Matador Network's Blog, page 225

Volvo Will Give You a Premium, Expenses-Paid Trip To Sweden When Buy a Car

There’s no place quite like Sweden, whether you travel there for Stockholm or all of the gorgeous places outside of Stockholm). It can, however, be pricey. For those in the market for a new car, you can get that plus a free trip to Sweden when you purchase a Volvo. The car brand has a new buying option called the Overseas Delivery Tourist Program, where you can visit Sweden as a perk of buying one of the vehicles. All you have to do is buy a car and pick it up in Gothenburg.

It’s hard to imagine a more perfect perk to buying a vehicle. To take advantage of it, all that’s needed is to visit your local Volvo dealership to design your custom car or pick out a vehicle. The models that are available for this program are:

XC60XC60 RechargeXC90XC90 RechargeXC40 (excluding XC40 Recharge fully electric)V60 RechargeV60 Cross CountryV90 Cross Country

Once you have chosen your vehicle, you put down a deposit and pick up your car at the Volvo factory in Gothenburg. Volvo will fly you and another guest there with premium airfare, priority booking, and other flight perks. Volvo will also cover the cost of your hotel accommodations for two nights and dinner and when you arrive in Sweden. Volvo will pick you and your guest up, drive you to your hotel, and give you a ride to the Volvo Factory Delivery Center, where you will have lunch, tour the Volvo factory and visit the Volvo Museum and pick up your brand new car.

From there, you can enjoy Sweden and drive around in your car for 14 days. When it’s time to go back to the States, you will drop your vehicle at an authorized drop-off point or the Volvo Factory Delivery Center, and Volvo will ship it back home for free.

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This Beautiful Abandoned House Is a Massachusetts Icon, and It’s in Danger of Being Demolished

Most summer days, an artist stands on the side of the road between the pavement and the marsh, painting the dilapidated Pink House at sunset. By every architectural metric, the Pink House is ugly. Balancing on the marsh that flanks the mile-long road from Newburyport to Plum Island in Massachusetts, the abandoned house survives, just barely, like a man in the twilight of life. The pink paint peels like dead skin, windows with no panes are a toothless smile, and the cordgrass creeps onto the porch threatening to reclaim the land in the name of nature.

According to local legend, it was built as a monument to spite. As part of a couple’s divorce agreement in the 1920s, the wife required the husband to build an exact replica of their family home for her to live in, but she didn’t specify where. He chose the salt marsh, which made it rather inhospitable. Despite the location, it’s said that the ex-husband’s family used it as a summer home until the 1940s, when it was sold and occupied by a series of families.

Photo: Anthony DeSantis

While its real history is lost to time, the house has been abandoned since the early 2000s, seeming to float on the marsh, peeling and crumbling and groaning with no company except the artists standing on the roadsides. To them, and to many who grew up passing it on their way to the beach, the Pink House isn’t an eyesore at all – it’s exquisite. Part of that beauty is its resilience, not only against time and nature, but against the human forces threatening to demolish it.

On the brink of destruction

In 2011, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) purchased the house along with nine acres of sensitive tidal creek and salt marsh habitat. According to Matt Hillman, refuge manager at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, the house was intended to serve as seasonal staff housing, but when asbestos and lead paint were discovered, the house’s restoration and habitability were considered economically and operationally infeasible.

Photo: Kelly Page

While many believe caring for the Pink House falls under the USFWS’s responsibility, and aligns with their preservation interests, Hillman says the opposite is actually true. Their official mission is as follows:

To administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

“The long-term care and maintenance of a house located within otherwise intact salt marsh and upland habitat detracts from that mission,” Hillman tells me. “It pulls our limited resources (staff time and funds) away from accomplishing important work to protect threatened and endangered species, restore salt marsh habitat, provide high-quality public programming, and maintain aging critical infrastructure.”

There is one solution that seems simple: Sell the house to a local nonprofit or someone who can devote resources to taking care of it. Well, it’s not that easy. According to Hillman, “federal law stipulates that when lands are protected as part of the national wildlife refuge system, they are meant to be preserved in perpetuity. In this case, because the lands on which the house sits are of high ecological value to the refuge’s mission, only an equal value land exchange is applicable.”

The USFWS insists there are only two solutions: the Pink House must either be torn down, or exchanged for a land parcel of similar value and ecological significance, which contains a salt marsh or upland habitats. They’ve spent the past eight years seeking such a parcel, to no avail.

Photo: Leslie Scott-Lysan

And that’s how we got here. In October 2023, the USFWS proposed tearing down the Pink House and building a wildlife viewing platform in its place. They also opened a 30-day comment period for local residents to voice their opinions on the proposal, and the clock counting down the Pink House’s demise officially started ticking.

Tilting at pink windmills

The threat of demolition seemed to jog people from a happy daydream. It became clear that the Pink House wasn’t rendered on canvas in permanent paint. It could be erased. Roused from this daydream, residents responded to the open comment period with sentimental pleas and valiant calls to arms. Photographers shared their Pink House photos online. Artists’ oil and watercolor depictions now hang in every coffee shop. Every day, it seems, editorials in defense of the Pink House crop up in the local paper.

One group that certainly hasn’t been sleeping on this ever-present threat is the Support the Pink House (STPH) organization. Founded in 2015, the nonprofit is dedicated to finding ways to stave off demolition and preserve the beloved local landmark. According to Kelly Page, who’s on the STPH Board of Directors, the group’s Instagram followers increased by 12 percent in November alone (since the comment period opened), account engagement increased 294 percent, and accounts reached increased by 525 percent. This engagement, she believes, has been driven by the now-urgent interest in saving the house.

“I’m also a photographer,” Page says, “and know firsthand how popular Pink House artwork is both locally and even throughout the region. The Pink House isn’t just a cultural icon, but an economic influence.”

Indeed, Pink House photos regularly prove among the most popular for local photographer Peter Neverette.

“My most popular photos are those of the Pink House,” he says. “Out of towners want something that symbolizes Newburyport, and nothing visually represents the area like the Pink House. Locals buy Pink House photos for similar reasons – because it holds a special place in their lives, or in their childhood memories.”

Photo: Peter Neverette

Unfortunately, no amount of Instagram followers, paintings sold, or nostalgia, matter to the federal government. Which leaves the question, now what?

Anyone in the market for a pink house?

All kinds of questions could be raised right now.

Why can’t the USFWS just accept donations to repair it?

Why can’t nonprofits like STPH simply care for the house with volunteer support?

Why isn’t the Pink House’s historic status enough to save it?

And perhaps most significantly: Why did the USFWS purchase the house in the first place without doing their due diligence on its condition? Surely, as the voluntary stewards of a culturally significant property, they must also assume responsibility for its preservation.

All of these questions, particularly the last one, are valid but ultimately irrelevant. Only one question matters: Will a land exchange happen?

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According to Hillman, here’s what it would take: “My sincere hope is that this 30-day public comment process sparks enough interest and publicity that a local landowner approaches the Service with a viable land exchange. Potentially suitable properties include those contiguous (preferred) or within one mile of refuge boundaries and containing salt marsh and/or adjacent upland habitats. Crucially, to comply with federal law, the exchange parcel must also be approximately equal in monetary value to the Pink House parcel, and of higher ecological value.”

The Pink House has been appraised at approximately $500,000. For context, salt marsh acreage usually runs about $1,000 per acre. So if you’ve got 400 acres of salt marsh lying around and you’re in the market for an old pink house, please contact the USFWS.

The fate of a cultural icon

It’s a story so old it’s become cliche: the beloved local landmark struggling to survive against government pragmatism. It’s easy to take sides in these stories. Rooting for the little guy and booing the evil government entity feels like a no brainer. But the story is always more complex than that.

The USFWS must understand that the Pink House is more than an inconvenient hindrance to its mission statement. Indeed, tearing it down would actually damage the organization’s relationship with the local community, complicating its long term mission. Similarly, Pink House supporters must contend with reality. A government entity won’t be moved by mere emotion. There are legitimate upkeep costs and roadblocks associated with the house that only concrete solutions, not picket signs, can solve.

Photo: Kelly Page

If the house is saved, it won’t be through petitions and impassioned pleas. It’ll be thanks to the same creativity the Pink House has been inspiring for a century. It’ll be because someone comes forward with a land parcel exchange, or because devoted residents came up with a constructive, workable alternative.

If the house is demolished, people will have to come to terms with the harsh reality that daydreams don’t last forever. Inspiring sights are often inspiring because they’re fleeting. A house adored for clinging to life against all odds may finally meet a long-expected death. Maybe that’s the Pink House’s story.

