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1. What Destinations Does Travel and Leisure Mag Recommend for Cultural Riches?
Travel and Leisure Mag suggests Alexandria (Virginia), Cairo (Egypt), “City” (Nevada), Havana (Cuba), Tangier (Morocco), Lakes Region (Turkey), the United Kingdom, and Venice (Italy) for travelers seeking cultural enrichment. These destinations offer a diverse range of historical sites, artistic installations, and vibrant cityscapes, allowing travelers to immerse themselves in rich cultural experiences.
1.1. Alexandria, Virginia: A Journey Through American History
Alexandria confronts its history with the Freedom House Museum’s new exhibitions honoring those forcibly brought there and the African American Heritage Trail, which opened in 2020, with 11 stops encompassing nearly 200 years of history. The city’s most elegant stay is Morrison House Old Town Alexandria, Autograph Collection, which was recently voted one of the best city hotels in the continental U.S. in T+L’s 2022 World’s Best Awards. A new Hotel AKA is slated to open in Old Town in winter 2023.
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1.2. Cairo and the Nile: Unveiling Ancient Wonders
The Grand Egyptian Museum is set to open near the Great Pyramids of Giza, featuring over 1 million square feet of exhibition space, including a 40-foot-high statue of Ramses II. Luxurious ships like the Viking Osiris and the opulent Sphinx from Uniworld Boutique River Cruises sail the Nile. The hotel scene is also getting a refresh with a new Mandarin Oriental slated for downtown Cairo in 2024 and the forthcoming 200-room Four Seasons Hotel Luxor scheduled to debut in 2025.
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1.3. “City,” Nevada: A Monumental Art Experience
Basin and Range National Monument offers hiking, climbing, camping, and cycling. The single largest contemporary artwork in the world, “City,” opened to visitors in September 2022. The monumental open-air sculpture, made from dirt, rock, and concrete, was more than 50 years in the making.
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1.4. Havana, Cuba: Vibrant Streets and Cultural Activities
The Biden administration has made it easier to visit Cuba, allowing Americans to go as part of a group tour or visit individually on a “support for the Cuban people” license. This requires citizens to have a full-time schedule of activities that support the Cuban people, such as buying services from Cuban entrepreneurs, staying in local homes, dining in private restaurants, and booking cultural activities.
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1.5. Tangier, Morocco: Bohemian Charm and New Developments
Tangier attracts bohemian expats and is seeing new developments like Villa Mabrouka, British designer Jasper Conran’s second Moroccan property, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. The Fairmont Tazi Palace Tangier is set on a refurbished, century-old estate near the old city.
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1.6. Lakes Region, Turkey: Ancient Sites and Natural Beauty
The Lakes Region in southwestern Anatolia features a series of tectonic lakes created by ancient earthquakes and ancient Greek and Roman archaeological sites. Cozy places like Eskiciler Konaği and Aliya Konak offer warm and welcoming stays. Intrepid travelers can camp along the new Pisidia Heritage Trail.
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1.7. United Kingdom: Historic Cities and Cultural Upgrades
The United Kingdom’s historic cities are home to hotels that mix stately grandeur and affable service. Recent openings include Gleneagles Townhouse in Edinburgh and the Peninsula London. Glasgow’s Burrell Collection and the Manchester Museum have recently gotten upgrades. Scotland’s first rewilding center, Dundreggan, plans to open a visitor’s center by the end of 2023, and the new Two Toms Trail in Lancashire features some of England’s most stunning scenery.
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1.8. Venice, Italy: Art, Architecture, and Luxury
Venice is introducing a day-trip entrance fee in January 2023. The Venice Architecture Biennale runs May 20, 2023, to Nov. 26, 2023, with global exhibits curated by Lesley Lokko. The Procuratie Vecchie, the 16th-century building along St. Mark’s Square, has recently been opened to the public after a five-year refurbishment. Belmond’s iconic Venice Simplon-Orient Express will unveil two newly restored carriages from the 1920s and ‘30s in June.
