90 to check a bag on your next round-trip domestic flight,” said CNBC Select. And if you are traveling with your full family or with more than one suitcase, that bill can quickly increase.

Here are some smart ways to scale back (and not necessarily on what you pack) so you can save your funds for the actual fun of vacation.

1. Understand each airline’s policies

The specifics of baggage fees — when they apply, how much they run and what you can do to waive them — may vary a lot from airline to airline. If you know you will be checking bags, take a look at those fees when you are booking, rather than just considering the cost of the flight itself.

With United, for instance, you will pay $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second, said the Times. Meanwhile, for Jet Blue, the cost will vary depending on whether or not you are flying during peak travel times: The first checked bag is “$39 off-peak, $49 peak,” while the second checked bag is “$59 off-peak, $69 peak.”

2. Check your credit card’s perks

If you carry an airline credit card, “chances are you don’t have to worry about baggage fees,” given that “several top airline credit cards offer a free first checked bag for the cardholder — and sometimes for companions traveling on the same itinerary as well,” said NerdWallet.

For example, the Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard “grants cardholders and up to four companions traveling on the same reservation a first checked bag for free on American Airlines flights,” said CNBC Select. Another option, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card, allows “you and up to eight people traveling on the same reservation to get your first checked bag free.” Just note that you may have to make your reservation using the card to get this perk.

3. Take advantage of frequent flyer status

If you are in the air often, it can make sense to take advantage of airlines’ frequent flyer programs. Many of these “allow members with elite status to fly with checked bags for free,” and sometimes even multiple bags at no cost, said NerdWallet.

Flying frequently is not the only way to get this status, either. For instance, “if you have elite status with a hotel chain, you might be able to get elite benefits on a partner airline,” plus some credit cards offer automatic status as well, said NerdWallet.

Few things are as thrilling as an equestrian adventure. From multi-day desert treks to gentle countryside hacks, a horse riding holiday is a great way to explore your surroundings and reconnect with nature. Here are some of the best places to saddle up.

Le Barn, France

This former equestrian farm just an hour from Paris is now a “stylish and welcoming retreat where every room looks out on to meadows”, said Kate Johnson in The Guardian. Located in the Rambouillet forest, the sprawling property shares 500 acres with a “world-famous” horse-riding training centre with “plenty of riding on offer” for all abilities. But the real draw is the magical weekly Whisperer’s Experience which teaches you how to “forge a connection by working on foot with a free horse and using your body language and exercises” to “build trust” and communicate with one of the elegant animals. “Be warned, it’s emotional.”

Reschio Hotel, Italy

Set amid the “quite outrageously beautiful” rolling hills and olive groves on the Tuscany-Umbria border, this 11th-century castle is home to a 36-room hotel and collection of farm buildings, said Steve King in Condé Nast Traveller. As well as offering an array of activities from wild swimming to truffle hunting, the estate is a “noted breeding and training ground for Andalusian horses”. Even if you don’t fancy taking a lesson, “you’d be mad not to go and pay a visit to the stables and see with your own eyes these extraordinary, otherworldly creatures”.

São Lourenço do Barrocal, Portugal

Vineyards and meadows “stretch out as far as the eye can see” at this 200-year-old estate in Portugal’s Alentejo region, said Chloe Frost-Smith in The Times. Riders can hack through “old cork forests and archaeological trails scattered with neolithic stone circles”, and end the day with a “canter towards the hilltop village of Monsaraz to catch the sunset”. There are plenty of other activities, too, from olive-wood carving to wine tasting at the surrounding vineyards.

Gleneagles, Scotland

This iconic Scottish hotel in the heart of Perthshire is one of the world’s “loveliest” spots for “golfing, relaxing and exploring the bonny lands beyond”, said Lydia Bell in Condé Nast Traveller. It’s also home to an excellent equestrian centre offering a jam-packed schedule of horse-riding lessons and walking tours. Facilities include two covered, heated show-jumping arenas, a large livery and woodland cross-country hacking.

Hollacombe Farm, Exmoor

And if you want to “take your horse on holiday”, consider checking into this self-catering property on the edge of Exmoor National Park, said Johnson in The Guardian. Set on “private rolling farmland”, the self-catering converted stone barn features “stabling and grazing for three horses”, and host Louise is “on hand as a guide”. Days are easy to fill riding through the “heather- and gorse-covered moorland” or galloping the length of Salcombe Sands beach. Bliss.

If the walls of these hotels could talk, they would regale guests with tales of lavish parties, milestone celebrations, newsworthy occasions and fascinating visitors. It would take quite some time to hear the stories too: These properties are all more than 100 years old, with one opening before the Revolutionary War.

Beekman Arms, Rhinebeck, New York

A who’s who of influential — and infamous — Americans have spent the night at the Beekman Arms, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and Benedict Arnold. The inn opened in 1766 and is believed to be the oldest continuously running hotel in the United States.

During the Revolutionary War, “militia drilled on its lawn,” and “townspeople took refuge within its walls during the fighting,” said The Independent. Life here is much calmer today, with guests appreciating the inn’s “charmingly creaky floors, fireplaces and quaint bedrooms.”

Claremont Resort & Club, Berkeley, California

This Bay Area retreat has been a beloved spot for rest and relaxation since it opened in 1915. Guests can lounge by one of three pools, enjoy a treatment in the spa or unwind in their room, soaking up views of the San Francisco skyline.

Those who prefer a more active stay are in luck. At The Club, they can play a few sets on the lighted tennis and pickleball courts, take a fitness class and cycle through the dry saunas, steam rooms and whirlpools. The guest rooms were recently renovated in calming shades of soft blue and gray, and the “plush bedding and fluffy down comforters make the beds feel like clouds,” said Condé Nast Traveler.

Congress Hall, Cape May, New Jersey

Congress Hall bills itself as the country’s first waterfront resort, which has proudly survived “fires, hurricanes and war.” It started as a boarding house for summer visitors and during the Benjamin Harrison presidency was considered the Summer White House.

The rooms are “comfortable” and have an “air of seaside whimsy,” and the hotel offers plenty to do year-round, said Travel and Leisure. During warmer months, guests can “dine alfresco and swim in the seaside pool,” and come December, the grounds turn into a “festive Winter Wonderland” with holiday vendors and a train for kids.

Fairmont Breakers Long Beach, California

The glamorous Fairmont Breakers Long Beach is ready for its close-up. The hotel is fresh off a renovation and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year with special culinary events and activations, themed suite experiences and tours.

Original details remain, like plaster molding and “ornate” exterior motifs, and are combined with modern furnishings for a “compelling blend of old and new,” said Afar. Rooms are decorated in “whites and soothing blues,” with bathrooms “clad in marble,” and the “polished design” extends to the hotel’s restaurants and venues like Halo, the rooftop bar.

The Inn at Hancock, Hancock, New Hampshire

When The Inn at Hancock first opened its doors in 1789, it was a stop along a busy trade route, with lodgers arriving by stagecoach. Today, guests arrive via much faster transportation — but the property’s welcoming atmosphere remains.

The Inn at Hancock recently reopened after a three-year renovation, and the 15 suites are distinct, each one having its own decor, bespoke furnishings and period antiques. All of the dining options have unique characteristics as well, with the Restaurant spread out across three spaces: the Georgian-paneled Formal Room, bright and airy Garden Room and book-filled Reading Room.

The Inn at Stonecliffe, Mackinac Island, Michigan

The Inn at Stonecliffe, once a private summer estate, is now a “quaint” resort that feels like a “nearly perfectly preserved time capsule,” said Travel and Leisure. The Edwardian-style Tudor mansion dates back to 1904, and a renovation added modern updates like air conditioning but kept in place original details that “give the property its charm,” including hardwood floors, fireplaces and “beautiful” stained glass windows. Outside, guests have 15 acres to explore and can fill their day by playing games on the massive lawns, lounging in the Adirondack chairs facing the Straits of Mackinac and enjoying s’mores by the fire pits.

The NuWray Hotel, Burnsville, North Carolina

What’s old is new again at The NuWray, North Carolina’s oldest continuously operating hotel. The 1833 property recently reopened after a renovation, and during that process the owners repurposed old materials, converting wood from the ceiling into a bar top and original laundry sinks into ice holders. Guests appreciate how “intentional” the owners have been about “preserving much of the history of the building,” said the Asheville Citizen Times. They also love the speakeasy-style Washroom Bar in the basement and Southern food served at the Old Ray Restaurant.

Omni Parker House, Boston

Open since 1855, Omni Parker House is “as much a part of Boston’s history as the Freedom Trail itself,” said Condé Nast Traveler. It’s the birthplace of Boston Cream Pie and Parker House Rolls, with both still on the menu at Parker’s Restaurant.

The hotel’s downtown location puts the property in the “center of the action,” and its “sweeping marble lobby” makes a great first impression. Guests can learn more about Parker House history in the basement, where an “extensive” memorabilia display showcases some of the property’s “most memorable moments.”

The Wigwam, Litchfield Park, Arizona

The Wigwam has always been a gathering place. It opened in 1918 as a retreat for Goodyear Tire & Rubber employees and not long after became a guest ranch.

Spread across 440 acres, the resort combines “historic charm with modern comfort,” and its “spacious” casitas are “ideal for families,” said Arizona Foothills Magazine. Over the last century, The Wigwam has expanded to include nine tennis courts, three swimming pools, a spa and 54 holes of golf across three courses.

Most people likely only think of Uber for ordering rides and food, but the company wants to change this perception by expanding into a full-service travel app. The brand has announced it is partnering with Expedia for a wide variety of vacation-related services, including hotel reservations and general concierge services. The expansion is part of Uber’s effort to become an “everything app.”

‘Become the one app for everything’

The biggest change is that users can now book hotels directly on the Uber app without having to go through a third-party reservation site. By connecting with Expedia’s hotel database, Uber will offer “access to a wide selection of hotels, which will ultimately grow to more than 700,000 properties in destinations around the globe,” the company said in a press release. There is also cross-pollination with Expedia, as Uber rides “will be integrated directly in the Expedia app” starting in June 2026.

Notably, the partnership will allow Uber to offer hotel bookings “for properties in countries where it doesn’t currently offer rideshare services, if the properties are listed through Expedia,” said The Wall Street Journal. Plans to add rental property bookings through the Expedia-owned Vrbo are also in the works. Beyond hotels themselves, the company will provide specified Uber Eats “room services” that can “deliver food and any forgotten items, such as a toothbrush or phone charger, directly to the hotel,” said NBC News. There is also voice-enabled booking powered by AI.

The goal is for Uber to “become the one app for everything,” Dara Khosrowshahi, the CEO of Uber, said to The New York Times. The “more convenience we can bring to our consumer on a global basis, the better.” The partnership is also helping “hotels get access to travelers, get more demand, get more exposure,” which “strengthens the value proposition we bring to our hotels,” Ariane Gorin, the CEO of Expedia, told the Times.

‘There’s a catch’

Many are wondering if Uber’s new venture will make hotel rooms cheaper than competitors’ booking sites, which does indeed seem to be the case. At a Hilton hotel near Tampa International Airport, a booking through Uber with an added refund window cost $140.19, while the “same room would have cost $144” through Hilton’s website, said The Washington Post. A “reservation with a comparable refund window would have cost $165” on booking.com and $159 on hotels.com. So “Uber was the cheapest.”

But “there’s a catch” for people looking to stock up on hotel rewards points. When people “book with a third-party online travel agency” like Uber, they are “likely forgoing the brand-specific points,” said the Post. Despite this, Uber is hoping the benefits outweigh the negatives. Adding hotels could prove to be an important experiment for the business model, as the partnership “pushes Uber into a higher-value category” and “tests whether the ‘super app’ model — which has taken off in parts of Asia — can take hold in the U.S.,” said Axios.

Making the “everything app” plunge by starting with hotels does seem to be natural, as “more than 1.5 billion Uber trips took place globally outside a rider’s home city last year,” said Axios, and 100 million users ordered rides from airports. The company is “betting it can deepen its role in travel by building on behavior that already exists.”

What happened

Pioneering no-frills budget carrier Spirit Airlines ceased operations on Saturday, citing sharply higher fuel prices and the collapse of a $500 million Trump administration bailout. “This is tremendously disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted.” Spirit CEO Dave Davis said in a statement.

Who said what

The “proudly penny-pinching” airline had capped its “final, mad-dash scramble to save money” with tentative deals to emerge from bankruptcy, unveiled four days before the Iran war started, The Associated Press said. In the end, the “spike in jet fuel prices from the war was the last straw,” said Axios.

Spirit was “often skewered for its bare-bones service,” but its “corresponding dirt-cheap fares opened up air travel” to thousands and “helped shape how other airlines competed,” The Washington Post said. Even if “you never flew Spirit, you benefited” from its low prices, said The Wall Street Journal. “Competing airlines vigorously matched its fares,” and “one big reason major airlines” were “rooting against a government bailout” is that “one less pesky discounter gives them more pricing power.”

What next?

Spirit said customers who booked flights with credit or debit cards would automatically get refunded. Most other U.S. airlines offered discounted or “rescue fares” to Spirit passengers facing canceled flights.

Wending its way around some of the highest peaks in the Pennines, the Settle-Carlisle Railway is among the greatest engineering feats of the Victorian age, and arguably England’s most scenic line. This year, it is celebrating its 150th anniversary, said Duncan Craig in the Financial Times – a good moment, I felt, for a week-long break travelling up and down it to explore some of the “extraordinary” hiking country it opens up, much of it in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Some of the buildings at its stations have recently been converted into holiday lets, and we stayed in one – the booking office at Kirkby Stephen. Painted in the “crimson-and-cream” livery of the old Midland Railway company, it is charming, cosy, and, of course, perfectly located for hopping on and off the trains. This is “the railway line that shouldn’t have been made”, so “fiercely undulating” is the terrain it traverses for much of its 73-mile length.

The Midland Railway company wanted a share of the “fast-expanding” London to Scotland rail market, and won Parliament’s approval for the line in 1866, as its rival, the London and North Western Railway, refused to share its tracks (now the West Coast Mainline). Built of local stone, the railway’s great viaducts are as grand as cathedrals, and seem to rise naturally from their landscape.

But, in fact, they came at great cost. Several thousand navvies worked on the railway, living in makeshift camps, and many died in accidents, or from exposure and disease in the bitterly cold winters. The journey south from Kirkby Stephen takes you past three majestic hills – Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside – to the “engineering crux and spiritual core” of the railway, the Ribblehead Viaduct, with its 24 soaring arches.

There’s also particularly good hiking around Dent, the highest station in England at 350 metres. A holiday cottage today, the lone building there has a picture window overlooking Dentdale – one of the country’s finest views.

Malta’s 300 days of sunshine a year draw visitors, but there is much more to this island between Sicily and North Africa than optimal weather. Its history isn’t tucked away in corners, but on full display in the cities of Valletta and Mdina, and landmarks like St. John’s Co-Cathedral and the Megalithic Temples of Malta. Natural beauty also shines along the rugged coastline and in the sparkling turquoise waters.

History comes alive

Valletta is a small city, but it “packs a historical punch,” said The Independent. The Knights of St. John built Valletta during the 16th century, and the city remains “laced” with townhouses from that era that now “house atmospheric restaurants and bars.” Another early landmark is St. John’s Co-Cathedral, which dates back to the 1570s. From the outside, it looks “unprepossessing,” but inside you’ll find a “riot” of “lavish” details, including marble floors, a gilded vaulted ceiling and Caravaggio’s masterpiece “The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist.”

The ancient walled city of Mdina is “hardly touched by modernity,” said National Geographic Traveler. It’s been called the Silent City since the mid-1500s, when political power moved to Valletta, and is filled with “narrow alleys full of mystery” and “winding lanes with whispers of a bygone era.” The baroque Mdina Gate makes a grand statement, and visitors don’t have to be religious to find a “sense of spirituality” in the “gilded altars” and “detailed frescoes” of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Though a bit “gruesome,” the Mdina Dungeons are worth a descent and feature “macabre” dioramas showing how Malta’s former rulers once doled out “punishments and tortures.”

Snorkel, dive and swim in turquoise waters

Divers and snorkelers love Malta for its coves, accessible wrecks and clear water with high visibility. A top spot to visit is the “picturesque” Ghar Lapsi, a bay known to have “some of the best reef life on the island,” said Lonely Planet. Boat and shore dives can be arranged for all skill levels.

For unmatched views, head to the Blue Lagoon on the small island of Comino. This protected area boasts “luminous” blue water “flanked by caves” and is “unmissable,” said the Times of London. It gets crowded, and to curb the number of sightseers and make the experience more enjoyable for everyone, you must now book a slot to visit the lagoon.

A signature Malta experience

For a laidback experience, head to the sea and explore one of Malta’s traditional fishing villages. Marsaxlokk’s harbor is filled with colorful wooden boats, called luzzus, and it’s entertaining to watch the fisherpeople “studiously touch up” their “prized” vessels, said the Times of London. The action picks up on Sundays, when the town hosts a fish market where hawkers “loudly declare their wares.” During the week, artisans set up shop and sell their own handmade art, crafts and jewelry.

Ancient stone wonders

Some of the world’s oldest free-standing stone buildings can be found in Malta, and experts believe many of the structures were built before the pyramids of Egypt and Stonehenge. Among the most notable are the Megalithic Temples of Malta, constructed more than 5,000 years ago. They are “remarkable for their diversity of form and decoration,” and the Hagar Qim, Mnajdra and Tarxien temples are “unique architectural masterpieces” due to the “limited resources available to their builders,” said UNESCO.

Eating the Maltese way

Malta’s location between North Africa and Italy plays a major role in its cuisine. Dishes feature Arabic spice blends, touches of “Sicilian comfort” and a bit of “French flair,” all made with ingredients and seafood straight from the Mediterranean, said Broadsheet.

One Maltese staple is the pastizzi, a golden flaky pastry often filled with ricotta or peas that’s best served “straight from the oven” and “eaten with your hands,” said Broadsheet. The country’s national dish is fenek moqli, or slow-cooked rabbit stew, a “rustic, hearty” meal, and its “answer to lasagna” is timpana, a baked meat pasta “encased in buttery pastry.” On a simpler note, the seafood in Malta is “second to none,” and diners can’t go wrong choosing fresh grilled swordfish, lampuki (dolphinfish) or octopus stew.

Visiting the Maldives is all about relaxation; finding the perfect spot under a swaying palm tree so you can while away the hours gazing out at the ocean with a fresh coconut by your side to sip on. Joali Being takes this one step further. The whole island is dedicated to wellness, with a cutting-edge spa and a sound healing centre all designed to have you floating back home on a dopamine high.

Why stay here?

Joali Being is a beautiful island in Raa Atoll with talcum-powder-soft sand, an aquamarine lagoon and lush greenery everywhere.

The resort revolves around the concept of four pillars when it comes to wellness – mind, skin, microbiome and energy. When you arrive, guests have a wellness consultation with a doctor. In mine, I share how I’ve been struggling with frequent migraines and insomnia. If your body is a temple, mine is on shaky foundations and threatening to collapse. She assigns me the mind pillar category, and later on sends me diet and supplement recommendations.

The beach and overwater villas are a strikingly modern take on a thatched Maldivian cottage with artfully curved roofs and extremely high ceilings. The resort was created by Turkish entrepreneur Esin Güral Argat, who believes in biophilic design – using nature in the decor to enhance a sense of wellbeing – which means lots of pleasingly curved edges and playful nods to the ocean.

Inside my overwater villa is a delightful pastel-hued confection in blush pink, creams and greys. The living room is decorated with a manta ray sculpture on the wall. The sliding doors into the bedroom have a cream-grey coloured shell pattern and there’s a desk with the quirkiest chair I’ve ever encountered – it looks like a Lego block with square prongs sticking out that retract as you sit on them. It’s surprisingly comfortable and a sign of how fun the resort’s style can be.