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The 8 Most Fascinating Museums in Hawaii You Won’t Want To Miss

Hawaii is known for turquoise waters, lush landscapes, and natural beauty. But it’s also known for its vibrant culture, and travelers willing to go beyond the sun-soaked beaches and step away from the swaying palm trees will find a trove of art, history, and heritage on display. The best museums in Hawaii both hold fascinating artifacts and help visitors learn about the islands’ rich cultural and natural histories.

From the ancient stories etched into the stones of the Bishop Museum to the modern expressions of creativity at the Capitol Modern, each of the best museums in Hawaii below are worth a visit — especially on those super-hot and muggy days when you need a break from the tropical heat.

Where to find the best museums in Hawaii

Most of the main museums in Hawaii are centered around Honolulu, the state’s capital city. But the other islands have plenty of places to visit to learn about Hawaiian history and culture, and it’s not unusual for businesses and hotels to have their own collections of Hawaiian artifacts, even though they aren’t official museums.

It’s no secret that Hawaii is a popular vacation destination, so buy your tickets to the museums below in advance whenever possible.

Bishop Museum (Oahu)

Photo: Alexandre.ROSA/Shuttestock

The Bishop Museum is Hawaii’s premier museum dedicated to the history, culture, and natural sciences of the Hawaiian Islands and its Pacific neighbors. It was founded in 1889 in honor of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last royal descendant of the Kamehameha dynasty. The large collection includes a wide array of artifacts, documents, photographs, and specimens, making it a significant repository of knowledge about the Pacific.

Visitors to the Bishop Museum can walk through exhibits on everything from Hawaiian history and culture to the natural sciences. There’s also a planetarium and near-daily events and lectures on topics ranging from the tattoos of the Marquesas Islands (in French Polynesia) to how to navigate by the stars. The building itself is also quite pretty, and there’s a cute on-site cafe, too. You’ll get $2 off tickets if you buy them in advance online.

Address: 1525 Bernice St, Honolulu, HI 96817Costs: Adults are $28.95, seniors are $25.95, and kids are $20.95Hours: Daily, 9 AM-5 PMKoke’e Natural History Museum (Kauai)

Photo: John Sartin/Shutterstock

The Koke’e Natural History Museum is in Koke’e State Park at the base of Waimea Canyon. It looks at the natural and cultural history of the canyon, which was inhabited as far back at 400 CE. It has sacred significance to native Hawaiians, which you can learn about at the museum. It also has exhibits on the natural history and flora and fauna of area, with a focus on the area’s impressive biodiversity.

While it may not be one of the biggest museums in Hawaii, it’s worth a stop if you’re visiting Waimea Canyon, especially since admission is free (though it does accept for voluntary donations). It also has a small gift shop and staff who can assist with info on hiking trails and area sightseeing.

Address: 3600 Kokee Rd, Kekaha, HI 96752Costs: Free, but donations acceptedHours: Monday-Friday, 11 AM-3 PM. Saturday-Sunday, 10:30 AM-4 PMPearl Harbor Aviation Museum (Oahu)

Photo: Benny Marty/Shutterstock

The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is a must-visit attraction for aviation enthusiasts or history buffs. It’s on Ford Island in the heart of Pearl Harbor and delves into both the aviation history of Hawaii and the events surrounding December 7, 1941, now known as Pearl Harbor Day.

The museum features an impressive collection of aircraft, including some that survived the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. Exhibits are interactive and modern, ranging from displays on life in the 1940s to the history of flight.

There are actually four Hawaii museums in one here: the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. Budget most of the day if you want to visit all four. Note that you need separate reservations to go out to the U.S.S. Arizona, which is managed by the National Park Service.

Address: 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HawaiiCosts: Adults are $89.99, kids are $44.99Hours: Daily, 9 AM-5 PM (the Battleship Missouri Memorial closes at 4 PM)The Pacific Tsunami Museum (The Big Island)

 

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The islands of Hawaii aren’t immune to tsunamis, and this unique museum preserves the history of Hawaii’s most significant natural disasters. The first recoded tsunami on the islands was in 1812, and there have been many since then, including the deadly tsunami of 1946.

The museum’s collection was based on items salvaged from the remains of 1946’s damage, and today, it’s both a memorial to those who have died and a museum all about the natural phenomenon. The museum’s collections look at the science behind tsunamis, as well as their role and impact on the history of Pacific Ocean nations and islands. It also has exhibits on tsunamis from around the world, along with gripping accounts from survivors and witnesses.

Address: 130 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo, HI 96720Costs: Adults $10, kids $5, seniors $7Hours: Daily, 10 AM-4 PM.Iolani Palace (Oahu)

Photo: Richie Chan /Shutterstock

Iolani Palace in downtown Honolulu is one of the state’s most iconic landmarks. Built in 1882, it served as the royal residence for the Hawaiian monarchs and was the official residence of the last reigning monarch, Queen Lili’uokalani, until the monarchy was overthrown in 1893.

Today, Iolani Palace is a testament to Hawaii’s royal heritage and a symbol of Hawaiian sovereignty and history. You can choose to take a guided tour or opt for the self-guided tour.

Either way, you’ll walk from room to room, seeing the opulence and history of the Hawaiian monarchy. It’s a must-visit site if you think Hawaii’s entrance to the United States was peaceful and positive. The Hawaiian people had and have a strong culture, and the Iolani Palace museum does an excellent job of ensuring it doesn’t get erased as time goes on.

There are lots of different tickets and tours available, but you need to buy it online in advance. There are no walk-up sales.

Address: 364 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96813Costs: Varies, starting at $26.95 for adults and $21.95 for teensHours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9 AM-4 PM. Closed Sunday and Monday.Capitol Modern (Oahu)

Photo: Gimas/Shutterstock

The Capitol Modern, formerly the Hawaii State Art Museum, often referred to as HiSAM, is a cultural hub in Honolulu. As the official art museum of the state and with more than 130,000 square feet of space, it showcases an impressive collection of both traditional and contemporary art. It’s housed in the historic No. 1 Capitol District Building, a Spanish Mission-style building that originally served as Hawaii’s first hotel.

The museum’s collections encompass a wide range of artwork, including paintings, sculptures, prints, and mixed media, with an emphasis on artists from Hawaii and the broader Pacific region. Since there’s no cost to visit, you can just drop in. Be sure to visit not just the indoor exhibits, but also the sculpture garden. It’s near Iolani Palace, so you can easily visit both on the same day.

Address: 250 South Hotel St Second Floor, 250 S Hotel St #5, Honolulu, HI 96813Costs: FreeHours: Monday–Saturday, 10 AM-4 PM. Close Sunday.The Aquarium of Hawaii (Maui)

Photo: The Hawaii Ocean Center

Although not a traditional museum, the Maui Ocean Center (also called the Aquarium of Hawaii) is a top attraction for those interested in marine life. One of its notable attractions is a 35-foot-long acrylic tunnel visitors can stroll through as sharks swim above their heads. There’s also the 750,000-gallon “Open Ocean tank” and one of the largest displays of live Pacific corals in the world. The aquarium also hosts frequent special events, like behind-the-scenes tours.

This is also one of the best museums in Hawaii if you’re a yogi, as it offers “Aquari-Om Yoga:” a unique yoga class held in front of the huge glass tanks of the Open Ocean exhibit. It doesn’t get more peaceful than that.

Aquarium admission tickets, yoga classes, behind-the-scenes tours, and everything else the aquarium offers should be booked in advance online.

Address: 192 Maalaea Rd, Wailuku, HI 96793Costs: Tickets start at $39.95 for adults, $26.95 for kids, and $34.95 seniors. Kids under 4 are free.Hours: Daily, 9 AM-5 PMThe Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center (The Big Island)

Photo: Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park/Public Domain

It’s small, but the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center on the island of Hawai’i serves as a central hub for visitors planning to explore the volcanic landscapes of the national park. The visitor center offers a wealth of information about the island’s geological features, volcanic history, and the unique ecosystems shaped by volcanic activity. It holds some of the items and artifacts from the park’s former Jaggar Museum, which was closed permanently due to damage from volcanic activity in 2018.

The welcome center has educational exhibits, interactive displays, and ranger-led programs that delve into the fascinating world of volcanoes, lava flows, and the park’s diverse flora and fauna. It’s also the go-to spot for practical information like trail maps, safety guidelines, and updates on current volcanic activity. There’s also a park store, in case you’re collecting a t-shirt from every park you visit.

Address: National Park, 1 Crater Rim Drive, Volcano, HI 96785Costs: Free (though the park has an entry fee)Hours: Daily, 9 AM-5 PMWhere to stay in Hawaii

Photo: 7Maru/Shutterstock

The first decision to make is what island you want to visit, as the islands aren’t connected by ferries. While it’s easy to fly between them, it’s not really possible to island hop for just a day. So you’ll need to commit to one island at a time.

