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Scandinavian Sophistication

The counterpoint to Norway’s ever-present natural
beauty is found in its vibrant cultural life. Norwegian
cities are cosmopolitan and showcase the famous
Scandinavian flair for design through the ages. Bergen,
Trondheim and Ålesund must surely rank among
Europe’s loveliest cities, while contemporary Arctic-
inspired architectural icons grace cities and remote
rural settings alike. Food, too, is a cultural passion
through whiZch Norwegians push the boundaries of
innovation even as they draw deeply on a heartfelt
love of tradition. At the same time, a busy calendar
of festivals, many of international renown, are worth
planning your trip around.

Wonderful Wildlife
When it comes to wildlife, Norway has few peers in
Europe. Here you can watch whales – humpback,
sperm and orca, depending on the season – off
Andenes, Stø or Tromsø, while the interior offers up
wild reindeer atop Hardangervidda and elsewhere,
prehistoric musk oxen, ponderous elk (moose) or
beguiling Arctic foxes. Birdwatching, too, is a highlight,
from the puffins of Bleik to the migratory seabirds
of Runde and Varanger. But the real prizes inhabit
Norway’s high Arctic, in Svalbard, where polar bears
and walruses are the poster species for a wilderness of
rare and dramatic beauty.

SOUTH AFRICA

Black-maned lions framed against
Kalahari dunes; powdery beaches
lapped by two oceans; star-studded
desert skies; jagged, lush mountains
– this truly is a country of astounding
diversity.

Wildlife
South Africa is one of the continent’s
best safari destinations, offering
the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo,
elephant and rhino) and more in
accessible parks and reserves.
You can drive right into the epic
wilderness at Kruger, Kgalagadi and
other parks, or join khaki-clad rangers
on guided drives and walks. But it’s
not all about big-game sightings –
wildlife watching here also teaches
you to enjoy the little things: a leopard
tortoise ambling alongside the road,
a go-away bird chirping its distinctive
chant in the trees, or an encounter
with seals, whales or a great white
shark along the coast.

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Inspiring
new ways

Outdoor Adventure

South Africa’s ever-changing scenery is the perfect canvas on which to paint an
activity-packed trip. Try rock climbing in the craggy Cederberg, surfing off the Eastern
Cape coast, abseiling from Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain, bungee jumping from
the Garden Route’s Bloukrans Bridge, or swinging into Graskop Gorge. If adrenaline
sports aren’t your thing, opt instead for a hike: options include multi-day treks through
wildlife reserves, dusty day walks in the Karoo semidesert, ‘slackpacking’ trails along
the Cape coast, or an overnight hike into the sometimes snow-capped peaks of the
Drakensberg.

History

To visit South Africa without learning about its tumultuous history would be to miss a
crucial part of the country’s identity. Museums from Jo’burg to Robben Island, many
including exhibits on the apartheid era, might not be lighthearted, but will help you to
understand the fabric of South African society and appreciate how far the country
has come. Continue your history lesson with a township visit to the likes of Soweto
(Jo’burg) or Langa (Cape Town), chatting to locals and learning that, despite the heart-
wrenching past, there is great pride here and an immense sense of promise for the
future.

Let’s
Explore

ZAMBIA

VICTORIA FALLS
THE SMOKE THAT THUNDERS …..

The rewards of travelling in Zambia are
those of exploring remote, mesmerising
wilderness as full of an astonishing
diversity of wildlife as any part of
Southern Africa. Adventures undertaken
here will lead you deep into the bush
where animals, both predators and prey,
wander through unfenced camps, where
night-time means swapping stories
around the fire and where the human
footprint is nowhere to be seen. Where
one day you can canoe down a wide,
placid river and the next raft through the
raging rapids near world-famous Victoria
Falls.

Though landlocked, three great rivers –
the Kafue, the Luangwa and the Zambezi
– flow through Zambia, defining both
its geography and the rhythms of life for
many of its people. For the independent
traveller, however, Zambia is a logistical
challenge, because of its sheer size,
dilapidated road network and upmarket
facilities. For those who do venture here,
the relative lack of crowds means an
even more satisfying journey.

15

VIETNAM

A land of staggering natural beauty and cultural complexities, of dynamic
megacities and hill-tribe villages, Vietnam is both exotic and compelling.

