Park City is a mountain town with the spirit of an American metropolis. While restaurants and hotels in this northern Utah city are on par with venues in bigger markets, Park City still manages to maintain the quaint charm of a happy little hamlet. It’s a best-of-both-worlds combo that ensures world-class hospitality and cuisine, juxtaposed with an all-natural backdrop of pristine peaks and sublime nature. It’s the rare city where you can lose yourself in the mountains by day, and then literally ski directly up to an après-ski lodge or farm-to-table eatery. From idyllic slope-side inns to wood-fired dining on postcard-perfect Main Street, these are the gems that make Park City a singular American destination.
Peerless Park City Lodging
Sprawling luxury, stunning architecture and above-and-beyond hospitality make Park City’s lodges look more like Disney castles than hotels. Fantasy places like Stein Eriksen Lodge, the Waldorf Astoria Park City and the Grand Summit Hotel far exceed standard hotel expectations, ascending to new levels of opulence entirely. Seemingly every lodge in Park City feels like a full-blown town in and of itself, outfitted with on-site restaurants, shops, cafes and spas, with easy — or direct — access to slopes and trails for skiing, snowboarding and hiking. In a lot of ways, these mountainside lodges perfectly exemplify the Park City spirit, immersing modern luxuries in the region’s natural wonders.
The Stein Eriksen Lodge
The Stein Eriksen Lodge, named for a Norwegian Olympic Gold Medal skier, is like an elegant European chalet amidst Utah’s world-renowned mountains. Consistently among the hightest rated hotels in the country and complete with a world-class spa, the property is the quintessential destination for après-ski traditions, fine dining and of course, upscale accommodations. With ski-in/ski-out access, it’s easily accessible for mountain-goers to pop in for some fireside wine, cocktails and snacks. The lodge also added an intimate movie theater to its amenities.
As with all its locations worldwide, the Hilton flagship luxury brand sets a standard for excellence at the Waldorf Astoria Park City. Near Canyons Village, nestled along the mountainside, the property feels like an extravagant hideaway.
It’s the kind of place you can hole up in and never want to leave, thanks to the sheer decadence of each and every room, including the two-level, four-bed suites. In addition to direct access to seasonal activities like golf, snowmobiling, skiing, hiking and horseback riding, the hotel sets itself apart with its “signature experiences.”
The Waldorf Astoria, Park City
These immersive options allow guests to venture out and explore Park City from a unique vantage point, whether it be via motorcycle rides through Uinta National Forest or behind-the-scenes tours and tastings at Park City Brewery. The resort also caters to families with children and to pet owners, offering in-room welcome packages for furry friends and indoor “camping” experiences for kids, complete with tents, stuffed animals, lanterns and story books.
While most resorts in Park City are tucked in the foothills, Main & Sky is unique for its location right on historic Main Street. An iconic all-American thoroughfare lined with indie boutiques, saloons, theaters and restaurants, this is the heart and soul of Park City. Due to the restricted size of the street, however, lodging options are limited.
In contrast with castle-sized resorts nearby, Main & Sky packs all of its grandeur into just 33 suites and penthouses, many with balconies offering prime Main Street views. If you have money to burn, the three-bedroom penthouse is as regal as it gets: full kitchen, pool table, and outdoor hot tub.
A penthouse suite at Main & Sky
Be warned: this kind of luxury is all too easy to get used to. There’s also a spa and a soulful, locally sourced restaurant called Coal & Lumber.
Fresh off a multi-million dollar renovation, Grand Summit Hotel in Canyons Village is ready for its closeup. Here, at the foot of Park City Mountain, you’ll find an ornate facility filled with suites and majestic vistas. Beyond the stunning surface, though, the hotel brings the decadence with a huge heated outdoor pool, hot tubs, health club, ski-in/ski-out access, chef-driven restaurants and immediate access to a slew of slopes. Lifts whisk skiers up to moderate slopes, while a sleek “orange bubble” express route, a fully-enclosed and temperature-controlled tram, takes more experienced visitors up to the steeper peaks. In the summer, crowds can take advantage of hiking trails, mountain bikes, zip lines and alpine coasters.
A thriving dining scene
Park City’s international reputation is largely hinged on ski slopes and movie festivals, but the town’s restaurant scene is rapidly on the rise as well. For a place with only a few thousand year round residents, the ratio of high-quality restaurants per capita is astonishing. And Main Street is A veritable Restaurant Row.
The Mustang
Be sure and book a meal at The Mustang, a Main Street mainstay helmed by an owner and chef duo who met while working together at the inimitable Stein Eriksen Lodge. Their attention to hospitality and quality is evident in the friendly service, artful ambience and menu, which toes the line between locally sourced ingredients and global inspirations. It’s the kind of place where fried Utah goat cheese and local trout share menu space with shrimp potstickers, duck chile rellenos and Chilean sea bass with lemon beurre blanc.
Decked out with enough internationally sourced artifacts, Turkish chandeliers and Shanghai-inspired paraphernalia to constitute a museum, Wahso is one of the most striking dining destinations on Main Street’s restaurant-packed strip. The restaurant hails from prolific local restaurateur Bill White, the man behind other Park City hits like Ghidotti’s and Chimayo. Wahso dives deep into contemporary pan-Asian cookery with dishes like crispy Brussels sprouts with gochujang mayo, larb duck lettuce wraps, Wagyu pho and caramelized Japanese eggplant with yuzu-cardamom coconut milk.
Pork buns at Wahso
You can’t stroll down Main Street and not stop in at The Spur for a shotski. The infamous mountain town pastime, wherein groups do simultaneous shots off a ski, is best ordered at this timeworn saloon, which packs the house for nightly live music, dueling pianos, eclectic comfort food and cocktails made with local spirits.
