Montenegro: Ten Days on the Adriatic
From the border crossing at Vitaljina to the cement swimming platforms of Perast, a family trip through Herceg Novi, Petrovac, Kotor, and the Bay of Kotor.
Barrandov Studios: Hollywood on the Vltava
On the southern edge of Prague, one of Europe’s largest film studios has been quietly turning out blockbusters for nearly a century — and you can visit.
Bohemian Switzerland
Where the Elbe cuts through northwest Bohemia, sandstone towers rise from dense pine forest in formations so improbable they look designed. Europe’s largest natural arch, a gorge navigable only by flat-bottomed boat, and some of the region’s most dramatic hiking — all within reach of Prague.
Kutná Hora
An hour east of Prague, Kutná Hora built its Gothic skyline on medieval silver wealth — then spent the money on architecture that still stands. The Sedlec Ossuary, decorated with the bones of 40,000 people, is one of the strangest and most compelling rooms in Europe.
Český Krumlov
A medieval castle the size of a small city overlooks a tight river bend and a cobblestoned old town that fills quickly — and justifiably so. Come in shoulder season on a weekday and you might find it closer to a secret.
South Coast
Black sand beaches, sea stacks rising straight from the surf, waterfalls that fall directly onto the road, and glaciers pushing down from the icecap to the water’s edge — it is the version of Iceland that photographs best, and it earns every image.
Golden Circle
Iceland’s most famous driving loop takes in three genuinely extraordinary natural features — a rift valley where two tectonic plates visibly pull apart, a geyser that erupts on a reliable schedule, and a waterfall of almost unreasonable scale. Crowded in summer and worth every moment of it.
Perast
Perast sits on the northwestern shore of the inner Bay of Kotor, a town of perhaps 350 people that was once one of the most important maritime centers on the Adriatic.
Bay of Kotor
Often described as Europe’s southernmost fjord, the Bay of Kotor cuts into the Montenegrin coast like a secret — limestone mountains dropping straight to calm dark water, medieval towns clinging to the shore, connected inlets each with their own character. First-time visitors arrive expecting something pretty and leave stunned.
Kotor
Enclosed by medieval walls that climb a hillside to a Venetian fortress, Kotor’s old town is one of the most intact on the Adriatic — marble streets, stone piazzas, and an improbable number of cats. Compact enough to cover in an afternoon, worth staying far longer.
Snæfellsnes
Crowned by the glacier that inspired Jules Verne and edged with basalt sea stacks, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula is one of Iceland’s most varied stretches of coastline. Better as an overnight than a day trip — the light at the western tip is worth waiting for.
Reykjavík
Iceland’s compact and colorful capital punches well above its size. Wander the rainbow-painted streets of the old town, climb to the top of Hallgrímskirkja church for sweeping views over the rooftops and sea, and warm up in one of the city’s legendary geothermal pools.