As a travel writer lucky enough to roam around the world and lucky enough (and then some) to stay in some of the most amazing hotels, I can’t complain for a moment. But after visiting with the owner of The Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento, Italy, I have to say I’m a little wistful that I haven’t had a chance to try this sumptuous property. A new hotel with all the bells and whistles is great, but the places that speak to me most are the ones with great history, amazing settings, and a true sense of place. As Read more
Europe
Canadian travellers are looking for information for places such as the Turks and Caicos, Peru, Portugal and San Antonio. They’re also looking for deals, sports and art-oriented trips, celestial travel and a taste of cowboy culture. Leading global travel app Skyscanner today unveiled its annual travel trends report, revealing deep insights into Canadian traveller behaviour and spending for the coming year. Using proprietary data, a specially commissioned survey of more than 18,000 travellers and trusted industry insights, Skyscanner’s Travel Trends report reveals all you need to know about travel for Canadians in 2025 – from the top 10 trending and best value destinations to Read more
I skipped past pretty cliffside homes painted in shades of pale yellow and robin’s egg blue that looked down on the deep green Atlantic Ocean. I was almost paralyzed with fear from driving a monstrously large SUV down shrub-lined roads built for Austin Minis. I read sad stories about shipwrecks, wandered into funky boutiques and deeply inhaled the salty sea air. I recently spent four days in Cornwall, England, traipsing along the coast in search of the perfect seaside village. I found a fistful of beauties; some bathed in the kind of light you’d see in an Impressionist painting and Read more
The crowds are gone. But the weather’s still pretty good. Fall is a fabulous time of year to explore European cities and villages. Here are some of my favorite places to check out in Europe in autumn, including Portugal, Italy, France and Austria. WESTERN ALGARVE, PORTUGAL We stayed in the village of Burgau, Portugal a few years ago with friends, and absolutely loved it. It’s a small, huggable little town with several nice restaurants, but it’s not as well-known as other villages on the Algarve and never seemed crowded with visitors. You’ll find fabulous hiking along the cliffs in both Read more
I always knew I was ahead of my time. Okay, all joking aside, I was happy to read in Travel + Leisure magazine that a poll of 2,000 U.S. travellers found that Maui is the most romantic place on earth. The magazine said that FunJet Vacations recently released the findings of a poll it conducted with Talker Research looking into the most romantic destinations in the world. After polling 2,000 “general population Americans” to find out their preferred spots for romance, it turned out that Maui led the way, with 34% of respondents naming it the most romantic destination in Read more