Before you arrive you’re given a pillow menu to fill out; I choose an anti-stress one with carbon fibres that are supposed to remove all the static electricity accumulated in your body throughout the day. The bed is huge, with romantic netting draped by its sides. There are no plug sockets near the bed to encourage guests to scroll less while they’re there but an extension lead is available if you want it.

It’s also one of the few villas in the Maldives where you’ll find a musical instrument instead of a TV (which, again, is also available on request). A glockenspiel sits on a shelf in the living room so I can indulge any musical whims. The bathroom is beautifully designed in sage green and white, with open shelving for your wardrobe and there are three different kinds of salts next to the bathtub. Outside there’s a large terrace with a sofa swing, which looks out on a stylish pool and a pair of sunbeds with steps that take you down into the ocean.

Eating and drinking

Flow, overlooking the beach, is where guests start their day with a bountiful breakfast buffet stuffed with healthy options, including gluten-free bread, vegan cake and delicious home-made granola. There’s freshly cut fruit, a salad bar and a crepe making station. There is also an impressive à la carte menu – my favourite dishes were the custard-like French toast and tasty crab congee that came piled high with fresh shiitake mushrooms, crunchy fried onions and chilli oil.

Mojo is the resort’s beach-side restaurant, which is the place to head to for lunch. I tried juicy tiger prawns with Vietnamese vermicelli salad in a sweet chilli dressing. I also had a perfectly chargrilled lobster with a light herb and leaf salad. Desserts on offer include mango with creamy sticky rice and a heavenly coconut sorbet served with fresh fruit.

There are several options for dinner. Mojo has a different menu for the evening and it’s beautifully lit up with fairy lights. I had a flavourful seafood paella loaded with mussels, clams and reef fish, along with a delicious octopus salad. Flow is also worth visiting at night; I ate succulent seared scallops and the most tender wagyu steak followed by a decadent chocolate mousse.

The Japanese eatery, Yutori, is an open-air circular restaurant overlooking the sea. I feasted on a prawn popcorn salad, which comes with a punchy spicy sauce, and delectable black miso cod, one of the signature dishes, which is marinated for 24 hours. For dessert, I had the wonderful matcha tiramisu, which layered earthy matcha with sweet mascarpone cream and a red bean compote. It was an incredible way to end a spectacular meal by the sea.

What else is there to do?

During my stay, I tried several massages at the beautifully designed Areka spa – the relaxing signature four pillars massage, reflexology and the mind therapy massage, which involves singing bowls being played before my treatment. The resort offers a watsu treatment in the Kaashi hydrotherapy hall, where guests float in the water with a therapist to support them, tapping into primitive feelings of being back in the womb. There’s also a cryotherapy chamber in the gym, Core, where you can enjoy a short sharp shock of cold Arctic air, known to reduce inflammation and help muscle recovery. Joali Being is dedicated to giving you the best wellness journey possible but don’t worry, it’s not a boot camp – you can be as strict or indulgent as you like when it comes to food and exercise.

Joali Being has a sound therapy centre, Seda, which offers sessions where you can lie on a bed with guitar strings underneath, surrounded by oversized instruments that are played by a therapist. Taking a stroll along the Discovery Sound Path is a fun way to pass some time. It’s a squiggle of a walk in a shaded garden that leads to several instruments, including a giant glockenspiel and sheets of metal that can be bashed like a gong.

B'Kidult, the children’s club, is a great space to leave the little ones for a few hours. It features a shallow pool for toddlers to splash about with their parents, an outdoor art pavilion for crafts, a yoga space for the whole family to perfect their downward dog and cute mini sunbeds.

The verdict

As if its beautiful beaches and stunning lagoon aren’t enough to lull you into a sense of deep relaxation, Joali Being will stop at nothing to enhance your sense of wellbeing. If your ideal holiday involves being pampered at a spa in between bouts of sun-tanning on the beach then this resort should be your holy grail. The staff make a Herculean effort to ensure you return home refreshed. It’s the ultimate wellness destination in the Maldives if you want to unplug and unwind.

Ann was a guest of Joali Being; joali.com/joali-being; begin your Maldivian journey with the experts at Angelfish Travel, angelfish.travel

This is where Paris stole Helen and triggered the Trojan War; that’s where Heracles fought the lion; here are the Arcadian mountains that goat-footed Pan called home, and over there are the gates to Hades.

The Peloponnese peninsula of Greece is a land packed with myths and legend. Hanging down from Corinth like a four-pointed leaf (it used to be called Morea or mulberry), it’s at its prettiest in flower-strewn April to June. As well as a wealth of ancient Greek sites to soak up, there’s also stacks of drama from more recent times. Set off on an old-style road trip and, in just a couple of days, you can journey from Homeric palaces and 2,000-year-old amphitheatres to Venetian fortresses, clifftop monasteries, dramatic gorges, and the strange battle towers of feuding medieval clans.

Nafplio to Epidaurus and Mycenae

The pretty harbour town of Nafplio, a couple of hours south of Athens, makes an ideal first base. The fledgling capital of modern Greece, it has a lovely faded elegance, with narrow streets, flower-draped balconies and a photogenic Venetian fort on an island in the bay. We stayed at the quirky Ilion Hotel, all sloping floors, antique finds and walls hand-painted with idiosyncratic copies of famous portraits. Towering over the town is another, much bigger, Venetian fort, the Palamidhi (named after Palamedes, Nafplio’s legendarily clever local hero, who outwitted Odysseus and, well, didn’t live long enough to regret it). Climb the 900-odd steps (or cop out in a car) for a walk through its eight baroque bastions and some breathtaking views.

Just half an hour west of Nafplio is Epidaurus, the ancient site of the cult of Asclepius, the healer god who had a bit of a thing for snake cures. Star of the archaeology show here is the beautifully preserved 14,000-seat amphitheatre. Built with limestone slabs in the fourth century BC, it has near-perfect natural acoustics, as the tour guides enthusiastically demonstrate.

North of Nafplio is the Bronze Age citadel of Tiryns, where you can walk round the “mighty walls” Homer described in “The Iliad”. It’s well off the tourist trail, so you can stand pretty much alone on the hilltop ruins of the palace and look over the Argos plains to the sea. Twenty minutes further north is Mycenae, home of the spectacularly ill-fated Atreus family, who had a gory habit of killing each other. Walking through the colossal stone posts of the Lion Gate into the walled citadel, you can feel the confidence of a town that dominated the region and from where Agamemnon took command of the Greek forces that set out for Troy. A few metres down the hill, tourists flock to the Treasury of Atreus, a massive, conical tholos (“beehive”) burial vault, but few visit the slightly smaller but no less impressive tholos tombs just outside the entrance. Head there for a quieter gape at the astonishing mortar-free construction.

Dimitsana and Arcadian mountain trails

The heartland of the Peloponnese is Arcadia, a mountainous province of gorges and hills, many precariously topped by medieval towns. In the spring, all is awash with green and swooped by swallows, and the many roads and hiking trails are beautifully edged with flowers.

As we headed for the hills, we stopped at Nemea, renowned for its wine, the lion labouring Hercules was first tasked to kill, and its ancient stadium, where enthusiasts still re-enact its famous Games every four years, running onto the track through the lovingly restored “players’ tunnel”.

We stopped in Dimitsana, a picture-postcard, cobble-streeted town straddling a twin hillside overlooking the Lousios gorge. The stone and wood En Dimitsani hotel has great views and a cabin-style cosiness (there’s a working fireplace in every room for chillier months). It also serves a serious dinner – try the goat spaghetti or beef kontosouvli with a juicy, deep-pink local rosé – and gargantuan breakfasts: we’d fill our boots, snaffle boreks and pastries for lunch and still not make a dent in the spread before us.

From Dimitsana, you can pick up the Menalon Trail, a well-marked, moderately challenging 75km hiking route that unfurls through the gorge. A landslide had blocked the hike we’d planned past the cliff-hanging Prodhromou monastery. So we walked among blossom and bees along the side of the gorge to Zygovisti instead, where the very friendly owner of the trail-side taverna plied us with mountain tea before the trek back – and the world‘s twistiest, turniest drive (and final walk) to the monastery, which is even more astonishing than it sounds.

Ancient Messene, Kardamyli and the Mani

From Arcadia, we drove south, heading towards Kalamata, and its famous olives, and the southern tip of the peninsula. Ninety minutes outside Kalamata are the gobsmacking remains of Ancient Messene, founded in 369BC after the final defeat of Sparta. You can roam over the huge, poppy-dappled 400-acre site, untroubled by tourist coach parties. There’s a vast agora, a theatre, an amphitheatre, several temples and then, through an olive grove, the colonnaded entrance to a vast stadium and gymnasium (pictured above). You’ll need to bring a hat (no shade) and plenty of water (no services) but you’ll leave with your flabber well and truly gasted.

Beyond Kalamata, we stayed just outside the beautiful, pebble-beached village of Kardamyli at the charming Kalamitsi Hotel, right next door to the house of British writer and WWII hero of the Greek resistance, Patrick Leigh Fermor. Simple rooms and studios look over an orchard of orange, lemon and olive trees that leads, down a stone staircase, to a small private beach. From Kardamyli itself, you can hike up to the hamlet of Exohori along paths dotted with wildflowers (we spotted orchids) and then scramble down the white rocks of the dry Vyros gorge. Then, as the sun goes down, feast on tomato fritters, roast aubergine, and hard cheese and honey in the open courtyard of the restaurant in the ruins of the old part of town.

From there to the gates of hell – and the literal end of the road. The onward drive south takes you deep into Mani country, where (strictly male-only) blood feuds were fought with elaborate tradition from specially built towers – many of which still dot the hills. You could stop to drift in a gondola through the stalactites and stalagmites of the Diros caves; you definitely should stop to admire the clutch of Maniot towers in the (almost) abandoned village of Vathia. And, when the beautiful coastal road comes to an end at a temple to Poseidon, you can walk over the hills (and the mosaic floor of a Roman villa) to the cave portal to Hades (mercifully closed) and, with the sea on both sides, stand at the lighthouse on the southernmost point of mainland Europe.

Helen travelled to the Peloponnese with Sunvil/GIC The Villa Collection

Thrill seekers, consider China for your next adventure. There are lots of spots around the country where you can get your adrenaline pumping, whether that involves taking a hair-raising plank walk along a sheer cliff or bungee jumping from the top of Macau Tower. These six experiences are not for the faint of heart, but they will surely give you stories to share.

Pass through the Guoliang Tunnel, Henan province

The Guoliang Tunnel in the Taihang Mountains may seem like an ancient wonder, but it was constructed in the 1970s by villagers who carved it into the side of a cliff. This .75-mile-long tunnel is 16 feet tall and 13 feet wide, and allowed cars to enter and exit the isolated village.

The construction is an “amazing feat” but has never been a “pillar of safety.” Visitors who brave the road will find that “in many spots, roughly carved pillars are the only thing keeping you from plunging to your death,” said Atlas Obscura. There are “twists, turns and dips” in the most “unpredictable places,” and it’s a trip whether you’re walking through or driving “white-knuckled in terror.”

Take the Mount Huashan Plank Walk, Shaanxi province

Whatever you do, don’t unhook your harness and rope. Those tools are what keep you upright on the Mount Huashan Plank Walk — and prevent you from plunging 1,000 feet to the bottom of the cliff. The 328-foot-long path is described as the World’s Most Dangerous Hiking Trail and consists of wooden boards nailed together and affixed to the side of the mountain. It’s safer now to visit than it once was: It used to be a free climb.

Travel along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway

It’s understandable if you want to keep your eyes closed when traveling on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, but don’t — you’ll miss the breathtaking scenery. This highway is one of the world’s most dangerous roads, with hairpin turns, narrow and steep descents and high risk for mudslides and rockslides.

The curvy 1,500-mile route links Chengdu in Sichuan province with Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and passes through rugged mountains and valleys and by glaciers, rivers and permafrost. The highest point is the Mount Zheduoshan Pass at 14,075 feet, offering panoramic views, plus, of course, the potential for altitude sickness. Driving this route is challenging, and you should plan on trips taking longer than expected because of how slow cars, buses and trucks have to drive through certain areas.

Go bungee jumping at Skypark Macau

Macau is considered the “Vegas of China,” an “epicenter of gambling and glitz," said Lonely Planet. And just like in Vegas, there are lots of over-the-top ways to spend your time — like by leaping from the top of the 1,109-foot-tall Macau Tower at Skypark Macau.

Skypark is the highest commercial bungee jumping facility in the world, and the attraction says more than 5 million people have safely bungeed with the company. Visitors also have the option to take it a bit slower and instead glide down the tower while attached to a wire cable.

Power paraglide in Yangshuo, Guangxi region

Soaring above picturesque Yangshuo and its tall karsts and verdant valleys is an electrifying way to sightsee. Powered paragliding is gaining popularity in Yangshuo, with pilots taking tourists on guided tours through the sky. When back on solid ground, rent a bike to ride through the countryside, then climb aboard a bamboo raft for a journey down the Yulong River.

Walk across the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Hunan province

Take a walk on the wild side. The 1,410-foot-long Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge is suspended 980 feet above the ground, and its transparent glass bottom allows visitors to look at the “dizzying abyss below,” said Escape. The span connects two cliffs at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and offers an exhilarating way to enjoy the “panoramic” views. It’s not the park’s only thrill: You can also shoot up the Bailong Elevator, the world’s tallest outdoor elevator, built into a cliff. There’s a glass window, so you can look around you as the elevator climbs 1,000 feet in two minutes.

“Britons are rushing to book holidays in the UK”, said the Financial Times. Fears over soaring airfares and travel delays triggered by the Iran war have “put people off long-haul trips”. Holidaymakers choosing to stay closer to home are booking trips everywhere from postcard-worthy Cotswold villages to the rolling valleys of the Yorkshire Dales. Here are some of our favourite spots.

The Fish, Cotswolds

With its “cheerful smattering of honey-hued villages” and “endless rolling green expanses”, the Cotswolds is “one of the loveliest” spots in the UK, said Charley Ward in Condé Nast Traveller. “So where could be better to head for some R&R on a long weekend?” This beautiful part of the country offers plenty of chances for “long walks to cosy pubs along cobbled ancient streets” – the kinds of activities that “you just don’t need to step on a plane for”. Consider checking in at The Fish where you can opt to stay either in a treehouse, cabin or woodland hut. Its “unique village-style layout” promises “extra peace and quiet” and gives you “more precious opportunity to soak up some of the scenery while you amble leisurely over to supper”.

Blakeney Hotel, Norfolk

The pretty coastal village of Blakeney is “secluded up in the most northern part of Norfolk where it’s a positive rather than a hassle that the phone reception is a bit scatty”, said Lela London in GQ. “Not a huge amount happens” here – but that’s sort of the point. If you’re looking for somewhere to completely relax and unwind, try Blakeney Hotel on the seafront. Its “Edwardian handsomeness” feels “reassuringly traditional”, and there are plenty of walks right from the doorstep through the “wildlife-rich marshes” or you can drive along the coast for a visit to the grand stately home of Holkham Hall and wonderful sandy beaches.

Looking Glass Lodge, East Sussex

Nestled among the trees in an ancient woodland just an hour from London, the glass-fronted, eco-friendly Looking Glass Lodge is the “ideal escape for those looking to reconnect with nature”, said Elle. The self-catering retreat is rendered extra-special by thoughtful touches from “luxury deli hampers packed with local cheese and wines” to a “floating log burner for chilly nights and a vinyl collection that fits perfectly with the mood, and in case the owls get too loud”. If you really want to push the boat out you can also book a bespoke treatment with a masseuse, or try a forest bathing session with a local psychotherapist.

Middleton Lodge, North Yorkshire

“When it comes to rural retreats, Middleton Lodge might just have it all,” said Sarah Allard in Condé Nast Traveller. Set within 200 acres of parkland and woods on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, the Georgian mansion is home to a collection of “light and airy” rooms, with “cloud-like beds with deep, squashy sofas”. But what really “sets this place apart” is the hotel’s “eco-forward ethos”; head chef Jake Jones crafts his menus using ingredients from the “impressive walled garden”. And the idyllic spa includes a heated outdoor pool that’s “so striking, you’ll want to pull your phone out of your robe pocket for a snap”. It’s a must-visit.

Arizona’s three national parks show off the state’s beauty in different ways. Grand Canyon National Park offers jaw-dropping views of the massive geological wonder, while Saguaro National Park celebrates the iconic native cactus and Petrified Forest National Park showcases ancient fossils and vibrant badlands. Each one has its own story, millions of years in the making.

Grand Canyon National Park

Until you see the Grand Canyon in person, it can be difficult to comprehend just how immense it is. The mile-deep canyon is 278 river miles long, and 18 miles across at its widest point. Visitors can explore the park across different avenues, with the South Rim the most popular.

The South Rim is open year-round and has the “greatest number of viewpoints, visitor services and hotels,” said Afar. Mather Point, extremely well-liked at sunrise and sunset, has a stunning perspective of the canyon, and on clear days you can see at least 30 miles to the east and 60 miles to the west. Hundreds of bird, mammal, fish and amphibian species live at the park, and visitors might see mule deer, elk, javelina and squirrels.

Day hikers can also set out on several journeys from the South Rim, with top picks including the scenic South Kaibab Trail, Rim Trail and interpretive Trail of Time, which provides “detailed explanations” on the “colorful layers that give the canyon walls their candy-stripe appearance.” Those who prefer to learn about the canyon indoors can watch two 24-minute films inside the South Rim Visitor Center: “We Are Grand Canyon” and “Grand Canyon: A Journey of Wonder.” Before leaving, visit Hopi House to purchase Indigenous arts and crafts.

The less developed and “more rugged” North Rim is much quieter than the South Rim, and due to its remoteness only sees about 10% of the total annual visitors to the park. It’s also 1,000 feet higher, and because of heavier snow in the winter, is only open from mid-May to mid-October. The North Rim is “covered in forests of aspen, fir and spruce trees,” and “memorable views” can be found on the North Kaibab Trail, which “descends 14 miles to the Colorado River.” A devastating fire ripped through the North Rim in July 2025, which destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge and more than 100 other structures and burned countless trees and shrubs.

The West Rim, or Grand Canyon West, is on Hualapai land and is known for the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass-bottomed bridge. The East Rim is part of the Navajo Nation and includes “numerous smaller canyons carved by the Little Colorado River.”

Where to stay: The historic El Tovar has been welcoming guests since 1905, providing a comfortable place to stay right on the South Rim. This is one of the “grandest” National Park lodges, and guests enjoy the rustic charm of the lobby and dining room filled with Hopi, Apache, Mojave and Navajo murals.

Best time to visit: The Grand Canyon is busiest during the summer months, when the weather is also hottest. If possible, plan a trip during the late spring, when it’s still warming up, or September through November to enjoy cooler temperatures and beautiful fall colors. Rangers recommend that hikers bring plenty of water and sun protection year-round, and pack at least four liters of water during the hottest months.

Petrified Forest National Park

The 200,000-acre Petrified Forest, part of the greater Painted Desert, provides a “remarkable example” of how this region, a primeval tropical forest, has “radically evolved through the ages,” said National Geographic. Badlands, grasslands, ancestral Pueblo sites and petrified logs — tons and tons of them — make up the park, along with an “amazing array” of wildlife like bobcats, pronghorn antelope, rattlesnakes, coyotes, migratory birds and salamanders.

The short Giant Logs Trail gives hikers the chance to see petrified wood up close, and the beautiful Blue Mesa Trail showcases the Painted Desert’s colorful cones. Another way to see the park is by car. There are two audio tours that go into great detail about dozens of stops along the Petrified Forest Scenic Drive (one tour is for drivers entering from the north, the other is for those entering from the south). Highlights include Puerco Pueblo, dating back to 1100, and the Newspaper Rock site. Ancestral Puebloans etched more than 650 petroglyphs onto rocks in this area, and the “high concentration” of markings likely mean this was a “hugely significant” place, said the National Parks Service.

