You don't have to be a millionaire to taste the good life on the French Riviera. Regardless of what season and reason, there are plenty of ways to soak up this unique corner of southern France where seaside trails, historic towns, and local colors await.   Between the sea of crushed...

In Koh Samui, a simple retreat becomes an endearing masterclass in fortitude and grit.   The sight of a solid, 20-inch bluish-green body adorned with protruding red spots greeted us. In perfect stillness, I saw him glued to the wall like an exquisite adornment. His physical demeanor told me to stay...

Buzzing and exuberant, the Croatian city of Split, perched on the Adriatic coast, invites all travelers to experience the joys of Dalmatian life and fjaka.   W   hat does a wayfarer see when she climbs the 183 step-bell tower of Saint Domnius Cathedral in the old town of Split? In this thriving city...

It’s the scruffiness that turns you off. It’s the realness that turns you on. ‘Berlin ist arm, aber sexy’ as the saying goes, which translates to ‘Berlin is poor but sexy'—and if there’s a neighborhood that best represents that idea, it’s Kreuzberg.   Throughout the years of self-shame and retrospection, Berlin...

High up in the French Alps and away from the crowd, ordinary afternoon walks become sublime experiences with soul-rousing natural beauty playing the ideal backdrop.   Ona steep, narrow country road at 1,150 meters above sea level, my travel partner accelerated the engine, aiming at the waggish sound of alpine bells....

What can a landscape teach a traveler? In Andalusia, it’s as simple as living like a local and embracing its transportive landscape.   T   o live in southern Spain on the coast of Andalusia - where the occasional sand laden wind blows, is to embrace la calima. It’s been an hour since I...

Malaysia’s storied capital is teeming with contrast - from its jarring mix of ethnicities, cultures as well as beliefs all adding to its irresistible charm and intrigue.   The early morning call from the muezzin at the nearby Masjid Negara, Malaysia’s national mosque in downtown Kuala Lumpur reverberated in the silence...

Seville is a city of story and souls—from its flamencos, architecture, and multi-layered faiths. Dazzling and bewitching come night or day.   He could have been a converso. But he is definitely a gitano. He has the song that echoes of his father's. A primitive cry. A spiritual chant. Yet somewhere along...

In Madeira, Quintas are becoming the new cultural touchstones and enduring icons that define Portuguese hospitality.   It was the best of times. I am traveling to Madeira. It was the worst of times. The plane that would take me to Portugal's ethereal island in the Atlantic, was nowhere in sight. It...

With its mild Mediterranean winter climate, Spain's largest island in the Balearics is a travel secret hiding in plain sight. Overflowing with an endless array of galleries, restaurants, baroque churches and medieval streets, Palma is a winter city to enjoy sans the madding crowd.   I knew that you brought a...