Old Havana, on the Caribbean island of Cuba, is a city made for walking. Many of the streets are pedestrian-only, closed off to vehicles except for people-powered pedicabs. The streets in this oldest part of the city are crowded with locals, who live and work here, as well as with tourists. 

Walking is by far the best way to experience a city, to notice the details that make it unique and to feel its day-to-day pulse. This is especially true for Old Havana.

Old...

On almost every one of my many trips to Venice, Italy, over the years, I have been drawn to the small island of Torcello. Situated in the Venetian Lagoon about 6 miles northeast of Venice, Torcello acts like a magnet. The more crowded Venice becomes, the more I am drawn to Torcello. 

On my latest trip to Venice, for five weeks in September-October 2016, I needed Torcello more than ever. Though I love Venice — as does my husband, Paul — at some point midway...

Seventy-three years before Samuel de Champlain founded the city of Québec in eastern Canada, another Frenchman, Jacques Cartier, sailed up the St. Lawrence River in 1535. 

Along his river route lay a large island in the middle of the river. Seeing the abundance of vines and wild grapes on the island, he named it Île de Bacchus (Island of Bacchus) for the Roman god of wine. Soon after, the name was changed to Île d’Orléans in honor of the Duke of Orléans, son of the (then)...