Where to stay: There are no accommodations inside the park, and only backcountry camping is allowed with a permit. It’s worth driving 60 miles from the park’s main entrance to the city of Winslow to stay at the nearly 100-year-old La Posada Hotel. Designed by architect Mary Jane Colter, this estancia has been revitalized, with a substantial art gallery and rooms featuring Southwestern decor.

Best time to visit: The park is open year-round, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s most crowded during the summer, when temperatures can soar to triple digits. The coldest time to visit is during the winter, and visitors should plan for it to drop down to below 0 Fahrenheit at night. Milder temperatures — and clearer skies — prevail during late spring, October and November.

Saguaro National Park

The saguaro cactus is native to the Sonoran Desert, and more than 2 million can be found spread across Saguaro National Park West, in the Tucson Mountains, and Saguaro National Park East, in the Rincon Mountains. The two districts are “nearly an hour’s drive apart,” but both have “towering cacti, captivating desert scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities,” said Travel and Leisure. The saguaro forest is “denser” in the west, and the east provides access to a “plethora of mountainous backcountry trails.”

Saguaros might reign supreme in the park, but cholla, prickly pear and barrel cactus also have a presence. See them while on a ranger-led tour or while gliding by on a bike. The most accessible trail in the west park is Signal Hill, which passes boulders covered in Hohokam petroglyphs. In the east park, the Freeman Homestead Nature Trail passes through a saguaro grove and doubles as an educational experience, with signs “informing visitors about the area’s history and flora.” Desert sunsets are spectacularly colorful affairs and are best viewed from Tanque Verde Ridge Trail and Javelina Rocks. Plan on staying once the sun goes down for “incredible” stargazing.

Where to stay: There are no hotels within either district, but there are six wilderness campgrounds in Saguaro National Park East. For a more luxurious experience, go glamping at Solana Guest Ranch and Spanish Villas. The property, near Saguaro National Park East, offers villas that are perfect for bigger groups, as well as four Conestoga wagons with pillow-top beds, air conditioning and access to the ranch’s amenities.

Best time to visit: The park is open year-round, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The busiest time of year is from November to March, when temperatures are typically in the high 50s to mid 70s. To see cactus and wildflower blooms, visit between late February and late April.

“Everyone knows everyone in St Lucia,” said our driver as he took us through the palm-fringed roads of the eastern Caribbean island. “When we toot our horns, it’s because we’re saying hello.” And toot they did, always with a smile and a wave.

This warmth is part of the draw for the million or so tourists who visit St Lucia each year. That and the exceptional beaches, views and experiences. If you want to throw in some romance and adventure, Serenity at Coconut Bay has you covered.

Why stay here?

Serenity is an adults-only resort within the larger family-friendly Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa. Popular with honeymooners and couples celebrating anniversaries and birthdays, it has 36 suites, each with its own plunge pool, indoor soaking tub and 24-hour personal butler service. Guests are greeted by their butler with a drink on arrival (there’s nothing like rum served in a fresh coconut to welcome you to the Caribbean) and shown around their suite.

Every villa feels tucked away from the rest, giving couples a quiet space to themselves. There’s even a service hatch by the outside door so messages and room service can be delivered discreetly. As well as the private pool, the large deck includes an outdoor kitchen area, shower and hammock built for two, the perfect place to watch the stars with just the sound of the birds and crickets. Inside, there is a four-poster bed, rain shower and tub, which was filled up for me with bubbles and fresh bougainvillea petals more than once during my stay. His and hers wardrobes and sinks mean you won’t be fighting over space.

Butlers can help with anything from arranging meals and excursions to creating once-in-a-lifetime moments like proposals or a birthday surprise. They can be reached on a special mobile phone, dubbed the “batphone” by my butler, which can be taken around the resort. Serenity has its own pool area, or guests can head over to the larger Coconut Bay before returning to their exclusive hideaway.

Eating and drinking

St Lucia is a rum lover’s dream. It’s a primary ingredient for many of the cocktails on Serenity’s extensive drinks list (if you have a sweet tooth, don’t leave without trying Jonathan’s Special or the Dirty Banana) and guests can take part in rum-tasting nights, where locally produced blends like Chairman’s Reserve are paired with different foods.

Serenity has its own restaurant, The Greathouse, which serves up an extensive range of options, from chargrilled octopus to filet mignon and pistachio-crusted lamb rack. It caters well for different dietary needs and offers service with a whole lot of smiles. Guests also have the choice of Coconut Bay’s eight restaurants and seven bars, which include contemporary Caribbean fine-dining at Calabash, the Asian-inspired Silk and the outdoor Jerk Treehouse. Couples can hire beach cabanas for the day, with food and drinks brought to them, or celebrate a special occasion in the private oceanside dining spaces of La Luna.

Be sure to try the island’s national dish, green fig (actually a green banana) and saltfish, as well as the fried plantain and freshly grown fruit. Bananas are the island’s biggest export and it has dozens of varieties of mangoes. And did I mention the rum?

Things to do

You could easily while away a week at the resort, enjoying the pools, spa and entertainment. The mile-long beach suffers from sargassum (floating algae) at certain times of the year, but the hotel is efficient at clearing it each day and it is home to water sports, like kayaking and paddleboarding, as well as a turtle conservation programme. There are plenty of night activities, too, including creole classes, sushi-making and “Paint and Punch”.

Those who choose to venture beyond the hotel will be rewarded with jaw-dropping views of the volcanic island, with its famous twin peaks and lush rainforests. You will get a snapshot of island life just driving past the brightly coloured houses, churches, schools and fishing villages. Serenity can organise a huge range of trips, from boats and dune buggies to zip-lines and ATV tours. One unforgettable way to explore the island is by horse. Atlantic Shores Riding Stables can take you on a ride over hills above the Atlantic Ocean and down to the beach for an hour – or more, if your glutes can handle it.

We took a catamaran from Port Vieux up the southwest coast of the island, past the iconic Pitons, stopping to snorkel in the turquoise Caribbean Sea. After lunch at a local restaurant, we drove to the mud baths at Sulphur Springs in Soufriere to douse ourselves in mineral-rich mud. You’ll have to practise mouth breathing to avoid the sulphur smell but your soft skin will thank you for it.

The verdict

Just a few minutes’ drive from Hewanorra International Airport and about 45 minutes from the Pitons, Serenity is conveniently located for a trip to the south of St Lucia. As the name suggests, it is a peaceful sanctuary offering a truly special grown-up break on the friendliest of islands.

Hollie was a guest of Serenity at Coconut Bay

Tucked down a winding road in Buckinghamshire, Burnham Beeches Hotel does not so much receive you as lower your pulse. This large mansion was once a Georgian home but now it’s a four-star hotel and spa that serves as a soothing cocoon for the soul.

Built in 1727, the grand old building has attracted many eminent visitors, including the English poet, Thomas Gray, and, less lyrically, it was the base of the England football team during the Euro 96 tournament.

The atmosphere is regal and luxurious, yet settling and unpretentious. If its character seems a little undefined then perhaps that’s the point – it’s one of those hotels where you can characterise it for yourself. You make it what you want it to be.

Why stay here?

Peace is a clear draw: every inch of the hotel and its grounds is calm. Located less than an hour from London, and a short drive from Windsor, it’s the perfect base for short day trips. The rooms are gorgeous, with options ranging from modern, elegant Nest rooms to fabulous Canopy suites with charismatic décor.

The staff are generally friendly, welcoming and helpful. Their approach is on the unobtrusive side, which adds to the peaceful vibe. If you need a lot of attention and fuss, you might feel a little ignored but the atmosphere will work well for those who prefer autonomy to validation.

The layout of the hotel is a little confusing because of a lack of signposts and labels. But any initial dazzle is a worthwhile price to pay for the homely feel that the lack of signs brings. As you prance around its beautiful floors for your next meal or spa treatment, it’s easy to pretend you own the place.

Eating and drinking

The afternoon teas, which are served in the Evergreen Tea Room, are popular and I was very keen to try one. The traditional line-up includes coronation chicken sandwiches, plain and raisin scones and an assortment of tantalising afternoon tea pastries. You can add a glass of prosecco or champagne. But I went for the vegan afternoon tea, which included sandwiches of hummus, vegan gouda cheese and chutney and beetroot. The vegan scones and cream were gorgeous. So were the plant-based pastries and the Birchall Virunga Chai I washed it all down with.

Later, I had dinner in the Arden room, which overlooks the hotel’s gorgeous lawns. I tucked into a refreshing baked celeriac, with coconut milk and chutney for starters, followed by a wholesome vegan burger, complete with gorgeous brioche bun. For dessert I practically absorbed the refreshing coconut and kefir lime panna cotta. Mocktails arrived in steady procession, each one carefully assembled, none superfluous.

The breakfast room is simple and I was thrilled with my vegan English breakfast, including scrambled tofu, mushrooms, avocado, baked beans and a hash brown. I helped myself to the standard fare of sliced fruits.

Wherever I ate or drank during my stay, I overheard the quiet choruses of my fellow guests, who were delighting in their meatier and boozier selections.

Things to do

Windsor is a 15-minute drive away, so it’s easy to head over to the royal town where you can visit the famous castle and take a relaxing post-lunch stroll down The Long Walk or visit the charming high streets of neighbouring Eton and Datchet. Other nearby attractions include Legoland, historic Runnymede, the Ascot racecourse and the town of Burnham itself. You can also borrow a bike to explore the grounds or the nearby greenery.

But I was mostly happy to stay within the hotel’s warm embrace. The spa has a gym, pool, steam room, sauna and hot tub. Treatments include unwinding massages, facials, manicures and pedicures.

I unwound with the aptly-titled “Aaahhh!” massage. It was 30 minutes of relaxation and revival for my legs and feet. I took some happy strolls around the tranquil woodland that circles the hotel and then sat looking out of the window in my room, basking in the shoulder-soothing splendour of the surroundings.

The verdict

This is a hotel of gentle calibrations and its blend of inherited grandeur and contemporary adjustment works less by declaration, more by accumulation. Which is to say, every minute I spent there was more pleasurable than the previous one. I left blissed out, feeling soothed and relaxed. This is less a hotel, more like a long exhale given architectural form.

Chas was a guest at Burnham Beeches hotel, burnhambeecheshotel.com

Those who live in climates with cold and rainy winters know that being stuck indoors can have a negative effect on moods. Journalist Richard Louv coined the nonmedical term “nature-deficit disorder” to describe the “human costs of alienation from nature.” With spring now in full swing, it’s time to get back outside in the warming sun and touch grass.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

As the weather warms, it’s not only wildlife like herons, beavers and bald eagles that return to Cuyahoga Valley National Park — humans flock here too. The park’s “patchwork of plunging waterfalls, weather-pocked gorges and forested trails” draw visitors, as does the “scenic” Ledges Trail that passes through “some of the region’s most dramatic scenery,” said Travel and Leisure. Admission to Cuyahoga Valley, the only national park in Ohio, is free.

Forest Bathing Trail at Silverwood Park, St. Anthony, Minnesota

Forest bathing has nothing to do with hygiene. Rather, it’s the meditative act of immersing oneself in a forest’s atmosphere, which leads to relaxation. The Forest Bathing Trail at Silverwood Park near Minneapolis is certified by the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy, and guideposts along the .25-mile path encourage walkers to take their time and experience sensations like feeling the sun on their skin. All of the senses will awaken as they “engage with nature” in ways that boost health and “foster deeper exploration,” said National Geographic.

New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York

The “lush” 250-acre New York Botanical Garden welcomes visitors who want an outdoor escape without leaving the city, said Time Out New York. Areas to explore include the old-growth Thain Family Forest, Maureen K. Chilton Azalea Garden, Daffodil Hill and the Native Plant Garden filled with close to 100,000 trees, shrubs, grasses, ferns and wildflowers. A highlight each spring is the Orchid Show, which has a new theme every year.

Ricketts Glen State Park, Benton, Pennsylvania

All of scenic Ricketts Glen State Park is worth exploring, but the seven-mile Falls Trail is a “cascade carnival” that reveals “something new” around every corner, said Outside. Falls Trail passes 21 named waterfalls, including the 94-foot-tall Ganoga Falls. The trail is beautiful year-round, but visitors who come in spring see the “most gushers,” thanks to snowmelt and frequent rainstorms.

Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri

The Saint Louis Zoo is home to a “stunning diversity” of animals, with more than 12,500 mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and invertebrates living inside the park, said USA Today. They are spread out across six zones, including Red Rocks (tigers, zebra and giraffes), Lakeside Crossing (sea lions, seals and stingrays) and the immersive River’s Edge (elephants, cheetahs and hippos).

Admission to the zoo is free, but some attractions, like the Sea Lion Show ($2) and Conservation Carousel ($3), are ticketed. Plan on spending the entire day here, or make it part of a bigger adventure: The Saint Louis Zoo is inside Forest Park, alongside the Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Science Center, Missouri History Museum and The Muny.

Storm King Art Center, New Windsor, New York

This outdoor museum sits on 500 acres in the Hudson Valley, with more than 100 large-scale sculptures scattered across the property. Kids (and adults!) will enjoy frolicking in the wide open spaces and taking in works of art like Mark di Suvero’s “Figolu,” a bold open-steel sculpture, and Zhang Huan’s massive copper-and-steel piece “Three Legged Buddha.”

Watch Hill, Rhode Island

You can find “truly excellent” beach towns along Rhode Island’s 400 miles of coastline, and one of the “quietest” and “most idyllic” is Watch Hill, said Forbes. This tiny village is less than one square mile, so it’s “easy to explore” and hit all the highlights, like the Watch Hill Lighthouse Museum and Watch Hill Carousel. The water is frigid during the spring, but visitors can still relax on the shoreline and play in the sand at Napatree Point, Watch Hill Beach and East Beach, which boasts views of the easternmost end of New York’s Long Island.

Roadtripping offers a unique blend of spontaneity and flexibility that many other forms of travel simply do not have. But when it comes to cost, this kind of expense can be a little less clear-cut than, say, simply purchasing an airline ticket, where you know exactly what you are paying upfront.

That variability also means that there is more room to find ways to save. And especially given the sky-high cost of gas lately — not to mention inflation — saving is more important than ever. Here are four ways to spare your wallet on an upcoming road trip.

1. Plan ahead as much as possible

Nailing down all the angles of your trip ahead of time can save you both a lot of headaches and a significant amount of money. Before you set out, decide how much you can comfortably budget for your trip. Then, plan the route you will take and where you will stop along the way, including for sightseeing, lodging and food.

Advanced planning can also allow you to cut down on certain costs, which can leave more wiggle room for other fun add-ins. For example, “you can often secure a better rate by booking in advance (and online), than by showing up without a reservation or booking last minute,” said SoFi.

2. Make the most of rewards

It is hard to think of a road trip these days without considering the cost of gas. While fuel is an unavoidable expense (unless you drive an EV), there are ways you can portion less of your total road trip budget toward it. Consider gas-saving hacks, such as paying in cash, joining gas station fuel rewards programs or using a gas rewards credit card. There are also apps you can use to find the cheapest spots to fill up nearby.

Rewards do not have to be reserved for just gas, either. Booking with the “same hotel chain as often as possible and signing up for their member loyalty (or ‘points’) program may net you a free night after a few stays,” said SoFi.

3. Get a tune-up before you go

Your vehicle itself is another major determinant of fuel efficiency. Simple tasks like aligning and filling your tires, as well as changing your oil, can help you use a little less fuel and put less wear and tear on your vehicle, which can add up when you are racking up the miles on a long road trip.

Taking your car in for review can also help avoid issues down, or rather on, the road, which can be costly — and cause you to lose out on valuable vacation time. The good news is, “if you happen to need a standard oil change before your trip, many service centers will offer a free multi-point checkup of your vehicle and examine fluid levels, the battery, tire pressure, brakes and more,” said Discover.

4. Pack smart

How you pack your car can also have a major impact on overall costs. Put simply, the “heavier your vehicle, the worse its fuel efficiency,” which means that the “more luggage and gear you carry, the more fuel your vehicle will use,” said Kiplinger.

Also, think carefully about what you decide to dedicate your precious trunk space to. By “packing a cooler with water bottles, drinks, hand-held snacks and sandwiches,” for instance, “you can end up saving a sizable chunk of cash by not having to buy drinks and snacks at rest stops, vending machines and drive-throughs,” said SoFi.

Safaris often come with an “eye-rolling price tag”, but if you know where to look there are “bargains” to be had, said The Times.

One way to save money is to “rent a car and drive yourself”, avoiding the hefty cost of a fully guided package. It’s also worth choosing a “locally run park outside of the national park” in one of the “gateway towns”, rather than opting for a luxury lodge within one.

Everyone is keen to see the annual wildebeest migration, “but most people don’t realise that the migrating herds can be found year-round at various places in Africa, so you don’t necessarily have to be in the Masai Mara during July and August”, said Condé Nast Traveller.

Consider travelling during shoulder season in the spring or autumn and “staying longer” in one safari destination instead of moving between lodges every few days, to cut down on travel costs and increase your chances of “finding a good deal”.

“Africa has become synonymous with safaris”, said The Independent. However, if you’re willing to expand your search, “more affordable Brazil has flown under the radar”. Home to the “highest concentration of wildlife in South America”, the Pantanal region is “sometimes dubbed the Brazilian Serengeti”. It even has its “own Big Five: the capybara, giant river otter, maned wolf, jaguar, and – tick – the giant anteater”.

And with all-inclusive lodges costing a fraction of the price of a luxury resort, the country “promises an affordable alternative to a traditional safari”. Around three-and-a-half hours from Campo Grande airport in southwest Brazil you’ll find the family-run ranch, Pousada Pequi, which offers authentic safari experiences. “Giant anteaters are the lodge’s main draw” but look out for the region’s “legendary” birdlife, including the giant “inky blue” hyacinth macaws.

If you do have your heart set on an African safari, steer clear of the luxury offerings in Tanzania, Botswana and Zimbabwe, said The Times. “The likes of Namibia, Malawi and Zambia offer the same balmy settings, bush camps and big five thrills for less.”

With the United States celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Americans are reflecting on how historical highs and lows shaped the country into the nation it is today. The occasion comes at a time when national parks and historic sites are “at risk” and “government officials are removing, often without explanation, exhibits that enable us to see through the eyes of people who lived in a world different from our own,” said Carol Quillen at Time.

Instead of shying from uncomfortable parts of the country’s past, you can better understand American history by visiting places connected to movements and events like the abolition of slavery, the fights for civil and women’s rights, and the forced displacement of Indigenous tribes and Japanese Americans.

Manzanar National Historic Site, Inyo County, California

Two months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forced removal from the West Coast of those deemed a threat to national security. This resulted in the U.S. government incarcerating more than 110,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese immigrants in 10 camps, which operated until the end of World War II. The most well-known camp, California’s Manzanar War Relocation Center, held more than 10,000 people, all of them “crowded into barracks, surrounded by barbed wire and guard towers with searchlights and patrolled by military police,” said The Guardian.

Manzanar is now a national historic site, where visitors can watch the short film “Remembering Manzanar,” explore a museum filled with historic images and artifacts and step inside Block 14. There are two barracks buildings, a mess hall and a women’s latrine, providing insight into what it was like to live here during incarceration. Further out, a cemetery monument stands in honor of the 150 people who died at the camp during their imprisonment.

Where to learn more: Manzanar isn’t the only War Relocation Center open to the public. You can also visit Tule Lake in California and Minidoka in Idaho, with plans underway to turn Amache in Colorado into a national historic site. Objects donated by people incarcerated at Amache are on display at the Amache Museum in Granada, including suitcases, tea crates and clothing.

National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, Memphis

In their quest for equal rights for Black Americans and an end to racial segregation, civil rights leaders and members of the movement tried many different tactics: protests, sit-ins, boycotts, marches and freedom rides. At the National Civil Rights Museum, all these efforts are given the attention and respect they deserve, with visitors able to learn more about “some of the most important wins for freedom and equality in the U.S.” while “connecting them to current happenings,” said Time Out. Exhibitions guide visitors through “enslaved peoples’ fight for freedom, the Civil War and Reconstruction, Jim Crow and resistance efforts in the 1960s,” with visitors able to listen to interact with media, listen to oral histories and watch films.

