Destinations
Indonesia · multi city
10 Days in Bali
Four or five nights inland in Ubud for the rice terraces, temples and ridge walks, then four or five on the coast in Seminyak or the Bukit for surf, sunsets and clifftop temples, with day trips to Tanah Lot, Tirta Empul and the Jatiluwih terraces.
Thailand · multi city
10 Days in Thailand
Start in Bangkok for the Old City temples, street food and a day trip to Ayutthaya, fly north to Chiang Mai for the old-city temples, Doi Suthep and an ethical elephant sanctuary, then fly to Phuket or another southern island to finish on the beach.
Vietnam · multi city
10 Days in Vietnam
Three nights in and around Hanoi with a Halong Bay cruise, three in Hoi An for the Ancient Town and beach, and three in Ho Chi Minh City with the Mekong Delta or Cu Chi Tunnels, linked by two short flights.
UAE · city
Abu Dhabi
Come between November and March, sleep on Saadiyat if the museums are the point or on Yas if the parks are, give the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque the late-afternoon slot so you walk out at dusk, spend a full day in the Saadiyat Cultural District, eat Emirati properly at least twice, and finish with a night among the dunes on the edge of the Empty Quarter.
Portugal · region
Algarve
Split the week: the western cliff coast first (Ponta da Piedade, the Seven Hanging Valleys trail, Benagil by licensed boat), then the quiet east (Tavira, the Ria Formosa ferries, octopus in Santa Luzia). Use the toll-free A22 or the newly electrified train to cross, give one day to Sagres and the wild west coast, one to the islands, and in August book boat trips a day or two ahead and arrive early for the island ferries, which are turn-up-and-go.
Italy · road trip
Amalfi Coast
Split your stay between Positano or Praiano for the cliffside view and Amalfi town or Ravello for easier logistics, use Travelmar ferries between towns whenever the sea allows, and give a full day to Capri or Pompeii.
Spain · road trip
Andalusia Road Trip
Land in Malaga, drive two hours to Granada and give the Alhambra a morning you booked weeks ago. Two hours west to Cordoba for the Mezquita at its free hour and the synagogue on Calle Judios. On to Seville for three nights: the Alcazar, the cathedral, the Alfalfa bars and, this autumn, the Bienal de Flamenco. South through Jerez for a sherry bodega, Cadiz for the Atlantic and a fish lunch, then inland to Ronda for the bridge and the white villages, and back to Malaga through the Caminito del Rey. Book the Alhambra first, then the hotels, then the flights.
Argentina · multi city
Argentina: Buenos Aires and Mendoza Wine Country
Four nights in Buenos Aires for the city, the food and the tango, then a two-hour flight west for the Mendoza leg: an arrival day in the city, a Uco Valley day and a Luján de Cuyo day before flying on.
Greece · city
Athens
Stay in Koukaki or Plaka to walk to the Acropolis, spend a day around Monastiraki, the Ancient Agora and Psiri, and add a day trip to Cape Sounion for sunset or inland to Delphi.
Australia · road trip
Australia East Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns
Sydney to Port Stephens, the Mid North Coast and Byron Bay; across the border to Burleigh Heads, Brisbane and Noosa; two nights on K'gari by passenger ferry; the long cane-country haul to Airlie Beach for Whitehaven; Magnetic Island for koalas; then Cairns for the outer reef, the Daintree and Cape Tribulation. Eighteen days is our honest minimum for the full run; with two weeks, drive Sydney to Noosa and fly Brisbane to Cairns.
Canada · road trip
Banff and Lake Louise
Land in Calgary, pick up the car and drive under two hours to Banff for the hot springs, the gondola, Lake Minnewanka and Vermilion Lakes at sunset. Move to Lake Louise, reach Moraine Lake by shuttle, walk up to the Lake Agnes Tea House and, in late September, the golden larches of Larch Valley. Cross into Yoho for Emerald Lake and Takakkaw Falls. Drive the Icefields Parkway past Bow Lake and Peyto Lake to the Athabasca Glacier, and on to Jasper for Maligne Lake and dark skies. Come back south and fly home from Calgary.
Thailand · city
Bangkok
Base in Sukhumvit or along the river for easy transit, give a full morning to the Old City temples before the heat and crowds build, spend an evening on street food in Chinatown, and add one day trip out of the city.
Spain · city
Barcelona
Split your stay between the Eixample (Gaudí’s greatest hits, wide boulevards) and the Gothic Quarter or Gràcia (medieval lanes or a village feel). Add a beach afternoon in Barceloneta and a day trip to Montserrat or Girona.
French Polynesia · island
Bora Bora
Fly from Papeete in under an hour, base either on a motu or near Matira Beach, give your best-weather day to a full-day lagoon tour with an operator that does not feed the sharks, ride the 32-kilometer loop road past the wartime guns, and keep every evening for the west-facing water. In whale season (late July to November), add a licensed trip outside the reef.
