Insider secrets to Rome

By The Editors of Budget Travel | Budget Travel – Mon, Apr 1, 2013 1:24 PM EDT

(Photo: Courtesy TimothyState/myBudgetTravel)

Heaping plates of light-as-air pasta. Art by Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bernini. Some of the most entertaining people-watching on the planet. Rome is a city like no other, and with the newly elected Pope moving in, the old adage about all roads leading to you-know-where seems especially true these days.

But as welcoming as it can be, to the first-time visitor Rome can also feel a little like an upscale hazing ritual, with winding ticket lines, expensive meals, and crowds, crowds, crowds. With the help of actual Romans and some well-traveled BT editors, we’ve put together some can’t-miss tips for making yourself at home in the Eternal City.

It’s easy to eat great in Rome, but keeping the tab reasonable is another story. We turned to Rome resident Elizabeth Minchilli, author of the bestselling app Eat Rome and host of the blog Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome, for affordable restaurant recommendations. Her picks:

Campo di Fiori. (Photo: Courtesy egyptianheidi/myBudgetTravel)

Forno dei Campo dei Fiori. “This outpost of the famous bakery sells one thing only: Panini,” says Minchilli. “The bread is actually the bakery’s much-loved pizza Bianca and filling includes mortadella, mozzarella and tomatoes, and frittata.” (Vicolo del Gallo 14)

Enoteca Corsi. This wine shop also does a brisk business as a working-class restaurant. “The real action is in back,” says Minchilli. “Paper-topped tables and wooden chairs are all original. A daily menu is thrown on the table, with dozens of Roman specialties like meat-stuffed zucchini, osso buco, and thick and delicious faro soup. Don’t miss the gnocchi on Thursdays!” (Via del Gesu 87)

L’Asino d’Oro. With creative riffs on traditional Umbrian and central Italian cuisine, this restaurant is jammed and pricey at night. “But at lunchtime, the fixed menu is one of the best deals in town at $17,” says Minchilli. “Three full courses, plus wine and water, but it’s cash-only at lunch and make sure you reserve ahead.” (Via del Boschetto 73)

See the Vatican after hours

(Photo: Courtesy pswaring /myBudgetTravel)

With one of the greatest art collections on Earth, it’s no surprise that the Vatican Museumsare packed during the day. Time was you needed to hand over hundreds of extra euros for a less-crowded tour during the evening. But each Friday between May 3 and July 26, and Sept. 6 and Oct. 25, the Vatican Museums will be open from 7p.m. to 11 p.m., with the last entrance at 9:30 p.m.

For $21 at mv.vatican.va, you can enjoy relative peace and quiet on a self-guided tour of the Pio Clementino collection; Raphael Rooms, the galleries of the Candelabra, Tapestries, and Maps; and the Sistine Chapel. Bring binoculars to view Michelangelo’s paintings on the Chapel’s ceiling, but remember that photography is not allowed (the company that funded the chapel’s recent renovation was given rights to the iconic images and does not allow them to be photographed by visitors).

Beat the lines at the Colosseum

(Photo: Courtesy StanBike/myBudgetTravel)

The most famous site in Rome is remaining open to the public during a $30 million, 2-plus-year renovation that will create an underground visitors’ center and expand access to underground tunnels. While the amphitheater has been thrilling visitors for 2,000 years, that doesn’t mean you should have to wait for centuries at the back of a seemingly endless ticket line.

Instead, buy your tickets (about $14) to theColosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill at the Palatine box office on Via di S. Gregorio 30. Then, you can proceed right past the line to the entrance turnstiles. (If you have visited Rome over the past 10 years or so, you may recall that the Forum was once free, but now tickets are required.)

Get into the Galleria Borghese

Don’t make the rookie mistake of showing up at the popular Galleria Borghese without tickets. Only 360 visitors are admitted every two hours (at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m.), and advance tickets (about $14) are required before you can see the heartbreakingly beautiful works here, including those by Titian and Bernini. You can drop by a day or two in advance to make your reservation for a specific date and time, or reserve at galleriaborghese.it. Then, collect your tickets in person at least 30 minutes before your scheduled admission time.

Don’t eat ice cream on the Spanish Steps!

(Photo: Courtesy antfern/myBudgetTravel)

Sure, “Roman Holiday” may be the most, well, romantic movie ever, and the sight of Audrey Hepburn eating gelato on the Spanish Steps is indelible. But if you try parking on the steps—or any other public space—to chow down these days, you may end up being slapped with a fine. Last year, Rome’s mayor was horrified when he saw the city’s historic landmarks jammed with people scarfing pizza and panini and licking ice cream cones.

A new ordinance forbids eating and drinking anywhere in Rome with “particular historic, artistic, architectonic, and cultural value” (yeah, that’s pretty much everywhere). And we’re not talking about a minor traffic ticket here—fines can total up to more than $600.

The Saturday City: Portland By Nomadic Matt |

 

Portland, Oregon is a city located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and one too often overlooked by tourists, living in the shadow of cities like L.A., Seattle, Vegas, Chicago, or New York City. But Portland is one of America’s most unique (and liberal) cities, famous for its outdoor adventures, micro-brewed beer, green living, parks, and boutique food.

My first trip here was a few years ago for Thanksgiving. While in Spain I made friends who lived in Portland and paid them a visit on my way to Asia. Then last year I came back and spent more time eating my way around the city. What started as a like during my first trip turned into love on my second. And now, I can’t wait to return next month as part of my book tour. Portland has joined the very tiny list of cities I would actually live in.

What I really love about Portland is the high quality of life. It’s easy to get around, there is good public transportation available, it’s compact, there’s delicious food, the locals are friendly, it’s environmentally friendly, and, most importantly, there’s great beer.

I think Portland has a lot to offer travelers. It’s a shame this city gets overlooked so often. But if you do make it here (and you should), here’s my list of top things to do:

See Pittock Mansion – A stunning Victorian mansion in the western part of Portland that dates back nearly a century. The mansion contains beautiful artwork and furniture collected by the original owners. You can explore the mansion by yourself or on a guided tour.

 

Explore the Portland Underground – The Portland Underground Tour explores a series of tunnels in the Old Town section of Portland. The tours focus on the history of the tunnels, where kidnappers sold their victims to work aboard boats leaving port. I love underground city tours; I find learning about how cities grow and build on top of themselves fascinating (Seattle and Edinburgh underground tours are especially interesting) and this tour is no exception. They also offer paranormal related tours but I tend to stay away from those.

Wander Downtown Portland – The heart of the city is centered around Pioneer Square and is a great place to explore local shops, hang out in the square, and just wander around. There’s nothing really special about this area but I like grabbing a drink, sitting in the square, and people-watching on a nice day.

Hang out in the Pearl District – A very hip and trendy neighborhood on the streetcar line. It is an excellent place to hang out and people-watch while eating at some of the best restaurants in the city. On the first Thursday of every month, all the art galleries open their doors for casual viewing, and many serve wine and cheese. The famous Powell’s Bookstore is also located in this area. (I’ll be stopping there as part of my book tour!)

Hike Forest Park – Located in the hills northwest of downtown, Forest Park is one of the nation’s largest urban parks at 5,000 acres in size. There are many great hiking and biking trails to be found winding through this natural forest setting. Portland is famous for its proximity to nature and this is one of the best places in the city to “get away from it all.”

Lan Su Chinese Garden – I love the peacefulness of Chinese gardens. This beautiful urban retreat is in the heart of Chinatown and features a pond, a teahouse, pavilions, and lots of gardens. If you are on a budget, you can peek through the ornate open windows and see much of the gardens without paying admission.

Enjoy Laurelhurst Park – A beautiful park designed by a horticultural expert from the same team that designed New York City’s Central Park. This park has a great atmosphere in good weather, with lots of locals and visitors enjoying the duck pond, the bike paths, and the off-leash dog area.

Visit Washington Park – Washington Park is a classic urban park with a whole bunch of trails that take you between the stands of trees, around the hills and through the canyons. The park contains memorials for the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Holocaust, and the Lewis and Clark expedition, and also offers beautiful vistas of Portland and Mount Hood. It’s just another example of how “green” this city is.

Gorge at the Food Trucks – Portland is famous for its gourmet food trucks that dot all corners of the city. Around Alder St. you’ll find the main concentration of them, with trucks serving every type of food you can imagine. When I’m in town I tend to eat the majority of my meals at these food carts because the portions are so big, the food so damn delicious, and the prices reasonable. If you’re not eating here, you’re missing out on a huge part of Portland culture. You can even take tours of all the food trucks.

 

Drink Some Great Beer – Portland is one of the beer capitals of America with over 70 microbreweries in the city. They take beer seriously here and Portlanders will tell you they have the best beer in the country. That might be a stretch though. Visit Deschutes for a wide selection of beers as well as Widmer Brothers and BridgePort Brewing. Most of the breweries also double as restaurants and some allow you to take brewery tours as well.

Portland is one of my favorite American cities and I’m looking forward to the fact that I get to be there twice this year (once for my book tour and later for a conference). The city gets some attention in the U.S. but not a lot overseas; despite its domestic recognition, I still don’t think enough people go visit. Make Portland one of your next destinations, especially in the summer, when the city really comes alive.

 

Check out Nomadic Matt blog ;  http://www.nomadicmatt.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Desert of dreams: experiencing the Sahara

• Anthony Ham
• Lonely Planet Author

 

A fount of solitude and the desert of childhood imaginings, the Sahara Desert is like nowhere else on earth. It is the world’s largest desert, at once continental in its scale and exquisite in its detail, from a sand sea the size of a small European country to an orange sand dune sculpted to perfection by the wind. Covering a territory roughly equivalent to the United States, the Sahara crosses around 20 lines of longitude and encompasses at least ten countries – Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Algeria, Libya, Niger, Tunisia, Chad, Egypt and Sudan – and the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

Parts of the Sahara are currently off-limits to travellers, but such is its scale that significant areas can still be visited, most notably in Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt. In these places, experiencing the Sahara is all about remote campfires, slow, soulful camel journeys and more wide-ranging 4WD expeditions.

 

Saharan travel

A journey into the Sahara can be as varied as the desert itself, but there are some quintessential Saharan experiences. Most begin in the gateway towns where expeditions out into the desert are organised. Often oases, these towns are centres of Saharan culture, places where the architecture emerges naturally from the earth and the slow pace of life has changed little in centuries.

For exploring beyond town or village limits, there are two major means of getting around. A slow march across the sands astride a camel re-enacts the great camel caravans of Saharan lore – on a camel safari, travellers slow down to a pace well suited to the Sahara’s unforgiving climate, allowing you to appreciate details and pass through this spectacular terrain at one with your surroundings. In a 4WD expedition, travellers can range further, stirring up the sand as you tick off a list of iconic Saharan landscapes.

Sleeping between four walls is an experience that ends in the towns. Out amid the sands or remote Saharan mountains, evenings are spent around a campfire and a soft bed of sand is the night-time mattress of choice. Most Saharan excursions carry tents but many travellers prefer to sleep outdoors beneath the clearest show of stars on earth.

When to go

Travel in the Sahara is best between October and April or early May when daytime temperatures are generally bearable. In the depths of the Saharan winter (especially December and January), night-time temperatures can fall below freezing. Sand storms are possible from January through May, while no sensible person ventures into the fierce firestorm of heat that blankets the Sahara from June to early September. Rain is rarely a problem.

Safe Sahara

The following Saharan countries are currently open to travellers and are good options for first time Saharan travel.

Morocco

Southeastern Morocco, in the lee of the snow-capped High Atlas Mountains, is the most accessible slice of the Sahara. It was in the Drâa Valley – a picturesque world of expansive palm groves, earth-red kasbahs and Berber hamlets – that trans-Saharan camel caravans began and ended their 52-day journey across the Sahara to Timbuktu. These days, shorter camel excursions head out from M’Hamid into the Erg Chigaga, a stunning 40km-long ribbon of extraordinary sand dunes. Further east, from the tiny village of Merzouga, camel forays and 4WD trips lead out into Erg Chebbi, a glorious collection of seemingly eternal dunes. Both Merzouga and M’Hamid are a one-day bus journey from Marrakesh.

Tunisia

Tunisia’s south cuts a deep wedge into the northern Sahara, carving out what could just be the Sahara’s most celebrated corner. It was here that film directors found sufficient cinematic beauty to provide a backdrop for the Star Wars series and the English Patient. The two main gateway towns are Tozeur, a seven-hour bus ride or one-hour flight from Tunis, and Douz, a nine-hour bus ride from Tunisia’s capital. The former sits close to the immense salt lake of Chott el-Jerid and some of the most evocative sites of Star Wars filming; the latter is the last stop before the soul-stirring sand summits of the Grand Erg Oriental, one of the world’s largest seas of sand that spills over into Algeria. For true Saharan immersion, the remote outpost of Ksar Ghilane, 147km south of Douz, has an abandoned fortress and the Tunisian Sahara’s most splendid scenery.

Egypt

The west of Egypt is a vast yet beguiling corner of the Sahara. A string of oases, connected by barely discernible tracks across the sand, begins in the north at Siwa, home to a crumbling medieval mud fortress and a temple that dates back to the time of Alexander the Great. Away to the south, the oases of Al-Kharga, Dakhla, Farafra and Bahariya provide focal points for expeditions into the void, while beyond the last outpost of human habitation lie places of Saharan longing, including the White Desert, the Black Desert and the Crystal Mountain. More remote even than these, the Gilf Kebir Plateau is the reputed home of the never-found Zerzura Oasis, and the undisputed location of the Cave of Swimmers, made famous on the silver screen by the English Patient. All of the oases have direct bus services to/from Cairo that will take at least a day to complete. Al-Kharga also has a much faster air connection with Egypt’s capital. Once in the oases, 4WD are much more common than camel excursions.

Forbidden Sahara

The Sahara’s most beautiful landscapes lie – perhaps not surprisingly – deep in the desert’s heart. Sadly, at present, most of these countries remain off-limits to travellers due to political conflict and instability.

Within these areas, Algeria has sand seas that boast some of the largest sand dunes on earth, and the rocky landscape of the country’s southeast – the Ahaggar and Tassili mountain ranges in particular – produces some of the Sahara’s most otherworldly scenery. The ancient rock art of the latter makes it a Unesco World Heritage Site. Just across the border, Libya’s Jebel Acacus is similarly beautiful, while its vast sand seas, isolated black-sand volcanoes and postcard-perfect lakes rank high among the Sahara’s most beautiful corners. Elsewhere, the Tibesti Mountains of northern Chad, Niger’s Aïr Massif and Ténéré sands, Mauritania’s ancient cities and verdant oases, and Mali’s Timbuktu round out an elite portfolio of Saharan attractions.

For current travel advice on these destinations, government travel warnings are one source of information. Another is the excellent Sahara Overland forum for independent-minded travellers at www.sahara-overland.com.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/morocco/travel-tips-and-articles/77633?affil=twit#ixzz2KVNJdKKR

Best Trips 2013

 The National Geographic Traveler editors present the new year’s 20 must-see places.

 

Hudson Valley

Photograph by S. Falke, laif/Redux

New York’s original art show

Not even Rip Van Winkle could sleep through the cultural clarion of today’sHudson Valley. The legendary snoozer in Washington Irving’s tale might descend from his Catskill Mountains hollow to find some of the country’s best folk musicians at the Clearwater Festival in Croton-on-Hudson. Founded by now 93-year-old Pete Seeger, the festival marks its 35th anniversary in 2013. “The Hudson must surely be one of the world’s most extraordinary streams,” says Seeger. “Other rivers are longer and start higher, but my wife and I and our daughter look every day from the windows of our two-room house and see the Hudson. Bless it!”

Just a couple hours north of New York City, this is a land of mom-and-pop shops, “u-pick” wildflower fields, and organic farm stands where “chain” is a four-letter word. Between the Culinary Institute of America grads too enchanted to leave Hyde Park and the influx of NYC chefs realizing the land is greener (and apartments bigger) here, area eateries such as Blue Hill at Stone Barns are stoking locavore passions.

Artists of all media find their muses here. Take a drive to the newly expanded Hudson River School Art Trail to see 17 sites in New York that inspired America’s great mid-19th-century landscape paintings. “The views that compose the art trail are a national treasure,” says Elizabeth B. Jacks, director of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site. Or visit museums such as the outdoor Storm King Art Center sculpture park to see the work of contemporary visionaries.

Some villages marry art and music famously. In the wonderfully weird and artsy Woodstock, indie performers and music icons rub elbows and grab crusty loaves at Bread Alone Bakery. Budding musicians bring their bongos to the weekly hippie drum circle on the Village Green.

Much like Rip, Hudson Valley wanderers often wake up to find this is where they long to rest their vagabond souls. —Sascha Zuger

Travel Tips

When to Go: May-October; fall foliage and harvest festivals mid-September through October.

Where to Stay: The Olde Rhinebeck Inn’s mid-Hudson Valley location north of Hyde Park and easy access to the New York State Thruway (I-87) make the historic bed-and-breakfast an ideal base for area day trips. Original architectural details in the restored 1745 farmhouse include wide plank living room floors and hand-hewn chestnut beams.

How to Get Around: Driving offers the most flexibility. From New York City, drive north on either side of the Hudson River via I-87 (tolls) or U.S. 9W on the west or the scenic Taconic State Parkway or Route 9 on the east. Add a boat cruise (May-October, Hudson River Cruises) or scenic train ride (Metro-North Railroad).

Where to Eat or Drink: Book a table two months in advance at elegant Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Menus list the day’s fresh ingredients. Identify any you don’t want in your Farmer’s Feast (five courses, $108; eight courses, $148; 12 courses, $208).

What to Read Before You Go: Hudson River Valley Farms: The People and the Pride Behind the Produce, by Joanne Michaels and Rich Pomerantz (2009). Illustrated, insider’s portrait of 44 Hudson Valley farmers and their farms includes driving directions to each featured farm, plus a directory of nearly a hundred local farmers markets.

Fun Fact: Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is the final resting place of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow author Washington Irving. Other notable residents include Harry and Leona Helmsley, whose lavish mausoleum offers Manhattan skyline views (on a stained-glass window).

Helpful Links: Hudson River Valley Tourism

 

Thessaloniki

Photograph by Peter Schickert, Alamy

A bolt of Greece lightning

Thessaloniki’s sparkling harbor is almost empty—a good thing. It remains one of the last urban seafronts in southern Europe not hemmed in by a giant marina. Instead, wooden caïques still ply the quiet bay while footpaths trace the meandering waterfront of Greece’s second largest city, some 320 miles north—and a world away—from chaotic Athens.

Although the euro crisis has caused ripples of discontentment here, it’s the century-old street markets filled with ripe fruits and barrels of fresh feta that symbolize this city. Tucked between relics of Byzantine and Ottoman antiquity are art galleries, bohemian nightclubs, and culinary hot spots, all part of a grassroots vision turned reality by Thessaloniki’s large (about 50 percent of the population) do-it-yourself youth culture. “We are driven by our optimism and positive energy for a new way of living that embraces our heritage,” says Vicky Papadimitiou, a university graduate who helped Thessaloniki garner official status as the 2014 European Youth Capital.

The best way to get the feel of this mission-driven city is on foot, walking from the ruins of Ano Poli to Aristotelous Square on the waterfront. Then cozy up to a café to nibble grilled calamari washed down with dry Macedonian wine. —Costas Christ

Travel Tips

When to Go: High season is July-August. June and September offer summerlike weather but lighter crowds.

Relevant Dates: International Thessaloniki Film Festival is every November; the annual International Book Fair is in May.

Where to Stay: Walk to museums, cafes, and Aristotelous Square from sleek and serene Daios Luxury Living hotel. Executive Sea View rooms overlook the gulf, the landmark White Tower, and the harbor.

How to Get Around: Blue and white OASTH (Urban Transport Organization of Thessaloniki) buses are a safe, efficient, and affordable option for city and area-wide travel.

Where to Eat or Drink: Try Nea Diagonios for soutzoukakia (spiced meatballs) and gyros, 7 Thalasses (Seven Seas) for mithopilafo (mussels with rice), andMpakaliarakia tou Aristou for fish and chips. Save room for Thessaloniki’s signature sweet, trigona. The syrup-soaked baklava stuffed with cream is handmade at Trigona Elenidis pastry shop.

What to Buy: Shop for exotic spices and sample fresh fruits at traditional markets, including glass-roofed Modiano and the Kapani food market, and in the shops around Athonos Square.

What to Watch Before You Go: Never on Sunday, a 1960 comedy classic in which popular Greek actress turned politician Melina Mercouri introduced international cinema audiences to the natural beauty, bouzouki music, and joy of Greek life.

Fun Fact: In 316 B.C., Macedonian King Kassandros renamed the village of Therma Thessaloniki after his wife, the half sister of Alexander the Great. Legend says the queen (murdered by her middle son) lives on as an Aegean mermaid.

 

 

Grenada

Photograph by Christian Heeb, laif/Redux

Caribbean with a smile

It’s one of the last truly Caribbean islands, not yet overwhelmed by resorts and cruise ship crowds. The charm of this lush island lies beyond the white-sand beach of Grand Anse and its string of hotels.

Grenada’s capital, St. George’s, is one of the prettiest towns in the Caribbean, its jumble of orange roofs tumbling down to the harbor. There, the gray stones of Fort George evoke a history that runs from 1705 through the dark days of 1983, when a military coup by a Communist hard-liner prompted President Ronald Reagan’s invasion of the island.

That was an unhappy exception to a happy rule: Grenadian traditions are an amiable mix of African, Indian, and European—much of it coming together every April on the country’s little Carriacou island. The Maroon Festival features drums, string bands, dances, and the “Shakespeare Mas,” in which costumed contestants hurl island-accented recitations from Julius Caesar at each other. Really.

The weekly “Fish Friday” festival in Gouyave, Grenada’s seafood town, offers a marine taste of true Caribbean. Vendors fill the air with scents of fish cakes, shrimp, conch, and beer. Street music makes it a party, with visitors welcome. For most Grenadians, tourists are guests, not sales targets.

Nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and mace made Grenada the “Spice Island,” and culinary opportunity persists today. The Belmont Estate serves up such local fare as callaloo soup and bergamot ice cream. The dark slabs from the Grenada Chocolate Company are so determinedly organic that chocolate bars exported to Europe have been shipped by wind power on a square-rigged brigantine.

