Where people who love good food come to holiday: Vila Nova de Milfontes, Portugal

Avalon Waterways is the latest river cruise line to launch sailings on the Douro.

Four Seasons is already famous for its over-the-top private jet itineraries that have travelers with deep pockets flying between world-famous landmarks, cosmopolitan cities and adventures in national parks, safari camps and everything in between.

When Whistler entrepreneur Pepe Barajas first arrived in this Canadian mountain community in 2008, he hated it. Born and raised in Mexico City, Barajas found the area’s peaceful, relaxed pace to be frustratingly slow, a direct contrast to life in what he called Mexico’s “go, go, go” capital.

After a mild yet miserable winter spent hiding indoors, many Europeans are craving some quality time in nature.

Easter is Sunday, March 31. And if you don’t have plans yet, check out these excellent New York City restaurants for elegant brunch spread, buffets, ala carte service and top notch cuisine to celebrate in style. Hop to it - book an Easter reservation at this upscale eateries before they fill up!

Spring in northern Lake Garda is an adventure paradise. I’ve been several times and enjoyed the via ferratas: iron cables fixed to scrambling routes, which require fitness and sense of adventure but not technical mountaineering skills (safety equipment required). The views are amazing and varied, from gorges and ledges to grassy mountaintop finishes and, for the bold, huge vertical ladders – with castles, bastions and shrines along the route. It’s a great area, too, for hiring a bike or picking one of the many apartments that include them, to explore the paths and see the lakes and mountains by pedal power. Bored with all that? There’s also paddleboarding, windsurfing, swimming and river boat trips. All accompanied by brilliant food and gelato.David Thomas

Genoa-born chef Ivano Ricchebono looks like a Hollywood actor playing a chef in a movie. His restaurant The Cook is in a 14th-century palazzo in the old town, and as I step into the dining room I stop and stare – the entire place is covered with frescoes. It’s wildly romantic. “People get engaged here all the time,” Ivano says with a smile. Awarded his first Michelin star in 2010, he has cooked for Stanley Tucci, and has an international reputation for excellence. But today he’s my tour guide – not to the blossoming fine dining scene but to the affordable (and equally delicious) fare enjoyed by locals every day.

Alice Mansergh is spending St. Patrick’s Day 2024 in Washington, D.C., to participate in a longtime tradition. It involves delegates from Ireland presenting the current U.S. president with a bowl of shamrocks to mark this Irish holiday.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Karen Edwards, who blogs about her family's life abroad. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Before the fire, Lytton, British Columbia, was the kind of tiny town visitors alighted upon mid-road trip, pulling off the Trans-Canada Highway to get a drink, or take in views of the Fraser and Thompson Rivers, running slate gray and deep blue more than 200 feet below. A mile up the road, also known as Highway 1, Kumsheen Rafting Resort drew 8,000 visitors annually to take half-day trips on raging rapids. Backpackers heading out on the Stein Valley Traverse stopped at the grocery store — known to locals as Ken Mart, after its owner, Ken Wong — to pick up rope, ramen and fuel before they hit the trail.

Living in the tumult of the city, who among us hasn’t wondered if we’re really marching to the beat of our own drum?

Spring has well and truly sprung and we’re just a few weeks away from Easter. As the flowers bloom and temperatures heat up, many of us are planning to make the most of the season and go on the trip of a lifetime.