Destinations

UAE capital — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi, F1 Yas Marina, quieter desert luxury alternative to Dubai.

'Place of turtles' — sea turtle nesting beach, swim-with-turtles by day. Half Moon Bay snorkel cove, Yal-Ku Lagoon. The smallest, quietest of the Riviera Maya stops.

Cliffside pastel villages above turquoise Tyrrhenian — Positano, Ravello, Amalfi.

Bahamas' largest, least-developed island. World-record bonefishing flats, the Andros Barrier Reef (third largest in the world), blue holes for diving. Kamalame Cay private-island lodge. The off-grid Bahamas.

Sister island to St. Martin, 5 minutes by ferry. 33 white-sand beaches, no chain resorts, Cap Juluca/Belmond and Aurora the anchors. The beach-quality champion of the Caribbean.

'365 beaches — one for every day.' Nelson's Dockyard UNESCO sailing-history site, Antigua Sailing Week, Half Moon Bay. The sailing-history Caribbean.

'One Happy Island' — outside the hurricane belt, year-round 28°C, divi-divi-tree shoreline. Four distinct vacation regions: Palm Beach high-rise, Eagle Beach low-rise, Noord/Tierra del Sol golf, Oranjestad capital.

The cradle of Western civilization — Acropolis, Plaka tavernas, modern arts under ancient stones.

700+ islands across 100,000 sq mi. Eleuthera's pink sand, Exumas' swimming pigs, Nassau's Atlantis, Andros' fly-fishing flats — eight distinct vacation regions, each with its own airstrip.

Iconic Canadian Rockies — Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, ski-and-soak heritage town.

Frenetic, layered city — temples, river markets, world-tier street food, glittering rooftop bars.

England's old crown jewel. Sandy Lane on the Platinum Coast, Oistins fish-fry Friday nights, the rum-distillery birthplace, surf at Bathsheba. The British-feel Caribbean.

Mediterranean Catalan capital — Gaudí architecture, beaches, tapas, late-night culture.

Storybook Bavarian Alps — Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles, alpine villages (Garmisch, Mittenwald, Berchtesgaden).

7-square-mile yacht-haven island just south of St. Vincent. Princess Margaret Beach, Friendship Bay, model-boat-building heritage. The yachtsman's quiet-Caribbean pick.

Edgy German capital — divided history, Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, Berghain, world-class techno scene.

Atlantic, not Caribbean — closer to NYC than Miami. Pink-sand beaches (Horseshoe Bay), British-colonial Hamilton, the historic Royal Naval Dockyard. Cooler climate; spring and fall are peak.

Forested mountains — Baden-Baden thermal baths, cuckoo-clock villages, Triberg waterfalls, Black Forest cake at the source.

Italy's culinary capital — tagliatelle al ragù, mortadella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, balsamic vinegar nearby, oldest university in Europe.

World's #1 shore-diving destination — the entire coast is a marine park, drive yourself to 90+ named dive sites. Pink-flamingo salt flats. Outside hurricane belt; quietest of ABC islands.

West-of-Nassau resort strip anchored by Baha Mar — three megaresorts (SLS, Rosewood, Grand Hyatt), 18-hole Royal Blue golf course, ESPA spa. The contemporary mega-resort alternative to Atlantis.

23-km strip of beachfront mega-resorts. Ritz-Carlton, Nizuc, Le Blanc, Live Aqua, Hyatt Ziva. The big-resort Mexican Caribbean default — easy CUN access, dependable family scene, abundant nightlife.

Stunning coastal city beneath Table Mountain — wine country, beaches, history, Cape of Good Hope.

Walled colonial Caribbean port — cobblestone alleys, salsa nights, pristine Rosario Islands.

British Overseas Territory; offshore-banking-clean, English-speaking, US-flight-direct from Miami/Atlanta/NYC. Seven Mile Beach, Stingray City, world-class diving wall, the Cayman Cookout culinary festival.

Five rainbow-colored cliff villages above the Ligurian Sea — pesto, focaccia, vertical hiking trails.

Verdant Ionian island — Venetian fortresses, olive groves, beaches, classical Italianate Old Town.

World's #2 dive destination after the Great Barrier Reef — Palancar, Santa Rosa Wall, Columbia Reef. Mesoamerican Reef System protected zone. Cruise-port Tuesday-Friday.

Largest Greek island — Minoan ruins (Knossos), Chania harbor, gorges (Samaria), Cretan Diet at its source.

Largest of the ABC islands. Willemstad's UNESCO pastel facades + floating market, Klein Curaçao day-trip, Pietermaai dining scene. Outside hurricane belt.

Inca heart of Peru — Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu access, vibrant Quechua culture.

The largest, most varied Caribbean nation. Punta Cana all-inclusive belt, La Romana golf-resort coast, Samaná whale-watching, Santo Domingo's UNESCO colonial zone, Puerto Plata adventure coast.