With mangrove-fringed coastlines and coral reefs just offshore, there’s plenty of nature. At Mount Hartman, with the right guide at the right time, you might see the national bird: the shy Grenada dove. Fewer than 150 remain on Earth. Indeed, Grenada is becoming a rare bird itself. —Jonathan B. Tourtellot

Travel Tips

When to Go: Dry season, January-May. (Hurricane/rainy season is June-December.)

Relevant Dates: The three-day Carriacou Maroon & String Band Music Festival is typically held in late April.

Where to Stay: All 12 rooms at La Sagesse Nature Centre, a 25-minute drive from St. George’s, are steps from the intimate resort’s palm-shaded beach. Stay in the former plantation’s original manor house or a duplex suite, cottage, or low-slung oceanfront guesthouse. The beachside restaurant (open to the public) serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and its signature chocolate mousse (prepared with local organic chocolate) seven days a week.

How to Get Around: For island-wide touring, rent a car at the airport. Public minivan routes connect St. George’s to Grand Anse Beach and the island’s other major cities. Taxi service is readily available from the airport. Several local tour operators offer group and private transportation and sightseeing options.

Where to Eat or Drink: The open-air restaurant at Belmont Estate serves a three-course lunch buffet spotlighting homegrown spices, fruits, and vegetables. Lunch is served Sunday-Friday beginning at noon.

 

What to Buy: Locally grown and produced ground spices and essential oils from the Market Square in St. George’s; The Grenada Chocolate Company organic dark chocolate bars at Belmont Estate.

What to Listen to Before You Go: Grenada: Creole and Yaruba Voices, Caribbean Voyage: 1962 Field Recordings, produced by Alan Lomax. Legendary folk music hunter Lomax recorded the rich linguistic and stylistic variety of the English-, French-, and Spanish-speaking eastern Caribbean on a six-month, 1962 field trip to the Lesser Antilles.

Fun Fact: According to legend, Grenada owes its Isle of Spice status to an East Indies doctor who brought the first nutmeg trees to the island in the 1830s. The tree produces the island’s principal export crops—nutmeg and mace.

Helpful Links: Grenada Board of Tourism

 

 

Bodø

Photograph by Karl Lehmann, Getty Images

Norway’s gateway to the Arctic

Flying into Bodø, the plane descends over a seascape covering thousands of isles, while the final approach offers a close-up view of the majestic glaciers and peaks guarding this small capital of Norway’s Nordland Province. Arriving by sea (often and deservedly called “the world’s most beautiful sea voyage”), the famous Hurtigruten coastal ships give passengers a glimpse to the northwest of the imposing 62-mile chain of spiky mountains that forms the mythic-seeming Lofoten archipelago.

Bodø is less than one degree north of the Arctic Circle. Without the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, the landscape would be a frozen, inhospitable waste at this latitude. In fact, Bodø offers cycling, skiing, hiking, caving, climbing, and fishing. Many visitors come here for the unique Arctic light, whether the soft pastels of winter that crescendo in a display of aurora borealis or the orange glow of summer’s midnight sun (the best viewpoint for both is from the Landegode lighthouse). Don’t leave without seeing the Saltstraumen sound, where deep, swirling eddies form every six hours with the change in tides as the equivalent of 160,000 Olympic-size pools of water surge through a narrow passage. Above all, northern Norway has this to offer: the absence of distractions and the chance of an intimate encounter with awe-inspiring nature.—Arild Molstad

Travel Tips

When to Go: Early June-early July for the midnight sun; September-April for northern lights.

Where to Stay: The waterfront Rica Hotel Bodø and newly renovated Clarion Collection Hotel Grand Bodø (breakfast and a light evening buffet included) are conveniently located near shops, restaurants, and museums.

How to Get Around: In town, walk (airport is less than a mile from the city center) or take the local bus. Hop a fast ferry for island and coastal day trips. Take theNordland Railway south to Trondheim, or a bus for destinations north.

Where to Eat or Drink: Try harborside Bryggerikaia for grilled tørrfisk (cod), fish soup, and fresh prawns. For drinks, panoramic mountain and sea views are included at the Radisson Blu Hotel’s Top 13 Rooftop Bar.

What to Read Before You Go: Out Stealing Horses, by Per Petterson (2007). The award-winning novel by the acclaimed Norwegian novelist is a hauntingly mesmerizing introduction to the quiet, stark beauty of remote, northern Norway.

Fun Fact: Norway is home to Europe’s largest breeding population of white-tailed eagles, an estimated 3,500 to 4,000 pairs. The massive raptor (Europe’s biggest) has eight talons, a wingspan of over eight feet, and can live 20 to 25 years.

Helpful Links: Visit Bodø, Bodø Tourist Information

 

Valparaíso

Photograph by Frank Tophoven, laif/Redux

Chile’s soulful port apart

Generations of creative pilgrims have been hooked by Valparaíso’s weathered beauty and bohemian vibe. Travelers have followed suit, coming for the romantic allure of its 42 cerros (hills) that ascend sharply from the water. Stacked high with faded mansions, 19th-century funiculars, and battered cobblestones, Valparaíso stands in contrast to the glitzy Viña del Mar resort town to the north. As Chile’s vital harbor, it retains the signature grittiness and edge that often endow ports. But Valparaíso is also welcoming a boom of eateries serving inventive Chilean fare, quirky bars offering hoppy microbrews, and antiques-packed B&Bs.

Pablo Neruda, whose former home, La Sebastiana, still lords over Cerro Bellavista, wrote Valparaíso-inspired verse: “I love, Valparaíso, everything you enfold, and everything you irradiate, sea bride … I love the violent light with which you turn to the sailor on the sea night.” A meander through its tangle of steep alleyways and stairways reveals eye-catching street art and ocean views from pedestrian passages that hug the slopes. Then a cool breeze comes off the Pacific, night falls, and silhouettes of hills appear against darker skies, infusing Valparaíso with poetry that seeps through its every pore. —Anja Mutić

>> See more photos of Best Trips 2013: Valparaíso, Chile.

Travel Tips

When to Go: November-March (Southern Hemisphere summer)

Relevant Dates: The city is packed at the end of December for the raucous Carnaval de Valparaíso, culminating in a New Year’s Eve fireworks show over the harbor.

Where to Stay: Book a bay view room or suite in a restored Cerro Alegre mansion-turned-boutique hotel like plush Casa Higueras or family-run Hotel Acontraluz.

How to Get Around: Use buses, trolleybuses, and shared taxis (colectivos) for local travel, and Metro Valparaíso, called Merval, for regional trips. Ride the remaining (about 15) funky funicular railways (ascensores) up to hilltop neighborhoods.

Where to Eat or Drink: Wander among the fresh fruit, vegetable, flower, and fish stalls at El Mercado Cardonal (closed Sundays), then head upstairs to any of the market’s small, affordable seafood restaurants. Grab beer and chorrillana (a local fried steak, egg, potato, and onion concoction) at a traditional port pub like Bar La Playa on Calle Serrano.

 

What to Buy: On weekends and during holidays, browse through rare and secondhand books at Feria de Antiguedades y Libros La Merced.

What to Read Before You Go: Inés of My Soul: A Novel, by Isabel Allende (English, 2006), is a sweeping tale about Chile’s founding mother, Doña Inés Suárez, woven with historical facts and engaging storytelling.

Fun Fact: Valparaíso’s funiculars operate on the basic 16th-century pulley-track concept engineered at Hohensalzburg Fortress in Salzburg, Austria. One major difference: The original incline railway employed prisoners, then oxen, to power the pulley, while Valparaíso’s uses engines.

Helpful links: National Tourism Service of Chile

 

Missouri River Breaks

Photograph by Christian Heeb, Aurora

Big sky, bigger adventures in Montana

Today Lewis and Clark wouldn’t recognize most of their route from St. Louis to the Pacific. But there’s one place they’d know in a heartbeat: a 149-mile stretch of the Missouri River in north-central Montana. It still contains the “scenes of visionary enchantment” the explorers found in 1805, where rugged sandstone canyons meet the river, then climb to a seemingly limitless prairie full of life. Bighorn sheep and elk sip from the river while antelope scamper. Eagles scream, coyotes sing, and prairie dogs do that funky dance. Even bison are back, thanks to the American Prairie Reserve, a group stitching together three million acres of public and private land for wildlife.

For locals, this place where erosion slashes the prairie is simply “the Breaks.” Some people explore it by canoe, often starting at Fort Benton (make time for the frontier history museums) and paddling for days and days. Others keep their feet dry, but the one thing everybody can find is quiet, the kind of hush that amplifies birdsong, a flutter of leaf, the melody of wind, your own heartbeat.

It’s not easy country. You’ll find more cactus and prairie rattlesnakes than people. You’ll expose yourself to weather that can peel your skin, freeze your flesh, bake you to the bone. Bring sturdy shoes, lots of water—and an open mind. In the Breaks, you can fill it with something good. —Scott McMillion

Travel Tips

When to Go: Summer (Memorial Day weekend through September 30)

Where to Stay: Camp at one of the Missouri River sites used by Lewis and Clark. Get the campsites’ GPS coordinates at the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Centerin Fort Benton. Or, bunk in an authentic homestead cabin or in a period roomabove the historic mercantile in Virgelle, a restored homestead-era ghost town located just upstream from the Upper Missouri’s White Cliffs.

How to Get Around: Much of Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument is inaccessible by road. Guided canoe/camping tours can be booked through experienced, local outfitters like Upper Missouri River Guides and Missouri River Canoe Company.

Where to Eat or Drink: Reserve an outdoor table (seasonal) for dinner (closed Tuesdays) at upscale Union Grille Restaurant, located on the main floor of Fort Benton’s historic Grand Union Hotel. Seasonally fresh, local ingredients are featured on the fine dining and, more casual, Tavern menus.

What to Watch Before You Go: Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West (National Geographic, DVD, 2002) is a visually stunning re-creation of Lewis and Clark’s epic journey, narrated by actor Jeff Bridges and shot in original expedition locations.

Fun Fact: At the turn of the 20th century, the remote, rugged terrain made the Breaks a hideout for outlaws like Harvey Logan, also known as “Kid Curry,” part of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’s infamous Wild Bunch.

Helpful Links: Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument

 

St. Augustine

Photograph by Russell Kord, Aurora

Florida’s fountain of youth

History books taught us that Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León “discovered”Florida 500 years ago in 1513 while seeking the fabled fountain of youth. But before the peninsula was claimed by de León, it was home for more than 12,000 years to Paleo-Indians who built civilizations around its water-filled sinkholes and left behind archaeologically rich middens (giant piles of oyster shells) as proof of their bayside existence.

Today, finding a genuine slice of “Old Florida” can be a scavenger hunt. The breezy Spanish colonial city of St. Augustine is an exception to the rule. A pair of marble lions greets visitors crossing the regal Bridge of Lions into the walled city. Looming over it is Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th-century fort surrounded by a moat and occupied at various times by Spanish, British, Confederate, and U.S. soldiers. The fort’s warren of chambers echoes with the stories of pirates, three signers of the Declaration of Independence, Spanish-American War deserters, and even Seminole Chief Osceola, who was incarcerated here in 1837 for leading the native resistance against the U.S.

Along King Street sit historic Flagler College and the Lightner, an antiquities museum housed in an 1887 Spanish Renaissance Revival masterpiece. It was commissioned by oil tycoon Henry Flagler, who is credited with salvaging the city and planting Florida’s tourism seeds. St. George Street, St. Augustine’s main drag, may have become overly touristy and crowded with T-shirt emporiums and fudge shops, but the side streets still harbor scrubby garden courtyards and off-the-radar bars, such as the 130-year-old Mill Top Tavern, where you can imagine what Old Florida was like before it became the Sunshine State. —Adam H. Graham

Travel Tips

When to Go: Spring (March-early June) and fall (late September-November) average temperatures are a comfortable 70-85ºF. Keep in mind that Atlantic hurricane season is June-November.

Where to Stay: Stroll from the intimate St. Francis Inn bed-and-breakfast in Saint Augustine’s brick-paved historic district to nearby restaurants, shops, galleries, and museums. Or watch the sun rise over the Atlantic from the oceanfrontHouse of Sea and Sun, a comfortably elegant 1920s Flagler heiress’ home turned bed-and-breakfast on St. Augustine Beach.

How to Get Around: The Old Town Trolley narrated tour route encompasses 22 hop-on and hop-off sightseeing stops, plus a free shuttle to St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum. Purchase three-day passes online ($21.32 adults, $9.27 ages 6-12).

Where to Eat or Drink: The Floridian puts a local, somewhat lighter twist on traditional Southern fare. Farm-to-table favorites include blackened fresh fish atop a stuffed cornbread stack and chicken ‘n’ waffles topped with pickled peaches. What to

What to Read Before You Go: Laboring in the Fields of the Lord: Spanish Missions and Southeastern Indians, by Milanich Jerald (1999), details the little known history of the Apalachee, Guale, and Timucua Indians who built Spanish Florida’s missions, including St. Augustine’s imposing stone Castillo de San Marcos.

Fun Fact: St. Augustine’s Fort Mose Historical Park is the site of North America’s first free black settlement. Escaped slaves from the British-controlled Carolinas found sanctuary here in the 1700s and left for Cuba with the Spanish in 1763.

Helpful Links: St. Augustine, Point Vedra, and the Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau

 

Memphis

Photograph by Bob Bronshoff, Hollandse Hoogte

Tennessee’s fast track

It’s easy to forget about Memphis, a mid-size American city wedged into the southwest corner of Tennessee. Our collective memory of Memphis seems frozen in the mid-20th century: Elvis and Graceland, B. B. King and Beale Street, Martin Luther King, Jr., and his “Mountaintop” speech—the last he’d give before his assassination on the balcony of Memphis’s Lorraine Motel in 1968.

Certain aspects of Memphis’s past stifled the city for decades, snuffing the spirits of residents and scaring away visitors. But there’s something newly electric in the air.

The Stax Museum of American Soul Music, located on the grounds of the famous Stax Records, is at the forefront of that revival. The museum, along with its Stax Music Academy and the Soulsville Charter School, celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2013 with concerts, parties, and Stax to the Max, a huge outdoor music festival. It’s far from a solo act.

All around Memphis, locals are pursuing grassroots projects more often associated with Brooklyn or the Bay Area. The nonprofit Project Green Fork has certified dozens of Memphis restaurants as sustainable, linking chefs with farmers and stimulating a vibrant local food community along the way. Running the culinary gamut from down-home Central BBQ to upscale Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, the eateries are held to admirably high standards in sourcing and sustainability.

And there’s no better setting for a grassroots revival. Memphis claims one of the largest urban parks in the country: the 4,500-acre Shelby Farms Park, with 6.5 miles of urban trails and a working farm. The Office of Sustainability supports the city’s plans to expand the existing 35 miles of bike lanes to 85 miles and to build a greenway that will link Memphis with cities in Arkansas and Mississippi. “We get to innovate,” says city administrator Paul Young. It’s a fitting description for Memphis. —Julie Schwietert Collazo

Travel Tips

When to Go: Memphis in May International Festival is a monthlong arts, culture, and culinary celebration that includes the Beale Street Music Festival (May 3-5, 2013) and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (May 16-18, 2013).

Where to Stay: The traditional Peabody Memphis and contemporary Madison Hotel offer easy access to Beale Street and other downtown landmarks. Visitors flock to the Peabody’s Grand Lobby at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily to watch the hotel’s resident ducks take a dip in the lobby’s travertine fountain. The vibe is decidedly more subdued at the luxurious Madison with its intimate rooftop garden.

How to Get Around: Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) vintage trolley carscover three tourist-friendly routes: Main Street, Riverfront Loop, and Madison Avenue. Buy a trolley pass (daily $3.50, three-day $9) to hop on and off at destinations like the National Civil Rights Museum, River Walk, and FedEx Forum.

Where to Eat or Drink: Share a slab of Memphis-style ribs at Central BBQ. Order half wet (smoked with a secret blend of spices and BBQ sauce) and half dry (spices only) with a side of homemade potato chips.

What to Read Before You Go: The Firm (1991) or The Client (1993), by John Grisham. Both set mainly in Memphis, these legal thrillers evoke the sultry, soulful—and grittier—side of the Bluff City.

Fun Fact: Memphis-based Stax Records (named for the first two letters of founder Jim Stewart’s and his investor-sister Estelle Axton’s last names) cranked out more than 800 soul and R&B singles and close to 300 albums during the ’60s and ’70s.

Helpful Links: Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau

Kyoto

Photograph by Justin Guariglia, National Geographic

Meditation and modernism in Japan

One of Kyoto poet Buson’s most famous haikus reads: “On the one-ton temple bell a moon-moth, folded into sleep, sits still.” If Japan is the temple bell, Kyotois the moth—tranquil, delicate, intricate, and wildly mysterious, centuries after the first outsider was drawn to its woodsy hilltop Shinto shrines and rarefied Buddhist temples. The city is about to get an influx of luxury hotels, making room for more tourists, but for now a golden-hour walk along the Kamo riverbank still reveals the gentleness and gracefulness of Japan’s ancient capital, as does a self-guided tour of the 1.1-mile canalside Philosopher’s Path in the Higashiyama neighborhood.

Transfixed by Kyoto’s wealth of historic structures, visitors sometimes overlook the city’s compelling modernist sites. The Shigemori Residence features a dynamic Zen garden designed by mid-20th-century landscape architect Mirei Shigemori. Pritzker Prize winner Tadao Ando’s eccentric Garden of Fine Arts features oversize portraits of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” and an underwater version of Claude Monet’s “Water Lilies.” Some 30 miles east, the Miho Institute of Aesthetics, with an edifice designed by I. M. Pei, opened in 2012. His stainless steel teardrop-shaped chapel is a minimalist architectural marvel that conveys Kyoto’s cutting-edge energy. —Adam H. Graham

 

Travel Tips

When to Go: Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) season typically is late March through mid-April. July’s monthlong Gion Matsuri festival is one of Japan’s oldest and largest events. Fall foliage peaks in November.

Where to Stay: The 535-room Hotel Granvia Kyoto is conveniently located above the Japan Railway Kyoto Station Building, which includes a sprawling underground mall. Spend at least one night in a traditional wooden inn like the 12-room Ryokan Shimizu.

How to Get Around: Take the Japan Railway Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to connect to Kyoto’s efficient transportation network of buses, trains, subways, and taxis. Explore the Higashiyama neighborhood’s shrines, temples, and museums on foot. The Kyoto Tourist Guidebook includes numerous walking tour routes.

Where to Eat or Drink: Many restored machiyas (traditional wooden townhouses) house bars and cafes. Try Urume (lunch only) for heaping bowls of soba noodles. Leave room for freshly made kinako (soybean powder) ice cream from Gion Kinana.

What to Buy: Traditional Kyoto artisanal products include Nishijin fabrics and kimonos, furoshiki (gift wrapping cloth), wood block and rubber stamps, hand-carved wooden hair clips and combs, and Kiyomizu yaki pottery.

What to Read Before You Go: Sake & Satori: Asian Journals-Japan by Joseph Campbell (2002) gives a snapshot of 1950s Japan based on the author’s journeys and offers a basic understanding of Kyoto culture and history.

Fun Fact: Its shiragikui (white chrysanthemum) spring water has made Kyoto’s southern Fushimi district a nihonshu brewing hub since the 17th century. In Japan, nihonshu means Japanese alcohol (known as sake elsewhere), while the word sake refers to any alcohol.

Helpful Links: Kyoto Travel Guide, Japan National Tourist Organization

 

Jarash

Photograph by Juergen Ritterbach, Alamy

A Roman holiday in the Jordanian sands

A warm desert breeze whispers softly through Jarash’s hundreds of Roman columns, the bruised and fallen, the proud and unbending alike. It swishes about the Oval Forum, witness to this city’s ancient glory. Just 30 miles north ofJordan’s capital, Amman, Jarash was a part of the Decapolis, a set of semiautonomous cities that stretched across the Levant. With the visit of Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 129, it became the temporary seat of an empire. A new city has arisen, but Jarash remains home to some of the best preserved Roman ruins in the world.

“The city was covered by sand for so many years. Today, you can still feel how these people lived,” says tour guide Ayman Khattab. You can see the scars of chariots on the original stones along the Cardo Maximus. At the Hippodrome, you can almost hear the clash of gladiator battles. And at the South Theater, contemporary sounds emerge. Its annual summertime showcase of national and international music and poetry is Jordan’s preeminent cultural event. A modern concert surrounded by these ancient stones deserves a standing ovation. —Benjamin Orbach

Travel Tips

When to Go: Mid-April through June and September-October

Relevant Dates: The Jarash Festival of Culture and Arts is a multiweek, midsummer event typically beginning in early July.

Where to Stay: Lodging is limited in Jarash and abundant in the capital, Amman. Indulge in the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel Amman or the newly renovated (November 2012) Sheraton Amman Ali Nabil Hotel & Towers.

How to Get Around: Jarash is an easy day trip from Amman. Public buses are available, but hiring a taxi, private driver, or rental car is more efficient.

Where to Eat or Drink: In Amman, head downtown to Hashem for quick and cheap local eats (falafel, hummus, hot mint tea), and to stately Fakhr El-Din Restaurant for a sumptuous Lebanese feast. Save room for the dessert:Halawet el Jebn (sweetened cheese with semolina).

What to Buy: Skip the tourist bazaar in Jarash. Instead, spend an evening meandering through the coffee shops, boutiques, and shisha (hookah) cafés lining Amman’s lively Rainbow Street. Buy spices, kaftans, and trinkets from the traditional souks along King Faisal Street.

Cultural Tips: Dress conservatively. Revealing clothing is inappropriate and shorts are rarely worn outside of hotel pool areas.

What to Read Before You Go: Memoirs of Hadrian, by Marguerite Yourcenar (2005). Originally published in France in 1951, this first-person narration blends fact and fiction to reveal inner workings of the emperor and his time.

Fun Fact: The wall in Britain is not the only place to get a feel for the extent of Hadrian’s empire. One of Jerash’s main attractions is Hadrian’s Arch, built to commemorate the emperor’s visit in A.D. 129.

Helpful Links: The Jordan Tourism Board

 

Uganda

Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic

Africa’s new frontier

Uganda, once the cornerstone of Africa’s Grand Tour, is today bypassed by most visitors. The nation and its people have been brutalized by dictators, battered by warlords, and negatively portrayed by viral videos. Safarigoers line up in next-door Kenya and Tanzania, with only a few coming to Uganda to see the famed mountain gorillas.