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2. Which Destinations Offer the Best Food and Wine Experiences According to Travel and Leisure Mag?
For those prioritizing culinary and wine adventures, Travel and Leisure Mag recommends Athens (Greece), Central Florida (USA), The Jura (France), San Luis Obispo County (California, USA), and Victoria (Australia). Each destination offers unique gastronomic experiences ranging from Michelin-starred restaurants to wine regions and hot springs resorts.
2.1. Athens, Greece: A Culinary Renaissance on the Riviera
Athens deserves a closer look, with the Athens Riviera seeing a surge of development. Four Seasons Astir Palace has a private beach and two spaces designed by Swedish architect Martin Brudnizki, including a midcentury modern cocktail bar and Pelagos restaurant, which has already earned its first Michelin star. In the spring of 2023, One&Only Aesthesis will open just a few miles away, also along the waterfront. The 2022 opening of the 43-room Xenodocheio Milos hotel in the Pláka neighborhood brings a bit of cosmopolitan verve.
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2.2. Central Florida, USA: Michelin Stars and Family-Friendly Delights
Central Florida is worth a closer look, thanks to its ever-growing hospitality scene. Orlando and Tampa recently won a combined 14 Michelin accolades in 2022. Disney’s recently opened, highly immersive Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a two-night adventure. In Tampa, the latest Edition Hotel just opened with a sprawling rooftop pool club and restaurant from chef John Fraser.
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2.3. The Jura, France: A Wine and Cheese Lover’s Paradise
The Jura is producing some big, big wines, with only a tiny fraction of those bottles ever making it to the U.S. The Jura also boasts a comté cheese trail that connects no fewer than 150 fromageries and dairy farms. Hiking in the Jura Mountains is equally enticing.
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2.4. San Luis Obispo County, California, USA: Wine Country and Coastal Charms
SLO’s seven cities, including Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, and San Luis Obispo, are all buzzing, and the area just earned official American Viticulture Area (AVA) recognition in 2022. Two new Nomada Hotel Group properties opening in 2023 will welcome oenophiles: Farmhouse and River Lodge. Paso Robles just notched its first Michelin star (Six Test Kitchen), while San Luis Obispo’s SLO Public Market will welcome two new restaurants in 2023.
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2.5. Victoria, Australia: Wine, Wellness, and Hot Springs
Australia has reopened, and this southern state is a particularly appealing corner of the country these days, thanks to hot springs resorts. Alba Thermal Springs and Spa on the Mornington Peninsula was the first to open in September 2022. InterContinental Sorrento began accepting reservations this past August 2022. Melbourne, Victoria’s appealing capital city, is also expecting new openings, including the intimate, seven-suite Hotel Vera Ballarat and the highly anticipated Ritz-Carlton Melbourne.
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3. What Are the Recommended Destinations for Big-City Thrills?
Travel and Leisure Mag highlights Copenhagen (Denmark), Houston (USA), Madrid (Spain), Nashville (USA), Pittsburgh (USA), San Francisco (USA), and Seoul (South Korea) as top destinations for big-city thrills. These cities offer a mix of cultural landmarks, vibrant arts scenes, culinary delights, and new hotel openings.
3.1. Copenhagen, Denmark: Design, Architecture, and Hygge
Copenhagen will highlight its prowess with all things design, as the official UNESCO World Capital of Architecture in 2023. Highlights include the Copenhill Power Plant and open-house events at 50 different venues. New places to stay include the single-suite Kaj Hotel and the colorful new 25 Hours Hotel Copenhagen.
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3.2. Houston, USA: Arts, Culture, and Entertainment
The 2020 opening of the Kinder Building cemented the city’s spot among true international arts destinations. The recent reopening of the Rothko Chapel has only reinforced that reputation. Opening next year, the JMK5 Arena will transform a disused racetrack into a 12,500-seat concert stadium. The Houston Zoo is undergoing a much-delayed expansion that will include a Galápagos Islands–themed exhibit.
