Art tips

Venice is so congested that it has become the embodiment of overtourism. Each year millions of tourists flock to this small city, home to a dwindling local population of 50,000, and the hordes in St. Mark’s Square are legendary. Yet visiting Venice doesn’t always require taking what Italians call “un bagno di folla” — a bath in the crowd. The city offers plenty of fascinating attractions spared from the congestion, in fact, some of them could use more visitors. Here are some ways travelers can minimize the inconveniences even while visiting the most popular sites.

Marguerite Humeau lives 4,500 miles and a world away from where she’s building her latest artwork. The French-born, London-based creator had never experienced “such vastness” before she stepped onto the wide-open landscapes that define the San Luis Valley, a high alpine desert in southern Colorado, in early 2022. “The valley opens up and you have nothing else—the sky and the horizon and the fields,” she says. “It’s transforming.”

A staycation at The Ritz-Carlton Central Park conveniently sidesteps the hassles of crowded airports, canceled flights, and other irksome travel delays. And for those living in the tri-state area, a New York City staycation is one way to reduce their carbon footprint.

With steely skyscrapers, lakefront beaches and world-class museums, Chicago will blow you away with its low-key yet highly cultured spirit.

From St. Peter's Basilica to the Vittoriano, the Pantheon to the Colosseum, Rome boasts one of the most iconic and romantic skylines in the world. So when choosing where to stay in the Eternal City, it’s ideal to find a hotel that gives you a bird’s eye view of the grand cityscape.

Baur au Lacis one of Zurich’s most prestigious and recognizable hotels, attracting guests from around the world to its waterside location since 1844. In its 179-year history, Baur au Lac has very much been a family business, owned and managed by the Baur-Kracht family, and this year marks a new chapter in the hotel’s leadership. Marguita Kracht joins her father at the helm of the property, as a seventh generation owner of the heralded hotel ushering in new ideas about sustainability and technology.

Picnics signal a return to a simpler life, when there was plenty of leisure time to spend lazing about in a bucolic, pastoral setting, stuffing yourself full of delightful food and drink in the sun-dappled company of family and friends.

A newly decorated hotel suite in the heart of Manhattan offers travelers and locals the opportunity to escape into vibrancy and whimsical decor, all with the tap of a kay card.

We’re talking shorts.

From the Art Institute and skyscraper-viewing boat tours to world-class restaurants and bars, there is no shortage of places to spend plenty of money in Chicago.

For two days, adventure sports photographer Dru Kennedy and his friend waited for the fog to clear from Goose Cove, a popular spot for iceberg viewing near Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula. They were hoping to set up a perfect biking shot in front of a drifting iceberg. 

The sights, the sounds, the smells… Marrakech is swirling with enough sensory treats to pull you in and never let go. Between the bustling, motorcycle-flooded Medina market to the handfuls of relaxing spas and riads, here’s where to go for an equally thrilling and relaxing vacation.

When thinking of city breaks in Hungary, Romania and Greece, certain places will instantly spring to mind: Budapest, Bucharest and Athens, the much-admired capitals. But in 2023, it’s time to make space on your travel wish list for some up-and-coming urban hotspots in these countries: the European Capitals of Culture 2023. This year, why not get under the skin of a secret city that's rich with art, history, gastronomy and vibrant local communities? Step forward Veszprém, Timișoara, and Elefsina: it’s your time to shine.

The drama and beauty of Luxembourg’s capital often comes as a surprise to the first-time visitor. The Grand Duchy – the world’s only sovereign nation whose head of state is a Grand Duke – emerged in 963 AD when Count Siegfried built a castle on top of the Bock cliffs. Today the Bock and Old Quarter – a UNESCO World Heritage site – perch on a sandstone plateau high above the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers, and wandering its upper and lower cities is like strolling through history.

As I bowled along the roads linking Herefordshire’s ‘Black and White Villages’ (named in honour of their two-tone buildings), I believed, for a second, in time travel. Here, in one of England’s least populated counties, little appeared to have changed for decades, centuries even.

A lot of dishes were shattered during the pandemic. Although some breakage was accidental, incidental or ad hoc, the greatest damage was done in smash rooms, padded cells where people paid good money to sledgehammer remaindered crockery by the hour. Smash rooms were advertised as safe spaces to release Covid-induced anger and frustration. Many therapists questioned the effectiveness. One psychologist compared it to treating a gambling addiction by sending patients to Harrah’s.

Best for: learning about textiles

Chicago, known around the world as the Windy City, is famous for its vibrant culture, diverse communities, and a rich history of arts and entertainment. Among the plethora of events and festivals that take place throughout the year, Northalsted Market Days stands tall as a celebration of inclusivity, creativity, and unity. This iconic street festival, held annually in the Northalsted neighborhood, attracts visitors from all over the world.

Thompson Seattle has long been my go-to hotel in downtown Seattle, just steps away from Pike’s Place Market and with an excellent restaurant (Conversation Kitchen & Bar), and a spectacular 4,500-square-foot rooftop bar (The Nest) from which you can survey the city’s iconic PNW landscape. This luxury boutique hotel has upped its own ante with the opening of two new 1,000 square-foot penthouse suites that have unparalleled views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains from the 12th floor and are decked out with local artwork and other design touches.

Berlin has long enjoyed a reputation for being a city of bargains, but don’t be fooled: it’s catching up with London, Tokyo and New York – and fast!

When Tyler Branco thinks of luxury hotels in Bangkok, The Siam comes to mind. It's a 38-room boutique resort on the banks of the Chao Phraya River — and it's a place where nothing is left to chance.