General Travel

Mallorca has some of the best beaches and summer nightlife in Spain but if you want to get away from the crowds, hang in its capital of Palma de Mallorca in the fall. It rained on me every day last week but there’s still plenty to do and see. The oceanscape is beautiful, the cathedral is one of Spain’s greatest buildings and the cuisine is superb. Just bring a raincoat.

You think of Nottingham and you think of Robin Hood. Come to Nottingham and you’ll come away thinking of good times, good beer and a vibrant city. I spent four days here last month and the debate about Robin Hood’s existence still rages, just like the nights do.

Sandwich, England, is a perfectly preserved medieval village and ideal for a weekend away from the chaos of London 1 hour and 45 minutes to the north.

I attended the World Travel Market, one of the biggest travel fairs in the world, and I saw encouraging signs of countries opening up and restrictions lightening. It still has a long ways to go.

It’s a major adjustment from the U.S. to Italy and from Italy to Puglia. For transplanted New Jersey girl Annamaria Borelli, it’s a life she always dreamed about.

The Black Forest was apparently the inspiration for Grimm’s Fairy Tales although there’s no concrete evidence it’s true. What is true is the aptly named forest is a wonderland of outdoor natural fun from an endless maze of hiking trails to spas throughout the region. We spent four days bouncing from hiking trails to the Jacuzzi to an exquisite dining table.

The 2008 film “Mamma Mia!” made Skopelos famous and made a tiny church atop a 300-foot cliff one of the world’s ideal places to get married. Now couples from all over come to this little Greek island for their ceremony. They say it’s more romantic than you can imagine and less hassle than you’ll believe.

Tortoreto is a little-known corner of the little-know region of Abruzzo where tourists are sparse but culture rich. Tortoreto stretches from the beaches of the Adriatic to hill towns staring out at the Gran Sasso mountain range. It’s hard to reach but worth every step.