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Palermo, Sicily Epic operas, all-you-can-eat seafood, and fewer tourists inflating the prices. Home to some of Italy’s most underrated cultural attractions (not to mention lower prices than you’ll find in overtouristed Florence and Venice), the Sicilian capital is a masterpiece of hodgepodge architecture and noisy street culture. Make your first stop the sprawling Palermo Cathedral, …

We’re declaring 2010 to be Travel’s Comeback Year. And not just because of the recovering economy: A combination of changed political circumstances, increased access, and once-in-a-lifetime events is opening up some of the world’s most beautiful hideaways for your traveling pleasure. The ten destinations on our 2010 It List are next year’s travel trophies, the …

One of the most memorable trips I have taken for Condé Nast Traveler was to Mozambique a few years back (read “A Once and Future Eden” from the December 2007 issue). The country was spectacularly beautiful, with barely developed tropical islands in the north and south (and some of the best diving I have ever …

Thanksgiving in London has become a tradition for me. In fact, this holiday marks my twelfth year of making the pilgrimage and I love it. I celebrate the festivities with my dear friend’s family (whose mother is American so they go all out on the turkey, fixings and pies) and then we have plenty of …

Already visited Tuscany and made the pilgrimage to Umbria? As far as I am concerned, Piedmont remains one of Italy’s most underrated destinations, which makes it one of the most pleasant and well-priced regions in the country. November is the perfect time to visit: the wine harvest has recently finished so you can get a …

Just back from Venice, where the big news is the opening of the Palazzina Grassi hotel this week. The place wasn’t quite finished yet when I took the grand tour, but it was already clear that the property is going to a stylish and intimate addition to the city’s hotel scene. The project marks designer …

Looking for a snowy retreat with plenty of pampering? I just got an email from Ashlee Benis about her new hideaway in Switzerland’s 4-Valley region that seriously piqued my interest. Hidden Dragon, which opened a couple of months ago, is nestled in a forest away from the crowds but close to some of the region’s …

Jochen Zeitz is one of the most successful CEOs in the world, and he didn’t start running Puma until the ripe old age of 30. So, when he contacted me last year about creating a network of sustainable, socially conscious retreats–including one that he had already started to build in Kenya–I was extremely interested in …

As you may have noticed from my Brooklyn’s Own Little Italian Empire post, this former Brooklyn resident hasn’t forgotten about her borough or its foodie scene. The latest must try on my list? Henry Public, the recent opening from friends Matt Dawson and Jen Albano who made Brooklyn Social my go-to stop in Carroll Gardens. …

Sicily has gotten under my skin. This marks my third annual trip to the Italian island–I first covered it on a pilgrimage to find an Italian wine baron and then last year I scouted its best beaches. This year I found myself first in Palermo, and then at Rocco Forte’s new resort, Verdura Resort and …