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40 storybook towns in Europe

Sometimes we just want to live in the past. Luckily, in many places around Europe that’s still possible. Some small towns have resisted the onslaught of modernization and overwrought tourism infrastructure and managed to retain their old-world, charming identity.

In these small towns across Europe, from England to Romania, you’ll find well-preserved architecture dating back hundreds of years, and a pace of life that yanks you back through time. Although no destination is immune to the impact of tourism, these towns have so far been spared and still retain their postcard-esque aesthetic. Here are 40 European small towns that are straight out of a storybook.

1. Cinque Terre, Italy

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The five villages that comprise Cinque Terre — Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore — have taken measures to remain as tranquil as possible. These fishing villages on the country’s Riviera, although busy with tourists year around, have mostly banned cars off their streets and are connected by hiking trails and a railway line.

Cinque Terre is known for its picturesque cliffs, colorful homes, and terraces overlooking the Mediterranean. Recognized by UNESCO in 1997 as a national park and protected marine area, Cinque Terre is immensely attractive to visitors craving a slice of small-town Italian living.

2. Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy

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An ancient Etruscan and Roman village, Castigilion Fiorentino allows visitors to dip their toes into history. Medieval stone fortresses and cobblestone streets still remain, and archaeologists have even discovered a sacred area under the village’s modern piazza dating back to the fifth century BC. The village of 13,000 is home to an art gallery inside the Church of Sant’Angelo with jewelry from the 13th century on display, and in the underground Civic Museum of Archaeology and Excavation you’ll find monumental archeological discoveries from the area.

3. Gruyeres, Switzerland

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Famed for producing the cheese of the same name, Gruyeres is a medieval gateway to the Swiss Alps where the only traffic jam you’ll encounter is the one created by cows on their way to pastures. The cobbled streets lined with flowers and rustic houses make the small town a picture-perfect medieval Alpine village. The first thing you’ll notice when you set foot in Gruyeres is the 13th century Castle of Gruyeres, and you actually tour the ramparts, towers, and gardens.

The town is perhaps most notable, however, for the famous Gruyere AOP cheese. Visitors are able to watch the cheese-making process in action by taking an interactive tour.

4. Saint-Emilion, France

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This UNESCO World Heritage site in France’s Bordeaux region features Roman ruins and steep cobblestone streets. It’s known for its iconic 13th-century La Tour du Roy tower, Romanesque church, and medieval cobbled streets, but it’s perhaps even more renowned for its wine. Saint-Emilion has been in the wine business since the second century BC. The town is surrounded by vineyards that have existed since the days of Ancient Rome and is home to some of France’s most prestigious wines. Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angelus, Figeac, and Pavis are all based around Saint-Emilion.

5. Bruges, Belgium

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If you’ve seen the movie In Bruges, you probably don’t need much convincing to go visit. In the movie, Brendan Gleeson’s character sums it up perfectly when he says, “It’s like a f*cking fairytale or something.” The 14th century port city is defined by its cobbled squares and alleys, towering Belfry, and labyrinth of canals that earned it the nickname, “The Venice of the North.”

You could easily spend the entire day just cruising along the canals and taking in the sights, or get lost in the winding alleyways on foot. Make sure to check out the Hof Bladelin, previously a branch of the Medici bank. Now it serves as a convent you can visit.

6. Colmar, France

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Colmar is a popular stop in France’s Alsace region — and for good reason. The little cottages and colorful shops will transport you back in time. What really makes Colmar unique, however, is the intersection of French and German culture. It’s located in the Alsace region, which has been passed between France and Germany for years. Although occupied briefly by Germany during World War II, it was the last French town liberated by the Allies and has remained French ever since. You’ll still be able to see the German influence on Colmar’s architecture.

7. Gimmelwald, Switzerland

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Step off the tram and into another century in Switzerland’s best-preserved alpine village. Since the whole community has been declared an avalanche zone, the town has managed to stave off modern development and retain its charm. Often neglected by tourists in favor of the nearby — and more famous — Grindelwald, Gimmelwald is a much less-traveled village and a great alternative if you’re looking to escape the crowds. Seemingly hanging off the edge of a cliff above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Gimmelwald is defined by its cow troughs, barns, traditional chalets, and sweeping views of the mountains. For even better views, take the gondola up the Schilthorn to a revolving Piz Gloria restaurant, at an elevation of 10,000 feet, before hiking back down.

8. Český Krumlov, Czech Republic

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Another World Heritage site, Český Krumlov’s outsized castle (the second largest in the Czech Republic) provides an amazing backdrop to this Baroque town. Right on the banks of the Vltava river, the town was built around a 13th-century castle. The former feudal town was founded in the Middle Ages and has since undergone Renaissance and Baroque transformations. Its medieval street layout remains intact, as do its historic buildings with their Renaissance and Baroque facades. The castle itself has retained a piece of every era, with a combination of Gothic, Late Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque aesthetic elements.

9. Monemvasia, Greece

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Originally settled in the sixth century as a fortress refuge for Greeks fleeing invasion, Monemvasia has successfully repelled invaders — cultural and physical — ever since. Located on the southeastern side of the Peloponnese region, Monemvasia was carved into the back of a sea rock in the Middle Ages to conceal the town’s presence from hostile forces. A classic medieval castle town, the fact that it’s located on an island just adds an extra air of romance. The town whose name translates as “single passage” is connected to the mainland by a narrow pathway.

10. Riquewihr, France

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Riesling fans know Riquewihr for its famed wine appellation, and travelers love its town center, which has remained intact for hundreds of years. Located between the Vosges mountains and the Plain of Alsace, Riquewihr feels like an open-air museum that has preserved its character in pristine fashion over the centuries. You’ll find half-timbered houses from the 15th century, a defensive gate from the 13th century, and museums that illuminate the town’s cultural and historic heritage, like the Thieves Tower and 16th-century Winemaker’s House.

11. Ronda, Spain

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Three incredibly dramatic stone bridges span the El Tajo canyon upon which the city is built. The birthplace of the modern Spanish bullfight, Ronda was once home to Ernest Hemingway, who indulged in his love for bullfighting while residing in the old quarter. Its New Bridge, completed in 1793, connects El Mercadillo (the Market) to La Ciudad (the old Moorish quarter). The town is also famous for its coño balconies, which hang over the edge of the Tajo gorge. These precarious-looking platforms are some of the best viewpoints for admiring the gorge — just don’t lean too far over the edge. Ronda also gives French wine a run for its money, known for its delicious red wines.

12. Corinaldo, Italy

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Italy is no stranger to medieval small towns perched atop hills, but Corinaldo is among the best-preserved ones in the entire country. This village, in the province of Ancona, has defensive walls built in the 15th century and battlements that offer panoramic views of the countryside. Corinaldo is also an important religious destination as the birthplace and pilgrimage site of Maria Goretti, who was sanctified in 1902. Other attractions include the Cannon of Fico, the historic House of Sucretto, the 100-step Piaggia stairwell, and the famous Well of Poleta.

13. Óbidos, Portugal

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When Óbidos was gifted by Afonso II to his wife Urraca of Leon in the 1200s, the city became known as the home of Portugal’s queens, and it’s easy to see why. Several of the buildings and monuments were either founded or funded by a queen of Portugal, and the town itself is encircled by the walls of a medieval castle. A walk around the small town might convince you that you’re living in the shadow of the Portuguese monarchy.

The town’s historic homes are defined by whitewashed walls and yellow borders, and its narrow streets and hidden alleyways would take years to be thoroughly explored. The castle, founded by the Moors in the 700s, now serves as a heritage hotel, so you can book a room and live like royalty yourself.

14. Cochem, Germany

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Once a Celtic, then Roman, outpost on the Rhine, Cochem is located in the heart of Germany’s Riesling wine region. Half-timbered houses are topped with slate roofs, and strolling the winding streets you’ll notice quirky details like a merman carved into the side of the building. It’s all overlooked by the imperial Reichsburg Cochem castle. Built around the year 1000, the medieval castle sits atop a vineyards-covered hill and was renovated in the mid-1800s to reflect a more neo-gothic style.