The land mixes savanna, enormous lakes, rain forests, and the glacier-clad Rwenzori Mountains, one of Africa’s tallest ranges. The headwaters of the Nileoriginate here, then burst through a cleft in the rocks at Murchison Falls. Uganda’s parade of animals is amazingly diverse. Hippos graze along the shores of Lake Edward in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, while lions lounge in the trees of Ishasha, in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The star in Bwindi is the mountain gorilla, a species down to about 720 animals visible in their tiny habitat.

Uganda has tough decisions ahead. Oil lies beneath the Rift Valley, right inside Murchison Falls National Park. Extraction seems inevitable. But tourism dollars could provide an easier coexistence between banana-loving gorillas and banana farmers in Bwindi. —David Swanson

Travel Tips

When to Go: The best times are during the drier seasons, January-March and June-August.

Where to Stay: Embark on guided boat trips, hikes, and safaris from rusticJacana Safari Lodge on Lake Nyamusingire (Uganda’s largest crater lake) in Queen Elizabeth National Park, or from thatched-roof Mihingo Lodge on the secluded edge of Lake Mburo National Park.

How to Get Around: Public and private transportation options include minibuses, taxis, luxury coaches, rental cars, and inland ferries. Tour operators can arrange travel for day trips, safaris, and complete itineraries.

Where to Eat or Drink: In Kampala, head to Nalongo in suburban Katwe for traditional luwombo: a mixture of meat, vegetables, and (sometimes) peanut butter steamed in banana leaves. Funky Mish Mash in Kololo serves an all-day breakfast in a laid-back art gallery-tree house-café-garden setting.

What to Buy: Local crafts, including mats and baskets handwoven from elephant grass and palm leaves, are sold along roadsides and at outdoor markets.

What to Watch Before You Go: The Last King of Scotland (2007). The fictionalized chronicle of the rise and fall of brutal dictator Idi Amin was the first feature film completely shot on location in Uganda. Forest Whitaker’s chilling portrayal of Amin earned an Academy Award and Golden Globe.

Fun Fact: Small farms employ four out of every five Ugandans. Using mainly traditional, chemical-free methods, an estimated 200,000 organic farmers produce fresh matooke (plantain), pineapple, apple bananas, and ginger for local use and international export.

Helpful Links: Uganda Tourism Board

 

Cape Breton

Photograph by Christian Heeb, laif/Redux

Nova Scotia’s treasured island

During the 18th and 19th centuries, fishermen and settlers from France andScotland came to Cape Breton Island, drawn by its rich fisheries, ample timber, and the chance of a better life. Originally settled by the ancient ancestors of the Micmac people, this island off Nova Scotia now lures visitors with its abundant wildlife, natural beauty, and assembly of French, Micmac, and Celtic cultures.

One-fifth of Cape Breton is preserved as a national park, laced by 25 hiking paths and looped by the Cabot Trail, a 186-mile driving route frequently ranked among the world’s most spectacular. “I have seen the Canadian and American Rockies, the Andes, the Alps, and the Highlands of Scotland,” said inventor Alexander Graham Bell, who spent 37 summers here. “But for simple beauty, Cape Breton outrivals them all.”

The mingling of cultures means you can seek a clan tartan at the craft shop at Gaelic College/Colaisde Na Gàidhlig in St. Anns, then explore the French-founded Fortress of Louisbourg on the east coast. In 1745 this garrison withstood a 48-day siege by New Englanders, backed by British naval support, before surrendering. In 2013, the reconstructed fortification celebrates the 300th anniversary of the founding of the French colony of Île Royale (present-day Cape Breton). —John Rosenthal

Travel Tips

When to Go: May-October; Celtic Colours annual international music and cultural festival, early October

Where to Stay: Family-owned Highland Heights Inn combines homey rooms and home-cooked meals (try the traditional Nova Scotia fish cakes) with breathtaking views of the Bras d’Or Lakes. Spend a day immersed in Gaelic culture next door at the 40-acre Highland Village living history museum.

How to Get Around: Drive the Cabot Trail loop counterclockwise beginning in Baddeck.

Where to Eat or Drink: Rusty Anchor Restaurant in Pleasant Bay serves up fresh seafood chowder, fish and chips, and some of the Cabot Trail’s best lobster rolls (pure lump meat and a bit of butter). Watch the ocean, and maybe even a whale, from the outdoor patio. Open May-October.

What to Read Before You Go: Fall On Your Knees, by Ann-Marie MacDonald. This multigenerational tale set on early 20th-century Cape Breton was the Canadian playwright’s debut novel, earning her the 1997 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book.

Fun Fact: Most of Nova Scotia’s endangered Canada lynx live in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The mostly nocturnal cat is built for stealth. Its fur ear tufts act as hearing aids and its large, furry feet function as snowshoes.

Helpful Links: The Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia Tourism, Cape Breton Highlands National Park

 

 

Bagan

Photograph by Scott Stulberg, Corbis

A spiritual awakening in Myanmar

The once isolated nation at the culturally rich crossroads of India and China is a land that imbues even the most jaded traveler with a sense of wonder.

In Myanmar, government reforms since 2010 and the election of democracy activist (and Nobel Peace Prize recipient) Aung San Suu Kyi to parliament have propelled a profoundly gracious land, formerly known as Burma, onto the world stage. It’s about time.

Decades of reclusion have preserved a vibrant culture deeply steeped in Buddhism; especially outside the major urban centers of Yangon and Mandalay, daily life has remained largely untouched by Western trends. Rudyard Kipling’s words in Letters From the East still ring true: “This is Burma and it will be quite unlike any land you know about.”

The best Burmese travel experiences require a bit of planning, but the rewards are great—especially in Bagan, the arid, pagoda-studded plain along theAyeyarwady River in Upper Burma where the first Burmese Buddhist kings, their courtiers, and other merit-seeking patrons built thousands of religious monuments from the 11th to 13th centuries. According to Burma scholar Donald Stadtner, these 16 square miles—despite the misguided restoration of some temples in the 1990s—rank among Southeast Asia’s most significant sacred ancient sites.

Secure an early morning bird’s-eye view of the monuments by booking a Balloons Over Bagan hot-air-balloon-and-sparkling-wine trip; profits fund community service projects on the ground. Spend the afternoon exploring dusty trails by bicycle. At sunset, find a perch and gaze over the panorama of castle-like structures shimmering in the golden light. —Ceil Miller Bouchet

Travel Tips

When to Go: Late October-March (dry season)

Relevant Dates: Balloons Over Bagan operates daily October through March.

Where to Stay: Head north of Old Bagan to Nyaung U for budget-friendly options like Aung Mingalar Hotel. In Bagan, the Hotel at Tharabar Gate is close to the main gate of the ancient east wall. South, in New Bagan, view temples and pagodas from your balcony at Kumudara Hotel.

How to Get Around: Horse-drawn carts and rental bicycles are readily available. For guided tours and small groups, choose an established outfitter likeWoodland Travels.

Where to Eat or Drink: Try the grilled fish and fresh baked bread at Star Beans, located near Annanda Temple, and a little bit of everything (Burmese to burgers, plus free Wi-Fi) at Weather Spoon’s on the No. 5 Main Road.

What to Buy: Shop for lacquerware at the small local workshops where artisans use raw thitsi tree lacquer to create decorative and durable bamboo boxes, bowls, trays, and furniture.

Cultural Tip: Dress conservatively (no shorts, short skirts, or ball caps), especially when visiting religious sites.

What to Read Before You Go: Finding George Orwell in Burma, by Emma Larkin (2004), chronicles the year the American writer spent tracing the steps of Orwell, who lived in British-ruled Burma (Myanmar) in the 1920s.

Fun Fact: During Bagan’s golden age, temples were built from kiln-fired red brick, covered with stucco, and then whitewashed with lime. Erosion, vandalism, and some restoration efforts have turned most of the white monuments an earthen, rusty red.

Helpful Links: Myanmar Travel Information Board, Myanmar Embassy

 

Quito

Photograph by Casa Gangotena

The fresh face of Ecuador’s old city

Surrounded by bunches of bright sunflowers and chamomile, Rosa Lagla gently performs soul-cleansing limpia treatments in a market just a few blocks from Plaza de San Francisco, hub of Quito’s restored Old Town. Rubbing handfuls of stinging nettles, sweet herbs, and rose petals into the skin drives out bad energy, she says, working the plants to a pulp. With botanicals brimming from plastic bags, Lagla brings the Andean healing practice to guests of the newly restored Casa Gangotena on the plaza. Healer and hotel span two worlds, the traditional and the modern, both reinvigorating this city of 1.6 million.

For too long, travelers have neglected Ecuador’s capital city en route to the nation’s marquee attraction, the Galápagos Islands. Though its Spanish colonial center has been enshrined as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1978, the area has more recently undergone a renaissance warranting longer stays. In the past decade, city officials have invested nearly $500 million to make improvements to its historic quarter. At Quito’s heart, cobblestoned streets and pastel-colored mansions hem the revitalized San Francisco Church. Many restorers of the landmark learned to apply gold leaf, inlay wood, and chisel statuary in a nearby workshop with a mission to teach skills to impoverished teenagers with an aptitude for art. People are primary in Quito’s new museums. Emphasizing storytelling, Casa del Alabado arranges its pre-Columbian art and artifacts thematically to dramatize the mystery of the ancients. Quito’s historic center is now beginning to cultivate a vibrant nightlife. On Calle La Ronda, music sings out from restaurants and bars. But Lagla lifts spirits the old way. Sweeping up sage post-ritual, she says, “Se fue, el espanto. La energia vuelve—It’s gone, the fright. Energy returns.” She could be speaking of Quito, too. —Elaine Glusac

Travel Tips

When to Go: June-September (dry season, cool temperatures)

Where to Stay: Casa Gangotena combines luxury lodging with numerous cultural immersion opportunities supporting Quito’s Heritage Guardians program.

How to Get Around: The extensive transportation network includes private and public buses, the Trolebus (trolley bus), and trains. On a clear day, take the TelefériQo scenic gondola up the slope of Pichincha Volcano for panoramic views of the city and the Andes.

Where to Eat or Drink: Assemble a group of at least six to book a private, three-course dinner at indigenous community-owned Kallari Café in La Mariscal. The $7.50 per person tab includes a brief Kichwa language and cultural presentation, plus an inside view (and taste) of Kallari’s single-origin artisanal chocolate and coffee production process.

What to Buy: Pick up tchotchkes in the La Mariscal craft stalls, and stroll along Calle La Ronda during the day to soak up the colonial past. For authentic Ecuadorian tapestries, straw fedoras, masks, and tiles, visit the esteemed Olga Fisch Folklore Gallery and Museum.

What to Watch Before You Go: Prometeo Deportado (Prometheus, Deported). This 2009 film from Ecuadorian director Fernando Mieles explores how immigration has affected Ecuadorian society, which counts some three million of its people living and working abroad.

Fun Fact: Sitting 9,350 feet above sea level, Quito is one of the world’s highest capital cities. Its formal name, San Francisco de Quito, reflects both the city’s pre-Inca, indigenous Quitu culture and nearly 300-year (1534-1822) Spanish colonial period.

Helpful Links: Quito Tourism, Ecuador Ministry of Tourism

 

Malawi

Photograph by AfriPics/Alamy

Africa’s liquid asset

Locals call it the “Lake of Stars,” and it’s easy to see why. After nightfall, paraffin lamps illuminate Lake Malawi with a constellation of firefly-like flickers; fishermen in dugout canoes work the glassy waters as they have since before the era of the Maravi kingdom.

Deep and clear, the teal lake—Africa’s third largest—glimmers in the Great Rift Valley. Bordering Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zambia, Malawi is an increasingly steady presence within a dynamic continent. Last year, a political transition introduced the world to Joyce Banda, a progressive new president and the second female chief of state in sub-Saharan Africa. More than a domestic shift, this turning point presents an invitation to explore Africa’s best kept secret.

“When you make friends with a Malawian, they watch out for you,” says Moses Mphatso Kaufulu, a blogger from the historic British capital of Zomba. “The depth of African experience rests on friendship—this is what makes my country second to none in the world.”

Where better to befriend a local than by the lake? Swimming boys laugh as a kaleidoscope of brightly colored fish glitter to the surface. The only high-rise in sight is a jumble of sunbleached boulders. Malawi offers much more than serene lakes. Dusty roads connect towns, and mountains give way to plains of green maize punctuated by baobab trees. But the nation’s heart is a watery realm where waves lap the sand, leaving streaks of silt. —Andrew Evans

Travel Tips

When to Go: For lake and big game safaris, go in the dry seasons, April/May and October/November. Between January and March more than 200 species of orchids bloom in Nyika National Park, making this prime time for orchid lovers and bird-watchers.

Where to Stay: Guests at the rustic, six-room Red Zebra Lodge at Kambiri Point can join underwater safaris to view Lake Malawi’s diverse aquatic life, including the intensely colorful African cichlid fish. Remote Chiofu Camp, accessible only by a 3.5-hour boat ride east from Kambiri Point, offers bare-bones beach camping in light tents secured under the trees.

Cultural Tips: Comfortable, casual dress is the norm, but reserve beachwear (tank tops, bathing suits, short dresses, and shorts) for vacation resorts.

What to Buy: Handcrafted baskets, intricate wood carvings, and Dedza Potteryincluding hand-painted tableware and figurines depicting Malawian life.

In-Country Travel Tip: Foreign currency is widely accepted. ATMs dispensing local currency are located in Lilongwe, Blantyre, and Mzuzu.

 

How to Get Around: U.S. travel companies Wildland Adventures and Jackson’s African Safaris offer Malawi adventure itineraries that include transportation, guides, lodging, and meals.

What to Eat or Drink: Try the traditional staple nsima, a thick cornmeal porridge molded into a ball and served alongside ndiwo, a relish-like meat, bean, or vegetable side dish.

What to Read Before You Go: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope, by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. It’s the inspiring true story of Malawi native Kamkwamba’s extraordinary boyhood quest to transform life in his village by building a windmill.

Fun Fact: In Chichewa, Malawi’s most common indigenous language, the word for Lake Malawi’s brilliantly hued cichlid fish is mbuna. Hundreds of species of the tropical fish (coveted by freshwater aquarium enthusiasts) live in the crystal clear lake.

Helpful Links: Malawi Tourism Guide

 

Great Bear Rainforest

Photograph by Paul Nicklen, National Geographic

Canada’s fragile coastal wilderness

Sometimes you can see both the forest and the trees. The Great Bear Rainforest, the planet’s largest intact coastal temperate rain forest, is an untamed strip of land stretching 250 miles along British Columbia’s coast that harbors extensive tracts of giant hemlock, Sitka spruce, and red cedar. The mighty trees rise high above a moist and ferny forest floor patrolled by coastal wolves, minks, Canada’s largest grizzly bears, and rare white Kermode spirit bears.

This tranquillity has recently been rocked by a proposal to send tar sands crude oil from Alberta to a terminal at Kitimat in the Great Bear Rainforest. The project would entail two pipelines crossing some of the world’s largest salmon-producing watersheds and a steady procession of supertankers plying the narrow channels. The local First Nations and environmental groups are vehemently opposed, fearing the catastrophic effects of an Exxon Valdez–type spill. “This is a wilderness sanctuary, a very spiritual place,” says Ian McAllister, founding director of Pacific Wild. “The pipelines would fundamentally alter the coast forever.” A decision on the pipelines could come by the end of 2013. —Robert Earle Howells

Travel Tips

When to Go: May-September

Where to Stay: At luxurious King Pacific Lodge (accessible only by floatplane), all-inclusive amenities include gourmet meals, whale-watching, and guided kayaking tours. Spirit Bear Lodge, a tour/lodging outfitter in Klemtu, is owned and operated by the local Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation community.

How to Get Around: Sail through the rain forest on a guided, multiday tour with experienced outfitters like Maple Leaf Adventures or Bluewater Adventures.

Where to Eat or Drink: Reserve a table (and one of the day’s homemade desserts) at tiny Cow Bay Café, a funky, dockside lunch and dinner hotspot in Prince Rupert.

What to Watch Before You Go: Last Stand of the Great Bear, DVD, National Geographic (2004). Wilderness detectives embark on a 250-mile adventure through the Great Bear Rainforest in search of the rare white spirit bear.

Fun Fact: The rain forest’s most celebrated resident is the Kermode bear, or spirit bear. A recessive genetic mutation causes these black bears to be born with cream-colored fur. One in three black bears on Gribbell Island is white.

Helpful Links: The Nature Conservancy: Great Bear Rainforest, Tourism British Columbia: Cariboo Chilcotin Coast

 

 

Ravenna

Photograph by Marco Moretti, Anzenberger/Redux

A vibrant historical mosaic in Italy

At first glance, there hardly seems to be any comparison between Ravenna and Rome: Ravenna is smaller, sleepier, and without Rome’s domed skyline or ruins. But back in the fifth century, it was Ravenna that served as capital of the Western Roman Empire. In this burgeoning city, Roman rulers built monuments celebrating both Christianity and their own power—monuments famous, then and now, for their sweeping mosaics.

Seven of Ravenna’s eight buildings from the fifth and sixth centuries are spectacularly decorated with examples of this ancient art. “In the past, many people couldn’t read or write,” says tour guide and Ravenna native Silvia Giogoli. “Mosaics were a way to explain the religion, and the political situation, to the people.”

At the Basilica of San Vitale (above), a bejeweled Empress Theodora stares across the apse at her husband, Justinian. At Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, two rows of larger-than-life saints march toward the apse. But in Ravenna, mosaics aren’t just historical remnants. Visitors admire pieces by contemporary mosaicists including Chagall, Mathieu, and Vedova at the MAR (Museo d’Arte Ravenna) or poke into cluttered bottegas (workshops) where modern artists use the same methods as their Byzantine forebears. At the Parco della Pace, locals relax beside mosaic sculptures; even the city’s street signs glitter with glass fragments. At the 2013 RavennaMosaico, mosaic mania takes hold. Visitors can gawk at new pieces, listen to musicians, and learn to make their own masterpieces. —Amanda Ruggeri

Travel Tips

When to Go: June-October; weather is pleasant in April and May but historic sites can get crowded with school groups.

Relevant Dates: RavennaMosaico, a mosaic festival, next takes place in October-November 2013.

Where to Stay: Walk to historic district sites from Albergo Cappello, a restored, seven-room palazzo, or the more modern Hotel Centrale Byron.

How to Get Around: Take the train from Bologna, and then walk, bike, or use taxis within the city.

Where to Eat or Drink: Housed in a former movie theater, two-story Ristorante Cinema Alexander blends 1940s Hollywood décor with homemade Emilia Romagna pasta courses (tortellini, tagliatelle, passatelli) and attentive service (helpful in translating the menu). For fresh seafood, try Osteria L’Accigua and Da Buco.

What to Buy: Watch the next generation of Emilia Romagna mosaic artisans create contemporary and traditional pieces in local studios like Akomena, Twin Dolphins Mosaics, and Koko Mosaico.

What to Read Before You Go: Ravenna in Late Antiquity, by Deborah Mauskopf Deliyannis (2010), provides a wide-ranging look at the city’s art, architecture, and history.

Fun Fact: Ravenna’s oldest monument is Battistero Neoniano. The surrounding street level has risen nearly ten feet since the octagonal baptistery was built in the fifth century, creating the illusion the building has sunk belowground.

Helpful Links: Emilia Romagna Tourism, Italia Tourism, Ravenna Tourism and Culture

Raja Ampat

Photograph by Daniela Dirscherl, Getty Images

An emerging island Eden in Indonesia

Raja Ampat has been dubbed the Amazon of the Oceans. Is that hyperbole? Not really. There are single reefs here containing more species than the entireCaribbean. A mini-archipelago of rain-forest-clad islands, cays, mangroves, and pearlescent beaches off the coast of West Papua, Indonesia, this marine frontier brims with life. Expect close encounters with recent discoveries such as Raja Ampat’s walking shark and pygmy seahorse, along with more familiar creatures—manta rays, leatherback turtles, and bumphead parrotfish. Not to mention three-quarters of all known coral species.

The scenery proves just as spectacular above the surface. On Wayag, steep limestone karsts drenched in jungle bisect a cobalt lagoon. Tree canopies filled with rare birds offer lofty theater. It’s well worth rising at 3 a.m. to witness the amorous, flamenco-like mating dance of the endemic red bird of paradise.

Remote doesn’t mean rough here. Cruise the region aboard an upscale conversion of a traditional phinisi schooner or stay at a hideaway such as Misool Eco Resort, with its swanky overwater bungalows. Diving is the draw, but kayaking and trekking are picking up. This is nature at its most vivid, above and below the water. —Johnny Langenheim

Travel Tips

When to Go: Late September through early June. Be aware that mid-June through mid-September is monsoon season, with rains typically contained to the afternoon.

Where to Stay: Exclusive Misool Eco Resort is a secluded tropical hideaway on the remote, private island of Batbitim. Book your personal water cottage-on-stilts (veranda stairs lead directly into the translucent lagoon) to snorkel and dive in one of the world’s most biologically diverse marine environments.

How to Get Around: Travel by boat from Sarong to Wasai. Longboats, speedboats, motorboats, and dive boats connect Wasai to other islands. Outside the resorts, on island travel is primarily by foot or ojek (motorcycle taxi).

Where to Eat or Drink: If you’re not staying in an all-inclusive resort or on a dive boat, Raja Ampat dining options are limited to the small stores, outdoor markets, and warungs (family-run cafés/stores) in Wasai, Raja Ampat’s capital. Another option is to stock up in Sarong before traveling to Wasai.

What to Buy: In the established tourism villages Arborek and Sauwandarek local women make and sell wood and orchid bark nokens (string bags), pandan leaf hats and bags, and wood or banana fiber skirts.

What to Read Before You Go: Raja Ampat Through the Lens Of, by the Raja Ampat Research & Conservation Centre (2009).This coffee table hardcover is a 288-photo journey above and through the Realm of the Four Kings. Proceeds support local conservation efforts.

Fun Fact: On Raja Ampat’s Um Island, bats circle the blue skies by day and seagulls take flight at night. The compact island (one lap around takes about 15 minutes) is dotted with caves, home to the diurnal bats that feast on ripe fruit.

Helpful Links: Indonesian Tourism

Marseille

Photograph by Ed Kashi, VII/National Geographic

France’s new capital of culture

On a once derelict jetty, opposite the stone ramparts of 17th-century Fort St. Jean, a new glass-and-steel building shimmers behind a lacy spider’s-web facade of finely cast concrete. Poised between lapis sea and Marseille’s sun-drenched hills, the National Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations (MuCEM) stands at the entrance to the Vieux-Port, the city’s historic heart. And when it opens in May 2013, MuCEM will be a bold symbol of Marseille’s reemergence as a flourishing pan-Mediterranean hub.