The museum is at the site of the former Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. During segregation, this was one of the properties where Black travelers could spend the night, and King often stayed at the motel when in Memphis.

Where to learn more: The U.S. Civil Rights Trail connects important landmarks in 15 states, including Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas, integrated by the Little Rock Nine in 1957; the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, where four Black girls were killed in a 1963 bombing; and the Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center in Glendora, Mississippi, a museum with exhibitions on the young Black teenager’s life and his lynching by a white mob.

Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, various states

Between 1830 and 1850, the U.S. government forcibly removed members of the Cherokee, Muscogee, Seminole, Chickasaw and Choctaw nations from their land in the southeast to a new Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. The removal came after the Indian Removal Act was passed and signed by President Andrew Jackson in 1830, as gold was discovered on Cherokee land and white settlers jockeyed for more acreage. About 100,000 women, men, children and enslaved people made the brutal trek, with an estimated 15,000 dying of disease and starvation along the way or shortly after resettlement.

The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail passes through Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee, covering 2,200 miles of land and water. All five of the displaced tribes walked through the trail’s segment near Prairie Grove, Arkansas, and visitors who go there today can “feel the weight” of its past, said Atlas Obscura. The endpoint of the trail is Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the capital of the Cherokee Nation, and the nearby Cherokee Heritage Center “holds archives, oral histories and a reconstructed 17th-century village,” putting the “removal into the longer sweep of Cherokee civilization.”

Where to learn more: An outstanding example of ancient Indigenous life can be found at the Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado. Thousands of years ago, the Ancestral Pueblo lived in tight-knit communities built into the mesas and cliffs of this region, and the dwellings, made of sandstone, mortar and wooden beams, remain in good condition. Ranger-led tours of these cliff dwellings are available May through October.

Stonewall Inn, New York City

The June 28, 1969, police raid on the Stonewall Inn gay club was a turning point. At the time, it was illegal for someone to be spotted “holding hands, kissing or dancing with someone of the same sex” in public, and police harassment of gay bars was frequent, said History.com. The Stonewall Inn was a refuge for its clientele, and one of the few establishments that welcomed drag queens. Usually the bar would receive a tip that a raid was coming, but no such call arrived on June 28, and after officers came in, “roughed up patrons” and arrested 13 people, the fed-up community fought back.

Hundreds of angry customers and locals started throwing objects at the police and tried to set the bar on fire. The crowd finally dispersed, but protests continued for five more days. The riot was a galvanizing event and led to the creation of LGBTQ advocacy organizations like Gay Liberation Front and GLAAD. The Stonewall Inn still operates as a bar, and in 2024, a center opened next door to “educate visitors on the history of the Stonewall Uprising and the ongoing fight for equality,” said USA Today.

Where to learn more: San Francisco’s Castro District was one of the earliest gay neighborhoods in the United States, and is home to the GLBT Historical Society Museum, the country’s first museum dedicated solely to LGBTQ history and culture. A highlight of the museum is a segment of the original 1978 eight-color rainbow flag designed for San Francisco’s Gay Freedom Day.

Whitney Plantation, Wallace, Louisiana

The reality of slavery hits visitors at the Whitney Plantation Museum as soon as they arrive. There is no whitewashing here. The former plantation rejects the rosy antebellum view, focusing instead on slavery’s horrors.

The audio tour goes into great detail about the lives of those once forced to work here, harvesting sugar and indigo. There are visual reminders of what they went through as well, like the two slave cabins, “ceramic sculptures of hollow-eyed slave children” and a “jarring” monument to a failed revolt featuring “multiple rows of spikes topped with what look like the decapitated heads of African American men,” said The Associated Press in 2017.

Sixteen original structures are on the property, along with two permanent exhibitions about the history of the transatlantic slave trade and slavery in Louisiana. Guided tours are available, and the museum describes its docents as “historical interpreters who share the full, unvarnished truth of the site’s history.” These excursions also offer access to the upstairs of the Big House, where the former plantation’s owners once lived — after entering through the building’s rear, as an enslaved person would.

Where to learn more: The Old Slave Mart Museum in Charleston is the “oldest Black museum of slave artifacts in America,” almost entirely staffed by people “whose lineage can be traced to enslaved people in Charleston,” said The Post and Courier. Officials believe this may be the only former slave auction site still in existence in South Carolina.

Women’s Rights National Historical Park, Seneca Falls, New York

The women’s rights movement picked up steam in the 1830s, as women in the abolitionist space “gained experience as leaders, organizers, writers and lecturers” and used their new skills to fight for equality, said the National Women’s History Museum. After being denied full access to the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London, abolitionists and women’s rights activists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott decided in 1848 to hold the Seneca Falls Convention in Seneca Falls, New York. There, they presented a Declaration of Sentiments, which was written using the language of the Declaration of Independence as a guide. It called for legal, political and economic equality for women and cultural reform.

Change didn’t happen overnight — the 19th Amendment, prohibiting the federal government from denying citizens the right to vote based on sex, wasn’t ratified until 1920. But more people joined the fight. Their hard work is recognized at the Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls. Visitors can learn about the “struggles and triumphs” of the Seneca Falls Convention and “explore the grounds where it all happened,” said Lonely Planet. There’s also an impressive bronze statue representing the “first wave” of women’s rights activists, including Stanton, Mott and Frederick Douglass.

Where to learn more: New York was home base for many remarkable 19th century women, including Harriet Tubman. After the Civil War, she spent five decades living in Auburn, in the Finger Lakes region. Visitors can still go to the “homes, church and landmarks” that shaped her life “after liberation,” said Afar. Plan on seeing her brick home at the Harriet Tubman National Historic Park; her house of worship, Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church; and the Seward House Museum, a stop on the Underground Railroad.

“Who knows what the Big Five are?” my guide Kets asks as we bounce over sand dunes in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi National Park. “What about the Ugly Five?” he laughs. “And the Tiny Five?” The humour of the safari stereotypes, and the questionable ethics behind them (“The Big Five” aren’t the rarest, but the hardest for hunters to kill) aren’t lost on us. We’ve come to the Makgadikgadi and the Okavango Delta, two less visited regions of Botswana that swiftly reveal there’s much more to this vibrant country than a safari checklist.

Not to say I don’t have a checklist. I’m as enthralled as the next city slicker to see my first tower of giraffes in the wild. The privilege of seeing these graceful giants without another vehicle in sight was worth the extra flight on Safari Air. The journey is part of the adventure. Our hosts, Desert & Delta – a locally owned and run organisation for over 40 years – run nine lodges in lesser trodden corners of the country.

Migrating zebras and noisy elephants

Arriving at Leroo La Tau Lodge, perched on the western flank of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, brought a cluster of surprises. The bungalows’ protruding balconies give views of thousands of migrating zebras, sauntering around the watering holes in the dried-up river below. The erstwhile Boteti River is now a ravine, as the water flowing through the delta changed direction following a shift in the tectonic plates. It’s the only inland delta in the world and doesn’t lead out to sea, just one fact that makes this lodge feel almost ethereal. The stretch is so laden with animals, herds of noisy elephants, wildebeest and zebra, all passing my bedroom, that we almost don’t need to go on safari but of course we do, bright and early.

Bumping around in our comfortable 4x4 I marvel at Kets’ eyesight. It’s as if he has a sixth sense, pointing out the tiniest of birds and shy steenbok (a small antelope), while the rest of us bop up and down with excitement every time we see an elephant. They may be easy to spot but are never not thrilling. Kets is one of the expert team, led by veteran ranger Metal Matmos, who has worked for Desert & Delta for 17 years. Metal has the answer to everything – whether its the details of our itinerary or what to do when a local leopard makes a late-night appearance. The answer, delivered with signature laugh, was “stay inside” – advice we gladly adhere to while the big cat roars in search of its mate.

Starlit sleepovers and birds of the delta

Leroo La Tau also takes groups out on overnight trips to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. Sleeping under the stars on the flats is humbling, no matter how many times you do it. Metal’s been visiting the park for almost two decades and is still enthralled. “I think about theories on the evolution of humankind between enjoying the scenery” he muses.

Heading northwest to the verdant Okavango Delta, we disembark from our tiny plane at Shakawe’s landing strip after flying over veins of water running through vast greenery as far as the horizon. The hour-long flight was followed by a lengthy drive in a 4x4 before arriving at our smaller, remote boutique resort, Nxamaseri Island Lodge, built on the banks of the water.

Here the lodge’s rangers transport us on boats, searching for hippos who give themselves away by clusters of bubbles rising to the surface of the bayou. Hippopotamuses, I learn, can stay submerged for five minutes and, despite being herbivores, are responsible for the most human fatalities on safari. I’m slightly unnerved as we float around, engine quietened, looking for a lonely male who we saw in the distance. The hippo finally emerges, parallel to the reeds that cushion the waterways, but he glides away, not keen to socialise, thankfully. I’m glad to get back to my exquisite tent of a room and kick back on my veranda to watch for eagles.

The birds of the delta are a revelation. We spy egret, heron, purple heron, kite, black geese, hamerkop, a kaleidoscope of bee-eaters, malachite kingfishers, white-backed night heron, fish-eating eagles and one Pel’s fishing owl back at the lodge. Fishing trips are also on offer and one of our gang goes out to catch dinner, which is made into delicious fish cakes by the lodge’s excellent chef. This stop at Nxamaseri Island Lodge really cements the rumour I’d heard pre-trip; there’s much more to Botswana than its wildlife.

Magical hiking in the Tsodilo Hills

I didn’t think my jaw could drop more but as a former art historian my highlight comes at the Unesco-listed Tsodilo Hills; four terracotta and copper coloured mountains jutting out of the Kalahari Desert like islands. These hills are the sacred home of a trove of 4,500 ancient cave paintings made by the San people up to 20,000 years ago.

We arrive in the foothills by sunset on the night of a full moon and the San staff and villagers tell us their legends. Descendants of the great cave painters, they perform their folk tales through dance and song; 19 villagers harmonising, clapping and stamping their ancient stories. Shamans in this group believe spirits of ancestors speak to them through the fire, telling them where to go hunting. After an impressive dinner we sleep in small pods, cleverly constructed by Desert & Delta, who are the only company with accommodation here by Tsodilo, meaning we can rise at the same time as the sun to head off for our hike.

The San believe their ancestors’ spirits rest in the hills and as we ascend the paths that loop Tsodilo there’s a palpable atmosphere of reverence. “This is Tsodilo that you’ve been looking for,” whispers Gabo, our guide who has worked on this site every day for more than 20 years. He leads us to a handful of the 420 sites of finger and hand painted forms, which are mostly human and animal figures, depicted in hematite and ostrich egg yolk, which served to make it so mind-bogglingly durable.

Beating the heat is the name of the game here, and on seeing a coach trip arrive at midday, we were glad we got up early. While they climbed the hills, we enjoy a hearty post-hike brunch. As captivating as the safari runs were, it’s the cultures of the 13 different communities of Botswanans we encountered that made this trip. I’ve been on safari before but nothing beats this, I decide, as we board the plane home.

Lucie was a guest of Desert & Delta Safaris; desertdelta.com

The South’s gorgeous — and diverse — beaches offer nearly every type of seaside experience. You can feel the white sand between your toes in Florida, kayak in Alabama’s turquoise waters, watch turtles nest in Texas and ride the waves in South Carolina. Whatever you’re seeking, you’ll find it at one of these eight wash-your-cares-away beaches.

Destin, Florida

Destin is one of the gems of Florida’s Emerald Coast. The soft, white sand beaches are perfect for lounging on, and the water is a “slightly different shade of gorgeous” than any other spot along the Florida Panhandle, said Southern Living. Destin is also known as the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” due to the wide variety of fish species swimming in its waters. Visitors can fish year-round, including from the shore, or learn more about angling at the Destin History & Fishing Museum.

Folly Beach, South Carolina

At Folly Beach, you’ll find an “eclectic mix of Southern charm and seaside cool” that sets it apart from other coastal destinations, said Outside. It’s only 12 miles from downtown Charleston, with warm water “ideal for sunbathing, swimming and, of course, surfing.” The best time to hang 10 is during the winter. But visiting in the summer, when Folly Beach buzzes at “full intensity,” is the “prime time for live music, festivals, outdoor movies and crowds.”

Gulf Shores, Alabama

Have a surf and turf experience at Gulf Shores. Spend part of your day in the sea, fishing, snorkeling and kayaking through the blue-green water. Then enjoy the rest of it on land, learning about native plants and animals at the Gulf State Park Nature Center and building towering sand castles with private lessons through Sand Castle University.

Once the sun sets, make your way to DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen for dinner. The fish is fresh, sides are made from scratch and the royal red shrimp, which taste like tender lobster, are a must-order.

Jekyll Island, Georgia

This barrier island boasts 10 miles of unspoiled shoreline, with each beach different from the next. Oceanview Beach Park offers unparalleled views of the Atlantic Ocean, Glory Beach has sand dunes and wide open spaces and Driftwood Beach is “scattered with huge, twisted, sea-weathered branches and tree trunks” ideal for “fun scampering and a dramatic photo op,” said Atlanta Magazine. The island is “relatively flat,” and walking and biking trails “meander” through salt marshes and live oaks.

Orange Beach, Alabama

Its “long strip of white quartz sand” and “aquamarine waters” give laidback Orange Beach “that quintessential Gulf Coast look,” said Travel and Leisure. Aquatic sports enthusiasts flock here for “jet skiing, kayaking and sailing” and swim and dive under its “glassy waters.” At night, head to The Wharf, a pet-friendly entertainment district where you can catch a movie, grab dinner and end the night with a Ferris wheel ride.

South Padre Island, Texas

This is party central for college students on spring break, but during the rest of the year, a “more mellow vibe prevails,” said Condé Nast Traveler. Surfing, parasailing and horseback riding on the beach are some of the more active ways to spend a day, while a visit to the South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary, home to “stilt-legged birds, colorful butterflies and about 50 rescued ’gators” is more relaxing, said Condé Nast Traveler. It’s not only beachgoers who flock here — South Padre Island is popular with nesting turtles, who come between April and August.

Virginia Beach, Virginia

A highlight of Virginia Beach is its “classic” boardwalk, stretching three miles and all but guaranteeing a “lovely sunrise or evening stroll,” said Southern Living. Oceanfront Beach, with its massive King Neptune statue, is on one side, and stores, restaurants and hotels are on the other. Seasoned surfers enjoy catching waves here, but Virginia Beach is an “ideal” place for newbies too. The waves are a lot “calmer and a bit gentler than the barrels found out west,” making them easier to ride, and there are multiple surf schools offering private and group lessons.

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

When in Wrightsville Beach, pack a book in your bag, but don’t be surprised if you never crack it open. That’s because the “wide, clean sands and sparkling waters” beckon visitors, who jump in to go kayaking, paddleboarding and surfing, said AAA Trip Canvas. The atmosphere is “active and energetic” and inclusive for all: There is a wheelchair-accessible beach so everyone can relish the sun, sand and surf.

Toronto may not be top of your travel list, but there are so many reasons it should be. This vibrant city is a foodie’s sanctuary, a shopper’s delight, and a cultural hub bursting with museums, galleries and cafes.

Located downtown on University Avenue, the beautiful and luxurious hotel Shangri-La Toronto makes the perfect base to explore everything the city has to offer.

Why stay here?

Shangri-La’s central location means you can explore this multicultural metropolis, while enjoying a five-star stay with world-class comfort and service. But you may have to drag yourself outside; the spacious rooms and suites are bright and comfortable with floor-to-ceiling windows, hi-tech controls and marble furnishings.

My suite was an impressive 820 sq ft and featured a walk-in wardrobe, separate living room and stunning marble bathroom with a walk-in shower and a deep-soaking bath, where you can relax and take in the spectacular views – over iconic landmarks like the 1,1815ft CN Tower – day and night. The bathrooms are kitted out with divine John Masters Organic toiletries.

Toronto is easy to reach with direct Air Canada flights from Heathrow, and use of its Maple Leaf lounges when you fly business class. The hotel is a half-hour taxi ride from the airport and has an impeccable concierge service; the staff are happy to offer advice on what to see and how to get there.

Eating and drinking

Breakfast at Shangri-La Toronto is worth waking up for. It’s not your typical buffet, but an experience in itself with dishes that include a wellness frittata, duck congee, and homemade granola. It’s served at the hotel’s signature Bosk Restaurant, where dinner is just as delicious. The evening menu celebrates northern Italian flavours, sourcing produce from Canadian farmers and businesses.

One of the places the hotel sources its ingredients is St Lawrence Market, a short walk away. I took a tour with Bosk Restaurant’s chef de cuisine, Troy Cabarios. The market sells foods from around the world, reflecting Canada’s diverse population, and some of the stalls have been there for generations.

With your appetite woken, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants to try outside the hotel. I visited Takja BBQ House, a Korean restaurant where meat and seafood is grilled in the middle of your table. Lunch at the Peller Estates winery, producer of the best wine in Canada, is a must. It is close to Niagara Falls, so you can combine the two on a day trip. The winery runs a lunch and wine-tasting package, plus a tour of the winery. A five-course tasting menu starts from $200 (£107), and a tour alone costs from $45 (£24).

Don’t miss the 10below Icewine Lounge, made completely of ice, including the furniture. Its temperature remains at -10C all year round, which is the temperature Peller sets for harvesting its ice wine grapes. In the chilled atmosphere, enjoy a glass of the well-known Canadian ice-wine – liquid gold!

Things to do

As you may expect, the hotel’s Miraj Hammam Spa offers the perfect way to unwind and relax after a busy day of shopping and sightseeing. Middle Eastern wellness rituals blend with modern needs – you’ll want to try more than one treatment. I opted for a deep tissue massage, one of the best I have had, but you may be tempted by the Turkish bath or a Sodashi plant-based facial. You can also sample some in-room spa time: book the ‘bath butler experience’ in advance and your bath will be set up with petals, a candle and a bath bomb, alongside optional room service.

No visit to Toronto is complete without a tour of Niagara Falls, 80 miles away on the other side of Lake Ontario. But for something really special, book a trip with Niagara Helicopters, where you’ll have the opportunity to capture the most amazing views of the Falls. It doesn’t come cheap: a 12-minute flight costs $200 (£107) but you’ll leave with some incredible memories. I also tried out the recently opened virtual experience at Niagara Parks, where the immersive ride ($33 [£17] for adults) lets you soar above Lake Ontario and the thundering falls without boarding a helicopter.

While the falls is an unmissable side trip, there is plenty more to see. Don’t miss the CN Tower for amazing views of the city, Little Canada, the Aquarium – and the historic Distillery District is a must-see. See what’s on during your visit at Visit Toronto.

The verdict

Just as you would expect from any Shangri-La hotel, the Toronto outpost made my visit to the city truly enjoyable. It’s a seriously classy hotel and I found it the perfect place to come back to after exploring everything the busy city has to offer. If you want to combine adventure, luxury and relaxation, the Shangri-La is the place to stay.

Kalpana was a guest of the Shangri-La Toronto; shangri-la.com

The UK is home to some incredible birdwatching spots, but Europe’s scale and variety of wildlife is just as tantalising for twitchers. As migration season begins, get ready for an influx of species, from flamingos to forest woodpeckers. Here are some of the best destinations in Europe to try this spring.

The Camargue, France

“Few who slurp fizz on the French Riviera realise that one of Europe’s most rewarding birding destinations lies nearby,” said James Stewart in The Times. Situated on the south coast of France between Montpellier and Marseille, the Camargue is home to “abundant birdlife”. From autumn until spring, “thousands of flamingos” descend on the marshland, and touring around the Pont de Gau Ornithological Park is “photo magic”. For keen bird-lovers, consider driving half an hour inland for a chance to spot rare Bonelli’s eagles in the Alpilles mountains.

