Top 5 European Destinations:

1. Porto and Douro Valley

Once a sleepy riverside city best known for its fortified wines, Porto has emerged as a vibrant arts capital thats rightfully getting a lot of buzz as a great value destination. tempornea in Parque de Serralves. 2. Budapest, Hungary

3. Northern Iceland

Few destinations seems to be attracting as much word-of-mouth love as Iceland right now. With a window of affordability, popular Icelandic bands, mystery writers, and a seeming worldwide need for a long soak in a hot spring, Iceland seems to be on every travellers mind this year.
4. Cinque Terre, Italy Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore - each village has its own personality. Along the way, be sure to explore the small hidden beaches below and climb to the heights at the five scenic sanctuaries perched above the towns. 5. croatia

girl on a donkey leads a candle-carrying procession past San Miguel de Allendes shops festooned with piatas and poinsettias. When they stop before a Spanish-colonial building and break into song, you realize youre witnessing the reenactment of Joseph and Marys search for shelter that takes place in the days leading up to Christmas. Whether your winter holiday trip enhances your yuletide nostalgia with traditions, sparkly lights, and nippy air or makes a radical break from itby, say, taking you to warmer climes or a quiet, far-flung hideawaybreaking the habit of staying home will always reward you with a Christmas youll never forget. With that goal in mind, weve rounded up diverse, exceptional places to get you in the spirit of taking off. Quebec City is one of our favorite historic destinations for the holidays. The narrow cobblestoned streets and stone architecture of the walled city, founded in 1608 by French explorer Samuel de Champlain, make it as romantic and European as it gets on this side of the pond. Add to that a proclivity for snowfall and an abundance of top-notch bars

Best Places to Visit for Christmas

and restaurants, and you may wish the New Year could be postponed. But the appeal of warming up over the holidays is undeniable, too. For the die-hard contrarian, Kaikoura, New Zealand, ought to do the trick. Its the height of summer there at Christmas, a holiday most often celebrated outdoors with backyard barbecues. But its also a great time to be hiking the rainforest of the Kaikoura mountain range or on the waters of Kaikoura Bay, one of the most biodiverse marine environments on the planet. Its the summer home of sperm whales, fur seals, dusky dolphins, and pilot whales, and all it takes to commune with them is a boat and a bit of perseverance. South America has weathered the global recession better than most regions, and its not hard to see why. Brazil in particular is peppered with off-the-beaten-track gems that offer a true escape, like the coastal Portuguese colonial town of Paraty, about 140 miles south of Rio. Its friendly locals, cerulean waters, exceptional beaches, and exotic-bird-filled jungles may make you forget what holiday it is altogether. Like we said: unforgettable.

Travel Egypt Cairo: City of a thousand Minarets

unique blend of cultures. First impressions will take you by surprise as you stroll through the bustling streets of this shoppers' paradise, absorbing the contrast of the region's wondrous antiquities mixed in with modern shops, open markets (bazaars), cafes and restaurants serving a combination of Egyptian foods. Visit Coptic Cairo, the oldest area known in Egyptian history and the original site of Roman-built Babylon, which has been inhabited for more than 2,000 years. At the mouth of an ancient canal that once connected the

frica's largest city and the perfect jumping-off point into Egypt's

Visit Coptic Cairo, the oldest area known in Egyptian history and the original site of Roman-built Babylon, which has been inhabited for more than 2,000 years. At the mouth of an ancient canal that once connected the Nile River to the Red Sea, it became heavily concentrated with the country's earliest churches and monasteries during the Christianity movement. Resting along the Nile and guarded by the familiar Sphinx sculpture, the three Giza pyramids are more than tombs for kings they are relics of Egypts Old Kingdom, the first great civilization on earth. The most memorable is the

Best Places to Visit in the U.S.: Fairbanks,

sensation of seeing Arctic skies crackle with smoky blues, greens and reds has long drawn off-season travelers way north. 2013 will be big, marking the end of a fiery 11-year-cycle, when sunspots are particularly feisty, making for a big show in the Fairbanks sky 240 nights a year. Go. From May to mid-August daylight is too strong to see much, but by late summer they start to appear, and Fairbanks is the place to be. On the ground, curious foodies can sample traditional Athabascan cuisine at Taste of Alaska (call to book in advance) at the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center, or take part in a unique pub-crawl, The Great Fairbanks Pub Paddle. Open all year, the 414-mile Dalton Highway plies north of Fairbanks into the Arctic, and air taxis reach the pristine 800-sqmile Gates of the Arctic National Park, but the light show will be best back in Fairbanks. A favorite place to stay is Ah, Rose Marie B&B, a homey Dutch-built cottage that takes its breakfasts seriously.

ave you seen aurora borealis

(aka the northern lights)? The

Stunning Donostia, Spain

intersect, but they certainly do in Donostia Known to the Spanish as San Sebastian, this coastal gem lies on the Northern coast of Spain, mere kilometers from the French border, at the foot of the Pyrenees and at the heart (or stomach) of Basque country. Wide stretches of sandy beach, cobblestoned old town and sultry weather draw both the European jet set and backpacker crowds alike, where they happily mingle over tapas (pinxtos) and wine. The Old Town is the focus of most tourists attention, and for good reason. Stone streets cover about six square blocks, lined with tall and narrow buildings, open only to

arely in traveling do expectations and reality

pedestrians and service vehicles, and full of open air tapas bars, shops and pensions. Our first few attempts to find a pension were met with silence as no one responded to the doorbell, but finally we found a simply appointed place called Pension Amaiur Ostatua, with a large room and small iron balcony overlooking one of the pedestrian thoroughfares. The old section sits on a small peninsula, with curved bays and expansive beaches on either side framed by broad promenades. We were there off season, so it was quite peaceful, but you could picture the thronging, bronzed, scantily clad masses that descend upon the city during the warmest months. A funicular on the far end of the main beach takes you up to a vantage point with stunning views of the bay dotted with sailboats and tall white buildings stretching out from the coastline.