You’d be remiss not to follow the aroma of wood-burning ovens down Main Street to Firewood, a sleek and stylish haunt from acclaimed chef John Murcko. As the name suggests, the centerpiece of the restaurant is the wood-fired kitchen, which utilizes an array of different woods to imbue specific flavors and aromas into hearty, seasonal dishes. This includes smoked duck breast with grapes and mostarda, coal-roasted beets with cinnamon-sherry vinaigrette and blue cheese, juniper-spiced elk loin with parsnips and cauliflower cream and bronzini with artichokes and caper pesto. Don’t miss the Nickel Bar downstairs, a casual nook more focused on snacking and sipping, with items like empanadas, burrata and excellent cocktails that mimic the kitchen’s ethos in terms of fragrance and complexity.
According to the 2009 census, Vietnam’s 86 million people belong to an astonishing 54 government-recognized ethnic groups. Through two floors of cultural artifacts, tools, media displays, dioramas, and more, the museum offers visitors a look inside the everyday lives and traditional practices of these distinct groups.
Full-size model of a Tai Dam (Black Tai) stilt house
One of the most compelling displays in the museum is a full-size stilt house on the second floor. This display allows visitors to explore the architecture and day-to-day domestic life of the Tai Dam ethnic group.
Several flat screen televisions around the museum display activities of the various ethnic groups, including textile weaving, cooking, and funeral and wedding rituals. In addition to these short videos, three-dimensional displays of rituals and ordinary activities seemingly come to life with striking costumes, art, and tools. These scenes, with such intricate details of texture and design, are spirited and lively, allowing you to imagine how they might unfold in the outside world.
Depiction of a religious ceremony paying homage to the Jade Emperor
Water puppets
The museum offers cultural programming, such as the popular water puppet shows. Water puppetry, performed in a pool of water, originated in northern Vietnam and has been performed for centuries as a way to mark important events. The shows are accompanied by live music.
The museum grounds also include a restaurant, coffee shop, gift shop, and bookstore. Guided tours are available in Vietnamese, French, and English. The building and grounds are wheelchair accessible.
Picturesque Krakow has much to offer travellers of all ages and persuasions. In recent years, cheap flights have made the city a favorite with bachelor parties from the rest of Europe. However, there’s a lot more to this Polish city than nightclubs and parties. Here’s how to spend a short 48 hour break in this fairytale destination.
Day 1
The best way to start any trip to Krakow is with a delicious breakfast. The city is home to a delightful array of cafes and eateries to suit all tastes. For a great way to start the day, why not try Milkbar Tomasza (ul. Sw. Tomasza 24), the restaurant is famed for their delicious breakfast and lunch options at reasonable prices. Perhaps unexpectedly, Irish breakfast complete with blood sausages is among their most popular morning food offerings, but you can also get pierogis and other more Polish options.
Irish breakfast at Milkbar Tomasza
Once you’ve had your fill, get your walking shoes on for the city’s famous ‘Free Walking Tour’. The guided jaunt through Krakow’s departs daily from between the St. Florian´s Gate and Barbican areas in the centre of town at 10am, 2pm, and 4pm. The tour serves as a sort of ‘Dummies Guide to Krakow’ and allows visitors to sample a taste of the culture and history of the city’s charming Old Town. Best of all, the tour is provided free of charge with guides making a living from tips.
Be sure to tip the ‘Free’ Walking Tour’s excellent guides
Next up, you might fancy a spot of lunch at one of the city’s many traditional Polish restaurants. Introligatornia Smaku (Jozefa, 20) is a favorite among tourists and locals alike. This eatery serves up a selection of Krakow favorites at very reasonable prices.
Alternatively, nearby Bagelmama has the best bagels and lox in town. In addition to the classics, they experiment successfully with combos like warm brie and tomato. Soups and salads are also on offer.
Introligatornia Smaku
Oscar Schindler’s former enamel factory is today home to a captivating museum detailing the horrors of the Nazi occupation during the Second World War. The museum documents the story of Schindler’s efforts to help save the lives of hundreds of Jews as depicted in the hit movie Schindler’s List.
Oskar Schindler’s factory
Afterwards, why not head east of the Old Town for an authentic Polish dinner at Restauracja Stylowa (Centrum C3), one of the city’s best known traditional restaurants? This Krakow must-see has been in existence since the 1950s and still serves up some of the best grub in town to this day.
Restauracja Stylowa
Once your appetite is satisfied, it’s time to check out the city’s famous nightlife. Krakow is littered with top quality drinking dens, and many nightspots offering excellent local vodka. Our favorites are Wodka cafe bar (Mikołajska 5) and House of Beer (Świętego Tomasza 35).
Wodka Bar
Day 2
After a hearty breakfast, and possibly nursing a hangover, you should enjoy a wander around the city’s historic old town to soak up the hustle and bustle of Krakow. Afterwards, travellers will almost certainly enjoy a walking tour of the city’s Jewish Quarter. The tour leaves the Old Synagogue on Szeroka Street every day at 10am & 1.30pm with an additional tour departing at 5pm between March-October. The ultra-interesting jaunt lasts 2.5 hours and allows viewers to delve into the city’s fascinating Jewish history. There is no set charge for the tour but the guides are paid in tips, so if you enjoyed the tour, don’t forget to give generously.
The Jewish quarter
For lunch, tuck into some local fare at Przystanek Pierogarnia (Bonerowska 14). The prices are reasonable and the food is among the most recommended in the city.
Pierogi from Przystanek Pierogarnia
If you fancy checking out further sights from Krakow’s storied past then make a beeline for the Rynek Underground Museum (Rynek Główny 1). The glitzy museum first opened in 2010 to much fanfare and today, presents visitors with 6000 metres of exhibits outlining the entire history of Krakow.
Historical Museum of the City of Krakow
For your final dinner in Krakow check out Copernicus. It is Polish food at its finest, served in beautiful surroundings. While it certainly not the cheapest dinner in town, it may well be one of the best that Krakow has to offer. It really is the perfect way to round off your Krakow city excursion.
You may think you know Italy if you visited Rome, Florence, and Venice, but you haven’t experienced true Italy if you haven’t paid pilgrimage to modern Milan. This fashionable city is the energetic heart of Italy’s commerce but also packs a historical punch and culinary delights for travelers of all ages and tastes.
