Time to Travel

29/12/2021

Spread about its four wings you'll find: works by Rembrandt and his circle; a Spanish collection with paintings by El Greco, Goya and Picasso; and a well-represented display of Italian works dating from the early Renaissance to the 18th century. Fra Angelico, Titian and Tintoretto are among the artists represented, but the highlight is undoubtedly Caravaggio's The Taking of Christ (1602), which lay for over 60 years in a Jesuit house on Leeson Street and was accidentally discovered by chief curator Sergio Benedetti.

29/12/2021

For as long as it's been around, Dublin has looked beyond Irish shores for inspiration. Once the second city of the (British) Empire, Dublin has always maintained a pretty cosmopolitan outlook and in the last three decades has conspicuously embraced diversity and multiculturalism. You'll hear languages and eat foods from all four corners of the globe, and while it used to be said that ‘real’ Dubs had to be born within the canals like their parents and grandparents before them, these days you’re just as likely to meet a Dub whose parents were born in Warsaw, Lagos, Cairo or Beijing.

22/12/2021

22/12/2021

Since the dissolution of Yugoslavia 30 years ago, many of its constituent nations (Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro) have emerged as major tourism hubs. Yet Serbia has taken a backseat—until now. Belgrade has earned a reputation as a culinary destination, and the Michelin Guide will soon bestow stars on the city, celebrating its East-meets-West cuisine which draws liberally from neighboring Greek, Turkish, and Central European influences. Standout restaurants include Langouste, run by chef Guillaume Iskandar, whose work at Paris’s Garance earned the place a Michelin star. And the opulent Salon 1905 (pictured) serves a tasting menu with Serbian wine pairings that proves domestic truffles, cheeses, and charcuterie can hold their own against Europe’s best.

22/12/2021

There’s plenty to do downtown as well. The new Urban Supply mixed-use development will bring century-old warehouses in the Parkside neighborhood back to life with restaurants, bars, shopping, and fitness studios when it’s completed in mid-2022. City Walk BHAM is also in the works, adding markets, green spaces, and food trucks to city blocks beneath Interstate 59/20. The project is set to be complete by summer 2022, when the Magic City will serve as the first American host for The World Games, an 11-day, 34-sport event (including tug of war and wheelchair rugby) expected to draw 500,000 spectators. While downtown has its share of big-box hotels for groups, find a quieter stay at Elyton Hotel in a restored historic building, or the boutique Valley Hotel in Homewood, a mere 10 minutes away.

22/12/2021

This was the year of getting back out there—as vaccines became readily available in the spring and borders opened slowly throughout the summer and fall, our travel calendars began to fill up once again. Now, as we look ahead to what 2022 has in store, it’s clear that our travel priorities have changed. We’re no longer checking destinations off a list; instead we’re being purposeful about why we choose to take a trip, and thoughtful about how our actions impact local communities while we’re there.

This year’s list of the best places to visit reflects these shifts in thinking: We’ve organized these destinations based on some of our favorite reasons to travel, from exhilarating food and drink scenes and historic sites to explore, to new places to soak in the great outdoors.