Packed with iconic museums and monuments, together with low-key treasures cherished by locals, Paris is a city that emanates"la belle vie" (the good life).
Away from the highlights – the Louvre, Notre Dame and Eiffel Tower – Parisian life ticks along with a coffee on a terrace, a bike ride along the Seine, and wine-fueled lunches with friends in noisy bistros. Blending the blockbuster experiences with these local delights is the key to experiencing the best of Paris. Here are the top things to do.

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1. See the Eiffel Tower at night
Dodge the habitual daytime crowd zig-zagging up the Eiffel Tower ’s southern-pillar staircase or cruising by lift to the top-floor champagne bar, and experience Paris’ signature spire after dark instead.
Planning Tip: Gastronomic dining in the company of the most beautiful city panorama at Le Jules Vernes, ensnared within Eiffel’s hypnotic metal web on the 2nd floor, is Michelin-starred and magical. But for smoldering, eyeball-to-eyeball views of the so-dubbed Dame de Fer or Iron Lady herself – illuminated at night – enjoy a date night beneath the stars at the summer rooftop bar atop La Shangri-La Paris. Afloat on the Seine, take in the Eiffel Tower views from boat bar Chez Mila or fine-dining bateau Ducasse sur Seine.
2. Be surprised by the artworks at Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection
There’s a secret to exploring the city’s latest blockbuster art venue, that opened in May 2021 in an 18th-century rotunda where the city’s grain market and stock exchange once were. Reserve tickets online, book lunch in the top-floor Halles aux Graines restaurant run by legendary French chefs Michel and Sébastien Bras, and keep your wits about you when admiring the contemporary art in this world-class collection by French billionaire François Pinault.
The exquisite "marble" replica of a late-Renaissance Giambologna sculpture in the central hall (actually a gargantuan, slow-burning wax candle by Swiss artist Urs Fischer), the pesky "pigeons" perched on the balustrade above, the "cushions" strewn on the occasional chair throughout are not what they seem. This mischievous new gallery has been designed to shock and surprise.

Marché des Enfants Rouges is packed with food stalls © Elena Dijour / Shutterstock

3. Sample local life at Paris' markets
Nothing reveals the backstreet grit and grind of local life quite like Paris’ stash of intoxicating markets. Most neighborhoods have one and Bastille’s morning street marché on Blvd Richard Lenoir is a brilliant introduction. When hunger strikes, swing through the inconspicuous green metal gate on rue de Bretagne, 3e, in nearby Le Marais to uncover Marché des Enfants Rouges. This is the city’s oldest covered market, dating from 1615, with a maze of food stalls cooking up Moroccan couscous, Japanese bento, Thai curries and other world cuisines. Order a stuffed- and sizzled-to-order toasted sandwich or galette (savoury crêpe) from gregarious Alain at Chez Alain Miam Miam, then grab a pew to lunch with locals around communal tables.
To peek into the makings of a Parisian home, ride metro line 13 north to Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen. A village in itself, this gargantuan nine-hectare flea market – Europe’s largest – is where thrifty Parisians gravitate at weekends to hunt down chintzy Louis XVI lamps, rare and wondrous vinyl, avant-garde fittings and furniture, antiques and other second-hand treasures for their city-sleek apartments.
4. Wander through Paris' history at Musée Carnavalet
With its photogenic twinset of hôtels particuliers (private mansions) smacking of 17th-century Parisian aristocracy and labyrinth of lavish rooms spanning time, the Musée Carnavalet in Le Marais is an enchanting rendezvous with history. The architecture alone at Paris’ oldest museum, open since 1880, plunges you straight into the Renaissance.
Thanks to a four-year redesign costing more than €55 million, visiting the Musée Carnavalet is a sharp, immersive, chronological waltz through the glittering story of Paris, from prehistory to the terrorism-troubled 21st century. Some 3800 of 625,000 historical pieces – paintings, sculptures, furniture, signs, posters, models, coins, toys, musical instruments, erotica – adorn rooms perfectly styled to reflect each era. The most spectacular – the lavish painted ceilings, gilt and stucco of the Salons La Rivière (1652–56), Hôtel Wendel’s Art Deco ballroom, Fouquet’s Art Nouveau jewelry shop – are the Real McCoy, uprooted from their original location to the museum for safekeeping.
Planning Tip: Admission to the permanent collection is free and doesn't need to be booked in advance. End in the museum cafe, with tables enchantingly scattered in the manicured courtyard garden.

Turn your visit to the Louvre into a treasure hunt © Pigprox / Shutterstock

5. Go on a treasure hunt at the Louvre
It would take nine months to simply glance at all 35,000-odd masterpieces at the Musée du Louvre, home to one of the world’s finest collections of western art. Join a ThatMuse scavenger hunt to make best sense of the overwhelmingly gargantuan palace-gallery, built as a fortress for Philippe-Auguste in the 12th century and rehashed as a swish royal residence in the mid-16th.
Planning Tip: Hunts are themed, a huge hit with families, and lead you into quieter rooms well beyond the over-crowded likes of Da Vinci’s celebrity Mona Lisa or Michelangelo’s Dying Slave. Count between two and three hours to track down, and snap a photo as evidence, up to 30 artworks – the "pieces of treasure". Decamp afterwards to Café Le Nemours, one of Paris’ most mythical cafes with an elegant terrace beneath arches, for a coffee or organic Alain Millat peach juice and classic Parisian jambon et fromage baguette sandwich (or something fancier).
6. Tour the historic Cimetière du Père Lachaise
Gawping at ornate tomb art while paying your respects to 70,000 rich, famous and infamous buried in the world’s most-visited cemetery is a riveting urban walk. The historic graveyard, open since 1804, is one of central Paris’ biggest green spaces, with 5300 trees and shrubs, and magnificent 19th-century sculptures by artists such as David d’Angers, Hector Guimard, Visconti and Chapu. Visit on a sunny day after the rain to experience this unexpected green oasis at its most lush.
Planning Tip: To scout out the iconic graves of 1960s rock star Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf et al, scan the QR code inside the cemetery’s Blvd de Ménilmontant entrance to access a map; or hook up with entertaining cemetery historian Thierry Le Roi. His two-hour guided tours are legendary in their own right.

You can explore Monet's paintings at several museums in Paris © Kiev.Victor / Shutterstock

7. Explore Monet's artworks at museums across the city
Which art lover can resist Monet’s signature water lilies? Exhilaratingly gargantuan and immersive, his lilies fill two oval rooms – designed by Monet himself in the 1920s – at the Musée de l’Orangerie in the Jardin des Tuileries.
More Monet masterpieces rub shoulders with paintings by Cézanne, Degas, Renoir and Van Gogh in the Musée d’Orsay, displaying world-class art from 1848 to 1914 in a resplendent 1900-built train station by the Seine. But the real gold lies off the trodden tourist trail, at the unsung Musée Marmottan Monet. Quietly at home in an intimate, Empire-style hôtel particulier in the residential 16e arrondissement, this is where the world’s largest collection of canvases by Monet can be found.
8. Look up at Paris' iconic rooftops
Talk of inscribing Paris’ iconic rooftops on Unesco’s World Heritage List has been rumbling for years. Begin your rooftop foray at ground level on place des Vosges, laid out as Place Royale in Le Marais in 1612. It's the city’s oldest square – and the most handsome. This is an ideal spot to admire Paris’ signature roofs from below, originally tiled in slate from the nearby Loire Valley and, from the mid-19th century, with cheaper sheets of shiny seagull-grey zinc.
Local Tip: A 10-minute walk away on trendy Rue Vieille du Temple, 3e, fashionistas hobnob over cocktails, barbecued meats and weekend brunch at Au Top, a hidden rooftop with an insane 360-degree panorama. Le Perchoir Marais is the other unmissable rooftop in the neighborhood.
Other Parisian-packed venues to swoon over the city’s romantic skyline: the viewing terrace of department store Galeries Lafayette, Perruche above Le Printemps, cocktail and DJ hub Le Perchoir in the 11e, and farm-to-fork Le Perchoir, at home on Europe’s largest urban farm in the 15e on – guess what – a rooftop.

Taking slow walks through the city is part of the Paris experience © LUMIKK555 / Shutterstock

9. Take a leisurely stroll like a Parisian flâneur
When 19th-century town planner Georges Eugène Haussmann bulldozed the medieval city’s cobweb of dank, narrow alleys in the 1850s to create an elegant, light-filled capital of broad tree-shaded boulevards and squares, he clearly had Parisian flânerie (strolling at leisure) in mind. Left-bank St-Germain des Prés, right-bank Le Marais and Jardin du Luxembourg are classic areas for slow, indulgent walks. Or hook up with Explore Paris on a wildly creative themed walking tour such as operatic strolls with a singer in Montmartre, Chinese Belleville, or gourmet walks in Goutte d’Or.
Planning Tip: For monumental grandeur around every corner, kick off on the viewing platform of Arc de Triomphe, stroll shop-lined Champs-Elysées to obelisk-pierced Place de la Concorde, and cut through Jardin des Tuileries to arch-pierced Place du Carrousel. Admire the Louvre, with its striking glass pyramid, then duck beneath the arches to Place Colette with its flashy metro-station entrance threaded with 800 Murano glass beads.
Continue into Jardin du Palais Royal to frolic around Daniel Buren’s signature black-and-white striped columns, browse its upmarket boutique-clad arcades, chill over freshly roasted coffee at hidden Café Kitsuné, and flop on a park bench to watch Paris go by in gorgeous slow motion.
10. Experience village life in Montmartre
Gorging on the spectacular Paris vista that unfolds from the steps of the pearly-white domes of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica – or atop the 300 more steps spiraling up inside the church dome – is a veritable Montmartre moment. But to get under the skin of this fabled quarter of ivy-clad cottages, windmills and artist cafes, it pays to duck down hidden alleys and squares, and explore less-visited streets on the backside of the Butte (as the Montmartre hill is known).
Planning Tip: Reserve a table at clandestine cocktail bar Le Très Particulier, with walled summer garden, in a 19th-century mansion on Ave Junot. Mooch a couple of doors downhill to Villa Leandré at No 23, one of the picturesque cul-de-sacs in Paris with flowery cottage gardens fronting 1920s, terraced brick houses. Another 15 minutes brings you to La Cité Pilleux (45 rue Ganneron, 18e), an equally bucolic dead-end lane with old industrial workshops re-spun as pretty little dwellings.