If you’re looking for a high-end resort, check out Matador‘s guide to the 11 most luxurious resorts across the Hawaiian islandsFamilies traveling on vacation may want to book one of these eight family-friendly resorts in Hawaii, complete with kids clubs and water slidesThese eight resorts in Honolulu are the best in the city for travelers who know they want to spend their time on Oahu, or check out these seven gorgeous Kauai resorts if you’re headed to the “Garden Isle”Budget-conscious? Check out this eight affordable hotels near WaikikiHawaii also has stunning Airbnb rentals. Check out this list of the best affordable Airbnbs in Kauai, 12 beachfront Airbnbs across all islands, or nine downright amazing Airbnbs on Maui. More like thisBeaches and IslandsHow To Visit Niihau, Hawaii's ‘Forbidden' Island

13 Wine, Tequila, Whisky, Rum, and Vodka Trains You Can Take in the US and Around the World

Riding trains is one of the nicest ways to travel the world. It’s environmentally sound, it’s comfortable, it’s mostly cheap, and it’s got a fun and retro feel to it. But you know what can make a train trip even better? Alcohol. While wine trains are the most popular of the alcohol-focused rail journeys, they are far from being the only ones. No matter where you travel, whether in North America, Europe, Africa, or Asia, there are rum trains, tequila trains, vodka trains, and whisky trains waiting for you to board, relax, and drink.

Napa Valley Wine TrainRiver Fox TrainSonoma Wine TrainGrapevine Vintage RailroadWine Train in NashvilleSan Diego Winery Train TourFranschhoek Wine TramTren Sabores del ValleKorean Wine TrainVodka Train in TexasThe Rum train in BarbadosThe Tequila Train in MexicoThe whisky train in ScotlandHow many wine regions are there in the USA?What is the best wine region in the USA?Which American region produces the most wine?Does Amtrak travel to Napa?WINE TRAINS IN THE USNapa Valley Wine Train, California

Route: Between Downtown Napa and St. HelenaDistance: 36-mile loopDuration of the ride: Between two and three hours on board the train, depending on the tour you opt for.What makes it a wine train: Wine tasting on board the train, visits of world-famous wineries and wine-tasting on site, ride through California’s most celebrated wine region.Price: The price varies depending on the tour chosen. The Legacy Experience starts at $475.

The Napa Valley Wine Train runs throughout the year and has multiple tours on offers. All the tours follow the same route through California’s most celebrated wine region, but some are more wine-focused than others with winery visits, wine tastings, wine country-inspired meals, grape-stomping experiences, and more. The ultimate tour with the Napa Valley Wine Train is the Legacy Experience, an all-day trip that includes three hours on the train with breakfast, lunch, and wine tastings on board, and three hours visiting wineries with wine tastings on site.

River Fox Train, West Sacramento, California

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Route: Departs from the River Fox Train station in West Sacramento and runs through Yolo County’s countryside. The rides ends at the River Fox Train station.Distance: 10 milesDuration of the ride: Two hoursWhat makes it a wine train: Wine tastings on boardPrice: Starting at $49. Add-on drink package range from $28 to $35.

The River Fox Refresher is an adult-only train journey where passengers can ride through Yolo County’s countryside in vintage rail cars while enjoying the libation of their choice: wine, beer, or mimosas. Those who opt for a wine-filled journey will get six tasting tickets, redeemable for two-ounce wine tastings.

Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley, California

Route: The route changes with the rotation of the wineries visited.Distance: The distance changes with the rotation of the wineries visited.Duration of the ride: The tour takes around six hoursWhat makes it a wine train: It’s not a train, but an open-air trolley. The tour includes visits to three to four Sonoma Valley wineries and tasting rooms.Price: $125 (the tasting fees of $25 to $35 per person per stop, and the trolley driver’s gratuity are not included.)

Often misnamed the “Sonoma Wine Train”, the Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley is a replica of a California street cable car. The trolley can accommodate up to 24 guests for the daily tour that takes around six hours, starting at 10:15 AM from downtown Sonoma. The adult-only tour includes lunch served in courtyards, wine cellars, or with gorgeous vineyard views, as well as visits to three to four wineries where you can take part in wine tastings. (Note that there is also a Napa Valley Wine Trolley.)

Grapevine Vintage Railroad, Texas

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Route: From the Cotton Belt Depot in downtown Grapevine through Tarrant County before going back to Grapevine’s Cotton Belt Depot. What makes it a wine train: Local wine served on board, souvenir wine glass offered to each passengerPrice: Prices for these experiences are not available at the time of writing. Inquire at VisitorInfo@GrapevineTexasUSA.com

The Grapevine Vintage Railroad offers several wine-focused experiences throughout the year, including: the Sweetheart Wine Train (a Valentine’s Day event taking place on Friday, February 9, 2024), the Jazz Wine Train (Fridays, April 12, 19, and 26, 2024), the Summer Wine Train, and the Christmas Wine Train.

For these events, the trains all travel the railroad’s Cotton Belt route, but the offerings are different. Guests on the Sweetheart Wine Train get several four-ounce glasses of Texas wines, a souvenir wine glass, a red rose for the female passengers, and a hot meal for first-class passengers. Guests on the Jazz Wine Train enjoy live jazz performance, Grapevine wine, and savory bites and desserts.

Tennessee Central Railway Museum’s wine trainsRoute: From the Tennessee Central Railway Museum in Nashville to Watertown and back.Duration: The tour lasts around 6.5 hoursWhat makes it a wine train: Wine tastings on board, complimentary wine glass for each passenger, possibility to purchase wine from the DelMonaco Winery and Vineyards during the trip.Price: Between $80 and $175 depending on the tour you opt for and the class of service you choose.

The Tennessee Central Railway Museum organizes adult-only wine-focused train journeys throughout the year, including the Valentine’s Wine Train in February and the DelMonaco Wine Excursion each month. As a passenger you’ll enjoy wine tastings led by the DelMonaco winery staff. If you can’t score a seat on one of the wine trips, check out the museum’s other alcohol-filled journeys, such as the Valenshine Moonshine Express in February, the Mardi Gras Excursion Train in March, or the Bootleggers Express in May.

San Diego Winery Train Tour, CaliforniaDuration: The tour takes around five hoursWhat makes it a wine train: Visits to local urban wineries and tasting rooms, wine served on board the train, wine pairings with Italian lunch, 15 tastes of local wines, presentation on the wine making processPrice: $128 (Gratuities for the tour guide is not included)

The San Diego Winery Train Tour is an adult-only experience that takes place several times daily and lasts five hours. The tour is very scenic and includes visits to local wineries, wine tastings, presentations by experts, guided walks, and a light lunch in an Italian restaurant.

WINE TRAINS AROUND THE WORLDFranschhoek Wine Tram, South Africa

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Route: The route varies according to the tour and tram line you choose. A map of all the routes is available here. Distance: The distance varies according to the tour and route you choose. Duration of the ride: The duration of the ride varies according to the tour and route you choose. What makes it a wine train: The Franschhoek Wine Tram is all about wine. Its purpose is to help travelers learn more about South African wines by visiting wine estates and tasting venues in the Cape Winelands.Price: Ranges from $16.15 (R300) to $161 (R2995), depending on the tour you choose.

South Africa is home to world-famous wineries and you can see many of them by riding the Franschhoek Wine Tram, a unique double-decker tram that takes passengers to some of Franschhoek Valley’s best wine estates and tasting venues. The Franschhoek Wine Tram offers a variety of routes and experiences to explore the Cape Winelands, including hop-on hop-off tours, curated wine tours, and exceptional wine and cuisine tours. Where the tram cannot go, buses will take over.

Tren Sabores del Valle, ChileRoute: From Alameda Station in Santiago de Chile through the O’Higgins region all the way to San Fernando Station in the city of San Fernando. Duration of the ride: The tour lasts around 11 hoursWhat makes it a wine train: Tasting of local wines on board the train, lectures on the winemaking process, visits to multiple wineries of the famed Colchagua valleyPrice: Ranges from $104 (65,900 CLP) to $121 (76,900 CLP) depending on the class of service you opt for.

The Tren Sabores del Valle, which translates as the Flavor Valley Train, is a tourist train that takes passengers on a full-day wine-filled journey to discover the wineries and vineyards of the Colchagua valley. While on board the train, you’ll taste the local Rosés, Carménères, and Merlots, and once you arrive at the San Fernando Station, buses will take you to wineries and vineyards where you can take part in more tastings.

Château Mani Wine Train, Korea

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Route: From Seoul Station to Yeongdong Station via Yeongdeungpo, Suwon, Pyeongtaek, and DaejeonDuration of the ride: The tour lasts nine hoursWhat makes it a wine train: Wine bar on board the train, visit of Yeongdong Winery and the vineyards, lunch with wine served at Yeongdong Winery, wine foot baths available.Price: Prices are not available at the time of writing. Inquire at winekor@daum.net

The Château Mani Wine Train offers everything you’d expect: local wines served on board, a winery visit, a tour of vineyards, as well as some less traditional wine-focused activities like a wine foot bath. Travelers can book a private room on the train or ride in the main cars where there are plush maroon leather seats and tables to enjoy the journey in comfort. Note that the train itself is wine-colored: a lovely shade of dark purple.