Andalusia, Spain

One of Andalusia’s biggest perks as the southernmost point of Europe is that it sits on “important migratory routes” between the continent and Africa, said David Escribano in Condé Nast Traveller. Each year, “millions of birds” make the nine-mile flight over the Strait of Gibraltar. The region is home to some of Spain’s “most elusive” birds, such as the “endangered Spanish imperial eagle, crested coot and red-necked nightjar”. Further north, the region is filled with the “colourful” oriole, hoopoe and the “beautiful” European bee-eater.

Bonus tip: head to the Fuente de Piedra Lagoon, famous for its colony of greater flamingos and the birds’ only breeding ground in Europe not located in a coastal area.

Folegandros, Greece

This “lesser-known” Cycladic island lies between Paros and Santorini, and is home to a reserve protecting the rare Eleonora’s falcon, which has a global population of under 20,000, said Freya Bromley in National Geographic. You can take part in seasonal bird monitoring programmes and volunteer surveillance expeditions to nearby inlets. For dedicated birdwatchers, you can even participate in measuring nestling growth, or for newcomers, depart on educational hikes with conservation experts.

Transylvania, Romania

Transylvania is one of Europe’s “last great unspoilt wildernesses”, said Stephen Moss in The Telegraph. You can see majestic Ural and eagle owls hunting at dusk, and the forests are home to “several species of woodpecker, including the largest member of the family in Europe, the crow-sized black woodpecker”. Be sure to travel into the mountains where you might spot “golden eagles soaring above, and also one of the most striking and beautiful birds in the world, the wallcreeper”.

You may be focused on what’s happening overhead, but don’t forget to keep an eye out for Romania’s other headline attraction: “Europe’s largest predator, the brown bear”.

Airlines are feeling the strain of swelling oil prices resulting from the Iran war and closure of the Strait of Hormuz. To deal with higher operating costs, many companies are making changes that shift the burden to consumers, including higher baggage fees, more fuel surcharges and canceled routes.

How are higher gas costs affecting airlines?

Airlines and their customers across the U.S. are being impacted but especially those based in four major hubs: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York City. In these locations, the average price for a gallon of jet fuel is currently $4.25, according to the aviation trade association Airlines for America. On Feb. 27, the day before the war in Iran started, the average price was only $2.50. Airlines are also “facing an increase in the amount of fuel their aircraft use because of extra miles required to avoid flying over the conflict zone,” said The Guardian.

Fuel is already an expensive cost for aviators and is “generally airlines’ largest expense after labor,” said Quartz. Airlines are feeling the pressure as a result. If prices were to stay at their current level, it would mean an “extra $11 billion in annual expense just for jet fuel,” said United CEO Scott Kirby in a memo to employees. For “perspective, in United’s best year ever, we made less than $5 billion.”

How are airlines adapting?

Many are adding “extra fees and surcharges onto already rising ticket prices” to “recoup costs as the war in Iran causes fuel costs to surge,” said The New York Times. Luggage is one common area where airlines are bumping up the price. Delta and Southwest announced they would “start charging $10 more to check a bag on U.S. domestic flights,” days after United and JetBlue said the same.

The company with the most notable baggage changes may be American. The airline said it would “raise the fee by $10 each for the first and the second checked bag for travelers booking domestic and short-haul international flights,” said The Detroit News. The company also “increased the cost of a third checked bag by $50 to $200” for fliers and additionally announced an upcoming $5 increase on checked bags for passengers flying economy.

Some airlines are also including pricing for the fuel itself. Canada’s second-largest airline, WestJet, announced it would “add fuel surcharges of up to 60 Canadian dollars, or about $43, to some flights,” said the Times. Air Canada unveiled surcharges of 50 Canadian dollars to certain warm-weather destinations. For passengers, the decisions from airlines resulted in “rising fares and fees, fewer flight options and difficult decisions about whether a trip is worth the cost,” said The Associated Press.

Airlines are also cutting the number of places they go. Several Asian airlines have stated they would “cut flights to mitigate fuel shortages and mounting costs,” said Business Insider. Ryanair, Europe’s largest carrier, is also “considering reducing routes,” while Lufthansa could ground up to 40 planes. Air New Zealand will “cut about 5% of its flights, or about 1,100, at the start of May,” and in the U.S., United and Delta are both cutting routes.

As the world creeps toward peak travel season, industry leaders are taking notice of the fuel shortages. ACI Europe, an association representing airports in the European Union, notes these shortages could “hit within three weeks, disrupting summer travel and ‘significantly’ harming the European economy,” said CNBC. For people who still want to fly, experts say “flexibility and careful planning can help offset these costs,” said the AP, and “fare-tracking sites can alert travelers to price changes.”

Visiting a public garden is one of the best ways to get outside. You feel the sun’s warmth on your skin as you stroll by the trees and flowers in bloom, appreciating every leaf and petal. Give yourself the gift of fresh air and time well spent by taking a trip to one of these splendid gardens.

Edward James Sculpture Garden, Las Pozas, Mexico

During the 1960s, “eccentric” British poet and Surrealist art patron Edward James traveled to the Mexican rainforest and created this “otherworldly” sculpture garden, said The New York Times. More than 30 “elaborate” and often “nonsensical” statues and structures, with curious names like “The House of Three Stories That Could Be Five,” are scattered about, surrounded by massive ferns, orchids and waterfalls. Every area vies for your attention; exploring this topsy-turvy landscape feels like “stepping into a dream.”

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

A 250-acre “fantasy land” of “space-age biodomes” and “whimsical sculptures,” Gardens by the Bay is known for its over-the-top features, said Lonely Planet. The “astonishing” Cloud Forest, with its 114-foot waterfall and aerial walkways through the trees, feels straight out of the tropics, while the Flower Dome “replicates the dry Mediterranean climates found across the world.” Once the sun sets, the giant trees of the Supertree Grove slowly illuminate for Garden Rhapsody, a nightly light and music show.

The High Line, New York City

Manhattan’s urban landscape is on “full display” at the High Line, said Condé Nast Traveler. This former freight rail turned “elevated, mixed-use public park” is a prime example of New York City “cleverly” turning “old spaces into exactly what you want them to be.” More than a dozen garden zones can be found along the 1.45-mile-long stretch, where perennials, grass, trees and shrubs come together in “perfect unkempt harmony.”

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, South Africa

This trailblazing botanical garden, established in 1913, was the first in the world to focus solely on indigenous plants. It sits in a lovely spot on the eastern slope of Table Mountain, and though the garden “showcases more than 7,000 species,” a “high priority” is given to plants in the fynbos biome, like “stiff, structured proteas” and “shaggy, flowering ericas,” said The New York Times. Get a bird’s-eye view by taking the Tree Canopy Walkway, a curved bridge that offers “mountain vistas and sweeping forest views.”

Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Conservatories, topiaries, aquatic plants, meadows, dazzling fountains and more await at the spectacular 1,100-acre Longwood Gardens. The collection of plants is “incredible,” as is the main conservatory filled with “lush” displays that change seasonally, said USA Today. Variety is key to Longwood Gardens’ success, as visitors have plenty of sections to wander, including the spacious new Orchid House, tranquil Bonsai Courtyard, verdant Waterlily Court and the modern Cascade Garden, designed by Roberto Burle Marx.

Marqueyssac Gardens, Vézac, France

Nearly four miles of pathways wind their way through this enchanting garden, where more than 150,000 boxwood trees are “meticulously laid and manicured” to “create mesmerizing patterns,” said Veranda. Marqueyssac sits on a cliff overlooking the Dordogne Valley and offers impressive views of the land and river below. Peacocks roam freely and are often spotted enjoying the garden’s beauty.

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Sydney, Australia

Pack a picnic, don comfortable walking shoes and prepare to spend all day at Australia’s oldest botanic garden. Spread across 74 acres, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is home to more than 5,000 native and international species and “adorned with ornamental plants, rolling lawns and ancient trees,” said Condé Nast Traveler.

Highlights include the Cadi Jam Ora garden, which “shares native, Aboriginal plants and those brought from Europe by Britain’s First Fleet,” and The Calyx, a “living art gallery” and one of the largest green walls in the southern hemisphere. Leave enough time to see the ancient Wollemi pine, one of the rarest plants on Earth.

Wrest Park, Bedfordshire, England

The grand gardens at Wrest Park date back hundreds of years, giving visitors the chance to go on a “journey through three centuries of landscape design,” said The Times. The formal gardens showcase English, French, Dutch and Italian landscaping styles and “ornate” sculptures, but “venture beyond the pretty parterres and perfumed borders” and you’ll find far less manicured woodland trails. For fans of “Bridgerton,” if the grounds look familiar, that’s because scenes for season two and three were filmed on the property.

Nothing about these impeccably designed hotels is ordinary. With their architecture, decor and aesthetics, each property welcomes you into a thoughtfully curated world. Every detail tells a story and enhances your stay.

Ashford Castle, Cong, Ireland

Go back in time at Ashford Castle. Built in 1228, the estate was purchased by the Guinness family in the 1800s and used to “entertain guests — among them, George V — and display the family’s wealth and influence,” said Country Life. Now part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, Ashford Castle remains “luxury personified,” its common spaces filled with “rich fabrics” and “glittering chandeliers.” The 83 guest rooms each have their own individual designs. A standout is the King’s Room, featuring “plush” seating, a “sumptuous” velvet four-poster bed, dramatic floral wallpaper and a fireplace.

Hotel Château Du Grand-Lucé, Loire Valley, France

This “impressive” 18th-century chateau is a shining example of neoclassical architecture, where “grandeur is still the order of the day,” said the Michelin Guide. Think extravagant toile and damask wallpaper, limestone and French white oak flooring, crystal chandeliers and heavy curtains tied back with impressive tassels.

No two rooms are alike, with the Barron Suite being the crown jewel. It boasts 17-foot-tall ceilings, a private library filled with classic French literature and the marvelous Salon Chinois, a sitting room named in honor of the chinoiserie-style paintings by prominent French artist Jean-Baptiste Pillement that adorn the walls.

La Valise San Miguel, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Tucked away in a “vibrant” corner of San Miguel de Allende is La Valise San Miguel, a “surrealist sanctuary” designed to “pay tribute” to the city’s history of art and culture, said Condé Nast Traveler. The property’s bold blend of “psychedelic installations and famous furnishings” by Mexican artist Pedro Friedeberg mixes seamlessly with mid-century furniture and “rich textiles.” Guests have six “completely unique” suites to choose from, and each one has a “standout” design feature, like a domed shower or white-stucco fireplace “adorned with Aztec monkeys.”

L'oscar, London, England

With Oscar Wilde serving as his inspiration, French interior designer Jacques Garcia gave new life to an old Edwardian baroque-style church, turning it into an exquisite boutique hotel dripping in gilded decor and rich silk, damask and velvet fabrics. Both Wilde and Garcia are “known for decadence, in different ways,” and L’oscar is “nothing if not decadent,” said the Michelin Guide.

The 39 guest rooms and suites and common areas are decorated in “hyper-saturated jewel tones,” with objets d’art on every surface and gorgeous Lalique bird-shaped lights illuminating the corners. Some original details remain, like opulent plastered ceilings and terra-cotta panels.

Leela Palace Jaipur, Jaipur, India

The attention to detail at Leela Palace Jaipur is extraordinary. Inspired by “Indian royal heritage,” the property is all about “opulence,” with marble corridors, hand-painted ceilings, frescoes and “impressive” flower displays” in the rooms and common spaces, said The Independent.

Even dinner is an extravagant affair. Jamavar (formerly known as Mohan Mahal) is the hotel’s signature restaurant, filled with 3,500 hand-cut mirrors that make the candlelight dance. The menu focuses on traditional Rajasthani cuisine with a modern twist, and between the food and ambiance, dining here is a “truly spectacular experience.”

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

When you arrive at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, expect to “nearly strain your neck trying to take in all the splendor,” said Condé Nast Traveler. The hotel opened in 1876 as The Oriental, and over time the property has expanded while retaining much of its original charm.

The lobby alone is a dream, with its “lattice woodwork, cascading florals, giant birdcage-style chandeliers and printed sofas.” Inside the rooms, you’ll find a “British East Indies aesthetic” based on “Bermuda pink, sea green or creamy yellow,” along with teak and leather furnishings and fresh orchids.

Romeo Roma, Rome, Italy

Rome’s past and present blend together beautifully at Romeo Roma. Zaha Hadid Architects transformed the 16th-century patrician mansion into a “striking” hotel where materials include “polished Macassar ebony,” and steel and glass are “teased into a riot of swirling, curving and overlapping forms,” said The Telegraph.

Contemporary art work, frescoes and artifacts discovered during the property’s restoration, including a marble head of the Roman empress Livia Drusilla, are also on display. You can get a glimpse of ancient times in the pool — it has a transparent base so swimmers can look down at the archaeological remains of Ripetta port.

Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Phoenix, Arizona

Desert decadence looks different at Royal Palms Resort and Spa. The 1929 Spanish Colonial mansion anchoring the property “stands in sharp contrast” to the “bland, corporate architecture” of area chain hotels, said the Michelin Guide. Hand-painted tiles, antique furnishings and oriental rugs “defy the usual pastel Southwesternisms” and give the resort a “distinctly Mediterranean feeling.” The grounds are just as stunning, and even on the hottest summer day guests feel at ease walking through the lush, shaded gardens planted nearly 100 years ago.

Spier Hotel, Stellenbosch, South Africa

The recently renovated Spier Hotel puts a chic spin on farmhouse style. It’s clear the design “prioritizes comfort,” with “plush linens” and gas fireplaces in rooms plus a “curated selection of artworks” like “delicate botanical drawings” and “mosaic murals,” said Travel and Leisure. Nearly every item and material, down to the jacquard throws and table placemats, was made in — or sourced from — South Africa. Spier Hotel is part of the Spier Wine Farm, and check-in takes place in its wine bar.

“February in Salinas is likely to be damp and cold and full of miseries.” So wrote John Steinbeck in “East of Eden”, describing how the weather patterns of Central California governed the agricultural land and the farmers who worked it.

Arriving in the same valley under unseasonably blue skies and warm winter sun, you might be tempted to think that Steinbeck’s California has vanished entirely. But travel through this stretch of the West Coast on the trail of the American writer and there are echoes of his world all around you.

Cannery Row and Pacific Grove

We stayed at the Spindrift Inn, right on Cannery Row itself, and having re-read the novel on the flight over, I was delighted to find myself dropped into the heart of its comic, ramshackle happenings.

The sardine canneries that once defined the strip are long gone – victims of overfishing in the 1940s and 50s – but the bones of the place remain. During an early morning stroll I found Doc’s Pacific Biological Laboratory, the original building still standing, a modest placard acknowledging the legend within. Doc was modelled on Ed Ricketts, Steinbeck’s closest friend and intellectual companion, whose passion for the bay’s marine life shaped Steinbeck's own philosophy throughout his writing.

Today, the bay holds some of the richest marine biodiversity on earth, a fact that would have delighted Ricketts and Steinbeck. From the near-panoramic window of our room at the Spindrift, we were greeted each morning by sea otters floating on their backs in the kelp beds, pods of dolphins arcing through the swell and the occasional seal hauled out on a nearby promontory.

A beautiful coastal walking path connects Cannery Row to Pacific Grove, the small town where Steinbeck lived for a time, and it’s worth the stroll. The architecture is predominantly grand Victorian villas in candy-box lilacs and creams, their aged wooden panels faintly reminiscent of a Norwegian coastal town.

We had lunch at the aptly named Aliotti’s Victorian Corner Restaurant, a charming throw-back, with healthy portions. Monterey town rewards an afternoon’s wandering before dinner; we ate at Stokes Adobe, a tastefully restored building whose Californian menu feels entirely in keeping with the town’s layered history.

Tracing Steinbeck’s steps in Salinas

Salinas sits inland, the undisputed centre of one of the most productive agricultural valleys on earth. Steinbeck grew up here, and his ambivalent relationship with the place – he was largely shunned by its conservative establishment after “The Grapes of Wrath” – is one of the more poignant stories in American literary history.

The California Welcome Center, housed in what was once the first railway station in the region, is an excellent scene-setter. It tells the story of Monterey County’s agricultural heritage with sweep and intelligence: from the Southern Pacific Company’s campaigns to attract settlers westward, to the valley’s evolution, to the family businesses that have grown into global leaders.

It makes clear something Steinbeck knew instinctively: California was built by migration. It was the Swiss who brought dairy expertise, the Italians who planted artichokes and the Chinese who constructed the railways. There were also the Japanese abalone fishermen, and the Mexican labourers whose descendants now make up the majority of the population and whose food, available all over town, is extraordinary.

We had coffee and cake at the Steinbeck House, the grand Victorian home where he was born. Now run as a restaurant by a non-profit, it’s an inspired solution to the challenge of preserving a literary heritage home: perpetually full of Steinbeck pilgrims comparing notes over homemade lunch. We received a brief tour of the downstairs floor by a volunteer, including the front room where Steinbeck was born.

The Californian landscape is a central character in Steinbeck’s fiction and in particular in the seminal “East of Eden”, where the Salinas Valley is rendered with a loving, geological intimacy.

A short drive from town into the valleys (along the rural River Road rather than the official John Steinbeck Highway) takes you through miles of vineyard and farmland, past dozens of family wineries. We visited Odonata Winery for a tasting: the valley’s cool winds and marine influence produce excellent chardonnays and pinot noirs, and the experience was unhurried and delicious.

Big Sur and the storied Highway 1

Steinbeck experienced Big Sur before Route 1 was even built, working as part of the first surveying crew in the area, pre-construction. The storied road had reopened just a month before our visit, following storm-induced landslides that had closed this notoriously fragile, distractingly beautiful, coast for months.

Steinbeck’s short story “Flight” is set along this stretch, tracing the primal, terrifying journey of a young man fleeing into the mountains after a killing, and as you edge into the cloak of the redwood forest, the violence buried in this landscape doesn’t feel far away.

We stayed for two nights in this area. First, at Glen Oaks Big Sur, a historic property that began as a 1950s motor lodge and has evolved into a rustic-modern retreat. We had dinner at Fernwood Resort, a short moonlit walk from our cabin, where we enjoyed burgers on a vast decking area surrounded by redwoods. The evening was elevated by live music from a local country band, complete with a pedal steel guitar, reminiscent of Lee Hazlewood.

The scale of this coastline only reveals itself on foot and we spent both days exploring spectacular, well-worn trails. We hiked in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park on a route that rises through redwoods and opens on to vertiginous coastal views, and ate a picnic on a clifftop watching two whales make their slow way across the bay. A morning hike up Buzzard’s Roost trail in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park rewarded us with a panoramic view of the ocean below, before circling back to the Big Sur Lodge for a well-earned coffee in the stately lobby.

Lunch at the Post Ranch Inn was a world apart. We scrubbed off the morning’s soil, put on our best outfits and made our way up the miles-long winding road to a restaurant that is essentially one enormous sheet of glass looking over rolling hills that fall into the sea. The staff are extraordinarily attentive and the food spectacular. The day closed with a sunset drink at Nepenthe, the famous clifftop restaurant and terrace. It’s not to be missed; the entire mountain-range turns blood orange as the light floods in from the west.

We ended the trip at Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, built by a Norwegian immigrant in the 1930s: a collection of hand-built cabins of great charm set in a redwood canyon above a creek. We dined at the restaurant for dinner and breakfast, the rooms were buzzing with hikers and locals and the food was deliciously decadent. The guest book in our room was a remarkable document; visitors write at length and with unusual honesty. One woman hailing from Massachusetts described her pull towards California in a register that was unmistakably Steinbeckian; proof that the passage from east to west on the tail of a dream endures.

More than a century on from the world Steinbeck documented, the migrations continue. The American dream persists. The land endures. Come for the charming towns, the diverse cuisine and the most dramatic coastline in America. Stay for what Steinbeck called “one of those pregnant places from which come wonders”, where history, landscape and the human story compress into a single, overwhelming present.