Sensory Overload

Unforgettable experiences are everywhere in Vietnam. There’s the sublime:
gazing over a surreal seascape of limestone islands from the deck of a
traditional junk in Halong Bay. The ridiculous: taking 10 minutes just to
cross the street through a tsunami of motorbikes in Hanoi. The inspirational:
exploring the world’s most spectacular cave systems in Phong Nha-Ke
Bang National Park. The comical: watching a moped loaded with honking
pigs weave a wobbly route along a country lane. And the contemplative:
witnessing a solitary grave in a cemetery of thousands of war victims.

History & Culture

Vietnamese culture is complex, diverse and represents something of a
history lesson. The nation’s labyrinthine, teeming trading quarters are rich
in indigenous crafts and reflect centuries-old mercantile influences. Ancient
temples display distinctly Chinese influences in the north and Hindu origins
in the south. Meanwhile the broad, tree-lined boulevards and grand state
buildings that grace the capital date from the French colonial period. And it’s
impossible to forget Vietnam’s pivotal position close to the epicentre of East
Asian power and prosperity, for its cities’ skylines are defined by clusters of
glass-and-steel corporate HQs and sleek luxury hotels.

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Timeless
Charm

A Culinary Superpower

Thailand may contest the top spot, but in Southeast Asia nothing really comes close: Vietnamese food
is that good. Incredibly subtle in its flavours and outstanding in its diversity, Vietnamese cooking is a
fascinating draw for travellers – myriad street-food tours and cooking schools are testament to this.
Geography plays a crucial role, with Chinese flavours influencing the soups of the north, spices sparking
up southern cuisine, and herbs and complex techniques typifying the central coastline, rightly renowned
as Vietnam’s epicurean hot spot. And up and down the country you can mingle with villagers, sample local
dishes and sip rice wine in Vietnam’s many regional markets.

Thrills & Chills

If you have the bills, Vietnam has the thrills and chills. Some require a little physical effort, such as
motorbiking switchback after switchback up the jaw-dropping Hai Van Pass in central Vietnam. Others
require even more sweat: kitesurfing the tropical oceanic waters off Mui Ne or hiking the evergreen hills
around Bac Ha or Sapa. And when you’re done with all that adrenaline stuff, there’s plenty of horizontal
‘me’ time to relish. Vietnam has outstanding spas – from marble temples of treatments to simple family-
run massage salons with backpacker-friendly rates.



AUSTRALIA

There’s NOTHING

Australia is a wild and beautiful place, a land whose colour palette of red outback sands
and Technicolor reefs frames sophisticated cities and soulful Indigenous stories.
Hip Cities
Most Australians live along the coast, and most of these folks live in cities – 89% of
Australians, in fact. It follows that cities here are a lot of fun. Sydney is the glamorous
poster child with world-class beaches and an otherwise glorious setting. Melbourne
is all arts, alleyways and a stellar food scene. Brisbane is a subtropical town on the
way up, Adelaide has festive grace and pubby poise. Boomtown Perth breathes West
Coast optimism and Canberra showcases so many cultural treasures, while the tropical
northern frontier town of Darwin, and the chilly southern sandstone city of Hobart,
couldn’t be more different.

17

like Australia

Wild Lands & Wild Life
Australia is an extraordinarily beautiful place, as rich in rainforest (from Far North Queensland to
far-south Tasmania) as it is in remote rocky outcrops like Uluru, Kakadu and the Kimberleys. The
coastline, too, beset as it is with islands and deserted shores, is wild and wonderful. Animating
these splendid places is wildlife like nowhere else on the planet, a place of kangaroos and
crocodiles, of wombats and wallabies, platypus, crocodiles, dingoes and so much more. Tracking
these, and Australia’s 700-plus bird species, is enough to unearth your inner David Attenborough,

17even if you didn’t until now know you had one.

Epicurean Delights

Australia plates up a multicultural fusion of European techniques and fresh Pacific-rim ingredients – aka
‘Mod Oz’ (Modern Australian). Seafood plays a starring role − from succulent Moreton Bay bugs to delicate
King George whiting. Of course, beer in hand, you’ll still find beef, lamb and chicken at Aussie barbecues.
Don’t drink beer? Australian wines are world-beaters: punchy Barossa Valley shiraz, Hunter Valley semillon
and cool-climate Tasmanian sauvignon blanc. Tasmania produces outstanding whisky too. Need a caffeine
hit? You’ll find cafes everywhere, coffee machines in petrol stations, and baristas in downtown coffee carts.

