Sample Switzerland’s cities before heading for the hills

Swiss cities remind me of the kid at high school who’s great at sports, has perfect hair, the best girlfriend, and the teachers all love him. He’s just too perfect. Sometimes you just want to see him trip or get a pimple. For me — and most travelers — the country’s mountains provide more real [...]

Sun Valley, Idaho: History, celebrities and skiing

It seems everyone who spends time around Sun Valley has stories to tell of celebrity encounters. They stood in line at the bookstore last week behind Bruce Springsteen, or at Tully’s Coffee the other day with Arnold Schwarzenegger. They performed in community theater with Bruce Willis in neighboring Hailey or introduced themselves to Larry David [...]

Winter in Paris: A cool time to go local

The City of Light shines year-round, but Paris has a special appeal in winter. Sure, the weather can be cold and rainy (the average high in January is 43 degrees), but if you dress in layers, you’ll keep warm and easily deal with temperature changes as you go from cold streets to heated museums and [...]

2009 tourism down but NYC is top US destination

The number of visitors to New York City fell last year for the first time since 2001 when terrorists struck. But tourism declines elsewhere across the U.S. made it the most popular destination in the country for the first time in almost two decades, tourism officials said Monday. Mayor Michael Bloomberg painted the 3.9 percent [...]

London: 5 free things to do on a winter’s day

Prices in London have dropped in the last six months because businesses are running many sales and because the U.S. dollar has gained in buying power against the British pound. Yet London is still expensive. What many visitors don’t realize, though, is how much there is to do for free in the city—much of it [...]

Fantastic New Year’s Eve destinations

A couple million people will hit Brazil’s Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro as the final minutes of 2009 are counted down, ready for a mix of spiritual observances, fireworks and full-tilt partying. Thousands of miles away, a much more low-key style of New Year’s revelry will be happening on a tiny island off the [...]

Conde Nast Traveler offers tips for port calls

The price you pay to book a cruise is only part of the cost of your trip if you plan on taking any shore excursions. In the January issue of Conde Nast Traveler magazine, consumer news editor Wendy Perrin offers tips for getting the most out of your port calls and land tours. First, if [...]