Cities may rise and fall, but the great ones—and Marseille is among them—always rise again. Founded by ancient Greeks, France’s second largest city was already 500 years old and a bubbling stew of many cultures when Caesar laid siege in 49 B.C. A 20th-century wave of immigrants from Algeria and some other former French colonies led to Marseille’s modern reputation as a city far removed ethnically and psychologically from the rest of France. Despite recent headlines about drug-related crime, Marseille still stands tall as a world-class city.

These days Marseille has every right to act the cagou (slang for a show-off) as it and the surrounding Provence region assume the role of 2013 European Capital of Culture. “There is a new energy in the city, especially in music, theater, and museums,” says MuCEM director Bruno Suzzarelli. Young, multiethnic crowds gather for cutting-edge happenings at La Friche la Belle de Mai, a tobacco factory turned art and performance center. Major renovations have polished up many of the city’s 20-plus museums, including the Musée Cantini, whose trove of Picassos and Mirós is housed in an elegant 1694 town house. For all the new energy, Marseille’s old pleasures remain as alluring as ever: a stroll along the narrow lanes of the Panier Quarter, the lusty aromas of a good bouillabaisse, a boat ride into the fjordlike inlets called calanques. It’s no wonder that visitors are becoming fadas (big fans) of France’s southern gateway. —Christopher Hall

Travel Tips

When to Go: June-August for beaches, April-May and September-October for comfortable temperatures and lighter tourist traffic.

Where to Stay: Walk to the Vieux Port from the sleek and affordable Mama Shelter Marseille or see the boats from your private terrace at the luxuriousSofitel Marseille Vieux Port.

How to Get Around: The Régie des Transports de Marseille public transportation network includes metro, bus, and tramway lines. Consider a tourist City Pass for one or two days’ travel, museum admissions, and tours. March-September, abatobus (water shuttle) runs between the Vieux Port and Pointe Rouge. Kitschy, blue-and-white tourist trains wind through the streets of the oldest districts.

Where to Eat or Drink: Bouillabaisse is the homegrown culinary art form. Try Le Miramar in the Vieux Port or Chez Fonfon or L’Epuisette in Vallon des Auffes.

What to Buy: Wander through the maze of indoor and outdoor stalls at the Marché aux Puces and the daily Prado Market. Shop for santons (clay crèche figures), olive and lavender soap, olive oil, navettes (small, rowboat-shaped orange or lemon cookies), and pétanque balls.

What to Watch Before You Go: The Fanny Trilogy (Marius, Fanny, Cesar), 1948(DVD 2004). Beloved 1930s French films (English subtitles), adaptations of the plays by Marseille’s preeminent writer, Marcel Pagnol, are considered national cultural treasures.

Fun Fact: France’s newest national park, Parc National des Calanques, is located on the outskirts of Marseille. Created in April 2012, the land (lagoons, cliffs, beaches) and sea (dolphins, turtles, seabirds) preserve is accessible only by foot or boat.

Helpful Links: Marseille Office of Tourism, Visit Provence

 

Crimea

Photograph by Caro, Alamy

Playground of the tsars

“Russia needs its paradise,” Prince Grigory Potemkin, Catherine the Great’s general, wrote in 1782 urging the annexation of Crimea, and no wonder.

The Crimean Peninsula, with its voluptuously curved Black Sea coast of sparkling cliffs, is paradise—with Riviera-grade vistas but without Riviera prices. Balmy with 300 days of sun a year (“It is never winter here,” said the writer Anton Chekhov, who had a dacha near Yalta), the place served as the playground of tsars and Politburo fat cats. Russians practically wept when, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Crimea was pulled out of the orbit of Russian rule and became part of an independent Ukraine.

A trace of Soviet hangover endures in the form of unsmiling babushkas and concrete block architecture. Visitors can tour the once secret nuclear-blast-proof Soviet submarine base in Balaklava, a piece of Cold War history, now a museum. Afterward, retreat to one of the briny health resorts of the west and east coasts for a therapeutic mud bath, or go for a run down to Livadia Palace in Yalta, scene of the 1945 conference that reconfigured postwar Europe.

Summer is high season, crowded with Russian and eastern European tourists (North Americans are still rare). In autumn the air turns soft and it’s harvest time at vineyards like Massandra, built in the 19th century to supply wines for Nicholas II, the last Russian tsar. There you may have the pleasure of tasting a Riesling with the scent of alpine meadows, port the color of rubies, and a nectar called “Seventh Heaven,” of which a recent visitor said: “I could kneel in front of this wine.” —Cathy Newman

>> See more photos of Best Trips 2013: Crimea, Ukraine.

Travel Tips

When to Go: May-October

Where to Stay: Newer (opened in 2011) Crimea Breeze Residence is a posh, southern peninsula oasis with low-rise stucco-and-stone luxury villas, seawater pools, and a helpful English-speaking staff.

How to Get Around: Marshrutka (minibus) routes crisscross the region. Private and public bus and train routes connect most cities, and taxis are readily available. Luxury train tour options include the two-week Crimean Express Railway Journey from St. Petersburg to Yalta.

Where to Eat or Drink: Sample traditional Crimean Tatar dishes like lagman(spicy noodle soup), chee-börek (meat turnover), and plov (rice pilaf and lamb) at Harem in Yalta, Kafe Marakand in Simferopol, and, in summer, at the small beach stands and cafes in Koktebel and Sudak.

Cultural Tip: English isn’t spoken widely outside the major tourist areas. Bringing a Russian phrase book and learning a few basic phrases before your trip will make it easier to ask directions, order food, and interact with locals.

What to Read Before You Go: Lady With the Little Dog and Other Stories (1896-1904), by Anton Chekhov (2002). The legendary Russian playwright and modern short story master penned these 11 tales during his final years, spent living in a Yalta villa.

Fun Fact: Joseph Stalin stashed wines confiscated from the tsars’ palaces in the Massandra vineyard cellars, located in underground tunnels. Temporarily relocated during the 1941 Nazi invasion, these rare vintages remain the jewels of Massandra’s estimated million-bottle collection.

Helpful Links: Travel to Ukraine

 

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101 things to do in New York City in the fall

By Time Out editorsThu Sep 1 2011

Photograph: Julienne Schaer

Ride Jane’s Carousel at a reopened Empire–Fulton Ferry Park

1. Ride Jane’s Carousel at Empire–Fulton Ferry Park
By September 16, this waterfront park should be reopened with some new and old amenities. A painstakingly restored 1922 carousel is the main attraction, but a new set of lights will keep the park open after dark for the first time. Empire–Fulton Ferry Park, Dock St at the East River, Dumbo, Brooklyn (718-802-0603, janescarousel.com). Mon, Tue–Sun 11am–7pm, through Nov 5; Thu–Sun 11am–6pm through Apr 5. $2.

2. Check out Streb’s acrobatics at the Armory
The massive Park Avenue Armory is one of New York City’s most breathtaking venues. For two weeks in December, it’ll be the setting for “Kiss the Air!,” a program of acrobatic performances by Brooklyn’s Streb Extreme Action. Using techniques inspired by action-film stunts and the circus, the company stages a site-specific show that utilizes the Armory’s unique spatial potential. Expect more than a few gasps as dancers fly though the air. 643 Park Ave between 66th and 67th Sts (212-616-3930, armoryonpark.org). Dec 14–16, 20, 22 at 7pm; Dec 17, 21 at 2, 7pm; Dec 18 at 3pm. $35, children under 12 $25.

3. Drink beer on Bear Mountain
Get out of the city and hoist a stein alfresco at Bear Mountain State Park. Through the end of October, Circle Line is offering return cruises along the Hudson River, allowing day-trippers three hours to roam t he park. Nature lovers can hike and bike more than one hundred miles of trails; beer lovers can make a beeline for Oktoberfest festivities at Bear Mountain Inn, which include Bavarian food, brews and entertainment ($3–$23). Pier 83, W 42nd St at the Hudson River (circleline42.com). Sat, Sun 8:30am–5:30pm; $50, with bike rental $79. Sept 17–Oct 30.

4. Behold the colorful, slow death of the leaves
Natural death in the animal kingdom is a sad, ignoble thing, but when it comes to plants, it’s colorful and photogenic. You don’t have to schlep out of the city to see the leaves lose their green; Central Park has you covered. Stroll around the 1.58-mile track surrounding the Central Park Reservoir, dodging runners as you take in the changing leaves and their mirror images. Prospect Park has a similar mix of colorful foliage: Head for the ravine trails, located between the Nethermead and the Long Meadow. The trees—ash, tulip and others—are reflected in ponds, doubling the stunning spectacle. Fort Greene Park is home to nearly 40 different species, while Alley Pond Park’s Tulip Tree trail will lead you past one of NYC’s tallest such specimens. For more on NYC’s prime leaf-peeping locales—including Green-Wood Cemetery, the Cloisters and the New York Botanical Garden—see our list of the best places to see fall leaves.

5. Go behind the scenes during Open House New York
This annual festival gives attendees access to some of the coolest and most exclusive architectural sites and city landmarks. This year, attendees can go off the beaten path at spots such as Williamsburg’s new Nitehawk Cinema (located in a converted warehouse); the third, undeveloped section of the High Line; and the New York Marble Cemetery, which is rarely open to the public. Keep an eye on the website during the first week of October, when the full lineup is announced: Tours that require reservations tend to fill up fast. Location, time and price vary; visit ohny.org for details. Oct 15, 16.

6. Toast Nirvana’s Nevermind
Is grunge’s essential album really turning 20-years-old this September? God, that makes us feel old. Celebrate your moshing days and the legacy of that seminal record by attending the launch party for Mark Yarm’s tome Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge at the powerHouse Arena (37 Main St at Water St, Dumbo, Brooklyn; 718-666-3049,powerhousearena.com; Sept 7 7–9pm; free). Or see musicians who were there, man, when the Meat Puppets hit Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker St at Thompson St; 212-505-3474, lepoissonrouge.com; Nov 4 at 6:30pm; $15). The band famously accompanied Kurt & Co. onstage during Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged in New York taping (to play its own songs, no less) and recently covered “Smells Like Teen Spirit” for Spin’s Nevermind tribute album.

7. Go apple crazy at the Queens County Farm Museum Apple Festival
Nothing says “Autumn is really here, mofo” like wooden bins full of just-picked apples and bottles of freshly pressed cider. These wonderful icons of the season will be in abundance at this annual fest, which brings a variety of pommes from upstate producers to the farm’s apple orchard. Chow down on a slice of an aromatic 8′ x 8′ apple cobbler ($3), listen to a country & western band, take a hayride ($2) or sup the good stuff from Jericho Cider Mill (glass $1.25, quart $3, half gallon $4.50, gallon $7.75). There’s also a cider-pressing demonstration, where you can crank a hand-turn press, but beware of yellow jackets—they’re attracted to the sweetness and pack quite a sting. 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy between 73rd Rd and 74th Ave, Floral Park, Queens (718-347-3276, queensfarm.org). Oct 2 11am–4pm; free.

8. March in the Village Halloween Parade
We usually forget about this annual masquerade and drunken circus until the moment we get on the 1 train and find ourselves surrounded by hundreds of proton-packed Ghostbusters, inebriated not-so-Real Housewives and overweight comic-book heroes. So circle the date in your calendar and plan ahead. If you want to walk with the throng, just turn up in costume (Sixth Ave between Canal and Spring Sts; Oct 31 6:30–8:30pm). Alternately, sign up online to become a volunteer puppeteer and carry a marionette through the streets—it’s best to register before Oct 15 to avoid missing out on the plum jobs. There’s also the chance to help build the puppets over three Saturdays (Oct 1, 15, 22) in Rhinebeck, NY.Sixth Ave from Spring St to 16th St (halloween-nyc.com). Oct 31 at 7pm; free.

9. Watch Samuel L. Jackson on Broadway
Mr. Cool stars as Martin Luther King Jr. on the night before his assassination in playwright Katori Hall’s highly anticipatedThe Mountaintop. (It’s worth noting that Jackson served as an usher during King’s funeral.) As the scribe put it in a recent interview with us, the play attempts to humanize the civil-rights leader’s final hours. “[W]e see him afraid; we see him dealing with daily death threats and what that does to a person’s soul. We see him smoking because he’s so stressed out.” Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 W 45th St between Broadway and Eighth Ave (212-239-6200, telecharge.com). Previews begin Sept 22, opens Oct 13; $75–$130.

10. Check out masterpieces at MoMA
This season, the Museum of Modern Art examines two of artists with whom the institution shares a strong connection:“de Kooning: A Retrospective” (Sept 18–Jan 9) and “Diego Rivera: Murals for the Museum of Modern Art” (Nov 13–May 14). The first is a complete retrospective of De Kooning’s career, bringing together 200 of his works—many drawn from MoMA’s extensive collection. The second exhibit shows a series of eight murals the Mexican artist created for the museum in 1931 (along with studies made for the large-scale works at MoMA and ones for a 63-foot-long work in Rockefeller Center made at the same time). 11 W 53rd St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-708-9400, moma.org). Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun 10:30am–5:30pm; Fri 10:30am–8pm. $25, seniors $18, students $14, children under 16 free. Fri 4–8pm free.

11. Make the city more comfy at the BMW Guggenheim Lab
The uptown institution stakes out a temporary downtown claim on an unused piece of city parks land, to foster ideas about better urban planning. Screenings, meditation sessions, talks from renowned thinkers and a pop-up caf run by Brooklyn eatery Roberta’s will keep the open-air space abuzz through the fall. E Houston St at Second Ave (bmwguggenheimlab.org). Wed, Thu 1–9pm; Fri 1–10pm; Sat, Sun 10am–10pm; through Oct 16; free.

12. Scope out the new Madison Square Garden
You may have noticed that an eerie quiet overtook the Garden this summer. That’s because the arena was undergoing the beginnings of an $850 million renovation that’ll shutter it every off-season for the next two years. This fall, MSG will be able to show off the first phase in time for Rangers games (who knows if the Knicks will even get to play). Improvements include a revamped Seventh Avenue entrance, new seats for the lower bowl, fancy premium boxes, and more concessions and bathrooms. Sports will start up at the Garden in October, but you’ll also be able to see the changes at concerts, such as Katy Perry’s gig on November 16. 4 Pennsylvania Plaza (Seventh Ave) between 31st and 33rd Sts (212-465-6741, thegarden.com)

13. Brew your own beer
Fall is the best time to brew your own alcoholic tipple. Compared with the sweltering summer, the climate in your apartment should be more friendly to the fermentation process (the ideal temperature for ale yeasts is between 65 and 75 degrees). But to take advantage of these favorable conditions, you’ll need equipment. Brooklyn Brew Shop(brooklynbrewshop.com) sells convenient one-gallon brewing kits (equipment plus ingredients) in varieties like Everyday IPA and Chocolate Maple Porter ($40). One place you can buy the packages in person is the Beer Room at Whole Foods Bowery (95 E Houston St between Bowery and Chrystie St; 212-420-1320, wholefoodsmarket.com; daily 8am–11pm),which carries a wealth of other hardware, such as five-gallon fermenters, siphon tubes and air locks. In addition to supplies, brew shop Bitter & Esters (700 Washington Ave between Prospect Pl and St. Marks Ave, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn; 917-596-7261, citybrewshop.com; Tue–Sun noon–8pm) offers a Homebrewing Essentials class that’ll take you through the process step-by-step (Sept 4, 17, Oct 2 at 2pm; $55).

14. Indulge at the Chocolate Show
You’ll spoil your sweet tooth rotten at this cocoa expo, where more than 65 companies will showcase their sugary wares. Taste your way around stands from Valrhona, 2 Chicks with Chocolate and Xocolatti before hitting the demonstration theaters to watch the likes of Zac Young (Top Chef Just Desserts) and Serena Palumbo (The Next Food Network Star) at work. Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W 18th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves (chocolateshow.com). Nov 10–12 10am–7pm, Nov 13 10am–6pm; $30–$40.

15. Sit in on chats with arts heavyweights
The New Yorker Festival returns for its 12th year of conversations between the mag’s scribes and cultural luminaries. We’re particularly jazzed for tell-all talks with Owen Wilson (Directors Guild of America, 110 W 57th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves; 212-581-0370; Oct 1 at 10pm; $35), glam-rockers Scissor Sisters (Gramercy Theatre, 127 E 23rd St between Park Ave South and Lexington Ave; 212-777-6800; Oct 1 at 10pm; $35) and director David Cronenberg (SVA Theatre, 333 W 23rd St between Eighth and Ninth Aves; 212-592-2980; Oct 1 at 4pm; $30). Set an alarm for Sept 9, when tickets go on sale, and snap them up fast. Location, time and price vary; visit newyorker.com/festival for details.

16. Get a fashion education
All amped up after seeing the Alexander McQueen show at the Met, but confused about where to direct your fashion curiosity? One good place to start this fall would be the “Daphne Guinness” exhibit at the Museum at FIT. Guinness—a fashion patron and designer who has inspired such iconic creators as McQueen and Karl Lagerfeld—cocurated this survey of approximately 100 pieces from her closet, including designs from Christian Lacroix, Tom Ford and Gareth Pugh. Seventh Ave at 27th St (212-217-4558, fitnyc.edu/museum). Tue–Fri noon–8pm, Sat 10am–5pm. Sept 16–Jan 7. Free.

17. Relive Broadway’s glory years on Broadway
At a time when revivals of Stephen Sondheim masterpieces are hobbled by orchestras that are too small (cough, cough,A Little Night Music), a new staging of his 1971 classic Follies makes for a refreshing change. A 28-piece pit accompanies star Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein and Elaine Paige in Sondheim and James Goldman’s gorgeous ode to Broadway’s faded glories. Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway at 46th St (877-250-2929,folliesbroadway.com). $47–$137, premium $225–$275.

18. Get your hands dirty at the World Maker Faire
This gathering brings together individuals obsessed with crafts, technology and science. Participants will display human-sized mousetraps, creatively adorned chariots constructed from bicycles and other vehicles, and robotic creations of every ilk. There’s no shortage of participatory activities: You can get your hands on compressed air rockets and marshmallow canons, or get schooled at a lock-picking workshop for aspiring cat burglers. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St at 47th Ave, Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Flushing, Queens (707-827-7074, makerfaire.com). Sept 17 10am–7pm, Sept 18 10am–6pm. $25, seniors $20, students $15, children 2—7 $18, children under 2 free. Weekend passes: $50, seniors $40, students $30, children 2—17 $10, children under 2 free. Advance tickets available atmakerfaire.com through Sept 8.

19. Pay your respects at the 9/11 Memorial
The official monument debuts on the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001, with a special ceremony planned for the relatives of those who were lost. It opens to the public the following day, with reservations required for admission. Among the elements visitors will see are two pools in the footprints of the original Twin Towers, each surrounded by bronze plaques inscribed with the names of those who died on 9/11 and during the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center. The 9/11 Memorial, enter at Albany and Greenwich Sts (212-312-8800, 911memorial.org). Sept 12–Jan 8: Mon–Fri 10am–8pm; Sat, Sun 9am–8pm. Jan 8–Mar 2012: Daily 10am–6pm. Free; advance reservations required.

20. Support a good cause and burn some calories at Bike MS NYC
With the economy still in the doldrums, nonprofits need more support than ever. Sign up for this ride and you’ll get to circle Manhattan—taking a 30-, 50- or 100-mile route—and raise funds for the National MS Society to help find the cause and a cure for MS. This year will be the last time participants get to ride through the Lincoln Tunnel, so if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to haul ass under the Hudson River on two wheels, now is the time. Meet at Pier 94, Hudson River at 55th St (bikemsnyc.org). Oct 2 at 7:30am. Before Sept 24 $50, Sept 24–Oct 1 $100; plus $150 fund-raising minimum. Registration required.

21. Tickle your funny bone at the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival
Expect plenty of snarky shenanigans during the Brooklyn comic’s eponymous extravaganza, which showcases the talents of alt-comedy stalwarts across two venues. A Kickstarter campaign is funding unusual events to bolster the entertainment, like a petting zoo and an awkward party bus. Among this year’s goofy offerings are “An Evening of Science,” during which hip astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson will explain scientific phenomena to Kristen Schaal, John Oliver (unless the Daily Show sends him elsewhere) and Mirman, and a variety hour dedicated to FX spy spoof Archer, featuring songs and dancing from the show’s cast. Location, times and prices vary; visiteugenemirmancomedyfestival.com for more info. Sept 15–18.

22. Coo over dogs in costumes
The Village Halloween Parade is fun and all, but does it have a plethora of puppies in adorable outfits? For that, you’ll have to head east for the Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade. The getups themselves are remarkably elaborate and high-concept. Last year, we saw dogs dressed as Mr. Potato Head, a character from Tron and as Breakfast at Tiffany’s (one of the iconic shop’s boxes provided the bulk of the outfit). Enterprising owners stand to win an iPod Touch if their pooch is selected Best in Show, so start planning Fido’s outfit now. Ave A between 7th and 10th Sts (firstrunfriends.org). Oct 22 at noon; suggested donation $5.

23. See a slew of indie-rock bands
Over a mere five-day spell, the annual CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival stages more than 1,000 gigs throughout the city. Catch established acts like Eleanor Friedberger (of Fiery Furnaces fame) and Wild Flag at Bowery Ballroom (6 Delancey St between Bowery and Chrystie St; 212-260-4700, boweryballroom.com; Oct 18 at 7:30pm; $15), the sweat-inducing Brazilian outfit CSS (with support from MEN and EMA) at Webster Hall (125 E 11th St between Third and Fourth Aves; 212-260-4700, bowerypresents.com; Oct 22 at 6pm; $25, advance $20) and others. Location, time and price vary; see cmj.com for details (212-235-7027). Oct 18–22.

24. Watch the Macy’s Parade balloon inflation
While millions of people around the nation watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television, we lucky New Yorkers get to experience the event in person. Our tip? Instead of being jostled by a crowd of 3 million spectators on November 24, turn up the day before to see the enormous balloons being inflated with helium in preparation for the march. The best time to visit is late in the evening when the gigantic characters like Spider-Man, Sailor Mickey, Hello Kitty and Sonic the Hedgehog will have taken shape. 79th St at Columbus Ave (macys.com/parade). Nov 23 3–10pm; free.

