All sorts of fabulous adventures await almost as soon as you step off the plane in Nadi. Since almost all visitors arrive here, via Fiji’s largest airport, why not drop the bags and start your island adventure straight away? Atmospheric local restaurants, easy access to Viti Levu ’s key attractions, and a spread of luxury resorts mean there’s an abundance of activities and experiences to fill at least the first two days of a perfect vacation.

Day One

Morning

If you’re staying at one of the large resorts on Denarau Island, melt away your travel fatigue at your hotel: grab breakfast, take a dip in the pool or head to the spa.

The marina here acts as a springboard to the spectacular Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands. Arguably Fiji ’s most divine drawcards, these 50-odd islands attract tons of romantics, resort-hoppers and roving families for their sugar-soft sands, eye-poppingly blue waters and enchanting escapism. Day-trip to one of the nearby islands such as Malamala Island, Tivua Island, or kid-friendly South Sea Island.

The Cloud 9 floating platform – a 45-minute speedboat transfer from the mainland – is a stylish spot for sunbathing, cocktail sipping, swimming and taking in views of the magnificent Mamanucas.

Afternoon

Ready for lunch? There are plenty of satisfying options in the nicely compact Nadi Town, including local favorite Tata’s. After sweating over some delicious Indo-Fijian curry, stretch those legs and spend the afternoon exploring on foot.

A short walk from Tata’s brings you to the riotously bright Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple, where you’re in for another sensory wake-up. This Hindu temple is one of the few places outside India where you can see traditional Dravidian architecture. Admire its multi-colored paintwork, ceiling frescos and wooden carvings of deities.

Next head to the handicraft market, where you’ll find everything from traditional kava bowls to bright fabrics, carved wooden boxes, masks and colorful bags. It’s your best bet for locally produced souvenirs, and the friendly stallholders are often in the mood for an interesting chat.

Evening

For dinner, head back to Port Denarau and treat yourself to a Fijian sunset looking west over the Mamanucas. Cardo's Steakhouse, Lulu’s and Rhum-Ba are all good options for a meal with a view.

Day Two

Morning

Use this day to explore Viti Levu. Scores of operators offer half-day tours of local attractions, with popular destinations including the Garden of the Sleeping Giant (a lush plantation ablaze with more than 2000 orchid varieties), Sabeto Hot Springs (an outdoor natural thermal mud spa: bring your swimsuit) and Viseisei village (the country’s oldest settlement and locally famous as the landing site of the first Fijians).

If it’s real action you’re after, head to the Coral Coast, a 50-mile swathe skirting Viti Levu’s southwest. The region starts about an hour’s drive from Nadi and is renowned as a thrillseekers’ hotspot. Surfing and snorkeling are popular draws, as is a slippery stagger up the Sigatoka Sand Dunes, Fiji’s first national park and home to ancient dunes up to 190ft high. Despite its name, many of the Coral Coast’s best attractions lie not on the shoreline but in its lush interior, dubbed ‘Fiji’s salad bowl’: take a jetboat ride up the Sigatoka River, or hit Kula WILD Adventure Park for wildlife encounters and zipline thrills.

Afternoon

For those who prefer to spend the day in Denarau, sign up for an afternoon cooking class with Flavours of Fiji. This school holds a three-hour kaiviti magiti (local feast) course (11am-2pm), teaching guests how to create Fijian and Indian dishes, as well as tropical desserts. Kids eight years and older are welcome to join.

Evening

Whether you’ve tempted your taste buds with a cooking class or need some serious sustenance after a day of adventure, it’s time to round off a superb 48 hours in Nadi with dinner. Eco Café on Queen’s Road does a mean wood-fired pizza, or you could try fresh seafood prepared Fijian-style at Tu’s Place next door.

If you still have some energy left, while away the last hours of the night at nearby Ed’s Bar, one of Nadi’s best drinking spots; or visit the atmospheric beer garden at New Nadi Farmer's Club, where most evenings there’s fire dancing and live music for entertainment.

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The largest city in the state of Georgia and its shining capital, Atlanta is one of the top cultural highlights of the American South. As a destination for vacationing first-time visitors or families, Atlanta can be explored in one mild wintery weekend as the Downtown neighborhood checks off almost all of the major tourist boxes and family-friendly attractions.

Adventurous and long-term travelers will want to add a few days or more to their itinerary to get a feel for Atlanta’s many dynamic neighborhoods, arranged in small clusters throughout the city, each with its own unique and distinct atmosphere. Here are the best neighborhoods to explore on your visit to Atlanta this winter.

Buckhead

Best neighborhood for shopping

Buckhead is a popular neighborhood known for its pristine streets, convenient central location and a melting pot of talented and stylish young professionals. Peachtree Street and Roswell Road are the two main drags and are always bustling with 20- and 30-somethings grabbing happy hour at upbeat, chic bars or visiting an independent gallery. The neighborhood is both trendy and walkable with some great shops, head to Buckhead Village District a mall with a distinct community feel.

North Buckhead is home to Lenox Mall, an air-conditioned oasis for high-summer travelers looking for a mall full of the household brands everyone knows and loves and Phipps Plaza, the Atlantan equivalent of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, is perfect for higher-end label lovers. These shopping areas can be busy but, in classic Atlanta fashion, the area also maintains many lush yards full of greenery and trees making shopping a relaxing retreat rather than a hectic experience.

Buckhead’s hotel scene is also undeniably the best in the city, but it will cost you. The majority of the city’s five-star hotels can be found in this neighborhood, but smaller hotels with local charm and excellent service also abound. This neighborhood is the perfect combination of the hustle and bustle of any major city but with some added low-key Southern charm and dazzle.

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Inman Park

Best neighborhood for nightlife

Located in East Atlanta, the Inman Park neighborhood offers the city’s characteristic tree-lined streets alongside gorgeous well-appointed Victorian homes. The architecture in this neighborhood is truly one of a kind, with idyllic fantasy homes built in complex colorful designs and including unique quirks like castle turrets, multiple porches, stained glass and intricately designed wrought-iron fences. However, after hours, the area turns from a classical walkabout to a party-goer's dream and hosts some of the greatest nightlife that Atlanta has to offer.

Park the rental car because this neighborhood is easily walkable day and night and the Eastside Beltline Trail offers bike and walking trails for easy perusing. Charming wine bars, fun brunch cafes, multi-course dining restaurants and busy nightclubs playing the music industry’s best are plentiful.

The area is known for its “hip but not quite hipster” crowd of inhabitants of all ages, races and generations but its whimsical architecture always seems to add a youthful excitement to the night. Best of all, Inman Park is conveniently sandwiched between many of East Atlanta’s most entertaining neighborhoods including easy access to Reynoldstown, Little Five Points, Poncey-Highland, Old Fourth Ward and Cabbagetown. Krog Street Tunnel, a famous location for rotating street art, connects Inman Park to two of its neighbors, Reynoldstown and Cabbagetown. This nightlife gem is not to be missed.

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Midtown

Best neighborhood for budget travelers

Just north of Atlanta’s city center is the ever-evolving neighborhood of Midtown. Located directly between Downtown Atlanta and Buckhead, Midtown is a welcome refuge for first-time visitors who want to be close to some of Atlanta’s greatest attractions without staying directly in the busy central zone.

Midtown is both residential and commercial, giving it a pleasantly relaxed atmosphere and is also where you can find the widest selection of affordable lodging in Atlanta. Travelers looking to save will not be disappointed by the availability of budget-friendly entertainment options and tidy, comfortable places to stay and play. Piedmont Park is one to check out with its beautiful bucolic park full of greenery, fresh air and eclectic visitors of all kinds taking advantage of its many resources.