The Open Road

There’s a lot of tarmac across this wide brown land. From Margaret River to Cooktown, Jabiru to Dover, the best way to
appreciate Australia is to hit the road. Car  hire is relatively affordable, road conditions are generally good, and beyond
the big cities traffic fades away. If you’re driving a campervan, you’ll find well-appointed caravan parks in most sizable
towns. If you’re feeling adventurous, hire a 4WD and go off-road: Australia’s national parks and secluded corners
are custom-made for camping trips down the dirt road and classic desert tracks from Birdsville to Cape York have
adventure written all over them.

NEW ZEALAND

Get ready for mammoth national parks, dynamic Māori
culture, and world-class surfing and skiing. New Zealand
can be mellow or action-packed, but it’s always epic.

Walk on the Wild Side

There are just 4.8 million New Zealanders, scattered
across 268,021 sq km: bigger than the UK with one-
fourteenth of the population. Filling in the gaps are the
sublime forests, mountains, lakes, beaches and fiords
that have made NZ one of the best hiking (locals call it
‘tramping’) destinations on the planet. Tackle one of the
epic ‘Great Walks’ – you might’ve heard of the Heaphy and
Milford Tracks – or spend a few hours wandering along a
beach, paddling a canoe or mountain biking through some
easily accessible wilderness.

Māori Culture

New Zealand’s all-conquering All Blacks would never
have become back-to-back rugby world champions
without their unstoppable Māori players. But this is just
one example of how Māori culture impresses itself on
contemporary Kiwi life: across NZ you can hear Māori
language, watch Māori TV, join in a hāngi (Māori feast)
or catch a cultural performance with song, dance and a
blood-curdling haka (war dance). Māori design continues
to find expression in tā moko,Māori tattooing (often
applied to the face) and the delicate artistry of bone, shell
and pounamu(greenstone) sculpture.

100% Pure

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The Real ‘Big Easy’

New Zealand isn’t a place where you encounter many on-the-road frustrations: buses
and trains generally run on time; main roads are in good nick; ATMs proliferate; pick-
pockets, scam merchants and bedbug-ridden hostels are few and far between; and
the food is unlikely to send you running for the nearest public toilets (usually clean
and stocked with the requisite paper). And there are no snakes, and only one poison-
ous spider – the endangered katipo. This decent nation is a place where you can relax
and enjoy (rather than endure) your travels.

Food, Wine & Beer

British-influenced classics like fish and chips aren’t going anywhere, but NZ gastronomy has
come a long way, baby. Chefs in Auckland, Wellington and Napier borrow influences from as far
afield as South Pacific islands and Western Europe for creative takes on locally sourced lamb and
seafood like abalone, oysters and scallops. Meanwhile, the vegetarian and vegan food scenes
grow evermore prominent and inventive. Wash it all down with coffee culture, an edgy craft-beer
scene and legendary cool-climate wines (like sublime sauvignon blanc and pinot noir).future.

CROATIA

If your Mediterranean fantasies feature balmy days by
sapphire waters in the shade of ancient walled towns,
Croatia is the place to turn them into reality.

Coastal Croatia

Croatia’s extraordinary island-speckled coastline is
indisputably its main attraction. The first thing that strikes
you is the remarkable clarity of the water. When it’s set
against a dazzling white pebbly beach, it sparkles with
a jewel-like intensity in shades of emerald and sapphire.
There are long sandy and shingly stretches too – perfect
for lazy days spent lounging and devouring trashy holiday
novels. If that all sounds too relaxing, there are myriad
water-based activities at hand to lure you off your sun-
lounger – snorkelling, diving, kayaking, windsurfing and
sailing, just for starters.

The Edge of Empires

Precariously poised between the Balkans and central
Europe, this land has been passed between competing
kingdoms, empires and republics for millennia. If there’s
an upside to this continual dislocation, it’s in the rich
cultural legacy that each has left behind. Venetian palazzi
snuggle up to Napoleonic forts, Roman columns protrude
from early Slavic churches, and Viennese mansions face
off with Socialist Realist sculpture. Excellent museums
showcase treasures that cover the gamut of European
history, from the prehistoric to the post-communist,
telling a story that is in equal parts fascinating and
horrifying.