Brazil · city
Rio de Janeiro
Come between September and November or April and May, stay in Ipanema or Leblon if the budget allows and Copacabana if it does not, do Christ the Redeemer on the first clear morning and Sugarloaf for a sunset, give a full day to Santa Teresa, Lapa and the old Centro, eat feijoada on Saturday, and treat safety as a set of habits rather than a reason to stay in.
Hungary · city
Budapest
Come in May, June or September, sleep in District V or the Jewish Quarter, soak at Szechenyi before 9am and Rudas after dark, book the Parliament tour days ahead, walk Castle Hill early and the reopened Citadella at sunset, eat goulash and langos without apology, and finish in a ruin bar or on a night cruise under the floodlit Parliament.
USA · road trip
California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles
San Francisco to Monterey and Carmel, then the heart of the drive through Big Sur, on to Hearst Castle and San Simeon, Santa Barbara, and finally Los Angeles, with a night or two banked in or near Big Sur.
South Africa · multi city
Cape Town & the Winelands
Spend the first three or four nights in the City Bowl or the V&A Waterfront for Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula, then move to Stellenbosch or Franschhoek for three or four nights of wine estates and long lunches, with a driver booked for tasting days.
Turkey · region
Cappadocia
Stay in or near Göreme or Uçhisar, fly a hot air balloon at sunrise on a calm-weather morning, spend a day on the Göreme Open Air Museum and Uçhisar Castle, and give a half or full day to the underground cities and Ihlara Valley.
Thailand · city
Chiang Mai
Stay in the Old City or along the Ping River rather than by the Night Bazaar, go up Doi Suthep at opening time, give a full day to a genuine elephant sanctuary in the Mae Taeng valley, eat khao soi at lunch because the good shops sell out by two, and plan the whole trip for November to early February, when the air is cool and clear.
Greece · island
Corfu
Base in or near Corfu Town for the culture and the restaurants, add a northwest coast stay (Paleokastritsa or the Sidari to Cape Drastis area) for the coves and the sunsets, and give a day to the boat trip to Paxos or the crossing to Albania.
Costa Rica · multi city
Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio
San José to La Fortuna for three nights of volcano trails, hanging bridges and hot springs; across Lake Arenal to Monteverde for two nights of cloud-forest reserves, a night walk and coffee; down to Manuel Antonio for four nights of national park, beaches, mangroves and a waterfall day; back to the airport via the crocodile bridge at Tárcoles. Ten days is our honest minimum; with twelve, add a Río Celeste day from La Fortuna and a whale or mangrove day from the coast.
Greece · island
Crete
Base a few nights in or near Chania Old Town for the Venetian harbour and access to Samaria Gorge, move to Rethymno or Heraklion for Knossos and the Archaeological Museum, then finish in the Agios Nikolaos or Elounda area for Spinalonga and a slower pace.
Greece · multi city
Cyclades Island Hopping: How to Plan the Route
Three nights on Paros for the ferry connections and Naoussa, three on Naxos for the mountain villages and the best beaches in the group, three on Milos for Sarakiniko and the Kleftiko boat, with Sifnos or Folegandros as the fourth stop if you have the days.
UAE · city
Dubai
Base near Downtown for the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, or the Marina for beach and waterfront dining, cross to Old Dubai for the creek and souks, and give one day to the desert and one to Abu Dhabi.
Croatia · city
Dubrovnik
Sleep within walking distance if you can take stairs and outside the zone if you cannot. Walk the walls first thing or in the last two hours, never in the middle of a two-ship day, and check the port’s own schedule before you pick which morning. Give the cable car an evening: from the top at 400 metres the sun goes down into open water almost every day of the year, which the seaward walls cannot do between mid-April and late August. Buy Lokrum for a half day and watch the 19:00 last boat. Book one of the nine Michelin-listed tables and eat one meal at the Bib Gourmand, which is Bosnian and costs a third as much. Then take a boat somewhere: the Elafiti islands for a swim, or Cavtat for a lunch on a waterfront that is not full.
Egypt · multi city
Egypt: Cairo, Luxor & the Nile
Cairo first: Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum on one day, Saqqara and Coptic Cairo on another, Islamic Cairo and the bazaar on a third. Then fly to Luxor for Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and a dawn balloon, board a Luxor-to-Aswan cruise calling at Edfu and Kom Ombo, and finish in Aswan with Philae, a felucca at sunset and the early run to Abu Simbel.
