Chances are you weren't invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle taking place at Windsor Castle -- neither was I -- but that doesn't mean you can't visit the place where it happened, or other royal residences in Great Britain. In addition to Windsor Castle, London's Kensington, Buckingham and Hampton Court palaces -- and the more remote Balmoral Castle in the  Scottish Highlands -- are great places to put...

Once, while traveling in the ’70s, the youth hostel where I had planned to stay was full, and the staff directed me to a nearby convent instead. As I walked there, I wondered if I was signing myself up for draconian curfews, spartan accommodations and Mass at dawn.

Without funds for much else, I was resigned. But I shouldn’t have worried; it turned out to be a beautiful experience, warmly welcoming and deeply restful. Yes, it was austere compared to any local hotel...

Nestled on the Rhine across the border from Germany, Strasbourg offers your best chance to experience the urban side of France's Alsace region. Each time I walk its people-friendly streets, I'm struck by how progressive and livable the city feels, with generous space devoted to pedestrians and bikes, sleek trams and meandering waterways. With delightful big-city energy and a name that means the "city of streets," Strasbourg is the ultimate crossroads.

While the city...