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FULL OF LIFE

Beauty on the Inside

Shift your gaze for just a moment from the glittering waters and chances are an almighty mountain will
loom into view. The Dinaric Alps, which stretch all the way from Italy to Albania, hug much of the coast.
The limestone karst has bequeathed a wonderland of craggy peaks, caverns, river canyons, waterfalls
and ridiculously picturesque lakes. Head further inland and things flatten out again into rolling farm-
land. Active types will find plenty of chances to get among it on the numerous hiking and biking trails,
while the more adventurous can have a go at rock climbing, rafting and zip-lining.

Cultural Feast

If you’re lucky enough to cross the tourist/guest barrier and be invited into a local’s home, you’ll soon become
acquainted with the refrain ‘Jedi! Jedi! Jedi!’ (Eat! Eat! Eat!). Sharing food and drink plays a big part in the culture
here, which speaks both to the nature of Croatian hospitality and to the quality of local produce. Simple home-style
cooking is a feature of family-run taverns, but increasingly a new breed of chefs are bringing a more adventurous
approach to the table. Meanwhile, Croatian wines and olive oils are making their mark on the world stage, garnering
top awards.

ICELAND

Hitting headlines, topping bucket lists, wooing nature lovers and dazzling increasing numbers of
visitors – there seems no end to the talents of this breathtaking northern destination

A Symphony of Elements

An underpopulated island marooned near the top of the globe, Iceland is, literally, a country in the
making. It’s a vast volcanic laboratory where mighty forces shape the earth: geysers gush, mudpots
gloop, ice-covered volcanoes rumble and glaciers cut great pathways through the mountains. Its
supercharged splendour seems designed to remind visitors of their utter insignificance in the greater
scheme of things. And it works a treat: some crisp clean air, an eyeful of the cinematic landscapes,
and everyone is transfixed.

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The Power of Nature

It’s the power of Icelandic nature to turn the prosaic into the extraordinary. A dip in a pool becomes a soak in
a geothermal lagoon; a casual stroll can transform into a trek across a glittering glacier; and a quiet night of
camping may mean front-row seats to the aurora borealis’ curtains of light, or the soft, pinkish hue of the midnight
sun. Iceland has a transformative effect on people, too – its sagas turned brutes into poets, and its stories
of huldufólk (hidden people) may make believers out of sceptics. Here you’ll find some of the world’s highest
concentrations of dreamers, authors, artists and musicians, all fuelled by their surrounds.

Inspired by
Iceland

0

Nordic Nirvana

Don’t for a minute think it’s all about the great outdoors. The counterpoint to so much natural
beauty is found in Iceland’s cultural life, which celebrates a literary legacy that stretches from
medieval sagas to contemporary thrillers by way of Nobel Prize winners. Live music is every-
where, as is visual art, handicrafts and locavore cuisine. The world’s most northerly capital is
home to the kind of egalitarianism, green thinking and effortless style that its Nordic brethren
are famous for – all of which is wrapped in Iceland’s assured individuality.

A Personal Experience

The warmth of Icelanders is disarming, as is their industriousness – they’ve worked hard to
recover from financial upheaval, and to transform Iceland into a destination that, thanks to its
popularity with visitors, can host more than seven times its population each year. Pause and
consider a medium-sized city in your country – then give it far-flung universities, airports and
hospitals to administer, 30-odd active volcanoes to monitor, and hundreds of hotels to run.
How might they cope? Could they manage as well as the Icelanders – and still have time left
over to create spine-tingling music and natty knitwear?

INDIA

A land of remarkable diversity – from ancient traditions and artistic heritage to magnificent landscapes
and culinary creations – India will ignite your curiosity, shake your senses and warm your soul.

The Great Outdoors

From the towering icy peaks of the northern mountains to the sun-washed beaches of the southern coast,
India’s dramatic terrain is breathtaking. Along with abundant natural beauties, exquisite temples rise
majestically out of pancake-flat deserts and crumbling fortresses peer over plunging ravines. Aficionados
of the great outdoors can scout for big jungle cats on wildlife safaris, paddle in the shimmering waters of
beautiful beaches, take blood-pumping treks high in the Himalaya, or simply inhale pine-scented air on a
meditative forest walk.