The platform on the Arc de Triomphe offers some of the best views of Paris © StockBrunet / Shutterstock

11. Take in the views from Arc de Triomphe's viewing platform
The Arc de Triomphe 's sky-high viewing platform is dramatically less crowded than the Eiffel Tower, but with views to rival. The 50m-high (164ft), Roman-style, triumphal arch commemorating Napoléon’s 1805 victory at Austerlitz is also the best spot to get your head around Paris’ Axe Historique (Historical Axis) – a line of historical monuments forming a perfect east-to-west axis through central Paris.
Admire astonishing vistas stretching from the Louvre, Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées (all east), to the Arc de Triomphe’s modern counterpoint, 1980s-built Grande Arche de la Défense (west). Peer down to watch cars twirling around the city’s busiest roundabout encircling the arch and spinning off along one of eight leafy Haussmannian avenues.
12. Eat quality local produce at grassroots restaurants
Grassroots produce – seasonal, locally grown, invariably organic and so freshly harvested that earth still clings to the roots – has never been so important in French cuisine. Chefs in Paris are working harder than ever with small regional producers to elevate taste and quality to even greater heights (not to mention supporting local economies).
Planning Tip: The untouristed 10th arrondissement is becoming increasinly foodie with wildly successful, bistronomie addresses such as Les Résistants and L’Avant Poste.

Take a scenic cruise along the Seine, the heart of Paris © rclassenlayouts / Getty Images

13. Cruise the Seine
Paris’ geographical and spiritual heart is the Seine – it all began on its island twinset after all, with early settlers arriving on Île de la Cité around the 3rd century BCE. Cruising the river with Bateaux-Mouches or aboard a hop-on-hop-off Batobus river boat – part of the city’s public transport system – is a memorable experience. Admire scenic Unesco World Heritage-listed riverbanks, islands, summertime beaches and 37 bridges spanning every architectural era.
Planning Tip: Hopes are high that parts of the river will be clean enough to swim in by 2025. Until then, cool off on hot summer days at floating outdoor pool Piscine Joséphine Baker. Sunset drinks are a rite of passage at floating bar and guinguette (dance hall), Rosa Bonheur sur Seine – as is a dose of contemporary street art a short walk west along the quay to bohemian barge-gallery Fluctuart. To stay on the Seine 24/7, check into floating hotel, Off Paris Seine.
14. Be intoxicated by Paris' cocktail culture
From glam hotel bars to clandestine speakeasies and upcycled hostess bars in South Pigalle, the craft-cocktail scene in Paris is intoxicating. Paris Cocktail Week, held each year in January, is a brilliant introduction. Otherwise, DIY your initiation with a signature Serendipity at Bar Hemingway in the Ritz – a teeny, chic, wood-paneled space where British-born bartender Colin Field has mixed cocktails for more than 25 years. Legend says Hemingway, wielding a machine gun, helped liberate the hotel bar during WWII – following which he knocked back 51 consecutive dry martinis.
Local Tip: Forgotten French liqueurs, zany homemade infusions and inventive syrups are at their finest at Le Mary Céleste, one of Paris’ first bars to pair cocktails with modern French tapas dishes. For summer cocktails, follow a clued-in crowd to Le Pavillon Puebla, a guinguette -styled party space in a rambling 19th-century mansion in beautiful offbeat city park Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.

You'll find pieces by independent designers as well as mainstream fashion at shops through Paris © DKS Style / Shutterstock

15. Go shopping at boutiques and fashion stores
Be it your own made-to-measure Louis Vuitton trunk, a heavenly fragranced candle from the world’s oldest candlemaker, or the season’s latest from eco-conscious fashion store Sézane, shopping in Paris is exuberant and exotic. Pick your quartier depending on personal style and goût (taste): Le Marais for workshop boutiques of independent upcoming designers and mainstream fashion, or around Canal St-Martin in the edgier 10e for concept stores, pop-ups and alternative design boutiques.
After 15 years of restoration, to the tune of €750 million, historic department store La Samaritaine is breathtaking in size and beauty. Drooling over the Seine-side building’s original art nouveau and art deco features, including the glass-topped central hall – all impeccably restored by Pritzker Prize–winning Japanese firm Sanaa – is completely fine.
16. Watch movies beneath the stars in summer
Paris is one of the most cinematic cities on earth. Film buffs can poke behind the scenes of art deco movie theater Le Grand Rex, lose their soul in a silent B&W movie accompanied by a live pianist music at the Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé, or follow in the footsteps of screen star Amélie Poulain in Montmartre.
Summer raises the curtain on romance with movies beneath the stars – deckchairs are scattered on the grass in Parc de la Villette during free film screenings mid-July to mid-August. MK2’s ground-breaking cinema hotel, Hôtel Paradiso in the 12e has designer rooms sporting private cinema screens and a lush green rooftop garden hosting screenings after-dark.
Local Tip: Films screened on a 24m-long screen in the Louvre’s magnificent 16th-century courtyard during July’s four-day Cinéma Paradiso Louvre open-air film fest are always a rip-roaring success.

16 top things to do in Paris: experience the best of this unforgettable city

Has London sold out this summer? Or has its outrageous dynamic pricing (£4000 Bruce Springsteen tickets, anyone?), face-melting entry fees at Madame Tussauds, and – gulp – £8 pints squeezed your budget like a zit? Don’t pop! We have an alternative: the alternative’s alternative, Bristol, less than two hours away from London by train.
Festooned with iconic architecture and fizzing with creative anarchy, this historic port city is closer to Cardiff than London by distance (25 miles as the crow flies). It features 12th-century churches and ritzy waterside developments, has the potential to dethrone the status quo (the Green Party has its most seats ever in both Bristol City Council and the Welsh Parliament, Senedd Cymru) – and it is the ideal backup for when the Big Smoke has restricted room.
Scored by the River Avon and scrawled in vibrant street art, Bristol has been home to the engineering giant Isambard Kingdom Brunel, notorious nautical naughty-boy Blackbeard, and now the greatest graffiti artist of this generation – Banksy. Awash with ethical integrity, bin-shaking bass music and oh-we-must-go-again restaurants, “Brizzle” is still taking bookings for 2022. Here’s what to do in a city that rarely sells out.

Fawn over the Clifton Suspension Bridge from Observatory Hill © Gary Rayner / 500px

Forgo Tower Bridge and cross the Clifton Suspension Bridge instead
There are plenty of ways to interact with Bristol’s most iconic sight, the Clifton Suspension Bridge – cross it by bicycle/Birkenstock/e-scooter/car (£1) – but for the complete, blow-you-away experience, visitors should fawn over Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s maiden engineering project from Observatory Hill.
At just 24 years old, the Victorian engineering wunderkind was commissioned to design this 414m-long, gorge-spanning link some 76m above the River Avon, which was to become the world’s highest and longest bridge at the time.
Brunel’s initial plans for pylon-style towers, Egyptian sphinxes and decorative cast-iron panels fell foul to money woes, contractor bankruptcies and other misfortunes, but the engineers William Henry Barlow and John Hawkshaw completed the crossing as a fitting “farewell” to the most extraordinary construction mind of the age. The bridge is now to Southwest England what the Opera House is to Sydney: a big, bold, ambitious architectural statement – for photographers and postcard sellers at least.

Geek out at the SS Great Britain Museum and see the ship’s working bits 'underwater' © Joyce Nelson / Shutterstock

Cutty Sark sold out? Climb the rigging of the SS Great Britain
Not that Brunel’s legacy can’t be traced elsewhere in Bristol. The revolutionary, five-foot-tall engineer – who often sported an eight-inch-high top hat – wasn’t only keen on building gigantic bridges; he loved boats too. Permanently moored in the Great Western Dockyard is another of his engineering marvels: SS Great Britain.
Launched in 1843, this handsome, iron-hulled hulk was the world’s largest passenger ship when it was built. It made waves at the time for ditching the paddle wheel and instead plying the Bristol to New York City route using a propeller. Today it floats in a glass “sea” – spoiler: it’s a dry dock – where visitors can geek out at the ship’s working bits underwater. There’s enough to keep you entertained here for hours. It’s worth paying extra to climb the rigging.

The M Shed museum charts Bristol’s history and cultural significance across the last two millennia © Nigel Jarvis / Shutterstock

Miss out on the Museum of London? Head to M Shed instead
This former wharf-side warehouse turned free museum charts Bristol’s history and cultural significance across the last two millennia – making a mockery of most other municipal menageries in the process. From its gray Stothert & Pitt cranes that still stalk the City Docks like herons, to figurines from the much-loved TV animation Wallace & Gromit, the M Shed has so much going on that Brunel once said he’d eat his hat if you ever get bored.
The institution doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of Bristol’s past either, amplifying stories like the Bristol Bus Boycott (a protest against a racist policy that stopped non-white people from working on the buses in 1955) and the city’s role in the transatlantic trade of enslaved Africans. M Shed was where the statue of Edward Colston, a wealthy trader of enslaved people with links to the city, temporarily went on display after protestors pulled it from its plinth in 2020 and dumped it into the Bristol Harbor.