Hyper-modern desert metropolis — Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, world's largest mall, ski-in-the-desert, gold souk.

Walled medieval city above the Adriatic — Game of Thrones backdrop, sailing, oysters.

Low-rise zoning law keeps it quiet — TripAdvisor's #1 Caribbean beach for years. Bucuti & Tara, Manchebo, Boardwalk Boutique. The famous fofoti tree. Adults-friendly, low-key luxe.

Nelson's Dockyard UNESCO Georgian-naval site. Antigua Sailing Week home base. Hermitage Bay, the Inn at English Harbour. The history-and-yachting Antigua.

Restored Georgian-Caribbean port town between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. Royal Caribbean cruise terminal, Luminous Lagoon (the world's brightest bioluminescent bay), Greenwood Great House.

Renaissance birthplace — the Duomo, the Uffizi, Michelangelo's David, leather markets, Tuscan tables.

Cayman's capital — duty-free shopping, cruise port, the National Museum, Eden Rock dive site. The walkable-and-near-airport Cayman base for short stays.

Eleuthera's main settlement — pastel colonial houses, French Leave Beach, Pineapple Fields. The genuinely off-the-beaten-path Bahamas pick (no pink sand crowds). Reached via GHB airport.

Turks & Caicos' tiny historic capital island. Cockburn Town's Bermudian-colonial architecture, the Wall (a 7,000-ft underwater drop-off for divers). Cruise day-stop, low-key overnight choice.

Sandals Emerald Bay + Grand Isle Resort + Embrace Resort. Day-trip to swimming pigs at Big Major Cay, Thunderball Grotto, Iguana Beach. The accessible-Exumas (vs fly-in-only Staniel/Musha).

St. Barts' Swedish-colonial harbor capital. Le Carl Gustaf overlooks the harbor; mega-yacht season Dec-Mar. Walkable shopping, Le Sereno's beach, Shell Beach. The harbor-luxe pick.

Hanseatic port — Elbphilharmonie, Speicherstadt warehouses, Reeperbahn, North Sea gateway.

Bermuda's capital — Front Street pastel storefronts, Hamilton Princess (the social anchor), walkable colonial center. The urban + Tucker's Town high-luxury (Rosewood) zone.

'Briland' — three miles long, the world-famous pink-sand beach, golf-cart-only locals scene. The aspirational small-island Bahamas pick — Coral Sands, Pink Sands, The Dunmore. Reached via ELH airport + 10-min ferry.

Sand-street car-free island in the Yum Balam reserve. Pink lakes (Punta Mosquito), bioluminescent sea (May-Oct), no ATMs, no banks. Tulum-vibe but more remote — the 'next Tulum' bohemian-luxe.

Elbow Cay's pastel-cottage village — the candy-striped Hope Town Lighthouse, sailing-yacht harbor culture, conch shacks. Reached via MHH + 30-min ferry. Sailor's-Bahamas pick.

Swiss adventure capital between two lakes — Jungfraujoch 'Top of Europe', paragliding, Lauterbrunnen waterfalls, Wengen.

7-km island ferry-hop from Cancún. Playa Norte (frequently top-5 Caribbean beach), whale shark season Jun-Sep, golf-cart-only locals scene. The day-trip-or-overnight Cancún alternative.

Reggae's island home. Mountain rainforest, white-sand beaches, world-famous coffee in the Blue Mountains, and seven distinct vacation regions sharing two airports.

Curaçao's resort/beach-club zone. Papagayo Beach Club, Zanzibar, Mambo Beach. The dining-scene-and-pool-day Curaçao pick (vs urban Willemstad).

West-coast resort area. Sandals Grande Antigua, COCOS Hotel, Cocobay. The family/AI Antigua zone — calmer Caribbean water than Atlantic-facing east.

Reggae's living capital. Bob Marley Museum, Trench Town Culture Yard, Devon House jerk + ice cream, Blue Mountain coffee tours, the National Gallery — the only Caribbean city with serious urban-cultural depth.

Imperial capital for a thousand years — temples, tea ceremonies, geisha districts, kaiseki cuisine.

Casa de Campo Resort — the Pete Dye Teeth of the Dog (Caribbean's #1 golf course), Altos de Chavón Mediterranean village. The serious-golf and luxury-villa Caribbean pick.

Quintessential Italian-lake glamour — Bellagio, Varenna, Villa del Balbianello, mountains rising from glass-blue water.

Casino mega-resort city, world-tier entertainment and dining, gateway to the Grand Canyon and Red Rock.

Lakeside Swiss postcard — Chapel Bridge, Lake Lucerne paddle steamers, Mt. Pilatus and Rigi by cog rail.

Italian-speaking Swiss lakeside elegance — palm-lined promenades, San Salvatore, gateway to Bellinzona's castles.