TRAVEL NEWS

When it comes to stunning natural wonders, Norway’s mountains and fjords just scratch the surface.

Regardless of which region you visit, Norway has lots of scenic surprises in store, from glaciers and ancient rock formations to waterfalls and wildlife. The following 15 hikes take in several of the country’s best natural wonders, including some with truly photo-worthy views.

The mantra: practice good hygiene and avoid unnecessary physical contact.

Awkwardly dilly-dallying outside a shop until someone offers to get the door for me. Standing by a crosswalk silently willing the pedestrian next to me to hit the button. These have long been regular habits of mine—even years before the coronavirus pandemic hit. As an extreme germaphobe, I look for ways to minimize physical contact with people and things in everyday life situations, and the pandemic has significantly heightened my awareness of my actions. These quirky habits have spilled into all parts of my life including travel, and over the years, I’ve developed a collection of tricks that have helped me reduce my exposure to germs and harmful bacteria, which have allowed me to stay healthy and safe when I’m on the road. Here are 10 tips I’ve used for a long time that everyone should be using right now.

Check out some of our editors’ favorite local businesses at the moment!

Shopping local has become more important than ever, with family-owned and small businesses being hit harder than most by the pandemic. While we usually use this column to talk about the things that brought us joy this past month, we wanted to use that platform to instead to draw attention to the small-businesses we love and have been frequenting in our own neighborhoods. From coast to coast, these are the local restaurants, roasteries, bars, and shops we think your dollar would be well-spent at.

From caves lined with skeletons to a temple next to a luxury jungle lodge, these 10 ancient sites are something you have to see to believe.

Belize’s Mayan archaeological sites may not generate the buzz that Mexico’s Chichén Itzá, Honduras’s Copán, and Guatemala’s Tikal receive, but they are no less grand. One of Belize’s greatest adventures is ogling at the impressive structures, which were built in the ancient Mayan era from the start of the Preclassic period (2600 BC) to the decline of the Classic period (AD 900). At its peak, an estimated two million Maya lived in what is today Belize, over five times the country’s present population. Here are Belize’s most famous Mayan ruins, bearing names in Spanish, English, or modern Mayan, their original names lost to history.

You may not be able to go to Europe’s most glamorous coastline right now, but you can still dream about it.

With 115 km (71 miles) of coastline, the Côte d’Azur is synonymous with its legendary beaches (plages in French). Although all are beautiful to behold, each one has its own unique character, from glamorous St-Tropez and St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat to the paradisiacal calanques. In high season—from mid-June through September—sun worshipers jostle for a position on pretty much every Riviera beach. The beaches on the Riviera are a mix of public and private, with hotels and restaurants occupying long swaths of beachfront reserved for paying customers. There are usually public areas interspersed, but they can be quite crowded—and hard to spot—in summer. The true public beaches usually have no lifeguards or rental chairs and are free. Public beaches “en régie” (meaning they’re run by town authorities) offer public showers and beach rentals for a small entrance fee. Municipal beaches are usually “supervised,” meaning there are lifeguards on hand. Dogs are forbidden on all beaches and smoking is increasingly frowned upon. For an introduction to the Riviera’s glittering world of fun in the sun, here are 10 of the region’s most idyllic beaches.