Sri Lanka · region
Ella
Get your free ETA online before you fly: Israeli passport holders have been on the free 30-day list since 25 May 2026, but the authorisation must still be issued before arrival. From Colombo airport it is about 234 kilometres to Ella by road. For the train, drive or ride to Nanu Oya and take the 09:00 departure, daily, which reaches Ella at 11:27, or the 14:30, not on Wednesdays, which arrives at 16:57; seats open 30 days ahead on the Sri Lanka Railways reservation site. In Ella, walk to the Nine Arch Bridge for a morning train, climb Little Adam’s Peak, and do Ella Rock early, from late September to mid-March for a sunrise at the top. Take a tea-factory tour, spend a day in Haputale for Lipton’s Seat and the Benedictine monastery at Adisham, which opens only at weekends and on holidays, and give Horton Plains an early start. Plan for rain from October to December, and for the driest weather from June to August.
Fiji · island
Fiji
Fly into Nadi, then transfer by catamaran or seaplane to your island. The Mamanucas are closest and easiest, the Yasawas are further out and steeper, the Coral Coast on the main island suits families and self-drivers, and Taveuni is for divers. Pick one or two and stay put.
France · region
French Riviera (Cote d'Azur)
Spend two or three nights in Nice for the Old Town, the museums and the Promenade des Anglais, a night or two around Antibes or Cannes for the coast and the Croisette, and at least a day inland for Eze and Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Add Monaco or the Gorges du Verdon as day trips.
India · region
Goa
Base north or south, not both at once. Give one full day to Old Goa's churches and Panjim's Latin Quarter, one to the Ponda spice country or Dudhsagar in season, and the rest to a short list of beaches you can reach without an hour in a taxi. Eat Goan at least once a day, book a car or scooter early, and read the drinking and bottle rules before your first sunset.
Australia · region
Great Barrier Reef & Cairns
Base in Cairns for reef-boat access and the Esplanade, or Port Douglas for a quieter, resort-style stay closer to the Low Isles and the Daintree. Add one rainforest day and one full-day reef trip with a certified operator.
Greece · multi city
Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini
Two nights in Athens for the Acropolis and the old town, four nights on Mykonos for Little Venice, the beaches and a Delos day trip, and three nights on Santorini for Oia’s sunset, the volcano boat and Ancient Akrotiri.
Greece · region
Halkidiki
Land at Thessaloniki, pick up a car, and give Kassandra half the trip: Sani or the Possidi side for the sunsets, Afytos for a village you can walk in the evening, the Kallithea strip if the holiday needs noise. Then cross to Sithonia for the beaches that appear in everyone’s photographs, Kavourotrypes and Karydi and the Vourvourou islets, and set at least one alarm, because from late March to mid-September the sun comes up over Mount Athos at Sarti and along the Kavourotrypes coves. Run the Athos cruise out of Ouranoupoli if the monasteries matter. Book the ancient sites for mornings, note that Petralona is the only site here that shortens its hours through the autumn, while the rest keep 08:30 to 15:30 all year, and do not build a day around Ancient Olynthos, which the Ephorate’s own page says is temporarily closed.
Vietnam · city
Hanoi
Come in October or November when the air is at its cleanest and the light is gold, sleep in the Old Quarter but a lane back from Ta Hien or Luong Ngoc Quyen, eat pho for breakfast and bun cha for lunch at shops that sell one dish each, give a full day to Ninh Binh and a night to Lan Ha Bay, and be here on a Friday evening when the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake close to traffic.
USA · multi city
Maui and Oahu: Planning the Two-Island Hawaii Trip
Four nights on Oʻahu for Pearl Harbor, Waikīkī, the North Shore and the windward beaches, then five or six nights on Maui for Haleakalā at dawn, the road to Hāna, a Molokini snorkel morning and the resort coast. In winter, whales fill the channel off West Maui as a bonus.
Vietnam · city
Hoi An
Give the Ancient Town its heritage ticket and a full evening for the lanterns, split your days between the old streets and An Bang beach, and add the My Son Sanctuary and a river or Cham Islands trip if you have four days.
Japan · region
Hokkaido
Start in Sapporo for food and the city, add a night in canal-side Otaru, then choose a season-driven detour: Furano and Biei for summer flower fields, or Niseko for winter powder.
Spain · island
Ibiza
Start with Dalt Vila and the old port, then split your days between coasts: the west for Cala Comte, Cala d’Hort and the Es Vedrà sunset, the north for Benirràs, Portinatx and the villages, the south for Ses Salines and the beach scene. Take the fast ferry to Formentera once, and decide honestly in advance whether clubs are part of your trip or not.
Turkey · city
Istanbul
Spend two to three days in Sultanahmet for Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern, then cross the Golden Horn to Beyoğlu and Karaköy for food and views, and take a ferry across the Bosphorus at least once.
