“I STARTED TO FALL IN LOVE with Philly slowly. I moved here for my relationship. I did not think of it as my home, since I was coming from Bangkok, where I had a full life. In my hometown [Yan Ta Khao in southern Thailand], my family took care of eve

At various points in history, the island’s capital has been under the control of Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Arabs, Germans, French, and Spanish—and their influences can be seen in the art, architecture, and food. Palermo’s notable center includes t

I don’t see how we’re making it to dinner,I said to my husband, Taylor,as we picked our way up a craggy hill, our backs to the North Atlantic.We were 13 miles intoa 43-mile, three-day trek across the Dingle Peninsula,Ireland’s westernmost promontory.

A GREAT HOTEL can define an entire trip. So each year, AFAR’s team of experts selects the world’s best new and renovated arrivals, whether it’s an Edwardian landmark in central London, a high-design hideaway in Marrakech, or a canvas-walled luxury ca

THIS PAST DECEMBER, I attended the International Luxury Travel Market in Cannes, France, the premier annual gathering for travel professionals. And in the 15 years of AFAR’s existence, I’ve never been more excited by what’s going on in the world of h

Every few years, Philly seems to undergo a pizza boom. The latest entry in must-have pies is the samosa pizza at Carbon Copy, a brewery in West Philly. A white pizza topped with potatoes and Madras curry oil, it is a contender for one of the city’s b

“I REMEMBER FONDLY being a kid in West Philly; there were a ton of eateries we would go to on Sundays. That was my food upbringing here, the local restaurants. Places like Big George’s were our Sylvia’s [an iconic soul food restaurant in Harlem, New

“I GREW UP ON Fourth Street and Dickinson in South Philly. I always liked drawing and art. My mom is a talented seamstress; she didn’t go to school for design, but she always made her own clothes and our Christmas and Easter outfits. I started sewing

For years, travelers have visited Philadelphia to experience stories written long ago: to walk in Benjamin Franklin’s footsteps, see the birth-place of the Declaration of Independence, and, of course, check out that broken bell. But the stories unfol

LIKE ANY SMALL TOWN that isn’t yours, Sambuca di Sicilia, located about an hour’s drive south of the Sicilian capital, Palermo, feels a little intimidating at first. Stroll its perimeter on a late afternoon in winter, when the sun sets the buildings

NEVADA IS SAID TO BE one of the most paranormally active places in the U.S.—making it an ideal destination for me, a person drawn to the odd and unusual. Ghosts and aliens have (allegedly) been spotted across the Silver State, but many unexplainable

“I GREW UP IN PHILLY, and yet I can probably count on one hand how many times I went to any of the museums. I remember being in high school, going to the Philly Museum of Art, and hearing people say words I had never heard of. It made me feel ‘less t

Planning trips these days can feel like a full-time job: flights to book, an itinerary to perfect, the best restaurants and hotel suites to reserve. Luckily, it literally is a full-time job for many knowledgeable people—and they’ll do all the plannin

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED languages. I began learning French and German in middle school, and by the time I graduated from high school, I had two years of upper-level French and Italian, three years of upper-level German, and a foundation in opera, which g

WALKING THE SANDY, winding streets of Shela—a village on the southeastern coast of Kenya’s Lamu Island—is an exercise in trusting the process. The island is essentially free of motor vehicles, and the alleyways are only wide enough for pedestrians an

THE LILTING TRICKLE of a lazy river. The gentle creak of a rope swing hung from a bald cypress branch. A belly full of barbecue and the smell of flowering bluebonnets, musky ashe juniper, and sunscreen in the air. There’s nowhere on Earth quite like

THE LAST REMAINING Buddhist kingdom in the world is not easy to reach, but that’s what makes arriving even more rewarding. As our pilot landed between 18,000-foot Himalayan peaks at Bhutan’s Paro International Airport (which looks more like a temple)

I HAD JUST ARRIVED in Fairbanks from Anchorage on the last northbound train of the season: nearly 12 hours spent snaking through spectacular scenery. Alaska truly comes alive in the fall—an immodest tapestry of golden yellows, earthy reds, and lush g

GROWING UP IN Los Angeles, I always felt it was so spread out that nothing quite tempted me to leave my neighborhood. Now, as an adult who recently returned from living in New York, I’m willing to battle traffic and get to know more of the city. From

Cross-border collaboration is the theme here, as these two cities, just 20 miles apart, share the World Design Organization’s biennial designation. That translates to a series of events in both places. La Frontera, an exhibition focused on jewelry de

The City of Light has been preparing to host the 2024 Summer Olympic Games and the Paralympics with signature French élan. (Swimming events in the Seine! BMX freestyle on the Place de la Concorde!) “There is much to consider if you want to be in Pari