Bike, cycle and walking paths weave throughout the park and the low-key atmosphere lends itself to anything from meeting friends for a stroll and a picnic to enjoying a local jazz show or walking history tour. One can walk through the green expanses of the Atlanta Botanic Garden, have a gourmet snack at Ponce City Market, catch a show at Alliance Theater and enjoy a fun night out at Lava Lounge, all in one day. The area is also known as Atlanta’s “Heart of the Arts” with top-notch art museums and galleries opening their doors for surprisingly affordable entrance fees. For travelers on a budget, Midtown wins big.

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Norcross

Best kept secret

For a calm respite from the hustle and bustle of the main metro areas of Atlanta, Norcross is the perfect secret hideaway. This diverse enclave, a short drive out of the city center, is chock full of relaxing and beautifully kept parks, charming libraries and a wide variety of local and international food options. The neighborhood’s Thrasher Park often hosts lively art installations, concerts and events, a thriving farmers market and has plenty of fun playgrounds suitable for children of all ages.

Lodging is affordable and even the most centrally located hotels and B&Bs are not extravagantly priced. Norcross’ true claim to fame and, perhaps, one of the best-kept secrets of the area, is its 112-acre downtown area. Picture perfect like a scene from a classic movie, the quaint downtown is lined with row upon row of historic townhouses and brick buildings, old-fashioned street lamps and good old-fashioned down-home Southern mom-and-pop shops.

Lillian Webb Park is a stone’s throw from downtown and covers nearly 4 lush acres, including a charming gazebo and water activities for children in the summer months. Georgia’s stunning Blue Ridge Mountains are also not far from Norcross, so for travelers with a hiking excursion on the agenda, this is the perfect home base. If you’re looking for the perfect petite vacation from your vacation, this is an ideal location to take a break before diving back into the busy Atlanta Metro Area.

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Downtown

Best neighborhood for sightseeing

Bright, busy, and exciting, Downtown Atlanta is the city’s top destination for sightseeing and home to its most world-famous attractions. From the top of amazing sights like the Skyview Atlanta, a soaring 20-story-high Ferris wheel, you can take in sweeping views of the entire city and its famous tree canopy. The majority of the neighborhood’s best offerings are all located within minutes of one another, so downtown’s real joy is its easy access to the glitz and glamour on display. Centennial Park, where the 2006 Summer Olympic Games took place, is its own unique district of downtown and maintains one single priority: entertainment. The area is always rife with activity with locals and tourists rushing from sights like the 71,000 seat Mercedes Benz stadium to standout historical landmarks like the King Center and family-friendly gems like Georgia Aquarium.

Downtown is at the crux of everything Atlanta is known for, historic roots, style, delicious dining, athletics, arts and culture. Hundreds of dining options are readily available whether you are searching for a stadium hot dog, cocktails and appetizers, or a five-course meal. Staying in this neighborhood is on the pricier end due to high property costs, but the five-star luxury experience it affords is “Southern Hospitality” to the extreme. For families, this area also boasts dozens of breezy and pleasant walking areas suitable for young children and stroller-friendly meandering.

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From small, farm-sourced restaurant menus to guesthouse stays, community tours and Afro-Puerto Rican cultural workshops, Puerto Rico is strengthening its sustainable tourism scene.

Beyond the major hotels and natural sights that have reopened since COVID-19 and Hurricane Maria, there is a significant shift in mindset wherein local experiences and cultural immersion are taking center stage, including a big push to preserve or create all that’s homegrown on la isla.

Here's a guide to traveling Puerto Rico sustainably.

1. Food hop in Old San Juan

Sign up for a three-hour walk with Spoon Food Tours and get to know locals’ favorites for coffee, snacks and meals served at family-run businesses that continue to thrive in gentrified Old San Juan.

The morning kicks off at Don Ruiz Coffee Shop – tucked inside the Cuartel de Ballaja, a former military barracks turned cultural center and shopping courtyard, across El Morro Fortress. Try the mallorca – a sweet and savory pastry stuffed with toasted ham and cheese, sprinkled with powdered sugar – and wash it down with a cup of single origin coffee harvested from the 19th-century Ruiz plantation 3000ft above sea level in the mountains of Yauco. While Hurricane Maria destroyed 70 percent of the plantation's crops, it has been replanting coffee trees.

Learn about the historical context of food in San Juan and elsewhere in Puerto Rico before and after Maria, as you sample iconic dishes like slow-roasted pork, served at a traditional ‘fonda’ – a family-owned restaurant where the owner can be seen behind the kitchen counter, cooking from her grandmother’s recipes. In-season fresh fruit juices and desserts from a chinchorro or local snack bar are also part of this culinary deep dive.

2. Immerse in Afro-Puerto Rican culture in Loíza

The seaside town of Loíza in the Piñones region, a 20-minute drive east of San Juan, is known as the heart of Afro-Puerto Rican culture and the birthplace of bomba. Head straight to the Corporación Piñones Se Integra (COPI) non-profit organization’s community center, located at the entrance to town.

Its outdoor murals are hard to miss, featuring Afro-boricua women in colorful headwraps and voluminous dresses, while the interior shines with an open floor space and stage for year-round bomba dancing and drumming workshops. At the back, a lagoon-facing boardwalk attracts iguanas, hikers and bikers.

As COPI founder, sociologist and activist Maricruz Rivera Clemente explains to visitors, bomba isn’t just a folkloric dance – it's ancestral heritage, a form of spirituality and a language that unites Afro-Caribbean people.

When you sign up for a bomba workshop with COPI, rather than tour operators offering the activity elsewhere to attract tourists, it ensures you'll receive accurate information on the history of Loiza, as well as an understanding of the past and present socio-political struggles of marginalized Black Puerto Rican communities in Puerto Rico.It also means your travel dollars directly benefit COPI’s cultural preservation work and its role as a support and educational system for current and future Afro-boricua generations in Piñones.

After a historical introduction, it’s time for lunch. You could choose from any of the roadside kiosks lining Loiza’s main road, but a great pick is the seaside Mi Casita restaurant serving alcapurrias – deep-fried yucca-based fritters stuffed with meat – and sweet-plantain mofongo stuffed with fish, chicken or seafood.

Women will change into traditional skirts post-lunch for the bomba workshop, where you’ll learn the various rhythms and steps performed in response to live drummers. Drumming lessons are also available at COPI, as well as rental bikes to explore the boardwalk.

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3. Join Local Guest’s community experiences

A women-led social enterprise and tour company, Local Guest offers immersive experiences around the island, headed by local groups and entrepreneurs. Founders Carmen Portela and Monica Perez’s aim is to decentralize mass tourism in Puerto Rico and direct visitors towards culture and nature-rich communities, in turn providing the areas with a sustainable income.

Unique experiences include caving in Morovis, taking a Taino pottery workshop or kayaking Puerto Rico’s longest river Rio La Plata. Local Guest also runs a non-profit arm, which matches small volunteer groups with a variety of established community-based organizations’ ongoing restoration projects for long-term impact.

4. Stay at an organic farm on Vieques

An encouraging departure from larger hotels eyeing the island post-Maria, the new Puerto Rican owned Finca Victoria is a two-and-a-half-acre botanical farm guesthouse tucked in the hills at the heart of the island.

A 10-minute drive to Vieques’ stunning beaches, this renovated, eco-conscious property oozes relaxation, from its natural pool-facing wooden communal house to its medicinal plant garden. Think complimentary yoga on the sundeck every morning plus local farm-sourced vegetarian breakfasts, while cottage suites boast king-size beds, outdoor showers, ready-to-go beach bags, organic made-in-Puerto Rico bath products and your own porch with a mini-organic garden growing herbs and fruits.