Since you can’t visit the Riesling region without sampling the goods, check out Family Winery Rademacher for a wine tasting and cellar tour. You’ll learn about what it takes to create a delicious wine from the winemaker himself and taste six different wines over the course of two hours.

15. Potes, Spain

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In Spain’s mountainous north, Potes straddles steep river terrain and is home to several centuries-old stone bridges, including the famous San Cayetano and La Cárcel. Located in the middle of four valleys in the Picos de Europa, the village is surrounded by hills and mountains.

Its medieval town center is defined by a labyrinth of narrow alleyways and ancient streets, with houses of golden stone and a river crossed by several small stone bridges. Make sure you stop and appreciate the 13th century Torre del Infatado fortification in the main square, containing illuminated manuscripts of the Book of Revelation and the old Gothic church of San Vincente with its Baroque altarpiece.

16. Hallstatt, Austria

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Located between the Hallstatter See and the slopes of the Achstein mountain, this town is the quintessential image of a storybook lakeside village.

The streets of Hallstatt look like they’re lined with gingerbread houses that will have you stopping to take pictures every few feet. For the best views, head up to the World Heritage Skywalk, 1,150 feet above the town, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the whole Dachstein Salzkammergut region. One of Hallstatt’s most eccentric spots is the Hallstatt Ossuary, or “Bone House,” which is home to over 2,100 skulls and other human bones. The town’s small size meant the cemetery was always running out of room, so exhumed bodies were moved to the ossuary to create burial space.

17. Bragança, Portugal

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Inhabited since the Paleolithic period, Bragança’s old town walls, Renaissance buildings, and town hall (the oldest in Portugal) have managed to survive through the ages. Bragança is located in the region of Trás-os-Montes, which means “behind the mountains.” The name is fitting as the town sits in the most remote areas of mainland Portugal.

Located atop a plateau near the Spanish border, the town is known for its walls and castle from the 12th century that still stand today. Stone houses line the streets, and the town is one of Portugal’s last remaining examples of Romanesque civic architecture. Surrounding the town is the Parque Natural de Montesinho, where wild animals like boars and wolves wander the woods.

18. Dingle Peninsula

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If you’ve seen Leap Year, you might think Dingle is just the magical little town in Ireland where Amy Adams accidentally met the love of her life. Well, you’re not wrong, but Dingle is also a real place that feels every bit as whimsical in person. You’ll find wooden fishing boats lazily bobbing in the harbor, shepherds moving their flocks through rock-walled pastures, and plenty of cozy pubs.

The Dingle Peninsula stretches 30 miles into the Atlantic Ocean on Ireland’s southwest coast and is dominated by mountains from the Slieve Mish to the Conor Pass and Mount Brandon. The coastline is defined by steep cliffs running down to beaches. The fishing port of Dingle sits on an estuary on the southwestern coast of the peninsula and is known for its colorful buildings, ancient streets, and relaxed atmosphere.

19. Mittenwald, Germany

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Mittenwald pretty much has everything you could possibly want in a classic German mountain village: cobbled streets and mountain vistas. A little river runs through the Alstadt (old town), and on the main street you’ll find painted facades called Lüftlmalerei decorating the houses — some of them dating back 250 years. The painted images tell the story of the town with pictures showing the profession of the homeowner, as well as scenes from festivals and religious iconography. In the main square you can’t miss St. Peter and Paul Church, built in 1315 and still serving churchgoers.

If you’re eager to get out on the mountains, head to the nearby Karwendel Alps, the most extensive range of the Northern Limestone Alps. Intrepid hikers will find paths leading up to the peaks, but if you’re just in it for the views you can take a cable car 7,300 feet up where you’ll find a telescope overlooking the Isartal river valley.

20. Sibiu, Romania

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This Transylvanian city dates back to the 12th century. Its medieval center, open squares, stone walls, towers, and centuries-old churches are still intact, now meshing with a modern Bohemian-chic vibe that makes the city a cultural powerhouse.

The square of Piata Mare has been the center of Sibiu since the 15th century. Now it’s home to many of the city’s best restaurants and hosts cultural events, concerts, and festivals. From the Piata Mare, walk down the Strada Nicolae Balescu, the main pedestrian road connecting the square to the rest of the city. The thoroughfare is lined with pastel buildings and eye-catching flower displays, but the views really don’t get much better than from the top of the Council Tower. Dating back to the late 1500s, the tower sits between the Piata Mare and the Piata Mica, giving you panoramic views of the town and surrounding countryside.

21. Giethoorn, Netherlands

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With several canals and wooden bridges, Giethoorn feels like a smaller, more relaxed version of Amsterdam. Very little has changed here since the town’s founding in 1230. The car-free village is full of lakes, reed beds, forests, farms, and paths perfect for walking and biking. If you prefer you can get around by boat, which is probably the most picturesque way to see the old farmhouses and really take in the village’s history. It’s called “Dutch Venice” for a reason. But unlike Venice, you won’t have to deal with the hordes of crowds — there are only 2,600 people living in the entire town.

22. Glorenza, Italy

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Glorenza, or Glurns, is a German-speaking town in South Tyrol with fully intact medieval walls and towers and a fairytale setting in a green valley. Glorenza hit its stride between the 13th and 16th centuries when it saw major economic prosperity. Much of its architecture dates back to this period, including its many arcades and old patrician houses. Pay special attention to Castel Glorenza, a manor house with a courtyard and tower, and the Frölich House, with a facade painted with a Renaissance allegory. Outside the city walls you can see the Gothic church of Saint James al Maso Söles with origins dating back to 1220, making it the oldest church in Tyrol.

23. Zahara de la Sierra, Spain

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Zahara de la Sierra spills down a hillside between olive orchards and vineyards and is one of the most stunning towns in the entire region. Immediately recognizable for its whitewashed houses, the town is built on the sides of a hill and is fittingly known as the “white village.”

Sitting at the foot of the Sierra del Jaral, surrounded by the waters of the Zahara-el Gastor reservoir, the town lies in the shadow of the remains of a Moorish castle. Make sure to check out the 17th century Santa Maria de la Mesa Church, the 16th century Torre del Reloj clocktower, and the ancient Roman Palominos Bridge. The town’s center was declared a Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO in 1977, and a Historical-Artistic Center in 1983, so no matter where you wander in Zahara de la Sierra, you really can’t go wrong.

24. Esch-sur-Sûre, Luxembourg

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Built along a big bend in the River Sûre, Esch-sur-Sûre was officially founded during Charlemagne’s reign and is home to a stunning Gothic castle — the oldest in Luxembourg — built on the high ground above town in 920. The castle’s ruins, which you’re free to explore, give you an incredible view of the village, whose infrastructure has remained largely unchanged since the Middle Ages. After the castle was built the village grew around it, constructing smaller lookout towers and a defensive wall, the ruins of which still remain today. The castle’s ruins are preserved as a historic site and illuminated each night.

25. Echternach, Luxembourg

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Echternach sits right on the banks of the Sûre River, about as close as you can get to Germany without actually being on German soil. Just a three-minute walk across the bridge will bring you to Echternach’s sister town in Germany called Echternacherbrück. But there’s plenty in Echternach to keep you occupied, like exploring the old town square, visiting the seventh-century abbey, or relaxing on a cafe patio on the cobbled streets. Beyond the central marketplace, you can tour the ancient city wall and get lost in the labyrinthine streets.

Just outside town you’ll find the Mullerthal Trail leading through the “Little Switzerland” region of Luxembourg. The region is so named for its craggy terrain, unique rock formations, lush forests, and streams resembling the composition of Switzerland’s landscape. The Mullerthal Trail is an unforgettable hike complete with waterfalls, epic canyons, and castles, and Echternach is the perfect home base.

26. Burford, England

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You don’t have to look far in England’s Cotswold Hills to find enchanting small towns, and Burford is one of the most picturesque. Referred to as the “gateway” to the Cotswolds, Burford has just 1,500 residents and is the perfect example of what you can expect from this bucolic English region. The town’s High Street slopes down to the River Windrush, where it reaches a three-arched medieval bridge. You won’t find any chain stores here, but there are plenty of antique shops, art galleries, old fashioned candy stores, and tearooms.