CARGO, in Wapping Wharf, is a new food and drink development at the Bristol waterfront © lou armor / Shutterstock

Swap Canary Wharf for Wapping Wharf
Colston’s statue isn’t the only thing to be razed into the waves – Nazi bombs did a decent job of wiping out the Great Western Railway warehouses that once backed onto the River Avon. Since 2013, developers have built some fancy facsimile replacements as houses, shops and offices, creating Bristol’s latest neighborhood, Wapping Wharf. Construction work is still going on, but the east of Spike Island is now becoming a munchie’s magnet thanks to CARGO – a corral of independent shipping-container restaurants stacked like LEGO.
If you need a bite to eat, try Squeezed, which sells freshly made, award-winning burgers as tall as skyscrapers. Thick slabs of beef, slow-melted cheese, softly sautéed shallots and a drenching of delicious aioli leave every diner mucky-fingered. No wonder they sell out early. If that happens, sister restaurant Dog Town flogs loaded hotdogs that tie the knot with slushies and shakes like some sort of street food shotgun wedding. But be warned, their jerk-nori salted skin-on fries can lead to epiphanies like: “Why haven’t I had these before?” “How much are houses in Bristol?” “Can I kidnap the chef? ”
Pass on Peckham and get swept up by (The People’s Republic of) Stokes Croft
While we don’t recommend chef-napping, we can suggest skipping up to Stokes Croft, a radical stretch of tarmac ribboning north from the Bearpit roundabout. Throbbing with Bristolian rebellion, heavy reggae sound systems and some of the UK’s best street art – find Banksy’s Mild Mild West at number 80, a teddy bear lobbing a Molotov cocktail at riot police – the ideas and ideals of this staunch, anti-homogeneity haven spill out liberally across the ‘hoods of Kingsdown and St Pauls.
Stokes Croft is what makes Bristol, Bristol. For a taster, check out the fine English bone china for sale at The People’s Republic of Stokes Croft (like the mugs featuring the Queen’s face and the words: “I Eat Swans”), take in a £1 film or live music with a homemade Coca-Cola at The Cube, and mop up Ethiopian tibs (a tender beef stew in a rich, spicy tomato sauce with injera, a thick, sour-fermented flatbread) at the Real Habesha Restaurant or a box of slow-cooked Caribbean curried goat and rice from Bikkle Island. Both are on Stapleton Road.

People walk past a famous Banksy graffiti piece in Bristol © 1000 Words / Shutterstock

Explore the real National Gallery: Bristol’s street art scene
Every corner is a canvas in Bristol. Every building is a potential portrait spot. The guerilla graffiti king Banksy is undoubtedly the street art star to spot with hometown masterpieces that include Well Hung Lover on Park Street, depicting a naked adulterer clinging precariously to a window frame and The Girl with the Pierced Eardrum – a playful spray-up of Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring except with a security alarm for an earring. Since the pandemic, she now sports a facemask too.
But don’t feel you have to do all the hard graft finding the best work. Bristol Street Art Tours offers a two-hour crawl around Stokes Croft, giving any budding Banksy the chance to leave their mark too.
Spend your money along Gloucester Road, not Oxford Street
Once the longest stretch of independent businesses in Europe – until supermarket chain Sainsbury’s and coffee shop franchise Costa moved in – Gloucester Road is where to splash your souvenir savings. Start at That Thing (officially on Cheltenham Road but part of the same street), which sells sequin-covered festival wear, before sniffing out Fox + Feather for fashionable clothes and homewares.
Gloucester Road also has a decent run of stuff-yer-face places: Bakers & Co for sourdough croissants made from stone-ground bran; FED for seasonal rainbow-bright salads, freshly-baked quiches and good-to-god coffee; plus El Colmado for Spanish deli picnic treats like thick sticks of Bellota chorizo.

Get off the beaten path in Bristol for English history, culture and cutting-edge food

From forested mountains to windswept shores, historic cities to picture-perfect small towns, Massachusetts packs a lot of beauty and interesting sites into a relatively small area.
If you’re lucky with traffic (by no means a guarantee), you can drive from Boston to the Berkshires or the tip of Cape Cod in a little over two hours, but where’s the fun in hurrying?
Take your time to meander along backroads and byways, admiring the ever-changing views. Stop to savor the state’s bounty, from farm-fresh fruits and vegetables to seafood straight from the ocean.
Wherever you go in Massachusetts, you’ll be surrounded by echoes of the state’s dramatic history and evidence of its endless spirit of creativity and innovation. Here are six great driving routes that showcase the best of the Bay State.

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The Battle Road Byway
Best road trip for history and literature
Arlington-Concord; 15 miles; allow 1-2 days
This short but jam-packed drive follows the approximate route British soldiers took on April 18-19, 1775, as they marched from Boston intending to seize a rumored stash of weapons stored by colonial militia in Concord. Along the way, they met with unexpected resistance in a series of armed clashes that marked the start of the American Revolution.
The route runs through the towns of Arlington, Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord, passing historic sites like the Lexington Battle Green where the first shots were fired and Concord's North Bridge, where a larger skirmish took place.
Other attractions in the area include the homes of the 19th-century authors Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, and Louisa May Alcott, as well as the Concord Museum and the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park in Lincoln.

Autumn fog in the village of Tyringham in the Berkshires, Massachusetts ©DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images

The Berkshire backroads
Best road trip for a mix of nature and culture
Williamstown-Great Barrington; minimum 40 miles; allow 2-4 days
The Berkshire Hills in western Massachusetts are one of the state’s most popular year-round recreational destinations. From summer hikes to winter skiing, brilliant fall foliage to world-class arts and culture, the region reveals something interesting around almost every turn.
Pack a picnic of local goodies from the Williamstown Farmers Market and hit the trail. In the summer, there are great events in and around Lenox, including Tanglewood Music Festival and Jacob’s Pillow dance festival, else you can explore some top-notch museums like the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown or the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge.
Route 7 is the main north-south road through the Berkshires but there are also worthy side routes leading to natural areas like Mount Greylock State Reservation – home to Massachusetts' highest point – and Hancock Shaker Village, a living history site in Lee.
If you're arriving in or leaving in the region along the Massachusetts Turnpike, get off the highway to travel the roughly parallel 33-mile Jacob's Ladder Scenic Byway (historic Route 20) between Russell and Lee.
Best state parks in Massachusetts

Cross the French King Bridge between Erving and Gill in the Pioneer Valley - but don't forget to stop for photos too © DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

The Mohawk Trail
Best road trip for dramatic views
Williamstown-Orange; 63 miles; allow 1-2 days
Stunning mountain views, rushing rivers, dense forest, rolling farmland, and idyllic small towns all unfold along the Mohawk Trail, New England’s oldest scenic byway. As you descend from the Berkshires to the Connecticut River Valley, panoramic vistas reveal themselves around almost every bend, including a dramatic hairpin turn at Clarksburg.
Highlights along the route include Natural Bridge State Park, the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, and the panoramic vistas of the Connecticut River from French King Bridge. Scenic at any time of year, the drive is particularly spectacular in the fall. Be prepared to share the road with many fellow leaf peepers on an October weekend.
Best lighthouses in Massachusetts
Pioneer Valley ramble
Best road trip for college towns and rural scenery
Northfield to Springfield; approximately 60 miles; allow 1-3 days
New England’s longest waterway, the Connecticut River, meanders through Pioneer Valley, a scenic region of rolling farmland and college towns.
You could zip through on Interstate 91, but getting off the highway reveals an abundance of cultural and historical delights, as well as opportunities to sample the region’s agricultural bounty from some of the valley’s many farmstands.
Visit more than 800 prehistoric dinosaur footprints in Holyoke, swing by the preserved 18th-century village Historic Deerfield, and tour museums dedicated to everything from basketball (invented in Springfield) to beloved children's book illustrators like Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle).
As you travel through the valley, the forest-covered summits of Mount Sugarloaf and the Mount Holyoke and Mount Tom ranges rise on either side of the river. All have excellent hiking trails leading to panoramic viewpoints.
If you have time, detour east of the Pioneer Valley to admire the scenic Quabbin Reservoir, Massachusetts’ largest source of drinking water. Access via Quabbin Park, at the reservoir’s south end, for trails and an observation tower.