VODKA, RUM, TEQUILA, AND WHISKY TRAINS AROUND THE WORLDVodka Train, Burnet, TexasRoute: The Sunset Express route from Cedar Park to Bertram, and backDuration of the ride: 2.5 hoursDistance: 44 milesWhat makes it a vodka train: Three vodka samples, one welcome drink, and three vodka-based cocktails served on board.Price: $90

This adult-only train journey is all about enjoying vodka responsibly. Three vodka samples, one welcome drink, and three cocktails will be served on board, but no further alcohol will be allowed. Passengers will get to try spirits from Vintage Distilling, Kruto Vodka, and Bloody Buddy during a fun-filled evening. The Vodka train will run on January 20, 2024.

In 2023, the Austin Steam Train Association also offered wine-focused train journeys, but there are no ride currently scheduled for 2024. Keep an eye on their calendar in case the Wedding Oak Wine Train comes back in the new year.

St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway, AKA The Rum Train, Barbados

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Route: A ride around the plantation, via the historic St Nicholas Abbey Great House, the property’s lake and its mahogany woodlands.Duration of the ride: One hourWhat makes it a rum train: See how sugar cane, the main ingredient for the making of rum, is grown by visiting the plantation, and learn about the history of rum in Barbados.Price: $33 (BBD 66) for the train ride. $60 (BBD 120) for a ticket combining the train ride to a tour of the Great House and the Heritage & Rum Tour of the Abbey .

The steam train on the St. Nicholas Abbey Great House Plantation and Distillery rides through the plantation’s grounds where the sugar cane is grown. But if you want to add more rum to your day, make sure to also book a guided tour of the Great House, as well as the bottling plant and the distillery. During the tour, you’ll taste St. Nicholas Abbey single cask rums and receive a miniature of rum.

The Jose Cuervo Express, AKA the Tequila Train, Mexico

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Route: Between the city of Guadalajara and the city of Tlaquepaque, via the town of TequilaDuration of the ride: The tour takes 11 hoursWhat makes it a tequila train: Tequila tastings and toasts, visit to the agave fields, demonstration of agave harvesting, cocktails made with Jose Cuervo tequila served on board the train, tour of Jose Cuervo’s La Rojeña distilleryPrice: Starts at $165 (MXN 2,850)

The Jose Cuervo Express, also known as the Tequila Train, runs either from Guadalajara to Tlaquepaque, or from Tlaquepaque to Guadalajara, every Saturday. No matter which direction your train is going, it’ll stop in the town of Tequila and the trip will include a visit of the agave fields, as well as a tour of La Rojeña distillery. This train ride is a full-day experience that will not only let you enjoy Jose Cuervo tequilas, but also allow you to learn more about how the spirit is made thanks to an agave harvest demonstration. There are four classes of service available to passengers on this journey: the Express Ticket (the cheapest), the Premium Plus Ticket, the Diamond Ticket, and the Elite Wagon (the most expensive).

The whisky train, AKA The Royal Scotsman’s Scotch Malt Whisky Tour, Scotland

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Route: From Edinburgh to Kyle of Lochaslsh via Dundee, Keith, Inverness, and more as indicated on the map of the route.Duration of the ride: Four daysWhat makes it a whisky train: Tour of the Benromach distillery, a visit to Rothiemurchus Estate, whisky tastings.Price: Starting at $9,400 (£7,500)

If it’s a luxury, multi-day, alcohol-focused train journey you’re looking for, the Royal Scotsman’s Scotch Malt Whisky Tour is the trip for you. This four-day ride organized by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society takes whisky lovers from Edinburgh through the Scottish Highlands and back. There is fine dining on board, great views from the windows, luxury accommodations, expert-led whisky tastings, traditional entertainment, and tours of whisky distilleries and estates.

How many wine regions are there in the USA?

According to the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, there are 269 established American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in the United States, including 149 in California.

What is the best wine region in the USA?

There are many incredible wine regions in the US, and picking one to visit is best done by picking your favorite type of grape or wine style. California’s central coast and Oregon’s Willamette Valley are particularly special for Pinot noir, for example, while the Finger Lakes region of New York makes world-class riesling. There are few wine regions in the country — or, in fact, the world —- that are as famous as Napa and neighboring Sonoma.

Which American region produces the most wine?

California is the state that produces the most wine in the US, with 149 established American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). California’s Central Coast AVA is especially prolific.

Does Amtrak travel to Napa?

While there aren’t any Amtrak trains that go all the way to Napa, you can take Amtrak’s San Joaquins train to the Martinez Station, and then ride the Amtrak Thruway Bus Route seven to the Soscol Gateway Transit Center in downtown Napa.

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Tuscany’s Villa Ardore Pairs Luxury Living With Farmhouse Charm

What started over 500 years ago as a lookout post on the top of a tall hill is now Villa Ardore, a luxury rental villa in the heart of Chiantishire, the Chianti wine region of Tuscany.

As you might expect when renovating a medieval structure, converting a building from old to new leads to some surprises. Villa Ardore’s owners, Christian Scali and Stephen Lewis, teamed up with premier Florentine architect Massimo Pieratelli to adapt the property’s ancient charms for modern dwellers.

“We wanted to create a space true to its original roots as a farmhouse without sacrificing luxury,” Scali noted when I toured the property.

Within two years of the purchasing date, Villa Ardore opened its doors in the summer of 2023. After a flight delay and an airport reroute, I arrived at the villa on a balmy October afternoon. The property manager, Francesco, met me out front with a jovial grin as he took my luggage in one hand and served me a glass of prosecco with the other. A masseuse waited for me by the pool, and so kicked off my four-day retreat at Villa Ardore.

At Villa Ardore, R&R starts in the room

Photo: Villa Ardore

Villa Ardore has eight bedroom suites and an optional ninth, which makes it perfect for a wedding party or family and friends getaway.

Upon your first tour of the house, you’ll notice that each room is decorated with a unique display of art and moveables. There’s a tasteful combination of antique furniture next to the works of local painters such as Fabiola Quezada who moved to Italy almost 30 years ago from Mexico.

One bedroom suite has wooden flooring imported from an Indian school. If you look close enough, you can see the children’s etchings on the boards. Another fine touch: the bathrooms are a kaleidoscope of rich marble all sourced from the local ground.

Amenities that spoil guests, sustainably

Photo: Villa Ardore

When you arrive in a new destination, your first inclination is to explore — to get out there. After arriving at Villa Ardore, the property calls your name for a restful return as you fill your days with adventures. When you do return, you’ll find a space that’s large enough to be comfortable but that never loses the feeling of intimacy being in the heart of the Chianti region.

One nice way to relax on the property is to sip an aperitivo by the fire pit — compliments to Francesco for building a fire during my stay that would inspire envy in any Boy Scout. You can also watch the sunset in the villa’s heated infinity pool or explore the surrounding vineyards. For a real treat, unwind in the immersive Roman sauna that combines a mixture of scents, sights, and sounds for a sensory-heightened experience.

One look at the sauna and you might consider asking Christian and Stephen if they’ll consider a long-term residency. But all of this grandeur is not without eco-consciousness. Villa Ardore is stocked with towels and linens made from natural fibers, has sustainably sourced fixtures throughout the property, and is on track to become completely solar powered by next year.

Simple ingredients equal splendid dining

Photo: Eryn Gordon

To say dinner is a major event in Italy is not an overexaggeration. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, as the saying goes, ask any Italian and they’ll tell you that mama and nonna are the blood that brings it to life. The chefs at Villa Ardore understand this, creating memorable meals that perfectly blend simple home-cooking with sumptuous fine-dining.

Gianluca, the villa’s master pizza chef, or pizzaiolo, spoiled me with his skills on the very first night of my stay. Known for his inventive carbonara pizza, he began with a doughy crust and laid cured meat on a cushion of scrambled eggs from Villa Ardore’s own chicken coop. When Gianluca isn’t working next to the artisanal pizza oven at the villa, he manages Pizzeria del Borgaccio in the nearby town of Poggibonsi.

My final dinner was a multi-course masterwork by Chef Roberto Miceli. Each dish was a marriage of local flavors and served along with a story about where the ingredients came from. While I munched on fresh ravioli, Miceli shared a story of venturing into a friend’s garden in the dead of night to pick the exact pumpkins that made their way into the pasta on my plate. Whether it was true or simply for amusement, the quality of ingredients that Villa Ardore sources is a true testament to the commitment that goes into Italian cuisine.