There’s a treehouse for the adventurous, plus a shop selling a collection of jewelry, beauty products and arts and crafts all made by Puerto Rican talent.

5. Explore Calle Loiza's farm-to-table dining scene

The island’s over 90% dependence on food exports became evident when Maria struck. Since then, a consciousness has taken root to collaborate with local farmers in growing or recovering crops and to source locally where possible. One of the most popular areas where this farm-to-table movement is visible is Calle Loiza in San Juan, where fresh dining options have popped up.

Grab breakfast at Tostado*, which features a menu that’s locally sourced and organic, from the sourdough bread to the goat cheese – an improbability as recently as five years ago.

The Dreamcatcher hosts a four-course, locally sourced vegan dinner series every month – reserve your table ahead of time – and features rotating local chefs who whip up plates like fried rice with Asian orange sesame cauliflower while you watch.

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City streets and cow-dotted pastures, windswept beaches and forest-covered mountains: Massachusetts offers an incredible diversity of landscapes. The state is small, but its scenery will satisfy your craving for eye candy (surely the foremost requirement for a rewarding road trip).

When you're ready for a pit stop, the Commonwealth has you covered, with a tantalizing spread of local specialties, such as fruit and vegetables straight from the farm and succulent seafood right out of the ocean. So fuel up, because you have a lot to do.

Massachusetts trips show off four centuries of dramatic history, rich displays of artistry and creativity and thrilling opportunities for outdoor adventure. Here are the six best Massachusetts road trips.

Coastal New England

Travel stats: 6-8 days; 240 miles

This drive follows the southern New England coast. A week of whale-watching, maritime museums and sailboats will leave you feeling pleasantly waterlogged.

From a pirate's perspective, there was no better base in Colonial America than Newport, given the easy access to trade routes and friendly local merchants. Until 1723, that is, when the new governor ceremoniously hanged 26 sea bandits at Gravelly Point.

This classic trip highlights the region's intrinsic connection to the sea, from upstart pirates to upper-crust merchants, from Gloucester fisherfolk to New Bedford whalers, from clipper ships to submarines.

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Pilgrim Trail

Travel stats: 4-5 days; 147 miles

Your car is a time machine, transporting you back 400 years. The region's living museums allow you to experience firsthand what life was like for the colonists as they settled in the New World. Explore the sites and structures – churches and trading posts, homesteads and grist mills – that are still standing from those early days.

Cape Cod & the Islands

Travel stats: 5-7 days; 128 miles

A drive down the cape offers a beach for every mood. Besides sun, surf and sand, there are lighthouses to climb, oysters to eat, art and antiques to buy, and trails to hike.

As the sun sets and the sky darkens, you slide your car into place alongside dozens of others facing the massive screen. Roll down the window, feel the salty breeze and recline your seat. After an exhilarating day at the beach, it's time to sit back and enjoy a double feature at the drive-in. Sounds like something out of a 1950s fantasy? It's summer on Cape Cod.

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Around Cape Ann

Travel stats: 2-3 days; 54 miles

Somebody – a New Englander, no doubt – once said that “the humble clam…reaches its quintessence when coated and fried.” The big-bellied bivalve – lightly battered and deeply fried – supposedly originated in Essex, Massachusetts, so Cape Ann is an ideal place to sample the New England specialty. This North Shore route takes you from clam shack to clam shack, with breaks in between eating for beachcombing, bird-watching, gallery hopping and plenty of picture-taking.

Berkshire Back Roads

Travel stats: 2-3 days; 31 miles

These country roads offer a mix of cultural riches, sweet farmland and mountain scenery. In summer, enjoy music and dance in the open air; in autumn, indulge in apples straight from the orchard.

Pack a picnic of farm-fresh fruit and local cheese, spread your blanket on the lush green lawns, and settle in for an evening of world-class music under the stars. Or world-class dance. Or Shakespeare. Or experimental theater. Indeed, for every day you spend hiking the hills and photographing the scenery, you can spend an evening taking in a cultural masterwork.

Mohawk Trail

Travel stats: 2-3 days; 46 miles

New England's oldest scenic highway offers invigorating art and architecture, stimulating action and adventure, and spectacular mountain scenery – everything you need for a weekend getaway.

The road winds ever upward. Suddenly, around a bend, there's a clearing in the forest and the landscape sprawls out in a colorful tapestry, yielding views across the valley and into neighboring states.

Welcome to the Western Summit of the Mohawk Trail, a 63-mile stretch of scenic byway, showing off raging rivers, idyllic farms and forest-covered mountains. Drivers, beware: it's practically impossible to keep your eyes on the road.

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We’ve all heard the descriptions of Istanbul being a bridge between Europe and Asia, a place where East meets West and where cultures have coexisted for centuries. But not everyone is aware of its endlessly fascinating contradictions.

Here are the top things to do in Istanbul to experience the city’s different stories and faces.

Marvel at the Aya Sofya

History resonates when you visit the majestic Byzantine basilica of Aya Sofya. Built by order of the Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, its soaring dome, huge nave and glittering gold mosaics contribute to its reputation as one of the world's most beautiful buildings, and its fascinating history as church, mosque and museum make it the city's most revealing time capsule. Looted by marauding Crusaders in the 13th century, stormed by Ottoman invaders during the Conquest in 1453 and visited by millions of tourists after being converted into a museum in 1935, it is one of Turkey's greatest treasures.

Since its reconsecration as a mosque in summer 2020, the Aya Sofya is closed to non-worshippers during the five daily prayer times, women must cover their heads and all visitors must take off their shoes to enter the inner narthex. Most of the building’s ancient marble floor has been covered by carpets, some of its mosaics are shielded by retractable screens and the upper gallery is inaccessible, but its historic grandeur remains breathtaking.

Experience the extravagance of Topkapı Palace

The secrets of the seraglio will be revealed during your visit to the opulent Ottoman Topkapı Palace complex occupying the promontory of Istanbul's Old City. A series of mad, sad and downright bad sultans lived here with their concubines and courtiers between 1465 and 1830, and extravagant relics of their centuries of folly, intrigue, excess, patronage, diplomacy and war are everywhere you look. Highlights include the huge Harem, impressive Imperial Council Chamber, object-laden Imperial Treasury and picturesque Marble Terrace.

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Lose yourself in Istanbul's Bazaar District

The chaotic and colorful Grand Bazaar is the best-known shopping destination on Istanbul's historic peninsula, but it certainly isn't the only one. After exploring its labyrinthine lanes and hidden caravanserais, follow the steady stream of local shoppers heading downhill into the busy shopping precinct of Tahtakale, which has at its hub the seductively scented Spice Bazaar. From there, head back up toward the Blue Mosque and its attached arasta (an arcade-style Ottoman bazaar that typically featured practitioners of a single trade), where you may well find a lasting memento of your trip.

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Ride Istanbul’s ferries

Climbing aboard one of the city's famous flotilla of ferries is the quintessential Istanbul experience. The trip between Asia and Europe on a commuter ferry is hard to beat, but the Bosphorus tourist ferries that travel the great strait from Eminönü toward the mouth of the Black Sea are even better, offering passengers views of palaces, parks and ornate timber mansions on both the Asian and European shores. It doesn't matter whether you opt for a long or short cruise: either is sure to be memorable.