Cape Cod is a great destination for a road trip (even when the weather is wet) © g&l images / Getty Images

Classic Cape Cod
Best road trip for families and coastal pleasures
Bourne-Provincetown round-trip; 128 miles; allow 3-7 days
A renowned summer playground, Cape Cod draws visitors with its spectacular beaches, picturesque lighthouses, and seaside towns. Visitors can savor fresh seafood and browse through quirky local bookstores, antique shops, and art galleries.
Starting at Bourne, this road trip takes you past the elbow to the outer Cape where things become wilder – a world of big skies and sandy dunes sloping down to an endless sea. Route 6 takes you to the Cape’s tip but Route 6A is a more scenic alternative between Sandwich and Orleans. For a quintessential Cape Cod summer experience, pull into a drive-in theater or catch a free outdoor movie on a village green.
If you've got more time, catch the ferry from Woods Hole to Martha's Vineyard or Hyannis to Nantucket ( advance ferry reservations are essential for both) and tour the delightful spots on what locals call simply The Islands.
Top things to do in Massachusetts

Salem, on the north coast of Massachusetts, is famous for its witch trials in 1692 and many visitors stop off at the Burying Point Cemetery  © Dan Hanscom / Shutterstock

Around the North Shore
Best road trip for a bit of everything
Salem-Newburyport; 52 miles; allow 1-2 days
Rich in history and gorgeous ocean views, this coastal region north of Boston is an easy day trip from the city. The trick here is to take your time, stopping to stroll along sandy beaches and rocky shores, admire stalwart lighthouses and discover the work of local artists.
Winding along the shore from Lynn, just north of Boston, to Salisbury on the New Hampshire border, the Essex Scenic Coastal Byway – a linked series of secondary roads – passes through many of the most interesting and scenic communities.
Immerse yourself in historic Salem, then follow the coast to Cape Ann, where fishing has been a principal way of life in the Gloucester and Rockport communities for four centuries. Be sure to stop at one of the many clam shacks to sample a New England original – the fried clam, which originated in neighboring Essex.
As you make your way north, you'll find great beach walks and birdwatching opportunities at Halibut Cove in Rockport, Crane Beach in Ipswich, and Plum Island in Newbury.

Top 6 road trips in Massachusetts 

From next-level nightlife in the capital that never sleeps to mountain trekking, forest bathing and flower viewing in the great outdoors, South Korea is a country that contains multitudes.
No matter what type of traveler you are, this small peninsula has something to delight everyone. Here are our recommendations for the best things to do in South Korea.
Watch the cherry trees blossom in Jinhae
In late March and early April in South Korea, the peninsula turns pink and white, as millions of cherry trees billow with delicate blooms. While the blossoms can be seen all across the country, the most famous viewing spot is the small southern coastal district of Jinhae. With some 360,000 trees – some more than 100 years old – Jinhae’s cherry blossom festival is the country’s most extensive.
Throughout the 10-day festival, visitors can admire the flowers at the old train station Gyeonghwa-yeok, marvel at them lit up at night at Yeojwa-cheon stream, enjoy the opening ceremony and other performances, then shop the street vendors at Jungwon Rotary. It’s pure magic.

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Stroll along the Cheong-gye-cheon in Seoul
On a warm, bright day in Seoul, there’s nothing better than meandering along Cheong-gye-cheon, the 11km (6.8-mile) stream that flows east to west through the city’s downtown. Along this Joseon-era waterway, which was once covered with a highway and later restored as part of an urban renewal project, walkers can stop at the stream’s museum, enjoy art installations, watch a street performance or simply sit on the steps with a snack. Cheong-gye-cheon passes under 22 bridges before connecting with the Jungnangcheon tributary and eventually the Han River. Slow down, and savor each step.

You can expect a long evening of barbecue, karaoke and lots of soju when you go out on the town in South Korea © bong hyunjung / Getty Images

Do the cha cha
No, not dancing: drinking. In South Korea, cha refers to each successive round of revelry in a single night. Il cha, round one, is typically barbecue, when diners enjoy somaek (soju plus maekju, or beer) with their samgyeopsal (pork belly) and other grilled meats. From there, you might head to a pub for round two, another bar for round three then a club for round four. For those who have managed to make it through all of that, the last round of the night is usually noraebang (private karaoke room), where you can order more alcohol and snacks while selecting your favorite tunes to sing – and while you’re at it, put your Korean skills to the test with a K-pop hit or two. If you can manage to follow the words, that is.
Cheer for your favorite city or company at a baseball game
South Korea’s most popular professional sport is baseball, and whether you’re a fan or not, you’re in for a good time at a Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) game. Owned by some of the country’s biggest conglomerates, the KBO league’s 10 teams include many brand names you might recognize, like Gwangju’s Kia Tigers, Seoul’s LG Twins and Daegu’s Samsung Lions.
Before cheering on your favorite city or company, learn the special fight songs and chants for each team, as well as the roster of its best-known players. But the best part of KBO games might be the concession-stand setup: fried chicken, pizza and other snacks are actually affordable, convenience stores like 7-Eleven are on site and sell beer at the standard price, and you’re even allowed to bring in your own food and alcohol. Another reason to take yourself out to a ballgame.

Traditional markets, like Gwangjang in Seoul, let you savor the sounds, sights and smells of South Korea © Collab Media / Getty Images

Shop until you drop at traditional markets
South Korea’s sijang (traditional markets) are a cacophony of vendors hawking their wares, shoppers shouting their orders, fish splashing around water-filled basins and kitchenware clanging about. Just when you think you’ve gotten your bearings, an old man on a bike rings his bell to let you know he needs to get through. By venturing into the country’s busiest markets, you’ll immerse yourself in the chaos of everyday Korean life, as you shop for clothing, accessories, housewares, produce, food and more.
In Seoul, Namdaemun Market, Gwangjang Market, Tongin Market and Dongdaemun Market are most popular. In Busan, go to Gukje Market or Bupyeong Market. Try Dongmun Market in Jeju and Jungang Market in Daejeon.
Check out the cafe scene
An Instagrammer’s dream, South Korea’s cafe scene has a spot for every taste. Pet cafes feature live dogs, cats, raccoons, meerkats, kangaroos and any number of other creatures to keep you company while you sip your coffee. Other themes range from books and movies, to flowers, 2D illusions, travel, vinyl and more: you name it, and you’ll find it here. Just be prepared for menu prices that might make your eyes water: it’s not uncommon for a plain Americano to set you back a whopping ₩7000.
Go hiking with makgeolli and jeon
With 70% of the country covered in mountainous terrain, hiking is a beloved South Korean pastime, and a culture unto itself. While on the trail, you’re sure to see trekkers racing up the slopes decked out in the latest and greatest mountaineering gear. At the summit, you’ll notice them sharing packed picnics of gimbap (seaweed-wrapped rice rolls) and other snacks. And after a hard day’s hike, you’ll spot them unwinding with a favorite mountain pairing: jeon (savory fried pancakes) and makgeolli (fermented rice wine). Join in the custom at one of South Korea’s 22 national parks or, if you’re in Jeju, along the island-encircling Olle Trail.
Gaze at the bamboo trees in Damyang
Bamboo patches can be found scattered all over the southern part of the country, and the largest such forest is located in Damyang in North Jeolla province. A 310,000-sq-m (3,336,812-sq-ft) stretch of verdant green, Juknokwon is known for its many scenic trails, and also has an art gallery, culture village and nearby bamboo museum. While you’re in the area, you can even try a scoop of bamboo ice cream.

The verdant Boseong region is where almost half of South Korea’s green tea is grown © mineral70 / Getty Images

Get your caffeine fix in Boseong
The green tea capital of South Korea, Boseong County in North Jeolla province is a stunning emerald expanse of terraced fields tgat produces more than 40% of the country’s nokcha supply. Visit the 5 million-sq-m (54 million-sq-ft) Daehan Dawon, the region’s oldest and largest plantation, to meander the tea fields and surrounding cedar and juniper forests. There’s also a green tea shop for buying souvenirs plus a green tea restaurant for tasting nokcha -enhanced variations of classic Korean dishes like bibimbap and naengmyeon (cold noodles). Next door is the Tea Museum of Korea, a can’t-miss attraction for any tea connoisseur.
Dig into each city’s signature dish
From Andong’s jjimdak (soy-braised chicken) to Suwon ’s galbi (beef short ribs), a signature dish characterizes many South Korean cities, and many of them have a single alley filled with vendors preparing their own variations on the local recipe. In Uijeongbu, go to Budaejjigae Street near Jungang Station to sample a boiling pot of “army stew,” a blend of Spam, canned beans, kimchi and instant noodles that was invented in the aftermath of the Korean War using leftover rations from American military bases.
In Chuncheon, check out Dakgalbi Street to try the city’s quintessential spicy stir-fried chicken. Carnivores in Jeju can’t miss its special black pork, said to be more tender than the pink variety. The iconic bibimbap  in Jeonju is unique because the rice is cooked in beef broth, then often served tartare-style topped with raw beef and egg yolk. In South Korea, you’d best arrive hungry.

10 unmissable experiences in South Korea, from cherry blossoms to bar hopping

Food is at the heart of daily life in France. Markets overflow with seasonal produce, gourmet shops are ubiquitous, farms and artisan producers often welcome visitors, festivals celebrate local specialities, and dining spans from street-food snacks to rustic meals to rarefied haute cuisine.
Above all, eating in France is about savoring the experience. Here’s our top 10 of the very best, connecting you to the land, culture and traditions.

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Lyon is known for its bouchons: small, convivial bistros with red-and-white-checked cloths covering closely packed tables © Gary Yeowell / Getty Images

Soak up Lyon’s culinary heritage at a bouchon
Lyon is often dubbed France’s “gastronomic capital,” and you’ll see why when you visit a bouchon. These small, convivial bistros sprang up in the early 20th century, when wealthy households’ cooks, known as mères (mothers), set up their own homestyle premises with red-and-white-checked cloths covering closely packed tables.
Drawing on a thrifty nose-to-tail ethos, a classic bouchon meal might feature andouillette (pigs' intestine sausages), boudin noir aux pommes (blood sausage with apples), pieds de mouton/veau/couchon (sheep/calf/pig trotters), tablier de sapeur (breaded, fried tripe) or quenelles de brochet (pike dumplings in crayfish sauce).
After a cheese course like cervelle de canut (fromage blanc with chives and garlic), finish with tarte aux pralines, made with crushed pink candied almonds. Chez Hugon, Chez Paul, Le Garet and Café des Fédérations are long-standing bouchon favorites.
Unearth “black diamonds” in the Dordogne
In the Dordogne’s woodlands beneath oak and hazelnut trees, trained dogs sniff out elusive black Périgord truffles ( Tuber melanosporum) that are traded at speciality markets during the midwinter season (December to mid-February) and star on local restaurant menus.
At the truffe (truffle) village of Sorges-et-Ligueux-en-Périgord, you can learn about the pungent fungi at the eco-museum, Écomusée de la Truffe, and walk in the truffle-producing woods along the Sentier des Truffières. Join a truffle hunt (or out-of-season demonstration) at nearby Domaine Truffier de Saleix, followed by a tasting.

