Bordeaux to the Pyrenees by train, bike and hiking trail (no car required)

All travel is by definition quixotic — the most seasoned globetrotters can be led on wild goose chases, deceived, and/or just plain make huge mistakes all by themselves about what's around that next corner. Trekking up to the Scottish highlands to look for "Nessie," aka, the Loch Ness "monster," allegedly "sighted" — perhaps even several times — a half-century ago in the Highlands' breathtakingly gorgeous 23-mile-long freshwater lake just south of Inverness, is an epic, decades-long wild goose chase.

Landscapes as green and lovely as everyone says. Literary giants in Dublin; Titanic history in Belfast. A pint and good craic in a traditional pub. The lure of Celtic legends.

There’s no such thing as the perfect time to visit Iceland as the weather is notoriously whimsical and the best season for your trip depends entirely on what you want to experience.

There are so many majestic landscapes to view and things to do in Scotland that it can be hard to narrow down where to visit. So why not choose your hotels as a starting point? Scotland is known for its inclement weather, so choosing a hotel with spa facilities can be an excellent backup for something to do if the weather is terrible. It can also be a great way to soothe weary muscles and feet after all the hiking and sightseeing.

Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas challenged me to a gravel race last year in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Okay, it wasn’t a direct challenge. But I knew the Alfa Romeo driver would be competing in the 2022 STB GRVL event. Ergo, if I signed up for the same race distance, we’d compete against one another. Obviously, I had no choice but to accept his challenge and to ultimately crush the Finnish driver’s spirits on the 60-mile Red Course.

Early morning on Dartmoor, and as I lie in bed all I can hear is the trill of birdsong, punctuated by a distant cuckoo’s call. I open the campervan door to take in the scene. There’s no one around, no buildings in sight, just fields glittering with dew in the sunlight and sheep grazing nonchalantly on the hillside.

With no sign of relief in sight, the TSA’s inability to effectively and efficiently manage airport security screening promises to remain this summer’s biggest bad-news travel story.

Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.

We’re proud to announce the winners of the 2017 SmarterTravel Editors’ Choice Awards. We spent six months and enlisted eight subject experts to select our Editors’ Choice winners, and then turned it over to you, our readers.

Editor’s Note: For the latest version of this story, see The World’s Most and Least Expensive Cities, Ranked.

Shoes can make or break your vacation, especially in winter when you have to contend with frozen toes and slippery sidewalks. That’s why a pair of warm winter boots can be a traveler’s best friend on cold-weather trips. The following boots are packable, lightweight, and comfortable enough to walk in for miles. I’ve also thrown in a few pairs of winter shoes that aren’t boots but are still worth adding to your cold-weather packing list.

Getting old has few benefits, but the occasional senior travel discount is one of them. Senior travelers can enjoy a wide range of discounts, but both availability and value vary substantially among different travel sectors and in different parts of the globe.