Alexandra was a guest of See Monterey; seemonterey.com

In a city with no shortage of swish five-star hotels, it’s hard to make an impact. Yet The Newman, which opened in February, has quickly become one of the most talked about spots in London, with its eclectic décor, subterranean spa and buzzy bar.

It’s the first hotel from British hospitality brand Kinsfolk & Co, a team of respected hoteliers and restaurateurs with years of experience at big names including The Beaumont and royal favourite The Goring.

Though The Newman is moments from Oxford Street, its trump card is its under-the-radar location in charming Fitzrovia, surrounded by tree-lined Georgian streets, quirky boutiques and independent restaurants, with the iconic BT Tower looming overhead.

Why stay here?

For big city thrills with a cool neighbourhood feel. The location is echoed by the hotel’s considered design. London-based studio Lind + Almond has used Fitzrovia’s bohemian past as inspiration for the interiors, displaying black-and-white photographs of modern-day residents and specially commissioned paintings of the area’s historical figures, including Virginia Woolf. Marble bathroom sinks are based on the balconies of a nearby art deco building, while even the distinctive bedposts are modelled on the chunky bangles worn by local writer and activist Nancy Cunard, heiress to the shipping empire.

There are 81 rooms in total, ranging from classic doubles to one-bedroom apartments, while the show-stopping penthouse suite has a dining table for eight, a dressing room and an enormous 130-square-metre rooftop terrace with a private sauna and cold plunge pool overlooking Fitzrovia. All are impossibly elegant, with a tasteful palette of chocolate brown, honey and oatmeal, geometric carpets, curved bronze furniture and leather-topped writing desks.

Bathrooms have underfloor heating, stone-carved vanity units, graphic tiling and oversized Anatomē products I couldn’t get enough of. Even the mini-bars have unexpected touches, including a coffee-flavoured mushroom drink, CBD sleep patches and essential oils alongside drinks by British brands. All guests can also access the Earth+Sky fitness app for on-demand workouts during their stay.

Eating and drinking

Brasserie Angelica is at the heart of the hotel, with all-day dining and tables lining the pavement outside. It has a lively but laid-back feel, with some staff recruited from the hotel’s innovative pop-up hospitality school that ran last summer to find team members from the local community.

The menu has a Scandi feel, with a trolley of open sandwiches served at lunchtime and a la carte dishes including gravadlax with pickled cucumber salad, Swedish west coast salad with prawns, mussels and crab, and lemon and blueberry custard tart. Meat dishes like my grass-fed 28-day dry-aged fillet steak are cooked over a woodfire – be sure to order the perfectly salty fries and deliciously rich bone-marrow gravy on the side.

Head downstairs afterwards to The Gambit, the hotel’s decadent art deco bar already loved by locals. Drinks include local craft beers, a large selection of zero-proof drinks and an unusual list of innovative cocktails such as “dazed and confused”, made with chilli-infused tequila, blood peach and açai. There’s plenty going on while you sup, from resident DJs and unplugged sessions from guest artists to regular chess evenings and nightly live music from the in-house band.

Just be sure to drag yourself out of bed the following morning for breakfast, also served in Angelica. Highlights include house pressed juices like the green detox elixir, ricotta hotcakes with caramelised apple, and homemade cardamom buns inspired by those served in Copenhagen’s Hart Bakery and made from offcuts of croissant pastry that would otherwise be wasted. They’re so good, I went back for a second and I’m still wishing I’d had a third.

Things to do

Every room includes free access to an entire floor devoted to wellness, including a large 24-hour gym and a studio offering yoga, Pilates and sound bath sessions for an extra cost. There’s a whole range of Hyperice gadgets available to tinker with, including Normatec compression boots and a Venom heat therapy belt. External visitors can now book a three-hour pass to use the spa's wet area facilities, too.

I was far lazier and spent an afternoon dipping between the glass-fronted Finnish sauna, ice lounge, hydrotherapy plunge pool and medical-grade salt room. All are only available to hotel guests so I was the only person there during my visit – a rare treat in a central London spa.

Soho is less than 10 minutes’ walk away for nights out, but Fitzrovia is a delight to wander, filled with dog walkers grabbing artisan coffees, historic pubs and shops you didn’t know you needed. The slick restaurants of Charlotte Street are on the doorstep while the elegant Fitzroy Square Garden is a prime picnic spot close to Virgina Woolf’s former home.

There are some surprise attractions too, from the Cartoon Museum, which documents the history of British cartoons, caricatures and comics, to the spectacular Byzantine-style Fitzrovia Chapel with its gold mosaic ceiling where King Charles recorded his Christmas broadcast in 2024.

The verdict

From the chatty staff to the speakeasy-style bar, The Newman already feels like a much-loved neighbourhood hangout you might drop by even if you aren’t staying over. It’s a far cry from a stuffy five-star-by-numbers, but is just what London’s booming hotel scene needed.

Siobhan was a guest of The Newman; thenewman.com

“Feeling stressed?” asked Suzanne Harrington in the Irish Independent. Then “find a forest and spend a few hours absorbing its quiet magic”.

That’s the essence of forest bathing or shinrin-yoku, a concept introduced in 1982 by director of the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tomohide Akiyama. He believed spending time outdoors and purposefully reconnecting with nature could be the “antidote” to burnout from the fast-paced, tech-filled modern world.

The psychological benefits of forest bathing are well documented, said New Scientist. But as well as “reducing anxiety and stress”, a new study by researchers at Tokyo University of Agriculture found that a two-night trip to a forest with gentle hiking and a group mindfulness meditation session also boosted physical health by “lowering blood pressure and inflammation”.

Japan’s Yoshino forests have a “restorative, spiritual quality”, said Oliver Smith in National Geographic. Standing beneath the “towering cedar trees”, watching the sunlight stream through the branches and “listening to birdsong drift on the breeze”, it’s hard to feel anything but calm.

Exhausted workers from nearby Osaka “flock to this mountain idyll” to practise shinrin-yoku and unwind at the ryokans (traditional Japanese inns with tatami-matted floors). Days are easy to while away “gazing at the hypnotic textures in the wood”; while “idle” evenings can be spent soaking in an open-air hot spring bath.

But you don’t have to go far to try forest bathing. In fact, it’s as simple as finding a nearby forest and walk “slowly and mindfully”, said Harrington. Leave your mobile phone behind if you can and “allow plenty of time for silence”, engaging each of your senses by breathing deeply, listening to any sounds, touching branches and smelling the aromas of the forest.

I headed to Wiltshire to try out Bishopstrow Hotel and Spa’s forest bathing experience, said Shadé Owomoyela in Cosmopolitan, and “it might just have changed my life”. Holistic health practitioner Sue Judge ran the two-hour session, which included a leisurely stroll through the woods, poetry readings and a short meditation session. “When burnout inevitably creeps in again, I’ll know exactly how to ground myself.”

Bluebells spring to life from late March to early May, carpeting Britain’s gardens and ancient woodland with their violet-hued flowers. And, this year, the mild, wet winter means some of the perennial bulbs are already in bloom: Hole Park in Kent had its earliest spring opening ever, welcoming visitors to its 200-acre grounds last weekend.

Over half of the world’s bluebells are found in the UK and there are plenty of places to spot them around the country. Here are some of our favourites.

Grass Wood Nature Reserve, North Yorkshire

Located a short walk up the valley from the village of Grassington, this sprawling nature reserve is “one of the largest areas of broad-leaved woodland in the Yorkshire Dales”, said The Times. Come spring, “the ground is awash with bluebells” and wildflowers including primroses, lily of the valley and wild basil. Ideal for twitchers who don’t mind an early start, it’s a prime location for hearing the “spectacular” dawn chorus and the “hooting call of a male tawny owl can often be heard”.

Glen Finglas, Stirlingshire

Nestled in the heart of the Trossachs National Park, this “vast estate” is the Woodland Trust’s largest site, home to “Scotland’s biggest collection of ancient trees”, said The Guardian. At this time of year, the ground turns into a “sea of bluebells” and there is plenty of wildlife to spot roaming through the glen. Look out for otters, pine martens and golden eagles. After a long, bracing walk, warm up with home-cooked vegetarian dishes at the nearby Brig o’Turk tearoom.

Langford Heathfield, Somerset

Somerset Wildlife Trust’s second biggest reserve is a “beautiful mixture of oak and ash woodland with sunny glades and vivid patches of bluebells”, said The Times. Mornings are a great time to visit (listen out for the “rare, booming call of the wood warbler”), while at dusk you’re likely to spot pipistrelle and noctule bats. As the days get warmer, lizards and common adders come out, too.

Winkworth Arboretum, Surrey

Arboretums are “all about the trees” but this spectacular woodland “comes alive with jewel-coloured flowers every spring too”, said Time Out. The Azalea Steps are a real draw: the stone staircase leading down to the lake is lined with “cascading flowers” in “vibrant” shades of pink, purple and red that “burst into beautiful colour” every year.

Ashridge Estate, Buckinghamshire

Dotted with “stunning clusters of bluebells” the winding woodland trail at Ashridge Estate is well worth a visit, said Country Life. Tucked into the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, the idyllic estate is perfect for a family day out. Keep your eyes peeled for the “huge variety of wildlife”; the estate is home to fallow deer, lesser-spotted woodpeckers and the rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly (look out for its chequered orange-and-brown wings).

Elephants are among the planet’s most majestic creatures, walking steadfastly through the savannas, forests and deserts of Africa and Asia. These gentle giants are also the largest living land mammals, and being able to see them in person is a sight to behold. You can enjoy this bucket-list experience during an ethical tour, hotel stay or park visit that puts the animals first.

Chobe National Park, Botswana

So many elephants live in Chobe National Park — about 120,000 call it home — that there’s a “good chance” you will spot a few “wherever you go,” said Thrillist. Botswana has the world’s highest elephant population and is a longtime “haven for the trunked pachyderms,” thanks to strong anti-poaching and conservation efforts.

Chobe has four geographical zones, and the best way to see elephants is by choosing a safari in the grasslands and riverfront area because “where there’s water, there’s elephants.” And you can expect to see a parade of other incredible wildlife, like lions, zebras, giraffes, water buffalo, hippos, crocodiles and hyenas.

Elephants & Opium tour, Thailand

On Red Savannah’s 11-day Elephants & Opium tour, travelers start in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand and end in Bangkok in the south. Along the route, you will stop at temples, ride bikes through the countryside, visit historic ruins and the Hall of Opium Museum, and take a private home cooking class, with the highlight being your time in the Golden Triangle. Guests stay at the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort and interact with rescued elephants going along on their daily jungle walk.

Elephant Valley, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, California

At the immersive new Elephant Valley, visitors come face to face with a herd of eight elephants led by their matriarch, Swazi. The space was expanded to give the animals “more areas to roam, bathe and sleep” and additional “opportunities to keep them engaged,” said KPBS. It’s easy to spend hours watching the elephants play together with puzzle feeders and splash around in a 250,000-gallon pool, and you can snap stunning pictures and videos at several lookout points.

When hunger strikes, you don’t have to tear yourself away from the views. Enjoy a meal or snack at Mkutano House, Elephant Valley’s open-air dining experience during which snacks and meals come with a side of gorgeous panoramas of the pond and savanna.

&Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, South Africa

&Beyond has six lodges on its 74,000-acre reserve, and each offers ample opportunities to coexist with elephants and other wildlife. Phinda Homestead is a private villa with a dedicated ranger, tracker, chef, butler and host, while Phinda Rock Lodge sits on a cliff face, giving guests dramatic views from their stone suites.

The “most unique” accommodation is the recently revamped Phinda Forest Lodge, said Condé Nast Traveler. Situated on one of Africa’s last sand forests, the “glass-encased” suites have a “treehouse-like” feel. Start your day with a game drive, keeping your eyes peeled for elephants, leopards and lions, then take a guided bush walk and “laze by the pool, where the animals swing by for an afternoon drink.”

Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home, Sri Lanka

The Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home is a “halfway house” for orphaned and injured elephants, giving them a safe place for rehabilitation before being returned to the wild, said Lonely Planet. Visitors are invited to observe the elephants from a viewing platform and watch as they eat and interact.

There are typically 40 juvenile elephants out and about, and while you do have to keep your distance, the experience is “still a lot of fun,” said Lonely Planet. Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home is a short drive from Udawalawe National Park, which has “famous elephant herds” best spotted from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Cheering on your favorite sports team while watching games from the couch is fun. But everyone knows it’s even better to cheer the team on in person. In these sports-centric destinations, the thrills exist inside — and outside — the stadiums and arenas.

Arlington, Texas

You’ll want to play ball in Arlington. A 2026 World Cup host city, it’s also the home of the Dallas Cowboys and AT&T Stadium, one of the “most impressive dome stadiums in the NFL” with the “largest retractable roof” and “largest high-definition screen” in the league, said Fox Sports.

Visitors can go behind the scenes on a guided stadium tour, stepping into exclusive areas and learning more about the facility’s contemporary art museum. Round out your Arlington experience by hitting a Texas Rangers or Dallas Wings game, experiencing the immersive International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, and enjoying an evening at the Texas Live! dining and entertainment complex.

Boston

With its “championship teams, iconic stadiums and passionate fan base,” Boston is tops for sports fans, said Travel and Leisure. Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox, is Major League Baseball’s oldest ballpark, dating back to 1912.

You can take an hour-long tour or the 75-minute version that brings you to the field level. For those on a time crunch, the park offers Fenway in Fifteen, a quick quarter-hour journey around the beloved stadium. All of Boston’s teams and their biggest stars are honored at TD Garden’s Sports Museum, featuring exhibitions on the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox, and sculptures of Larry Bird and Ted Williams.

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Football and Green Bay go hand in hand. The city has a “deep-rooted sports culture” that is “highlighted” by the Green Bay Packers, said WalletHub. Tickets to games at the “iconic” Lambeau Field are often a “reasonable” price because the team is a nonprofit franchise, and being surrounded by the Packers’ loyal and “enthusiastic” fans adds to the experience. Consider going all out and tailgate, or watch the game while enjoying cheese curds and wings at Stadium View Bar, bratwurst at Johnsonville Tailgate Village or bloody marys at Anduzzi’s Sports Club.

Kansas City, Missouri

In Kansas City, “new sports find a warm welcome” and “sports history has a place of honor,” said writer David Von Drehle at The Washington Post. The Kansas City Chiefs may have the most name recognition, but there’s also the Kansas City Current women’s soccer team and a “baseball team with a couple of World Series trophies,” aka the Kansas City Royals.

This summer, Kansas City will be a World Cup host city, but its “fingerprints” will be on the entire tournament; games are being played across the U.S. in “stadiums designed by architects from Kansas City, the world capital of sports stadium design.” No trip to the city is complete without a visit to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which “delightfully” showcases how athletes serve as “engines of culture and social progress.”

Los Angeles

Yes, there are nearly a dozen major sports teams based in Los Angeles, including the storied Dodgers, Lakers and Kings, plus new powerhouses like Angel City FC. But LA and its environs are also known for pickup basketball games in the park, impromptu soccer matches in neighborhood fields and beach volleyball games that last for hours.

When you’re not at a match (or joining a game with locals), tour the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, go surfing, hike the famous Runyon Canyon loop or show off your athletic prowess at Highland Park Bowl, a lovingly restored 1927 bowling alley where “old pinsetters serve as chandeliers,” said the Los Angeles Times.

Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota

When it comes to supporting women’s sports, the Twin Cities can’t be beat. Both the championship-winning WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx and PWHL’s Minnesota Frost draw enthusiastic crowds, and the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gophers women’s hockey team has “one of the best fan atmospheres anywhere,” said The Athletic. If you want to watch a game in a more intimate environment, head to A Bar of Their Own in Minneapolis, the first sports bar in the Twin Cities that shows only women’s sports.

Philadelphia

Whatever the game, you can find it in Philly. This is one of the “most impassioned sports cities in the country,” said Axios Philadelphia, and one of four locations in North America that is home to an MLB (Phillies), NFL (Eagles), NBA (76ers) and NHL (Flyers) team.

They all play at the Philadelphia Sports Complex, where nearly 400 events are held every year at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field facilities. Expect to get caught up in “contagious enthusiasm,” whether that’s at an Eagles game where fans “unitedly sing ‘Fly, Eagles, Fly’ after every win” or on the street, where you’ll likely run into people who “incessantly shout ‘Go Birds’ at passerby.” For the full experience, time your visit so you can attend an “epic” watch party or tailgate, where “everyone’s invited.”

From the outside, the Bvlgari Hotel Roma is all clean lines and quiet authority, a relic of the city’s fascist-era architecture. But step inside and the mood shifts entirely.

Directly opposite the Mausoleum of Augustus – currently emerging from a long-awaited restoration – the hotel is a confident homecoming for the Roman jewellery house that inspired it.

Opened in 2023, this is only the ninth outpost in the Bvlgari hotel portfolio, a brand that has always favoured considered expansion over ubiquity. The result? A stay that feels rarefied, polished and Roman.

Inside, a second-century marble statue commands the foyer with gravitas. It’s part of a rotating exhibition on loan from the illustrious Torlonia family collection, just one example of how the hotel blends heritage with high design. Beyond it, glass cases gleam with Bvlgari jewels, while the polished marble surfaces shimmer in the light. It’s less hotel lobby, more curated gallery of Roman splendour and a harbinger of the opulence to come.

Why stay here?

Upstairs, the atmosphere softens into something more intimate. The hotel’s 114 rooms and suites are spread across six floors, each one designed as a sumptuous cocoon away from the city’s lively streets.

Our Junior Suite was a study in balance: muted neutrals offset by jewel-toned accents, including a rich green headboard and coordinating rug. The living area, anchored by a cream sofa and a sculptural Arco lamp by Flos, felt both elegant and inviting. A marble coffee table, sleek minibar and leather armchair completed the picture.

The ceilings soared, giving the room a sense of grandeur, while tall windows – soon to overlook the restored mausoleum – were draped in billowing cream curtains. Service included thoughtful touches: plates of fresh fruit, delicate mini-cakes and a turndown service that included herbal tea served in flasks. It’s this attention to detail that elevates the experience from luxurious to genuinely indulgent.

But the bathroom stole the show. Ours was clad in blue-green Brazilian marble, streaked with deep rust veins – it was dramatic, unusual and mesmerising. Other suites feature equally striking palettes, including a rich Sudanese red. At its centre sat a deep porcelain tub, crowned by a celestial Bvlgari mosaic. Add a walk-in shower, double sinks lined with Bvlgari toiletries and a dressing room complete with vanity, Dyson hair dryer and generous storage, and you have a space designed for lingering.

Down below, the subterranean spa feels like a hidden world unto itself. Far from the modest wellness areas typical of city hotels, this is a vast, shimmering sanctuary. A 20-metre heated pool stretches out, its surface glinting with blue, green and gold mosaics inspired by Bvlgari’s signature design, the Divas’ Dream fan motif. Marble columns rise dramatically from the water, while a bubbling vitality pool and waterfall shower add to the sense of theatricality. It’s the kind of place where hours slip by unnoticed, especially when stretched out on one of the cloud-soft loungers.

Eating and drinking

Il Caffè on the ground floor is a bright, inviting space where marble and mirrors meet lush greenery. Breakfast here is an unhurried affair, with options ranging from continental classics to Chinese, Arabic and health-focused selections. Even the simplest dishes feel elevated: porridge arrives with an array of seven toppings, while avocado toast is generously layered with thick slices of smoked salmon. Everything is served on beautifully crafted Ginori porcelain for a final flourish.

As evening approaches, La Terrazza becomes the place to be. With panoramic views across Rome’s rooftops, it’s ideal for a pre-dinner aperitivo. The Bvlgari signature cocktail – a bright blend of gin, Aperol, citrus, and a delicate foam stamped with edible gold – captures the hotel’s spirit in a single glass and is served in all its bars worldwide.