Venture outside Burford to the broader Cotswolds area, known for having some of the most beautiful countryside in England. They’re famous for their Jurassic limestone bedrock, rare grassland habitat, and sleepy countryside villages that transport you to a simpler time.

27. Monte Isola, Italy

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Several small fishing towns, ports, and olive-and-grape villages dot this tranquil island in Lake Iseo. Despite what you might think, the island doesn’t sit off Italy’s east or west coasts but is located in the middle of Lake Iseo in the north. The 1,800 people living on Monte Isola are spread over 11 villages and just five square miles, making it a truly unique destination in one of Europe’s most picturesque regions. What truly gives the island a whimsical quality, however, is that cars are banned. Inhabitants are only allowed to walk, cycle, or drive motorcycles. Given the island’s small size, it’s totally possible to explore the entire island via the footpaths. It’s particularly worth venturing to the top of the island to the Santuario della Madonna della Ceriola, where you’ll get the best views.

28. Quedlinburg, Germany

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Home to some of Germany’s oldest buildings, Quedlinburg was spared the destruction that befell so many of Germany’s cities during World War II. Cobbled streets run through this UNESCO World Heritage site, and with over 1,000 timber-framed homes, a stately castle, and a 13th-century church, Quedlinburg is considered one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Germany. One house, which dates back to 1310, even served as a residence until as recently as 1965 (now it’s a small museum).

Towering above the town is the Schloss Quedlinburg, a castle perched atop sandstone cliffs. Visitors here can explore the myriad of ornate rooms, see artifacts in the castle’s museum, and enjoy the best view in town. The Marktkirche St. Benedikti church is the other notable landmark in Quedlinburg, dating back to 1233. Its unique octagonal design sets it apart from other churches of the same era, and it serves as a home to various pieces of art, a late-gothic altar of St. Mary, and historic tombstones.

29. Portree, Scotland

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The capital of Scotland’s Isle of Skye, Portree is one of Scotland’s more remote destinations, but you won’t be sorry for making the trip. Located on a bay on the east side of Skye, the fishing village of Portree is surrounded by rolling hills and some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. The town itself is defined by colorful houses overlooking the water. The best part about Portree, however, is that it serves as the perfect base for exploring the rest of the Isle of Skye.

From town, you’re just a short drive away from the epic Old Man of Storr hike past prehistoric-looking rock formations and the clear Fairy Pools famous for their mini-waterfalls. Since it’s Scotland, you probably shouldn’t expect blue skies — but the mist that usually hangs over the island only enhances the magical aesthetic.

30. Lindau, Germany

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Germany isn’t typically known for its island destinations, and that’s why Lindau is such a unique exception. Storied Lindau occupies an island in Lake Constance near the Austrian and Swiss borders. While a bustling modern town is connected via roadway, the city center retains its medieval core. This is most immediately noticeable in the 13th century Markenagentur Lighthouse, standing at the northern edge of the port. In the town itself, you’ll be navigating winding cobblestone streets along the Maximilianstrasse — the main pedestrian promenade. The Old Town Hall, decorated with frescoes of cherubs, dates back to the 15th century, and the Romanesque Peterskirche church is over 1,000 years old, housing frescoes of the Passion of Christ.

For a true dose of fantasy, check out Mainau, a small island nearby with a greenhouse butterfly sanctuary. The old city streets are great, but strolling among the 120 colorful butterfly species on this island might be what you remember most from your visit to Lindau.

31. Molyvos, Greece

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On the island of Lesvos, the town of Molyvos looks more like a painting than a town. Declared a protected site by Greek authorities in 1965, it’s known for its homes of stone and wood, and its amphitheater-like construction. Traditional houses wrap around the coastal road leading up to a castle at the top, meaning walking around Molyvos takes a bit of legwork. As you might expect, though, it’s totally worth it.

Molyvos’s main road is covered by wisteria, giving the cobbled streets a striking purple hue when the flowers are in full bloom. Once you’ve finished admiring the traditional villas, check out the Byzantine churches of Agios Panteleimon and Taxiarchis. The town is also home to what many consider the world’s most beautiful street, which begins at the top of the village at the “Mythimna Market” sign. Walking uphill to the castle, you’ll be treated to views of the valley of Molyvos on one side and the shimmering coast on the other.

32. Santillana del Mar, Spain

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Santillana del Mar is one of Cantabria’s richest centers of art and history. Its medieval streets are lined with flowering balconies, and visitors quickly remark at how well-preserved the place is. That’s because strict rules were introduced in 1575 regarding town planning and development, which today include a stipulation that only residents can bring their vehicles into the heart of town. That keeps tourist traffic at bay, and allows the town to retain its medieval character. It’s also home to the Altamira cave, the “Sistine Chapel of cave art,” which contains some of the most famous prehistoric paintings in the world.

Santillana del Mar is affectionately known as the town of three lies. It’s neither holy (santi), flat (llana), or located by the sea (del mar). Visitors hardly seem to care, though, as the beauty before them is so magical.

33. Znojmo, Czech Republic

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Historically, the city of Znojmo is famous as the site of the Battle of Znaim in 1809, where Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the Austrian army. The medieval, Renaissance, and baroque buildings in Znojmo’s old town are lovely, and the gothic church of St. Nicholas is certainly worth visiting, but the best of Znojmo is actually underground. The town sits atop a vast underground labyrinth of tunnels, escape routes, and interconnected cellars dating back to the 1300s.

One of the most extensive tunnel systems in Central Europe, the Znojmo tunnels extend for 16 miles. Consisting of medieval cellars linking to homes and palaces, the tunnels were constructed in the 19th century to protect the city’s residents during times of war and had featured traps like treacherous pits to defend against invaders. The system is so large that they have not yet been mapped completely. The tunnels are open for public exploration, and guided tours are offered regularly.

34. Eguisheim, France

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Half-timbered buildings and Alsace go together like wine and, well, Alsace. Eguisheim is a key stop on the Alsatian wine route and a must-see for the Riesling lovers out there. The town dates back to the Paleolithic age, with the discovery of a human skull in the area in 1865. The find was particularly important for proving the existence of prehistoric humans.

Fast-forwarding a bit in time, Eguisheim is full of old cottages overgrown with vines, cheese shops, and medieval fountains and courtyards. The streets are arranged in concentric circles around the 11th-century castle in the middle, so it’s pretty easy to find your way around. If you have a choice, try to visit in August so you can experience the wine growers festival, which is every bit as fun as it sounds. In case you still need convincing, Eguisheim was voted the Favorite French Village by the French themselves in 2013, and as we know, there’s a lot of competition for that distinction.

35. Balestrand, Norway

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With a population of just 2,000, Balestrand is located on the Sognefjord in Norway between Oslo and Bergen. It’s world-renowned for its wooden villas, mountainous backdrop, and calming views of the fjord.

One of the town’s most unique structures is St. Olaf’s Church, which was built in 1897 but recalls the classic Stave Church design used throughout Scandinavia. After you’ve checked out the church, head to the beach. Balestrand has several public beaches where you can relax or even swim, including the Kvamsøy recreation area and the Lunde Arboretum, which also features a botanical garden. If you want to do more than sightsee — or combine sightseeing with exercise — take the Fossetien hiking trail, which takes you through 14 waterfalls and seven mountain lakes.

36. Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Mostar’s blend of Ottoman architecture and Mediterranean feel makes it a unique destination in Europe. The city came under Ottoman control in 1568 and has been greatly influenced by Ottoman and Turkish culture. Wander the stone streets where artisans sell handcrafted items, and if you’re really looking for a souvenir, check out the Old Bazar Kujundziluk just east of the bridge. If you’ve ever been to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, this market will certainly look familiar.

The most recognizable landmark in Mostar is Stari Most, its iconic Old Bridge destroyed during the Croat-Bosniak war in 1994 and then rebuilt. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the bridge is a popular spot for locals to prove their courage — and put on a show — by diving into the water below.

37. Castle Combe, England

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Castle Combe in Wiltshire is a bit of a misnomer. It’s not actually a castle but a town of just under 350 people. No new houses have been built in Castle Combe since the 1600s, and its stone cottages have stood intact since at least the 17th century. Strict parking restrictions have also allowed this town to retain its historic character.