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Revel in Istanbul's nightlife

Though Istanbul’s nightlife scene has suffered some setbacks, you can’t keep a good party town down. For a traditional night out, head to one of the Beyoğlu district’s meyhanes, tavern-like restaurants serving meze and fish where sing-alongs of classic songs flow with each new round of rakı, an anise-flavored liquor. Lively crowds of young beer-drinkers fill the pubs of the Beşiktaş Çarşı and central Kadıköy, while a swankier set sips cocktails near the Bosphorus in the bars and cafes of Bebek and Arnavutköy. For the full Istanbul experience, top off the evening by joining your fellow revelers in lining up for some late-night street food.

Get acquainted with Turkish contemporary art

Anchored by high-profile cultural institutions like Istanbul Modern, Pera Museum, SALT Beyoğlu and Yapı Kredi Kültür Sanat, the Beyoğlu district has long been a hub for art-lovers, with galleries and museums scattered on and around İstiklal Caddesi, and increasingly in the adjacent Karaköy, Tophane and Dolapdere neighborhoods as well. Well-established commercial galleries in stately apartment buildings also cluster among the chic boutiques of the Nişantaşı neighborhood, while hip Kadıköy has an up-and-coming independent art scene of its own.

Surrender to the steam in a bath house

In life, there aren't too many opportunities to wander seminaked through a 16th-century Ottoman monument. But Istanbul's world-famous hamams offer just that: the chance to immerse yourself in history, architecture, warm water and soap suds all at the same time. A hamam treatment makes for a relaxing finale to a day spent pounding the city's pavements and gives a fascinating insight into the life and customs of Ottoman society. You can surrender to the steam at baths on both sides of the Galata Bridge: the Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı in Tophane and the Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamamı in Sultanahmet are particularly stunning and luxurious.

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Hang out with the cool kids in Kadıköy

Riding a ferry across the Bosphorus is one of Istanbul’s great pleasures and the Asian-side neighborhood of Kadıköy is becoming a destination in itself, with hip cafes, bars, restaurants and boutiques frequented by a lively young crowd. Peruse the colorful produce market, hunt for street-art murals in the backstreets, visit the museum-home of Turkish rock giant Barış Manço or stroll the waterfront with an ice cream in hand. The sunset views from the shoreline are among the most spectacular in the city.

Sample the flavors of Istanbul

More than anything else, Istanbullus love to eat, and food is much more than mere fuel. Instead, it’s a celebration of community. Meals unfurl with great ceremony – they are joyful, boisterous and almost inevitably communal. The national cuisine has been refined over centuries and is treated more reverently than any museum collection in the country. That’s not to say it’s fussy, because what differentiates Turkish food from other national noshes is its rustic and honest base. The small meze dishes you’ll eat will be simple, the kebaps austere, the salads unstructured and the seafood unsauced. Flavors will explode in your mouth because ingredients are used in season.

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Admire the architecture of Süleymaniye Mosque

Commissioned by the Ottoman sultan Süleyman I, known as “the Magnificent,” this 16th-century mosque has a fittingly grand perch atop one of the old city’s seven hills. The view from here is one of the finest in Istanbul, looking out over domes and rooftops to the confluence of the Bosphorus and Golden Horn waterways and beyond. With its elegant symmetry and soaring interior, the mosque itself is considered among the masterpieces of the great architect Mimar Sinan. The complex around it is inviting and serene, with tall trees, a grassy lawn and a rose-studded cemetery.

Go underground at the Basilica Cistern

When the Byzantine emperors decided to build something, they certainly didn't cut corners. The extraordinary subterranean Basilica Cistern, located opposite Aya Sofya, features a wildly atmospheric forest of columns (336 to be exact), vaulted brick ceilings, mysterious carved Medusa-head capitals and ghostly patrols of carp. A testament to the ambitious town planning and engineering expertise of the Byzantines, the cistern has played a starring role in innumerable motion pictures (remember From Russia with Love?) and is now one of the city's best-loved tourist attractions.

Go tile-mad at the Blue Mosque

Officially named the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, after the early 17th-century Ottoman ruler Ahmed I, the Blue Mosque gets its better-known moniker from the color of the tens of thousands of İznik tiles that adorn its interior. With its enormous courtyard, grand prayer hall and six minarets (an unprecedented number for a mosque when it was constructed) this is a building made to impress – and to rival the Aya Sofya, which sits directly opposite across a landscaped square.

Ogle the opulence of Dolmabahçe Palace

Weighing in at nearly 10,000 pounds, the crystal chandelier hanging over the Ceremonial Hall of Dolmabahçe Palace exemplifies the opulence of this royal residence commissioned in the mid-19th century by Sultan Abdül Mecit I. It’s a glorious mishmash of styles and materials, with ceilings gilded with thousands of pounds of gold, marble floors, crystal bannisters and bearskin rugs. The Bosphorus views are just as dazzling as the decor.

Let your feet be your guide

Istanbul’s marvelous sights could keep a visitor busy for months, but it’s worth taking some time to explore its myriad neighborhoods as well. Though the city is sprawling, its central districts are walkable and reward wandering, with lively street life and distinct identities. Follow the film crews and Instagram influencers through shabby-chic Fener and Balat’s historical lanes; sip black tea with a Golden Horn view at the Pierre Loti Café, perched above the leafy cemeteries and holy tomb complexes or Eyüp; or watch fishermen cast their lines from the Bosphorus village of Arnavutköy.

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As one of the best-connected cities in Spain with a wealth of historical, gastronomic, natural sights and activities nearby, Valencia is the ideal base from which to take a day trip and explore the wider Valencia region.

While there are plenty of things to do in the city, you can have an epic day visiting verdant vineyards, Moorish cities, relaxing coastlines and picturesque villages that are just under two hours away. You can even get the train to Madrid with plenty of time to spare for sightseeing in the capital.

Taking a day trip from Valencia is also a good way to get to know this diverse Spanish autonomous region. It’s one of the best places in Spain for food and drink, and some of the country’s best restaurants are along the coastline. With both mountainous natural parks and flatter coastal wetlands and nature reserves, the region is well suited to active travelers, nature enthusiasts as well as families.

Here are seven day trip ideas from Valencia for all kinds of travelers.

Buñol

Why go?

Famed for its tomato-throwing festival La Tomatina, the small town of Buñol is an easy and pleasant day trip from Valencia. Although the town’s population nearly triples during the one-day tomato event in August, there is a range of less messy but no less fun cultural events the rest of the year, from concerts throughout May and June, to the Buñol Fair in August, which culminates in a battle between the two resident music societies.

If you’re here out of season, head for the 13th-century castle or ornate gardens before wandering the cobbled streets to dine at Las Bairetas ­– known for its classic Valencian rice dishes cooked in the wood-fired oven.

How to get to Buñol

Less than 40km (25 miles) from Valencia, Buñol can be reached in under 90 minutes. Catch the C3 (Utiel) train from the beautiful art nouveau Estació del Nord or make the 40-minute trip on the A-3 motorway if traveling by car.

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Madrid

Why go?

Thanks to the brilliant AVE high-speed train network, you can whiz to the Spanish capital Madrid from Valencia in less than two hours. Go for the galleries and museums, and stay for the exuberant nightlife. The famous golden art triangle of El Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums will keep you busy all day with their permanent collections of works by Velásquez, Picasso and more. Watch for the visiting exhibitions and book museums and galleries in advance to secure entry.

Looking for a touch of old-world Madrid? Snag a table for afternoon tea at the fully restored Palm Court in the extensively renovated Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid. The hotel has hosted everyone from Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner to Princess Grace of Monaco and visiting dignitaries.

How to get to Madrid

The AVE train is by far the quickest and easiest way to travel between Valencia and Madrid taking one hour 40 minutes. It departs from Valencia Joaquín Sorolla station almost every hour and arrives at Madrid Puerta de Atocha. If you’d prefer to drive, take the A-3 motorway and you’ll arrive in Madrid in about three and a half hours.

