Finland offers an unforgettable travel experience with its blend of striking contrasts: icy winters and sunlit summer nights, centuries-old traditions and cutting-edge design. In Helsinki, visitors can stroll through the neoclassical Senate Square, stop by the contemporary Amos Rex art museum, and hop on a ferry to Suomenlinna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built across six islands.
Nature is never far in Helsinki. Locals swim in the sea, walk forested trails, and gather mushrooms or berries all within city limits. One popular local habit is heading to the sauna, and the city offers several open-to-the-public options. Löyly, located on the waterfront, combines traditional wood-burning saunas with a sleek, modern design. In winter, visitors can even pair a sauna session with a quick dip through a hole cut in the ice for an experience both shocking and strangely calming.
In ancient times, Kaanapali was a royal retreat for the rulers of Maui, who delighted in the perfect three-mile stretch of white sand beach, the gentle waves, warm sunny days and the majestic West Maui Mountains. Maui royalty surfed, raced their outrigger canoes, feasted at luaus that lasted for weeks, and where the Kaanapali Golf Course now blankets the land, they played ulu maika, a form of lawn bowling with heavy lava balls.
The capital of picturesque St. Barthélemy, Gustavia is a veritable island paradise in the Caribbean. A former French colony, this small city on St. Barths’s west coast offers a variety of fine dining, designer shopping, and spectacular beachside activities to ensure a relaxing tropical getaway. Be sure to visit the historic site of Fort Karl for a panoramic view of Gustavia’s glittering harbor, then walk to Shell Beach to take a dip in warm, turquoise waters.