In the village itself, you can visit the medieval market cross monument near St. Andrew’s church and check out Doctor Doolittle’s house from the 1967 movie. If you’d rather see the town from above, walk up the footpath from Market Place that goes into the woods. The whole loop is just under six miles and will give you a great view of the village and surrounding landscape. When you get back into town, pop in for a drink at The Castle Inn or The White Hart, whose old courtyards, cozy fireplaces, and hearty English meals make them the perfect spots to recharge.

38. Arcos de la Frontera, Spain

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Arcos de la Frontera — perhaps the most dramatic cliffside member of Spain’s pueblos blancos (white villages) — is relatively well preserved from its glory days on the front line of Spain’s 13th-century war to expel the Moors. The town is perched atop a limestone ridge and is known for its stone castle walls and — like the rest of the pueblos blancos — its whitewashed houses.

The streets are a maze of cobbled alleyways leading up to the sandstone Castillo de los Arcos. From here, you’ll get impeccable views of the town and the plains beyond. Despite the majesty of the castle, the true center of Arcoa de la Frontera’s old town is the Plaza del Cabildo, surrounded by an impressive semicircular arcade. In 1962, the town was declared a historic-artistic monument in recognition of its scenic location and unique architecture.

39. Évora, Portugal

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An important trading and religious center in Portugal in the 16th century, now the city is known for the historic sites like Roman baths and the Templo Romano that sit within its 14th-century walls. Surrounded by the Alentejo, a region dotted with olive groves, medieval-walled towns, and traditional Portuguese villages, Evora is the perfect base to explore the beautiful countryside.

Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, Evora has been designated as a museum-city thanks to its roots in the ancient Roman period. The Agua de Prata Aqueduct, and the medieval cathedral, convents, palaces, churches, and squares, give the city a distinctly historic character, which mixes well with the vibrance of its current university atmosphere.

40. Chipping Campden, England

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With buildings dating back to the 14th century, Chipping Campden is one of the best-preserved towns in the Cotswolds. Historian G.M. Trevelyan even described the town’s High Street as “the most beautiful village street now left in the island,” due to its gentle curve and elegant, unbroken trajectory. The town is also known for its gardens. The Hidcote Manor Garden truly looks like a scene from a Disney movie, and the Kiftsgate Court Gardens feature colorful flower beds, a water garden, and walking paths. The iconic Market Hall was built in 1627 to give shelter for traders and is still used by merchants today. You can also venture outside town on a brief walk to Broadway Tower, a regal tower sitting atop Cleeve Hill.

A version of this article was previously published on August 20, 2014, and was updated on October 9, 2020, with more information.

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Aaron Franklin and Karbach Brewing

In Texas, few things are as iconic as barbecue and beer. Barbecue is a long-loved tradition in the state, and a spat of documentaries and national press has made stars of smokers and pitmasters over the past couple decades. On the beer front, Texas went from just a handful of craft breweries in 2009, to just under 200 around 2015, to more than 340 by 2019. Texas breweries new and old have received a steady flow of brewing awards from America’s largest annual beer competition and festival in recent years.

Still, the state’s barbecue restaurants and breweries have struggled this year amidst the pandemic, just like the rest of the food and drink industry. Forced closures and capacity restrictions made an already small profit margin smaller. Meat shortages raised beef prices on crucial classic cuts, while breweries faced so many sales restrictions and shut downs that, by July, a survey of brewers found that two-thirds of Texas breweries didn’t believe they could stay open through the end of 2020, according to Eater.

In short, Texas’s thriving barbecue and beer culture is facing just as much of a turning point as the rest of the hospitality industry. But that hasn’t stopped some of the most prominent names in both from leading the way in survival and recovery for businesses and, more importantly, the people who keep them running.

“It’s been a challenging few months, and the fight isn’t over, but we see a light at the end of this tunnel.”

James Beard-award-winning chefs Aaron Franklin and Chris Shepherd recently partnered with Houston-based Karbach Brewing Co. to raise funds for the Southern Smoke Foundation with a beer that pairs well with barbecue called Horseshoe Pils. The money will go to restaurant worker relief to help the industry in Texas as a whole.

“Giving back has been part of Karbach’s DNA since its founding in 2011, and as soon as the pandemic hit, we started looking for ways to give back,” says David Graham of Karbach. “We originally set out to brew Horseshoe Pilsner with inspiration from Aaron Franklin for his annual Hot Luck Festival, but when March rolled around, we decided to add a donation element and bring Chris Shepherd in to support the Texas hospitality industry via Southern Smoke.”

Southern Smoke is an emergency relief fund that Shepherd started in 2015 to raise money ($763,000 to the MS Society) for his friend Antonio Gianola after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In 2017, Southern Smoke focused on helping those in the food and beverage industry after Hurricane Harvey, and eventually gave $501,000 to 139 people. During COVID-19, the organization has donated more than $3.4 million to more than 1,800 people at the time of writing.

Shepherd and the Southern Smoke team have continuously risen to meet the crisis of the moment.

“The industry needs this organization,” Shepherd says. “It’s not an option to get worn down. We have an incredible team — that’s grown exponentially since the COVID crisis started — and my job is to keep them motivated. And to make sure they have access to their own mental healthcare, as our case workers are dealing with devastating situations every day.”

Karbach is raising money to help the state’s restaurants survive, but the idea for a barbecue-perfect beer started before anyone had an idea that 2020 would be marked by a global pandemic. Franklin and some of the Karbach team were chatting over a drink when they decided to make a Central Texas, German-style pilsner for Hot Luck, which is Franklin’s food festival.

The idea for the beer had a philanthropy arm from the start. That’s where Franklin’s connection to Southern Smoke came in. He’s cooked at the Southern Smoke Festival every year since 2015 and has donated $10,000 to the emergency relief fund. Karbach has raised $200,000 for philanthropy with past beer sales and hopes to raise $100,000 for Southern Smoke through Horseshoe Pilsner.

Contributions to the emergency relief fund couldn’t come at a more necessary time for the industry. When asked about how the events of 2020 will change the Texas barbecue community, Shepherd’s first response is that it’s “hard to say.”

“Without sufficient help from the government via the Restaurants Act, every independent restaurant in the country is in danger of closing,” Shepherd says. “Southern Smoke provides as much assistance as we can, but we don’t have the funds to help every independent restaurant in America survive.”

The fund is one way for the barbecue community to help the entire restaurant industry, but it’s not as if barbecue is immune to the challenges of 2020. Beloved barbecue spots like Red Barn BBQ, a Mexican-influenced spot in McCallen, Texas, have been forced to permanently close. Other barbecue spots have pivoted away from their brisket-first reputation (likely because the cut has become prohibitively expensive) and service styles to stay open.

When COVID-19 sickened workers at meat-processing plants early in the pandemic, costs for certain cuts of beef and pork shot up. In some parts of Texas, beef rose by $2 a pound in a week, according to Austin Monthly. Barbecue spots were forced to raise their menu items or provide something different entirely. Places like Valentina’s Tex-Mex BBQ incorporated cheaper cuts like chuck roast, lengua, and tripas to the menu, while InterStellar BBQ found pulled pork, chicken, and turkey as more affordable options, and Barbecue by John Mueller turned to smoked meatloaf and sausages like boudin and chicken poblano.

As Austin Monthly notes, the approach harkens back to the Czech and German butchers who preserved meats through smoking and whose influences came to define Central Texas barbecue.

A few barbecue restaurants have found ways to thrive during the pandemic despite all odds. Roegels Barbecue Co. in Houston quickly found an audience for takeout family meals, according to Texas Monthly. Giving back seems like the barbecue way across the state. Roegels donated hundreds of meals to Methodist Hospital and Memorial Hermann hospital early in the pandemic.

Texas breweries have made a strong effort to help, as well. Weathered Souls Brewing started a beer collaboration with breweries around the world called Black is Beautiful, with proceeds going to organizations that support racial justice and equality.

“The hospitality industry is the backbone of our society here in Houston, as it is throughout our country,” Graham says. “It’s encouraging to watch the communities here in Texas work together to support those in need, and it inspires us to continue our mission to give back in any way we can.”