Dénia

Why go?

It offers swaths of sand, mountain views and a pretty old town, but Dénia on Spain’s eastern coast is the place to visit for food. The city has been on must-visit lists for gourmets since 2015, the year the city was named Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy. Chef Quique Dacosta is one of the contributing factors, thanks to his three-Michelin-star restaurant on Carrer Rascassa. Book well in advance for the stand-out seasonal menus with wine pairings.

If you fancy something slightly more casual, try El Baret de Miquel Ruiz, a quirky restaurant serving up local produce – think red prawns and fresh vegetables – helmed by Miquel Ruiz, who gave up his Michelin-star restaurant in favor of this more relaxed venue. Try Calle Loreto for traditional tapas bar-hopping and look out for the biannual “ruta de tapas,” where restaurants, cafes and bars offer a tapa and drink for a few euros.

How to get to Dénia

Buses leave Estación de Autobuses de Valencia for Almeria via Dénia regularly and take about 90 minutes. You can easily drive between the two cities in about 75 minutes.

Utiel-Requena

Why go?

Although true oenophiles know that the Utiel-Requena region has been producing wines for more than 2000 years, it’s only within the last few decades that these fantastic wines and interesting grape varieties have been making headlines on the international stage.

The area has some 40,000 hectares (98,842 acres) of vineyards growing a variety of grapes – most notably the native Bobal grape. Although the wine-growing area gets its name from the two main towns, the wine route here takes in more than 10 other villages. Plan your visit using the Ruta del Vino website and stop by places like Bodega Sierra Norte or Viña Memorias to taste the best the region has to offer.

How to to Utiel-Requena

The C3 train can take you from Valencia Nord station to Siete Aguas, El Rebollar, Requena, San Antonio de Requena and Utiel in under two hours. Alternatively, a dedicated driver can weave through the vineyards in around an hour via the A-3 motorway.

Benidorm

Why go?

It might have gained a bit of a bad rep for its high-rise hotels and tacky tourist strip, but there’s much more to Benidorm than the gaudy tourist trail. Explore the old town, perched between the more lively Levante beach and the quieter residential Poniente side.

Idle down the whitewashed steps from the hilltop site of the city’s former castle to the Balcón del Mediterráneo for views over the adjacent coastline and across the water to the L'illa de Benidorm nature reserve. Then stroll back through the narrow streets and grab a tapa and vino at one of the many traditional tascas.

The Parc de L´Aigüera is also worth a wander; the neoclassical park stretches up through the town and is home to two amphitheatres that often house concerts. Families should head to Terra Mítica, a theme park on the resort’s outskirts, for a day of thrilling rollercoasters and vertiginous water rides.

How to get to Benidorm

Buses depart regularly for Benidorm from the Estación de Autobuses de Valencia. Look for those heading to Cartagena, which take about 1 hour 45 minutes. If you rent a car, head down the AP-7 – you can even stop in Dénia en route – where the journey will take around 90 minutes.

Teruel

Why go?

Teruel is the day trip for architecture aficionados and history lovers – and all other lovers. The city is the preeminent place to experience Mudéjar architecture, a style of Moorish building and decoration that appears throughout the city, from the 14th-century Mudéjar tower to the 12th-century Catedral de Santa María de Mediavilla.

Fans of the works of Tirso de Molina, the Spanish Baroque dramatist, will enjoy learning more about the lovers of Teruel who inspired one of his greatest works. Don’t miss the imposing Los Arcos Aqueduct, a viaduct and aqueduct in one.

How to get to Teruel

Getting from Valencia to Teruel in Aragón takes about 90 minutes by car via the A-23. Trains and buses are also available, but journey times can stretch to a little over two and a half hours.

The Mediterranean Sea

Why go?

It would be remiss not to make the most of the Mediterranean when you’re this close, and thankfully there are plenty of options for boat trips from Valencia. The portside has several catamaran companies that offer options like morning cruises with a swim in the sea, sunset cruises with dinner and full-day adventures on the water.

Private yacht hire is another option if you want a more personalized tour of the coastline. If you prefer freshwater to seawater, take a short drive to El Palmar and try an Albufera boat trip. You’ll sail out onto the famous Albufera lake, visiting rice paddies and traditional fishers’ houses, and tasting local cuisine on the way.

How to get to the Mediterranean Sea

Catamaran cruises and boat hire trips start from Valencia’s main marina in the Poblats Marítims district. From Valencia to El Palmar takes about 25 minutes by car or about 35 minutes on the number 24 bus from Porta de la Mar to El Palmar. Check with boat tour operators in advance, as some will also provide transfers from Valencia.

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Find the day trips from Valencia that were made for you

Writer Georgina Lawton heads into the countryside in search of the tastes and smells she longed for while suffering from COVID-19.

On a near-cloudless morning in southern Alentejo, Portugal, a golden sun spreads like melted butter across manicured lanes of vegetables stretching into the distance. The air smells light and crisp. I am walking through the herb garden at Craveiral Farmhouse, a collection of 38 luxury villas spread across 22 acres of organic farmland, and Miguel Cerqueira, Craveiral’s resident chef, is quizzing me.

He hands me a leaf and I inhale a sweet and floral aroma with lemon notes. “What do you think this is?” he asks. A type of rose? “No, geranium,” he says. Cerqueira picks a tiny strawberry from a nearby bush and hands it to me. A burst of sweetness envelopes my tongue, neither too cloying nor too acidic. We continue down the winding wooden path and he points out fennel, leeks and eggplant, all of which feature on the menu at the on-site restaurant. Eventually, we arrive at a bush of purple flowers with shiny dark green leaves. “Smell this,” he instructs. I inhale the leaf; it is warm, agitating in its familiarity. “Cinnamon?” I ask. “It’s cinnamon basil,” he says. “Cinnamon comes from a tree.” So I was half-right? Cerqueira laughs.

The scent instantly evokes memories of Alfama Doce, my favorite bakery in Lisbon, where I’d tasted my very first pastel de nata after moving to the city one year earlier. First, the egg-custard pastry dusted with cinnamon had become my go-to mid-morning treat. Then, after contracting COVID-19 in July of this year, it tasted like nothing at all.

A world dulled

For two long weeks, stuck in my apartment with just my 4-year-old greyhound Jasper for company, I had coveted all the smells and tastes that I had come to associate with my new life in Portugal. There was the rich aroma of my morning pingado (espresso with a splash of milk); the scent of garlic and parsley from a pan of sizzling prawns in a crowded restaurant; the hit of sweetness to the back of the throat after that first sip of a delicious four-euro bottle of wine.

While waiting and hoping for my smell and taste to return, my life felt drained of its color. I had a lot of time to dream of traveling and my thoughts kept coming back to Alentejo, a region of the country that I had been told was famous for its food. While bed-bound, I decided Alentejo would be where I’d go for a sensory awakening once I recovered.

I also hoped my sensory awakening could at once double as an education. Research shows that the olfactory awareness of most city-dwellers is being diminished the longer we live in metropolises. Kara Hoover, a bioanthropologist at the University of Alaska has theorized that many of us are suffering from “cultural anosmia,” an inability to detect nuance in natural scents beyond our polluted environments.

COVID-19 clearly showed me what’s at stake: completely losing my senses of smell and taste was a devastating descent into banality and the return of those senses was gradual. I could taste my food after two weeks, but my ability to smell didn’t return until after about a month.