You can taste the escargot de Bourgogne at specialty grocers in Beaune and restaurants throughout the region © Francesco Riccardo Iacomino / Getty Images

Sample snails in Burgundy
The escargot de Bourgogne (Burgundy snail) frequented Burgundy ’s monk-tended vineyards, becoming a staple during Lent. Today you can taste gastropod mollusks at specialty grocers such as Hélice, L'Escargotier Beaunois, in Burgundy’s “wine capital” Beaune and restaurants throughout the region.
Snails are cooked in a bouillon and presented in shells stuffed with parsley, garlic and butter. Grasp the shells with special tongs and pry out the plump snails with a two-prong fork – then mop up the buttery puddle with chewy, freshly baked bread.
In season (generally May to September), you can see snails being raised at farms such as Autun’s L'Escargot Morvandiau, or catch August’s Fête de l'Escargot (snail festival) in Digoin.
Slurp oysters in the Languedoc
Several coastal locales are celebrated for moules (mussels) and huîtres (oysters). A lesser-known gem is the little village of Bouzigues in southwestern France’s Languedoc region. Cruising aboard the Bleu Marin, you can view the shellfish beds in the glinting Étang de Thau before enjoying them at waterside restaurants.
Around the lagoon at the nearby fishing port of Sète, dig into fresh-as-it-gets seafood at covered market Les Halles de Sète.
Warm up with melted cheese in the Alps
Lush alpine Savoie pastures provide the ideal environment for the prized cheeses – including five AOP (Appellations d'Origines Protégées) and three IGP (Indications Géographiques Protégées) – that are sold at fruitières (traditional mountain cheesemongers) and central to Savoyard menus.
Hearty dishes include fondue savoyarde, dipping skewered bread chunks into a burner-warmed pot melding stringy cheeses such as Emmentaler, Beaufort and Comté (plus dry white wine and garlic); raclette, “scraping” melting raclette cheese over boiled potatoes (with pickles to cut through the richness); and tartiflette, bubbling Reblochon cheese topping potatoes, lardons, onions and crème fraîche.
Learn more along the Route des Fromages de Savoie (Savoy Cheese Route), with museums, makers and tasting opportunities.
Snack on street-food specialities in Nice
Nice ’s seaside climate is ideal for grazing. Start in the atmospheric old town, Vieux Nice, where you’ll find the vibrant Cours Saleya food and flower market.
Stalls, shops and tiny restaurants sell Niçoise specialities such as socca (chickpea-flour pancakes, served with pepper), tourte de blette (chard tart with raisins, pine nuts and parmesan), pissaladière (caramelized onion and anchovy tart), and pan bagnat (crusty tuna sandwich with boiled eggs, black olives and anchovies, drenched in green olive oil). Cool down with incredible ice cream flavors, like olive, fig and lavender, from Fenocchio.
Great snacking terrain extends around the boat-filled harbor Port Lympia. For the best piping-hot socca in all of Nice, don’t miss Chez Pipo.

Introducing France

Tuck in at Breton crêperies
Galettes and crêpes are a fixture of Brittany and its engaging former capital Nantes (now part of the Pays de la Loire region), with more than three dozen crêperies alone in Brittany’s present-day capital Rennes.
These large, thin pancakes, expertly spread with a rozell (wooden rake) on a billig (cast-iron griddle), make an inexpensive, filling and informal meal – albeit always served on plates and eaten with a knife and fork, rather than rolled up to go as you might see elsewhere in France.
Begin with a savory galette, made using sarrasin or blé noir (buckwheat flour). The standard bearer is the galette complète with ham, cheese and egg typically miroir (fried and placed sunny-side-up in the center). Follow it up with a sweet crêpe made with froment (wheat flour); the pick of the toppings is caramel beurre salé (sticky caramel made with salted Breton butter). An earthenware bollée (bowl-like goblet) of low-alcohol, lightly effervescent Breton cidre (cider) makes the perfect accompaniment.
Devour pintxos in Biarritz
Encompassing southwestern France and neighboring northern Spain, the Basque Country is renowned for pintxos (Basque tapas), two-bite morsels balancing textures and flavors, many towering on small slices of baguette. Look out for creations featuring thinly sliced jambon de Bayonne (Bayonne ham), fiery-red Espelette chili peppers and sheep’s cheeses from the Pyrenees, and seafood such as anchovies, sardines, calamari and coquilles St-Jacques (scallops) from the Bay of Biscay.
The glitzy resort-meets-surfer magnet Biarritz is a fabulous place to enjoy pintxos with a glass of wine. Adjacent to the town’s aromatic covered market, stop in at Bar du Marché or Bar Jean.
Feast on bouillabaisse in Marseille
Ancient Mediterranean port city Marseille is famed for its fish stew of humble beginnings, now a high-end speciality.
Once a way for fisherfolk to cook up scraps left over from their catch, today bouillabaisse's secret is the quality of the fish – four or more different kinds, which are then deboned at your table and presented on a platter. The accompanying tomato-, saffron- and fennel-infused soupe de poisson (broth) comes with croutons, which you top with rouille (garlic-chili mayonnaise thickened with bread) and grated Gruyère cheese.
Avoid tourist-oriented restaurants cutting prices (and corners), and reserve ahead at venerable establishments like Chez Michel, Chez Fonfon or Le Rhul, or try a triple-Michelin-starred twist by Gérald Passedat at Le Petit Nice, one of the finest restaurants in France.

The prestigious culinary school Le Cordon Bleu has professional courses as well as short programs and workshops © Getty Images / Lonely Planet RF

Take a cookery course in Paris
If you’re inspired to get into the kitchen, you can find classes all over the country. Many of the best and most convenient are in Paris, with durations from as little as a few hours and English instruction available.
Near the Eiffel Tower, the prestigious culinary school Le Cordon Bleu has professional courses as well as short programs and workshops unlocking the secrets of everything from breads to sauces and jus, as well as vegetarian cuisine.
Charming Montmartre is the location of Cook’n With Class, whose options include market shopping, and parent-child classes for families. In the Latin Quarter, Le Foodist has an array of classic French cookery and patisserie courses, as does La Cuisine Paris, in Le Marais, which also offers evening courses to create hors d’oeuvres and appetizers or French bistro dinners.

The 10 best food experiences in France

24 of the best things to do in Dublin: top tips for a memorable experience

An emerald shore receding behind, a sea breeze in your face, a dolphin surfing the bow wave as escort. The magic begins as soon as you board the ferry from Scotland’s rugged west coast and head for Scotland 's Hebrides islands.
This scattering of more than 50 inhabited and uninhabited islands, islets and skerries is like a world unto itself – thrillingly isolated, wind-battered, sea-smashed  and with a beauty that is off the charts. From the ragged mountains of Skye to the snow-white beaches and cerulean seas of Harris, the mysterious standing stones of Lewis to the whisky heaven of Islay, these islands lift spirits in every possible sense of the expression.

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Some of Europe’s most alluring beaches are on these Scottish islands (but you’ll need to be made of stern stuff to brave the waters and don’t expect to return home with a tan), while remoteness and underpopulation mean that wildlife displaced elsewhere still flourishes. You’re almost guaranteed to see seals and whales; otters, dolphins and porpoises are also regularly sighted.  Seabirds – gannets, fulmars, puffins and more – thrive on jagged coasts, and geese of various species often outnumber residents. That very same isolation – Edinburgh seems another world, and London is outside the Hebridean solar system – means that life has traditionally been a tough, self-reliant affair.
Visiting the Hebrides is about being outdoors. Throughout the islands, there’s great walking, from pacing the sublime sandy beaches of Barra, Tiree or Harris to tackling the rugged challenge of Skye’s Cuillin Hills or the Paps on Jura. To get out on the water, sea-kayaking is a great option on Barra, Skye and other islands. Bicycles are easily taken on ferries, though high winds can make for tough pedaling at times. So lace up the hiking boots, grab binoculars or a paddle, fortify yourself with a local dram and throw yourself into the wilds no matter what hand the weather deals you.

