Summer in Greenland
Into the Tundra “You might be the first person in history to set foot on that particular place,” veteran mountain guide Phil Wickens told passengers on a recent Quark Expeditions cruise as they prepared for a helicopter excursion to a Greenland ice sheet. Our sustainability correspondent, Jen Rose Smith, was there to chronicle the entire adventure, including a campout in the wilderness. Make for the Arctic at the link below, or, if beach clubs are more your summer speed, scroll on for this season’s hottest. Setting Sail on a Cruise with No Fixed Itinerary Seen through a helicopter’s wraparound windows, the Greenland ice sheet was the world. It blurred into a creamy sky on the distant horizon; its sinkholes and crevasses puckered to cerulean depths. As tiny figures waved us in toward a landing, I recalled the previous day’s briefing for this flight, which took me from the decks of the 199-passenger .. READ MORE From Bali to Italy, the Cabanas Are Calling Claim a sunbed, order that bottle of Whispering Angel, and let the sound of lapping waves – mingled with ambient DJ sets, of course – carry you into an afternoon of beachside bliss. Today, every seaside luxury hotel worth its weight in seafood towers has its own beach club. The best offer more than a perch by the water – they’re showing off buzzy fashion collaborations, menus from Michelin-fêted chefs, and immersive art installations. Below, nine compelling reasons to pack your swimsuit. READ MORE Tee Off in the World’s Next Great Golf Destination Traveling pulls me out of my usual routine, so I try to arrive somewhere with no agenda and give myself time to actually settle in. (I also always pack at least two books that I won’t end up reading.) Last December, my boyfriend and I spent New Year’s Eve in Fortaleza, Brazil – we took a dune buggy to an all-night party out on the beach. READ MORE This Soon-to-Debut Cruise Ship Is Made for Family-Friendly Getaways Fresh off the maiden voyage of the new 3,565-passenger Norwegian Luna in April, Norwegian Cruise Line is already gearing up to raise the bar. Next summer, the 3,879-passenger Norwegian Aura becomes the line’s fifth Prima Class vessel – and its largest. It will set sail in the Caribbean with a triple-deck amusement complex and superlatives aimed to please families, including more waterslides than any other Norwegian ship. READ MORE Where to Brunch, Bird-Watch, Swim, and Play in the Cayman Islands In the western Caribbean, the Cayman Islands beckon visitors with sun, sand, and sparkling sea. Beyond the postcard-worthy beaches, there’s more to experience in this tropical paradise: Grand Cayman and its Sister Islands, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, are home to buzzing restaurants, dramatic seaside cliffs, biodiverse coral reefs, and remote bird sanctuaries. READ MORE A Long Weekend in Istria, from the Wineries to the Sea In the western Caribbean, the Cayman Islands beckon visitors with sun, sand, and sparkling sea. Beyond the postcard-worthy beaches, there’s more to experience in this tropical paradise: Grand Cayman and its Sister Islands, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, are home to buzzing restaurants, dramatic seaside cliffs, biodiverse coral reefs, and remote bird sanctuaries. READ MORE Greenlandic chef Miki Siegstad shares what he’s been loving lately. Photo by Gajan Balan/Quark Expeditions. Packing: I usually bring two Fjällräven jackets: one for nice weather, and a water-repellent option. Listening to: Avicii for adventures, Caamp for chill vibes, and Blink-182 for all situations. Watching: Yes Theory on YouTube. I like their philosophy that a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet. Planning: I have a five-week trip coming up, to Reykjavík, Paris, Georgia, Armenia, Albania, Montenegro, and probably North Macedonia and Kosovo too. I’m looking forward to trying Georgian khinkali and khachapuri. Everyone is getting in on summer soccer prep. Even more hotel beach club news . Milan Design Week lives on at Marni x Cucchi through July 15. Ponant and The Ocean Agency just released a captivating polar image series . You deserve Neapolitan pizza at home Ready to travel? Let’s go. Connect Request A Quote
Go Wild