25. Screw the haters—sip a pumpkin-flavored brew
Pumpkin beer is a divisive drink—some people love it; others find it cloying and gross. We’re staunchly pro pumpkin, especially since there are several beers that buck the stereotype and skillfully incorporate the gourd. A perennial favorite is Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, a not-too-sweet version of the drink sold at Bierkraft (191 Fifth Ave between Berkeley Pl and Union St, Park Slope, Brooklyn; 718-230-7600, bierkraft.com; single bottle $3.75, four-pack $13.95). After the success of last year’s Pumpkin Brewster, Sixpoint will debut a new seasonal quaff, Autumnation, on September 21. Not only will it be on tap at bars around the city, it’ll also be available in the brewery’s 16-ounce cans. And Greenport Harbor Brewing Company will release its Leaf Pile beer (which is also flavored with nutmeg and vanilla) on September 1. Head to the brewery’s headquarters in Long Island to pick up a growler.

26. Run around with a broomstick during the Quidditch World Cup
Do you think that because the Harry Potter series has ended, people were going to stop playing Muggle Quidditch? You would be sorely mistaken. In November, more than 100 teams from across the country will descend on Randalls Island to throw Quaffles around. The game itself resembles a cross between lacrosse and basketball, but with players carrying brooms around. Watch all the teams march into Icahn Stadium (in costume!) during the opening ceremony, and later that evening, catch a performance from a to-be-announced musical act. Randalls Island (worldcupquidditch.com). Nov 12, 13 at 10am; $4–$99.99.

27. Cavort with the beautiful people at Fashion’s Night Out
For one night a year, shoppers can stay out late and mingle with some of the big names in fashion: More than 1,000 local shops will keep their doors open until 11pm, hosting sales and events and enabling celebrity sightings ranging from Heidi Klum to Joe Jonas. Check out our picks for the ten best participating stores. Location and time vary, visitfashionsnightout.com for details. Sept 8; free.

28. See stars at the New York Film Festival
Cinastes should flock to the 49th installment of this fest, which hosts screenings at three venues on the Upper West Side. The big-ticket draws this year are Alexander Payne’s The Descendants, a George Clooney–starring dramedy that marks the director’s first feature since Sideways; My Week with Marilyn, wherein Michelle Williams channels the blond bombshell; and Roman Polanski’s dark comedy Carnage, starring Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly. Other don’t-miss entries include Martin Scorsese’s doc George Harrison: Living in the Material World, Pedro Almodvar’s The Skin I Live In and provocateur Lars von Trier’s Melancholia. Location, time and price vary; seefilmlinc.com for details. Sept 30–Oct 16.

29. Behold the world’s largest fleet of floating vegetables at the Pumpkin Sail in Central Park
A flotilla of illuminated carved gourds (including yours) will be launched on the Harlem Meer at twilight as the centerpiece of this annual Halloween celebration. Check the website in October for weight requirements and other stipulations, then drop off your artistic endeavor before 6pm—the Central Park Conservancy will provide the tea light and flotation device.Central Park, Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, enter at 110th St and Fifth Ave (212-860-1370, centralparknyc.org). Oct 23 4–7pm; free.

30. Watch thousands of crazy people run the New York City Marathon
Stake out a spot to see the more than 45,000 people expected to run the annual race. For an especially good race-watching perch, situate yourself along Fourth Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn; First Avenue between 60th and 96th Streets in Manhattan; or Central Park South near the finish line. Get there early to see the front-runners (the elite women and men start at 9:10 and 9:40am, respectively), or later in the day as amateurs flood the streets. Locations vary (nycmarathon.org). Nov 6 at 9:10am; free to watch

31. Get out of the museum and into the Art in Odd Places festival
Responsible for thousands of only-in–New York moments every year, this annual fest brings installations and performances from more than 50 artists to 14th Street—this year with a “ritual” theme. Get involved by attending the opening keynote address by Linda Mary Montano (Parsons the New School of Design, Kellen Auditorium, 66 Fifth Ave at 13th St; Oct 1 at 2pm; free). Attendees are requested to dress in one color of the rainbow, and may be asked by Montano to become a performer at the event. 14th St between Ave C and Hudson River (artinoddplaces.org). Oct 1–10; free.

32. Down gratis brews during Oktoberfest
Celebrate the kickoff of this drink-tastic holiday at Loreley Williamsburg, when the watering hole taps an HB brewery Oktoberfest keg that will flow free of charge until it goes dry. Between slugging rounds and raising your mug to German party tunes, soak up the suds with a plate of spit-roasted pig (spanferkel) with mashed potatoes and red cabbage ($19). For more sweet spots to gulp a stein outside, consult our roundup of the best beer gardens in NYC. 64 Frost St at Meeker Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-599-0025, loreleynyc.com). Sept 17 at 3pm; free.

33. Be traumatized by stories from your childhood at Nightmare: Fairy Tales
Wolves eating children. Bears eating children. Witches eating children. We’re sensing a dark pattern in many of the beloved yarns that kids have grown up with for centuries. Creator Tim Haskell and his team have harnessed some of this tykes-as-snacks energy for the annual installment of this popular haunted house. Actors and theatrical set pieces are sure to remind you of the terror of childhood stories. Clemente Soto Vlez Cultural and Educational Center, 107 Suffolk St between Delancey and Rivington Sts (212-352-3101, hauntedhousenyc.com). Sept 30–Nov 5. Times vary; $30-$100.

34. Catch Kanye and Jay-Z in Jersey
The two biggest names in hip-hop (who sport, arguably, some of the genre’s biggest egos) recently released their joyous joint effort, Watch the Throne—and now you can see the boys in action during this twofer of shows. If you need to be greased to throw down for tix, we suggest watching Spike Jonze’s awesome video for “Otis,” which samples “Try a Little Tenderness,” on repeat. Izod Center, Meadowlands Sports Complex, 50 State Rte 120, East Rutherford, NJ (201-935-3900, izodcenter.com). Nov 5, 6 at 7:30pm; $55–$178.50.

35. Find the funny at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
A new exhibit, “Infinite Jest” (Sept 13–Mar 4), spotlights the lighter side of fine art by focusing on caricatures and satires of politics and society. Curators have chosen pieces from the museum’s permanent collection that reveal the senses of humor of such artists as Da Vinci, Delacroix, Goya and Toulouse-Lautrec. The show also includes work from well-known humorists, such as Al Hirschfeld and David Levine. 1000 Fifth Ave at 82nd St (212-535-7710, metmuseum.org). Tue–Thu, Sun 9:30am–5:30pm; Fri, Sat 9:30am–9pm; suggested donation $25, seniors $17, students $12, members and children under 12 free.

36. Discover the way we live now at the Brooklyn Book Festival
Future book festivals may just entail virtual readings by Elizabeth Gilbert and Tucker Max on Google+, but in the meantime we can still enjoy physical congregations of books and the people who love and write them. Jennifer Egan, Jonathan Safran Foer, Pete Hamill and Joyce Carol Oates will join scores of other writers for this huge literary extravaganza. Check out our picks for the five best events at the Brooklyn Book Festival. Brooklyn Borough Hall and Plaza, 209 Joralemon St between Adams and Court Sts, Downtown Brooklyn (brooklynbookfestival.org). Sept 18 10am–6pm; free.

37. Eat funnel cake at the Atlantic Antic
In a city full of street fairs, this one is among the largest. It spans ten blocks of the Brooklyn artery, and features live music, food and pony rides. Start at the Fourth Avenue end and walk the length of the Antic, to finish by admiring the New York Transit Museum‘s collection of vintage hot rides at the 18th Annual Bus Festival (Boerum Pl between Atlantic Ave and State St , Downtown Brooklyn; 718-694-1600, mta.info/museum; Oct 2 10am–5pm; free). As a bonus, the museum(Boerum Pl at Schermerhorn St, Downtown Brooklyn; ; 11am–5pm) waives its entry fee for the day. Atlantic Ave between Hicks St and Fourth Ave, Brooklyn (718-243-1414, atlanticave.org). Oct 2 noon–6pm; free.

38. Wish Boz a happy birthday
Marvel at literary greatness at “Charles Dickens at 200,” a new exhibit marking the bicentennial of the author’s birth. Among the items on view will be the Victorian novelist’s letters, photographs, illustrations from his early books and the original manuscript for A Christmas Carol. A program of films and talks are also planned, including a screening of the Oscar-winning 1946 adaptation of Great Expectations (Oct 14 at 7pm; free with museum admission) and a lecture on Dickens’s comic writings (Nov 2 at 6:30pm; $15, members $10). The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave at 36th St (212-685-0008, themorgan.org). $15, seniors and students $10, children under 12 free, Fridays 7–9pm free. Sept 23–Feb 12.

39. Dance your butt off underneath fake stars
After a summer hiatus, One Step Beyond returns for another season of dance parties in the American Museum of Natural History’s Rose Center for Earth and Space. Though the lineup was unannounced as of press time, past years included appearances from Passion Pit, Scissor Sisters, Dan Deacon and Kanye West; we’re predicting another stellar crew of musicians will be on board in the fall. Plus, the setting is pretty spectacular: The shindig takes place underneath the enormous Hayden Sphere, and you can explore all of the nifty exhibits (such as the Cosmic Pathway, a spiral walkway that features displays about the evolution of the universe) within the center itself. American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St (212-769-5200, amnh.org/osb). Next event: Oct 14 9pm–1am; $25.

40. Get ready for the fall of the gods during the Met’s next installment of the Ring cycle
The machine starts whirring again in October. The 45-ton, 24-plank contraption is the scenic backbone of Robert Lepage’s production of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen. For Siegfried, part three of the cycle, the starry cast includes Deborah Voigt as the newly mortal, former Valkyrie Brnnhilde; Bryn Terfel as the one-eyed Wanderer; and Gary Lehmann taking on the demanding title role. Venerable Met artistic director James Levine, who’s been sidelined in previous seasons for poor health, is scheduled to conduct all three performances. Metropolitan Opera House (at Lincoln Center), Lincoln Center Plaza at 65th St (212-362-6000, metoperafamily.org). Oct 27, Nov 1 at 6pm; Nov 5 noon. $17–$440.

Celebrate an early Oktoberfest at the German-American Steuben Parade

41. Spend a day (or three) at the New York State Fair
It may be a 4.5-hour drive to Syracuse, but once you’re there, you’ll have a weekend’s worth of entertainment at your fingertips for just a Hamilton a day—from thrill rides to art exhibits and circus performances. Snap a picture of the 180-ton sand sculpture (a special 9/11 tribute depicting firefighters) or the giant butter and cheese carvings; try a donut bacon burger ($6) or deep-fried bacon-wrapped Snickers bar ($5); and catch free concerts by Bruno Mars, Charlie Wilson, the Glenn Miller Orchestra and others. Separate tickets are required for entry to the State Fair Grandstand, an outdoor venue that is hosting big-ticket shows like Lady Antebellum (Sept 2; $35–$45), Sugarland (Sept 3; $50) and the state demolition derby championships (Sept 5; $15–$20). 581 State Fair Blvd, Syracuse, NY (nysfair.org). Daily 8am–midnight, exhibit buildings 10am–10pm; $10, advance $6, children under 12 free. Grandstand: $15–$65, includes fairground admission. Through Sept 5.

42. Celebrate an early Oktoberfest at the German-American Steuben Parade
Sure, we and the Germans have had our differences in the past, but that’s all beer under the bridge, as it were. Celebrate America’s rich German heritage at this annual parade, where there will be no shortage of steins, pigtails and other reminders of our fun-loving Prussian cousins. An Oktoberfest in Central Park will follow; tickets are required, and while it’s currently sold out, check the website on September 7 to see if more tickets have become available. If you’re housebound after a rough night at the biergarten, you can still catch the parade on WNET. Fifth Ave from 67th St to 86th St (germanparadenyc.org). Sept 17 11:30am–2:30pm; free.

43. Venture to the cosmos (sort of) in “Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration”
If you’re mourning the end of the space-shuttle program, check out this exhibit, which looks at the steps scientists are taking to explore the universe. The show features artifacts from past missions, such as tires used on lunar rovers. You can also check out a life-size replica of a future habitat on the moon and a model of a lunar elevator, which would travel between the surface of the moon and a point about 100 miles above Earth’s atmosphere (where it would rendezvous with spacecrafts). American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St (212-769-5100, amnh.org). Daily 10am–5:45pm. Suggested donation $25, seniors and students $19, children $14.50. Nov 19–Aug 12.

44. Shake it to garage-rock royalty at the Bell House
The local garage-rock revivalists at Norton Records are throwing a four-night shindig at the Bell House to mark the label’s 25th anniversary. And boy, have they put together a doozy of a bill, promising headliners like ’60s stalwarts the Sonics and Question Mark & the Mysterians (of “Have Love, Will Travel” and “96 Tears” fame, respectively) and openers including King Khan (under the moniker Tandoori Knights), Jared Swilley of the Black Lips (as the Gaye Blades), Reigning Sound and other garage-punk standouts from the past decade. 149 7th St between Second and Third Aves, Gowanus, Brooklyn (718-643-6510, thebellhouseny.com). Nov 10–13; $25.

45. Hit the ice at Rockefeller Center
Sure, it’s a little early to be skating, but the preseason rates at NYC’s most famous rink are half of what they’ll be over the holidays. Take advantage of the discounted price (and lack of crowds) from October 8 to November 3 to practice your spins and jumps—and tick an item off your New York bucket list. 30 Rockefeller Plaza between 49th and 50th Sts (212-332-7654, therinkatrockcenter.com). Mon–Thu 9am–10:30pm; Fri, Sat 8:30am–midnight; Sun 8:30am–10pm. $6–$14, skate rental $8.

46. Listen closely to New York Philharmonic
Now in his third season as music director, Alan Gilbert continues to push the venerable orchestra in new directions with a premiere of One Sweet Morning from composer John Corigliano (Sept 30–Oct 4), featuring the powerhouse mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe. On November 2 and 3, the Philharmonic performs Philip Glass’s score alongside a screening of Godfrey Reggio’s 1982 film Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance. Former directors Lorin Maazel and Kurt Masur also return to their once-familiar podium this season: Maazel will conduct programs featuring the music of Mozart, Debussy and Strauss (Oct 13–22), and Masur follows with Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13, Babi Yar and Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony (Oct 27–29). Avery Fisher Hall (at Lincoln Center), 132 W 65th St at Broadway (212-875-5656, nyphil.org). Season opens Sept 21. $33–$115, opening night $65–$225.

47. Get a top score at an arcade in Sunset Park
The plinking of quarters and mashing of buttons was suddenly silenced in February when Chinatown Fair, an independently owned arcade that served as a home for NYC’s gamer population, shut its doors. Thankfully, a new room has opened up to fill the void: Next Level Arcade. The Sunset Park space is equipped with nine cabinets that focus on fighting games such as Street Fighter IV and Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Consoles like Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are set up to play contemporary titles, which can be selected from Next Level’s extensive library. Tourneys for hard-core players are held Wednesday nights at 6pm. 4013 Eighth Ave between 40th and 41st Sts, Sunset Park, Brooklyn (347-618-8813,nycnextlevel.com). Mon–Thu, Sat, Sun noon–midnight; Fri noon–3am. First hour $3, subsequent hours $2.50 plus 25 per play; All-day pass $10 plus 25 per play.

48. See rare movies at Film Society of Lincoln Center‘s new theaters
The Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, which opened over the summer and houses two small, sleek theaters, is a welcome departure from the less-than-optimal viewing experience that multiplexes often afford. This season, convene with fellow cinephiles for a handful of music-focused films like John Zorn: A Film in 15 Scenes (Oct 8 at 9:30pm), and the operas Anna Bolena (Oct 18 at 1pm) and Don Giovanni (Oct 29, Nov 1 at 1pm). 70 Lincoln Center Plaza between Ninth and Amsterdam Aves (filmlinc.com). $13; seniors, students and children $9; members $8.

49. Place a wager at Belmont Park
You don’t have to wait for the Belmont Stakes for an excuse to head out to cheer (or bet) on the ponies. The New York Racing Association has 37 days of events through the fall, including the New York Showcase Day with seven state-bred stakes races (Oct 22 at 11:30am) and eight Breeders’ Cup Challenge races. The latter series features thoroughbreds vying for a chance to qualify for the ultimate competition in horse racing, the Breeders’ Cup in Louisville, Kentucky. 2150 Hempstead Tpke at Cross Island Pkwy, Elmont, NY (516-488-6000, nyra.com) Sept 14–Oct 30; $3.

50. Hole up in a cabin
We’re not talking about Death Hunt–style retreats, when Charles Bronson hid from Lee Marvin the Angry Mountie. You don’t have to tear up the floor and rig the thing with shotguns. Escape the city with some pals at one of these four affordable rental retreats, boasting yoga studios, hot tubs, lakes and activities such as horse riding.

51. Flip the bird to pixels and shoot some film
Today, everyone has some manner of digital photographic device—why not distinguish yourself as a photographer by going back to film? Lomography cameras are an affordable and creative way to express yourself on celluloid; theLomography Gallery Store has regular classes on how to make the most of its throwback photographic technology. Recent offerings include “Lubitel Lovers Workshop,” which introduced shooters to working with the iconic twin-lense camera, and “Analog in an Instant,” covering techniques for working with instant film. On Thursdays, “Lomography’s Blue Hour” (at the 23rd Street location; 6pm; free) attracts analog enthusiasts to sip free drinks and sway to music on vinyl. 106 E 23rd St at Park Ave * 41 W 8th St between MacDougal St and Sixth Ave (212-529-4353) * lomography.com/nyc

52. Chat among the mute swans at Jamaica Bay wildlife refuge
Some may be surprised to learn that there is a huge nature preserve located in the middle of all this urban sprawl. The 9,155-acre Queens park is a birdwatcher’s dream and boasts well-marked trails. In the fall, head over to the West Pond, where you can expect to see ducks, mute swans, snow geese and other birds that haven’t joined their cowardly brethren in warmer seasonal climes. Crossbay Blvd at Broad Channel, Jamaica, Queens (718-318-4340, nps.gov). Daily dawn–dusk; free.

53. A revived orchestra grows in Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Philharmonic makes a triumphant return since cutting back on concert offerings two years ago for financial reasons. With new leader Alan Pierson (who also directs the avant-garde ensemble Alarm Will Sound) at the helm, the ensemble has adopted a more contemporary repertoire that it’s taking to all corners of the borough. The first full orchestra concert (Nov 3 at 7:30pm; $10–$55) features a program of Russian cartoons to be presented in Brighton Beach. The orchestra will explore 70 years of Russian and Soviet animation with scores from composers such as Shostakovich. Millennium Theater, 1029 Brighton Beach Ave between Brighton 11th and 12th Sts, Brighton Beach, Brooklyn (718-488-5700, bphil.org)

54. Lose your head during a visit to Sleepy Hollow
Those seeking a spooky experience at any time of year can find it here. Immortalized in Washington Irving’s story (and later Tim Burton’s film) about the murderous Headless Horseman, Sleepy Hollow is proud of its exceptionally creepy lore (to wit: the local high school’s athletics team is the Horsemen). The Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (540 N Broadway; 914-631-0081, sleepyhollowcemetery.org; free) is open daily from 8:30am to 4pm, giving day-trippers plenty of time to explore the 90-acre grounds. You’ll find almost as many famous New Yorkers there as at Brooklyn’s famed Green-Wood: Take your own self-guided tour (free maps are available), and look out for the graves of Elizabeth Arden, Brook Astor and Irving himself. Travel: Metro-North’s Hudson line to Philipse Manor. Off-peak $3.80–$16.50, peak hours $5.23–$22.50.

55. Walk the East River Waterfront Esplanade
Opened in July, this rehabilitated stretch of waterfront, wedged neatly between FDR Drive and the East River, includes new benches and seating (such as lunch-counter-style barstools that face the river with a little ledge to put your meal or book), a dog run and a down-into-the-water staircase. While it’s not exactly an ideal location for a relaxing chill-out session (under the highway can get a bit noisy), it’s still worth your time for the riverside view, if you’re in the area. These renovations are one link in the ongoing project to connect Battery and East River Parks via a continuous walking-and-biking path, which should be completed by 2013. East River between Maiden Ln and Wall St (nyc.gov)

56. Say hello, say goodbye, at the New York City Ballet
The company’s season opens with the return of Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins’ full-length staging of Swan Lake, before welcoming Paul McCartney to the world of dance. Macca penned the orchestral score to Ocean’s Kingdom (Sept 22), which receives its world premiere at NYCB’s fall gala. (McCartney’s daughter Stella also designed the costumes for the production.) The final performance of the season bids farewell to principal dancer Charles Askegard, but fear not, the ballet has new talent on the rise: meet new soloist Anthony Huxley. David H. Koch Theater, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza at 63rd St (212-870-5570, nycballet.com). Time and price vary; Sept 13—Oct 9.

57. Mark the “discovery” of America at the Columbus Day parade
Well, he’s still one of the most popular failures in history, but 35,000 marchers and nearly 1 million spectators are expected along Fifth Avenue, to mark the day in history when Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas and to celebrate the heritage of the Italian-American community. It may not be the glitziest of New York’s parades, but where else can you catch the tarantella (a frenzied Italian folk dance)? Fifth Ave from 47th St to 72nd St (columbuscitizensfd.org). Oct 10 11:30am–3pm; free.

58. Ride in a hot-air balloon
You won’t be going around the world like Phileas Fogg, but you will get a fairly excellent view of the lands around Orange County, NY, with Above the Clouds, Inc. Bonus points if you start singing the lyrics to John Parr’s classic ’80s track “St. Elmo’s Fire” while airborne. That right there is worth the price of admission alone. Rides go out at early morning and twilight, and can last a half hour or full hour. Randall Airport, 100 Airport Rd, New Hampton, NY (845-692-2556,abovethecloudsinc.com). Through November; $169–$250.

59. Learn how to toss watercolors like Edward Hopper
The 92nd Street Y hosts a number of outdoor watercolor classes this fall. On Sept 21 there’s a session in Central Park; on Sept 22, students will be painting near the High Line. On Oct 6, there’s an indoor offering titled “Approaches to Abstraction with Watercolor,” at which everyone can pretend they’re Kandinsky for a day. For those less advanced, there is a beginners course on Nov 29. Instructors include former NEA and Yaddo fellows; materials aren’t provided, but at this time of year, who doesn’t fantasize about raiding Pearl Paint (308 Canal St between Church St and Broadway; 212-431-7932, pearlpaint.com) to stock up on tubes of cerulean blue and cadmium red? 1395 Lexington Ave between 91st and 92nd Sts (212-415-5500, 92y.org). Multiple sessions $185–$490; see website.