Islay is known for its spectacular scenery as well as the world's best whiskies © Draper White / Getty Images

Visit Islay & Jura to try some of the world’s best whiskies
Mellow, relaxed and so friendly that even passing strangers stop for a wee chat, Islay (‘eye-la’) is the home of several of the world’s best whiskies – many famed for their peatiness – whose names reverberate on the tongue like a pantheon of Celtic deities: Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, Kilchoman, Bruichladdich, Bowmore.
Wilder and more rugged, the adjacent island of Jura likes long, dark and low off the coast like a Viking longship and provides a tremendous hit of scenery, with its brooding twin hills, the Paps, providing habitat for an enormous deer population. The ferocious Corryvreckan whirlpool churns away at the north of the island, near where George Orwell wrote 1984. The author summed it up neatly as “a very un-get-at-able place”.
What to do
Top billing goes to the distilleries on Islay and Jura, which have whisky enthusiasts in raptures, among them Ardbeg, with its magnificent 10-year-old, Bowmore, which malts its own barley, Laphroig, where you can taste famously peaty whiskies, and the Isle of Jura Distillery. All welcome visitors and run tours and tastings. More expensive tours throw in more malts and take you further behind the scenes. It’s worth booking in advance online or by calling ahead.
Cracking seafood (langoustines and crabs fresh off the boat, hand-dived scallops, and tasty mussels and oysters), days spent roaming machair-fringed bays lapped by turquoise seas and brilliant wildlife watching (keep an eye out for grey seals, white-tailed sea eagles, barnacle geese and otters) ramp up Islay’s appeal beyond the dram. Hop on Islay Sea Safaris to spot all of Islay and Jura’s distilleries in a single day. Their customized tours from Port Ellen also include birdwatching trips and visits to Jura’s remote west coast and the Corryvreckan whirlpool, one of the most notorious tidal whirlpools in the world.

Whisky barrels stacked at the Bunnahabhain distillery with Jura misty in the background © Matt Gibson / Getty Images

Where to stay
Accommodation is like gold dust on Islay and Jura for the number of visitors they receive in spring and summer, so always book ahead. Get the best of Islay seafood and whisky, as well as seriously comfortable Victorian accommodation, at the Port Charlotte Hotel, or camp or stay in a self-catering cottage at Kintra Farm amid the dunes at the southern end of Laggan Bay.
How to get to Islay
Loganair flies up to three times daily from Glasgow to Islay, and Hebridean Air Services operates twice daily on Thursday from Oban to Colonsay and Islay. There are two ferry terminals: Port Askaig on the east coast, and Port Ellen in the south. Ferries are run by CalMac.
A car ferry shuttles between Port Askaig on Islay and Feolin on Jura. There is no direct car-ferry connection to the mainland. From April to September, Jura Passenger Ferry runs from Tayvallich on the mainland to Craighouse on Jura.
Islay & Jura might be for you if: You’re a fan of whisky and wilderness.
Islay & Jura might not be for you if: You’re looking for serious mountains.

Around only 170 residents permanently reside in Iona, Scotland © keithsutherland / Getty Images

Find mountain drama and holy marvels on Mull and Iona
All of the islands are ravishing, but Mull really hits the scenic high notes, with wild mountains and spectacularly eroded dropping abruptly to startlingly turquoise waters. From great crags of black basalt to blindingly white sands, this is an island for slowing the pace for a spell and wholeheartedly embracing nature.
Birds of prey glide above the highest peaks, otters can be spotted along the shore, while the west coast is good for watching whales, dolphins and porpoises. You’ll for sure see seals, too, both the Atlantic gray (look for its Roman nose) and the common seal (recognizable by its doggy face).
What do do
Mull’s characterful main town, Tobermory, is an instant heart-stealer, with its row of colorful houses, Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust spotlighting local marine life, bijou distillery, excellent restaurant serving sustainable seafood and good old-fashioned pub, near the pier on the harbourfront. Even here, the focus is on the wild outdoors, with hillwalking, whale-watching excursions and boat trips to weird Fingal’s Cave, a 60m-deep chasm of hexagonal pillars, on uninhabited Staffa.
If you’re up for more, you could clamber up 966m Ben More, Mull’s highest peak, and the only island Munro outside Skye, for stirring views out across the islands. Or grab your hiking boots for the adventurous eight-mile return stomp to the phenomenal rock formations of the Carsaig Arches at Malcom’s Point.
A five-minute ferry ride from Fionnphort on Mull, the holy island of Iona weaves its own spell. St Columba sailed from Ireland and landed here in 563, establishing a monastic community with the aim of Christianizing Scotland. Its scriptorium produced some of the most important illuminated manuscripts of the period, including, allegedly, the Book of Kells now in Dublin’s Trinity College. Dotted with majestic stone crosses and monastic ruins, this emerald teardrop of an island is now a place for solitude seekers and pilgrims. The heavily restored abbey is the island’s spiritual heart.
Where to stay
There’s plenty of charming places to stay on Mull, from back-to-nature campsites to B&Bs and luxurious small hotels. For something fancier, Highland Cottage in Tobermory is enchantingly intimate, with antique-filled rooms and a hearty welcome. On a working sheep croft at Iona’s northern tip, the Green Shed is lovely, with eco-friendly self-catering digs decorated with flair and upcycled furniture and riveting sea views.
How to get to Mull
CalMac has three car ferries that link Mull with the mainland: Oban to Craignure (the busiest route), Lochaline to Fishnish and  Tobermory to Kilchoan.
Mull & Iona might be for you if: You love wildlife, mountains and ancient abbeys.
Mull & Iona might not be for you if: You want to just rock up without booking ahead.

Hiking on a trail towards The Old Man of Storr on the Trotternish peninsula © Thomas Janisch / Getty Images

Getting a natural high on the Isle of Skye
The Vikings called it sky-a, or ‘cloud island’, in old Norse, alluding to the clouds that often hovered above the menacing Cuillin Hills, which entice hardcore hikers and mountaineers with some of Scotland’s gnarliest peaks and dizzying views. But even seen from ground level, the Isle of Skye is just stunning. An ethereal light squeezes through the clouds and bathes a rugged splendor that stretches across heather-brushed moors, glittering lochs and sea cliffs razoring above pounding surf.
Skye delivers the kind of big wilderness for which Scotland is so famous – and all neatly packaged into one island. But it’s no secret, so dodge the biggest crowds (and midges) by visiting in spring or autumn. That said, most visitors stick to Portree, Dunvegan and Trotternish – you can always find peace if you’re willing to venture further afield.
What to do
Bring your boots. Hikers are in their element with some of the roughest, toughest and most soul-stirring trails in the country. Ease yourself in gently on short hikes through the remote, boggy, loch-speckled, strikingly beautiful glens of Strath Mor, keeping an eye out for red deer and otters, or on moderately challenging ramble to the Old Man of Storr, an iconic pinnacle of crumbling basalt on the Trotternish Peninsula. Or throw yourself in at the deep end with a pulse-racing, nerve-jangling five-mile trek up 992m Sgùrr Alasdair, the loftiest peak in the Black Cuillin, where dark, fierce fangs of rock punch above the sea. Its summit has sensational views all the way to the isles of Rhum, Eigg and Canna. For rock climbers, the Inaccessible Pinnacle (In Pinn) is the Holy Grail. You might need a guide.
The secluded coves and sparkling sea lochs indenting Skye’s coast are best seen with your bum in a kayak and a paddle in your hand, some say. Whitewave Outdoor Centre and Skyak Adventures get you out on the water.
The outdoors is the big draw, for sure, but when the mist descends or the dreich weather blows in, there’s still plenty to do, from castles like mighty Dunvegan on the vast MacLeod Estate to the fascinating Skye Museum of Island Life, zooming in on the island’s crofting heritage, and jolly pubs where you can shelter from the drizzle with a pint.
Where to stay
Skye is insanely popular and accommodation is therefore plentiful, from camping and glamping to backpacker hostels and high-end hotels. Nevertheless, you should book ahead. Harborside Portree is Skye’s largest and liveliest town, with options ranging from simple, homely B&Bs to the luxe Cuillin Hills Hotel, with broad views out to sea and up to the mountains.
Housed in the old village school, Skyewalker Hostel in Minginish has a cool mix of rooms, glamping huts and a glass-domed outdoor seating area.
How to get to Skye
Skye became permanently tethered to the Scottish mainland when the Skye Bridge opened in 1995. The crossing is free. There are buses from Glasgow to Portree and Uig via Crianlarich, Fort William and Kyle of Lochalsh, plus a service from Inverness to Portree.
Despite the bridge, there are still a couple of ferry links between Skye and the mainland. Ferries also operate from Uig on Skye to the Outer Hebrides. The CalMac ferry between Mallaig and Armadale is very popular on weekends and in July and August. The Glenelg–Skye Ferry runs a tiny vessel (six cars only) on the short Kylerhea to Glenelg crossing.
Skye might be for you if: You are mad about big mountains and hardcore hiking.
Skye might not be for you if: You want to totally escape the crowds.