Tuscan experiences of a lifetime

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Villa Ardore sits just off of Via Chiantigiana, a road that connects all of the major towns and cities within the Chianti region. That makes the property an excellent base for wine enthusiasts, as well as those who love the open road. Come with a car or opt for something with two wheels — there’s a significant motorcyclist and bicyclist community here — and set off.

San Gimingnano is arguably the most famous city in the Chianti region. Local legend says that the town was first constructed in 63 BC by two Roman patricians. It’s a popular destination year-round, but seeing the artisanal shops against the medieval backdrop is worth the crowds. If you’re looking for someplace more lowkey to explore, try Castellina. This small but mighty commune is a rich production enterprise of olive oil and wine, plus it has a history that dates back to the Bronze age.

For the fashion-inclined, Il Borgo Cashmere recently opened two high-end boutiques in the area but have been creating white label threads for some of the most lavish brands for decades. Villa Ardore partnered with Il Borgo to deliver a bespoke personal shopping experience to their guests. But what would an itinerary in Tuscany be without a spotlight on food and wine.

Photos: Villa Ardore (left) + Eryn Gordon (right)

One of the best dining experiences you can have outside of the villa sits 30 minutes away by car in the little town of Panzano, home to celebrity butcher Dario Cecchini who was featured in Netflix’s Chef’s Table series in 2019. His restaurant, Macelleria Cecchini, is hard to miss in Panzano’s otherwise small town streets — there’s almost always a throng of people lined up outside, wine glass in hand, waiting to sample cuts of beef that practically melt in your mouth.

Cecchini articulated his philosophy best on Chef’s Table: “I try [to] take a crumb of the joy from my childhood and bring it to the restaurant.”

When it comes to wine, Poggia Amorelli is the Chianti region’s best-kept secret. Despite a high overseas demand for its wine, this family-run winery refuses to expand their business into retail or restaurant sales. “We don’t want to replace quality by selling higher quantities of the product,” the daughter and co-owner of the winery told me during a tour.

The lunch included with the wine tasting I participated in could have easily been the highlight of that afternoon. We ate seasonal vegetables from the winery’s organic garden and pasta made in-house with eggs from its own chickens.

How to get to Villa Ardore

Photo: Eryn Gordon

While Italy’s infrastructure can get you most places by public transportation, getting to Villa Ardore requires a car and some solid driving skills as you scale the serpentine roads through Tuscany’s peaks and valleys. If you choose to take the train, the nearest town is Poggibonsi, which you can get to from Florence in about 45 minutes. From there, Villa Ardore is a 20-minute drive. The good news is that both car rentals and taxis are easy to arrange from the Pisa and Florence airports. Fly into either airport and expect about a 1.5-hour drive to the villa.

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No-wash Unbound Merino shirt review

Overpacking may be one of my worst qualities. As a Marine, my pack during field exercises routinely weighed five to 10 pounds more than others. Now as a travel writer — another job where you’d think light packing would be an essential skill — I check a bag for any trip longer than a weekend.

It’s not that I pack 100 different outfits, necessarily. It’s just that I don’t like wasting travel time doing laundry, and I never want to be somewhere and think, “I wish I hadn’t left that at home!” When you need a new shirt, new socks, and a new set of gym clothes every day, you’ve filled up two-thirds of your suitcase before you even start thinking about dinner clothes.

We hope you love these Unbound Merino shirts! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to make a purchase.

The solution, then, would be finding a piece of utility clothing — a t-shirt or gym attire — you could pack one of for a trip. This seems counter-intuitive and gross since that’s usually the stuff that gets dirtiest, which is why I was so intrigued when I got a pitch from a company called Unbound Merino for “the only shirt you’ll ever need.”

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Need a travel t-shirt that lasts days without needing a wash? Check out Matador’s detailed reviews: These Comfy, Durable T-Shirts Are Perfect For Adventure Travel This Cozy Travel T-Shirt Is Made From Sustainable Wood Pulp Kora’s Hemp T-Shift Is Comfortable and Durable Making It a Perfect Travel Companion This Brand Leads The ‘Pac’ in Sustainable Travel Clothes

Unbound Merino is one of many companies that designs clothing that theoretically never needs to be washed. Ably Apparel makes some. As does Mack Weldon. I’d heard about them from frequent-traveling friends, offering advice on how to lighten my load. But the $65 price tag scared me away.

But Unbound Merino offered me a shot to try it free, sending me a snazzy blue crew-neck t-shirt and a pair of black socks. Which I took — with only a couple of backup shirts, just in case — on a 12-day press-trip tour of the Carolinas and Northeast Indiana.

So how do no-wash clothes work?

Photo: Unbound Merino

My biggest question about these magical no-wash clothes was how, exactly, they keep from getting dirty. The fabrics vary by manufacturer, but Unbound Merino uses merino wool. It’s a thin-strand wool from Australian and New Zealand sheep that apparently wicks away moisture so that odor-causing bacteria have nowhere to grow. No bacteria, no funky clothes.

The wool keeps you cool because it’s full of tiny air pockets that relax when your body heat rises, releasing hot air away from your skin. This keeps you cool on hot days or while exercising and is popular among skiers, snowboarders, and other winter athletes.

Armed with this research, I left decked out for my first of many days in a blue crew neck for the Fall For Greenville festival in Greenville, South Carolina. I’d been selected as a judge, tasked to sample 49 dishes in 24 hours. As one who is physically incapable of eating a bowl of pasta without the necessity for dry cleaning, it seemed like this experiment might not last long.

Inevitably, when I tried a bacon-avocado-cheeseburger sample, a good portion of every ingredient landed on the front of my shirt. But unlike absorbing into the fabric, the errant bacon grease just beaded up like water on a duck’s back and slid right off. Ten minutes later, you’d have never known I ate like an eight-year-old.

The next morning, when I put on my shirt for day two of judging, it reeked of neither meat nor sweat, and though the next afternoon had me walking miles through the crowded festival in fall heat, by Sunday brunch the shirt and socks were still smelling sweet.

I spent Sunday at a friend’s house grilling meat and smoking cigars. And though my jeans now smelled like an episode of Mad Men, the shirt smelled perfectly politically correct.

The next morning I left for Asheville, North Carolina, where I met up with an old friend from college for a week of drinking beer and playing in the mountains.

“Dude, how do I smell?” I asked as he picked me up from the airport. He looked confused.

“Fine?” he said. “Did you wear a special cologne for me or something?”

“No, but I’ve been wearing this shirt for five days. Does it smell yet?” He sneered, appropriately. I explained the experiment.

“That’s nasty,” he said. “Although I will say, I wouldn’t have noticed. I’ll let you know if you start smelling.”

The shirts stay clean… to a point.

Photo: Unbound Merino

In Asheville, I learned the shirt’s limits. After riding a motorized mountain bike in a torrential downpour through the mud of the Biltmore estate, I was soaked in wet dirt. Even though I’d worn a jacket, the Unbound Merino shirt was saturated. And glittering.

Apparently, the hills of western North Carolina are filled with mica, which blended with the mud and made me and my friend look like we’d spent the afternoon at a particularly filthy Kesha concert.

When I returned to my hotel, my shower became a dirty glitter bomb as I spent a good 10 minutes trying to get the mica out of the shirt. After doing the best I could, I hung it in the hotel bathroom and hoped it would be dry the following day.

Though the care instructions say to air dry it, by the next morning it was still soaked. This was a little disappointing as I was now forced to break my string of consecutive days in the shirt. It would be another day before I could beat the remaining glitter and dust off the shirt and wear it again.

“You still look like you spend the night at a strip club,” my friend in Asheville told me when he picked me up for lunch. “But you don’t smell.”

This was also the point where I realized the merino wool socks smelled like a middle school locker room. It’s harder to wick away moisture when the socks are surrounded by shoes, I surmised. So I had to retire them a week into the experiment.

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Even smoky bars with clumsy patrons don’t stop the one-shirt party.

A couple of days later in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, I decided to really put the shirt to the test as I was nearing the end of the 12-day voyage. I wore the shirt to a heavy metal show at a dive bar where there may have been more cigarette smoke on the outdoor patio than oxygen. I may have also had a domestic beer spilt on me, followed by a whiskey shot, followed by another to-be-identified liquid. I woke up the next day fully expecting my blue crew neck to smell like a used bar mat. Surprisingly, it was fine.

That night I took the shirt for its final test: a long, sweaty workout. Typically, during a 60-minute exercise class, I soak through a dry-fit shirt by the end of my warmup. And while I could definitely feel sweat getting into the wool, making it uncomfortably itchy, it never got even close to drenched. Eleven days into the trip, the sweat beaded up and rolled off like the bacon grease night one.

I hung it up to dry for the night, fully planning to wear it on the plane home. Worst case scenario, I ended up on Passenger Shaming.