60. Check out some artists of the floating world
In a room filled with silver speech-bubble balloons, a poem that begins “The Truth Is I Am You” is written on the gallery walls. It’s a message of unity, linguistics and antigravity that’s worth checking out before Governors Island closes for the season at the end of September. And, if you’re so moved, you can write your own aphorism on the balloons. The Gallery at Building 110, Governors Island (mocada.org). Fri–Sun noon–5pm, through Sept 25; free.

61. Meet royalty at the New York City Wine & Food Festival
The fourth annual festival brings together Food Network stars and culinary glitterati for a four-day feeding frenzy of tasting events, dinners and seminars. Be quick if you want to snag tickets to demos and talks with Ferran Adri, April Bloomfield, Anthony Bourdain, Daniel Boulud, Alain Ducasse and even Luxembourg royal (and Domaine Clarence Dillon wine company president) Prince Robert. Location and price vary; visit nycwineandfoodfestival.com for more information. Sept 29–Oct 2.

62. Eat like a king during Harvest in the Square
Union Square transforms into a giant outdoor buffet for this annual tasting event. Try unlimited samples of signature dishes from more than 50 restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern and Hill Country Chicken; local producers, including Wlffer Estate Vineyard, will provide wine and beer pairings. Tickets are dear, but proceeds go to a worthy cause: to help the Union Square Partnership maintain the park. Union Square Park, E 16th St at Union Sq West (harvestinthesquare.org). Sept 22 7:30–9pm, VIP preview 6–7:30pm; $125, VIP $400.

63. Find serenity in the city
Relaxation is yours for a mere $50 during Spa Week, when more than 100 venues throughout the city discount up to three services of their choosing. Last year’s specials included a 45-minute Dead Sea–salt and aromatherapy-oil scrub paired with a warm paraffin hand treatment at Dorit Baxter Day Spa, a colon hydrotherapy treatment from Provence Wellness Center, and a Brazilian wax plus Swarovski-crystal application (called the Vajazzle) from Completely Bare. Fair warning: Many services will be fully booked within hours after reservations become available September 12. Locations throughout the city; visit spaweek.com from Sept 12 for more information. Oct 10–16.

64. Feel the burn at the Chile Pepper Fiesta
Heat-seeking capsaicin lovers won’t want to miss this spicy celebration. Tour the pepper plants in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden‘s Herb Garden, catch fire shows by circus performers Robbins and Ringold, and listen to a performance by the Grammy-nominated Cajun music band Lost Bayou Ramblers. Vendors like People’s Pops, Fine & Raw Chocolate, Sour Puss Pickles and Mama O’s Premium Kimchee will be offering gratis samples of their most incendiary snacks. Turn up before 12:30pm and you’ll also have the chance to judge the amateur entries in the Brooklyn Chile Chocolate Takedown competition. 900 Washington Ave at Eastern Pkwy, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (718-623-7200, bbg.org). Oct 1 11am–6pm; $15, seniors and students $10, children under 12 free.

65. Sing along to a holiday-themed cartoon with Secret Formula
The guys behind Secret Formula Productions spent the summer throwing nostalgia-fueled TV parties and sing-alongs and they’re not letting up for the fall. The season kicks off with a Moulin Rouge Sing-Along (The Bell House, 143 7th St between Second and Third Aves, Gowanus, Brooklyn; 718-643-6510, thebellhouseny.com; Sept 3 at 8pm; $8) featuring movie trivia, a dance-off and French pastries. In October, you can attend one of three Halloween-themed events: a TV party devoted to spooky episodes of ’90s television shows (The Bell House; Oct 25 at 8pm; $5); a creepy edition of the cartooncentric Spoons, Toons & Booze (Union Hall, 702 Union St between Fifth and Sixth Aves, Park Slope, Brooklyn; 718-638-4400, unionhallny.com; Oct 30 at 2pm; $5); and on the day itself, a costumed A Very Tim Burton Halloween sing-along (The Bell House; Oct 31 at 8pm, $8), where you can gobble free candy, bob for beer and enter a costume contest.

66. Stock your pantry
Greenmarket shoppers, take note: Now is the time to preserve seasonal produce in preparation for the barren winter months. The Brooklyn Kitchen periodically runs classes where you can learn how to extend the life of your favorite ingredients—on September 15, ex-Angelica Kitchen chef Peter Berley instructs on creating fermented preserves like Kosher pickles, sauerkraut and jalapeo jardiniere (6:30pm; $55). On September 26, Bob McClure of McClure’s Pickles will run a seasonal Pickling 101 class (6:30pm; $50). 100 Frost St at Manhattan Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-349-5032, thebrooklynkitchen.com). Check the website for more information on upcoming classes.

67. Try for a pair of discounted rush tickets
With so many cultural offerings in the city, ticket deals are vital. See TONY‘s “Cheap Seats!” guide to find out how to score discount theater tickets. In addition, Carnegie Hall (carnegiehall.org) offers rush seats at its box office, and Lincoln Center has its own discount window (similar to the TKTS booth) at its David Rubenstein Atrium (lincolncenter.org). Plus, theMetropolitan Opera (metoperafamily.org) offers cash-strapped music fans $20 to $25 rush tickets for practically all of its performances. Protocol for obtaining tickets varies, so check each institution’s website for detailed instructions.

68. Gather with fellow alums for a college football game
During college football season, show allegiance to your alma mater at a bar that supports your team. In New York, that’s no problem; there’s a tavern devoted to almost every (decent, Division I) squad. For example, Penn State grads can root on the Nittany Lions at Mercury Bar West (659 Ninth Ave between 46th and 47th Sts; 212-262-7755, mercurybarnyc.com).If you jumped on the Cam Newton bandwagon last year, head to Bar 515 (515 Third Ave between 34th St and 35th Sts; 212-532-3300, bar515.com), where the patrons support the defending BCS champion Auburn Tigers.

69. Visit Austria in Nolita
Order a Sacher torte (a Viennese chocolate cake) or apfelstrudel ($6) and pretend you’re in a Salzburg coffeehouse at this two-week pop-up store promoting all things Austrian. Art geeks can eye pieces from the collection of sculpture and decorative arts that will soon reopen at Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum, or pucker up for a photo with Gustav Klimt’s famous 1908 painting The Kiss as the backdrop. The space will host concerts, film screenings, and food and wine events; check the website for more information. Openhouse Gallery, 201 Mulberry St between Kenmare and Spring Sts (austria.info/popup). Oct 5–19 Mon–Thu, Sun noon–9pm; Fri, Sat noon–10pm. Free.

70. Explore loftier thoughts at the White Light Festival
Lincoln Center’s fall series, which explores the transcendent quality of various art genres, touched a nerve with concertgoers when it debuted last year. (All of the programs practically sold out—though complimentary glasses of prosecco postevent didn’t hurt.) This fall brings another month’s worth of events that invite audiences to unplug and consider the human condition. Among the highlights is Sir Colin Davis conducting the London Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis (Oct 21 at 8pm; $35–$92). Location and time vary; call 212-875-5456 or visitwhitelightfestival.org for details. Oct 20–Nov 19; $25–$92.

71. Be your own best vintner at Brooklyn Winery
Rather than heading out for a vineyard to crush your own grapes, make your own wine from up to 12 varietals at this Williamsburg facility. Grab a group of oenophiles to go in together on the packages (prices vary depending on the extent of your involvement in the winemaking process and number of bottles of wine made, but expect a several-hundred-dollar commitment per person). If that’s still too rich for your blood, you can still see how the winemaking process works on one of the winery’s free weekend tours (Sat, Sun 1, 2, 3, 4pm). 213 North 8th St between Driggs Ave and Roebling St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (347-763-1506, bkwinery.com). Winemaking by appointment, price varies.

72. Learn about the city’s past at the New-York Historical Society
When the 207-year-old Upper West Side institution reopens to the public on November 11, nearly every facet will have changed. Among the upgrades is the Great Hall, a permanent display featuring several new elements that highlight different events in America’s history through the lense of New York. Artifacts on view include a piece of the ceiling from Keith Haring’s now-defunct Pop Shop on Lafayette Street, and “manholes” visitors can peek inside to see historic relics. An orientation film in the refurbished Robert H. Smith Auditorium will offer an introduction to the Historical Society and a drive-by of the city’s past. 170 Central Park West between 76th and 77th Sts (212-873-3400, nyhistory.org). Tue–Thu, Sat 10am–6pm; Fri 10am–8pm; Sun 11am–5pm. $15, seniors and educators $12, students $10, children 7–13 $5, children under 7 free. Opens Nov 11.

73. Enjoy an adult puppet musical (no, not Avenue Q)
Drag artist and cabaret singer Joey Arias and puppeteer Basil Twist revive their acclaimed 2008 stage show, Arias with a Twist Deluxe, for a monthlong run. The transgressive spectacle (which earned a five star review from TONY) involves alien probes, blow jobs, magic mushrooms and other naughty nuttiness—as well as eye-popping puppetry and good old-fashioned chanteusery. Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand St at Pitt St (212-598-0400, ariaswithatwist.com). Wed–Fri 8pm; Sat 8pm, 10:30pm; Sun 7pm; $35–$65. Sept 14–Oct 15.

74. Find some pumpkins to carve (or smash)
You know what October means—getting creative with gourds. This year, forgo the corner bodega and make your annual pumpkin purchase a true pilgrimage: Scads of nearby farms have them available for public consumption. Queens County Farm Museum (queensfarm.org), Pennings Orchard (penningsorchard.com), the Orchards of Concklin(theorchardsofconcklin.com), and Milk Pail Farm & Orchard Farmstand (milk-pail.com) are just a few. Happy smashing!

75. Take a rock & roll walking tour
The History of Art, Crime, Drugs and Punk Rock on the Lower East Side is a three-hour sojourn into the gritty history of a now-gentrified neighborhood. Musician and tour guide John Joseph peppers the walk with personal anecdotes. One stop on the tour is his old building on East 9th Street, where his upstairs neighbor, Daniel Rakowitz, infamously murdered and dismembered his own roommate (he also allegedly boiled her head in a soup, which he served to the homeless in Tompkins Square Park). Meeting location disclosed with ticket purchase; visit rocksoff.com/walkingtours for details. Sat 3pm; $35.

76. Laugh at a kungsploitation flick with Cinematic Titanic
Last year, all the original denizens of Mystery Science Theater 3000‘s Satellite of Love toured as Cinematic Titanic, cracking jokes while terrible films screened before a live audience. If you missed those high jinks, good news: Joel Hodgson & Co. return to clobber MST3K fans with their scripted wit. The flick is East Meets Watts, which tells the story of Chinese immigrant and kung fu master Larry Chin and his new partner in ass-kicking, Stud Brown. You can trust that the gang will delightfully skewer the ’70s “kungsploitation” (Hodgson’s word) movie. Best Buy Theater, 1515 Broadway at 44th St (ticketmaster.com). Sept 24 at 8pm; $40–$45.

77. Be tantalized at the New York Burlesque Festival
The cream of the burly-Q world converges upon Gotham for this annual four-day festival of tease. Visiting international tassel-twirlers include Australia’s Imogen Kelly, Japan’s Cherry Typhoon and France’s Gentry de Paris. The stateside lineup is headed by Miss Exotic World 2011, Seattle-based Indigo Blue, and features plenty of Gotham talent, including Gin Minsky, Darlinda Just Darlinda, Harvest Moon and Angie Pontani. Location, time and price vary; visitthenewyorkburlesquefestival.com for more information. Sept 29–Oct 2.

78. Doll up your dog at a Harvest Festival
Most city slickers are pretty far removed from agricultural activities, but don’t let that stop you from celebrating fall’s bumper crop on October 22 (any excuse for a party, right?). There will be music, theater, local restaurant food and a canine costume contest (which featured two adorable pups in unicorn outfits last year) at Socrates Sculpture Park (32-01 Vernon Blvd at Broadway, Long Island City, Queens; 718-956-1819, socratessculpturepark.org; 11am–2pm; free). At the same time, Brooklyn Bridge Park will offer pumpkin decorating, live music, a Halloween parade and other festivities at Pier 6 (Furman St at Atlantic Ave, Dumbo, Brooklyn; 718-802-0603, brooklynbridgeparknyc.org; 10:30am–1pm; free).

79. Navigate the Amazing Maize Maze
Solve clues and puzzles to find your way out of this playfully named three-acre corn maze in Queens. On October 8 and 15, the cereal labyrinth shuts at 9pm instead of 4:30pm—test your sailor skills and see if you can use the stars to navigate your way out. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy, Floral Park, Queens (718-347-3276,queensfarm.org). Sat, Sun 11am–4:30pm; $9, children under 11 $5, children under 3 free. Sept 17–Oct 30.

80. Step back in time at the Brooklyn Museum
Head up to the museum’s fourth floor to peruse more than 20 beautifully preserved period rooms, which, unlike the rooms in the Met’s new American wing, are mostly devoid of crowds. Get a glimpse of the lavish Gilded Age with the Moorish-style smoking room from John D. Rockefeller’s late-19th-century midtown house. Marvel at the elegant drawing room from Col. Robert J. Milligan’s mid-19th-century residence, or admire the understated living room from Maj. Henry Trippe’s Maryland estate from the early 1700s. 200 Eastern Pkwy at Washington Ave, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (718-638-5000, brooklynmuseum.org). Suggested donation $10, seniors and students $6, children under 12 free, members free, first Saturday of every month (except Sept 1) 5–11pm free.

81. Finally go back to school and learn a new language
Graduate school is expensive. And while it may teach you about torts or Cartesian philosophy, you can expand your mind for a fraction of the cost. Drop by FluentBrooklyn (or its outpost, FluentManhattan) for affordable ten-week courses in French, Spanish, Italian, German or Arabic taught by the kind of dreamy, young cosmopolitan that got you interested in languages in the first place. The sessions are on evenings and weekends, and taking the level one course will help you to speak confidently in the present tense. 143 Skillman Ave between Graham and Manhattan Aves, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (fluentbrooklyn.com). Ten weeks/20 hours $285–$325.

82. Explore the birdlife of Freshkills Park
The former Staten Island landfill is being transformed into a natural refuge nearly three times the size of Central Park. Currently, the grounds are accessible only by NYC Parks–organized tours, so check out the area’s fowl on a bus-and-walking expedition. Representatives from the Staten Island Museum and Freshkills Park will lead the two-hour walk around wetlands and meadows as you try to track down species like red-tailed hawks, northern harriers and meadowlarks. Meet at Eltingville Transit Center, 90–98 Wainwright Ave at Richmond Ave, Staten Island (212-788-8277). Next tour Sept 25 at 10:30am; free. Reservations required. To R.S.V.P., e-mail doug.elliott@parks.nyc.gov or call 212-788-8277.

83. Get high-minded at BAM
Take your bookish self over to BAM’s annual Next Wave Festival for a host of dance and musical performances, plays, discussions and more. We’re particularly intrigued by the US premiere of a new adaptation of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera (BAM Howard Gilman Opera House; Oct 4–8 7:30pm; $17.50–$110) and a talk entitled “Think You’re Pretty Smart,” wherein playwright Neil LaBute, philosopher Clancy Martin and others discuss the perks and travails of intelligence (BAMcaf; Sept 22 at 8pm; $10). BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, 30 Lafayette Ave between Ashland Pl and St. Felix St, Fort Greene, Brooklyn * BAM Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton St between Ashland and Rockwell Pls, Fort Greene, Brooklyn (718-636-4100, bam.org). Prices vary, see website for details. Sept 21–Dec 18.

84. Minigolf along the Hudson
Perfect your putting on this 13,000-square-foot course, which opened this year. Youngsters should get a kick out of smacking the ball among the waterfalls and footbridges, while you’ll likely enjoy the view of the river. For more great places to play minigolf, check out our handy guide. Pier 25, Hudson River at North Moore Sts (hudsonriverpark.org). Daily 10am–10pm. $5, children under 14 $4.

85. Pretend to be master of all that you survey at a new park on Roosevelt Island
Situated between the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens, Roosevelt Island (formerly Hog Island) is an ideal spot to take in the panoramic grandeur of our city. Do so from the newly opened 7.25-acre Southpoint Park, among the latest green spaces to set the stage for one of the world’s best skylines. Other sights include Lighthouse Park, at the island’s northern tip, which features a 50-foot-high stone lighthouse; Blackwell House (East Rd and Main St), one of the oldest historic farmhouses in NYC; and the classic diner Trellis (549 Main St, 212-752-1517). Take the iconic tram (59th St at Second Ave; Mon–Thu, Sun 6am–2am; Fri, Sat 6am–3:30am; $2.25), newly reopened and featured in Fiery Furnaces Eleanor Friedberger’s homage to the isle, “Roosevelt Island.” rioc.com

86. Go on an end-of-daylight-saving-time club crawl
You know when the club announces last call, and you wish you had just one more hour of boozing, dancing and fist pumping? It’s a crummy feeling, we know. Luckily, on the night of Saturday, November 5, your wish comes true when the clocks turn back an hour at 2am. We suggest kicking off your trek at the stylish Sutra in the East Village, where turntablist extraordinaire Rob Flow spins everything from hip-hop to Latin beats for the always packed room (16 First Ave between 1st and 2nd Sts; 212-677-9477, sutranyc.com; Nov 5 at 10pm; free). Then head just a few blocks downtown to the appropriately named Lower East Side den Dark Room for new wave and goth cuts, and a young, hot scene (165 Ludlow St between E Houston and Stanton Sts; 212-353-0536; Nov 5 6pm–4am; free). Afterward, hop over the East River to polish off the night by getting down to funky Afro rhythms at Bembe, which lies under the Williamsburg Bridge (81 South 6th St at Berry St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-387-5389, bembe.us; Nov 5 10pm–4am; free).

87. Meet the Muppets
Delve into the universe of The Muppet Show—and Fraggle Rock, Sesame Street and other timeless creations from the mind of Jim Henson—at the Museum of the Moving Image. “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World” includes everything from the puppeteer’s illustrations from the ’50s to pieces from the set of The Dark Crystal, as well as special programs such as “Muppet Music Moments” (Sept 24, 25 1pm; free with museum admission), a screening of classic Muppet Show sing-alongs and performances by guest stars like Elton John and Linda Ronstadt. 36-01 35th Ave at 37th St, Astoria, Queens (718-777-6888, movingimage.us). Through Jan 16; $12, seniors and students $9, children 3–18 $6, members and children under 3 free; film tickets free with museum admission.

88. Hunt for ‘shrooms in Central or Prospect Park
There are plenty of workshops that will teach you how to grow your own food; fewer will show you how to find it in the wild. Learn to forage in the city’s green spaces on this four-hour walking tour led by environmental educator “Wildman” Steve Brill. You’ll look for natural ingredients both edible and medicinal, including seasonal items like apples, nuts and mushrooms. Location and time vary; visit wildmanstevebrill.com for more information. Suggested donation $20, children $10; reservations required.

89. Expand your knowledge of Indian culture beyond Trader Joe’s frozen paneer during the Diwali Festival of Lights
Help commemorate the end of king and deity Rama’s 14 years of exile alongside hundreds of local Indian-Americans during this annual extravaganza. Fashion, music, educational programming and other activities make this one of the largest culturally-Indian events in the city, and it has been going strong for over two decades. South Street Seaport, 19 Fulton St at Front St (212-732-7678, southstreetseaport.com). Oct 2; free.

90. Wander through the gardens of Wave Hill
People sometimes forget that the Bronx isn’t all just pinstripes and fish markets. There are actually some rather lovely parts to it, like this 28-acre oasis on the Hudson. Enjoy terrific views of the Palisades, a rainbow of foliage and, for early risers, free admission every Saturday from 9am to noon. W 249th St at Independence Ave, Bronx (718-549-3200,wavehill.org). Tue–Sun 9am–5:30pm; $8, seniors and students $4, children 6–12 $2, children under 6 free. Tue, Sat 9am–noon free.

91. Catch a lecture at the 92nd Street Y
There are plenty of celebs circling through the uptown institution for lectures this fall. Among the notable offerings: Legendary designer Calvin Klein chats with New York Fashion Week founder Fern Mallis about his career (Oct 17 at 8pm; $29) and two of the Food Network’s most indulgent personalities—Paula Deen (Oct 11 at 8pm; $29) and Nigella Lawson (Nov 16 at 8pm; $29)—give the scoop on their careers. Will Deen throw sticks of butter into the audience? We can only hope. 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave at 92nd St (212-415-5500, 92y.org)

92. Laugh your ass off at the New York Comedy Festival
A host of big-name stand-ups hit town for this annual citywide laughathon, including the wonderfully acerbic Louis C.K.(Nov 10 at 7:30pm, 10:15pm) and his bubbly pal from across the pond Ricky Gervais (Nov 13 at 7:30pm), as well as foul-mouthed females Sarah Silverman (Nov 12 at 8pm) and Kathy Griffin (Nov 12 at 8pm). Location, time and price vary; visitnycomedyfestival.com for more information; Nov 9–13.

93. Brave the queue at Shake Shack‘s new location
You’ve seen the lines. Tourists unfamiliar with the siren song of the Shack might have assumed that someone was giving away gold bullion. But no—it’s the next best thing: diet-killing burgers and the finest shakes that doubloons or fiat money can buy. Outdoor seating, a generally shorter line than at some of the other local branches, and the full array of concretes and custards—including pumpkin pie in November—make this Battery Park City spot worth the wait. 215 Murray St between North End Ave and West St (646-545-4600, shakeshack.com). Daily 11am–11pm.

94. Veg out en masse
Looking to escape your stuffy apartment and watch some shows with other human beings for once? True Blood fanatics take over both floors of East Village bar Professor Thom’s during a screening of the HBO hit’s much-anticipated fourth season finale (219 Second Ave between 13th and 14th Sts; 212-260-9480, professorthoms.com; Sept 11 at 9pm; free).Down a free Jell-O shot whenever a character bites the dust, and quaff $3 domestic drafts such as Harpoon IPA between kills. For a dose of classic television, head to the Paley Center for Media, which celebrates the 60th anniversary of I Love Lucy by presenting rare sketches, TV cameos and long-lost episodes (25 W 52nd St between Fifth and Sixth Aves; 212-621-6600, paleycenter.org; Sept 28–Oct 30 Wed–Sun 12:30pm; $10, seniors and students $8, children under 14 $5).