Day 1
If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, then what better way to start your trip than with a traditional Milanese breakfast with the locals? Milan is famous for its coffee, so get your authentic experience on and have a civilized espresso and pastry at the many neighborhood coffee bars on street corners across the city. The experts swear by centuries-old Pasticceria Marchesi.
Energized with breakfast, we recommend you indulge in the many historical wonders that Milan offers. A crossroads of cultures and countries throughout history, Milan has a wealth of ancient and modern sights. A good place to start is the famous Duomo cathedral in the centre of the city. The magnificent cathedral is the largest church in Italy and the fifth largest in the world, taking six centuries and no less than 74 architects and engineers to complete. (Take that, Sagrada Familia in Barcelona!) Art historians often affectionately refer to the Duomo as the wedding cake cathedral emblematic of the International Gothic style. Throughout the years, it’s been the site of famous visitors; Napolean Bonaparte was crowned King of Italy at this Duomo, and authors Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, and Henry James all had differing opinions on the aesthetics of the Duomo. Form an opinion yourself, you’re in excellent company!
Another stellar spot is the Castello Sforzesco. The former Visconti fortress is home to ten museums proudly displaying masterpieces by Mantegna, Titian, Caravaggio, and Michelangelo as well as ancient Roman and Egyptian works. It is easy to spend days in this museum complex. Don’t miss Michelangelo’s powerful last sculpture in The Museum of Rondanini Pietà.
If you fancy a spot of lunch, head to Luini, strolling distance from the castle. Line up with the locals for panzerotti, a sort of little deep-fried calzone stuffed with fillings like tomato and cheese. If elbowing your way through for fried business isn’t your style, there’s Giacomo Arengario, a “ladies-who-lunch” spot serving Milanese specialities and wonderful view.
Panzerotti
Nearby is the storied Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. This stunning glass, marble, and steel covered arcade is not only a premier destination for high-end shopping, but also a marvel of Belle Epoque engineering named after the first King of Italy. It’s also deservedly known as the salotto di Milano (Milan’s living room) where the refined and well-heeled Milanese shop. Expect to see the best in haute fashion; Milan is widely recognised as one of the cutting edge fashion destinations in the world.
Once you’ve had your fill of shopping, go for dinner at one of the city’s many high quality restaurants. As you might expect, Milan is a food lover’s paradise and the city plays host to an array of culinary fare from across the globe. For a truly special evening, check out Cracco, which offers two Michelin stars of contemporary Italian cuisine, or Hostaria Borromei where you can enjoy traditional regional dishes in an unpretentious space.
Day 2
After an early breakfast, take a stroll to the Santa Maria delle grazie (Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie) to check out one of Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic Last Supper. Unsurprisingly, the masterpiece is extremely popular with tourists so make sure you book tickets to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site in advance.
Afterwards, enjoy a beautiful lunch at La Brisa, this modern Italian trattoria is among the best in town and caters to both meat-eaters and vegetarians. With an excellent wine list, it would be a shame not to order a glass to top off a delicious lunch in elegant surroundings.
Art lovers can spend the afternoon checking out the city’s fine museums. The Pinacoteca di Brera (Via Brera, 28) features one of the country’s most magnificent collections of mediaeval and Renaissance art. Meanwhile, the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana (Piazza Pio XI, 2) features a smaller collection including some of da Vinci’s earlier works.
Brera Picture Gallery
A trip to Milan would not be complete without trying out the city’s favorite pastime, aperitivo. This Milanese tradition takes the concept of a happy hour and gives it a local twist for a city which isn’t known for its booze-soaked exploits. Once the clock strikes 6, locals like to enjoy a drink alongside a buffet of delicious appetizers.
A great place to check out some of the best aperitivo joints is the Navigli area, a beautiful canalside district packed with the city’s cool kids enjoying a glass of wine and some nibbles. The options are numerous and the best way to find your favorite is to go for a stroll around the area. La Prosciutteria Milano Navigli is a great option.
No trip to Milan would be complete without a visit to the legendary Teatro alla Scala (Via Filodrammatici, 2), one of the world’s most prestigious opera houses. Known simply as La Scala, it has presented the world’s most famous opera singers over its 240 years in existence, including Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo to name just a few. It hosted the historic world premiere of perennial opera darlings, Turandot and Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini (the original Andrew Lloyd Weber). Take a tour of the magnificent gilt interior or even better, attend a performance. It will be a perfect finale to your trip to refined Milan, a thrilling modern city of history, arts, commerce, and culture.
The weird and wonderful park lies along the Mekong River as it winds south from Vientiane, the capital of Laos. It is served by an inexpensive bus from the terminal at Talat Sao in Vientiane or can be reached by tuk-tuk, the ubiquitous three-wheeled taxi. There is a small entrance fee.
Construction of the park began in 1958, initiated by Bunleua Sulilat a religious figure who created an idiosyncratic blend of Hinduism and Buddhism. Today, the public park serves as a popular tourist attraction, with visitors from all over the world riding rickety tuk-tuks and local buses to see the magnificent sculptures of animals, gods, and demons.
One of the largest sculptures is also one of the first to catch your attention. To the right of the entrance lies an enormous pumpkin-shaped sculpture, hollowed out with staircases so that visitors may climb to the top for a 360 degree view of the park. To enter the sculpture, visitors must first climb through the mouth of a terrifying demon.
A personal favorite of mine is the massive reclining Buddha, pictured below, which embodies the laid-back, relaxed attitude it behooves a traveler in Laos to take. Many visitors can be seen taking photos imitating this and other curious and impressive sculptures throughout the park.
Budget approximately an hour. Souvenir shops and snack stands can be found near the entrance. There’s seating for the weary sightseer toward the rear of the park along the river.
Beyond the Buddha Park, there’re several worthwhile attractions in and around Vientiane. The Great Sacred Stupa is a must-visit sacred monument emblematic of the country and its people. There’s also the much more recent Patuxai, a monument that celebrates victory over French colonial rule but is conspicuously French in its design — a testament to the complexity of the French legacy in the country.