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3.3. Madrid, Spain: Tony Hotels and Culinary Delights
The Spanish capital may finally be shaking off its reputation as the country’s somewhat stuffy business hub, thanks to a flurry of tony hotel openings. These include the Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Rosewood Villa Magna, Santo Mauro, and the Edition. An already electric food scene has only gotten better with new offerings representing everything from Middle Eastern falafel and Argentinian asado to Spanish-Indian fusion and globally inflected vegan fare.
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3.4. Nashville, USA: New Hotels and Inimitable Energy
Nashville’s tourism renaissance is being fueled, in part, by a slew of just-opened hotels, including a Conrad, 1 Hotel, and a Soho House. The newly redesigned Hermitage Hotel now has the first Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant in the South. The Fifth + Broadway complex has new outposts of old favorites and the expansive Assembly Food Hall has dozens of choices.
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3.5. Pittsburgh, USA: Cultural Destinations and Modern Chic
Pittsburgh is working on new cultural destinations that can’t be missed, including the Moonshot Museum and the restored childhood home of playwright August Wilson. The city also has a new spate of hotels and bars drawing crowds, like the modern-chic Joinery Hotel Pittsburgh and The Industrialist.
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3.6. San Francisco, USA: Arts, Nature, and Dim Sum
San Francisco shines with arts, nature, dim sum, and sourdough. A slate of recent infrastructure and cultural projects show that many in the city are working to make it a better place to live and a more compelling destination to visit. The new Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco is completely free and has opted against a permanent collection. The city’s urban national park unit, the Presidio of San Francisco, recently gained 14 acres with the opening of the Presidio Tunnel Tops.
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3.7. Seoul, South Korea: Arts Scene and New Hotels
American travelers can finally get back to the South Korean capital, with the city’s arts scene buzzing thanks to new venues such as Konig Gallery. The destination has seen a number of new hotels open, including the surprisingly trendy Fairmont Ambassador Seoul and Josun Palace.
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4. What Water-Based Destinations Does Travel and Leisure Mag Suggest?
Travel and Leisure Mag recommends Cape Verde, the Gambia, Ghana, and Guinea-Bissau; Coastal Ecuador; the Explora I; Greenland; Hvar (Croatia); and The Path of Totality for water-based activities. These destinations offer a mix of innovative cruises, yacht expeditions, coastal scenery, and unique natural phenomena.
4.1. Cape Verde, the Gambia, Ghana, and Guinea-Bissau: West Africa Archipelago Cruises
West Africa remains unfamiliar to many, but Hurtigruten Expeditions aims to launch West Africa Archipelago cruises in November 2023. These two-week trips will stop in ports in four countries, with visits to historically important sites, wildlife-watching forays, and adventures such as scaling volcanoes and scrambling across lava fields.
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4.2. Coastal Ecuador: Yacht Cruises and Outdoor Adventures
Coastal Ecuador is packed with outdoor adventures and stunning scenery. Kontiki Expeditions unlocks the region with eight-day yacht cruises that visit five of the country’s 24 provinces.
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4.3. The Explora I: A New Style of Ocean Travel
Upstart travel company Explora Journeys describes its itineraries as “ocean journeys” aboard the newly built, 461-suite Explora I. The vessel is slated to hit the water in July 2023, with trips in the Mediterranean that visit popular cruise destinations as well as lesser-visited ports.
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4.4. Greenland: Beautiful Landscapes and Endless Horizons
The newly christened National Geographic Resolution will sail the Eastern shore of Greenland in June 2023, with opportunities to explore the Rømer Fjord. Ponant has a dozen distinct itineraries scheduled for 2023, including a number of round trips from Kangerlussuaq. The brand-new Seabourn Venture will also be there in 2023.