Bolstered by a few beers at the Ft. Wayne airport Sam Adams Taphouse, I sat down next to the mild-mannered looking man next to me on my flight home and promptly greeted him by saying, “Just FYI, I’ve been wearing this shirt for two weeks. If you wanna get up and move, I won’t be offended.”

He gave me a look like I’d just told him I was going to steal his in-flight magazine, not really all that bothered but wondering why I felt the need to tell him.

“Well,” he nodded without much intonation. “Appreciate you telling me. Any reason?”

“It’s for a story,” I said, explaining my job and why I was doing this. “Honestly, I’m excited to wear something else tomorrow.”

He seemed fascinated and looked up Unbound Merino on his phone. He told me he traveled a lot for business and thought this might help him pack more casual clothes when he’s gone. No idea if he ever made a purchase, but the shirt clearly has an appeal.

I took my blue crew neck off that night, put it in my dry cleaning bag, and haven’t looked at it since. Not that I don’t like the shirt, it fit well and was exceedingly comfortable. But it’s like eating pizza every day for a week, after that you don’t want to see it for a while.

The shirts aren’t cheap, but they are worth it if you like packing light and don’t mind wearing the same thing every day. And they keep their claim of staying clean unless you take them on rainy-day dirt bike rides. I’ll hold onto mine for times when packing as little as I can is crucial, though I still like the freedom of choice when I’m traveling. That said if you hate checking bags more than you hate repetitive wardrobes, these shirts are your new favorite item. But maybe get it in more than one color.

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The Top Hotels in Naples and the Surrounding Italian Islands

Often seen merely as a stepping stone to the stunning Italian islands accessible via its bustling port, Naples is seldom considered a destination in itself. Contrary to this negative portrayal, Naples is a lively, culture-rich city that deserves more recognition. As the birthplace of pizza, it commands respect on culinary grounds alone. Moreover, it’s home to a wealth of significant archaeological treasures, and its unpolished streets have a beauty and authenticity that’s been washed away in other large European cities. It’s also home to a handful of excellent luxury boutique hotels offering outstanding Italian hospitality and beautiful accommodations. Here are the top hotels in Naples, Italy for a weekend getaway or extended vacation in city and around the city.

We hope you love the hotels in Naples, Italy we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

The best time to visit Naples

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The best time is generally during the spring and fall seasons. March and April are particularly pleasant as the weather is mild and there are fewer tourists. Another good time to visit is May and September. These periods offer a balance of good weather and smaller crowds, making it easier to explore and enjoy the city. Avoid the summer months, specifically June, July, and August, as it can get very hot and busy. It’s also worth noting that in August, many Italians (and Europeans in general) go on vacation, and some establishments may be closed.

Albergo il Monastero

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Perched atop the rocky island of Ischia, off the coast of Naples, Albergo il Monastero is a stylish boutique hotel in a former monastery within the medieval castle. The castle is one of the main attractions on the island, but hotel guests get the pleasure of skipping the queue and accessing the historic building via an elevator carved into the rock face. The crowds here are never overbearing, even in the height of summer, but if you’d prefer a more tranquil vacation, consider staying here during early summer or fall. The hotel offers various room options, all of which have been designed to reflect the austere beauty of the former monastery. The rooms are furnished with simple yet elegant furniture, and the decor features a harmonious blend of neutral tones with whitewashed walls and terracotta tiles. The highlight of the hotel is the terraced garden peppered with wildflowers, fruit trees, and pathways lined with lavender.

Albergo il Monastero : Castello Aragonese d, 80077 Ischia NA, Italy

Price: $162

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Casa d’Anna

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There are many B&B-style boutique hotels in Naples, but Casa d’Anna is arguably the best of a great bunch. Nightly rates are reasonable, the service is warm and welcoming, the interior design is stunning, and it has a superb location. If you’d rather be in Naples rather than the neighboring islands, Casa d’Anna should be top of your list. It’s situated in one of the most vibrant neighborhoods of Naples, Sanità. Here, you’ll experience authentic Neapolitan life. Meters from the front door are market stalls, local grocer’s shops, cafés and bars. Now, here’s where it gets tricky. There are only four bedrooms available, so although this is hands down the best option for a hotel in Naples, availability can be an issue. The only way to get around this is to plan your trip in advance and contact the hotel directly if you have a problem. However, the leg work will be worth it for a stay at this beautiful establishment.

Casa d’Anna : Via dei Cristallini, 138, 80137 Napoli NA, Italy

Price: $117

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Mezzatorre Hotel

Photo: Mezzatorre Hotel/Shutterstock

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Also on the rustic island of Ischia, the Mezzatorre Hotel is located on the island’s northwestern tip and is set in a 16th-century watchtower in a private cove. The five-star attracts those looking for the luxury and natural beauty of Capri without the crowds. Capri is not far away, and due to the hotel’s position atop a hill, guests can enjoy panoramic views of the famous island and the ocean. Surrounded by a lush forest of pines and oaks, the Mezzatorre is worth the nightly rate. Even if your budget will only stretch for one or two nights. The contemporary guest rooms and suites are tastefully decorated, with each offering unsurpassed views of the island and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Whether you’re lounging by the outdoor pool, in the thermal spa, dining in one of the two à la carte restaurants, or simply enjoying the view from your room, you’ll feel a sense of serenity that Itay’s islands are well-known for.

Mezzatorre Hotel : via Mezzatorre, 23/d, 80075 Forio NA, Italy

Price: $385

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Romeo Napoli

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Romeo Napoli is a luxury design hotel famed for its views of Mount Vesuvius and Michelin-starred restaurant. Designed by the renowned Japanese architect Kenzō Tange, this innovative and high-tech hotel stands out amid the ancient architecture of the city. The hotel’s exterior is a sleek combination of glass and metal, a stark contrast to the city’s gritty surroundings. Yet, it perfectly captures the spirit of Naples, a city that embraces both its historical past and present day. One of the hotel’s standout features is its rooftop pool. Overlooking the bustling Naples Harbor, the space and water offer a tranquil escape from the city. Service is enthusiastic and there to help organize boat trips, private tours, tickets to events, and restaurant reservations. It’s also worth noting that the hotel is pet-friendly and welcomes cats and dogs up to 11lbs in weight.

Romeo Napoli : Via Cristoforo Colombo, 45, 80133 Napoli NA, Italy

Price: $370

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The Dante House

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Along with sister properties The Bellini House and The Foria House, Dantes House is part of a new generation of upscale B&Bs in Naples. Named after the famed Italian poet Dante Alighieri, this design-forward bed and breakfast is set on Piazza Dante at Port’Alba, one of the historic city gates. From the front door, it’s a mere seven-minute walk from the National Archaeological Museum and just a mile away from the lively Molo Beverello. With six impeccably styled rooms, each differing in size, décor, and layout, it offers an intimate yet luxurious stay. Four rooms have balconies overlooking the piazza, while the remaining two offer a more secluded, internal view (which is a better option for those who sleep lightly).

The Dante House : P.za Dante, 22, 80135 Napoli NA, Italy

Price: $120

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The Bellini House

Photo: House in NaplesPhoto: House in NaplesPhoto: House in Naples

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Sister property Bellini House is also worth considering. It’s located in the city’s vibrant old town and attracts young travelers with its playful vibe. This B&B has six rooms, some of which have multiple beds. Those with extra sleeping space are popular with groups who’d rather have the comfort of hotel service over opting for an Airbnb.

The Bellini House : Via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, 94, 80138 Napoli NA, Italy

Price: $119

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Domus Deorum

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Domus Deorum is steps away from Naples Centrale train station, making it ideal for anyone arriving in Naples by rail. This area of the city is not the prettiest, but the welcome at the luxury B&B makes up for it. It’s also close to Chiesa dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo and a mile from the historic San Gregorio Armeno and Museo Cappella Sansevero. Service is impeccable yet warm. Little perks, such as a welcome glass of prosecco and a chilled tipple of limoncello in the afternoon accompanied by local pastries, are a nice touch.

Domus Deorum : P.za Principe Umberto, 4, 80139 Napoli NA, Italy

Price: $147

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Top things to do in Naples

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Visit Museo Cappella Sansevero: This museum is home to some of the most impressive works of art in the world, including the famous Veiled Christ sculpture.Discover the Catacombe di San Gennaro: Ancient Christian burial sites that are a wonder to explore.Walk through underground Naples: A network of tunnels and caves under the city of Naples.Stroll along Via San Gregorio Armeno: Known for its nativity workshops and boutiques.Eat pizza: Naples is the birthplace of pizza, so trying a slice here is a must-do.Visit Mount Vesuvius: A short trip from Naples, you can hike up to the crater of this famous volcano.Explore the old town: Full of history and interesting architecture, the old town is a great place to wander around and enjoy a spritz at an outdoor cafe.Visit Naples National Archaeological Museum: This museum has one of the world’s best collections of Greek and Roman antiquities, including mosaics, sculptures, gems, glass and silver, and a collection of Roman erotica from Pompeii.Enjoy Piazza Bellini: A popular square with locals and tourists alike, offering a number of bars and restaurants.