What do brisket, glow-in-the-dark paddle boards, watermelon seed-spitting competitions and mermaid societies have in common? They all play an integral — and unique — role in the distinct character of Texas Hill Country. A stone’s throw from Austin proper, the idyllic region is full of surprises throughout its counties, towns and up-and-coming cities. Well beyond barbecue, a local staple that’s been drawing diners for generations, Hill Country has evolved into a thriving destination filled with restaurants, lodges, sights and activities.
Hill Country cuisine and ‘cue
When it comes to dining in Texas, barbecue is a given, especially in the Austin area, home to institutions like La Barbecue and Franklin . Venture beyond city limits, though, to find the real gems.
Named “Barbecue Capital of Texas” by the Texas legislature, Lockhart is home to icons like Smitty’s Market and Black’s BBQ as well as Kreuz Market, which has been smoking meat in brick pits since 1900. In Driftwood, The Salt Lick cooks up sausage, brisket and ribs over the same flame they’ve been tending since 1967.
Kreuz Market
Folks flock from all over to sample the goods at The Salt Lick, which has grown to include its own wines using Hill Country varietals, as well as cobbler, bison ribs and even periodic pizza nights on the patio.
Barbecue is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to food in Hill Country. Visiting the region and eating nothing but smoked meat would be tantamount to visiting New York City and eating nothing but pizza by-the-slice. Both traditional establishments and neoteric eateries throughout the region form a cohesive culinary community like no other.
This includes the quaint Texas Pie Company in Kyle, where Julie Albertson draws inspiration from her grandmother to bake desserts so delicious they’re practically single-handedly responsible for earning the town the title of “Texas’ Pie Capital.”
Some of the offerings at Crepe Crazy, which also does a bustling catering business
Then there’s the heartwarming Crepe Crazy, a deaf-owned Dripping Springs cafe with an all-deaf staff. The restaurant has created opportunities for locals who are deaf and wowed patrons with a menu that combines traditional staples and offbeat originals. A second location was recently opened in Austin.
Throughout the region, restaurants maximize local ingredients and the seasonal bounty to cook what they’re calling “Hill Country Cuisine.” Thanks to the temperate weather and year round growing seasons, there’s always plenty for chefs to work with, along with ample inspiration and regional influences, spicing up flavors with ingredients derived from Tex-Mex, New Orleans, India and beyond.
Restaurants like The Leaning Pear in Wimberley and Creek Road Café in Dripping Springs are paving the way, adapting local ingredients with inspiration found as close as the patio herb garden or as far away as Asia.
The Leaning Pear spotlights flavors indicative of Texas, Mexico and the Southwest, with items like roasted poblano pimento cheese, chicken with green chile-bacon grits and braised pork carnitas with watermelon and blue corn capricho. At Creek Road Café, the kitchen casts a global net for its eclectic menu, which features the likes of fried Gulf oysters, miso-marinated Scottish salmon and beef tenderloin filet with Duchess potatoes and Cognac cream sauce.
The Leaning Pear
One of the biggest dining surprises in all of Hill Country is Restaurant Jezebel, a tiny fine-dining space tucked inside Lockhart Bistro. The work of revered chef Parind Vora, the six-seat nook serves ever-changing, customized tasting menus based on conversations the chef has with diners when they arrive, leaving him to cook up degustations essentially on the fly. With no printed menus, each experience is totally original, drawing upon the chef’s travels, work experiences all over the world, his Indian heritage and his passion for local sourcing. At any given time, a meal at Jezebel might include hearts of palm over squid ink gazpacho, followed by a dish using turkey the chef shot himself.
From wine to sotol
Across the boozy spectrum, Hill Country has grown into a well-rounded drinking destination as well. To best dive in and experience all of it, embark on the Dripping Springs Wine Trail, an immersive DIY-style tour that includes nine local wineries, three distilleries and four breweries (bus tours are available). Featuring the best of the best, destinations include Bell Springs Winery, Deep Eddy Vodka, Duchman Family Winery, Wetcave Valley Winery and Salt Lick Cellars.
One exciting newcomer to the mix is Desert Door Distillery, a Driftwood tasting room specializing in sotol. Similar in appearance to agave plants, with a distilled flavor somewhere in between tequila and mezcal, sotol is still a rarity in the U.S. In fact, Desert Door is the first and only sotol distillery in the country, using sotol plants from West Texas to create spirited cocktails like palomas, margaritas and tomatillo Bloody Marys. Order a drink at the bar and linger in the chic lounge area, outfitted with modern, stylish furnishings inspired largely by the artsy West Texas town of Marfa.
Unique boutique accommodations
Hotels and campgrounds abound in Hill Country, but it’s the one-of-kind inns and lodges that really capitalize on the region’s character.
In Dripping Springs, The Alexander at Creek Road is a serene oasis consisting of a few intimate cottages alongside rural farmland. Bedecked with homey decor, each abode is charming and transportive.
For something more luxe, Sage Hill Inn & Spa is an elegant rural retreat set back a mile off the road in the Kyle countryside. Featuring multi-room suites, individual cabins, upscale spa, swimming pool and top-tier restaurant, this Hill Country haven is the perfect place to hole up and relax.
Sage Hill Inn
There are miles of hiking trails lining the grounds as well, winding through forests and along the river bed. In the morning, take your coffee outside to your patio and look for Kevin, the resident peacock who’s been known to strut around the common areas or chase wild turkeys.
Another unique option is the Ellison House in Lockhart. The historic farmhouse-style home has been renovated and updated to accommodate a few boutique rooms, each one stylized with art and sleek fixtures. There’s a common kitchen and living room, making it great for groups, and the fact that it’s walking distance to downtown Lockhart is a boon.
Make a splash in the San Marcos
In spite of its name, Hill Country’s star attraction is actually more aquatic. The San Marcos River is a spectacle to behold and a centerpiece for activities throughout the area.