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4.5. Hvar, Croatia: Sunny Skies and Stargazing
Hvar calls itself the sunniest in Croatia, with plenty of time for cycling more than 100 miles of bikeable terrain or kayak trips to secluded beaches. Jesla was named the first International Dark Sky Community in Southern Europe in 2022, and Moeesy, the island’s newest luxury hotel, has one room with an over-the-bed skylight for bedtime viewing.
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4.6. The Path of Totality: Chasing a Solar Eclipse
The next total solar eclipse on April 20, 2023, will cross the Indian Ocean, graze Western Australia, then sweep across Indonesia and East Timor into the Pacific. The best way to catch the show will be to board a ship, such as the 188-passenger Le Lapérouse, for a Ponant and Smithsonian Journeys cruise from Bali, Indonesia, to Broome, Australia.
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5. Which Destinations Does Travel and Leisure Mag Recommend for Fresh Air and Nature?
Travel and Leisure Mag recommends Andorra, Asheville (North Carolina, USA), Aysén (Chile), The Hudson Valley (New York, USA), Lower Zambezi National Park (Zambia), Prince Edward Island (Canada), Tanzania, and Uttar Pradesh (India) for travelers seeking fresh air and nature. These destinations offer a mix of mountainous landscapes, outdoor activities, national parks, and wellness retreats.
5.1. Andorra: A Ski Destination in the Pyrenees
This tiny European country could soon turn into one of the world’s biggest ski destinations. Three Andorra ski areas have been added to the Ikon Pass, putting a collective 7,600 acres of downhill terrain across 215 runs and 123 lifts into play.
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5.2. Asheville, North Carolina, USA: Outdoor Activities and New Stays
This flannel-clad city in the Blue Ridge Mountains checks all the boxes, with year-round outdoor activities, sophisticated dining, and easy access. New places to stay include Wrong Way River Lodge and AutoCamp Asheville. Asheville’s food scene has fresh energy from S&W Market, Asheville’s first food hall.
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5.3. Aysén, Chile: Hanging Glaciers and Pristine Lakes
Chile’s Aysén region remains largely unexplored by visitors. Several outfitters and organizations are developing more itineraries and ecotourism routes for the non-mountain-scaling adventure traveler, with activities like kayaking, hiking, and biking.
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5.4. The Hudson Valley, New York, USA: Quiet Glamour and Rural Retreats
Its transition from quasi-rustic to quietly glam marks a new and intriguing chapter. Next summer, The Ranch Hudson Valley will open on a grand estate. Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection, will highlight the pastoral side of the region. The region’s reputation for top-notch cuisine continues with upscale tavern fare.
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5.5. Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia: Safari on a River
Having a safari on a river adds a dynamic element. Among the best places to take in this wildlife-rich destination is at the luxurious eight-suite Lolebezi. It’s an ideal base from which to explore Lower Zambezi, which sits opposite Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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5.6. Prince Edward Island, Canada: Rugged Cliffs and Robust Golf
You’ll find rugged cliffs, red-sand beaches, and a surprisingly robust golf scene. The biggest draw for adventurous travelers right now is the Island Walk, a 435-mile trail that opened in 2021.
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5.7. Tanzania: Sustainable Travel and Wildlife Adventures
This summer, the Usangu Expedition Camp in Ruaha National Park opened in partnership with the Tanzania National Parks Authority and the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute. Selous Safari Company recently refreshed its six-suite private reserve on Fanjove Island, a jumping off point for “marine safaris” by dive boat or kayak.
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5.8. Uttar Pradesh, India: Wellness Retreats and Soul-Stirring Culture
While many travelers will opt for Rajasthan’s royal palaces and desert jewels, there’s good reason to discover Uttar Pradesh on your next trip. India’s fourth-largest state is home to classic attractions including the Taj Mahal and the Ganges River ghats of Varanasi. The new draws here include Vana, a wellness retreat in the Himalayan foothills of Dehradun.