What area of Naples, Italy is best to stay in?

Piazza del Plebiscito is a central location near some of Naples’ major attractions. Hotels near Castel dell’Ovo or close to Via Toledo are also exceptional choices. The Historic Centre, also known as Centro Storico, along with Quartieri Spagnoli, are popular spots, offering a range of hotels. Other recommended areas include Montesanto and the historical part of Chiaia. For those seeking luxury, the neighborhood of Chiaia offers five-star hotels and upscale restaurants. If you’re interested in nightlife, Vomero, located in a hilly part of Naples, is a great choice.

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Eclipse Viewing and National Parks Top Airbnb Study of 2024 Travel Trends

No one really knows what 2024 will look like, especially people in the travel industry who try to predict all the upcoming trends. What can be relied upon, though, are travelers themselves who’ve already made bookings for the new year. By looking at search trends and concrete bookings on Airbnb for 2024, the travel landscape in the new year begins to crystalize. From a surge in stargazing searches to an interest in outdoor wellness vacations, these are the top travel trends Airbnb is seeing for 2024.

We hope you take as much value from Airbnb’s 2024 travel trend predictions as we did! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay.

All eyes on Japan

Perhaps it’s not surprising that the one of the countries that had the longest Covid-era closure is now at the top of travelers’ bucket lists. According to Airbnb’s data, Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto are all appearing at the top of users’ searches for 2024. Indeed, searches for Japan have tripled compared to the same period last year, putting the country at the top of Airbnb’s list of most trending international destinations. Japan is followed closely by Taiwan, Albania, Singapore, Finland, and the UAE.

How to experience it yourself:

12 Tokyo Airbnbs in the heart of the incredible cityThese Kyoto Airbnbs let you experience traditional Japanese hospitalityYou can now spend the night in a Japanese castle and be welcomed by gun saluteThe most beautiful houses in Japan you can rentTotal eclipse of the Airbnb

Photo: Airbnb

For many travelers looking to plan their 2024 domestic travel, the solar eclipse on April 4-7 is a huge consideration. In addition to simply marking their calendars and remembering to look up on those days, travelers are seemingly planning entire trips around seeing the eclipse from the best vantage point possible. Indeed, searches for Airbnb listings within the US path of the solar eclipse increased 300 percent compared to the same dates last year. These are some of the trending US cities for seeing the solar eclipse:

Kerrville, TXLouisville, KYMiami Gardens, FLQuincy, WAIndianapolis, INPinehurst, NCMarble Falls, TXLake Ozark, MOMountain Village, COWaco, TX

How to experience it yourself:

How and where to watch the 2024 total solar eclipseThe ultimate guide to stargazing in the United StatesA relaxing start to 2024

Photo: Airbnb

There’s no better way to decompress after a busy holiday season and rowdy New Year’s Eve than by simply…chilling out. That’s why it seems people are already looking beyond the holiday season and booking tranquil nature escapes for the new year. National parks, beaches, and scenic views, are topping the most popular travel categories for 2024, showing how high traveles value the art of relaxation. The following categories are among the most booked globally for 2024:

National parksAmazing poolsBeachAmazing viewsIconic cities

How to experience it yourself:

Take a fun escape into nature at these Airbnbs near Glacier National ParkAccess trails and hot springs from these Airbnbs near Olympic National Park11 mountain cabins in California for the perfect escape into nature9 Airbnbs in Costa Rica for a tropical summer escape10 Airbnb Estes Park area rentals for a beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park stay12 dreamy Airbnbs in Hawaii that are right on the beachGuest Favorites: Airbnb’s New Year’s resolution

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Browsing Airbnb without knowing exactly what you’re looking for can feel like wandering a bookstore, faced with thousands of potential stories to read, but no way to decide between them. Guest Favorites is Airbnb’s version of a bookstore’s “Staff Picks” section. Designed for those who haven’t yet finalized their travel plans, and need help zeroing in on the best properties, Guest Favorites is a collection of the two million most-loved homes on Airbnb, based on ratings, reviews, and reliability. They’ve also received high marks for ease of check-in, cleanliness, listing accuracy, host communication, location, and value. These are some of the most-wishlisted Guest Favorites to help inform your 2024 plans.

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This Soft-Shell Roller Bag Is The Ideal Long-Haul Carry-On

The outdoor industry’s rumor mill constantly churns on unsubstantiated claims and speculation. Now and then, a tidbit hits my inbox that, whether or not I believe it straightaway, is too juicy to pass up. Such was the case last fall when I read that Travis Campbell, former president of emerging brands at VF Corporation, planned to buy the iconic outdoor brand Eagle Creek and save it from the shelves of obsolescence.

Fortunately for us all, this proved to be factoid rather than furphy. Eagle Creek received a second life in late 2022, and earlier this year, the opportunity came to test the company’s new luggage sets (and, much to my delight, this also meant a chance to update my beloved but aging set of Eagle Creek packing cubes).

I opted for the Expanse 4-wheel 21.5″ International Carry-on because while I tend to carry a decent amount of stuff with me, I avoid checking a bag at all costs unless it’s absolutely necessary. Since I acquired this soft-sided roller, it’s been all over the place with me. The Expanse comes with attachments for Eagle Creek’s packing cubes, and separate packing areas for the cubes, work stuff, and other necessities.

We hope you love the Eagle Creek Expanse 4-wheel 21.5″ International Carry-on! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to make a purchase.

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First impressions of the Eagle Creek Expanse 4-wheel 21.5″ International Carry-onPhoto: Tim WengerPhoto: Tim Wenger

I first took the Eagle Creek Expanse 4-wheel 21.5” International Carry-on with me to a conference in Denver. I loaded it up with packing cubes and a garment bag stuffed with button-down shirts, a couple of pairs of nice pants, and other essentials for a four-day trip to the city.

When the brand says 35L, it means 35L – the roller is not rife with extra pockets that add storage space for miscellanea. To optimize this roller case I was forced to pack efficiently and eliminate the “maybes.” This forces quick decisions when packing, but it also makes you a better traveler. That’s because when you bring enough to fill a large carry-on and nothing more, you learn to identify what you need versus what you want, and you get better at packing only what’s optimized for your specific trip.

That is exactly what happened in this case. After loading up my toiletry bag, packing cubes, garment bag, two pairs of shoes, and a book, there wasn’t much room left.

That said, what the suitcase holds, it holds tightly. There’s no need to worry about being questioned at TSA or the gate about its size. The roller features two wheels and an expandable telescoping handle for easy towing. It’s lean enough for the overhead bin even on smaller regional jets, and in a pinch, could certainly fit underneath the seat in front of you (provided you collapse the handle and stash that side forward facing, so it looks more like a bag or briefcase under the seat and doesn’t call attention to itself).

Unpacking the Expanse 4-wheel 21.5″ International Carry-on

Photo: Tim Wenger

It was upon reaching my accommodations in Denver that I really came to love this roller case. The best thing about it is that it lays flat and opens like a clamshell. This allows for easy access to everything when reaching in from the top, and prevents any unnecessary unpacking just to get to something tucked down at the bottom. When placed on the baggage holder in a hotel room, you can easily get to everything. The zippers connect at a central point for easy locking and the inside of the Expanse features adjustable compression to reduce jingling and jangling during bumpy flights.

The suitcase has backpack straps in the back compartment, meaning it can work as a backpack if you adhere to the “though shalt not roll” policy. It was here that I also stored a book to read on my travels once the main compartment was sufficiently stuffed.

As a remote worker, I appreciate that the Expanse has a front compartment for work gear, including room for a laptop, charger, cables, a notebook, and other necessities. The one thing I don’t like about the bag is its lack of four wheels. This prevents it from rolling beside you like an eager travel pall, instead the bag lags behind in the old-school way.

How the Expanse 4-wheel 21.5″ International Carry-on compares to other 2-wheel roller casesPhoto: Tim WengerPhoto: Tim Wenger

When compared to hardshell roller cases, the Eagle Creek Expanse 4-wheel 21.5” International Carry-on excels in that it is precisely not that – it’s soft-shelled, and therefore more malleable during packing, zipping, and when stuffing it into an overhead bin or the trunk of a car. It’s even thin enough to fit into cargo panniers on an e-bike. In that sense, the Expanse is comparable to hardshell options like that from Away or Paravel, only more agile and nimble.

When checking a bag is unavoidable, I use the July Checked Plus, the difference being that the larger option can fit clothes and stuff for my three-person family, while the Expanse is only suited for myself, or me and my young daughter if I pack very light.