It’s fitting that beer and barbecue, both of which have so influenced the concept of Texas dining, is helping lead the charge to help one of the industries most impacted by COVID-19.

“If there’s anything this past year has shown us, it’s that the Texas beer and barbecue communities are strong and can persevere through just about anything life throws at us,” Graham says. “It’s been a challenging few months and the fight isn’t over, but we see a light at the end of this tunnel where we can all come together again and enjoy some nice Texas barbecue while cracking open a cold one.”

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2020 Close-Up Photography contest

You may be used to photographs that focus on the big picture, whether it’s sweeping mountainous landscapes or jaw-dropping photos of the Milky Way. The Close-Up Photographer of the Year award celebrates photography on a smaller — but no less meaningful — scale. Showcasing the world’s best close-up, macro, and microphotography, the awards consist of seven categories: Animals, Insects, Plants & Fungi, Intimate Landscape, Man Made World, Micro (photos taken via a microscope), Young (for photographer under the age of 17). The 100 total winners were chosen from over 6,000 entries all around the world, but these stunning photos took home the top prize in each category.

“Eel Larva” by Galice Hoarau — Animals category and overall winner

Photo: ©Galice Hoarau | cupoty.com

“I spotted this eel larva off the island of Lembeh (Indonesia) during a blackwater dive. Blackwater diving is essentially diving at night in the open ocean, usually over deep or very deep water. Divers are surrounded by darkness, with only a lit downline as a visual reference. Peering through the darkness with your torch can be quite stressful the first time you do it, but it gets fascinating quickly. What makes blackwater diving so magical is the abundance of rarely seen planktonic creatures you spot as they take part in one of the largest daily migrations of any animal on Earth. After sunset, small pelagic animals (like this larva) rise close to the surface to feed where the sunlight has allowed planktonic algae to grow. At sunrise, they dive into the depths and stay down there during the day to escape predators.”

“Little Ball” by Tamás Koncz-Bisztricz — Young category

Photo: ©Tamás Koncz-Bisztricz | cupoty.com

“I regularly visit a meadow near my hometown of Csongrád-Bokros, Hungary, observing the site in all seasons. The meadow is grazed by Hungarian grey cattle, which keeps the place in relatively good condition. One frosty winter’s morning I headed out to take some extreme macro shots at the surface of some frozen water that had pooled in the tracks left by a tractor. Crouching down, I spotted some yellow globular springtails (Sminthurus maculatus) which feed in the sun rays reflected from the ice. I used LED torches to illuminate one of them, and came away with a picture that celebrates this tiny creature.”

“Glassworm” by Andrei Savitsky — Micro category

Photo: ©Andrei Savitsky | cupoty.com

“Glass worms can vary in length from about half an inch to two inches. On the right side of this image you can see the large tracheal bubbles that serve as hydrostatic organs (or swim bladders). These bubbles allow the larva to keep its horizontal position in the water column, while also helping to regulate the depth of its immersion. The bubbles are covered with dark pigment cells that can resize — if the cells expand due to absorption of light, the tracheal bubbles heat up and increase in volume, reducing the weight of the larva and causing it to float up. To create the picture here I made a panorama of eight frames, each of which was focus stacked. To make the image as detailed (and aesthetically pleasing) as possible I used darkfield and polarisation techniques.”

“Fragile” by Mike Curry — Insects category

Photo: ©Mike Curry | cupoty.com

“I was visiting Goole, the town where I was born in East Yorkshire, in 2018 as my dad was very ill in hospital. To take my mind off things I went for a walk with my wife Justine. There had been no time to pack really so all I had with me was my iPhone XS. We were walking towards the docks when I saw some beautiful peeling paint on an abandoned building site. I went over to photograph it when Justine asked if I had noticed the butterfly too. I hadn’t as I was miles away, but I had already captured this image serendipitously. It felt a surreal moment as my dad particularly liked butterflies and always commented that they represented relatives who had passed away, making it even more poignant. Unfortunately he passed away shortly after, so this is a special photograph for me.”

“Mandala with Miniature Tulips” by Elizabeth Kazda — Plants & Fungi category

Photo: ©Elizabeth Kazda | cupoty.com

“My goal with this photo was to create art that challenges the viewer to look at the natural world with fresh eyes. I collected some miniature tulips from my garden and placed them on a lightbox. The vivid yellow centres were so striking that I decided to create a composition that would show both a side view and a centre view of the plants. The tulips were photographed and rotated at eight equidistant positions to complete a full rotation; it’s a technique that I call Precise Incremental Rotation. An in-camera multiple exposure of eight frames was used to create the effect. The characteristics of the tulips are really emphasised when rendered within the rotational symmetry of the mandala form. The curved green leaves make a great frame for the flower, while the centre of the design highlights the tulip’s anthers.”

“Cast in Stone” by Mark James Ford — Intimate Landscape category

Photo: ©Mark James Ford | cupoty.com

“Trekking across the baking lava of the Kalapana lava field in Hawaii, was an experience not to be forgotten. Incredible organic structures of black, blue, gold and bronze seemed to overwhelm the senses, but eventually the increasing presence of sulphur dioxide and other acidic gases, acted as a reminder that I was walking on an erupting volcano. Heat was rising from every crack in the rock, and before my very eyes the rocks would turn orange and suddenly begin to flow. New land, rock and stone was being created just meters away from me. I had just seconds to capture this image of a lava flow setting into the form it would retain for millions of years. The glass-like rock was still glowing below the surface, but soon enough a new lava flow started centimetres from my feet and I was forced to retreat.”

“Life Cycle of Soap Bubble Iridescence” by Kym Cox — Manmade World category

Photo: ©Kym Cox | cupoty.com

“This series of time-lapse photographs shows columns of equally sized soap bubbles in a glass, cylindrical tube. Each photograph — there are 16 in total here — illustrates light interference colours and patterns responding to directional light. Swirling patterns of colour are created because bubbles are made of a liquid that continually flows, swirls, and drains quickly, and in all directions. Light waves reflect and refract through the bubble walls.

Variations in thickness cause variations in colour and intensity. The speed at which colours and patterns change is phenomenal. The light interference cycle only takes a few seconds to complete. This was photographed in my studio/lab in May 2016 as part of an Art+Science collaboration with Prof. Stefan Hutzler, Leader of the Foams + Complex Systems Group, School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin.”

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Broadway to remain closed until May

Back in March, Broadway made the devastating announcement that it would close its theaters through January 3, 2021. Now that closure is being extended through at least May 30, 2021. Although the Broadway League, a consortium of producers and theater owners, has considered several potential reopening dates this year, the harsh realities of the pandemic have forced them to push back the opening even further.

The extension of the shutdown quashes the hopes of theater-goers, actors, and producers who hoped stage performances would return this spring. Some shows you might see premiering next spring and summer include Hugh Jackman’s Music Man, the Michael Jackson musical MJ, Flying Over Sunset, The Minutes, American Buffalo, and 1776. All of these had previously planned to debut earlier in spring 2021 but will now likely be pushed back.

The May date is considered realistic with regard to the resumption of stage performances pending the availability and distribution of a vaccine. Unfortunately, Broadway doesn’t exactly lend itself to social distancing, and the Metropolitan Opera has already announced that it won’t be returning until September 2021.

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Climate Win October 2020

The viability of daily, weekly, or even occasional inter-city train travel in the US lags far behind that of Europe or much of Asia. This is largely because the US doesn’t have high-speed rail infrastructure. A barrage of reasons exists for this, including government stalemates. The Obama administration released a plan for high-speed rail development in 2009 as part of the massive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, following the Great Recession. Many suggested the proposed funding was not nearly enough for the amount of rail outlined in the plan, but it didn’t matter anyway — as the rail development was nixed by Congressional Republicans the following year.

American car culture is another factor, as is the increasing convenience (at least pre-COVID) and low cost of flying. Flying is certainly faster than taking an Amtrak in most cases, and driving yourself offers the convenience of not depending on the schedule of an airline or train operator and a direct route from point A to point B.