Food, Glorious Food

Brace yourself – you’re about to take one of the wildest culinary trips of your travelling life. Here you’ll fry,
simmer, sizzle, knead, roast and flip across a deliciously diverse repertoire of dishes. The hungry traveller
can look forward to a tasty smorgasbord of regionally distinct recipes, all with their own traditional
preparation techniques and presentation styles – from the competing flavours of masterfully marinated
meats and thalis to the simple splendour of vegetarian curries and deep-sea delights.

Incredible! India
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Expect the Unexpected

India tosses up the unexpected. This can be challenging, particularly for the first-time visitor: the poverty is
confronting, Indian bureaucracy can be exasperating and the crush of humanity may turn the simplest task
into a frazzling epic. Even veteran travellers find their nerves frayed at some point; yet this is all part of the
India ride. With an ability to inspire, frustrate, thrill and confound all at once, adopting a ‘go with the flow’
attitude is wise if you wish to retain your sanity. Love it or loathe it – and most travellers see-saw between
the two – to embrace India’s unpredictability is to embrace its soul.

Simply Soul Stirring

Spirituality is the common characteristic painted across the vast and varied canvas that is contemporary India. The
multitude of sacred sites and rituals are testament to the country’s long, colourful, and sometimes tumultuous, religious
history. And then there are its festivals! India hosts some of the world’s most divine devotional celebrations – from
formidable city parades celebrating auspicious events on the religious calendar to simple village harvest fairs that pay
homage to a locally worshipped deity.

SLOVENIA

An earthly paradise of snow-capped peaks, turquoise-green rivers and Venetian-style coastline, Slovenia
enriches its natural treasures with harmonious architecture, charming rustic culture and sophisticated
cuisine.

Jaw-Dropping Beauty

From the soaring peaks of the Julian Alps and the subterranean magic of Postojna and Škocjan caves, to
the sparkling emerald-green lakes and rivers and the short but sweet coastline along the Adriatic Sea, tiny

22Slovenia really does have it all. An incredible mixture of climates brings warm Mediterranean breezes up to
the foothills of the Alps, where it can snow even in summer. And with more than half of its total surface still
covered in forest, Slovenia does more than simply claim it’s ‘green’, it really is one of the greenest countries
on earth.

I feel Slovenia

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Outdoor Pursuits

Slovenia is first and foremost an outdoor destination. Local people favour active holidays, and you’ll be invited – even
expected – to join in. The list of activities on offer is endless, with the most popular pursuits being skiing, walking and
hiking in the mountains, and increasingly, cycling. Fast rivers like the Soča cry out to be rafted and there are ample
chances to try out more niche activities like horse riding, ballooning, caving and canyoning. If all this sounds a bit much,
you can always decamp to the coast and sunbathe on the Adriatic.

Architectural & Cultural Treasures

You might be forgiven for thinking that anything of beauty in this greenest of green lands is,
well, all natural. But it isn’t necessarily so. Where man intrudes is often to good effect, such
as at Lake Bled, where a tiny baroque chapel on a picturesque island and a dramatic castle
looming above complete a harmonious whole. The architecture is wonderfully varied: from the
Venetian harbour towns of the coast and the rustic Hungarian-style farmhouses of Prekmurje
to the Gothic churches of the Julian Alps and the art nouveau splendours of Ljubljana. The
museums are rich and the culture vibrant.

A Matter of Taste

Slovenian cooking borrows a little something from each of its neighbours – Italy, Austria,
Hungary and the Balkans – synthesising and reinventing dishes that emerge both familiar and
unique. Slovenians have an obsession for using only fresh and locally sourced ingredients.
The result is a terrific foodie destination, where you’ll sample dishes in unusual combinations,
featuring items like scrumptious pasta dumplings of potato, chives and bacon, salads drizzled
with nutty pumpkinseed oil, and multilayered gibanica, a wildly decadent dessert. Slovenian
wine is.

AUSTRIA

No country waltzes so effortlessly between the urban and the outdoors as
Austria. One day you’re cresting alpine summits, the next you’re swanning
around imperial Vienna.