The thing that makes the river so stunning is its tropical turquoise hue, making it look more like a Caribbean beach than a Texas river. Crystal-clear and pristine, locals and visitors frequent it for tubing, kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling, swimming and even nighttime paddle-board “glow” tours. Operated by Paddle SMTX, the one-of-a-kind activity utilizes boards with special water-proof LED lighting that glows different colors underwater. Another offbeat option is the company’s “Paddle Barge,” a giant board that can accommodate up to four paddlers.
The San Marcos River
The tropical-blue water might also explain why mermaids have become a symbol of the San Marcos River, and why the Mermaid Society of San Marcos is a thriving organization. For decades, mermaids have been local lore, thanks to a bygone theme park called Aquarena Springs, which had an underwater theater with mermaids. In 2016, the Mermaid Society hosted San Marcos’ first annual Mermaid Week as a way to bring mermaids back to local icon status, to highlight the city’s art scene and to protect and preserve the river. The festival features a mermaid parade, the “Mermaid Splash” festival and the “Mer-tini” cocktail competition.
Tried and true Texas traditions
San Marcos boasts some of the largest outlet shopping centers in the country, with destinations like Tanger Outlet Center and San Marcos Premium Outlets routinely ranked as top tourist destinations in the state each year. Basically the Texas version of the Mall of America, the outlets are home to more than 240 stores, restaurants, food courts and a free trolley service.
For something a bit more boutique, San Marcos’ historic downtown square is home to numerous independent cafes, pubs, ice cream shops and vintage stores. Paper Bear is a favorite for quirky gifts and jewelry, while Twice Blessed is a popular go-to for vintage housewares, accessories and clothes.
While Austin gets all the glory for Texas’ live music scene, its roots are deep in Hill Country. The oldest dance hall in the state, Gruene Hall, looks and feels like history. Over the years, it’s played host to new musicians and legends alike: Garth Brooks, the Dixie Chicks, George Strait and Willie Nelson have all graced these hallowed halls.
Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas
As rents continue to soar in Austin, musicians are once again turning their attention back to San Marcos, making it a win-win for Hill County denizens looking for more affordable performances in more intimate venues.
The most colorful pastime in all of Hill Country may very well be the Watermelon Thump, which has been taking place in Luling every summer since 1954. At the height of watermelon season, this small town comes together to celebrate the harvest in all kinds of unique ways over the course of four days. In addition to live music, rides, beer gardens and festival vendors, the tentpole is the watermelon seed-spitting competition. Spitters come from all over to test their skills and spit seeds as far as they can down the “spit way.” The current record for longest distance belongs to Luling resident Lee Wheelis, who spit his seed a staggering 68 feet, 9 1/8 inches. There’s also a Thump Queen who presides over the Watermelon Thump Parade, plus an auction of the biggest and best melons.
The EU’s smallest member state is on just about everybody’s must-visit list for 2018. The Maltese capital, Valletta is also the European Capital of Culture this year. Based on a combination of factors, including travel media best-of-2018 lists and our own algorithms that identify the world’s top hotels, restaurants, and attractions, we’ve named Malta the Best Overall Destination in our inaugural Experts’ Choice destination awards.
The Maltese archipelago consists of three main islands. On Malta, which gives its name to the country, you’ll find picturesque Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Scenic, hilly Gozo is known for its megalithic Ġgantija Temples. Sandwiched between the two is mostly uninhabited Comino, home to the celebrated Blue Lagoon.
Blue Lagoon, Comino
The country is home to fewer than half a million people, making it the smallest European Union country by population. The Maltese have a rich heritage that, in one way or another, embraces just about every Mediterranean people who have taken to the sea. The Maltese language reflects this — it descends from Arabic, but has only ever been written in a Latin script, with Romance languages like Sicilian and Italian having heavily influenced it over the years.
History buffs will be excited by the many well-preserved ruins that date back several thousand years, some of the oldest of their kind still standing anywhere in the world. UNESCO has recognizing their importance by naming them World Heritage sites. The Megalithic Temples of Malta site comprises the two temples of Ggantija on Gozo as well as the Hagar Qin, the Tarxien, and the Mnajdra, all on Malta.
TripExpert’s top-rated attraction in Malta is the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a vast underground complex dating back to the middle of the 3rd millennium BCE. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site in its own right. Like the other structures, it is thought to have had some religious significance, perhaps first serving as a sanctuary before becoming a necropolis.
Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
To provide context for Malta’s well-preserved ancient past, consider visiting the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta where you’ll see millennia-old artifacts, many of them from the UNESCO sites above.
Malta’s third World Heritage site is of newer vintage: construction on the city of Valletta was begun in the 16th century, following the siege of Malta. The city’s grid layout and fortifications were designed by military engineers, commissioned by the Knights of Saint John. UNESCO calls the city, “an ideal creation of the late Renaissance” notable for its “compact ensemble of 320 monuments that encapsulate every aspect of the civil, religious, artistic and military functions of its illustrious founders.”
Valletta
Some of the highest-rated attractions in the country are found here in its capital, including the Grandmaster’s Palace, the Co-Cathedral of St. John (which contains a pair of spectacular Caravaggio paintings), and the 18th-century Manoel Theatre, one of Europe’s oldest.
For culture vultures, Valletta’s present is a rich as its past. As part of its year as a European Capital of Culture, the city will welcome 1,000s of artists and host numerous exhibitions, installations, and performances. There is no shortage of excitement for Muża. The name of the new national fine arts museum is an inventive contraction of Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arti that puns on the Maltese word for ‘muse’ or ‘inspiration.’ Housed in the Auberge d’Italie, a 16th-century structure that is a work of art in its own right, Muża will contain the collection of the former national gallery as well as a host of new acquisitions.
In creating Valletta’s City Gate and the new Maltese parliament building, world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano demonstrated that the country’s contemporary architecture is culturally significant too. Created with limestone from Gozo, Piano’s creation features prominently in this year’s Capital of Culture celebrations.