You don’t realize how much you miss the ability to smell until you’re home alone, setting orange peels on fire because a friend saw it on TikTok and thought it might help (it didn’t). Smell is thought to be the oldest sense, having evolved to detect over a million scents to help us find a mate, source food and avoid danger. The inability to smell has been linked to everything from depression to bad sex. For me, taste and smell punctuate my days with purpose, helping me shape memories and bringing joy into the everyday. When I don’t taste, I don’t feel.

In search of healing

That evening, a few hours after my tour of the herb gardens, I head to the heart of Craveiral Farmhouse: its farm-to-table, open air restaurant. A log fire fizzes and crackles beside wooden tables. Locally sourced black pork, or porco preto, is cooked on an open-air griddle. The scent of crisping meat merges with the smoke in the evening air as I sip on a cocktail, which the barman has infused with a sprig of blowtorched rosemary. For a passing moment, I’m brought back home to London, where I’d watch fireworks displays around bonfires during the annual Guy Fawkes celebrations.

The next morning, I take the two-hour drive to northern Alentejo along bumpy narrow roads. Alentejo is Portugal’s largest region, about the size of Belgium, and also its most sparsely populated. I pass fields that, quenched by the warm and wet September sky, are briefly returning to bloom. Orchards are in the middle of transforming from vibrant greens to muted browns, and the harvest appears to be reaching its peak. Despite the transformations underway, there is an eerie stillness to the countryside.

In the afternoon, I arrive at the bucolic Quinta da Comporta, a former rice farm transformed into luxury accommodations: 73 rooms and four white-washed villas, 3km from the quiet coastline of Comporta. The rooms are filled with understated Balinese-inspired furnishings and set on perfectly manicured lawns between patches of sugar-white sand and miniature cacti. I take a dip in the 40m-long, solar-heated infinity pool which overlooks rolling rice terraces. As if I haven’t indulged enough, I book an acupuncture face massage at Oryza Spa, the on-site wellness center.

At Oryza, an immense feeling of calm washes over me as soon as the therapist hands me a cup of rice water in the entrance hall. I sip the cloudy, near-tasteless liquid while gazing at the apricot sun setting over the fields in the vast entrance hall. As the treatment begins, the therapist places around two dozen tiny needles into my face; some are totally painless, others like a mild mosquito sting. After 15 minutes, he plucks them from my face one by one before applying a selection of rice-based products into my open pores by running a smooth jade tool across my face in slow, circular motions. When I leave, I feel as if I am walking on clouds with a face like cold velvet.

Acupuncture has been shown to increase sensory perception, help with insomnia, and promote a sense of calm. After enduring sadness, touch deprivation, and a fever complete with night terrors when I had COVID-19 — not to mention a total dulling of my senses — I find I am open to any treatment that is linked to improved mental clarity. As I leave the spa, I think about how grateful I am to have made a full physical recovery, but also about how so many of us will be picking at the psychological scars left by COVID-19 for years to come.

A sweet tooth reawakened

The next day, I wake up with a craving for sweets and I head to Évora, Alentejo’s capital and a medieval city with a formidable culinary reputation. In Évora, I’ve enlisted Ola Miguel, a tour guide who is diminutive in stature and has an encyclopedic knowledge of the city where she has lived all her life.  Miguel tells me that many of the Évora’s desserts were invented by Clarissian nuns and so come with giggle-inducing names like “Nun’s Belly” and “Heaven’s Kiss.” A stroll to Pastelaria Conventual Pão de Rala, a famed local bakery with blue-tiled walls and a handful of tiny wooden tables, makes for a deliciously sinful afternoon. I try an almond- and egg-based Queijinho Do Céu (meaning “little cheese from heaven”) and Pão de Rala (a similarly flourless cake made with eggs, lemon, and almonds).

I learn of the Pastel de Toucinho (“pastry of bacon”), a product of the region’s obsession with all things pork. A spherical, jam-filled, flour-based tart, this quickly becomes my favorite. “There was so much pork here it made sense for the fat to be used in desserts too,” Miguel tells me, translating the words of the woman behind the counter who is also the owner. “There’s no longer any meat in these, but the name has stuck.”

After fully reactivating my tastebuds with pork, pastry and pork-inspired pastry,  it’s time to sample the region’s wines at Herdade de Coelheiros, a vast estate 30 minutes from Évora. It is a smorgasbord of autumnal colors at this time of year; purple wine grapes on the ground, a carpet of burnt-orange cork-tree leaves in the sky. Alentejo receives three times more rain than the rest of the country, and I breathe in the earthy scent of fresh rain on damp soil as I am driven around the estate and try to spot the wild deer that live here. I learn that Coelheiros wines, which are both red and white and grown with organic grapes, are most popular in France and Brazil but that there is little market for them in the UK; no wonder I’d never heard much about Portuguese wines before moving here. I try four different wines, and find my rekindled senses particularly drawn to the rich and woody aromas of the two reds.

My lack of olfactory knowledge on this trip — starting with my shoddy quiz results in Craveiral’s herb gardens, ending with a crash course in Portuguese wine —  is a stark reminder of my distinctly urban lifestyle in England. Place me before the heady aroma of a bus’s exhaust in Dalston, the scent of second-hand smoke and stale beer from a bar in Brixton, or in a curry house cooking up kormas in Croydon and I’ll be right at home. But distinguishing wine notes and herbs? Not exactly this Londoner’s specialty.

Alentejo, in how it reignited not only the senses I had momentarily lost, but also ones I am yet to fully explore, was the education I was hoping for. Sitting in the Coelheiros tasting room, I select a new favorite wine: a smooth and direct red that has been aged in oak for one year. I take it back to my Lisbon apartment later that day with plans to save it for a special occasion. But as I look around the living room where I spent two weeks isolating with Jasper, I decide this is just that. It’s 4pm and I pour myself a glass as my dog looks on. The first sip is sumptuous and smooth with notes of vanilla and oak. It’s a flavor, I realize, that would be perfectly matched with a side of porco preto — or one of the Évora pastries that are still practically bursting out of my bag.

Georgina Lawton traveled to Alentejo with support from Visit Alentejo. Lonely Planet contributors do not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.

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With its puffing volcanoes, pounding surf, sprawling salt flats and glistening glaciers, Chile is like the ultimate wonderland for adventures. But you don’t need to be a skier, surfer or hiker to find something fun to do here.

This long, slender South American nation also has word-class wineries, steamy hot springs and cosmopolitan cities whose residents know how to have a great time. No matter what kind of trip you're after, you’ll find a slice of Chile that’s just right for you. Here's where to start.

Go wine tasting in the Central Valley

When the Image of Chile Foundation did a global survey to find out what the nation was best known for abroad, the answer was resoundingly clear: wine! The best bottles never actually make it out of the country, so taste-test the good stuff that you'll never find in your local wine shop at the stunning vineyards near Santiago.

The venerable Colchagua Valley, three hours south of the capital, is your best bet for robust reds like Carmenere (Chile’s signature grape), produced at charming vineyards such as MontGras, where you can pick and stomp your own grapes. The Casablanca Valley, an hour west of the capital, is the go-to zone for crisp Sauvignon blancs.

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Ride a funicular in Valparaiso

There were once 30 ascensores (funiculars) linking downtown Valparaíso with the 42 hills that surround the city. Sixteen of them remain in use today and they’re a creaking, nostalgic reminder of the glory days when this city west of Santiago was one of the most important ports in the Americas.

Ascensor El Peral and Ascensor Concepción both lead to long promenades with sweeping views over a jumble of candy-colored houses blanketing the lumpy horizon. Ascensor Reina Victoria, meanwhile, takes you to the hilltop restaurants of Paseo Dimalow and nearby passageways lined in prismatic street art.