A sustainable option from a responsible brand

Photo: Tim Wenger

Eagle Creek’s eco-friendly mantra has repeatedly drawn me to the brand’s products. The Expanse is no different. It’s made from 100% recycled polyester and manufactured in a facility committed to eco-friendly practices whenever possible. The Expanse features durable construction and Eagle Creek’s No Matter What® Warranty ensure a long lifespan, reducing waste and making it an environmentally conscious choice for travelers.

The only issue I’ve had with the Expanse so far is that my wife consistently swipes it for her own work trips – I may need to look into a second.

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This Long-Range E-Bike Is an Ideal Ride for Commuters and Adventurers, and It’s $50 Off

My legs felt the burn before the battery did. A fork in the road lay in front of me, the route to my right leading to a familiar path that would put me back in my driveway in about 20 minutes. To my left, uncharted territory. The gravel path northwest of Horse Mountain, just outside Palisade, Colorado, where I live, traverses across a vast swath of barren, high-desert BLM land south of town in a series of jagged loops. Because many of the trails are simply worn tracks from years of automotive off-road use, no map or GPS app has definitively routed this area. But my best guess puts the total trail mileage at over 100. Some of this is choppy 4×4 road, but much of it is coarse dirt and gravel that made for a smooth sailing e-bike ride on my new Himiway Zebra. Despite the burn in my thighs, I headed left.

The Zebra, a new offering from the Kansas City-based e-bike manufacturer, caught my attention because it promised everything a traditional – dare I say, “hipster” – e-bike does not. Fat tires capable of traversing the varied terrain of Colorado’s Western Slope. A Class 3 throttle that propels the bike towards 28 miles per hour even without pedal assist. And, most notable, a purported 80-mile range per charge.

This 80-mile range was the impetus for my jaunt across the greater Palisade area. I wished to put the bike to the test, to see how far it could go before range anxiety set it. The night before the ride, I charged the bike in my garage, which took about seven hours. I warmed up by cruising a segment of the Fruit and Wine Byway, a road route that covers the bulk of the area’s wine country and peach orchards. Then, just past Bookcliff Vineyards near the base of Grand Mesa, the road switched to gravel and shortly thereafter passed through BLM gates onto public land.

If this bike was to hold up in Colorado, it needed to pass this test.

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Testing the Himiway Zebra on road and gravelPhoto: Tim WengerPhoto: Tim Wenger

As an experienced e-biker, I felt confident – perhaps too confident – cruising the Zebra along the Byway. Traffic is light in the area, and at 20+ MPH on a large and noticeable bike, I cruised in the middle of the lane when no cars were present. This is a plus, as the bike certainly alleviates any need for “Napoleon Syndrome” on streets without a dedicated bike lane. That said, the bike is heavy — plan your assembly and any car-bound transport so that you only have to do it once, if at all.

10 miles in, I hit gravel. I immediately felt a difference in the ride. The bike’s hardtail allows the battery to firmly guide the ride on dirt, which I appreciated as it took minimal effort to steer around rocks and to keep momentum up over undulating hills.

The bike’s center balance is the best I’ve found on any e-bike. The easiest way to notice this is to remove your hands from the handlebars (look mom!) and pedal straight forward. You’ll hardly sway at all. In more practical terms, this strong balance makes climbing and descending hills easier than if the front fork swayed more easily. It’s also far safer this way.

Another 10 miles in, I stopped to take photos at the crest of a hill. The bike and battery were holding up nicely – the display noted just under a full charge. I tend to cruise on level 2 or 3 power, not harnessing full battery juice in favor of getting some exercise while still smoothing out steep pitches and full stops. I barely felt those first 10 miles, and still felt strong 10 additional miles later. Since hitting gravel there had been several points where I could have mistaken the ride for a dirt bike as I near-effortlessly pedaled up inclines and averted the occasional pothole.

The bike’s 26-inch fat  tires are burlier than those found on most mountain bikes and indeed, most mopeds. They’re more than capable of going off-road, as I tested on my first ride. I learned not to become overconfident, however, as the bike doesn’t have much in the way of travel suspension in comparison to a mountain bike. When riding on unpaved paths or roads, it’s best to keep the battery assist at Level 1 or 2 and put a bit more effort into pedaling, so as not to go to hard on the frame, brakes, and suspension.

A few miles later, I passed the furthest point I’d ever ridden in this particular area. I stopped again to take stock of the situation. The saddle was noticeably more comfortable than other e-bikes I’d ridden, causing no soreness or tension. The brakes had been exceptionally responsive, never causing anxiety as a stop sign or passerby approached. I’ve spent a lot of time on a Lectric XP 3.0, and while the torque on the Himiway Zebra is noticeably less prompt when accelerating from a stop, I found that comforting once I got used to it. A slightly – very slightly – slower acceleration allowed time to fully transition from stopping to moving at a red light or when first departing from a location.

Testing the limits of the Himiway Zebra’s 80-mile rangePhoto: Tim WengerPhoto: Tim WengerPhoto: Tim Wenger

I’d allotted a full afternoon for this ride because I wanted to push the bike as far as I could without fear of losing juice before reaching home. At the 30-mile mark, I still felt confident about the range as the display showed a little over half a charge remaining. A series of small hills lay ahead of me then, and I floored it up them at full power. First one, then a second, and finally a third, before which I pushed through a shallow stream of water cutting its way toward the Colorado River a few miles ahead. A quick splash of mud didn’t hinder the ride at all.

The hills set the power back a bit, and as I approached the fork that led back towards paths I’d ridden before, I considered heading home. But the burning desire for adventure (or, an itch for calculated risk) overcame that thought. The route to the left led toward the furthest reaches of East Orchard Mesa, a winery- and orchard-lined hill above Palisade, and would require eight miles of road riding to get home. Do or die.

Himiway clearly had varying terrain in mind when designing this bike. After leaving the fork I hit a flat patch of smooth dirt and took the opportunity to reduce the battery power and put some extra legwork in, despite my growing fatigue. The views of the Grand Mesa behind me and Mt. Garfield to the right supplied any extra inspiration I needed to keep pedaling. The odometer topped 30 miles just before I hit pavement.

Cruising the final stretch toward home, I was elated that the Himiway Zebra had surpassed any doubts I’d drummed up about its range or its performance ability. This is a bike that can be depended on for nearly any routine need, from commuting to hauling to a bit of light adventuring, as I’d found out. I wouldn’t be comfortable pushing it much further than I had on this ride, but given that the vast majority of e-bikes would have crapped out 20 miles earlier (or more), the Zebra stood up to the test. As the sun began to set over Colorado National Monument due west, I flipped on the headlight (an easy button adjacent to the display) and reveled in what had been one hell of a ride. I made it home, no problem.

Total miles on the charge topped 40, and that includes cruising up and over numerous small hills with battery power juicing the uphill climb. The battery was about 85% empty as I pulled into my driveway. This is a smashing success — given the heavy throttle use and elevation gain, not to mention the varying terrain, getting over 50 miles on this charge is quite the accomplishment.

Where a next-generation Zebra could improve

Photo: Tim Wenger

My only complaint about the Himiway Zebra is that while its big-bodied looks beckon for rugged adventure, its hard-tail build limits its capability for gravel riding. If the Zebra were a dually – meaning “dual suspension,” like you’d find on most modern mountain bikes – this thing could give many gas-powered dirt bikes a run for their money.

Alas, that’s not what the brand was going for – but it did craft a durable e-bike that is big enough to make the rider feel comfortable commuting, burly enough to tow a trailer, and has fat tires that make the bike rideable year-round even in locations that experience winter.

This first ride on the Zebra reminded me of cruising Southeast Asia on a two-stroke moto.

Himiway Zebra specs

Photo: Tim Wenger

The Himiway Zebra is an electric fat bike that is designed for all-terrain use. It has a powerful 750W motor, a long-range 960Wh battery, and a sturdy aluminum frame that can handle up to 400 pounds of weight. The Zebra is also equipped with hydraulic disc brakes and 26-inch Kenda fat tires that provide excellent traction in a variety of conditions.

Here are the full specs of the Himiway Zebra:

Motor: 750W brushless gear hub motorBattery: 48V 20Ah Samsung/LG lithium-ion batteryRange: 60-80 miles (pedal assist) or 40-50 miles (throttle only)Top speed: 25 mph (pedal assist) or 20 mph (throttle only)Payload capacity: 400 poundsFrame: Aluminum alloyBrakes: Hydraulic disc brakesTires: 26-inch Kenda fat tiresWeight: 79 poundsDimensions: 70 inches x 40 inches x 30 inchesAdditional features:LCD display with USB charging portIntelligent pedal assist with 5 levelsRemovable batteryIntegrated rear light

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