The Bvlgari Bar is a destination in its own right. Its striking black marble counter, supported by Murano glass cones infused with gold dust, glows softly as the room fills with guests. There’s a lively and sophisticated energy here that contrasts with the calm of the hotel’s library lounge and chocolate boutique on the ground floor.

For something more formal, Il Ristorante – Niko Romito offers a refined take on Italian cuisine by the acclaimed chef. Here, traditional dishes are reimagined with precision and flair: think lasagne layered with pecorino and artichokes, or spaghetti vongole lifted with parsley pesto. A perfectly cooked turbot, paired with Sardinian vermentino, made for a standout main, while a chocolate mousse infused with Alchermes liqueur provided a fittingly indulgent finale.

Things to do

Step outside and Rome unfolds at your feet. The Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Piazza Navona are all within easy walking distance, while the boutiques of Via dei Condotti beckon just around the corner. Further afield, a short journey brings you to the grandeur of St Peter’s Basilica or the ancient drama of the Colosseum.

Yet Rome’s magic often lies in its quieter corners. A stroll through the leafy expanse of Villa Borghese offers a welcome escape from the crowds, while the Protestant Cemetery in Testaccio provides a moment of reflection. Here, among cypress trees and weathered stones, lie the graves of John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, as well as the haunting “Angel of Grief” sculpture by William Wetmore Story.

The verdict

In a city overflowing with grandeur, Bvlgari Hotel Roma manages to carve out its own distinct identity. It’s not just a place to stay but a luxurious celebration of Roman craftsmanship, heritage and style. Once you’ve checked in, you may find it difficult to leave.

Vicki was a guest at Bvlgari Hotel Roma; bulgarihotels.com

Spanning 2,700 miles, the “gorgeous” new King Charles III Coastal Path will be the “longest managed coastal path in the entire world” when fully open, said Amy Houghton in Time Out.

The project was initiated in 2008 when Gordon Brown was prime minister. Now, almost two decades later, King Charles has finally inaugurated the footpath – 80% of which is open to the public, with the remainder set to be completed by the end of the year. Once finished, the trail will stretch around the entire coast of England, joining up with the existing 870-mile coastal path in Wales.

It’s a footpath of “spectacular beauty” that weaves along “cliff edges and across chalk downs, through dunes and around estuaries, linking castles, smugglers’ villages and seaside resorts”, said Andrew Eames in The Sunday Times.

Among the most “memorable” sections is the 14-mile stretch from Bamburgh Castle to Lindisfarne Causeway along Northumberland’s “jaw-dropping” shore, said Paul Bloomfield in The Telegraph. Along the way, you’ll pass “beach after beach as you skirt golden Budle Bay” with plenty of chances to spot seabirds, seals and dolphins.

Or, for a shorter route “ideal for the kids’ first taste of hiking”, set out from the Isle of Wight’s Compton Bay, keeping your “eyes peeled for dino footprints”. Once you reach Shippards Chine, climb the wooden steps and walk out on to the chalk downs heading westwards until you reach “the blustery viewpoint over the famous chalk stacks of The Needles”. The 7.4-mile walk concludes with a chairlift ride down to the “multicoloured sands” of Alum Bay.

As for thrill-seekers, the “adventurous stretch” between Hurlstone Point and North Hill in Somerset is well worth trying, said Jen and Sim Benson in The Times. Formerly a “little-used alternative to the main track”, the challenging eight-mile route is now a “fantastically undulating” part of the King Charles III Coastal Path, creating a “stunning circuit between the moor and the sea”.

Most tourists in Panama focus on its “storied” canal and resort towns such as Bocas del Toro. But this Central American country – a narrow isthmus stretching for 500 miles between Costa Rica (to the west) and Colombia (to the east) – offers far more to interest the curious traveller, said David Amsden in Condé Nast Traveller.

The canal, which was completed in 1914, bisects the country at its midpoint, where it is narrowest (at a mere 37 miles across). And set beside the Pacific coast at the great waterway’s southern end is Panama City, where its “sprawling” skyline of steel-and-glass skyscrapers trumpets the success of “Central America’s fastest-growing economy”. However, I stayed in the charming, pastel-hued old town, at the “excellent” Hotel La Compañía Casco Antiguo. From Panama City, I went on a “zigzagging” road trip, stopping first at Portobelo, a “drowsy” town with “candy-coloured” buildings on the Caribbean coast. It’s a place of “raw” beauty, with a “hushed, draughty” cathedral and an impressive Spanish fortress (in its early days, the town’s harbour was often raided by pirates).

It is also home to a large Afro-Panamanian community, the subject of “striking” photos by Sandra Eleta, a celebrated artist who runs an informal artists’ residency and hotel called La Morada de la Bruja, or The Witch’s Abode. An “eclectic compound” with breezy verandas and walls hung with “folkloric” murals and feathered masks, it is the best stay in town.

Next, I visited the Guna Yala islands, a “mesmerising” Caribbean archipelago that has been governed by the indigenous Guna people since 1925. Exploring it on a yacht chartered from San Blas Sailing, I enjoyed such “elemental” pleasures as snorkelling with stingrays and drinking rum cocktails on palm-fringed beaches.

My final stop was the undulating, big-skied Azuero Peninsula, on the Pacific coast, where I went riding and surfing, and also sailed alongside a pod of humpback whales.

Hot dogs are quintessentially American. Initially the food of immigrants, the humble combination of a frank wrapped in a bun became part of the country’s cultural fabric, a staple at picnics, baseball stadiums, barbecues and fairs. Regional styles vary — get yours topped with coleslaw in the Carolinas, cream cheese in Seattle and sauerkraut in Birmingham — but they all honor traditions while showcasing local flavors.

A quick history lesson

German immigrants who came to the United States during the mid-19th century brought along a love for sausages. During the 1860s, carts began to pop up in New York City, with peddlers selling bun-wrapped thin sausages that had a “special Old World snap,” said Smithsonian Magazine. They were both “portable and tantalizingly inexpensive,” and it wasn’t long before these “handy treats” made their way to Coney Island, where seaside revelers enjoyed them while strolling the boardwalk.

Millions more were introduced to the dish at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, when a pair of “entrepreneurial” Austrian Hungarian immigrants, brothers-in-law Emil Reichel and Samuel Ladany, set up a Vienna sausage stand in the Austrian Village section of the expo, said the Chicago History Museum. Their sausages, topped with mustard and onions, sold for 10 cents each and were such a hit that after the fair the pair opened Vienna Beef Inc., which remains “arguably the hot dog king of Chicago.”

By 1900, vendors were slinging sausages at race tracks and baseball fields, and people began referring to the portable meal as a hot dog. There are a few theories on how the name came to be, with some saying it’s because the meat was often called a “dachshund sausage” and others claiming a connection to the slang term “hot dog,” which meant a “swaggering young man who loitered with other flashy dandies,” said Smithsonian Magazine.

Chicago-style hot dog

What is it? An all-beef frankfurter in a poppy seed bun, topped with yellow mustard, relish, chopped onion, tomato slices, sport peppers, celery salt and a pickle spear.

This hot dog is all about the toppings, and “each component has a specific role to play,” said Mashed. Sport peppers bring the heat, pickles the brine and mustard the tang, which “balance the sweetness of the relish.” Various immigrants are responsible for these flavors, with the poppyseed bun “reflecting Eastern Europe” and the “elements that dragged the hot dog through the garden,” like onions, tomatoes and pickle, courtesy of Greeks and Italians, said WTTW.

There’s one condiment you won’t see on a Chicago-style dog: ketchup. That’s because during the early 1900s, ketchup was “used to cover up the flavor of poor-quality meat,” said NBC 5 Chicago. Not having to squirt any on your hot dog was a “source of pride” and “symbol of higher quality.” All these years later, the tradition still stands.

Where to try it: At Gene & Jude’s, the hot dogs are “expertly prepared” and have an “exceptional snap,” said Serious Eats. The stand, located outside of Chicago in River Grove, is “continuously packed,” but the dogs and “just-fried hand-cut fries” that come on the side are worth the wait.

Detroit-style Coney Dog

What is it? A beef frankfurter in a steamed bun, topped with meat chili, diced white onions and yellow mustard.

The Coney Dog, now ubiquitous in Detroit, was created more than 100 years ago by Greek immigrants. As the story goes, they “ventured first to Coney Island” in New York, where they tried the famous hot dogs at Nathan’s, then decided to sell their own version in the Motor City, said Detroit PBS. The secret ingredient in their chili is Greek spices and is an ode to the immigrants’ homeland.

One of the earliest hot dog joints to open in Detroit was American Coney Island, which brothers Constantine “Gust” Keros and Bill Keros opened in 1917. After a falling out, the two went their separate ways, and Bill opened his own shop, Lafayette Coney, next door. The feud is part of Detroit’s culinary history; both restaurants remain open today.

Where to try it: There is “no better spot to indulge” in a Detroit-style Coney than Duly’s Place, said Eater. Open for more than a century, the diner remains a “go-to” thanks to its “consistency” and “greasy-spoon environment.” The dogs here have a “satisfying snap” and come “slathered” in all the necessary toppings.

New York System hot wiener

What is it? A wiener made of pork, beef and veal in a steamed bun topped with celery salt, mustard, chopped onions and spiced meat sauce.

Rhode Island’s take on the hot dog, introduced in the 1920s, “began as a loose nod” to Coney Island-style, but its “identity” was soon “shaped” by Greek immigrant hands, “local tastes” and a “very specific spice profile” that made it stand on its own, said Tasting Table.

The wieners are “smaller than standard hot dogs,” and the meat sauce does not have the consistency or taste of chili. Rather, it’s a “finely textured, crumble-like mixture” seasoned with cinnamon, paprika, allspice, cumin and Worcestershire sauce.

Where to try it: Olneyville New York System in Providence has been serving hot wieners in the same spot since the early 1950s (there’s a sister location in Cranston). The operation is still family-run, and as such there’s a “‘Cheers’-style vibe where everybody knows your name,” said Tasting Table. Pair your dog with a coffee milk, Rhode Island’s state drink.

Puka dog 

What is it? A Polish sausage (or veggie dog) stuffed inside a Hawaiian sweet bread bun, topped with garlic lemon sauce, tropical fruit relish and Hawaiian mustard.

Poke, loco moco, kalua pig and huli huli chicken are all Hawaiian classics, but ignore the Puka Dog at your gustatory peril. The Hawaiian-style hot dog is a fusion of traditional ingredients with tropical accoutrements that give it a “vibrant flair,” said Chowhound.

These can be customized, with the relish alone covering “kaleidoscopic options, from star fruit to banana, coconut and more.” It was created in the early 2000s at the Puka Dog hut on Kauai, and while “spinoffs are widespread” across the Hawaiian islands, this is where the dish was perfected.

Where to try it: The place where it all began: Puka Dog. Ordering is a four-step process: meat or veggie dog, mild or spicy secret garlic lemon sauce, which tropical relish, and mustard or no mustard. The “patient” Puka Dog crew will help you “tweak” things if you “have any questions at crunch time,” said SF Gate.

Sonoran dog

What is it? A hot dog wrapped in bacon in a bolillo and topped with onion, tomato, mustard, salsa verde, pinto beans and mayonnaise.

The Sonoran dog is Arizona’s “most popular fusion of Mexican and American food” and over the last 30 years has “cemented itself itself as a cherished local tradition,” said the Arizona Republic. Its roots are in Hermosillo, the capital of the Mexican state of Sonora, where legend has it the flavorful dish got its start as a popular snack sold at baseball games during the 1940s. Benjamin Galaz of BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs is credited as the leader of the pack in Tucson, opening the first Sonoran dog food cart on the city’s South Side in 1993.

Where to try it: Tucson has made it incredibly easy to find the best Sonoran dogs in town. The new Sonoran Dog Trail highlights 15 spots, from street cart vendors to old school establishments, and if you visit them all, you’ll receive a souvenir t-shirt. One of the stops, El Güero Canelo, is the “ultimate Sonoran dog spot,” said the Arizona Daily Star. Its hot dogs are “cooked well” and nestled in “nice and soft” buns, with toppings like cooked onions and mustard that add a “tanginess to all the savory flavors.”

In a city as electrifying and overwhelming as Japan’s neon-hued capital, the new JW Marriott Tokyo serves as a perfect refuge from the crowds and clutter of city life. The luxury hotel brand’s first outpost in Tokyo only opened in autumn 2025, but its faultlessly helpful staff seem to have already accrued a generation’s worth of Japanese hospitality.

Situated on the topmost floors of the new Takanawa Gateway development in the city’s southern Minato ward, the elegant hotel offers guests an atmosphere of calm and comfort, if only they can first tear themselves away from the view.

Why stay here?

The first thing you notice (and indeed, will never fail to notice) are the floor-to-ceiling windows and the glittering, metropolitan panorama that stretches out below. Our southwest-facing room also rather generously provided a view towards Mount Fuji 60 miles away, all the more impressive when silhouetted against the blushing sunset. It’s breathtaking, restorative stuff.

Designed by interior gurus Yabu Pushelberg, the hotel’s 200 rooms are an authentically Japanese blend of contemporary design and Zen aesthetics, in pleasant contrast to the urban flurry beyond its walls. Natural tones and textures prevail, with panelled walls adding clean lines in charcoal and pale oak, and a glossy slab of olive green in the form of a window-length chaise longue from which to savour the view. The glass-fronted bathroom is a more showy affair, clad in honeyed marble with a walk-in waterfall shower, standalone bathtub and toiletries from UK wellness brand Aromatherapy Associates.

Also of note is the considerable size of the hotel’s rooms, with the standard ‘Deluxe King’ occupying an ample 460 sq ft, which seems positively palatial when compared to the dinky hotel rooms that are typical across much of Japan.

Elsewhere there’s a bright and well-furnished fitness centre, and a 25-metre indoor swimming pool and whirlpool with enticingly high-ceilinged views across the skyline towards Tokyo Tower. Underlining the hotel’s focus on wellness and mindfulness, there is a spa lounge with holistic treatments available including massages and therapy baths, and a relaxation space that brings to mind the sci-fi ambience of a futuristic starship.

While the hotel benefits from its proximity to Haneda Airport (25 minutes by rail) and Shinagawa Station (a bullet train hub), it’s worth noting the surrounding neighbourhood is primarily a business district with relatively few attractions beyond Takanawa Gateway’s boutiques and the modest Sengaku-ji temple. In a city as decentralised and as well-served by rail as Tokyo, however, this shouldn’t come as any kind of discouragement.

Eating and drinking

The JW Marriott Tokyo offers three on-site restaurants staffed by a coterie of Michelin-starred chefs, including Sefino and Saki, the former specialising in Mediterranean cuisine and the latter an intimate Japanese kappo experience. We dined at Kakō, a handsomely appointed space lined with wabi-sabi vases and another superb view, this time overlooking Tokyo Bay.

For dinner we enjoyed an eight-course tasting menu of traditional Japanese cuisine with an emphasis on seasonal fare, all impeccably presented. Dishes included tuna and sea bream sashimi, snow crab, and an intriguing pufferfish steamed custard that was perhaps a little too unusual for our palates. The star course was a rich fillet of grilled yellowtail fish, zhuzhed with a citrussy hit of kumquat and ginger.

Drinks range from wine to shochu, with a particular focus on sake, but after dinner the hotel’s JW Bar is everything you want from a nightcap in Tokyo: a chic lounge, sparkling city lights, and a glass of something feisty (the sakura-infused cocktail, in our case).

At breakfast, we opted for soufflé pancakes and croissants doused in honey and vanilla cream, but there is also a Japanese bento option as well as buffet items and various arrangements of pillowy eggs.

Things to do

If retail therapy is the kind of self-care you have in mind, Tokyo won’t disappoint. The ritzy Roppongi Hills complex houses a staggering array of luxury brand stores with a strong focus on fashion, alongside a modern art museum and smattering of clipped, green spaces. If you work up an appetite, indulge in afternoon tea at the much-loved French brasserie The Moon on the 52nd floor.

When you’re ready for some respite from the busy streets, Tokyo has no shortage of museums and galleries for you to enjoy a little culture at your own pace. The splendid Nezu Museum houses a collection of Asian art and antiquities ranging from paintings to samurai swords, with a traditional tea room and beautiful grounds to explore, too. Also nearby is the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, another excellent space with a rolling programme where recent exhibitions have included overviews of 1960s Japan and legendary photojournalist Robert Capa.

Less celebrated for its green spaces than Kyoto, Tokyo still has an impressive number of parks that are well worth visiting, many attached to venerable temples and shrines. Shinjuku Gyoen is a rambling blend of European and Japanese formal gardens that becomes a focal point of the cherry blossom season in late March. The densely forested grounds of Meiji Jingu Gyoen feel a touch wilder, ideal for a morning stroll, and give way to neighbouring Yoyogi Park, frequented on Sunday afternoons by troupes of denim-clad rockabilly dancers.

The verdict

The JW Marriott Tokyo confidently blends understated style with a sense of Japanese refinement, and the result is a tranquil, enchanting space in the beating heart of one of the world’s most intoxicating cities.

Stephen was a guest at JW Marriott Tokyo; marriott.com

The White House dispatched squads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) troops to at least 13 airports around the country, and thousands of commuters this week are coming face-to-face with the Trump administration’s anti-immigration push. ICE’s deployment was telegraphed by both President Donald Trump and White House Border Czar Tom Homan last weekend, with the ostensible goal of optimizing TSA operations during the ongoing partial government shutdown.

The move has thrust the White House’s authoritarian operations into the frenetic realm of commercial air travel, where delays and disruptions can grow to levels of national import. With the agency’s undefined remit and documented penchant for aggression, its presence in U.S. airports is a Rorschach test for attitudes on the regime’s militarized approach to law enforcement.

‘Political, publicity action, not a practical solution’

“Between 100 and 150 ICE officers” have been sent to more than a dozen airports across the country, The New York Times said. It is “unclear” if their presence is “helping or exacerbating long security lines” that have grown during the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown. Homan will likely deploy agents to be as “minimally intrusive as possible,” but their actual contributions to TSA’s airport security mandate won’t be “operationally significant,” said former Obama administration acting ICE director John Sandweg to Time.

Unlike TSA agents who are trained for specific airport duties, ICE personnel will not receive “requisite training to check identification, examine luggage x-rays” and “provide other key security services,” said Government Executive. Putting ICE agents at airports is a “political, publicity action,” one former TSA official said to the outlet. It’s “not a practical solution.”

“I have no idea how they can contribute at an airport unless it was for intimidation purposes,” said Aaron Vazquez, a TSA lead transportation security officer at San Diego International Airport and airport steward for the local branch of the American Federation of Government Employees union, to KPBS. “What are they going to do, find somebody and shoot them?”

As of Monday, “both masked and unmasked ICE agents in marked vests” had been observed at some of the country’s busiest airports, said USA Today. Travelers nevertheless were “still reporting long airport security waits.” One reason for the continued airport disruptions is Trump’s weekend ICE deployment having caught the agency’s officials “off guard,” leaving them “scrambling to come up with a plan to enforce it,” CBS News said. White House officials, however, insisted that dispatching ICE units to airports will be a smooth process. “When we deploy tomorrow,” said Homan on CNN’s “State of the Union” over the weekend, “we’ll have a well-thought-out plan to execute.”

ICE’s stationing in American airports, beyond any potential advantage to security enforcement, is “likely a tactical move” designed to “up the pressure on Democrats in Congress” who are blocking Homeland Security funds, in part over ICE’s conduct in Minnesota and Chicago, said New York magazine. Democrats have “condemned” ICE at airports, so it’s not certain whether the deployment will “move the needle as funding negotiations continue.”

If not ICE, ‘it would have been the National Guard’

President Trump’s pushing of ICE agents into air-travel security spaces is a “stunt, not a policy solution,” said The Washington Post. But “so is the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.”

Congressional Democrats want to use long lines and travel delays to aid in their DHS negotiations, said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on ABC’s “This Week.” The White House’s deployment of immigration forces to airports will “take that leverage away and not make the American people suffer.”