South Korea · island
Jeju Island
Climb Seongsan Ilchulbong for the sunrise on a weekday, 5,000 won, gates open at least 45 minutes before dawn, then eat abalone porridge in the haenyeo house in Ojo-ri. Take the Udo ferry from Seongsan, 10,500 won return, and ride a bicycle round the island, because your car cannot come. Walk the reopened kilometre of Manjanggul, closed on the first Wednesday of the month. Book the Hallasan summit section at visithalla.jeju.go.kr from the first working day of the month before, or walk the Yeongsil trail without a booking. Give the south a day: Jeongbang falls, which drop straight into the sea, the Jusangjeolli columns and the Seogwipo Olle market for hairtail. End the days in the west, at Suwolbong or on the Aewol coast, where the sun goes into the water on every day of the year. Eat black pork once at Donsadon in the city and once anywhere else.
Kenya/Tanzania · road trip
Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route
Time your trip to the migration if you can, use licensed guides and 4x4s, and build in slack days rather than chasing a single river-crossing on a fixed date.
India · region
Kerala Backwaters
Come between November and February, fly into Kochi, base yourself at Kumarakom rather than in the Alappuzha boat queue, take one certified houseboat night with a village mooring, spend one dawn in a country canoe through the Kuttanad canals, give one morning to the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary or Pathiramanal island, eat karimeen grilled in a banana leaf and drink the tea, and finish with two flat days on Marari beach or a train up to the hills.
Thailand · island
Koh Phangan
Thong Sala for the pier, the Saturday walking street, the hospital and the island's best restaurant. Ban Tai and Ban Khai for the south-coast road, Fisherman's and the Half Moon venues. Haad Rin for the party and, on the other side of its neck, a calmer swimming beach. Srithanu, Hin Kong and Haad Chao Phao for yoga, sunsets and the west-coast villages. Haad Yao and Haad Salad for the classic beach-and-reef bays. Chaloklum for fishing boats, dive boats and the longtail to Bottle Beach. Thong Nai Pan for the two best beaches and the top hotels. Ang Thong, Koh Tao and Sail Rock for the days on the water.
Thailand · island
Koh Samui
Pick a beach base (Chaweng for buzz, Bophut for character, Choeng Mon or Maenam for quiet), see the Big Buddha and Wat Plai Laem, wander Fisherman’s Village at Bophut, and give a day to the Angthong marine park by boat.
Malaysia · city
Kuala Lumpur
Come in the drier May-to-August window, sleep in Bukit Bintang or Chinatown, eat nasi lemak in the morning and banana leaf at lunch and Hokkien mee after dark, book the Petronas Skybridge for the icon and KL Tower for the view of the icon, give a morning to Batu Caves and an evening to Kampung Baru, and take the bus to Malacca if you have a day to spare.
Japan · city
Kyoto
Base downtown or near the station, spend a day each in Higashiyama (temples and Gion), Arashiyama (bamboo grove and river), and Fushimi/downtown (Fushimi Inari and Nishiki Market), then add a day trip to Nara.
Malaysia · island
Langkawi
Base at Pantai Cenang or on the north coast, ride the SkyCab to the Sky Bridge early, spend one morning deep in the Kilim mangroves with an operator that refuses eagle feeding, swim the lake at Dayang Bunting, and keep every evening for the west-facing sand. Add the seasonal ferry to Koh Lipe if the calendar cooperates.
Portugal · city
Lisbon
Stay in Chiado or Principe Real for a central, walkable base, spend a morning in Alfama and the castle and a separate day in Belem, pick the right miradouro for the evening, and give a full day to Sintra with a timed Pena Palace ticket.
Mexico · region
Los Cabos
Base by your style (San Lucas for energy, San José for charm, the corridor for luxury), take a water taxi to the arch at Land’s End, snorkel Chileno or Santa Maria, give San José del Cabo an evening for the Gallery District, and add a Todos Santos or Cabo Pulmo day trip. From mid-December to April, build in a whale-watching morning.
Spain · city
Madrid
Stay in Sol, the Barrio de las Letras, Malasana or Salamanca for a central, walkable base, give a full day to the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen, on a Wednesday to Saturday if you can, watch the sunset from the Templo de Debod or the Circulo de Bellas Artes rooftop, and add Toledo or Segovia as a day trip.
Maldives · island
Maldives Overwater Villas
Choose an atoll based on what you want most: North Male Atoll for the shortest transfer, Baa Atoll for the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and manta season, or Ari Atoll for year-round whale shark snorkeling. Book an overwater villa with a west-facing deck if sunsets from your room matter to you. Israeli passport holders cannot enter the Maldives: a 2025 amendment to the Immigration Act bars entry on an Israeli passport, and Israel’s Foreign Ministry advises all Israeli citizens, including those with a second passport, not to travel there.