The Auberge d’Italie, new home of Muża
The Guardian highlights upcoming musical festivals too — the Earth Garden festival, starting at the end of May, Malta Calls, and Kentaro!! — another sign of a fresh energy in the islands, one thats flows through Strait Street, an up-and-coming nightlife hub, and which is also enlivening the area with a host of newly-opened and about-to-open boutique hotels.
The experts’ favorite boutique hotel in the country is the Xara Palace in Mdina, the former capital. The Baroque palazzo’s 17 luxury rooms and suites are each individually designed and offer stunning views.
In its 2018 Go List, Fodor’s recommends both Casa Ellul, “a small boutique hotel in Valletta” that “offers luxury in a Victorian palazzo,” and the “tasteful Hotel Juliani, with balconies overlooking the sea” in Saint Julian’s, an area known for its beaches and nightlife.
Xara Palace
On a larger scale and also in St. Julian’s, the Hilton Malta is the island’s “first coastal luxury mega-property,” excelling “in its role as a premier destination on this busy tourist strip.” This handful is far from all of the Experts’ Choice award-winning properties — Malta is chock full of them, so be sure to visit our hotels page.
We’ve gotten this far and haven’t even shared everyone’s favorite fact about Valletta (which extends, more or less, to the whole island) — it’s the sunniest city in Europe. So even if you’re not in utter awe of the rich ancient and Renaissance history or the art and architecture, you can’t possible pass up Malta if you’re a sun-worshipper.
There are many ways to put the sun to good use, whether you want to take in the endless views of Malta’s natural beauty that it illuminates or soak it up by the sea. Some of the best views near the capital are to be had at the Upper Barrakka Gardens overlooking the Grand Harbour. For those rays, Fodor’s and the Michelin Guide agree that the beach on Ghajn Tuffieha Bay is a must — come to swim, sunbathe, and surf. Little Comino’s Blue Lagoon is movie set-gorgeous (it’s been the backdrop for several films) and is worth a day or afternoon trip from Malta or Gozo. When you’d have enough of sun and sand, leave the beach behind and hop on a boat to take in the phosphorescent beauty of the Blue Grotto, a network of sea caverns.
Everyone is talking about this year’s Experts’ Choice winner for Best Overall Destination. Malta’s a must-visit for 2018. With increased tourism and cruise ship-traffic, you’ll want to be a part of the vanguard to avoid the crowds in what’ll definitely be even more of a holiday hub down the road. When this one-of-a-kind Mediterranean nation seduces you with its history, the art and architecture, and sunshine, use TripExpert to plan your 2018 trip.
Though best known for its world-class universities, Cambridge, Massachusetts has so much more to offer than academia. With its historic museums, scenic riverside views and outdoor spaces, delicious restaurants and vibrant arts scene, Boston’s crunchy, quirky neighbor is worth a visit. So, what to do with a weekend in Cambridge?
Saturday
Start your weekend right at Crema Café in Harvard Square — a hugely popular spot with delicious coffee, pastries and a range of breakfast options. Next, take a stroll around Harvard Square, a busy shopping area with a student vibe. At the south end of the Square, visit the scenic Charles River. The Weeks Footbridge is a particularly nice spot to take it all in.
Weeks Footbridge
A little ways outside of the main campus you’ll find the Harvard Museum of Natural History, a quirky hidden gem tucked behind the chemistry labs. It’s worth a quick stop inside to at least check out the internationally acclaimed glass flower exhibit: an incredible collection of over 4,000 antique, lifelike flowers, fruits and plants hand-crafted from glass. If you’re in a museum mood, Harvard has several great ones to offer in addition to HMNH. The Harvard Art Museums, encompassing three smaller museums in a single complex, are personal favorites.
Glass flowers at the Harvard Museum of Natural History
Tatte Café in Harvard Square is your destination for lunch. With several locations around Cambridge and Boston, this bakery and cafe offers delicious salads, sandwiches and baked goods. The grilled halloumi salad is tough to beat.
Head towards the famed Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It’s an easy T ride away (that’s Massachusetts for “subway”), or get in the Cambridge spirit and grab a bike from the Hubway bike-share service ($6 for a day-pass). Duck into the MIT Museum for quirky science exhibits and great gifts for the nerd in your life. Don’t miss the Hall of Hacks, where you’ll learn about MIT students’ elaborate pranks through the ages. Then, go check out one of the more famous hacks: the Harvard Bridge spanning the Charles River, measured and marked in “Smoots,” a nonstandard unit of measurement that corresponded to the height of MIT freshman Oliver Smoot in 1958. (He repeatedly lay down all the way across the bridge while his fraternity brothers marked out the measurements; the bridge came to 364.4 smoots, plus or minus one ear — leave it to MIT students to include the margin of error).
MIT Museum
Need a costume or a quirky wardrobe reboot? The Garment District / Dollar-A-Pound, a legendary Cambridge “Alternative Department Store,” is the place for you: the ground floor is an actual pile of second-hand clothes, shoes, accessories and other treasures you never knew you needed that costs one dollar per pound; upstairs is a sizeable store offering vintage, second-hand and new items in a more traditional format (i.e. the clothes are on hangers).
The Garment District
Not in the mood to shop? Take a detour to the Taza Chocolate factory store, a very bikeable and not un-walkable trip from the MIT area (technically just over the border in the town of Somerville) and a must-visit for chocolate-lovers. Tour their facilities, learn about their sustainable chocolate production processes and, most importantly, sample their terrific stone-ground chocolate products to your heart’s content.
Taza Chocolate factory store
Make your way to Central Square: an official Massachusetts State Cultural District, this is a neighborhood filled with character and known for its ethnic restaurants, bars, live music and theater. There are lots of great dinner options up and down Massachusetts Ave. Dosa Factory — tucked in the back of an Indian grocery store — offers delicious South Indian dosas (lentil crepes) in a no-frills setting (the roasted eggplant is seriously good). Up Mass Ave a little ways towards Harvard Square is Dumpling House, a Chinese joint hugely popular with locals. Or embrace the Cambridge ethos at Life Alive veggie/vegan café in the heart of Central Square; trust me, you don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to enjoy your meal there.