Deploying ICE agents to airports is the “right course of action,” said Puerto Rico’s Republican Governor Jenniffer González Colón at a press conference. If the administration hadn’t sent ICE, “it would have been the National Guard. Why?” Because there is a “problem” with TSA absences leading to extreme travel delays.

Still, some White House’s supporters have expressed anxieties at the plan. The viability of ICE in airports depends on “whether or not logistically you can get these guys into those places and get them up to speed on it,” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said at The Hill. If the DHS shutdown continues for an “extended period of time, yeah, it could be a necessity.”

A ski resort probably isn’t the first place that springs to mind when brainstorming ideas for your next summer holiday. But as the snow melts in these charming Alpine towns, the crowds thin out and the lush greenery bursts into life.

It turns out ski resorts have a surprising amount to offer off-season: balmy (but not too hot) temperatures, crystal-clear lakes and miles of sun-dappled hiking trails to explore. These are some of our favourite spots.

Engelberg, Switzerland

Lying at the foot of the “mighty Titlis mountain” in Switzerland, Engelberg promises “challenging skiing” over the winter months, said Gabriella Le Breton in The Telegraph. When summer rolls around, though, there are more than 300 miles of trails for hikers to enjoy. They range from “child-friendly nature strolls” to the multi-day Buiräbähnli Safari adventure, which includes overnight stays in “rustic farmsteads” and rides on eight Buiräbähnlis (cable cars once used by mountain farmers). “A far cry from the winter bustle of Engelberg’s modern rotating Titlis cablecar”, this vintage transportation system offers a “rare glimpse into the tranquil pastoral world of Switzerland’s high-Alpine farms”.

San Candido, Italy

With its “pretty sawtooth peaks” and growing collection of luxury hotels, “it’s little wonder the Dolomites in northeast Italy are having a moment,” said Mike MacEacheran in The Times. San Candido’s Leitlhof hotel – “a daydream of wood, soft textiles and natural light” – is a great base for exploring. The pared-back “eco vibe” helps keep distractions from getting out into the mountains to a minimum. “Be clear with yourself on this: regardless of your fitness (or how much ham you’ve snaffled), you’ll have to hike to the dragon’s-back-shaped Tre Cime di Lavaredo.”

Chamonix, France

Chamonix is a “mesmeric place”, said MacEacheran. “Mont Blanc’s glaciers flow down over wild cliffs” and paragliders “twirl” in the sky. There are lots of places for “hairy-chested climbers” to stay, but I like the “chic” La Folie Douce. The lively hotel is famed for its “uninhibited après-ski that marries cabaret with clubbing” – and the same kind of “high Alpine hedonism” exists in summer.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

This scenic Bavarian town hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics and is famed for its thrilling winter sports, said Vogue. Come summer there are “endless ways to immerse in nature here”, including hiking, biking and paragliding. “A dip in nearby crystal-clear Lake Eibsee, arguably one of the most beautiful in the country, is also not to be missed.”

Alpbach, Austria

Summer in Alpbach transforms the pistes into “blankets of pink blossoming mountain azaleas”, said Le Breton. This is the place to go for a family-friendly trip; it is easy to keep kids entertained, with trips to the mountain-top Lauserland adventure playground, Juppi’s enchanted forest and petting zoo. There’s also a wide variety of activities on offer from “herb foraging” to “visits to local beekeepers”.

At the very top of the Spanish Steps, where the crowds thin and the city seems to exhale, Hotel de la Ville presides over Rome with quiet confidence.

This five-star address in the Centro Storico is spread across three 18th-century palazzi deftly brought together around a sun-splashed courtyard, creating a retreat that feels both intimate and unmistakably grand.

Since joining the Rocco Forte Hotels portfolio in 2019, the property has been reimagined by Olga Polizzi and architect Tommaso Ziffer as a love letter to the Grand Tour. Its rooms are layered with classical references, playful objets and a rich colour palette. The result is a hotel that doesn’t simply nod to Rome’s past but revels in it – while delivering the kind of polished service, destination dining and cocooning spa that makes stepping back outside entirely optional.

Why stay here?

Location is the obvious draw: you’re moments from the Spanish Steps. But the real seduction lies inside. Our Junior Suite Deluxe, on the fourth floor, opened on to a balcony overlooking the terracotta courtyard – striped parasols and potted greenery glowing even in the soft light of January. Interiors are gloriously free of safe neutrals. Instead, there’s a confident clash of colour and texture: a navy velvet headboard against duck-egg walls, olive drapes pooling beside antique desks topped with busts and art books. It feels curated rather than decorated, like a collector’s Roman apartment.

Bathrooms dial the drama back to pure white marble, with generous rainfall showers and Irene Forte’s Sicilian botanical products. The top-floor suites come with expansive terraces and knockout views across Rome’s domes and cupolas – the kind of panorama that turns a sunset into a private show.

Downstairs, the boutique spa is a welcome counterpoint to the city’s sensory overload. There’s a hydrotherapy pool for warming soaks, a thermal circuit with salt room, sauna and steam, and the bracing option of a cryotherapy chamber for the fearless. We opted for bubbles rather than sub-zero temperatures – a suitably indulgent Roman compromise.

Eating and drinking

In a city where eating well is practically guaranteed, Hotel de la Ville still manages to raise the bar. At Café Ginori – linked to the adjoining Ginori 1735 porcelain boutique – dinner arrives on the very plates you can later buy, a clever touch that blurs the line between meal and memento. Lasagnetta al ragù and fettuccine Alfredo are comfortingly classic, while dishes such as cod tempura add a contemporary flourish. Each course is matched with thoughtful Italian wines; a bright Orvieto with the fish was a particular highlight.

Breakfast and dinner are served at Mosaico, an elegant space that spills into the courtyard in warmer months. Indoors, black-and-white floors, columns and chandeliers set a theatrical tone for a dinner menu that travels beyond Italy, weaving in flavours from North Africa and the Middle East. Mornings bring an abundant spread of cheeses, charcuterie, fruit, pastries and eggs cooked to order – a filling start before a day of sight-seeing.

Later, the jewel-box Julep Bar beckons with its vivid yellow walls and velvet seating, perfect for an armagnac nightcap. In summer, cocktails migrate to the rooftop Cielo Bar, where Rome’s skyline becomes the ultimate backdrop.

Things to do

Step outside and the city’s greatest hits are within strolling distance: the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the elegant sweep of Piazza Navona. The green expanse of Villa Borghese is close enough for a morning wander, while the Colosseum and Forum are a short bus ride away.

If you’ve ticked off the icons before, Rome rewards deeper exploration. The Teatro di Marcello – a miniature precursor to the Colosseum – offers ancient grandeur without the queues. Art lovers can follow a self-guided Caravaggio trail through nearby churches, including San Luigi dei Francesi and Basilica di Sant'Agostino, dropping a coin into the light boxes to illuminate the paintings in situ – a quietly magical experience.

For retail therapy, the hotel is mere metres from Via dei Condotti, where designer flagships beckon customers craving haute couture, while Via del Corso offers a livelier, high-street passeggiata.

The verdict

Hotel de la Ville is more than a perfectly placed base; it’s a destination in its own right. Between the exuberant design, stylish rooms, accomplished dining and restorative spa, it offers a version of Rome that is as hedonistic as it is historic. Step outside and the Eternal City is at your feet; stay in, and you’re wrapped in a world of colour, craftsmanship and five-star ease. Either way, it’s la dolce vita distilled.

Vicki was a guest of Hotel de la Ville, a Rocco Forte Hotel; roccofortehotels.com

Visiting China these days, you can feel as if you are travelling two ways in time, said James Patterson in The Sunday Times: back into an “outlandish” past, and forward to a “strange” future.

The country is a place of “skyscrapers and temples, calligraphy and texting, AI and hand tools” and, on a recent trip to Shanghai and the nearby cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou, I got to see the best of this duality. In Shanghai, I stayed at the Amanyangyun hotel, where the guest villas are Ming- and Qing-dynasty houses, relocated – with some 10,000 camphor trees – from a village in Fujian province, some 400 miles away. And amid the modern luxuries, including a 20m lap pool, is a 17th-century school building offering calligraphy classes and music lessons on the seven-stringed guqin. The “hullaballoo of urban China” felt a long way away.

A 30-minute journey by bullet train took me to other “bucolic” Suzhou. This ancient city is known for its 60 or so “manicured” gardens (all of which have Unesco World Heritage status), including the Humble Administrator’s Garden, a watery maze of islands and elegant bridges. My hotel here, the Hanyu Garden Reserve, was redolent of the past, too, with its low pavilions and carved wood. I travelled to Hangzhou by taxi through the countryside, where women worked with mattocks in vegetable fields and, in the water towns of Lili and Nanxun, boatmen “propelled flat-bottomed skiffs along canals festooned with oblong lamps and willow trees”.

For the 13th-century explorer Marco Polo, Hangzhou was the “finest and noblest” city in the world, and it is still beautiful today. With its 10th-century pagoda and verdant setting, West Lake is “a vision from antiquity” and, in the spring, the forests in the surrounding hills are laden with peach and cherry blossom. I can also recommend the hotels where I stayed: the Muh Shoou Xixi and the Qiushui Villa, which can arrange trips to see the tea harvest around the village of Longjing.

Floating on my back and looking up at the shadowy tips of the trees and the warmly glowing windows of Palacete Severo, I can’t quite believe I’m taking a nighttime dip.

That morning, I had been standing on the tarmac waiting to board the aircraft beneath a gloomy grey sky in London. But in Porto there isn’t a cloud to be seen – and the hotel’s heated saltwater pool looked too inviting to miss swimming a few lengths before bed. It’s early March and no other guests have decided to brave it, so we have the entire garden to ourselves. Everything is quiet apart from the rustle of leaves and the gentle murmur of voices from the bar.

Why stay here?

Tucked away down a side street in Porto’s residential Cedofeita neighbourhood, Palacete Severo would be easy to walk right past if it weren’t for the attentive staff waiting to guide guests to the front door. The yellow-walled building peeping out from behind a curtain of crimson camellia trees doesn’t look like a hotel – at first glance it could be the elegant home of a wealthy resident.

For many years it was. The renowned Portuguese architect and engineer Ricardo Severo built the townhouse in 1902 for his Brazilian wife, Francisca Santos Dumont. It stayed in the family, slowly falling into disrepair over decades until the French art dealer Géraldine Banier bought the property and began the painstaking process of restoring the building to its former glory, transforming it into a luxury boutique hotel.

From the hand-painted azulejo tiles to the wooden panelling and ceiling frescoes, every effort has been made to preserve the architectural details and celebrate the building’s history. Look out for the immaculately restored original stained-glass windows, including one above the staircase, which is inscribed with the names Ricardo and Francisca.

The hotel has retained its residential feel with just 20 guest rooms split between the main building and a discreet modern addition across the garden, also home to the compact spa.

Designer Paulo Lobo is responsible for the beautiful interiors; rooms are pared back and spacious in calming neutral tones. Ours featured an enormous (and very comfy) bed with a rattan headboard, tasteful brass lamps, a plush green velvet armchair and a writing desk with views out over the camellia trees. Sliding glass doors lead into the marble-clad bathroom complete with a monsoon shower stocked with organic “8950” toiletries crafted from locally sourced figs, almonds and fennel.

Banier owns a contemporary art gallery in Paris and has turned the hotel into a second outpost; at every turn you’ll spot a painting or sculpture. One of the walls in our room was adorned with a striking ochre and saffron canvas by local artist Filipe Cortez. If something catches your eye, every piece on display is for sale, so you can take it home with you. Impressively, a curator changes the works every four months, and so you’re unlikely to see the same pieces twice.

Eating and drinking

Palacete Severo was relatively quiet when we visited in March, but the wood-panelled fine dining restaurant, Éon, had a buzzy atmosphere. Diners are in safe hands when it comes to the food; dishes are inspired by the early memories of talented head chef Tiago Bonito (who previously held a Michelin star at Largo do Paço). Each dish is expertly paired with a wine chosen by the knowledgeable and charming sommelier, Victor.

We kicked things off with a glass of white port (what else?) and a selection of delicious bite-sized morsels including mini pastry cases stuffed with trout and topped with dots of anchovy mayo, and Bonito’s playful take on Portugal’s favourite piri piri dish – a creamy chilli and lime filling sandwiched between two layers of crispy roast chicken skin. I could have eaten an entire plate of them.

Other stand-out dishes included delicate cubes of bluefin tuna served with a tangy Granny Smith apple ice cream and oyster emulsion; a consommé made from the heads of scarlet shrimp, dotted with drops of XO sauce; and a succulent piece of hook-caught hake with a heady pil pil sauce and a turnip head gel. Just when I was hoping for a bread roll to mop everything up, an entire bread course was served: sourdough and brioche rolls with extra virgin olive oil for dipping and three different butters. The final flourish came with the whimsical dessert – a tiny tree topped with candy floss, served with miniature churros, caramel and popcorn ice cream. It came as little surprise to find out Éon scooped its first Michelin star days after we dined there.

The bistro is a lovely laid-back setting for lunch; the glass-topped courtyard is decorated with pretty white-and-green tiles, and lush potted plants. Simple but tasty dishes span everything from truffle and mushroom linguine to veal loin with rustic potatoes and grilled tuna with malandrino “naughty” rice (a traditional Portuguese loose, soup-like rice dish with a similar texture to risotto). Breakfast is also served here. While you won’t find a buffet, guests are treated to a generous selection of bread rolls, pastries, cheeses, cured meats and fresh fruit, as well as a comprehensive menu of hot food including pancakes, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toast.

Things to do

Days are easy to fill sipping cocktails in the bar, reading a book in the wood-panelled library or taking a dip in the outdoor pool. Just a few steps from the main building, past the 300-year-old wild chestnut tree, is the tranquil spa complete with a Himalayan salt room, Turkish bath and gym. Susanna, the warm and experienced therapist, is on hand to carry out an array of treatments; the hot candle wax massage soon dissolved my lingering knots of tension.

The hotel is a short cab ride or half-hour stroll into town (a word of warning: Porto is very hilly, so allow some extra time to pause and get your breath back). The sun-drenched streets are lined with colourful, crumbling houses – these dilapidated yet beautiful buildings are all part of Porto’s charm, adding to its unique and authentic atmosphere that is absent from many of Europe’s more polished cities.

It’s well worth spending an hour exploring the shady interiors of Porto Cathedral, marvelling at the chapel’s elaborate frescoes and blue-and-white tiled cloisters, and climbing the steps to the roof for spectacular views out across the city.

For more wonderful panoramas of the Douro river, nip over to Arco Das Verdades – a small, friendly wine bar with a decent selection of traditional Portuguese nibbles. And for those with a penchant for port (and even those without), it’s worth heading down to the water for a visit to one of the historic cellars. Sandeman offers an hour-long tour and tasting for €23 (£20). Before you leave, be sure to visit the scenic Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, where peacocks and chickens roam freely through the winding paths.

The verdict

Whether relaxation is your priority or you’re eager to soak up as much of Porto’s culture as possible, you would be hard-pressed to find a better spot than Palacete Severo. This is far from a glossy resort. With its thoughtful staff, stand-out food and surprising artworks at each turn, this unassuming yellow townhouse is much more special.

Irenie was a guest of Palacete Severo, palacetesevero.com

The runway is alive with colour and music. Samba dancers fill the stadium, their sparkling, feather-bedecked costumes painting the scene in blocks of neon green, fuchsia pink, lemon yellow and glittering gold.

In between each flock of dancers, floats the size of buses glide by – a giant turquoise bird, a nodding, pawing lion, a palatial carriage, and a cat in sunglasses are among the creations that pass as I watch from the stadium seats, energy palpably on fire as the crowd dances, cheers and sings.

I’m at the Sambadrome – Rio’s 90,000-capacity stadium, purpose-built for Carnival’s world-famous samba parades – watching as four of the city’s most elite Special Group samba schools compete for a place in the final the following weekend.

Each night across the main Carnival days, more than 15,000 samba dancers grace the floor of this open-air arena, twirling with rapid dexterity along the 700-metre runway. It’s spectacular, the joy so contagious a smile is involuntarily etched on my face from beginning to end, and the atmosphere in the crowd doesn’t wane – even when it ends at 6am.

I’m here on a six-day Rio Carnival: Sequins & the Sambadrome group tour with G Adventures, and this is just one of the many festivities across a week that’s all about freedom, energy and joy.

Street parties and samba

Built in 1984 to provide a dedicated space for Rio’s competing escolas de samba, the Sambadrome has become a mainstay during Carnival – but the city’s blocos (street parties) are just as fundamental.

These moving, samba-playing processions have been running since the early 1900s, though the origins of Carnival go further back still. Portuguese colonisers brought their celebratory traditions to Brazil in the 17th century, marking a time of revelry in the run-up to Lent (‘carne vale’ means ‘farewell to meat’ in Latin).

Samba – which emerged among West African slaves in northern Brazil before spreading to marginalised Afro-Brazilian communities around Rio – became a key part of the Carnival festivities in the 20th century. Official samba schools began forming in the 1930s, bringing the (previously criminalised) dance into the mainstream and celebrating an art form produced by Rio’s favela communities (Afro-Brazilian heritage is still at the heart).

Today more than 400 blocos take over Rio’s streets across the Carnival period, turning the entire city into a giant festival day and night, and estimated to attract around seven million partygoers in total. Revellers from across Brazil and beyond don their best glitter, feathers and fancy dress as live samba bands parade through the streets, starting as early as 8am.

At the Bloco do Sargento Pimenta, we bopped along to samba versions of The Beatles songs as the sun streamed down on an estimated crowd of 100,000. We followed as stilt-walking, ribbon-strewn performers paraded along the street, while an 11-piece brass band, Orquestra Voadora, blasted out classic samba songs and pop hits like “Billie Jean”.

At Cordão da Bola Preta, we experienced the oldest and biggest bloco in the city, dating from 1918 and today attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees; and at Banda de Ipanema, we chugged along the beach, stopping intermittently to cool off in the sea.

At other times we caught smaller processions with just a few hundred revellers. There are so many blocos it can be a little overwhelming; our G Adventures guides helped us navigate and took us to the best ones, so it’s worth considering a tour here if you want to take the hassle out (it’s also ideal if you’re a solo traveller and want to enjoy the festivities as part of a group).

All were electric, energy-filled extravaganzas that had the crowd dancing and singing along for hours, fuelled by caipirinhas and summer sun, and it was an extraordinary atmosphere – topped off with a special ‘purple party’ one night at a local beach bar, arranged exclusively for our group as part of the tour.

Having a ball

“The greatest party on earth” doesn’t end with its blocos and Sambadrome parades, though; Carnival balls have long been another key cornerstone of the celebrations, from small, modest affairs to all-out, extravagant ones.

The most famous and exclusive of them all is the Baile do Copa, which has been running at the landmark Copacabana Palace Hotel since 1924. Brazilian celebrities and politicians are known to frequent this exceptionally lavish event, with a black tie, long-dress dress code; tickets start from £600 and go into the thousands.

I managed to snag a ticket and felt like I’d stepped into another world, with room after room decked out with elaborate, carnivalesque metallic sculptures, open bars offering free-flowing champagne and cocktails, and displays of lobster, oysters and macarons overflowing from decadent tables. Live samba bands played throughout the night and into the early hours in an immersive, surreal spectacle that went on until 5am, and there was the same sense of vibrancy, exuberance and joie de vivre I’d felt at the blocos and Sambadrome.

Carnival has long been a chance for people from all walks of life to let loose, and that’s what felt special about it to me: a sense of everyone coming together to celebrate life. I’ve never felt so alive, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it if you want a chance to let your hair down and escape the world for a brief, joyful and uniquely liberating – and memorable – moment in time.

Laura travelled on G Adventures’ Rio Carnival: Sequins & the Sambadrome trip (part of its 18-to-Thirtysomethings range). The 2027 group tour departs on 5 February; gadventures.com