For our May Virtuoso, The Magazine cover story, writer Aaron Gulley and photographer Jen Judge spent time with 16-year-old eagle hunter and bona fide badass Aymoldyr Dayanbek, who became the second woman ever to win Mongolia’s Golden Eagle Festival in 2023. Their ten-day exploration of the country set the tone for our adventure issue, an edition full of expedition cruises (and what to pack for them), art-centric overnights, and more. Traveling to Mongolia Is a Steppe Back in Time Decked out in a snow-white Spyder hoodie with red webs stitched across the shoulders and faux-fur platform Crocs, 16-year-old Aymoldyr Dayanbek flicks through her Instagram feed and rapid-fire messages with friends, seemingly oblivious to the backdrop of western Mongolia’s glacier-licked Altai Mountains. But asked about falconry, the tradition of hunting with eagles practiced in these highlands for centuries, she ditches her phone and lights up. READ MORE Add Some Sparkle to Your Next Expedition Sailing In Svalbard, time loosens its grip. Under the midnight sun, Atlas Ocean Voyages’ 198-passenger World Voyager circumnavigates the islands round-trip from Longyearbyen in 11 nights, charting a course for glacier-carved fjords where polar bears roam and Arctic foxes dart across the tundra. Wildlife sightings and shifting ice guide shore landings and Zodiac safaris, while life on board revolves around lounge-hopping and the rooftop pool deck. A precision timepiece from Jaeger-LeCoultre is practically a necessity here: READ MORE Tee Off in the World’s Next Great Golf Destination Pebble Beach? Been there. St Andrews? Done that. The world’s most iconic golf destinations are worthy of repeat pilgrimages, but few places pair marquee courses with off-the-green diversions like Southeast Asia does. Over the past several years, many of the game’s greatest architects have designed and helped open new courses across Thailand and Vietnam, from seaside links to jungle-hugged layouts and pristine parkland stunners. READ MORE This Soon-to-Debut Cruise Ship Is Made for Family-Friendly Getaways Fresh off the maiden voyage of the new 3,565-passenger Norwegian Luna in April, Norwegian Cruise Line is already gearing up to raise the bar. Next summer, the 3,879-passenger Norwegian Aura becomes the line’s fifth Prima Class vessel – and its largest. It will set sail in the Caribbean with a triple-deck amusement complex and superlatives aimed to please families, including more waterslides than any other Norwegian ship. READ MORE Where to Hike, Bike, and Kayak in 2026 Our take: The scenic route is always worth it – especially in the fall, when Alpine summits and pastoral valleys greet travelers with crisp temperatures and vibrant foliage. Backroads’ small-group and private hiking, cycling, and multi-adventure tours fully immerse travelers in the world’s most desirable locales, from the Canadian Rockies to Thailand’s tropical beaches. READ MORE Jimmy Millán, one of six artists-in-residence at Almanac Barcelona, shares what he’s been loving lately. Packing: Black and red Sharpie permanent markers, along with a notebook for sketches. You never know where creativity is going to come from. Reading: The biography of Archer Milton Huntington, the founder of the Hispanic Society of America. Listening to: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, along with a mix of Latin fusion and jazz. Dreaming of: The U.S. is at the top of my list. I want to experience New York City’s energy, the creative spirit of Los Angeles, Chicago’s architectural presence, the cultural depth of New Orleans, and the atmosphere of San Francisco. This summer, Napa celebrates 50 years since the Judgement of Paris. Leaky concealer has stained its last suitcase. The NYC subway symphony. A Schiaparelli deep dive is on at London’s V&A through November. The new La DoubleJ x Belmond Villa San Michele collection is pure Florentine decadence. Ready to travel? Let’s go. Connect Request A Quote
Spotlight On
Welcome to a special South Korea-focused edition of our newsletter. I’m just back from a week in Seoul for Virtuoso’s annual Symposium, a luxury-travel-industry meeting of the minds. My first visit to South Korea’s megacity – population 10 million! – was an immersion in K-beauty (top find at Olive Young, the country’s answer to Sephora: Round Lab Birch Juice sunscreen), street food (I loved the hodugwaja, walnut cakes with custard filling), and gracious hospitality. Highlights included a morning run along the Han River, a traditional 18-step head spa session at a Park Jun salon (my scalp is glowing), and wandering through shops and cafés in the 600-year-old alleyways of Jongno-gu near Gyeongbokgung Palace – a spot-on recommendation from Conrad Seoul chief concierge Chloe Kim, who shared her hometown insider’s picks. City Guide: Next-Gen Seoul South Korea’s capital keeps leveling up its cool factor. These days, Seoul draws travelers seeking the viral Rejuran (salmon DNA) facial’s lit-from-within glow, post-treatment skincare products recommended by bubbly staff at any of the city’s hundreds of Olive Young