A Central Square mural
After dinner, hit up ImprovBoston, improvisational theater right in the heart of the Square. Head to Brick & Mortar before or after the show for terrific, creative cocktails in a sleek, hidden upstairs space. In the mood for something else instead? Make your way back to Harvard Square for a milkshake or beer and a round of pool in Tasty Burger’s basement bar. If it’s live music you’re after, head around the corner to Beat Hotel, a bohemian venue offering live jazz, blues, R&B and other genres.
ImprovBoston performers
Sunday
Kick off Day 2 with a delicious Middle Eastern brunch at Sofra, right on the edge of Cambridge but definitely worth the trip (on the 71/73 bus route or an easy bike ride). Go on the early side or be prepared to wait — it gets pretty packed on the weekends, a testament to its deliciousness.
Sofra
Head a few blocks east to Mount Auburn Cemetery — the first landscape-designed cemetery in the country. This National Historic Landmark, complete with scenic walking paths and a tower with great views of Cambridge and Boston, is an oasis of calm worth exploring. Birdwatchers will be delighted by mergansers, wood ducks, warblers, and a host of other avian visitors. History buffs flocked to the cemetery for the chance to visit the gravesites of a number of famous individuals, including famed American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy, and antislavery politician Charles Sumner.
Washington Tower, Mount Auburn Cemetery
Make your way back towards Harvard Square and take part in one of Greater Boston’s favorite and most serious pastimes: eating ice cream. Even in a blizzard, you’ll find ice cream stores across the region not only open but busy. Get in on the ritual at J.P. Licks in Harvard Square, one of the top ice cream spots in the area. Check out some of the Cambridge arts scene next. Head to a show at Club Passim, a well-known folk music club with a laid-back vibe, featuring local musicians; check out the Cambridge Artists Cooperative Gallery; or see what’s on at the Harvard Film Archive, which screens films Friday through Monday on a wide range of themes.
Club Passim
Head for dinner at Night Market, a hip underground space serving up Asian street food. If you’re in the mood for somewhere with less graffiti, The Red House is another top choice, offering a diverse farm-to-table menu in a converted historic house.
Our new Experts’ Choice destination awards work from must-visit lists for 2018, travel media coverage, and our own proprietary algorithm to identify the hottest spots to visit this year in every region of the globe. Greater Cairo, a cultural crossroads and Africa’s second-largest urban area, is our inaugural winner for Best African Destination.
Millions call Cairo home and millions more visit the city every year. Egypt’s tourism sector was impacted by the 2011 Arab Spring and the events that followed, but the United Nations World Tourism Organization ranked Egypt second worldwide for the percentage increase in visitor numbers last year.
The recovery’s caught the attention of publications like The Guardian, which has placed the Egyptian capital on their 2018 hot list. Buzziest among their reasons to return to Egypt or to visit for the first time is the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), due to partially open any month now in the immediate vicinity of the pyramids.
Rendering of the Grand Egyptian Museum
Many of Egypt’s most famous antiquities will be moved to the new state-of-the-art facility from the beautiful but cramped Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square. King Tutankhamen’s famous golden mask will make the move in November, it was recently announced. Other artifacts associated with the famous pharaoh have already been moved from the Luxor Museum.
As in the case of its grand new museum, what’s old here is new again. Many of the most famous draws to Cairo are historic sites and museums celebrating Egypt’s rich ancient, Coptic, and Islamic heritage. These include the Coptic Museum, which Concierge calls a “bridge between the art of ancient Egypt and the Islamic era,” and the Museum of Islamic Arts, called by the Michelin Guide, “one of the world’s most exceptional collections of Islamic art.”
Museum of Islamic Arts
Cairo’s many mosques are a gorgeous hallmark of the city, one often forgotten by those who think of Egypt in terms of pharaohs and pyramids. The Mosque of Ibn Tulun dates to the 9th century making it the oldest original mosque that continues to function in the country. The Al-Azhar, a century newer than that of Ibn Tulun, anchors one of the most prestigious centers of learning in the Muslim world.
Newer on the scene, the six-hundred-year-old Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hasan are “Monumental examples of Mameluke architecture and engineering, and should be high on your list of things to see,” according to Frommer’s. Then there’s the Al-Hakim Mosque, the Mosque of Amr Ibn El-Aas — the list of these spectacular places of worship is almost endless.
Mosque of Ibn Tulun
There are also historically significant Christian sites in Cairo: the Hanging Church in the heart of Coptic Cairo dates back to the 7th century while the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus is said to be built over a cave where the Holy Family took refuge during their flight from Herod.
Steeped in thousands of years in history, Cairo is nevertheless anything but a fossil. It’s full of life, which you’ll find at sites like the Khan al-Khalili, a colorful souk crammed with people and wares. If you wind your way down the right alley here, you’ll find yourself at the celebrated Naguib Mahfouz Café, a respite from the busyness, or seek out refreshing mint lemonade and shisha at El Fishawy.
Al-Fishawy Café
Al-Azhar Park, the lungs of Cairo, offer a more relaxed environment to rub elbows with locals. For a small entry fee, you can stroll the landscaped green space, taking in views of the city’s varied skyline. There are several decent restaurants on the premises here, too, like Citadel View, named for the nearby Citadel.
Al-Azhar Park
After full days of sightseeing, especially if you hit Cairo during the majority of the year when temperatures are high, you’ll want your hotel to be a haven. As befits a cosmopolitan capital, Cairo boasts world-class hotels like the Experts’ Choice-winning Four Seasons Hotel at Nile Plaza, which Fodor’s calls the “most sophisticated address in the city […] the top place to see and be seen.”
Hotel Longchamps, on the leafy island of Zamalek, is not a chain luxury property, but rather, “feels more like a Parisian private house than a hotel,” according to Insight Guides. It’s one of the best values for money in the city, but only has 22 rooms, so can be hard to book.