But train travel has a few advantages of its own, and the future is slowly beginning to look brighter. Let’s dive in first with the few but mighty current advantages of train travel:

Train travel is more eco-friendly on a per passenger basis than flying, driving, or taking a bus. 2016 US Department of Energy Data Book information shows that Amtrak is about 33 percent more energy efficient than traveling in a personal vehicle and 12 percent more efficient than domestic airline travel on a per-passenger-mile basis.
Many train operators, including Amtrak and some public transit departments, provide onboard WiFi, allowing increased passenger productivity. If you can work remotely, you can work on a train.
US airports are increasingly located outside of major city centers. Train stations are more frequently located within city centers, and commuter rail trains are often used to shuttle passengers from airports into downtown areas.
Touchless travel experiences are far easier when traveling by train than by plane. Seating areas offer more legroom and easier restroom access, and check-in and baggage-check services require less contact.

Now let’s look to the future. Will intercity train travel actually become viable for travelers who need to get somewhere relatively fast?

There’s reason to be hopeful (but also patient).

The California High-Speed Rail Authority is at work on the nation’s first high-speed rail network connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles and eventually to Sacramento and San Diego. It’s behind schedule, over budget, and has been proclaimed “dead” more than once by vocal opponents and frustrated Californians. But progress slowly chugs along and, if completed, the SF-LA line will take about three hours at speeds of 200 miles per hour. The authority will also develop rail connecting smaller cities. It recently approved the final section of track development connecting Merced and Bakersfield, for example, paving the way for high-speed rail transport between Fresno and Bakersfield.

Not every high-speed rail project is as slow-moving as California’s, however. In Florida, the privately operated Brightline rail service runs higher-speed rail service — moving between 79 and 125 miles per hour — between Miami and West Palm Beach. An extension to Orlando International Airport is currently under construction and slated to open in 2022. Phase 3 of the project will connect to Tampa on the state’s west coast.

Brightline is also expanding to the West Coast with a rail line from Las Vegas to southern California along the XpressWest right of way. The system will head to Victor Valley and eventually to Los Angeles. In the Pacific Northwest, the Cascadia High Speed Rail system seeks to connect Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver in two hours, and eventually more of the region. A feasibility study and government approval have taken place in Washington and British Columbia, but construction has yet to start.

You can help bring high speed-rail to life in the US without leaving your chair by signing this petition from the High Speed Rail Alliance. Also available is a quick option to email or call representatives locally and nationally. The Alliance is working to connect public and private supporters of rail with lawmakers, and public input and support is key to making that happen.

Where does Amtrak fit in?

We’ll be tracking developments on these projects here in the Climate Win column. In the meantime, Amtrak also has big ambitions. Currently, certain Eastern corridor Amtrak lines — including the Acela Express, Keystone, SilverStar, Northeast Regional, and Vermonter — operate at speeds of 125 miles per hour, standing as the only higher-speed rail service in the country’s busiest corridor. Amtrak hopes to make Acela even faster by the end of 2022.

The company’s five-year plan for cross-country routes looks to address on-time performance, currently at 48 percent, while also working to increase collaborations with state-supported service lines to connect passengers to more cities. It currently serves about 500 destinations in the US and Canada. Most notably, the plan demonstrates that Amtrak is taking stock of its own pros and cons with an end goal of better serving Millennial travelers.

“Our challenge is to redevelop and improve our long-distance route system to meet the needs of these changed demographics, and in particular, transform this service to attract new passengers from the growing cohort of Millennials who make up the largest age cohort of Americans and bring with them a different set of expectations and travel needs,” the report says.

More climate wins

Candymaker Mars announced this week it has dropped all palm oil from producers contributing to deforestation. The “Palm Positive Plan” cuts Mars’ supply chain of palm oil producers from 1,500 to under 100. The company plans to rigidly monitor the impact of its palm producers as part of its “Sustainable in a Generation” plan, meaning you can indulge guilt-free (at least tree-wise) the next time you rip open a Twix or a Mars bar.

In July, we reported on companies directly capturing carbon from the air. This movement took a big step forward this week as major companies including Amazon and Microsoft invested billions of dollars into a Canadian company called CarbonCure Technologies. The company works with concrete producers to inject CO2 into the carbon-intensive process of producing cement. According to a report in The Guardian, the carbon is chemically transformed into limestone which reinforces the concrete. The company currently uses outside CO2 but hopes to close that loop in the near future by using carbon captured from the cement production, taking the process full-circle.

Sir David Attenborough, whose new documentary “A Life on This Planet” is currently streaming on Netflix, has partnered with Prince William to create the “Nobel Prize for environmentalism.” It’s known as the Earthshot Prize and will vet 50 solutions to the climate catastrophe by 2030.

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Uganda is reopening to tourists

Uganda is now welcoming international visitors, meaning you can once again take advantage of the country’s beautiful national parks. You just need to show evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of landing in the country and undergo health screenings on arrival, including temperature checks. Anyone showing symptoms will be taken to an isolation center at a local hospital by ambulance to take a test.

Masks must be worn at all times in the airport and while traveling through any of the country’s 10 national parks, like Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Kibale National Park. Visitors to national parks will be required to bring at least two N95, surgical, or double-layer cloth masks with filters, and temperature checks will also be in place at park entrances.

When visiting the parks, visitors who participate in chimpanzee and gorilla tracking have to stay 32 feet away from the primates and six and a half feet away from other visitors. Uganda is home to more than half the world’s population of endangered mountain gorillas, and the animals must be protected from any possible threat to their well-being.

Tourism Uganda advises outbound travelers to arrive at the airport at least four hours before departure to allow enough time for health screenings. Those leaving Uganda are required to provide the negative result of a COVID-19 PCR test taken 72 before boarding.

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Singapore's luxury cruise to nowhere

The Singapore cruise industry is starting back up in November, but there’s a catch — the boats don’t actually stop anywhere.

The Singapore government approved luxury cruises to nowhere, perhaps following the lead of the several airlines scheduling scenic flights with no destination. The problem is, these “trips to nowhere” (whether by air or by sea) aren’t good for the environment, and the fact that they don’t actually have a destination makes their negative effect on the climate even more pointless.

Genting Cruise Lines’ World Dream will be the first to welcome passengers on November 6, with Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas following in December.

Guests on Singapore’s cruises will have to abide by extremely strict measures to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak. Passengers won’t be allowed to leave the ship for any reason during the entire journey, and masks will be mandatory at all times. Passengers must take COVID-19 tests, and fresh air will circulate via air-conditioning systems. Also, the ship will only sail at half capacity.

Environmental groups have never been pleased by the carbon footprint left by cruise ships, but that’s particularly true for those that don’t even go anywhere.

Lucy Gilliam, a shipping campaigner at Transport & Environment, said, “These ships can have a higher carbon footprint than flying in a jumbo jet. They’re burning significant amounts of fuel per passenger because they’ve essentially got a huge hotel load as well as amusements on top.”

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Where can US citizens travel in Asia

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic is still far from over, some countries have introduced effective measures to limit transmission and are once again welcoming tourists. US citizens and residents don’t have as many travel options as they used to, but that doesn’t mean that there’s nowhere they can go. Several Asian countries have already opened their borders to US tourists. Each country has its own health protocol, and some are more restrictive than others, but it’s nothing dedicated travelers can’t handle. These are the countries in Asia welcoming US travelers right now.

1. Maldives

Photo: Lifestyle Travel Photo/Shutterstock

These paradisiacal islands in the Indian Ocean have been open to international tourism since mid-July, with no quarantine requirements. As long as you present a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival, you’ll be free to enter the Maldives. The only catch is that you need to have a confirmed booking from a tourist facility for your on-arrival visa, and you can only stay at one tourist facility through the entirety of your stay. Temperature checks and other screening measures will take place at the airport. Random PCR tests may be conducted on inbound travelers.

2. United Arab Emirates

Photo: evenfh/Shutterstock

The UAE is open to US citizens, with tourist visas being issued in all Emirates on arrival. Proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 96 hours of departure is required before flying to the UAE. Travelers need to have international medical travel insurance before they fly to the UAE. If arriving in the UAE via Dubai, travelers will undergo medical screening and must present a completed health declaration form and a quarantine undertaking form. Travelers may also be tested upon arrival at the airport. Before leaving the airport, travelers are required to download the COVID-19 DXB app for contact tracing. Those arriving in Abu Dhabi are required to wear a GPS bracelet for 14 days and must take COVID-19 PCR test on the sixth day if they are staying six days or more.

