Mountain City's Travel Blog

We love Tuscany, too. But Italy has 20 wine-producing regions. Why should Chianti have all the fun? Head north, east, and very south from Tuscany for three deliciously different wine adventures. Tuscany has become almost shorthand for Italian wine travel: cypress-lined roads, Renaissance hill towns, vineyard-covered hills and a glass of Chianti waiting at lazy sun-drenched lunches and on terraces at...

Many cultures have fall festivals, but only one makes the arrival of astronomical autumn a national holiday: Shubun no Hi. What’s more, Japan does it twice a year, also making March’s Vernal Equinox Day the holiday Shunbun no Hi. Shubun no Hi, or Autumnal Equinox Day, falls around September 22 or 23, when the sun crosses the celestial equator and day...

Switzerland’s famous for its snowy peaks and picturesque slopes. It’s home to some of the world’s chicest ski resorts and 40,000 miles of summer hiking trails.  The Swiss have elevated outdoor Alpine lifestyles to a national art form… and the image you might have is a global elite clad in equal parts stylish and highly technical gear. Not so fast. Switzerland Tourism...

Caribbean cruising - and beyond! - may have changed forever. Royal Caribbean Group -which also owns Celebrity Cruises and Silversea - and Sandals Resorts International announced that the cruise company has purchased 50% of the Caribbean all-inclusive resort chain. It's a deal worth 3 billion USD, and it's sending a tidal wave through both the cruise and all-inclusive resort worlds. Here's why...

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey put one of the world’s oldest travel stories back on the big screen in 2026—and launched Greek voyages back into our travel imaginations. It might be the year’s biggest inspiration for ‘set-jetting': planning your own dramatic exploration of Greece inspired by the film. Homer’s epic follows Odysseus making his way on a ten-year voyage home across a...

Vienna has spent centuries perfecting the art of living well. Coffee and cake in chandeliered cafés. Music, art and architecture on an imperial scale. And, increasingly, some serious pampering behind the doors of the Austrian capital’s luxury hotels. But these days, “wellness” during your trip to Vienna can involve much more than a massage.The city’s luxury hotel spas still deliver plenty...

Two new Caribbean resort openings show travelers just how far the concept of the all-inclusive holiday is stretching, with lifestyle hotels translating their unique identities into all-inclusives and focusing less on buffets and the beach and more on wellness retreats, culinary travel, and immersive cultural experiences. In Cancun, Mondrian is taking its famously design- and culture-driven hotel concept all-inclusive for the...

Greece’s ancient coastlines, history and modern lifestyle retain evergreen travel charm; no wonder Four Seasons has opened its second Greek resort - and its first on a Greek island. Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos is a tranquil beachfront retreat just 20 minutes from the island’s lively town and its renowned social lifestyle. Set above Kalo Livadi Bay, the new cliffside hotel features contemporary...

Twenty-five years ago, moviegoers got their first glimpse of Middle-earth — and savvy travelers discovered that it looked remarkably like New Zealand. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring premiered in 2001, the first chapter of Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels. All three movies were filmed back-to-back in Jackson’s native New Zealand, with more...

For generations, travelers have organized their days around daylight. Get up. See the sights. Take the photos. Then, as the sun sets, the day starts wrapping up. One of travel’s fastest-growing trends turns that itinerary upside down. And the lights off. Noctourism or Astrotourism? “Noctourism” – or nocturnal tourism – is the growing appetite for travel experiences after dark. Noctourism can intersect with astrotourism,...

What cruises give you the warmest welcome in Europe’s coolest months? River and coastal ocean cruising doesn’t completely stop when the Christmas holidays start. In fact, Europe’s “quiet season” is becoming a season of its own for cruisers. It’s true that most Christmas markets pack up around Christmas Eve, although some extend through the holidays. But then come New Year’s celebrations,...

What’s it like to captain a ship that sails year-round in exotic French Polynesia? I got to ask the captain of the Paul Gauguin during a visit to the bridge on a week-long voyage around the Islands of Tahiti. It’s a bucket-list trip for many of us – and rightfully so. Nowhere in the world compares with the tropical romance of...

In July 2027, the Tour de France will make cycling history in the UK. Three men’s stages and three women’s stages will put Britain on the cycling world stage. In fact, it will be a historic double-header: for the first time, both the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes will hold their Grand Départs - in the same...

You came to the Caribbean for the beach. So did the wildlife. Throughout the islands, some stretches of sand come with company: two legs or four, from birds to beasts to reptiles. Some creatures are unexpected, others have earned celebrity status. Some are indigenous to their islands, while others have adapted over centuries to new climes. Here are some Caribbean beaches where...

I adore river cruising. I constantly recommend river cruises to viewers and followers. But river cruising is facing an industry-changing crisis. And I think it’s time to face it head-on with new solutions that will benefit everyone. A NEW LOW Low water levels on Europe’s major rivers – including the Rhine and the Danube – are making headlines around the world. I was at...

82 years after what Winston Churchill called “the most complicated and difficult” military operation in world history, Normandy’s D-Day Landing Beaches finally achieved long overdue recognition of their place in the world as we know it today – plus the protection needed to ensure their lessons live on for future generations. LEARN MORE IN THE VIDEO ABOVE: Normandy Landing Beaches Designated...

Record-breaking summer heatwaves throughout Europe have more travelers looking for cooler destinations to spend the holidays. I have some favorites. By: Lynn Elmhirst, travel journalist and expert Some like it hot!  And since Coco Chanel made it stylish to spend even scorching summers on the French Riviera, heat-loving travelers have flocked to the Mediterranean during the season. Those who couldn’t brave Mediterranean...

When Crystal Grace launches in 2028, she’ll have more dedicated family spaces and programming than ever. That sets Crystal apart from most other cruise lines in the luxury space, which either permit but provide few age-specific amenities – or simply ban a younger passenger set. Not so Crystal Grace. Existing ships Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity have a playroom for kids...

For most travelers, summer in Spain means lazy days on Mediterranean beaches, late-night tapas and sangria in sunny plazas. Summer is also Spain’s festival season – with two events famous the world over headlining a heady, heated frenzy of cultural celebrations. And only in Spain would they treat death-defying dares - and a food fight - equally seriously! I Call “Bull” Every...

I say ‘Bordeaux,’ and you think: wine. It’s true Bordeaux is one of the most fabled and beloved wine regions of the world, and a trip to France to spend time exploring the wineries of Bordeaux is a bucket list trip for many of us. But ‘Bordeaux’ has another meaning. Translated, it means ‘at the water’s edge.’ And a river cruise...