branches, READ MORE How to Spend a Day in Coastal- Cool Busan Take Seoul's cosmopolitan energy, buzzing markets, and epic shopping, throw in some balmy weather and gorgeous beaches, and you’ve got Busan. South Korea’s second-largest city, which sits on the southeastern edge of the Korean Peninsula, pairs street food with seaside breezes, traditional artisan shops READ MORE Four Must-Visit Cocktail Bars in Seoul For a long time, Seoul’s bar scene was dominated by beer, Korean spirits soju and makgeolli, and etiquette such as receiving drinks with two hands. Then, in 2015, Speakeasy Mortar opened in the city’s glamorous Hannam-dong neighborhood, marked by all the usual trappings (discreet address, robust whisky selection, no-photos-allowed policy). The bar quickly captured the attention of a younger, more creative generation of entrepreneurs eager to rewrite the nightlife norms in their hometown. READ MORE Soohyang Kim , founder of Korean home fragrance brand Soohyang , shares what she’s been loving lately. Photography by Ninevon Studio. Packing: Korean surprises – the best way to make instant friends abroad. Reading: Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra – one page at a time, for years now. Watching: Drive to Survive , the Netflix Formula 1 documentary Dreaming of: Darjeeling, India. I want to watch tea-leaf harvesting under a full moon. Ready to travel? Let’s go. Connect Request A Quote
Hot on the Scene
Two hotels recently opened their doors along Venice’s canals, in time to welcome the well-heeled set flocking to the upcoming Biennale. We’re eyeing Airelles Palladio, Venezia and Orient Express Venezia for Euro summer this year, and elswhere, a Ritz-Carlton that’s camouflaged in the Riviera Nayarit jungle and Faena’s theatrical NYC debut. Catch up on the new properties we’re loving below, and take a moment to share what traveling sustainably means to you in our (short!) survey. The Best New Hotels of 2026 (So Far) With the April opening of Orient Express Venezia, two emblems of cross-cultural contact – the fabled sleeper train and the floating city – finally meet. The 47-room hotel’s home is Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, a fifteenth-century noble residence built under the supervision of Filippo Calendario (mastermind of the Doge’s Palace), and gently ushered into the twenty-first century by Aline Asmar d’Amman, the designer behind the Eiffel Tower’s restaurant. READ MORE What Does Responsible Travel Mean to You? Take our 12-question survey. Take The Quiz City Guide: Silver Lake’s Indie Spirit Quiet bohemian enclave no longer, Silver Lake reigns as Los Angeles’ vintage-wearing, music-loving life of the party. Despite its popularity, Silver Lake – five miles north of downtown – keeps its east side independent streak alive. Long-standing boutiques such as Broome Street General Store and Rockaway Records share walkable hillside streets with a beloved, twice-weekly farmers’ market and some of the city’s most coveted modernist homes. READ MORE How to Spend a Sun-Soaked Week on Antigua The Caribbean is synonymous with beautiful beaches, and Antigua has some of the most (and best) of them – one for every day of the year, to be exact. It’s possible to spend an entire week languishing on just the island’s west coast, where one of its most pristine stretches of white sand, Galley Bay, forms a gently arcing crescent, sheltered by verdant bluffs at either end. READ MORE This Los Cabos Resort Takes Dining Seriously Food-truck fish tacos, garden-to-glass cocktails, pristine Pacific-sourced sushi – Los Cabos’ diverse dining scene spoils travelers. They can access it all across the six restaurants (plus two bars and a Champagne terrace) at the 112-room Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal. Nestled within one of Cabo San Lucas’ most prestigious neighborhoods – fronting a boulder-framed private beach where the ocean meets the Sea of Cortés – Waldorf Astoria reopened last fall after a multiyear renovation. READ MORE Étienne Petitpez, general manager at Airelles Palladio, Venezia, shares what he’s been loving lately. Packing : My Whoop band and Ethical Nutrients magnesium tablets to help manage travel fatigue. Reading : Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. Dreaming of : A safari at Singita Sabi Sand. Vote for Virtuoso, The Magazine in the American Society of Magazine Editors Best Cover contest! Just “like” your favorite cover: samba in Rio is here , and Lake Como’s Passalacqua is here . Chicago fine-dining icon Alinea celebrates 20 years with a Las Vegas residency this spring. NYC’s contemporary-art hub, New Museum, reopens tomorrow after a two-year closure and expansion. A for your next car trip. Pianist Max Richter’s pieces inspired by Krug Champagne have us ready for a stroll in the French countryside. Ready to travel? Let’s go. Connect Request A Quote