95. Cast on, knit and purl
Create your own fall accessories at Make Workshop (195 Chrystie St between Rivington and Stanton Sts, suite 402f; 212-533-9995, makeworkshop.com), where Diana Rupp has taught crafts for almost a decade. Sign up for a three-part beginners course to learn the fundamentals of knitting, and stitch yourself a scarf (Sep 24, Oct 7; $150). If you’re already familiar with the basics, learn to make mittens and a hat during two 1.5-hour sessions (Oct 28, Nov 4; $120). Brooklyn General Store (128 Union St between Columbia and Hicks Sts, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn; 718-237-7753,brooklyngeneral.com) also offers beginners classes over three consecutive Monday evenings every month. Instructor Heather Love caters to all skill levels, including absolute novices who have never held a pair of needles (Sep 12, Oct 10, Nov 7; $120).

96. Go with Boston expats to eat some of their beloved clam chowder
Chances are you know some Bostonians in the city, and that here, they are like cod out of water. Help them feel a little more at home with a trip to the Pearl Oyster Bar, which has some of the best double-cured-bacon-enhanced New England clam chowder found outside of Patriots Country. 18 Cornelia St at Bleecker St (212-691-8211,pearloysterbar.com). Bowl $7.

97. See a tornado in Central Park
Ponder Michael Sailstorfer’s Tornado, a new public artwork inspired by the powerful weather phenomenon. The 34-foot-tall sculpture consists of more than 200 dark “clouds,” made from the inner tubing of truck tires, which rustle in the wind. The piece will be unveiled on Sept 20; on the following day the artist will discuss it and his other works during a talk at the New School (66 W 12th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves; Sept 21 at 6:30pm; $10). Doris C. Freedman Plaza, Fifth Ave at 60th St (publicartfund.org). Sept 20–Feb 19; free.

98. Welcome a new gay nightclub
Boys who like boys have a new party playground opening this fall, a collaboration between ’90s nightlife promoters John Blair and Beto Sutter, and the FV Events team of Tony Fornabaio and Brandon Voss (currently behind the Club 57 and Rockit affairs). XL Nightclub will be open seven nights a week, with a house- and pop-driven dance floor, a more low-key lounge and a cabaret bar on offer. Early next year the rest of the building will launch as the Out NYC, a straight-friendly hotel for gays. XL Nightclub at the Out NYC, 510 W 42nd St between Tenth and Eleventh Aves (xlnightclub.com). Opens October.

99. Kayak the Hudson River
Just because summer’s over doesn’t mean you can’t still take advantage of the Downtown Boathouse’s free kayaking along the Hudson River, which continues through October 9. The boats are available on the weekends and on Labor Day. And if you’re a newbie, don’t worry—an expert will be on site to monitor your progress (though you still need to know how to swim). Pier 40, 353 West St at Houston St. 9am–6pm. * Pier 96, Hudson River at 56th St. 9am–6pm. * Hudson River at 72nd St. 10am–5pm. * (downtownboathouse.org)

100. Shop at Brooklyn Flea
After Thanksgiving, the indie market moves indoors, so you can pick through vintage duds, funky jewelry, quirky furnishings and more handmade fare from a variety of local vendors without freezing to death. To find out who’s selling that weekend, check Brooklyn Flea’s site on the Friday before doors open. Location TBA (brooklynflea.com). Sat, Sun 10am–5pm; opens Nov 26. Free.

101. Host your own homecoming party
So it’s been a few years since you graduated from school. Everyone you know is older, fatter and more injury-prone. You guys still got it, though. Reconnect with your old pals and relive your college days for a day. Things you will need: Beer, Ping-Pong balls, a few packages of ramen, Advil, a babysitter, a dial-up connection, a football jersey and a lame excuse for why you can’t stay out drinking past 10pm

http://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/101-things-to-do-in-new-york-city-in-the-fall?pageNumber=10ny

 

How to Find Cheap Accommodation in Italy

If you’re trying to save money while you travel in Italy, finding budget accommodation is the key. Since hotels in Italy, especially cities like Florence, Rome and Venice, can easily cost €150 a night, that can be tough!

But, of course, we’re here to help. This is our second post in our series on how to travel to Italy… on a budget!

Want to stay somewhere beautiful in Italy… without breaking the bank? It is possible

Scour the best hotel sites… but call the hotels directly

One of the best ways to get a feel for average hotel prices in your destination in Italy is, of course, to do some research. The booking site Venere is easily searchable and has tons of reviews. (Just be aware that in our experience, for whatever reason, these reviews tend to be a bit more on the positive side than those on other review sites). For hotels, Tripadvisor is also a good bet — check out some of travelers’ top choices in your price range and see if any fit the bill.

If you see something fantastic, then don’t automatically book it through the site you’re on. Call or email the hotel directly to see if you can get a cheaper rate.

Don’t automatically think “hotel”

One of the easiest ways to save on staying in a hotel in Italy? Don’t stay in a hotel! Italy is chock-full of other options, some of which can be much better value than even a budget hotel. Here are some of our favorites.

An agriturismo

Farm-stays can be a great way to save on both accommodation and food

Since we’ve sung the praises ofItaly’s agriturismi earlier, we won’t go into too much detail now. Suffice it to say that these are “farm-stays,” where a family has accommodation for guests on their (usually gorgeous and scenic) farm, with the option of homecooked, farm-fresh meals included. Some are rustic; some are luxurious; and all have the kind of character that you just can’t get at a place with a front desk. Plus? They’re cheap. Expect to spend 30 to 50 euros per person, per night, depending on the season and region, including dinner and breakfast. (Bonus: Since these have lots of open space and animals, this is a great option for families with children).

Animals and beautiful views are just one benefit to staying at an agriturismo. The other part? The price!

One of the best ways to find agriturismi is, believe it or not, to use Google maps. (There are simply so many in Italy, no review or booking site could cover even a fraction of them — and we’ve stayed at dozens over the years, almost always without reading a single review first, without once having a negative experience). Zoom into the region in Italy where you plan to be staying, then type “agriturismo” or “agriturismi” into the search bar. When you click on those that pop up, many will have a website with photos that you can check out.

A convent or monastery stay

Want to stay in the heart of Venice? Why not at a convent guest house, like this one of the Suore Figlie di San Giuseppe del Caburlotto?

Another off-the-beaten-path way to both experience Italian culture and save money, convent or monastery stays have some real benefits. They’re usually in beautiful, historic buildings; they can be in the heart of the city center, or out in the countryside; and you can’t get any more tranquil! Just make sure you read carefully. Some stays have curfews or rules (like no drinking or no noise after a certain hour), and they’re certainly not meant for those who want to party it up in their hotel room! For a double in a city center, expect to pay between about 60 and 100 euros for a double per night.

To find (and book) them, we like the site Monastery Stays, which lists more than 500 convents and monasteries with options for guests across Italy. And keep in mind the site’s advice: “Do not expect luxury — that is not a monstery’s purpose. Expect clean, well presented simple and functional rooms with warm hospitality from your hosts.” Sounds good to us.

A B&B or “pensione“

Room at a B&B in the Valle d’Aosta, Italy — cute, cozy… and cheap!

In the United States, bed and breakfasts tend to be on the pricey side. In Italy, though, they can be one of your cheaper options.

Know that it’s getting harder to find a “pensione,” that type of old-school accommodation where an Italian rents out a couple of rooms in their house for cheap. Instead, B&Bs tend to be a block of three to ten rooms that strike a balance between the amenities of a hotel (daily cleanings, breakfast) and that type of traditionalpensione (often family-run, with an informal touch).

In general, expect a double in a good, central B&B to cost between 80 and 130 euros per night. They’re included onTripadvisor and Venere, as well as on other sites like Homelidays, so just change the accommodation type if you want to search for them. Just don’t expect a full-on, American or British breakfast: Often, breakfast is light with cold options only. And some “B&Bs” don’t even serve you breakfast there, but give you a voucher for a nearby cafe. So if a big breakfast is what you’re after, you might just have better luck at an agriturismo!

An apartment or villa

Want to be in the heart of Rome’s historic center, but not break the bank? Consider renting an apartment

Especially for families, renting a short-term apartment can be one of the best choices for saving on expensive city accommodation — and there are lots of options for renting homes or villas in the countryside, too. The bonus, of course, is that you can get separate rooms under one roof for the whole family, plus that you have a kitchen, so you can save money by cooking at home. The downside? Don’t expect concierge service… and rentals by owner can be hit-or-miss, so make sure you know exactly what you’re getting!

While you used to have to use a commission-charging rental company to find apartments safely, it’s now gotten a lot easier. Sites we like that let you search, and book, yourself — and that have photos and reviews from past guests — includeAirBnB, HouseTrip, CrashPadder, and Homelidays. (They hold the money for you to make sure there’s no hanky-panky before delivering it to the apartment owner). While you can also find lots of listings in cities like Rome on Craigslist, be very wary, as scams there are rife. Never, ever send or wire any money to a Craigslist poster in advance.

A hostel

In all honesty, with all of the other cheap accommodation options in Italy, it’s not really necessary to stay at a hostel — unless you really need to save that extra 20 euros, or if you’re young or traveling alone and want to meet other people. Expect to pay between 20 and 40 euros per person, per night for a no-frills bed in a city center; to find them, one of our favorite sites is Hostelbookers, which has reviews from past guests. We also like the site Hostelz, a no-frills site with thousands of hostel options worldwide.

Think outside of the location box — carefully

Another way to save on hotels in Italy? Be a little creative with your location. We say this with hesitation, since there’s no better way to put a damper on your vacation than having to walk 10 minutes through a dicey-looking area each night to get to your hotel, or needing a long commute to the top sites. Plus, it’s generally a good idea to pay for the place you’ve been imagining — so if you’re excited about the winding streets of the historic center in Rome, don’t book a modern hotel in the E.U.R. business district.

It’s also important to keep transport in mind: In most cities, public transport is infrequent (or nonexistent) at night and taking lots of cabs negate the whole attempt to save money!

It’s not right in Venice — but this agriturismo just outside the city, Villa Mocenigo, is a great (and beautiful) budget option

Still, sometimes, being off the beaten path can give you what you didn’t even know you wanted… at a cheaper price. Case in point: We recently traveled to Venice. On our first night, we stayed at an agriturismo. Tranquil, lush, filled with farm animals (and puppies!), the Villa Mocenigo even had a 16th-century villa; we stayed in a room with antique furniture and dined on homemade, farm-fresh food.

Okay, maybe it was the puppy that really sold us on our budget hotel choice.

The price? 35 euros per person. Sure, we weren’t in Venice — but we were just a 20-minute drive from the city center. Since we were visiting Venice at the height of high season, that meant we not only got to save money, but that we got to rest our heads somewhere tranquil, outside of the craziness of the center. While staying at a farm just outside Venice on a trip to seeVenice might not be for everyone, it was for us.

So always weigh your options. At the same time, always ask why a certain neighborhood might be so much cheaper than others. In Rome, for example, there are lots of cheap options around the Termini train station. The reason? Many parts of the neighborhood aren’t very nice. So be on your guard and do your research — but don’t be afraid to think outside the box.

Planes, trains and automobiles: how to survive a big trip

• Kate Armstrong
• Lonely Planet Author

You’re exhausted, disoriented and in need of exercise. Your throat is dry. You smell like a gymnasium changing room and you oscillate between feeling bloated and starving. You’re even a touch on the low side. Welcome to the after-effects of the big trip.

Be it on a plane, train or automobile, big trips can be great fun. But they can also take their toll. As an Australian, I am well versed in long distance travel. When I was young I was dragged off regularly on 10-hour interstate car trips to visit relatives.

These tedious ‘retro-era trips’ were way before the days of iPods, iPhones and state-of-the-art entertainment. Instead, we counted telegraph poles and played ‘eye-spy’ and alphabet games. (Ten hours of eye-spy straight can turn you off games for life, let me tell you; ‘Are we there yet?’ was forbidden.)

Surprisingly, I’m still a sucker for drawn-out journeys – from two-day chicken-bus rides in Bolivia to three-day train legs across the USA and regular flights between Australia and Europe.

In truth, I’ve never perfected the art of long distance travel. But I’ve collected a few good tips along the way.

General travel

• Drink plenty of water, and pack some dried fruit and healthy snacks – not junk food. (Okay, so this sounds obvious, but thinking about it and doing it are two different things!)
• Always carry a roll of toilet paper.

Automobile travel

• 
Break every hour.
• Don’t be too over-enthusiastic. If it’s getting dark, or you’re tired, call it a day or night.
• Don’t hog the wheel – share the driving.


Train travel

• 
Walk around every hour.
• Chat to your neighbours – the Indian train trips are among the world’s most challenging, but enjoyable, trips.
• Carry a sarong and an eye mask – handy for extra warmth and to block out light if you want to sleep.
• Know the status of meals – stock up on supplies (China) or poke your head out the window and buy from the hawkers (India).

Plane travel

• Plan your seating. The website seatguru.com helps you find the best seats. Grab a window seat (if you prefer to snooze) or an aisle (if you like to move around). Get to the airport early to arrange if pre-booking isn’t available.
• Take an extra pillow – one you’re happy to dispose of at the end. It beats the thin bits of foam normally provided, and it’s handy to support your lower back or neck. A toothbrush and toothpaste are handy, too.
• Don’t fight the urge to sleep – and don’t try and stay awake to watch the end of a movie.
• Avoid alcohol. Yes, it’s the fun bit – especially if it’s free – but it can make you feel terrible.
• Avoid sleeping tablets. You need to be moving (think blood clots).
• Change into loose fitting – but socially acceptable – attire. My flight attendant friend swears by his ‘comfortable clothing’ (ahem, a Telly tubby-style jumpsuit).

Author disclaimer: this only scratches the surface of tips for long distance travel.

More on jetlag

Jetlag is the least fun part of flying. Changing directions (especially west to east) and time zones are believed to de-synchronise your Circadian rhythms, otherwise known as your body clock. Sadly, few cures exist although some swear by taking melatonin: in tablet form, this hormone is said to help adjust your sleep-wake cycle.

Don’t stress about jetlag; your body will eventually adjust. But it’s worth factoring a day or two of recovery time into your trip.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/europe/travel-tips-and-articles/77367?affil=twit#ixzz1zxOWTk6u

10 great places for antiques shopping

Shopping may be a favorite vacation pastime, but there’s no reason to limit it to outlet malls and souvenir shops. Mike Wolfe  and Frank Fritz , stars of the History channel showAmerican Pickers, say if you venture beyond the obvious places, you’ll find something unique. “Everybody has a little bit of the treasure hunter in them,” Wolfe says. He and Fritz share with Larry Bleiberg  for USA TODAY some favorite cities for picking and browsing antiques stores and flea markets.

Nashville, Tenn. 

Wolfe owns a shop in Nashville, a city he says is prime for picking. “There are a lot of regional things: pottery, folk art, face jugs, Coca Cola advertising. A lot of things you’d never see in New York.” Shoppers should stroll the antiques mall in nearby Franklin or visit the monthly flea market at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. The informal sales are part of Southern life, he says. “It’s cornbread, green beans and flea markets.” 800-657-6910; visitmusiccity.com

LeClaire, Iowa 

Wolfe owns a shop and lives in this small Mississippi River town, which has attracted a critical mass of antiques dealers and shoppers. “The show is bringing so many people into town,” Wolfe says. “When there’s one shop, it’s hard to draw business, but when there are 10 to 15, they all come.” 563-289-4242, ext. 1135;visitleclaire.com

Philadelphia 

The historic port city is one of the best places in the country to find antiques and collectibles. “Philly is a treasure trove,” Wolfe says. “People are renovating block after block and the most amazing things are coming out.” You’ll find good stock on the city’s Historic Antique Row, or at the 30-acre Rice’s Sale & Country Market in nearby New Hope, Penn. 800-537-7676, visitphilly.com

Red Wing, Minn. 

Wolfe loves this city, and not only for its famous stoneware, which is popular with collectors. One of his greatest finds was a toy that shot off caps and was designed to look like President McKinley. He bought it for $17 and later sold it for $800. No guarantees, but you can begin your treasure hunt at shops in the city’s Historic Pottery District. 800-498-3444; redwing.org

St. Louis 

A historic river city and manufacturing center, St. Louis has all the ingredients for prime picking. Wolfe recommends visiting Cherokee Street in the Soulard neighborhood. “From one end to the other, it’s full of antiques and junk shops. Nothing’s dusted off. They’re looking to flip things right away,” Wolfe says. 800-916-0040; explorestlouis.com

Seattle 

While Wolfe and Fritz are Midwesterners, they’ve recently ventured to the Pacific Northwest, a place good for maritime antiques, timber and cowboy items and commercial goods. Visitors can mix sightseeing and shopping by visiting the Seattle Antiques Market, near the Seattle Aquarium and the city’s historic waterfront. 866-732-2695;visitseattle.org

Detroit 

The Motor City offers a windfall for antiques hunters, particularly folks like Wolfe who love items with a transportation theme. “There was so much manufacturing based there,” he says. Warehouse items often find their way to local shops. Russell Bazaar, for example, has 130 merchants in a 90,000-square-foot space. 800-338-7648; visitdetroit.com

Waxahachie, Texas 

When it comes to shopping, everything indeed is bigger in Texas, Fritz says. “They have huge, huge sales. You can find anything there. He particularly likes the bi-annual Antique Alley sale that stretches along 37 miles of roads near Waxahachie and Cleburne, south of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Next date: Sept. 21-23. antiquealleytexas.com

Portsmouth, N.H. 

Fritz calls this historic waterfront New England city antique-friendly. “There is an abundance of stuff and lots of shops,” he says. “It’s a really neat town with a lot of history.” The city has monthly antiques auctions, and Fritz also suggests hitting nearby towns like Northwood, with about 10 shops in a three-mile stretch. 603-610-5510;portsmouthchamber.org

St. Charles, Ill. 

With lots of people and lots of wealth, the Chicago region has historically been a good place to shop – and look for castoffs, Fritz says. “People had funds to buy things, and a lot of stuff was built there.” A standout stop is the regularly scheduled Kane County Flea Market and the antiques stores in the town of St. Charles, about an hour west of Chicago. 800-777-4373; visitstcharles.com

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/10great/story/2012-06-21/10-great-places-for-antiques-shopping/55748772/1?csp=tf

The Romantic Allure of Venezuela

Venezuela, originally named “Little Venice,” offers an incomparable contrast of spellbinding landscapes – from the stunning Andes mountain range to calming beaches to the awe-inspiring Amazon. For travelers who want to have it all, this is an extraordinary vacation spot you may have overlooked in the past.

Find the best of Venezuela tucked away in its northwestern region abounding with dipping valleys and sierras, on the riverbanks of the Orinoco River and along the extensive stretch of coastline at the southern tip of the Caribbean. Its tropical lowlands hide a huge array of wildlife, lush vegetation and dramatic waterfalls, while providing an open playground for nature lovers, trekkers and mountaineers.

Mochima National Park TravelSense Community Member Dominic

With so many different types of excursions to choose, you can expect to find the unexpected. For travelers planning their first or second honeymoon, desiring a romantic getaway or looking to explore the most spectacular corners of the world, Venezuela offers a unique vacation built for two that is worthy of special remembrance. It is the one destination that can capture the intimacy in discovering one-of-a-kind places and first-time experiences together.

 

A Hidden Oasis of Beauty
Fall upon some of the most romantic and remote areas hidden inside of this captivating country. Take a scenic flight or canoe trip to the foot of Angel Falls, one of the eight natural wonders of the world, in the Canaima National Park. Its freshwaters plunge uninterrupted down 3,212 feet, turning quickly into mist by the strong winds at the base. If you choose to do so, the hiking journey to the base of the waterfall is a paradise bursting with greenery and surrounded with exotic wildlife.

Venezuela’s Wildlife TravelSense Community Member PatandCorinne

La Gran Sabana features “tepuis,” prehistoric tabletop mountains soaring skyward from the rolling plains that contain a cultivation of plants found nowhere else on the planet. On the lively climb to Mount Roraima, the park’s famous tepuis peaking at 8,985 feet, you’ll encounter the fascinating sights and sounds of the tropical savannahs, cloud forests, river streams and misty waterfalls.

Nearby, you’ll come across Ciudad Bolívar, a city worth visiting for its colonial architecture and prehistoric rock formations. The riverfront boulevard, Paseo Orinoco, is a popular place to stroll, with old buildings lining one side of the street and the river running along the other. Plaza Bolívar, the brilliantly restored historic quarter, features the bold colors of the town’s colonial structures and facades that date back to the late 1700s.

Jungles of Venezuela (Margarita Island) TravelSense Community Member kelto

Head underground to the Cueva del Guacharo located within a few hours of Cumanà. Inside of the six-mile-long limestone cavern, you’ll see a number of large chambers and stunning cave structures. You’ll also find a humbling experience trekking the mountains of Los Nevados, Pico El Aguila and the Sierra la Culata. Or enjoy the novelty of skiing in the tropics in the Sierra Nevada National Park or Cordillera de Merida, which boasts snow lined peaks all year round. From Merida, board the world’s longest and highest cable car that runs for eight miles to the top of Pico Espejo, a good starting point for mountain hiking.

Located down the central stretch of Cordillera de la Costa, El Ávila National Park separates the city of Caracas from the Caribbean Sea. Wander through the park’s many hiking trails, where you’ll see a blooming variety of tropical orchids, ferns, palms and the lily of the woodlands. Come face to face with Venezuela’s extraordinary creatures such as weasels, monkeys, three-toed sloths, small anteaters, armadillos, porcupines and guacharacas.

More Than a Beach Paradise 
If your heart desires the calming pace of a beach vacation, Venezuela’s beautiful islands and coastal resorts will provide the perfect escape. Sitting on the northern coast is Caracas, Venezuela’s capital and the perfect departure point to numerous Eastern and Southern Caribbean islands. Nestled in a valley at 3,300 feet above sea level, Caracas is surrounded by the majestic mountains of Cordillera de la Costa, separating it from the Caribbean Sea, and contains a remarkable mixture of natural sights and landscapes.

Southern Caribbean (Aruba) TravelSense Community Member Suzie1969

Caracas is quite a dynamic city of great historical and cultural beauty that provides convenient passage to many of the Caribbean’s popular resort islands, including Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, Grenada, Barbados and St. Lucia. Loved for their easy pace and tranquil ambiance, any of these islands will create the perfect setting for a romantic honeymoon. Charter a boat through the channels of the Morroy National Park in the northwest or sail to the islands of Cayo Sombrero and Chichiriviche. Morroy is an exceptional area for sailing, swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving with pleasant breezes and magnificent coral reefs and wildlife.

