How to spend a culinary weekend in Lake Lucerne

Most passersby don’t even notice the Bentley or Rolls Royce often parked in front of the entrance to the Le Negresco Hotel in Nice. The legendary five-star property on the French Riviera has been entertaining business leaders, royalty, and celebrities since it opened in 1913.

Nestled in the southeast corner of France near the Swiss border, the Savoy region has a cuisine that befits its alpine location. Visitors should expect hearty dishes, such as its famous tartiflette, a creamy baked gratin of potatoes, onions, lardons and reblochon cheese; and farcement, a sweet and savoury potato cake that contains both bacon rashers and fruit such a prunes or pears. 

From a luxurious, multi-day adventure through Peru to a short hop across the border from Switzerland to Italy, ­­these rail routes all have one thing in common — towering mountain views.

The tiny town of Hochatown, on the shores of Broken Bow Lake in the southeast corner of Oklahoma, was created exactly one year ago. And it’s almost entirely thanks to Airbnb.

Snow sports slay in this world-renowned ski town, found only two hours by car from Vancouver. Once the site of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler is the largest ski resort in North America, where a pair of peaks provide endless terrain for an epic ski getaway. But the alpine adventures don’t stop at the slopes. When the weather warms, there’s still a ton to see and do here.

With some tweaks, the colorful minnow and feathered lures would make pretty cute earrings, I thought, or great Christmas tree ornaments.

Think of Orlando and the top places to visit, and Disney World or Universal Islands of Adventure are more than likely the first tourist spots that spring to mind. Yes, theme parks are intrinsically linked to the city but, while it is home to some 12 high-adrenalin theme parks, that’s not all there is to the Florida destination. From charming cities to tranquil lake adventures, here are a few of the destination’s hidden gems to take you off the beaten track.

Europeans are lucky to hold some of the world’s most powerful passports.

Nestled in a picturesque valley surrounded by rolling hills, Ljubljana is often described as one of Europe's best-kept secrets. Ljubljana's small size and pedestrian-friendly layout make it a city that's easy to explore on foot or by bicycle. No cars are allowed in the center of town after 10 am every day. There’s plenty to do in town and its central location allows for lovely day trips to nearby lakes and national parks. No trip to Slovenia would be complete without a visit to the picturesque Lake Bled, the former summer playground of the infamous dictator Tito. Today, it’s a popular vacation spot for Slovenians and tourists, less than an hour from Ljubljana.

The history of Stockholm is one of ebbs and flows, freezes and thaws, sunken ships and shifting locks. History, though, isn’t exactly at the forefront of my mind 20 minutes into a morning kayak tour, when I’m frantically paddling against the frothy, destabilising wake dispatched by a passing city ferry. 

On the train from Zurich to Bad Ragaz, a charming mountain town in eastern Switzerland, you pass mirror-like lakes so still that it’s hard to tell the difference between the sky and the water. Jagged Alpine trees are seen twice, their reflection in the water creating a topsy-turvy landscape. Mountain peaks are upside down and the cobalt of autumnal skies merge into the ice-blue of the lake’s surface.

There are plenty of hotels around the world that the royal family have frequented—but there’s something special about staying in an actual home or estate that the monarchy has vacationed at. It feels more regal; more like leaning into the royal life than checking into a hotel room.