The Four Seasons at Nile Plaza
In the vein of large and luxurious, the Fairmont Cairo, Nile City, is among the best. Sitting Nileside, the hotel has smart Art Deco interiors and offers guests a number of restaurants and bars as well as a spa. Near the pyramids at Giza is the Mena House Hotel, built in the 19th century as a hunting lodge for Khedive Ismail. Pay a little more for rooms with views of the pyramids themselves.
On the rebound, this vibrant city at the crossroads of Africa and Middle East, is worth your while in 2018. As safe to visit, according to the U.S. State Department, as many European destinations, Cairo should be on your itinerary for both its ancient allure and future-focused vibrancy.
Amsterdam flourishes within an extraordinary setting of gabled brick houses, magnificent public buildings, and tidy canals that weave through the heart of the city with sliced-apple-pie order. There is artwork galore and streets to rest easy and ponder it all.
The 17th-century was a Golden Age for the Netherlands. The Dutch East India Company brought precious spices from the Far East and Holland’s hybrid tulips were a booming speculative market. Amsterdam was the center of the world. The city grew powerful and beautiful. Today it remains a livable city for the ages. For most of its history, Amsterdam has been the world’s most liberal city. Not just freethinking and free love, but also the kind of liberalism that nourished America’s political and economic freedom. New York City’s Financial District grew out of Fort Amsterdam, which was built on the southern tip of Manhattan in 1625.
Getting in
Getting to the heart of the city is easy. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol ranks among the most efficient airports in Europe and one of TripExpert’s favorites worldwide for a long layover. A train departs every 10 minutes for Central Station, a beauty of a Gothic-Renaissance Revival structure through which 260,000 people pass every day. The Holland Tourist Information Office (near baggage belt 8) sells a transport pass valid for one, two or three days (15, 20 or 25 euros). It’s good for the airport train and all public transport in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam Central Station
From Central Station it’s a five-minute walk to Dam Square, where in the 13th-century a dam was built around the river Amstel. Today the massive square is often a swirl of street performers and food stalls. Fronting it is the 17th-century Royal Palace Amsterdam, which is open to visitors most days (check their website).
Royal Palace Amsterdam
Across the square from the palace is Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, the largest five-star hotel in the Netherlands and home to one of the best French restaurants in the city (The White Room). The linen is as crisp as fresh dollar bills in both the hotel and restaurant.
If you’re more interested in mingling with locals than sightseeing, on a narrow street near Dam Square you’ll find Van Kerkwijk (Nes 41), a popular eating and watering hole to plumb the zeitgeist of Old Amsterdam. The dishes range from Italian classics to Indonesian curries, but they’re best known for gamey house pâté and seasoned steaks served with French fries.
The Museum Quarter
A 20-minute walk from Dam Square is the Rijksmuseum (admission, 17.50 euros), the national repository of Dutch art and history. It’s the grandest of several top-shelf museums in Amsterdam and home to Rembrandt’s masterpiece “The Night Watch.” Close by are the Van Gogh Museum (17 euros), the Stedelijk Museum (a vortex of modern and contemporary art, 15 euros), and the Concertgebouw, which often features free concerts on Wednesday afternoons. Both the Rijksmuseum and Stedelijk Museum have recently had multiyear, multimillion-euro renovations.
The Rijksmuseum
For dining in the museum district we like the authentic Indonesian cooking at Sama Sebo (Hooftstraat 27). The history between the Netherlands and Indonesia is tangled and this neighborhood restaurant brings it back home. Our favorite high-end hotel in the museum district is Conservatorium Hotel (Van Baerlestraat 27), a former music conservatory located across from the Van Gogh Museum and reworked by Italian architect and interior designer Piero Lissoni. The hotel’s hip bar and Taiko restaurant (Asian-fusion cuisine) are popular with Amsterdam’s avant-garde artists and professionals.
Touring
So let’s venture a little further. A canal cruise is a lulu of a way to get acquainted with the old city. Three cruise operators recommended by the Amsterdam tourist office include Lovers, Amsterdam Canal Cruises and Gray Line Canal Cruises. Generally the tours last one-to-two hours and cost around 20 euros. The scenery scrolling by is the heart and soul of Amsterdam.
Another popular way to tour Amsterdam is from the seat of a rented bicycle. Almost half inner-inner city transport is by two wheels. The bike lanes are crowded so keep your head on a swivel. Reputable bike rental shops include Yellow Bike and MacBike. Prices range from 6 euros per hour to 15 euros for 24 hours, but vary depending on the type of bike.
A canal cruise
Come evening, when you’re pedalled or cruised out, you can check in at the Park Plaza Victoria Amsterdam, a four-star, modern hotel across from Central Station. It’s built around tiny houses from the 17th-century, homes that stood their ground against development.
Other nearby accommodations includes Art’otel (Prins Hendrikkade), a high-tech modern, mind-blowing art-chic five-star with a cool bar and its own art gallery.
Looking for a Dutch coffee and a room with a view? We like the Central Library’s (Oosterdokskade 143) seventh-floor café (open 10 am to 10 pm). But our favorite coffee spot is Cafe Papeneiland at the corner of the Prinsengracht and the Brouwersgracht. It’s one of Amsterdam’s infamous “brown cafés,” where interior walls are stained from centuries of tobacco smoke from patrons.
Follow the cobbles
Canal cruises and bicycles are fine, but mostly we like to walk the cobbled streets of the neighborhoods in old Amsterdam. Our favorite is the Jordaan, a tight community of radical thinkers who like to celebrate life along gorgeous streets lined with galleries and bars.
Working-class Jordaan starts west of Central Station and winds around the Canal Ring, Amsterdam’s true north, which in 2010 was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2013, it celebrated its 400th birthday. On Saturdays, the 120-year-old Lindengracht market attracts locals and visitors with more than 200 stalls of produce, cheese, clothing and crafts. And finally, we don’t recommend a crawl through the green coffee shops here in Europe’s marijuana capital, even though pot-legal establishments are plentiful in Amsterdam. Barney’s Uptown (Haarlemmerstraat 105), a five-minute walk from Central Station, is arguably the best, so we’ve been told. They also serve meals and drinks amid the purple haze.
