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Compact and easy to navigate, Verona remains one of Italy’s most underrated cities despite its picturesque center of cobblestone streets lined with medieval pink-hued buildings, well-preserved Roman sites and dozens of churches. A short hop from major hubs like Milan and Venice, the former Roman settlement never feels overrun by tourists, although visitors descend on …

  The ancient Cinque Terre gem rebuilds gracefully When massive landslides hit Italy’s Ligurian coast 18 months ago, damage to the medieval town of Vernazza was devastating, its stone streets, centuries-old landmarks, and picturesque waterfront left buried in mud. But in the disaster’s aftermath, this jewel of the Cinque Terre—a group of five villages designated …

Every winter my family and I take an epic trip that usually lasts more than two months. This year our itinerary includes Bhutan, Thailand and the Philippines. Our challenge: to fit everything into one checked bag for my toddler and me, one carry-on, and a small handbag.  READ FULL STORY

AFTER four hours of strenuous hiking, we had only just reached the bottom of the Torres del Paine. You can see the three granite monoliths from seemingly a hundred miles away (and on just about every postcard of Patagonia), but the full magnitude of their facades was revealed only after the last turn on the …

I FOUND Pichilemu through a local’s tip. In planning an itinerary that would start in Santiago and end a couple of hours south in the wine country, I was looking for a low-key weekend spot near the two destinations where I could stop for a few days and recharge with my family. “Well, there is …

When all eyes look to Rio for the World Cup and Olympics, they will see a newly safe hub of culture and sophistication. Go before the crowds descend, says Ondine Cohane READ FULL STORY  

  The subterrean fungus sniffed out by pigs or dogs makes even the most seasoned foodies swoon. In Tuscany they grow plentifully in the countryside making October and November some of the best eating months here. All at a fraction of the price the kind of portion one could only dream of in New York …

Aix-en-Provence, France La Maison d’Aix This four-room hideaway is the kind you might wish for in every tourist-worthy town. Though it is in the heart of the historic center, it is small enough to feel as if you are at a chic friend’s home. Its rooms, impeccably designed by the owner, the architect Laura Juhen, …

In many ways Siena hasn’t changed much in 800 years. And that’s a good thing. The town’s gorgeous 13th-century main square, the Piazza del Campo, is still the city’s symbolic and physical heart. The twice-a-summer bareback horse race, Il Palio, is still the most anticipated event, and the contrade, or neighborhood associations, still inspire a …