Spain · island
Mallorca
Split the trip in two: Palma for the cathedral, the old town and the food scene, then the Serra de Tramuntana and the north for Sóller, Deià, Valldemossa, Pollença and the Cap de Formentor. Add a day for the southeast calas (Caló des Moro, Cala Mondragó) if the season allows an early start.
Malta · island
Malta
Book the Hypogeum first, as early as you can, because only ten people go down at a time. Spend two days in Valletta: St John’s Co-Cathedral for the Caravaggios, the Grand Master’s Palace, the Upper Barrakka Gardens for the noon gun and the harbour view, and the ferry across to Birgu and the Three Cities. Give a day to Mdina and Rabat, with the catacombs where Jewish tombs carry menorahs, and end it on the high edge of the Dingli Cliffs, where the sun sets into open sea from March to early October. Give a day to the south: the Marsaxlokk fishing harbour, the temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, and a swim at St Peter’s Pool. Then take the ferry to Gozo for the Citadel, the Ggantija temples and the sunset at Dwejra. Book the free Blue Lagoon pass before any Comino boat.
Mauritius · island
Mauritius
Flic en Flac and Tamarin on the west coast for sheltered swimming, dolphins at dawn and the sunset every evening. Le Morne in the south-west for the mountain, the kite lagoon and the most photographed corner of the island. Grand Baie and Trou aux Biches in the north for the widest choice of restaurants and the softest evenings. Belle Mare and the east coast for the big-name resorts and a sunrise over open ocean every day of the year. Bel Ombre in the south for the wild coast. Port Louis for the market, the immigration depot that changed the island, and lunch. Chamarel and the Black River Gorges for the day the beach can wait.
Mexico · city
Mexico City
Come between late September and early May, sleep in Roma Norte or Condesa, book the Casa Azul and Pujol or Quintonil weeks ahead, walk the Centro from the Zocalo to Bellas Artes early, give the Anthropology Museum a half day, ride out to Teotihuacan at opening, spend a slow Saturday in Coyoacan and San Angel, and eat everything: the tacos are as much the point as the museums.
USA · city
Miami
Split your attention across four areas: South Beach for the Art Deco district and the sand, Wynwood for murals and brunch, Little Havana for Cuban food and music, downtown for the museums. Add a day trip to the Everglades or Key Biscayne.
Sri Lanka · region
Mirissa
Get the free 30-day ETA online before you fly: Israeli passport holders have been on Sri Lanka’s free list since 25 May 2026, but the authorisation must be issued before arrival. From Colombo airport it is about 184 kilometres by road, most of it on the Southern Expressway, leaving at Kokmaduwa about nine kilometres from the harbour. Book a whale trip for the morning after you arrive: Raja and the Whales checks in at 06:00 and sails at 06:30, charges 20,000 rupees an adult, and runs daily from November to the end of April. Swim on Mirissa beach in the calm months only and near the lifeguards, walk up Coconut Tree Hill for a sunset between late August and mid-April, take a surf lesson in Weligama Bay, and go to Dondra Head or Talalla if you want a sunrise over the sea. Give the Hiriketiya Chabad house a call before you count on it, and expect no direct flight from Tel Aviv this season.
Morocco · multi city
Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen
Apply for the Moroccan e-visa online first, since Israeli passports are not visa-exempt. Then two nights in Marrakech, a two-day loop through Ait Benhaddou and the Dades or Todra area to a desert camp near Merzouga for one night in the dunes, then a long transfer north (usually via Fes) to two or three nights in Chefchaouen before flying home from Fes or Tangier, or looping back to Marrakech.
Greece · island
Mykonos
Stay in or near Mykonos Town (Chora) for the windmills, Little Venice and the widest choice of restaurants, use Ornos or Platis Gialos as a calmer beach base with easy access to the club beaches, and set aside a morning for the boat to Delos before the crowds build.
Greece · island
Naxos
Stay on the west coast, where the beaches from Agios Georgios down to Plaka face Paros, whose hills stand 9 to 19 kilometres off across the strait. Hire a car and spend the middle of the trip inland: the Tragaea valley and Halki for the kitron distillery, Filoti and the path up Mount Zas, Apiranthos for its marble lanes and small museums, and the kouroi at Flerio and Apollonas. Watch one sunset from the Portara, knowing it now stands behind a fence you look through, and one from the top of Zas. Eat graviera, arseniko and Naxos potatoes where they are made. Note that the Archaeological Museum is closed for works and its collection is shown free in a temporary exhibition at Agia Ursula in the Kastro, 09:00 to 14:00, closed Tuesdays.
USA · city
New York City
Split your nights between Midtown or the Lower East Side for the classic sights and a night or two in Brooklyn for the neighborhood feel, book timed tickets for major attractions in advance, and leave at least one evening unplanned for whichever neighborhood you liked best.
