Europe’s best beach holidays: Cadaqués, Spain

The dollar is strong right now, and its value has risen steadily against many foreign currencies throughout the end of 2023 and up to today. On May 1, the New York Times listed ten major foreign countries that had lost significant ground against our currency since the first of the year, making them less expensive to visit. By significant I mean as much as 10% (Japan)—and that’s just the past five months. Many of these currencies had already dropped last year, making the travel savings for travelers even more dramatic.

Applications for the fourth edition of Best Tourism Villages closed on 8 May. Building on the success of past editions, this year’s initiative will again inspire communities worldwide to harness the power of tourism as a driver of rural development and wellbeing.

With summer just around the corner, beach lovers are eager to find the best sandy spots in the U.S. The person with the answers: Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach.

Over 260 villages across 60+ countries have applied for the 2024 Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism, setting a new record and underscoring tourism’s role in rural development.

That Indonesia has beautiful beaches is no secret.

Richard Branson has added a new safari experience to his Virgin Limited Edition portfolio—the award-winning Finch Hattons Luxury Safari Camp in Kenya. Located in Africa's only Shetani lava flow, Finch Hattons features 17 tented suites and offers stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro. The camp joins other African destinations in Virgin Limited Edition's collection, including Mahali Mzuri (also in Kenya), South Africa’s Ulusaba Private Game Reserve and Mont Rochelle hotel and vineyard, and Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco.

Panama has long been a paradise for the backpacker crowd thanks to 1,800 miles of pristine coastline and an abundance of budget-friendly accommodations. But in recent years, the Central American country has won over a more varied mix of travelers, luring luxury-seekers, coffee snobs, serious conservationists, and everyone in between. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to a Panamanian getaway—you can see three-toed pygmy sloths in Bocas del Toro, marvel at Spanish-colonial architecture in Panama City’s Casco Viejo, and learn about centuries-old Mola textile crafts by visiting Guna artisans in the San Blas Islands. To live out your private-island Robinson Crusoe fantasies, book a stay at Islas Secas or Nayara Bocas del Toro. One visit is just scratching the surface of the isthmus nation; here are nine ideas for how to spend your next Panamanian holiday.

Family vacations are the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones and strengthen family bonds. One study found 40 percent of parents planned to spend more on international travel with their families this year. There is also a growing trend of multiple generations traveling together.

From the Renaissance splendour and symmetry of the Boboli gardens in Florence to the trickling fountains and rose gardens of the Alhambra in Spain, Europe has no shortage of “must see” gardens, but a tranquil escape from the tourist crowds they are not. Instead, we’d love to hear about your favourite “secret gardens” in continental Europe; oases of green that offer cool respite from a busy sightseeing itinerary and where you won’t be jostling for elbow room with coach parties of tourists. It could be a leafy public park, the grounds of a museum or gallery, or a botanical garden that turned into an unexpected highlight of your trip.

There’s nothing like tanning on the beach or bar-hopping into the night in Barcelona—but between all of the sun, sand, and sangria, the city has a lot to offer culturally-minded travelers hoping to grasp a better understanding of the pulse of the city and its unique history.

Be inspired to explore Europe by car this summer on one, or more, of these themed driving routes.

It's hard to resist the allure of Europe, where travelers can find iconic historic sites waiting around seemingly every corner. But the continent's perennial popularity has also meant that many of those best-loved spots are impacted by overcrowding – and the visitor caps, ticketed entry and other restrictions that follow.