Cue High Culture

Over centuries, the Habsburgs channelled immense wealth into the fine
arts and music, collecting palaces and castles the way others do stamps.
You’ll still feel their cultural reverberations in Austria today – be it watching
Lipizzaner stallions prance at the Spanish Riding School, or crossing
the Hofburg to eyeball Rubens masterpieces in the Kunsthistorisches
Museum, or Klimt and Schiele at the MuseumsQuartier. The work of
classical pop stars such as Mozart, Strauss, Mahler, Haydn and Schubert
echo as loudly as ever at lavishly gilded concert halls, and music festivals
like Salzburg Festival and Bregenzer Festspiele are staged against
uplifting lakeside or mountain backdrops.

River Deep, Mountain High

The journey really is the destination in Austria. Perhaps yours will be a
meandering one through deeply carved valleys, on railways that unzip the
Alps to thread improbably along sheer mountain flanks, past glaciers and
through flower-freckled meadows. Chances are, however, that such lyrical
landscapes will have you itching to leap onto a bicycle saddle or lace up
hiking boots to reach those enticingly off-the-radar corners of the country.
In winter, the slopes hum with skiers and boarders, while summer beckons
white-water rafters and canyoners to glacial rivers and lakes that sparkle
like gemstones. Der Berg ruft – the mountain calls!

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Arrive
and revive

3

Baroque And Beyond

Austria might conjure visions of wedding-cake-like baroque churches, dripping with lavish
detail, palatial Hapsburg headquarters like Schloss Schönnbrunn, and Gothic crowning glories
like the Stephansdom. But the country is more than the sum of its pomp and palaces. A fresh
breath of architectural air and a feel of new-found cool is sweeping through the cities, bring-
ing with it a happy marriage of the contemporary and historic. Some of the most eye-catching
icons are actually the newbies: Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier in revamped imperial stables, the
colour-shifting giant Rubik’s Cube that is Ars Electronica in Linz and the sci-fi ready Kunsthaus
Graz. Prepare to see Austria in a whole new light.

Food At the Source

Guess what? There’s more to Austrian cuisine than boot-sized schnitzels and dumplings
heavier than bowling balls. The country has come on in culinary leaps and bounds recently,
while staying true to its ethos of careful local sourcing. Vegan, organic, foraged, Slow Food:
they are more than just buzzwords. Whether you’re at a farmers market, a retro-style deli, a
cool new brunch spot or a Michelin-starred restaurant, the love of the land shines through time
and again. Asparagus in spring, Marille (apricots) in summer, mushrooms, game and new wine
in autumn – Austria likes its food to swing with the seasons and taste of the source.

UNITED STATES

OF

AMERICA

The great American experience is about so many things:
bluegrass and beaches, snow-covered peaks and
redwood forests, restaurant-loving cities and big open
skies.

Bright Lights, Big Cities

America is the birthplace of LA, Las Vegas, Chicago,
Miami, Boston and New York City – each a brimming
metropolis whose name alone conjures a million differ-
ent notions of culture, cuisine and entertainment. Look
more closely, and the American quilt unfurls in all its
surprising variety: the eclectic music scene of Austin,
the easygoing charms of antebellum Savannah, the eco-
consciousness of free-spirited Portland, the magnificent
waterfront of San Francisco and the captivating French
Quarter of jazz-loving New Orleans. Each city adds its
unique style to the grand patchwork that is America.

On the Road Again

This is a country of road trips and great open skies,
where 4 million miles of highways lead past red-rock
deserts, below towering mountain peaks and through
fertile wheat fields that roll off toward the horizon. The
sun-bleached hillsides of the Great Plains, the lush rain-
forests of the Pacific Northwest, the sultry swamplands
of the South and the scenic country lanes of New Eng-
land are a few fine starting points for the great Ameri-
can road trip. Veer off the interstate often to discover
the bucolic ‘blue highways’ of lore.

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All within your reach

Food-Loving Nation

On one evening in the US, thick barbecue ribs come piping hot at a Texas roadhouse, while chefs blend organic
produce with Asian accents at award-winning West Coast restaurants. Locals get their fix of bagels and lox at a
century-old deli in Manhattan’s Upper West Side and, several states away, plump pancakes and fried eggs dis-
appear under the clatter of cutlery at a 1950s-style diner. Steaming plates of lobster from a Maine pier, oysters
and champagne from a California wine bar, Korean tacos out of a Portland food truck – these are just a few
ways to dine à la Americana.