Spot puffins and more wildlife on the Hebrides islands © Mark Caunt / Shutterstock

Give the world the slip in the Outer Hebrides
When the sun breaks through the clouds on Outer Hebrides (or Western Isles), illuminating the velvet pleats of mountains, bracken-cloaked moors and machair-draped dunes that drop to frost-white sands fizzing into a sea of exquisite turquoise, it’s like witnessing the dawn of creation. Far removed from civilization, there are times you will feel like the last soul on earth here, especially if you come in the hush of spring or autumn. Times when you will forget the century we live in, walking barefoot on mile-long beaches made afresh by the tides, looking for otter footprints, witnessing a fiery sunset after a storm, or foraging for cockles and mussels in rocky bays.
These glorious isles – some just wee specks of rock – are  isolated, windswept, treeless places that have traditionally subsisted on fishing, weaving and livestock, though renewable energy is increasingly big business. You’ll hear the gentle lilt of Scottish Gaelic everywhere here as it’s still a working language.
What to do in the Outer Hebrides
The principal island, its northern half called Lewis and its southern Harris, is a terrific starting point, with out-of-this-world coastal scenery, traditional turf-roofed blackhouses, lonely peat bogs dimpled with lochans and the famous Harris tweed.
Mountainous and virtually roadless, North Harris is the hiking dream. South Harris by turn beguiles with staggeringly lovely white-sand beaches like Luskentyre and Scarista, swirling into jade waters. They are all the more enchanting for often being deserted.
Heading to the far northern tip of Lewis brings you to the lighthouse-topped Butt of Lewis, battered by the North Atlantic. The hinterland is largely desolate peat moorland, glittering with lochans. The island is littered with mysterious prehistoric sites, most famously the late-Neolithic standing stones of Callanish, weighing in at some four and a half millennia, roughly contemporary with the Great Pyramid of Giza, and Dun Carloway, a 2000-year-old, dry-stone broch.
To the south, the lonely Uist islands are prime nature-watching territory and connected by a causeway, while little Barra offers memorable sea-kayaking and the chance to watch the Glasgow flight land on the beach.
Where to stay on the Outer Hebrides
Given how remote they are, there’s a surprisingly great assortment of places to stay in the  Outer Hebrides, from basic campsites and hostels to B&Bs, sleek, architect-designed hotels and eco-friendly beach houses. A lot of accommodation swings with the seasons, closing down during the dark, rainy months from October to March. For hostels with a dash of history and incredible views, check out the Gatliff Hebridean Hostels Trust. Or if you fancy staying in a conserved village of traditional blackhouses on the Isle of Lewis, with the crashing Atlantic as your wake-up call, try Gearrannan Holiday Cottages.
How to get to the Outer Hebrides
Loganair flights operate to Stornoway from Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow. There are also flights (weekdays only) between Stornoway and Benbecula. There are daily Loganair flights from Glasgow to Barra, and from Monday to Saturday to Benbecula. At Barra, the planes land on the hard-sand beach at low tide, so the schedule depends on the tides.
There are two or three CalMac ferries a day to Stornoway, one or two a day to Tarbert and Lochmaddy, and one a day to Castlebay and Lochboisdale (always weather permitting – it can get wild out here!).
The Outer Hebrides might be for you if: You love wild scenery, beaches and prehistory.
The Outer Hebrides might not be for you if: You want more action – it’s remote and quiet here.

The ultimate guide to Scotland's magical Hebrides islands

In South Korea, you are never far from delicious street food to satisfy your cravings. Skewers of tangy chargrilled chicken, crispy fried veggies and golden fish-shaped waffles with a sweet surprise filling can make for a full meal.
Eat Korean-style – not walking but rubbing shoulders with locals around stalls or in cozy pojangmacha (tented street restaurants) with a cup of soju (a distilled spirit). It’s an easy way to see and taste-test some Korean flavors.
Here are some of the most popular foods to sink your teeth into on the streets of South Korea.
Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes)
If you dislike spice, look away now. Tteokbokki are rice cakes in a bright red-orange sauce that’s a mix of water, soy sauce, sugar, red chili flakes and gochujang, a paste made from fermented soybeans and red chilis that is used extensively in Korean dishes, most famously in bibimbap (rice with cooked vegetables). Well into the night, just about anywhere Koreans congregate for work, school or socializing, you will find street stalls and pojangmacha stewing oblong pans of tteok (rice cakes that resemble overblown penne pasta) in the bubbling sauce.
A mild version of tteokbokki used to be just for the royal court to eat, but now even partygoers stop on the street to fill up on the chewy rice cakes. They don’t have much flavor and almost demand the spicy and sweet sauce. Dressed-up tteokbokki variations add slices of fish cake, boiled eggs, ramyeon (ramen noodles) and other ingredients. The best place to try this is Sindang Tteokbokki Town, a collection of tteokbokki eateries in Seoul’s Sindang neighborhood, where the modern version of the dish was pioneered and popularized.
For a quick and convenient version, try tteokkochi, where the rice cakes are threaded onto a skewer.
Soondae (Korean sausage)
Soondae is one of Korea’s most popular street foods, and you’ll find it at just about every street stall and pojangmacha. But don’t think bratwurst or salami – soondae is a blood sausage that’s made from cow or pig intestine stuffed with pork blood and some combination of glass noodles, glutinous rice and vegetables.
These soft, chewy sausages are steamed, sliced and usually served with pieces of liver and lung. In Seoul, you’ll get a mix of salt, chili powder, sesame seeds and MSG to dip the sausage in, while in other regions vendors might give you a vinegar-gochujang mix or a soybean-based sauce. Lots of street eaters take a combo approach, ordering tteokbokki and soondae together and dipping their sausage in the spicy tteokbokki sauce.
If you go to Gangwon-do Province, make sure you try ojingeo soondae, which uses cooked squid instead of intestines to hold the filling.
Gimbap (rice and nori rolls)
It looks like a sushi roll, but this is gimbap : dressier, with a dried seaweed ( gim) wrap and bursting with flavor you can see. The rice ( bap) and seaweed are lightly flavored with sesame oil, and the rolls are given a kick with a side of kimchi. Fillings often include canned tuna or beef, spinach, carrot, imitation crab, pickled radish, egg and herbaceous Korean perilla leaf (similar to shiso).
Gimbap comes in both hefty rice-filled slices, which make for speedy hunger busters, and mouthwatering petite rolls with fewer ingredients. The smaller rolls are ubiquitous at street stalls and markets, while the larger versions are staples of the simple lunch and snack shops known as bunsik, such as the Gimbap Cheongook (Gimbap Heaven) chain. Packaged versions can also be found in convenience stores all over the country.
Dak gangjeong (seasoned fried chicken pieces)
Dak gangjeong is something of a fusion food. But what a fusion! Tender chicken pieces are coated with a sweet and spicy sauce and then sprinkled with sesame seeds and peanuts. The boneless bite-sized pieces are usually double fried, giving them a distinctive crackle. A small box is a great way to satisfy a craving. Some stalls will even offer a version sprinkled with parmesan cheese for maximum fusion.
Twigim (Korean-style tempura)
Koreans don’t tiptoe around frying their street food. Twigim are various great-tasting ingredients fried in a batter (think Japanese tempura but more substantial): succulent squid, a hash of vegetables, sweet potatoes and even boiled eggs. You will be hard-pressed to find twigim outside of Korea, so fill up.
At many street markets, you’ll come across sit-down twigim restaurants, where you use tongs to pick up the pieces you want from a buffet-style spread and place them in a basket. Pay for all of them at the cashier, and then the staff will take your basket, fry up your selection and bring your golden plate to your table. An especially good place to try twigim is Gongdeok Market in Seoul.

Dig into mandu (dumplings), filled with pork and kimchi © Anthony Plummer / Lonely Planet

Mandu (dumplings)
Mandu come deliciously fried, steamed or boiled. As a street snack, the most likely choice is kimchi mandu, filled with green onion, ground pork and a lot of spicy kimchi that you can see shimmering orange through the soft skin. Kogi mandu are stuffed with gingery ground pork and green onions. These pockets of flavor are warm and delicious, but sometimes spicy enough to warrant a warning from the chef. Dumplings are typically served six or seven to a plate. Dip them in soy sauce and vinegar and chow down.
Jjinppang mandu are soft fluffy buns filled with pork, tofu, green onions and garlic. Buns just called jjinppang are a sweet version, filled with red bean paste.
Myeon (noodles)
Bowls of myeon soup might not sound like street food, but in fast-moving Korea, everything is ready for a quick meal between meals. Keep warm and satisfied in the winter by popping into a pojangmacha for a bowl of udon or janchi guksu (banquet noodles), a deeply comforting dish of thin noodles in an anchovy-based broth.

Bungeoppang are shaped like fish but filled with a sweet red bean paste © Nabbit / Shutterstock

Bungeoppang and gukhwa-ppang (red bean waffles)
In any town in Korea, you'll find cute fish-shaped sweet cakes on the streets. These bungeoppang have a golden brown, waffle-like exterior that is both soft and crispy to bite into, giving way to hot sweet red bean paste. Today, many vendors also offer versions filled with things like cream or Nutella. What bungeoppang don't contain is any actual fish.
You’ll find street vendors near schools and subway stations pouring kettles of batter into molds of other shapes, too, such as chrysanthemum flowers to make gukhwa-ppang, which are also filled with red bean paste but tend to be less crispy than bungeoppang.

Watching sweet, gooey hotteok pancakes get pressed to order is as much fun as eating them © Shilpa Iyer / Stocksy United

Hotteok (Korean doughnuts)
Hotteok are sometimes called Korean doughnuts, but they’re more like pancakes with a sweet, caramelly filling. The theater of watching vendors press the balls of dough into disks and fry them until they’re golden brown is half the pleasure. Before frying them, vendors make a hole in the dough and fill it with a mixture of cinnamon, brown sugar and peanuts, which turns into a grainy caramel as the dough fries.
It’s hot stuff and burns when you inevitably can’t wait to bite into the hefty, fragrant pancake oozing with the delicious fillings. A version called ssiat hotteok includes black sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. It’s a Busan specialty. Both versions are a sweet tooth’s dream.