3. Turkey

Photo: muratart/Shutterstock

Unlike many other countries, Turkey is opening its borders without even requiring a negative COVID-19 test. Upon arrival, travelers are asked to complete an information form and will be screened for COVID-19. If you show symptoms of COVID-19 at the airport a test will be administered, but otherwise US citizens can enter the country quarantine-free. If you do test positive upon arrival, you will be referred to a private hospital. Turkey’s entry requirements are among the lightest in the world right now for international travel, making it an easy option for US tourists looking to avoid a hassle.

4. Nepal

Photo: Olga Danylenko/Shutterstock

Just in time for the fall trekking season, which runs from September to November, Nepal will lift the ban on international flights on October 17. Originally international tourism was supposed to resume in August, but that has since been pushed back to October. Starting October 17, travelers arriving in Nepal must present proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours before departure and will not be required to quarantine or self-isolate. Also starting the 17th, trekking and mountaineering groups will also be allowed to bring foreign clients up the mountains.

5. Jordan

Photo: silky/Shutterstock

US citizens are allowed to enter Jordan but must comply with several health protocols. Incoming visitors must have valid health insurance covering COVID-19 treatment for the entire duration of their stay, complete a declaration form, present proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test before boarding their flight, take another PCR test upon arrival at the airport in Amman (at their own expense), and install a contact-tracing app on their phone. Since the US is considered a high-risk country, US citizens adhere to a 14-day home quarantine upon arrival and take a PCR test on the seventh day and the 14th day of home quarantine at their own expense.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a nationwide curfew went into effect on October 6, from midnight on Friday until midnight on Sunday. That means you’re not allowed to leave your accommodation on Friday nights and Saturdays. A nightly curfew is also in effect every day of the week from 1 AM to 6 AM.

6. South Korea

Photo: CJ Nattanai/Shutterstock

US travelers are permitted to enter South Korea, but only if you quarantine for 14 days at a government-approved facility at your own expense. You do not need to show a negative COVID-19 test, but you will likely be tested upon arrival. Temperature screenings, health questionnaires, and contact tracing are also in place, with travelers expected to download a Self-Diagnosis mobile app and respond to daily questions on it for 14 days after arrival.

7. Bangladesh

Photo: Chobi_Wala/Shutterstock

Bangladesh is welcoming US tourists with a valid visa as long as they can produce a medical certificate with English translation that states they have tested negative for COVID-19. The test must have been taken within 72 hours of travel. Even if you satisfy this requirement, you’ll still be asked to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival.

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What is the Black Travel Alliance

What began as a series of Zoom calls for Black and Brown travel content creators at the height of the pandemic transformed into the Black Travel Alliance (BTA) — a group working to amplify Black voices.

Bloggers Jeffrey Jenkins and Gabby Beckford hosted weekly masterminds to help keep each other inspired and share opportunities during times of uncertainty in the travel industry. When #BlackOutTuesday hit social media, many brands posted black screens of solidarity, but these creators knew they needed to do more to hold companies accountable.

With the focus placed on action over discussion and the drive for Black content creators to get the same opportunities as everyone else, the Black Travel Alliance was formed. Its founding members include Black travel bloggers, entrepreneurs, journalists, and podcasters, all of whom want to see real change in the industry. The BTA is a two-pronged organization that works to hold brands and businesses answerable for their diversity and inclusion efforts and serves as a resource for Black content creators. With 11 separate committees, the organization is tackling everything from research to partnerships.

In an interview with some of BTA’s founding members, we spoke to Martinique Lewis, author of The ABC Travel Green Book and Diversity in Travel Consultant. She stressed the importance of creating this alliance to hold the travel industry accountable for the allyship they present for Black lives online.

“These are the same companies who have not returned our phone calls, who have not returned our emails, and if they do hire us, they pay us way less than our colleagues,” Lewis says.

On June 16, 2020, BTA’s initial campaign, #PullUpForTravel, launched the group’s mission of alliance, amplification (of Black voices), and accountability. Strategically, travel brands had until Juneteenth (June 19) to go beyond their Black squares and present data. The alliance demanded that brands back up their messages of solidarity with their numbers on Black representation across employment, marketing, press, and philanthropy efforts. Some travel companies provided Black HR data while others included partnerships with Black-led organizations like the NAACP and marketing agency Black Girl Digital.

Offering free online education seminars and online support

Beyond its first campaign, the BTA has plans to keep the conversation going year-round. Every month it hosts events that serve the purpose of helping content creators or educating industry professionals. Their first webinar, “Using Your Niche To Build An Engaged Audience,” was held on August 22 and was led by Beckford. Last month, a luxury travel expert, Tomiko Harvey, shared her tips in the “How To Elevate Your Business With SEO” workshop.

Helping more Black people to succeed and get jobs in the industry

Besides providing education, the BTA is actively working to source and offer scholarships for Black creators in the future. Lewis says, “When Black content creators can’t make it to the WTM (World Travel Market) or the ITB [Convention] — all the different travel conferences — we want to be able to help somebody get there.”

In addition to financial scholarships, the organization regularly posts job opportunities to its website. As a conduit, they work to connect content creators with travel industry brands who may have once overlooked them. “If Expedia says we want to employ 20 percent of Black writers, we want to be able to say you can get that through the people at BTA”, Lewis explains. BTA exists to be a resource for Black creators to excel in this industry.

Sourcing partnerships that will benefit Black travel content creators

Due to the BTA’s many levels and functions, multiple chairpeople oversee their mode of the organization. We spoke with Xavier of Black Voyageurs about his role as Chair of Partnerships and Martina Jones-Johnson of That Couple That Travels about her communications co-chair role.

Speaking to his frustrations around not seeing enough Black folks represented in the travel industry, Xavier decided to get involved as a founding member of the alliance. As Head of Partnerships, he’s tasked with establishing connections with organizations, including travel brands, tourism boards, and lifestyle brands who should be collaborating with Black creators.

Based in London, Xavier and the team are adamant about identifying global partnerships that all Black travel content creators can benefit from. “We believe it’s a global movement that doesn’t stop at the US borders.” They strategically choose to partner with companies with international branches in other countries and smaller brands representing one country alone. With the intent to expand, the BTA currently focuses on partnerships in the US and Western Europe (the UK and France) due to the high Black populations in these countries.

In the future, ideal partnerships for the organization will look to brands who use their forthcoming content creators directory and, ultimately, provide paid opportunities and jobs for BTA members. Xavier’s team works so that the best options are available for Black people in this white-dominated industry.

Reinforcing the idea of why brands need to work with Black creators, Xavier explains, “We’re not asking for charity; we are asking for a place at the table because this is where we need to be.” He nods to the fact that, yes, Black people exist, but we also spend a lot of money, so brands need to recognize that working with Black travel creators is great for their bottom line.

Building a global bank of data on Black travelers

“There’s only so much you can do without data,” Xavier stresses. So the BTA team is also working hard to conduct the research representative of Black travelers. Other than Mandala Research, there is no other organization or firm concerned with collecting data on Black American travelers’ demographics. Black travel company, Nomadness Travel Tribe put out a survey this summer to begin diving into the research behind Black millennial travelers’ habits, but the BTA’s research will focus on collecting data on Black travelers globally.

“We have all these numbers about African Americans, but we need numbers on Black tourists globally too,” Lewis shares.

Advocating for all Black voices throughout the industry

Communications co-chair Martina Jones-Johnson spoke to the death of George Floyd and how his unjust killing shined a light on companies in the travel industry performatively advocating for Black lives. “We know 10 Black people who wanted to work with you, and you ignored their emails … so do Black lives really matter to you?” Jones-Johnson questions. She added how tiring it was to see some travel companies standing for Black people while having an all-white Instagram feed.