Climb a volcano

Do you like volcanoes? Good, because Chile has 2,000 of them! And around a quarter are potentially still active, including the highest volcano in the world, Ojos del Salado. Climbing a volcano, active or otherwise, is the highlight of many trips to Chile.

So long as the seismographs stay steady, the expedition to the top of Ojos del Salado is a rewarding but grueling two-week affair, but there are plenty of other cones you can climb in a day, including Volcán Villarrica near Pucón and Volcán Láscar near San Pedro de Atacama.

Stargaze in the Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert is home to a whopping two-thirds of the world’s ground-based astronomy infrastructure, and scientists from Europe, Asia and North America flock here to tinker with billion-dollar telescopes. But the boffins aren’t the only ones who come to geek out under this dazzling dome of twinkling stars.

Both the Elqui Valley and San Pedro de Atacama have hotels and observatories that specialize in astro-tourism. You can learn about the night sky from a scientific point of view one night, and then get the local indigenous perspective the next, all beneath a fabulous canopy of constellations.

Ski in the Andes

Professional skiers and boarders from the Northern Hemisphere decamp to Chile each winter to train at the myriad resorts located in the Central Andes. Join the procession at top-notch (and high altitude) centers like Valle Nevado and Ski Portillo near Santiago.

Further south, Nevados de Chillán is the powder capital of South America, and, unlike in resorts further north, you can ski here below the tree line. The ski centers in the Lakes District, even further south, are smaller, more intimate and typically found on the top of smoking volcanoes.

Sample pisco in the Elqui Valley

Arguments have raged for years between Chile and Peru over who first created the powerful liquor known as pisco – and who makes it best today. If you want to have a dog in the fight, you’ll need to visit the Elqui Valley and the aptly named resort town of Pisco Elqui to sample this firewater at source.

Here, you’ll find artisanal pisco producers such as Fundo los Nichos and Doña Josefa that are only sold in the region, as well as big name brands such as Mistral that are available on shelves back home. Almost all of the distilleries have tasting rooms and many offer tours and lavish lunches.

Dance the night away in Santiago

Are you used to going out to bars at 7pm and coming home by midnight? That schedule won’t fly in Santiago, where things don’t get hopping until midnight and don’t stop until sunrise. The bohemian barrio (neighborhood) of Bellavista is the undisputed epicenter of Chilean nightlife, with bars and clubs catering to all styles and musical tastes.

Synth-pop, Latin trap and Reggaeton dominate the live music scene; you’ll also find DJs spinning EDM tracks and drag queens spinning dazzling ballgowns. If your night began with pisco sours, expect it to end with piscolas (pisco and Coca-Cola, always with more of the former than the latter). A hot tip: Never underestimate the ability of Chileans to drink you under the table, all the while acting like they’re still on their first drink!

Learn about Mapuche culture in La Araucanía

The Mapuche are Chile’s largest indigenous group and they’ve fought hard to maintain their identity in a nation that hasn’t always been keen on preserving indigenous traditions. As result, there are some impressive places where you can engage with indigenous culture.

Ethno-tourism projects have popped up all along the coast of south-central Chile in places such as Lago Budi and Mapu Lahual. Other projects operate out of small hamlets in the forests of the Araucanía Region, including Curarrehue and Malalcahuello, where umbrella-like pehuén (araucaria) trees thrive. You can sleep in traditional ruca homes, learn about herbal medicines, and dine on dishes spiced with a smoked chili pepper called merkén.

Visit the oldest mummies in the world in Arica

Most people think the world’s oldest mummies are in Egypt, but some 2000 years earlier, early residents of the Atacama coast had already developed intricate techniques for preserving their dead. The Settlement and Artificial Mummification of the Chinchorro Culture became a Unesco World Heritage site in 2021, and it covers ancient graveyards spread out from the regional capital of Arica to the tiny fishing hamlet of Caleta Camarones. Head to the mummy museum in the nearby Azapa Valley for an up-close look.

Go wildlife watching in Parque Nacional Patagonia

Parque Nacional Patagonia is one of those increasingly rare parts of our planet where you can see a good-news wildlife story unfold. Formerly comprised of overgrazed ranchlands, this vast swath of Patagonian steppe in the Chacabuco Valley is today known as “the Serengeti of the Southern Cone” as it’s home to one of the most ambitious rewilding projects on earth.

Visitors can search for endangered huemul deer, pumas, guanacos, flamingos, viscachas and many other species, while contributing funds that will help support the reintroduction of native Patagonian fauna.

Cruise through the Patagonian Fjords

The vast majority of Chilean Patagonia is an inaccessible archipelago of remote, wind-swept islands home to penguins, sea lions and little else. To visit, you’ll need a boat. Luckily, there are plenty of boatmen waiting to take you into this wilderness wonderland.

Ferry services depart from Puerto Montt, Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas for the steel-blue fjords, glacier-capped mountains and untouched parklands of Patagonia’s wildest frontier. It's a thrilling experience, but you'll appreciate a boat with on-board heating at this chilly latitude.

Visit the moai of Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

It takes 5½ hours to fly from the Chilean mainland to this remote island, marooned in the Pacific Ocean some 1930km (1200 miles) from its nearest neighbor, the similarly remote Pitcairn Islands. Yet it’s totally worth it. The minute you catch a glimpse of the enigmatic moai statues that line the Rapa Nui coast, you'll be rapt.

Nobody is quite sure why these enormous effigies were carved out of volcanic stone between 1,000 and 1,500 CE, but there are more than 800 dotted around the island. The largest collections are found at Rano Raraku and Ahu Tongariki on the opposite side of the island from the only town, Hanga Roa.

Surf the Pacific Coast

With miles of empty ocean between Chile and Australia, the waves come fast and strong along the Pacific Coast. You can find top surf breaks at dozens of quaint towns dotting the coast of Middle Chile – Pichilemu is the most famous surf hub, but nearby Cobquecura and Matanzas also have good breaks.

Then there are northern surf cities such as Iquique and Arica, close to the Peruvian border, where the desert comes right down to the beach and reef breaks deliver impressive barrels year-round. Just be ready for gnarly waves that are more suitable for pros than beginners.

Bathe in steamy hot springs

With so many volcanoes puffing along Chile’s Andean spine, it’s only natural that Chile should be blessed with abundant hot springs. The Lakes District resort town of Pucón is a top destination for some quality spa time, with access to a week’s worth of natural Jacuzzis in the surrounding rainforests, including the designer spa resort at Termas Geométricas near Coñaripe.

If a hot spring on the Altiplano is more your vibe, try the remote, natural and often free pools above San Pedro or close to the Aymara village of Putre. Prefer your hot springs on the edge of a Patagonian fjord? Try Puyuhuapi. Want something in the rugged Andes instead? Try Termas Valle de Colina, an easy day trip from Santiago.

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Charleston has upped its game. Carriage tours still clip-clop through the historic district and ferries still shuttle crowds to Fort Sumter, but new attractions and revamped old favorites are keeping the Holy City relevant – and fun.

Rooftop bars, innovative breweries and small-batch distilleries keep opening their doors while plantations and historic homes are digging deep into Charleston’s diverse and complicated history. And foodies take note: Debates about the city’s best barbecue are just as passionate these days as debates about shrimp and grits.

This list of Charleston’s best things to do offers a mix of the old and new.

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Stroll the Historic District

Historic Charleston feels like one big living museum, and it's easily explored by foot. Antebellum homes, grand churches, weathered cemeteries and brilliant gardens – often tucked behind wrought-iron gates – hug the straight and narrow streets, which were laid out in the 1670s. Highlights include the colorful homes of Rainbow Row and the Battery and White Point Gardens on the waterfront at the southern tip of the peninsula. Pick up a map at the visitor center.