New Zealand · road trip
New Zealand South Island Road Trip: The 10-Day Loop
Christchurch over Arthur’s Pass to the West Coast and the glaciers, through Haast Pass to Wanaka and Queenstown, south to Te Anau for Milford Sound, then back north past Aoraki/Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo to Christchurch. Ten days is the honest minimum; with seven or fewer, fly out of Queenstown and skip the West Coast.
Japan · island
Okinawa
Naha for Kokusai-dori, the rebuilt Makishi market, Tsuboya pottery street and Shuri Castle on its hill. The south for Sefa Utaki, the Chinen sunrise over Kudaka Island and the Peace Memorial Park. Chatan for American Village and an easy sunset. The Onna coast for the resort hotels and Cape Manzamo. The Motobu peninsula for Churaumi Aquarium, Bise village, Nakijin Castle and the bridge to Kouri Island. Yanbaru in the north for forest and Cape Hedo. The Kerama Islands for the water.
Philippines · island
El Nido, Palawan
El Nido town for dinner and logistics; Corong-Corong, one bay south, for sunset-facing calm within a tricycle ride of everything; the Lio Estate by the airport for the planned, family-friendly version; Nacpan for four kilometres of bare sand 45 minutes north; and the island resorts out in the bay for the splurge. The boat tours (lettered A to D) are the point: Big Lagoon on Tour A, the hidden beaches of Matinloc on Tour C.
Cyprus · island
Paphos, Cyprus
Two or three days for the town: the archaeological park at opening, the Tombs of the Kings, the harbour fort, Ktima’s market lanes and Geroskipou for loukoumi. Then a car: the Akamas by boat from Latchi, Aphrodite’s Rock and the sanctuary at Kouklia to the east, and a slow afternoon in the Laona wine villages above Coral Bay.
France · city
Paris
Split your stay between the Right Bank (Le Marais for food and history, Montmartre for hills and light) and the Left Bank (Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter for bookshops, cafes and the Sorbonne). Book the Louvre, Versailles and the Notre-Dame towers ahead.
Chile and Argentina · road trip
Patagonia: Torres del Paine and El Chalten
A night in Punta Arenas and a morning with the penguins of Isla Magdalena. Three hours north to Puerto Natales on the Seno Ultima Esperanza. Then Torres del Paine: the Base Torres hike at the east end, the catamaran across Lago Pehoe to the Frances valley, the boat to the front of the Grey glacier, or the whole W on foot between refugios. Over the border at Cerro Castillo to El Calafate for the Perito Moreno glacier from the boardwalks, a boat or the ice itself. North to El Chalten for the Fitz Roy at Laguna de los Tres and Cerro Torre at Laguna Torre.
Greece · region
Peloponnese
Land in Athens, cross the canal, and give Nafplio three nights for Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nemea wine and the town itself. Drive south past Sparta to Mystras, sleep under the rock at Monemvasia, then round the Laconian Gulf to the Mani for tower villages, the Diros caves and the walk to the lighthouse at Cape Tenaro. Base at Kardamyli or Limeni for the end, with Ancient Messene and the beaches of the Navarino coast as the last day out, and leave from Kalamata or drive back to Athens. Buy site tickets on the Ministry’s e-ticket portal, watch the half-monthly closing times from September, and do not plan anything around the Kalavryta train.
Peru · multi city
Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu
Acclimatize in Cusco or the Sacred Valley, give a full day to Machu Picchu with an early entry, and book the train, entrance ticket and any Inca Trail permit well in advance.
Thailand · region
Phuket
Pick a west-coast base for the beaches and sunsets, give a day to Old Phuket Town for the Sino-Portuguese streets and food, add the Big Buddha and a Promthep Cape sunset, and build in at least one boat day to Phang Nga Bay or the Similan Islands.
Czechia · city
Prague
Come in May, June or September, sleep in Vinohrady, Karlin or the quiet end of Mala Strana rather than the party blocks, cross Charles Bridge before 8am, take the first hour after opening at the Old Town Hall for the half-price early-bird ticket, ride the rebuilt Petrin funicular on a 24-hour pass if it has resumed carrying passengers, eat where the tank beer is, and give one full day to Kutna Hora.
France · region
Provence
Fly to Marseille, on El Al direct from Tel Aviv, or take the train from Paris to Avignon in about three hours. Pick up a car. Stay in the Luberon for three or four nights and plan the days around the markets: Gordes on Tuesday mornings, Roussillon and Ménerbes on Thursday, Lourmarin and Bonnieux on Friday, Apt on Saturday, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and the Coustellet farmers’ market on Sunday. See Sénanque in a morning, walk the ochre trail at Roussillon, and give an afternoon to the Popes’ Jews: the synagogue of Carpentras, which the Vaucluse tourism board calls the oldest still in use in France, and the tiny synagogue museum of Cavaillon. Then move to Saint-Rémy or Arles for Les Baux, Glanum, the arena and Van Gogh. In late June and early July drive out to the Valensole plateau for the lavender and a sunset behind Mont Ventoux. Check the forest-fire map every evening in summer before you plan a walk.