As the media relations and communications expert at BTA, she works closely with the membership team so that everyone, specifically Black content creators, knows who they are. Jones-Johnson’s role involves reaching out to national travel publications for interviews to get the word out about the organization. Her goal is for every Black content creator in any country to know that the BTA is advocating for them throughout the industry.

To continually amplify Black voices, there is also a Black travel content creator directory in the works. Jones-Johnson says this directory will eliminate brands’ excuse of not knowing where to find Black talent. The BTA directory will be searchable by content category, such as luxury or adventure travel.

“If Black lives really matter,” Jones-Johnson says, “then show us.”

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How Reno has reinvented itself

The 164-foot climbing wall atop the Whitney Peak Hotel in Downtown Reno is a foothold-studded monument to what Reno has become in the last 10 years: new, active, adventurous, and not in any way focused on gambling. From the top you can see out to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, down over the revamped shops along California Avenue in Midtown, and spot people fishing the Truckee River.

But it still stands among the lights of the city’s famous casinos. And it also still has Reno’s familiar cast of characters strolling below.

While Reno is no longer a punchline, this city full of outdoor activities and artists hasn’t eschewed its quirky ethos either. Reno is still Reno, and though an influx of tech money and creatives have made it a place with a culture outside of the casinos, it’s always going to be a little rough around the edges.

When seedy motels transform into cocktail bars

Photo: Estella Reno/Facebook

“I never thought I’d call this place home, but it is,” says the chef pressing cheese into tacos at the counter of Estrella, a tiny gourmet taco shop just off East 4th Street. “And look, now I go duck hunting before work.”

His place of employment sits inside the Jesse hotel, a boutique property separated from downtown by the city’s main bus terminal.

A few years ago, this intersection of East 4th Street and Evans Avenue was the stereotypical picture of neighborhood-next-to-a-bus-terminal, marked by decrepit brick buildings and overgrown streets. Now it serves as the entrance to the city’s brewery row, where The Depot Craft Brewing and Distilling, Lead Dog Brewery, Record Street Brewing, and the Ferino Distillery anchor one of the best two-block brewery tours in America.

East 4th Street is but one of several neighborhoods Reno has refurbished in the past decade. Just across the Truckee River from downtown, you’ll find a stretch of US-395 along California Avenue that was once the main highway into town. It’s still speckled with seedy motels and their bright neon signs, but now those motels host craft beer and cocktail bars, boutique dessert shops, and vintage clothiers. And their drab exteriors are covered in dozens of street murals.

Art Spot Reno offers tours of these murals, where you’ll learn Reno history along with how local artists like Joe C. Rock transformed the area from relic to renaissance.

“People would use these motels to come and get divorced,” says Geralda Miller, the executive director of Art Spot. “We were the quickie divorce capital of America, remember.”

Her tour of over 100 murals weaves us past the Arch Society, a thrift shop and gourmet dessert bar where you can end the night with a raspberry chocolate mousse washed down with a pomegranate Moscow mule. Then there’s Rum, Sugar, Lime, a Caribbean-themed cocktail bar with weekly carnivals. We see Noble Pie Parlor, which was on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and Two Chicks, a healthy breakfast spot.

But we also see history left to remind us that Reno was once a vastly different place.

“See that little burger spot right there?” says Miller as we walk past a squat diner called Beefy’s. “The Rat Pack used to eat there all the time. That was one of the few places that allowed Black people inside, so they’d eat there with Sammy Davis, Jr.”

Tech money and Burning Man fill Reno with artists

Photo: Gchapel/Shutterstock

Reno sits just about three hours, traffic permitting, from San Francisco via I-80. This is one reason why tech startups have migrated over the highway along with some existing giants. Tesla’s Gigafactory sits in nearby Sparks. Which is, not coincidentally, also home to the birthplace of some of Burning Man’s most iconic sculptures.

The Generator, a 35,000-square-foot artists’ co-op, is also the spring and summer studio for artists making large-scale installations for Burning Man, which is held a little over an hour away. It’s run by Jessi Janusee who moved to Reno after stints in Portland and the Bay Area. Janusee found the place to be especially advantageous for artists.

“A bunch of my homies were living here doing the art life and living pretty well,” she says. “They said, ‘You’ll have free space to make your art, and your rent will be like $800 a month, and I was like, dude, sign me up.”

The affordability has drawn a large-but-tight-knit core of artists to Reno, many of whom stay in town once The Burn is over.

“A lot of people that come through in the summer, sometimes they stay and they continue to live here,” Janusee says. “There’s multiple professional artists that live here making large-scale sculptures because of Burning Man for sure.”

Artists are able to thrive, says Janusee, not only because of the supportive community of artists and students at the University of Nevada but also because the new businesses that have moved to Reno create a market for the art.

“Businesses are paying for art every year. We just had a business come in here and ask for a sculpture yesterday,” she says. But she adds that the corporate support has been a double-edged sword.

“There’s definitely less meth and weirdness,” she says. “But it’s hard, because you want it to be cool, and you want people to do well. But then it becomes cool to everyone, and eventually all the artists who made it cool are going to leave.”

To her point, a few days after we visited Generator, the co-op learned their lease would be terminated early.

Cheap thrills abound, both indoors and out

Photo: BENYAPREAW/Shutterstock

Still, funk is still easy to find in Reno. After enjoying a large steak and pizza at Liberty Food and Wine Exchange — which earned chef Mark Estee a James Beard nomination — I sit at a video poker bar at the Cal-Neva, sipping $2 vodka sodas while watching a man in a Vietnam Veterans hat belt out a tone-deaf rendition of “Light my Fire.”

“There’s still some weird shit here, and some old school people who say, hey, we don’t want those Tesla motherfuckers up here,” Estee says to me. His group owns six restaurants around Reno and is one of the largest local players in the game.

“But a lot of those people also work in the restaurants where those Tesla motherfuckers spend their money, so we just kinda need to embrace that but still give that Reno edge.”

I drop another $20 into the video poker machine, and we listen to five or six more singers who’ve definitely got an edge. None are any younger than the vet — or better. All of them are smoking.

“I think Reno’s done a good job of getting new business but keeping it weird,” Estee says. “Like three weekends ago we had a punk rock flea market, 3,000 people showed up three days in a row to buy random punk rock shit. That’s some weird shit.”

Finally, it’s my turn to sing. I opt for “Luck be a Lady” because I’m in a casino. And because I’ve been able to imitate the Sinatra version perfectly since I was 13. I get the loudest smattering of applause of the night before I sit back down.

“But you know what I really love about Reno?” Estee continues. “Literally in the same day I work, I could ski, I could hike. Lake Tahoe is right there. And it’s easy to get in and out, not a lot of traffic.”

Between Estee and my duck hunting chef at Estrella, it was obvious that the great outdoors are what keep so many people here. In addition to the world-class hiking, golf, and skiing of Lake Tahoe half an hour away, Reno’s Mt. Rose ski resort offers the chance for locals to get in a few runs during their lunch break. That kind of instant powder access is almost unheard of in any city outside Salt Lake.

The outdoors aren’t just a natural amenity in Reno either — they may be a key reason why the city is able to maintain its character. Reno’s DNA is made of mountains, deserts, and ranches. And people drawn to that are generally inclined to let a place be weird.

“Reno has this gritty, cowboy, libertarian culture,” says Janusee. “It works out great for artists and weirdos like us, because the heart of the city is, ‘Don’t fuck with me, and I won’t fuck with you.’ There’s a level of respect and autonomy that says, ‘I’m over here shooting my guns with my cows, and you’re over there making your weird sculpture, and that’s cool.’”

Reno has changed, most would say for the better, since the Reno 911! days. But only to upgrade some things that were worn down while still keeping the oddities that make it Reno.

“It’s like if you inherited your grandma’s house,” says Estee. “And in grandma’s house, she had a certain way of doing things, and we didn’t want to lose her… touch. We decided to say fuck it, let’s celebrate grandma’s history. But let’s bring in surround sound TV, let’s get a flatscreen. Let’s put in a brand doorbell, and Sleep Number beds. That’s what I feel like Reno is — it’s grandma’s house, upgraded.”

That description likely won’t be replacing “Biggest Little City in the World” on Reno’s sign anytime soon. But in this city, it still feels accurate.

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