Cultural Behemoth

Guess what? There’s more to Austrian cuisine than boot-sized schnitzels and dumplings heavier than bowling
balls. The country has come on in culinary leaps and bounds recently, while staying true to its ethos of careful
local sourcing. Vegan, organic, foraged, Slow Food: they are more than just buzzwords. Whether you’re at a farm-
ers market, a retro-style deli, a cool new brunch spot or a Michelin-starred restaurant, the love of the land shines
through time and again. Asparagus in spring, Marille (apricots) in summer, mushrooms, game and new wine in
autumn – Austria likes its food to swing with the seasons and taste of the source.

CANADA

Canada is more than its hulking-mountain, craggy-coast good looks: it also cooks extraordinary meals, rocks cool
culture and unfurls wild, moose-spotting road trips

The Great Outdoors

The globe’s second-biggest country has an endless variety of landscapes. Sky-high mountains, glinting glaciers,
spectral rainforests and remote beaches are all here, spread across six times zones. It’s the backdrop for plenty of ah-
inspiring moments – and for a big cast of local characters. That’s big as in polar bears, grizzly bears, whales and,
everyone’s favorite, moose.The terrain also makes for a fantastic playground. Whether it’s snowboarding Whistler’s
mountains, surfing Nova Scotia’s swells or kayaking the white-frothed South Nahanni River in the Northwest Territories,
adventures abound. There are gentler options, too, like strolling Vancouver’s Stanley Park or swimming off Prince
Edward Island’s pink-sand beaches.

Captivating Cultures

Sip a café au lait and tear into a flaky croissant at a sidewalk bistro in Montréal; head to an Asian night market and
slurp noodles in Vancouver; join a wild-fiddling Celtic party on Cape Breton Island; kayak between rainforest-cloaked
Aboriginal villages on Haida Gwaii: Canada is incredibly diverse across its breadth and within its cities. You’ll hear it in
the music, see it in the arts and taste it in the cuisine.

25

Keep Exploring

Foodie Fare

Canada is a local food smorgasbord. If you grazed from west to east across the country, you’d
fill your plate like this: wild salmon and velvety scallops in British Columbia, poutine (golden
fries topped with gravy and cheese curds) in Québec, and lobster with a dab of melted butter in
the Maritime provinces. Tastemakers may not tout Canadian food the way they do, say, Italian
or French fare, so let’s just call the distinctive seafood, piquant cheeses, and fresh, seasonal
fruits and veggies our little secret. Ditto for the award-winning bold reds and crisp whites
produced from the country’s vine-striped valleys.

Artistic Flair

The arts are an integral part of Canada’s cultural landscape. You’ll find it from the International Fringe
Theater Festival (the world’s second-largest) in Edmonton to mega museums like Ottawa’s National
Gallery. Montreal’s Jazz Festival and Toronto’s star-studded Film Festival draw global crowds. And did
you know Ontario’s Stratford Festival is the continent’s largest classical repertory theater? Even places
you might not automatically think of – say, St John’s or Woody Point – put on renowned shindigs (an
avant-garde ‘sound symposium’ and a big-name writers festival, respectively).

CHILE

Chile is nature on a colossal scale, but travel here is surpris-
ingly easy if you don’t rush it

Meet a Land of Extremes

Preposterously thin and unreasonably long, Chile stretches
from the belly of South America to its foot, reaching from the
driest desert on earth to vast southern glacial fields. Diverse
landscapes unfurl over a 4300km stretch: parched dunes,
fertile valleys, volcanoes, ancient forests, massive glaciers and
fjords. There’s wonder in every detail and nature on a symphon-
ic scale. For the traveler, it’s mind-boggling to find this great
wilderness so intact. The human quest for development could
imperil these treasures sooner than we think. Yet for now, Chile
guards some of the most pristine parts of our planet, and they
shouldn’t be missed.

La Buena Onda

In Chile, close borders foster backyard intimacy – bookended
by the Andes and the Pacific, the country averages just 175km
wide. No wonder you start greeting the same faces. Pause
and it starts to feel like home. You’ve landed at the end of the
continent, and one thing that stands out at this final frontier
is hospitality. Buena onda (good vibes) means putting forth
a welcoming attitude. Patagonians share round upon round
of maté tea. The ritual of relating and relaxing is so integral to
the fabric of local life, it’s hardly noticed. But they do say one
thing: stay and let your guard down.

All are
Welcome