It’s around 208 miles from the English capital to the unofficial capital of The North, on a route that crosses the heartlands of the United Kingdom. It means going from a buzzing megacity where Big Ben and the soaring Shard keep watch, all the way to an atmospheric town of old Victorian industrial quarters transformed … Read more
The journey from Madrid to Valencia takes you straight across the heartlands of western Spain. Between dusty sierras and the lands where one Don Quixote used to roam, it could be a 190-mile, multi-day odyssey filled with flamenco dances and tastes of Manchego cheese. Or, you could smash it in less than 1.5 hours, which … Read more
So, you’re looking to get to Geneva from Zurich? It’s easy to see why. Glistening lake waters, the outline of the Alps and even Mont Blanc, the amazing exhibits of CERN, and a charming old town all await in this bustling city of western Switzerland. Thankfully, the journey in from the banking hub of Zurich … Read more
Hong Kong is part futuristic megacity, part immersive East Asian metropolis. You can spend your days glowering up at the mighty skyscrapers of Central or gazing at the shimmering high-rise blocks from Victoria Peak. Then come evenings of trawling bazaars in Kowloon and eating steamy dim sum in ramshackle wet markets. But Hong Kong is … Read more
Dresden is a town that rarely fails to enthral and entertain. Although it was completely razed in WWII, it’s bounced back bigger and better than ever, with complete reconstructions of its stunning Baroque Frauenkirche and the flamboyant frontages of the Semperoper leading the way. Throw in a buzzy Neustadt area that’s packed with bars and … Read more
Straddling its namesake river on the cusp of the US border in the east of Ontario, Ottawa is often overlooked by travelers making their way through Canada. But those who do decide to linger a couple of days often stay for many more. They’re beguiled by a surprisingly laid-back global capital that sports a majestic … Read more
The Shangri-La of the United States lies thousands of miles out in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. A paradise of daffodil-tinged beaches that roll beneath pockets of palm trees, it’s long been a place to come for no-holes-barred R&R. Golf resorts collide with deluxe honeymoon hotels, all before the vibrant resorts of Waikiki and … Read more
The Mile High City sits in the shade of the hulking Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. It’s long been a stopping point for those moving east-to-west in the United States, with one foot on the plains and another on the Continental Divide. These days, that translates into an uber-active town folk, who ski and … Read more
Travel between two of the great romantic, artistic, and historical cities of Europe by making the hop from France’s captial to Italy’s. It’s a move that’ll see you trade a skyline dominated by the Eiffel Tower and the Sacre Coeur with the seven hills of Rome, topped by the silhouette of St Peter’s Basilica and … Read more
Vienna and Budapest are linked by much more than just railway lines, riverways and cycle tracks. These were the dual capitals of the vast Austro-Hungarian Empire. One of the mightiest powers of Central Europe, it reigned supreme from 1867 to 1918. Today, you can still spy out remnants of the grand Habsburg crown in both, … Read more
So, you’re looking to trade those proud Habsburg palaces and manicured city parks for the snow-capped outline of the Austrian Alps? A trip from Vienna to Salzburg promises to do just that in a couple of hours. There might be 160 miles of rolling forests, winding rivers, and soft hills between them, but these two … Read more
Paris to Nice is a journey from buzzing metropolis to chic riviera. One has the spires of the Eiffel Tower and the romantic cafes of Montmartre. The other is about sunning yourself on the Cote d’Azur, between pebble beaches and pine-topped hills. No wonder, then, that so many travelers try to do the trip each … Read more
Unscrew the rum and don the straw hat…Key West is beckoning. Right at the tip of the Florida Keys, this sun-kissed isle is more Bahamas than USA. This is a place where the streets rumble with the bouncing rhythms of steel drums and handsome colonial-styled mansions hide between the palms. There’s energy and action down … Read more
With medieval roots and a huge student population, Montpellier manages something pretty unique: An almost perfect balance between the past and the present. One moment you can be strolling the impressive center, past the mighty La Place Royale du Peyrou and the onetime mansions of rich Renaissance merchants. The next, you’ll be singing karaoke and … Read more