New Zealand · region
Queenstown
Base in central Queenstown for the lake, gondola and nightlife, add a day or overnight to Glenorchy and Arrowtown for the gold-rush and mountain scenery, and give a full day to Milford Sound even though it is a long drive.
India · road trip
Rajasthan Golden Triangle
Base a day or two in each of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, then, if you have the days, push on to Udaipur or Jodhpur where the real soul of Rajasthan lives.
Greece · island
Rhodes
Split the trip: two or three days for Rhodes Town (the walled city, Mandraki harbor, Kallithea and a Symi day trip), then the rest around Lindos and the south: the acropolis at opening time, St Paul’s Bay, Tsambika, and a road day through Embonas wine country to Monolithos and the windsurfing cape at Prasonisi.
Italy · city
Rome
Stay in or near the Centro Storico or Monti for walkability, book the Colosseum and Vatican Museums well ahead of time, eat in Trastevere and Testaccio rather than right off the big piazzas, and give one day to Tivoli or Ostia Antica.
USA · multi city
San Francisco and Napa Valley
Three or four nights in San Francisco for the city and its day trips, then two or three in Napa Valley for the wine country, linked by a 1.5-hour drive rather than a flight.
Greece · island
Santorini
Stay in or near Oia or Imerovigli for the caldera view and sunset, use Fira for the wider choice of restaurants and the cable car down to the old port, and give a half day each to the volcano boat trip and the Ancient Akrotiri and Red Beach combination.
Italy · island
Sardinia
The north-east (Costa Smeralda, La Maddalena, Gallura) for the famous granite coves and the glamour; the north-west (Alghero, Stintino, Capo Caccia) for a walkable Catalan-flavoured town and La Pelosa; the east (Gulf of Orosei, Baunei) for cliff-backed beaches reached by boat or on foot; the south (Cagliari, Chia, Villasimius) for the capital, dunes and the mildest autumn. The Barbagia interior around Nuoro and Oliena is the counterweight to all of it.
Indonesia · region
Seminyak
Time your days around the sunset: beach or pool by day, a spa or the boutiques in the afternoon, then a beach-bar sundowner and dinner, with day trips to Tanah Lot and Uluwatu for the temple sunsets.
South Korea · city
Seoul
Stay in or near Myeongdong or Jongno for the palaces and easy transit, spend a morning in Bukchon Hanok Village, an afternoon in Hongdae or Seongsu for contemporary Seoul, and a full day on a DMZ tour if history interests you.
Seychelles · island
Seychelles
Mahe for arrival, the Morne Seychellois ridge, Victoria’s market and the long southern beaches. Praslin for the Vallee de Mai palm forest, Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette, and as the hub for the boat trips to Curieuse, Cousin and Aride. La Digue for Anse Source d’Argent, bicycles and a pace that makes the other two feel busy. The private islands, from North and Fregate to the Waldorf Astoria out on Platte, are a separate and much more expensive holiday that happens to share an airport.
Italy · island
Sicily
Split the island into a loop: Palermo for Arab-Norman culture and street food, Taormina and Etna for the coast and the volcano, Syracuse and Ortigia for Greek history, and the Baroque towns of the Val di Noto (Noto, Modica, Ragusa) for architecture and food. Add the Aeolian Islands by ferry from Milazzo if time allows.
Singapore · city
Singapore
Spend a day at Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay, a day between Chinatown and Little India for temples and hawker food, and a full day on Sentosa Island, with an optional day trip to Pulau Ubin or across to Malaysia.
Croatia · road trip
Split to Dubrovnik Road Trip
Two nights in Split for the palace, the cellars and Marjan hill. Collect the car, climb to Klis fortress, and take the coast road through Omis to the Makarska Riviera. Up to the Biokovo skywalk on a timed slot, down through the Neretva delta, over the Peljesac bridge to Ston for the walls and the oysters. West along the peninsula through Dingac wine country to the Orebic ferry and a night in Korcula. Then two hours to Dubrovnik, the car handed back, and the city on foot: the walls at opening, Lokrum by boat, Mount Srd at sunset.
Sri Lanka · road trip
Sri Lanka Round Trip
Start near Colombo, head to the cultural triangle for Sigiriya and Dambulla, continue to Kandy for the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, climb into the hill country around Ella and Nuwara Eliya, then finish on the south coast at Galle.