Maiquetia sustains a lively mix of resort-style hotels and thatched hot restaurants and bars catering to weekend and tourist crowds. Take a short drive east to Macuto, an enchanting seaside resort where you’ll relish the atmospheric beaches and take in the warm sun rays and soft, warm breeze of the Caribbean. Charter a boat to the idyllic islands of Los Roques, which has a huge extension of peaceful, crystalline waters and a significant presence of lagoons, small islands and white-sand beaches.

Cabins along the Orinoco River TravelSense Community Member PatandCorinne

Travel through the nearby Portachuelo Pass to the coastal region where the rainforest meets the sea at Ocumare de la Costa. The coastline of the 3,710-foot pass is dotted with fine beaches and islands, many inhabited only by flamingos and scarlet ibis, which can be reached by hired boat. Morrocoy, off the coast near the small town of Tucacas, is a spectacular island with hundreds of coral reefs and palm beaches ideal for fishing and recreational diving.

 

Enjoy the charming coastal resort of Puerto la Cruz, an increasingly popular spot for honeymooners and a central area for traveling to the remote territories of the Mochima National Park. Its beauty is diverse: spectacular beaches and the Gulf of Santa Fe, the archipelago of Borracha, Manare Peninsula and Bay of Mochima, multiple well-preserved islands and a unique combination of mountains kissing the sea.

See the park’s world-famous Red Beach, where you’ll walk along the crisp, golden (almost red) beach sands. Enjoy every moment on Margarita Island, a tropical retreat permeated by a laid-back lifestyle and dramatic architecture with high mountains framed by white, sandy shores and turquoise waters. Margarita is blessed with 300 days a year of sun and beaches lined with palm trees, including Playa El Agua and Playa Parguito.

Playa Medina TravelSense Community Member Dominic

You’ll fall in love with Venezuela’s snowcapped peaks and flat-topped mountains, steamy Amazon jungles and placid coastline. The natural wonder of this destination will steal your heart and invigorate your spirit with every new memory you create together here. From the moment you step off the plane, you’ll begin to understand why Venezuela is, without a doubt, an epic country with spectacular sights you won’t find anywhere else.

ASTA travel agents believe that for every kind of traveler, there is the perfect vacation to match. When you’re ready to find the Venezuelan vacation that will envelope you and your companion in unforgettable romance, contact a professional agent today

 

http://www.travelsense.org/destinations/venezuela.cfm

Barcelona Safety – Learn and Apply The 16 Safety Guidelines to Safeguard Your Personal Safety.

This is a difficult article to write because I don’t want to scare people off from coming to Barcelona. By writing about safeguarding your personal safety in Barcelona and how to ensure you are not pick pocketed or robbed implies that the city is not safe.

However it’s true to say that there is a pick pocketing and bag snatching problem in Barcelona.

The wrong thing to do on La Rambla. You should go to a cafe or restaurant to consult your map. This couple have clearly labelled themselves as tourists.

So many times I walk down La Rambla and see tourists with maps open, looking lost and with their bags unguarded. These tourists will almost certainly be noticed by all the wrong people and be an instant target. You can be a tourist, no problem, but what you must behave like is a savvy tourist and you will be much, much safer.

Please take these precautions to safeguard yourself. I know you may think it will never happen to you. You may even think that “all big cities are the same in this respect” but I would say perhaps think again. I see so many tourists that are leaving themselves wide open for something to happen and all they need to do is just take a few simple steps to help safeguard themselves.

Is The Ramblas Safe? (The Ramblas is the main promenade through central Barcelona)

At night time La Rambla can be seedy and there are prostitutes who are often than not also pickpockets. They operate along the full length of Las Ramblas. They will aim to get physically close to tourists by linking arms or pulling the tourist close to them. That is when they will attempt to pickpocket you. Sometimes they will work with more than one person and one causes the distraction whilst the other steals from you. The stolen goods are then quickly passed on to someone else for safe keeping so that if you ever go back to challenge them (not recommended) they miraculously have nothing on them that was yours!

Please take care at night and particularly on Las Ramblas. The “prostitutes” undertaking these thefts can be quite persistent even if you tell them repeatedly to go away they often still continue to pursue you. However if you just keep on walking quickly past and repeatedly keep saying “no” in my experience they get the message and leave you alone eventually. It is advisable not to make eye contact nor to confront them just keep walking, keep your valuables guarded and keep saying “no”.

More needs to be done to protect tourists from this type of harassment. We should be free to walk along the most famous street in Barcelona without being harassed or made a victim of a theft by these lowlifes.

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Site Visitor Feedback from Jan in the UK

I have lived in Barcelona for 18 years now ( drank from the fountain I’m afraid!) and I wanted to add my reassurances that Barcelona is indeed a safe city, however I would comment Spanish worry about their clothes and that people who live here don’t ever dress in shorts on the metro or in centre of town .. to do so identifies you as a tourist.(Therefore increasing risks of being a pickpockets target)
In restaurants don’t leave your bag on the floor or hanging over your chair especially in Ramblas area as they will pick it up or quickly cut the strap.

Thanks Jan – what you described actually happened to a friend of mine. She left her bag on the back of her chair. It was gone in minutes in a full restaurant with tables all around her. We still don’t know how they managed to take her bag.

If you want to know the “dress code” in Barcelona and what you should wear to blend in with the locals – see our Barcelona Dress Code Article John ( Editor)

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Pick pocketing and bag snatching is a problem on the Ramblas, at rail stations, on the beaches and on the metro (subway). One visit to any police station will demonstrate that.

Following the next 16 Safety Guidelines will radically reduce the chances of someone trying to pick pocket or rob you. We have compiled these guidelines after reading actual real events sent to us from site visitors. Each one of the guidelines will help protect you against the most common theft types.

The 16 Personal Safety Guidelines

1) Pick pockets prefer to choose easy victims – if you look like you’re paying attention and don’t have any valuables on show it’s less likely that you will be pick pocketed.

2) Pick pockets and scam merchants often work in groups. This can confuse people – one person (or a group of people) would cause a distraction while another takes your valuables. If you are confronted with a group of people attempting to gain your attention promptly turn your back and walk away.

3 ) Only carry around as much money as you need for that day no more. Leave valuables that you aren’t going to use on the day in the hotel safe.

4) Do not carry around a haversack on your back – be especially aware of this on the metro. Pickpockets have been known to steal from haversacks on people’s backs when on the metro. If you have a haversack wear it the other way around with the bag in front of you.

5) Do not have a camera slung around your neck (or any other expensive items like video cams) I was once witness to someone snatching a camera from around someone’s neck and running off with it.

Keep any valuables out of sight. If you have a camera put it in your inside jacket pocket. If it’s too big for this then put it in a small bag and have the bag strap go diagonally over your neck and shoulder so that it goes under your arm -this makes it much more difficult for someone to snatch your bag. Keep the bag in front of you – not at your side. The bag should not be a camera bag – choose a small ordinary day bag with a zip fastener top.

Do not put your wallet in the bag – keep that separate.

6) If you need to look up anything on a map go into a cafe and sit down rather than look up your destination in the streets. This is like advertising that you are new to the area and a tourist and that is exactly what pickpockets are looking for.

7) In Cafes and restaurants pay attention to your bags/purses and wallets. This may seem obvious but when you’re on holiday it’s easy to “switch off” and not pay attention to where your belongings are. Typical places where bags are stolen are in cafe’s when tourists put them down at their feet, or if they leave their wallets in their jacket pockets and put their jackets on the back of a chair. When you put your bag down keep it in sight. If you can’t keep it in sight all the time wrap the bag strap around something so that it can’t just be easily picked up.

8) Watch out for distraction / theft scams – these start with a distraction e.g. someone asks for directions, drop money in front of you, asks you to make a donation -and variations on these distractions. Then once your attention is taken either the person involved or someone else will steal from you. Watch out for the famous bird poo distraction/theft scam. Someone will come up to you claiming that you have had bird poo on your back. They will attempt to “help” you wipe it off, whilst pick pocketing you of course! This is now an infamous and all too common scam. (see site visitor feedback below) or click here to read one site visitor’s experience of this scam

9) Pay particular attention at stations.

Stations are hotspots for pickpockets and thieves. There are many reasons for this:
a) You have identified yourself as a likely tourist by being there.
b) You are also likely to be a little disorientated in a new place.
c) There are legitimate reasons for someone to press up against you or to be in close vicinity to you, e.g. getting on or off a train or metro.
d) You have to either pay for tickets or take your tickets out from a purse or wallet. The pickpockets will be watching for this because then they will know exactly where you keep you money. They will watch where you put your purse or wallet after you have paid for your tickets.
e) You are most likely loaded up with all your belongings at this point. Unlike when you have made it to your hotel you can take out just what you need.

So what can you do? The tip here is to keep your purse / wallet out of sight. Keep your tickets separate from your purse or wallet. If you can obtain your tickets in advance of your arrival in Barcelona (see the tip below) that way you do not need to take out your purse or wallet to pay for tickets.

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 Buy a transport pass that covers all your transportation needs before you arrive in Barcelona e.g the Barcelona Card. This way you do not need to handle money to pay for tickets when you are travelling on the public transport in Barcelona and it will also mean you are much less of a target.

Click here to read one site visitor’s experience of being robbed at a train station.

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10) Pick pockets work very fast. One second they are there and the next they’re gone. Just be aware of the people around you and pay attention to what they are doing. Pick pockets are often looking at one thing – tourists and tourists bags – they are not interested in anything else around them..except maybe the police so if you keep your eyes open you will become more aware of when to keep your guard up. The most common place for pickpockets is Las Ramblas and in particular at night there are pickpockets that are posing as prostitutes.

11) Take out a travel insurance policy – make sure that you meet the terms of the policy before you leave (some policies require that you can prove your belongings are worth what you say they are worth).

When I was Trekking in Nepal I did not have receipts of purchase for the camera I lost in the mountains and the insurance company refused to pay out. I recommend you get it in writing or via e-mail from the insurance company that you don’t need proof of the cost of every item.

Make sure also that you meet the terms of the policy this often means making a police report and getting an official police statement which you can take back with you to make your claim. Unfortunately when in Nepal I was 3 days trek from civilization and could not report the loss to the police station within 24 hours. This, along with the lack of receipts, meant that the insurance company would not pay out – it’s not just Barcelona where you can be scammed!

12) Keep your passport safe –

Spanish law requires that you have photographic identification with you at all times although a photocopy of your passport is often seen as sufficient.

13) Do not be fooled by fake policemen or “undercover” police: This is now becoming an all too common scam. Several people are involved with this scam. They say they are undercover police and they have seen someone come up to you earlier who they have been following. They ask for your identification and wallet / purse of course to check your identity but when you do they run off with your wallet!

What you can do: First of all policemen are clearly identifiable in Barcelona with clearly recognizable uniforms. It is unlikely that a real “undercover” policeman will ever need to speak with you. If an officially dressed policeman stops you ask to see their identification and when they show it to you look at it carefully make sure that it is indeed real. Do not be satisfied with someone flashing an ID at you.

Click here to read one site visitor’s experience of being robbed by fake police.

14) Emulate the dress code of the Catalans. You will be seen as a savvy tourist and also much less likely to stand out from the crowd. You will also have an excellent excuse to buy some new clothing! Read our article on dress code and how to blend in with the locals.

15) Avoid walking in dark isolated back streets, especially if you are alone.

16) When on the beach do not leave your belongings unattended. If you’re going to do some sunbathing etc ensure to leave any valuables locked up in the hotel safe.

Car Safety: Ensuring your personal safety when driving a car in Barcelona

In addition to the above if you are intending on driving a car in or around Barcelona we highly recommend you read our Barcelona car crime and safety tips article. Click here for our car crime article

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Distraction Theft Strategy: Site Visitor Feedback Submitted by Barry, UK

I went to Barcelona this month, July, and was visiting Parc Guell, with my young son, getting off at the metro stop Vallcarca, I had stopped to plan a route to the next destination and fallen behind the other tourists. I was in long trousers with no bag approximately 200 metres from the metro station near a Subaru garage. I felt something on the back of my neck and a guy in front of me said it was a bird, I was covered in filth, I took off my shirt and started wiping off the filth, the man who had identified it as bird muck came over with water and tissues and started helping me, I refused his help, he was there 15/20 seconds and left with my wallet and approximately €300.00 and a tube ticket. Fortunately, we had nothing else in the wallet and some spare money back at the hotel, I reported this to the police within the hour, with a very good description and location but they didn’t want to know, they suggested I report it to my insurance company.

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Site Visitor Feedback from Jennifer, UK

“Having perused your website, my friend and I, both middle aged British ladies, took on board your safety tips and felt reasonably confident about security. However, we were still robbed by gypsies and thought our experience might prevent others from falling victim to the same scam.

Outside the Sagrada Familia we were approached by two women who forced a red carnation onto each of us. Mine was pushed down the front of my tee shirt! They indicated that there was to be an exhibition of flamenco and then asked us each for 1 cent. As this was such a small amount of money we both thought this would be a good way of getting rid of them and got out our purses. That was what they wanted. They tried to ‘help’ us find the appropriate coin by putting their fingers into the coin compartments of our purses. Later, and too late, we realised that whilst doing this, they had milked out the notes from the note compartment. The next day we returned to the same place and watched two other gypsy women pull the same scam.“

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Bag Snatching Crime
Bag snatching is also a problem in Barcelona. I have been witness to a bag snatch on one occasion. The bag was around the person’s shoulder but only had a very thin strap. The thief ran in, grabbed the bag, ripping it off the shoulder strap and then ran off. It all happened in a few seconds.

It is hard to avoid a bag snatch from happening as we all need to take around a small bag with us for our visit. The best thing to remember is do not put any valuables in the bag. If the bag looks like a camera bag or a purse then it is more of a target than an ordinary looking day bag. Another thing to avoid is to wear bum bags which are very easy to remove. Thieves know that you keep your valuables in these too so bum bags are an A1 target with PLEASE STEAL ME written all over them. If you don’t believe me, just visit any Barcelona police station and ask anyone in the long queue why they are there.

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Site Visitor Feedback – Bag Snatching Experience…
Denise, Newburyport, Massachusetts, USA

“I wanted to thank you so much for all the helpful information in your newsletters. We (mother and 17-year-old daughter) made our trip last week, and used a great deal of information I had found on your website.

We loved Barcelona! It was our first trip to Europe, and we were both in awe beyond words at what we saw. We also found the people friendly, the food great, and the wine fantastic.

The only downside was on our very final evening, we took the parallel metro, hoping to take the funicular to be able to see Montjuic at least from the air, since we ran out of time to see it on foot during the day.

When we got out of the metro station, we found that the funicular was closed, and walked across the street to the little park, where the view was stunning.

As we returned to the station, a thief sliced off my purse (just exactly as you had described in your newsletter!) and ran off….thanks to your warnings, I had no cash or credits cards in it, but unfortunately did realize afterward that there was a roll of slide film my daughter had taken – I wish I had that back. But, silly me for having gone in to the park – even though we didn’t go far, I should have been more aware of who was around me.

Thank you very much for your warnings – this could have been worse! – great website and newsletter!”

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Dodgy areas at night – Areas to avoid at night. Parts of the Raval area ( to the left of the Ramblas as we look northwards), Parts of Barri Xines, and the Southern most end of the Ramblas and streets off it. Any small dark empty streets – but this is common sense – if you want to be much safer try to avoid quiet empty streets and if you do have to go down them then try to ensure you are with someone

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Site visitor feedback – Robbery – Submitted by Per, Hamburg

“I have just been robbed yesterday night in Barcelona gothic quarter, and then I found this site. I think the section about safety is great, but the section about robbery seems too short! 🙂 My lesson for today: Never go out alone at night, and try to avoid not only dark empty streets, but also any bending streets where you cannot be seen by other people, even when there are plenty of people around in the streets. These two guys who stole my money were very quick, intimidating, but I guess they would not have taken the risk if I had had my friend with me. I have to add that I have never been robbed before, even though I live in the red light district in Hamburg, plus I don’t look like the typical tourist either. It can happen to just anyone, and that is something you may want to add to your info page too. Apart from that: Nice site!!“

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Site Visitor Feedback – Beach Bandits…

And here is some feedback from one site visitor if you’re not completely convinced that you should take these precautions:

” I fell victim to a wallet snatching bandit on the beach in Barcelona. Thinking it was a nice night to camp out on the beach, I fell asleep on one of those lawn-chairs that are provided. At night beach bandits come up to you silently and sift through your pockets as you sleep. I heard of an American girl who lost her passport this way as well. I thought you might be able to add this to your site. Thank you. Barcelona is a very beautiful city, and I will surely return (though have not sipped from the fountain yet!) ” Kris from Ottawa

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Site Visitor Feedback: Station Robbery

“I’m just back from a week in Barcelona and unfortunately all did not go to plan. I had read the Safety Tips but I should have made my partner read them too.

We had gotten the train from the airport to Passeig de Gracia and were getting off the train. He got held up by a supposedly elderly woman in front of him. By the time he had realised there was something wrong, they had made off with his wallet and all his spending money for the week. Unfortunately because he hadn’t visited this website, he had decided that putting his wallet in his bag was safer than in his trousers as his trousers had no zips. He had also taken his wallet out of his bag on the train and obviously was being watched. I would advise everyone to read the < Barcelona-Tourist-Guide.Com > safety advice themselves and to make sure that everyone else in their group reads them too. Those extra few minutes may just save you heartbreak of having your holiday ruined.” –Niamh from Ireland

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Fake Undercover Policemen

“I’d like to warn your users about an all too common scam which is unfortunately being used on the streets of Barcelona, usually by East European immigrants. This happened to me on 18 May 2007, and I think you’ll be doing your users a great favour by alerting them to this attempt to steal goods and possessions. It works like this: A young man comes up to you and asks for directions to a popular landmark – eg the Gaudi Museum or the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. As you’re explaining or just saying you don’t know, 2 or 3 men come up to you both and say they are police, and flash an ID card at you that looks like a police ID. They ask if you know the person that asked you for directions. They then explain that they have been trailing this man under suspicion of drug smuggling and that you are now also a material witness. They ask for your ID. When you take your wallet out of your pocket or bag they assault you and run off with the bag, passport, or whatever they can get their hands on. My advice is don’t ever stop and discuss anything with anyone you don’t know – if this happens to you, you just say ‘sorry I don’t know’ and walk off very quickly and don’t stop – like I did! “ 
Andy Varga, Sitges

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Barcelona Scams

Shuffle scam

One famous scam and can be found on the Ramblas every day of the week. It is the pea under the egg cup shuffle scam. I am amazed that tourists fall for this scam time and time again.

Basically you bet on which cup the pea is under. The shuffler will put a pea under one of three cups move them around and then you have to guess which one it’s under.

Click here for a photo I took of the “Ramblas shuffle scammers in action”

If you are watching this “show” you may not be aware that there are about 10 to 15 people involved with this scam. They all gather around the shuffler so that tourists crowd around out of interest. The victim is then attracted to the crowd and watches the performance. People are betting on where the pea is and each time the victim does not play but watches and is amazed to see that each time they guess correctly where the pea is. Apparent tourists pass by and join in – some win some loose but then win back again and walk away with the money. Each time the victim thinks that they had guessed correctly where the pea is.

The host of the “show” will then invite the victim to bet and can be quite forceful about this. With everyone else who has already bet looking on there is quite some peer pressure to try your luck. “Why not” you think – I was right 10 times so far.

The victim puts down their bet and sure enough this time they get it wrong and loose their money. If you complain you get 10 people crowding around you explaining it’s the luck of the game and you leave feeling cheated.

The very best thing that you can do when you see this street “performance” is walk on by.

Bouncing cartoon characters.

One of the biggest scams around is run by people that sell bouncing cartoon characters. These cut out characters bounce up and down to the music that is coming out of a stereo placed near by. They cost anything between €5.00 to €10.00 per character and of course you need a stereo to make them bounce….. I think not.

Tourists buy these and are very disappointed to find they don’t work when they get back home. The reason is those figures that where so merrily bouncing away in the street were hooked up by a fine hair-thin wire that is practically invisible. The wire is attached to the back of the stereo cassette player that has a small wheel that spins around making the characters jump and making it appear as though they are jumping to the music.

I’m just amazed that the people selling these have the nerve to go on selling them when thousands of people are disappointed by what they have bought.Don’t fall for this one! It may be only €5.00 to €10.00 but why not spend your money on something you will be happy with instead of funding scam artists to upset more tourists.

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Site Visitor Feedback Mary Douglas, Scotland, UK

I’ve just been reading all the unfortunate experiences of visitors to Barcelona regarding being pick pocketed etc. I’ve been paying homage to Barcelona via holidays for eight years now, and I am aware of the scams being acted out. There is no easy answer, except to pay heed to the advice given on this site. Try to keep a low profile, emulate the dress code of the Catalans, and if you find yourself drawn to watch some street theatre or other, keep an eye on the people around you. You will be surprised at how you will recognize those intent on pick pocketing !

The beach is a prime target for those intent on stealing. While you are busy sunbathing or swimming, it is a robbery waiting to happen, so keep your belongings hidden, and don’t leave them unattended I’ve been a victim in this situation, and have also seen it happen to others when at the beach. I reported to the beach patrol guardia that ‘ a one-armed women accompanied by a dark skinned man were rifling through people’s belongings that had been left unattended.

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Conclusion

Barcelona is a safe city (despite all the things you’ve read above) and to not visit it because you are afraid of what might happen is a terrible waste of a potentially wonderful experience.

Problems are most likely to start when tourists don’t take the right precautions. Those that will follow these guidelines will significantly reduce the chances of anything unsavoury happening and increase your chances of enjoying a trouble-free visit.

Just take a few precautions and it’s unlikely that you will fall victim to a scam or pick pocket or bag snatch. Thieves prefer to choose easy victims so follow the Personal Safety Guidelines listed above.

But whatever you do don’t fall for the thought that you will never be a victim of theft in Barcelona. Keep your wits about you and take the above precautions.

And remember if it does happen to you take it in your stride and remember that it has happened to many others too (me included). You will not have been the only one.

Take a positive stance like Denise of Newburyport, Massachusetts, USA in her letter above. You will have happy memories to take back that way.