Just Add Water
Spring forward with the latest Virtuoso, The Magazine. We’re beaching it in the Adriatic, highlighting the joys of small-ship cruising, and catching up with chef Curtis Stone for his Playa del Carmen recs. Scroll on to take the plunge. This Cruise Was the Best Way to Get a Taste of My Croatian Heritage At a wooden table inside a restaurant near the trailhead at Kamacnik Canyon, I shared platters of local cheese, deer salami, and fresh vegetables with my fiancé, Mak; about a dozen of our fellow travelers; and our guide, Smila, who declared the canyon “the greenest place on earth.” READ MORE Take on Japan, the Med, and More, Small-Ship Style Fishing boats bearing colorful banners waved us into Uwajima on Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s major islands. Our ship, the Abercrombie & Kent-chartered Soléal, docked in the port city, which rarely sees cruise calls, for an architecture tour in the nearby towns of Ozu and Uchiko. READ MORE Packing a Sketchbook Helped Me Travel Deeper By the time the bartender slid my amaretto sidecar onto the marble counter, I’d sketched a few outlines in my notebook: pink granite, a buttery bit of seaweed, a lonely-looking pine cloaked in pale lichen. That morning, I’d walked through spruce forest on Ship Harbor Trail to a rocky headland in Maine’s Acadia National Park. READ MORE AmaWaterways Adds New Ships, Sailings, and Programs in 2026 As the largest cruise line devoted exclusively to plying the world’s major rivers, AmaWaterways has long set the standard with its elegant fleet, diverse onboard programming, immersive shore excursions, and expert-led specialty itineraries. This year, it continues to raise the bar. READ MORE What to Expect on an Expedition Cruise to Norway’s Svalbard Archipelago There are beautiful coastlines and ancient history, of course, but it’s what’s on the plate that makes the Mediterranean’s most alluring destinations truly appetizing. Luxury small-ship cruise line Silversea celebrates the Med’s gourmet cachet through S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste), its comprehensive culinary program that brings an authentic, locavore focus to onboard dining, cooking classes, shipboard talks, and exclusive shore excursions. READ MORE Curtis Stone, the chef behind Woodend at Maroma, a Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya, shares what he’s been loving lately. Packing: Timekettle translator earbuds. I don’t need to do much prep; I just speak into them, and the earbuds translate in real time. Reading: Dish magazine from New Zealand, and I read The New York Times online every morning. Referencing: The Italian app Osterie d’Italia highlights restaurants focused on natural, local, and slow food. I’ve found some incredibly authentic places through it. Dreaming of: Korea! I’ve never been and would love to go. I’d also love to take my wife back to Cartagena, which is a beautiful place. Beach season is coming – prep with a Ritz-Carlton x Kilometre Paris bag . Singapore’s acclaimed 1,300-bottle gin bar, Atlas, has launched its own version of the spirit . California may be in for a superbloom this spring. A global history of macaroni and cheese? Yes, please. Ready to travel? Let’s go. Connect Request A Quote
The Best Holiday-Season Stays
12 Better-than-Hallmark Holiday Season Escapes There’s no place like home for the holidays – but there might be someplace better. The platonic ideal of a December hotel, cruise, or tour doesn’t just take travelers from their ho-hum hangouts – it places them inside a faraway snow globe, perusing village markets and skating across frozen ponds. Or it transports them to the tropics, swapping brrrs for blankets of white sand. These holiday escapes take the stress out of Christmas travel: Gravy dinners are a given, Santa Claus is coming, and checking into a tinseled suite is just the start of the fun. READ MORE Five Things We Love: Fairmont Golden Prague Fairmont Golden Prague reopened in April 2025 after a five-year-long renovation, but the 1974 Brutalist building’s past is intentionally kept in view. From its perch on the Vltava riverfront in Prague’s UNESCO-listed Old Town, the building still presents its sharp concrete profile; inside, though, the atmosphere shifts. Earthy color palettes soften the architecture, while handblown glass, sculpted wood, marble floors, and gilded detailing bring in warmth and texture. READ MORE Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: On Adventure and Aging In a country as large as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, knowing where to start is key. Stretching 800,000 square miles across the Arabian Peninsula, with expansive direct access to both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, Saudi Arabia spans ancient wonders to modern marvels, encompassing archaeological sites, neo-Islamic architecture, sustainable coastal landscapes, and new design-forward hotels. READ MORE This Mexico Resort Is a Magnet for Multigenerational Families On a balinese daybed on a morning graced with gentle breezes, I’m surrounded by the swish of rope, the clink of hardware, and Adriatic waves lapping against the idling hull of the Sea Cloud Spirit. Twenty-two crew members run rigging across the decks and up the masts to unleash more than an acre of bright-white canvas over the tall ship. The intricate process unfolds with the Croatian coastline as a distant backdrop. READ MORE Meet the Riviera Maya Retreat that Connects Guests to the Real Mexico Nestled between the jungle and a quiet Caribbean cove, the 349-room Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya doesn’t skimp on options for unwinding, from its soothing and sophisticated jungle-meets-ocean design and secluded white-sand beach to the private plunge pools in every suite and the cenote-inspired spa. But when it’s time to explore, the choices are just as expansive. READ MORE Christelle Hilpron, general manager of Cheval Blanc St-Barth , shares what she’s been loving lately. Packing: The small leather envelope Cheval Blanc gifts to guests – it’s perfect for keeping all my travel documents in one place. Reading: Belle Greene by Alexandra Lapierre, a portrait of a brilliant, strong-willed woman ahead of her time. Watching: Downton Abbey – I find it’s an echo of l’art de recevoir , which is so essential in the hospitality world. Dreaming of: The Norwegian fjords, for a change of scenery from tropical Saint Bart’s. chic winter coat for the Volvo driver in your life. At long last, the Grand Egyptian Museum is officially open , with King Tutankhamun’s tomb as a centerpiece. If you’rx`e planning to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in the U.S., keep an eye out for Jewel on Holland America Line’s float . Renoir’s sketches are now on display at NYC’s Morgan Library & Museum. A must-have Golden State souvenir: Chocolatiers andSons collaborated with Ed Ruscha on a limited-edition Made in California bar. Ready to travel? Let’s go. Connect Request A Quote
What We Learned at Virtuoso Travel Week 2025
This August, Virtuoso Travel Week once again transformed Las Vegas into the global capital of luxury travel. More than 4,800 travel advisors, hoteliers, tour operators, cruise executives, and destination representatives gathered for a whirlwind of meetings, panels, announcements, parties, impromptu confabs, and a glittery gala night celebrating Virtuoso, The Magazine’s 25th anniversary. READ MORE 11 of This Year’s Splashiest New Hotels Call it a hot take, but that first flop onto a crisp hotel bed after the suitcases have been stowed might be a contender for the best moment of any trip. The next best thing: a yuzu-scented soak in a hinoki-wood bathtub (or maybe it’s afternoon tea on a terrace looking out at Bangkok’s skyscrapers). This year, new hotels are popping up in choice enclaves around the world, from Tokyo’s Shibaura to the Entertainment District in Toronto. READ MORE These Southwest U.S. Via Ferratas Rival Europe’s Alpine Classics By the time I reached the aptly named “Main Event” – a 200-foot cliffside traverse midway through Colorado’s mile-and-a-half-long Telluride Via Ferrata – I was still finding my rhythm. Wearing a climbing harness rigged with Y-shaped lanyards and locking carabiners, I clipped onto safety cables that were present along some sections of the route. Strategically placed iron rungs – via ferrata means “iron way” in Italian – offered just enough cues to follow upward, even if some ledges barely had room for a toe tip. Fortunately, my guide kept me focused. READ MORE One of Mexico’s Best Resorts Is About to Debut a Fresh New Look Arriving at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal is nothing short of cinematic. Travelers get to the 112-room cliffside resort via the iconic Dos Mares tunnel. Halfway along the nearly 1,000-foot-long passage, which cuts through the mountains and is illuminated by chandeliers hanging from its arched stone ceilings, the buzz from Cabo San Lucas’ lively downtown fades, and guests emerge at a serene beachside retreat where the Pacific collides with the Sea of Cortés. READ MORE Request A Quote