Gyeranppang egg muffins are extremely delicious – and addictive © SAHACHAT / Getty Images

Gyeranppang (egg muffins)
Literally "egg bread," gyeranppang is an oblong golden muffin with a moist whole egg baked on top. It’s sometimes finished off with a dusting of parsley. You might have a hard time finding these in the summer, but once the weather cools, stalls selling gyeranppang start appearing with increasing frequency. To try the snack in its birthplace, make a pilgrimage to the port city of Incheon. Dense and comforting, savory and sweet, it's a road to addiction.
Kkochi (skewers)
Korean street vendors know that putting anything on a skewer makes street food easier to handle.
The most common type of skewer is dak-kkochi : grilled chicken and green onion skewers that hum with a smoky charred flavor under a sticky tangy barbecue sauce. Another popular snack is sotteok sotteok, which are like kebabs of mini sausages and rice cakes. If you ever wanted to eat potato chips on a stick, try hway-ori gamja (tornado potato), a potato cut into one long swirl, skewered and fried.
Odeng/Eomuk (fishcake)
Odeng are hot, easy-to-eat fishcakes typically served on a skewer. If you are spice-shy, odeng is your street-eat savior. It’s soft, smooth and only mildly fishy. The fishcake is either shaped like a hot dog or flat and folded over, and the skewers jut out from steaming vats of seafood, green onion and sometimes chili-infused broth that people sip on as they eat. It’s popular in winter, and many Koreans drink the soup alongside soju to temper the alcohol’s fire.
Odeng is self-serve. Just ladle the satisfying broth into one of the paper cups on offer and help yourself to the skewers. You'll usually find either a dish of soy sauce that you can brush onto your odeng or a spray bottle of the stuff that you can spritz on your skewer. The stall keeper counts up the sticks when you’re done. In larger places, you’ll find different colored skewers that correspond to different prices.
Hot bar (fish-cake bar)
Hot bar is a skewer of fish-cake paste that’s been mixed with ingredients like carrot, chili pepper and other ingredients and then deep-fried. More elaborate versions have hot dogs, imitation crab or cheese inside. A perilla leaf is often wrapped around the bar to add extra flavor. Hot bars are a fast-food cross between the fried snacks of twigim and odeng.

Korean hot dogs come fried in batter on a stick and are served with a variety of sauces © july7th / Getty Images

Hot dog
In Korea, this isn’t a hot dog in a bun with mustard and ketchup, but a corn dog (battered sausage). Vendors will offer squirts of ketchup, mustard and chili sauce and sometimes even a sprinkling of sugar. If you want to take things to the next level, try a gamja dog, a sausage fried in batter with a crust of French fries (yes, really). It's the kind of fun food that reminds you of being at a fairground.

A guide to the best street food in South Korea

Japan offers up a real feast for travelers, with mountainside onsen (hot spring) villages, sleepy beach-lined islands and buzzing megacities all on the menu.
You could arguably spend a lifetime sampling the country’s delights, but some towns and sights are staples, core ingredients to any great Japan trip. Here’s our pick of the 10 best places to visit in Japan.
1. Tokyo
Best for contemporary culture
Tokyo is a city forever reaching into the future, pushing the boundaries of what's possible on densely populated, earthquake-prone land, adding ever taller, sleeker structures. It's Japan's top spot for contemporary art and architecture, pop culture, shopping, drinking and entertainment (and a tie with Kyoto for dining). But more than any one sight, it's the city itself that enchants visitors. It's a sprawling, organic thing, stretching as far as the eye can see. Always changing and with a diverse collection of neighborhoods, no two experiences of Tokyo are ever the same.
Planning tip: Tickets for sumo, kabuki and Giants baseball games usually go on sale one to two months in advance. The Imperial Palace and Ghibli Museum are other popular attractions that require prior planning.

A man and his daughter wearing kimonos play with snow in a garden in Kyoto © Eriko Koga / Getty Images

2. Kyoto
Best for traditional experiences
Kyoto, Japan's imperial capital for a thousand years, is home to more than a thousand temples. Among them are the monumental, like Kinkaku-ji (an exquisite pavilion sheathed entirely in gold leaf), and the meditative, like Ryōan-ji, with its stark Zen rock garden. And temples are only the start of it: there's the culture of tea, which you can appreciate at one of the city's many elegant teahouses; the art of the geisha, those iconic performers of traditional music and dance; and also a rich food culture, including kaiseki (Japanese haute cuisine).

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3. Naoshima
Best for architecture
Naoshima is one of Japan's great success stories: a rural island on the verge of becoming a ghost town, now a world-class center for contemporary art. Many of Japan's most lauded architects have contributed structures, including museums, a boutique hotel and even a bathhouse – all designed to enhance the island's natural beauty and complement its existing settlements. The resulting blend of avant-garde and rural Japan is captivating. It has also inspired some Japanese to pursue a slower life outside the big cities, relocating to Naoshima to open cafes and inns.
Planning tip: Try to plan your visit during one of the three exhibitions of the Setouchi Triennale festival, which happens during the spring, summer and fall every three years – the most recent occurring in 2022. Naoshima hosts various art, drama, music and dance events that make this festival so special.

Gazing upon the mighty Mt Fuji is an essential Japanese experience © nicholashan / Getty Images

4. Mt Fuji
Best for views and pilgrimages
Even from a distance, Mt Fuji will take your breath away. Close up, the perfectly symmetrical cone of Japan's highest peak is nothing short of awesome. Dawn from the summit? Pure magic. Fuji-san is among Japan's most revered and timeless attractions. Hundreds of thousands of people climb it every year, continuing a centuries-old tradition of pilgrimages up the sacred volcano. Those who'd rather search for picture-perfect views from the less-daunting peaks nearby can follow in the steps of Japan's most famous painters and poets.
Planning tip: The best time to climb Mt Fuji is during its official season, starting July 1 and through mid-September, to avoid the rainy season and snowfall. Always check for typhoon warnings before hiking in Japan.

The Memorial Cenotaph at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park © WorldStock / Shutterstock

5. Hiroshima
Best for being reflective
Hiroshima today is a forward-thinking city with attractive, leafy boulevards. It's not until you visit the Peace Memorial Museum that the true extent of human tragedy wreaked by the atomic bomb becomes vividly clear. A visit here is a heartbreaking, important history lesson. The park around the museum, much of which was designed by Japan's great modernist architect Tange Kenzō, offers many opportunities for reflection. But the city's spirit of determination – as well as its food – will ensure that you'll have good memories to take with you when you leave.

Yakushima's wild forests were the reported inspiration for Studio Ghibli's classic Princess Mononoke © Gary Saisangkagomon / Shutterstock

6. Yakushima
Best for forest bathing
Yakushima, a small island off the coast of southern Kyūshū, is often described as magical, enchanting – otherworldly even. It's a place where words fail, and clichés step in. Home to some of Japan's last primeval forests, you'll find the yakusugi, an ancient cedar native to the island whose giant roots form alien tentacles. Hiking trails underneath them cover craggy terrain, often fuzzy with moss. The landscape here is believed to have inspired the iconic Studio Ghibli animated film Princess Mononoke.
Detour: When you're not hiking, stop by the Yakusugi Museum to learn more about the importance of yakusugi, or Japanese cedar trees, to the islanders of Yakushima. An English audio guide is available.

Oku-no-in is one of the most sacred places in Japan and a popular pilgrimage spot © Pal Teravagimov / Shutterstock

7. Koya-san
Best for exploring temples
Riding the funicular up to the sacred Buddhist monastic complex of Kōya-san feels, appropriately, like ascending to another world. There are over a hundred temples here, the highlight of which is Oku-no-in, where paths weave their way among towering cryptomeria trees and time-worn stone stupas covered in moss and lichen. Other temples offer a different experience: the chance to spend the night, dine on traditional vegetarian Buddhist cuisine and wake up early for morning meditation with the resident monks.
Planning tip: Though Japanese temples and shrines do not have established dress codes, visitors are expected to stay relatively quiet in these sacred spaces.

Okinawa is blessed with countless beautiful beaches, including Sunset Beach on Ishigaki-jima © Ippei Naoi / Getty Images

8. Okinawa and the Southern Islands
Best for beaches
Okinawa and the Southwest Islands offer a totally different experience from the rest of Japan. This semi-tropical archipelago forms an arch between Kyūshū and Taiwan. Until annexed by Japan in the 19th century, they formed their own kingdom – the Ryūkyū Empire – and the cultural differences are apparent in everything down to the architecture and food. This is where you'll find Japan's best beaches, like those on the Yaeyama Islands and the Kerama Islands, with sugar-white sand fringed with palms and turquoise waters. Bask in the sun, or snorkel and scuba dive.

Osaka takes the crown when it comes to Japanese street food © Vincent St. Thomas / Shutterstock

9. Osaka
Best for street food and nightlife
Tokyo doesn't nab all the superlatives when it comes to urban experiences. Osaka, Japan's third-largest city, is tops for street food: don't miss its signature dish, takoyaki (grilled octopus dumplings). It also has the most dramatic of nightscapes: a dazzling display of LED lights, animated signage and flashing video screens along the canalside strip Dōtombori. The city, Japan's oldest merchant center, has a pace, spirit and zest for life all of its own: its unofficial slogan is kuidaore (eat until you drop).
Planning tip: In addition to nightly accommodation fees, Osaka hotels will typically charge an accommodation tax that varies depending on the standard nightly rate.

Beautiful Kamikōchi attracts hikers from far and wide © Suchart Boonyavech / Shutterstock

10. Kamikōchi
Best for mountain hikes
One of the most stunning natural vistas in Japan, Kamikōchi is a highland river valley enveloped by the soaring peaks of the Northern Japan Alps. Easy day hikes are possible along the pristine Azusa-gawa through tranquil forests of willow, larch and elm. The birthplace of Japanese alpinism, Kamikōchi is also the gateway for more challenging treks up some of the country's tallest mountains, such as Yari-ga-take (3180m). Private cars are banned from Kamikōchi, which lessens the impact of the crowds.

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