Swimming tips

The beaches of the Azores have it all. On some islands you'll find ocean pools naturally carved in the rugged coast or perhaps soft black-sand beaches. Sometimes the best spot recommended by locals has a mix of both.

With spectacularly diverse landscapes and beautifully unspoilt nature, Croatia offers a wealth of experiences in the great outdoors – from hiking and kayaking, to cycling, climbing and more. So come and take a walk on Croatia’s wild side – or peddle, paddle, swim – and discover just how much outdoor adventure this beautiful Adriatic country has to offer.

Standing tall above Sydney’s Darling Harbor, the recently opened W Sydneywill command your attention before you even step foot inside. The feeling of marvel doesn’t stop once you enter the building; an illuminated vertical promenade inspired by the Australian Waratah flower leads you into the heart of the hotel where 585 rooms and many thoughtfully designed communal enclaves await. The largest W property to date, W Sydney welcomes visitors and Sydneysiders to enjoy round-the-clock moments big and small. From the sprawling rooftop pool to small tipples in your room, this hotel is designed to create your own adventure and symbolizes a new chapter for W Hotels.

Already one of the most budget-friendly destinations in Africa, there are still plenty of ways to make your Benin trip even cheaper.

The best beach cover-ups for women are lightweight, stylish, and versatile—looking just as good over your bathing suit by the pool as they do during a hotel lunch. Whether you're headed on a weeklong vacation to Lake Como or are cruising to Ibiza this summer, be sure to pack a few swim cover-ups you can throw on after a dip in the water. We browsed some of our favorite online shops to find the best styles for you to wear this summer, from two-piece sets and maxi dresses that double as daytime outfits to beachy sarongs that let you show off your favorite swimsuit. Below, 31 beach cover-ups for women to wear poolside all summer long.

Without going on too much of a polemic about it, it must be said that on the beach in the summer of 2024 there is no excuse for you as a man to wear a swimsuit that sits anywhere close to your knee. The five-and-a-half inch inseam is the longest acceptable inseam, and this is not just because giving the world a glimpse of your thigh is cheeky fun—although that’s part of it. The shorter the swimsuit, the taller you look. Board shorts, in addition to being ugly, are unflattering and swallow your silhouette right up with their greedy bulk. In the absence of a baggy shirt to even out the look's proportions, the problem compounds (Remember that, unless you favor rash guards, you will at times find yourself shirtless in your swimsuit. That's the name of the game.)

Most diners don’t think of land-locked Colorado as the place to go for fantastic sushi. However, the Centennial State is swimming with good fish, partially because it’s a central hub for airplanes stopping between coasts. Local chefs demand it, too, making sourcing sushi-grade seafood easier.

A European non-profit organization is warning the famous Seine may be too polluted to host Olympic swimming events, throwing an iconic part of the games into question.

The best bathing suits for women are supportive, comfortable, and flattering. It's also one piece of clothing that finds its way onto almost any packing list, whether that be for a dip in the hotel pool, the ocean, or an Airbnb's cozy hot tub. As essential as a good bathing suit is for travelers, finding one we feel confident in can feel like somewhat of a daunting task. With this in mind, we did the legwork for you—scouring the sites of brands we trust like Andie Swim, Left on Friday, and Solid & Striped to discover the very best options to wear on your next beach vacation. From high-waisted sets and one-piece swimsuits to classic high-cut bikinis, there's a style for every taste and body type on our list. Below, the best women's bathing suits to wear this season, whether you'll be by the beach in Montauk or cruising through the Mediterranean.

In a city renowned for its historic buildings, making your mark as an independent hotel requires a Herculean effort. As such, One Aldwych, London merits high praise.

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With summer just around the corner, thoughts turn to planning the perfect vacation. When it comes to finding an indulgent retreat, one key factor that often dominates everyone’s must-have list is a breathtaking swimming pool. If you’re deciding where to take the plunge, then check out these 7 hotels with outstanding pools. From the serene beauty of a countryside manor, to the historical charm of a reinvigorated convent, each of these accommodations offers a unique guest experience that epitomizes luxury and features an amazing pool. Let’s dive in!

Michele Heisler, 61, is an avid swimmer, putting in 45 minutes three times a week in a local 25-yard-long pool. But swimming while traveling can be challenging. “Most hotel pools are too tiny or too crowded,” she said.

Wellness tourism has seen a 36% annual growth since 2020 and is expected to increase another 13.3% through to 2027, according to research by leading global research and wellness industry nonprofit the Global Wellness Institute (GWI). Lausanne, located on the shores of Switzerland’s Lake Geneva, has long been leading the trend. It is home to the International Olympic Committee and over 25 sporting federations, so visitors can benefit from myriad sporting activities. When paired with its many opportunities for relaxation and recalibration, it’s the ideal destination for tourists looking for a holistic approach to wellness while on their travels.

Many hotels in Hawaii are intensely focused on bringing more traditional Hawaiian culture to their properties. But one Waikiki hotel is focusing on a different kind of culture - one that represents the present, not the past.

Sometimes we crave the sensation of plunging into the ocean, waves breaking over our heads, the deeps beneath our feet.

It was a summer’s morning in the Lepontine Alps in Ticino, Switzerland’s Italian-speaking canton, and there was the vague threat of a storm on the horizon. I was already out on a trail through larch and hazelnut forest, backpack shouldered, aiming for a mountain pass. Up ahead, a herd of short-haired goats grazed, their bells chiming merrily, while behind me the peaks that tower over the Maggia Valley shuffled in and out of view from behind the clouds – each top grimacing, stone teeth chipped and bared.

The Scotland-based company Slow Adventure advocates a more mindful approach to activity holidays. Options include climbing and yoga in the Italian Alps, mountain biking in Sweden and horse riding and rambling in Iceland. On the Finnish Happiness trip, guests stay in log cabins by a lake in Lapland and activities include canoeing under the midnight sun, hiking, swimming, swamp foraging and daily saunas. On all trips, 5% of the fee goes to local conservation projects, which in Finland could mean helping protect the rare Saimaa ringed seal, preserving forests or supporting a children’s environmental charity.From £876 for five nights, slow-adventure.com

Stepping into the lobby of the Gellért Baths in Budapest is like stepping back in time. Having resisted the temptation to look at photos of the baths online, I was thrilled at my first sight of the spectacular art nouveau interior.After changing, my husband and I did a few laps of the main indoor pool, admiring the intricately decorated columns surrounding us. Afterwards, we explored the building’s labyrinth of geothermal pools before emerging on to the enormous roof terrace. There, we swam in the heated outdoor pool under bright sunshine.

It is said that when Norse explorer Ingólfur Arnarson and his wife Hallveig Fróðadóttir threw some wooden posts from their ship in AD878 they floated to a bay covered with steaming springs, hence the name Reykjavík, or “stormy bay”, and that’s where Arnarson decided to settle. I am here researching women in Icelandic sagas for my next book, and our two small children have accompanied me, with their father sharing childcare.

Just across the Potomac River from Washington DC, northern Virginia is legendary for its Civil War battlefields, Mount Vernon and other historic sites.