Festivals, folklore, art and food: Croatia’s unmissable cultural highlights

The first time is a point, the second time is a line, and by the third time it’s a pattern. Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience (HWFE) is back on Thursday, May 16 for a 4-day celebration. It’s here in Sonoma County, amidst the clinking of wine glasses and laid back luxury that first-time visitors will question why they didn’t find this place and event sooner. Having had the distinct pleasure of attending this Healdsburg wine and food event since its inception, I've witnessed its evolution firsthand. From its humble beginnings to its current status as a must-visit for any serious food and wine aficionado, each year has built upon the last, refining and expanding the experience in ways both subtle and significant.

Imagine Austria and your mind might well drift to the lavish palaces and coffeehouses of Vienna, the snow-white peaks of the Tyrolean Alps, the river romance of the Danube and Mozart symphonies ringing out in the baroque concert halls of Salzburg.

JetBlue is doubling down on Puerto Rico, slashing service from New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA), scaling back its winter Europe offerings, and deploying more of its Mint-equipped jets throughout North America.

Stargazing, seals and sandbanks in MandøDenmark’s wilderness zones and sparsely populated isles have long been havens for nature lovers and stargazers. Mandø, on the south-west coast of Jutland, is the most recent addition to the country’s four Dark Sky Parks. A small island in the Wadden Sea National Park, Mandø is most easily accessed at low tide via tractor bus over the causeway from the mainland – adding to the adventure and reducing the chances of latecomers’ annoying car headlights ruining your night vision. By day, you’ll likely want to visit the lovingly preserved, thatched and white-walled Mandø House museum (an early 19th-century shipmaster’s home), not to mention the island’s landmark windmill and church. Observe thriving seal and migratory bird species on a bike ride around the marshes and sandbanks.

There's a reason 75 million people visit Orlando annually, and it isn't just the mouse. Don't get us wrong. Disney World is incredible and deserves a place on any theme park lover’s bucket list, but Orlando is so much more than its theme parks. It’s an ever-evolving city with vibrant parks, public art and award-winning restaurants. And that’s before you get to amazing day trips to the Kennedy Space Center or New Smyrna Beach. 

Art in hotels, both to admire and to purchase, has become a strong focus in recent years. The Fife Arms in the Scottish Highlands has an impressive art collection including a giant Louise Bourgeois spider in the courtyard, 45 Park Lane in London has regularly changing exhibitions and art tours, Claridges has its own gallery with regularly changing shows, while La Residencia in Mallorca, Spain has 33 original pieces on display by Joan Miró. The luxurious Hotel Savoy, in Florence, is another hotel that takes art seriously by creating suites for artists to stay in and through hosting regular exhibitions in its public spaces.

The Netherlands is a treasure chest of exquisite art-filled cities and towns, canals, windmills and tulip fields, along with shiny-new sustainable urban environments, and glorious natural landscapes, coastlines and islands. While it’s one of Europe’s smaller nations (you can cross the entire country in a handful of hours), choosing where to spend your time takes planning.

Thwack! My knee slams into the boxing pad my coach, Win, is holding up. “Power!” Win yells.  “More power!”  Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! My kneecap feels like it’s about to explode. Sweat dribbles off my nose and onto the mat, little raindrops of exertion. “Harder!” he says. “Stronger! You can do it!”

Last month, the 2024 Priority Pass Excellence Awards revealed the best-rated lounges in the world. It crowned the excellent Vienna Lounge in Terminal 1 at Vienna Airport (VIE) as the overall winner.

The Netherlands packs so much within its compact borders – from its grand cities to green spaces, picturesque waterways and miles of coastline – that it’s easy to take in numerous unique and memorable experiences throughout the country, even on a short trip.

Airbnb is taking themed accommodations to the next level with its new Icons category, featuring a collection of stays that offer an immersive experience centered around music, film, television, art, sports and more.

At Patina Maldives, Fari Islands, the tranquil beauty of the archipelago meets cutting-edge artistic and environmental consciousness. This year, the resort played host to Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar, a master painter renowned for his dedication to sustainability in art. His latest project, "Life Energy", is a series of unique 'Living Paintings' developed during his residency, which vividly embody his artistic vision and his commitment to environmental care.