#long-weekends

#long-weekends

La Maddalena, Sardinia, is home to the first national park of Sardinia, featuring mostly undeveloped beaches and a vibrant main town with restaurants and shops.

Choosing a honeymoon destination felt far harder than any assignment. This wasn't just another trip. As a queer woman, the list of potential destinations narrowed quickly.

"It's not exactly a dream vacation to come and be harassed by mosquitoes," says Hervé Bossin, director of the medical entomology laboratory at Tahiti's Institut Louis Malardé.

Staying at a hotel that sits on a natural hot spring allows you to feel connected to ancient geological processes, with mineral-rich waters bubbling beneath your feet.

A true wellness gathering is something far more ancient and far more urgent: it's any intentional space where humans are invited to arrive whole, body, mind, spirit, and leave more alive than when they walked in. That's it. That's the whole definition.

In 2027, Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on a weekend, providing two substitute bank holidays on December 27 and 28, leading to an extended holiday opportunity.

In 2025, travel didn't just return to pre-pandemic levels, it surpassed them, highlighting the growing strain on the world's most visited destinations.

I noticed this shift in my own life when I started having dinner with my partner most nights, phones deliberately tucked away in another room. We made this change after too many evenings disappeared into "just checking one thing" that turned into hours of parallel scrolling. The difference was immediate and profound. Conversations went deeper. We actually looked at each other. Time seemed to stretch in the best possible way.

On day five of an eight-day, 500-mile mountain bike race in Africa, Piers Constable found himself sprawled in the dirt for the second time. First he'd crashed on his left side, then on his right, until he was, in his own words, "muddied and bloodied," staring at a bike that was very much broken. He remembered a feed station a couple miles away and realized he had two choices: quit or run. He picked up the bike and ran.

As we plan our next break, research suggests we should look not to far-flung destinations, but to our own backyards. The staycation offers a compelling new model for deep mental restoration. This is not merely staying home, but a curated, intentional break grounded in the psychological science of recovery-one that challenges the notion that distance equals escape. In doing so, it provides a practical approach for rebuilding our cognitive and emotional reserves right where we are.

Last night I had a dream and you were in it, and I was in it with you. I was doing the packing I never did. Not sure how it started, that's how dreams go. But I was nervous that you might show up. Just like you were nervous I'd be there. Eventually you did show up, but your head was buzzed and dyed orange.

Running on regular dates through the summer months, Trekking Hellas's three-day, two-night odysseys in the Ionian Sea start in Nidri, on Lefkada, and paddle on past Skorpios to Meganisi, camping out at Lakka before continuing the next day to Mikros Gialos for a second night under the stars before turning for home. There are stops for swimming, resting and barbecues along the way, and some thrilling cave detours, but with about six hours of paddling a day, the minimum age is 14.

Back in chilly February, when you were bored at work, you didn't think twice about booking a wine tasting and zipline excursion back to back. By the time reality hits in July, you're desperately chugging water to try and stave off heat stroke. Just like that, your 'relaxing' getaway is not so relaxing at all.

They plan months ahead but stay flexible. The most successful budget holiday families start planning in January for their August trip. Not because they're control freaks, but because early planning opens up options that disappear later. This combination of advance planning and flexibility creates space for magic. When you're not stressed about finding last-minute accommodation at triple the price, you can say yes to that unexpected detour.

1. A cup holder snack tray converter so you can spend fewer road trips straining your arm while contorting it to hand individual Goldfish crackers from the front seat to the grabby hands in the back. 2. A pair of noise reduction ear muffs that'll cut back on the noise in your little's ears by 23 decibels and help muffle loud travel sounds, whether they're awake or asleep.

From walking gently through Kotor's ancient streets to building a soulful, high-end life abroad, this guide blends mindful travel with smart expat strategy.

My mother and I are at our best when unwinding on the beach with a piña colada in hand. It's not that we don't love adventurous travel; it's just that our travel styles are different. She's all about going with the flow, and I prefer to have a plan and a well-balanced itinerary. But one thing we both appreciate is a good tropical resort.

We're spoiled for choice when it comes to reasons to travel in 2026. Whether you plan to take a trip inspired by a favored period drama; want the best views of the solar eclipse on August 12; or hope to be the first to embark on a luxury train journey across Saudi Arabia, here are 26 things to be excited about as you plan this year's travels.