Culinary Adventures

With its seafood shacks, quirky mainstays and a dizzying array of “must-try” restaurants from wunderkind chefs, Charleston has enjoyed a culinary hot streak for a decade. Many menus are built around Lowcountry dishes and seafood, but creative interpretations of old favorites keep the dining scene fresh. Beyond shrimp and grits, top regional fare includes oysters, pimento cheese, fried green tomatoes, she-crab soup, and a Lowcountry boil (shrimp, corn, potatoes, sausage and seasoning).

Tried-and-true stalwarts include Mike Lata’s FIG, oysters at the Ordinary and food that’s both fast & French at Gaulart & Maliclet. Barbecue is also hot, with Home Team BBQ and Lewis Barbecue getting consistent local kudos. Top-notch International options are plentiful too.

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Immerse in Gullah Culture

Enslaved people brought from West Africa to the Lowcountry held onto many of their homeland traditions after slavery ended. The resulting Gullah culture (Geechee in Georgia) has its own language and traditions, including amazing storytelling, art and music. Learn their history at McLeod Plantation on James Island, where tours describe the daily lives of enslaved people on a cotton plantation and trace the emergence of the Gullah culture. Their culture is celebrated annually in late May at the Gullah Festival in nearby Beaufort. Gullah Tours visits historic sites in and around Charleston.

Sample locally sourced spirits

Sweet tea is a distinctly Southern beverage, and according to state lore the popular drink was created in South Carolina. The team at Firefly Distillery embraces this heritage with its sweet tea-flavored vodka, which is made with tea from the Charleston Tea Garden. High Wire Distilling uses ingredients and heirloom grains from across the Lowcountry and South Carolina for its popular spirits. Tastings are available at both distilleries. Tours are offered Thursday through Saturday art High Wire.

Explore Historic Homes

The Historic Charleston Foundation protects historic buildings in the city and advocates for the preservation of gardens, parks and neighborhoods. The foundation manages two historic buildings: The Aiken-Rhett House and the Nathaniel Russell House. Tours of the former, a townhouse that has been preserved but not restored, share details about past owners as well as the enslaved people who worked there. A self-supporting spiral staircase anchors the Nathaniel Russell House, a meticulously restored 1808 Federal Style-house.

First Sumter National Monument

The shelling of Union-held Fort Sumter by Confederate forces in 1861 triggered the Civil War. The fort, which occupies a small pentagon-shaped island in Charleston Harbor, sees a steady stream of visitors, especially in summer. But even with the crowds, it’s easy to immerse in the chaotic confusion of that historic day thanks to the remote setting – a ferry ride is required – and an engaging ranger talk that spotlights the historic clash.

Walk the Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge

Burn off last night’s shrimp and grits with a power walk over the graceful Arthur J Ravenel Bridge, which links the town of Mount Pleasant and the Charleston Historic District. The 2.5-mile pedestrian path over the cable-stayed bridge rises about 200ft above the Cooper River and provides gorgeous views of both communities. There's a parking lot with access to the pedestrian path in Mount Pleasant. The view from the span is especially nice at sunset.

Tour the only tea garden in the US

Attempts to grow tea commercially in the US began in the 1820s in southeastern South Carolina, where the sandy soil, sub-tropical weather and frequent rainfall were well-suited for tea plants. In the 1960s wild tea plants from one of these early plantations were harvested and successfully re-planted on Wadmalaw Island 30 miles southwest of Charleston. Today Charleston Tea Garden offers tours of its tea factory (free) and trolley tours of its acres of hardy tea plants.

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Get out on the water

Flanked by creeks, marshes, rivers and the Atlantic Ocean, the Lowcountry is an ideal place for paddling trips and boat excursions. Wildlife and gorgeous coastal views abound. Keep it simple with a ride on the Charleston Water Taxi between Charleston and Mount Pleasant or scan for dolphins during the boat ride to Fort Sumter. Adventure Harbor Tours runs sunsets cruises and trips to uninhabited Morris Island. Numerous outfitters offer paddling trips through Shem Creek and Lowcountry creeks and marshes.

Wander the Gardens at Middleton Place

Designed in 1741, the elegant gardens at Middleton Place are the oldest landscaped gardens in America. Today they are also home to more than 100,000 azaleas. One of three historic plantations along the Ashley River northwest of downtown, Middleton Place owes its early beauty to the work of the enslaved people who spent years developing and maintaining the land. Their stories are shared onsite. Lowcountry fare is on the menu at the popular restaurant here.

Ride the Charleston Beer Trolley

A free trolley swings through the Charleston Beer District in downtown Charleston on Saturdays, stopping at ten breweries between 1pm and 9pm. You can visit them by hopping on and off. Revelry Brewery has a fire pit on its rooftop while Edmund’s Oast has 20 house-brewer beers on tap. Check the Charleston Brewery District Facebook page for the current trolley schedule.

Explore Mount Pleasant

For a break from the historic district, board a water taxi at Waterfront Park and cross the Cooper River to Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant. At the Naval and Maritime Museum you can tour the USS Yorktown, an enormous decommissioned aircraft carrier used in WWII. You’ll need your car to visit Boone Hall Plantation and its striking Avenue of Oaks, planted in 1743. The most compelling buildings here are the original slave cabins. Explore charming Old Village then make your way to lovely Shem Creek for dinner by the water. Look for dolphins and party boats.

Find family fun Downtown

If your kids dig spooky attractions, it’s hard to get much creepier than the dungeon at the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon in the Historic District. The British held American patriots in the cramped space here during the Revolutionary War. The 385,000-gallon ocean tank and the sea turtle rehabilitation hospital lure in kids for a closer look at the South Carolina Aquarium. The Kidstory area at the Charleston Museum explores the city’s history with hands-on exhibits. Enormous skeletons of prehistoric creatures keep things real in the natural history gallery. For skateboarding, head to SK8 Charleston, a 32,000ft concrete skatepark in North Charleston.

Visit the Old Slave Mart Museum

In the heart of the Historic District, this small but hard-hitting museum occupies the site of a former open-air market that auctioned African Americans in the mid-1800s. Text-driven exhibits provide an unflinching look at the cruelties and horrors of the slave trade. Compelling oral histories from former enslaved people and a handful of chilling artifacts also make a powerful impression.

History Prep at the Charleston Museum

History hurtles at you from every direction in Charleston, which played a pivotal role in America’s past as a busy port city and center of trade. For a quick history primer, spend an hour or two in the Charleston Museum. Exhibits dedicated to the city’s early development and its role in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars provide helpful background and context. Artifacts highlight diverse experiences, including those of Native Americans, enslaved African Americans and influential politicians.

Sip Cocktails on a Rooftop Bar

Swanky rooftop bars with sweeping views of downtown are plentiful. They are also easy to find – just ride the elevator to the top of the trendiest hotels. Twinkling views of city lights and Charleston Harbor bring crowds to the iconic Rooftop Bar at the art-themed Vendue. You’ll find an infinity pool, illuminated umbrellas and more stunning city views at the Pavilion Bar atop the Market Pavilion Hotel.

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Shopping on King Street

King Street is the historic district’s prime shopping corridor. With numerous stores selling home furnishings and housewares, Upper King is considered the design district while Middle King is the fashion district, home of well-known clothing stores as well as high-end boutiques. The southernmost stretch, Lower King, is dotted with antique stores. Pop into Blue Bicycle Books for new and used books, many with a focus on the South.

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