Saint Lucia · island
St Lucia
Soufriere and the Piton corridor for the drama: the two peaks, the sulphur springs, the botanical gardens and the island’s most photographed hotels. Rodney Bay and Gros Islet in the north for Reduit Beach, the marina, most of the restaurants and the Friday night jump-up. Marigot Bay as the pretty, sheltered pause between them, Castries for the market, and the windward east coast for turtles and emptiness rather than swimming.
Australia · city
Sydney
Base in or near Circular Quay and The Rocks for the harbour icons, add a stretch of days near Bondi or Manly for the beach culture, and give one full day to the Blue Mountains.
Israel · city
Tel Aviv
Come in April to June or September to November, sleep around Rothschild or in the Old North, eat your way from Carmel Market to Levinsky, give Jaffa a full day, swim at a lifeguarded beach in the morning before the heat, take the train to Jerusalem midweek, and treat Friday afternoon to Saturday night as beach-and-long-lunch time rather than errand time.
Japan · city
Tokyo
Base near Shinjuku, Shibuya or Tokyo Station for rail access, spend a day each in old Tokyo (Asakusa, Ueno) and new Tokyo (Shibuya, Harajuku), and add one full-day trip out to Nikko, Kamakura or Hakone.
Turkey · region
Turkish Riviera (Bodrum to Antalya)
Spend two or three nights on the Bodrum peninsula for the castle, the villages and the beach clubs, two or three nights around Fethiye and Kaş for the lagoon at Ölüdeniz, Patara and the Kekova boat day, and finish with two nights in Antalya for Kaleiçi, Hadrian’s Gate and Aspendos. All-inclusive travelers can anchor the whole trip at Kemer, Belek or Side instead.
Turks and Caicos Islands · island
Turks and Caicos
Grace Bay and the Bight on Providenciales for the beach, the restaurants and nearly all the rooms. Long Bay on the same island for the kitesurfers and a shallow warm lagoon. Chalk Sound, Taylor Bay and Sapodilla Bay on the south-west coast for the island at its prettiest and, in high season, its one easily reached sunset over open water. Blue Hills and Five Cays for conch and the cheap tables. Grand Turk for the old capital, a National Museum that opens only when a cruise ship is in, and an open-ocean sunset the famous beach cannot give you. North and Middle Caicos for caves, a plantation ruin and the best coastline in the country.
Italy · region
Tuscany
Start in Florence for the Uffizi, the Duomo and the Accademia, add a night or two in the Chianti countryside for wine and slower afternoons, then move south to Siena, San Gimignano and the Val d’Orcia for hill towns, cypress roads and Pienza’s pecorino.
Japan · multi city
Two Weeks in Japan
Base 3 to 4 nights in Tokyo, 1 to 2 in Hakone for the onsen and Mount Fuji views, 2 to 3 in Kyoto, then 1 to 2 in Osaka, with Nara, Himeji and Hiroshima/Miyajima as day trips from the Kansai leg.
New Zealand · multi city
Two Weeks in New Zealand
Fly into Auckland, drive south via Hobbiton, Rotorua, Taupō and Tongariro to Wellington, take the Interislander ferry to Picton, then continue through Kaikōura or the wine country to Christchurch and on to Queenstown, Te Anau and Milford Sound. Fly out of Queenstown or Christchurch.
Indonesia · region
Ubud
Walk the Campuhan Ridge at dawn, see the Monkey Forest and Ubud Palace in town, and drive out to the Tegalalang terraces, Tirta Empul and the UNESCO Jatiluwih paddies, with time for a spa or yoga.
USA · road trip
Utah Mighty 5 and Grand Canyon Road Trip
Las Vegas to Springdale for two nights in Zion, with the Narrows or a lottery permit for Angels Landing; over the Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel to Bryce for sunset and a dawn on the rim; Scenic Byway 12 over the Hogback to Boulder and dinner at Hell’s Backbone Grill; Capitol Reef’s orchards and a pie at the Gifford House; three nights in Moab for Delicate Arch, Mesa Arch at sunrise and Dead Horse Point at sunset; a night in Monument Valley with a Navajo guide; Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend from Page; then the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, a night in Tusayan, and the drive back to Las Vegas.
Italy · city
Venice
Stay in Dorsoduro, Cannaregio or Castello rather than on Piazza San Marco. Book St Mark Basilica and the Doge Palace online in advance, eat standing at bacari for lunch and sit down away from the main corridor at night, and give a full day to Torcello and Burano rather than a rushed three-island tour.
Tanzania · island
Zanzibar
Spend a night or two near Stone Town for the old town and a spice tour, then base on the north coast (Nungwi or Kendwa) if you want to swim at any tide, or the southeast (Paje or Jambiani) if kitesurfing is the point of the trip. Add a diving or snorkeling day toward Mnemba Atoll if the reef is a priority.