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During a trip to Rome in January, I found myself enjoying coffee outdoors at sunbathed corners of Trastevere. It’s not the sole reason I believe that visiting this city is an ideal way to commence a new year. The museums and churches are tranquil and serene, and everything at this particular season—from the weather to the sense of hospitality—is warmer than in more northern capitals like Paris or London. Hotel prices are at their most affordable throughout the year, and there are several magnificent new hotels to enjoy. Palazzo Talia wasn’t available for my visit last year, but since August, this 17th-century establishment—with decor crafted by Luca Guadagnino, director of Call Me By Your Name—provides an excellent reason to revisit.
A new (to me) wine region is also a charming avenue to watch the first signs of spring in a new year. Just beyond Milan, over the past 40 years, Franciacorta has transformed into Italy’s response to champagne. Crafted with the same meticulous standards as its French counterpart, there are now more than 100 wineries, and to accommodate discerning Milanese, a growing number of hotels. I was quite taken by L’Annunciata Wine Retreat —a former monastery perched on a hill in Rovato—when I toured the property, but L’Albereta is the standout accommodation in this region, where the cuisine complements the passion that goes into creating the wine (the proprietors also established the Bellavista winery here, and a stroll takes you through the grounds to its cellars).
In the United States, I had the chance to explore a delightful trio of what the airline industry refers to as ‘tertiary’ cities; smaller towns that are not major airport hubs. Throughout 2024, this European was equally captivated by Savannah, St. Louis, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. While each maintains its distinct flavor, they shared common features, such as excellent bookstores, fabulous art galleries (with St Louis Art Museum being particularly noteworthy), and intriguing new hotels.
Over the past decade, the Greek island of Tinos has been the subject of much discussion, but early in the summer, I discovered what the excitement was all about. Accessible from Mykonos by either helicopter or speedboat, it’s nine nautical miles and approximately six spiritual decades away from its neighbor. With its unspoiled landscapes, quaint harbor towns, and tavernas in modest mountain villages, Tinos embodies simplicity. Now, there is a hotel to align with its idyllic Cycladean island atmosphere. Odera debuted in the summer of 2024 and welcomed its initial guests with a genuine Greek rendition of generous hospitality, wrapped in the proper shades of white and blue, encompassing 77 rooms and suites, a beach, restaurants, and a notably considerate spa.
In Europe, during the summer, when Italian cities are at their peak tourist levels. Bari appears to be an outlier. Yes, it attracts many cruise visitors during the daytime when vessels are at port, but these travelers are more inclined to explore freely rather than be guided by earpiece and return to their ships at night. Bari fuses history with regional culinary mastery you’d expect from southern Italy at prices that permit total relaxation (I enjoyed a fantastic pizza for five euros at di Cosimo). In the historical district, the Basilica of St Nicolo serves both as a Catholic and – on a lower level – an Orthodox church, encircled by a charming piazza, bordered by wine bars and tiny eateries. While hotel chains hover above the city, Vis Urban Suites, situated in a Liberty-style mansion (the Italian Art Nouveau), boasts flair from both its embrace of Italian design and dedicated local proprietors.
On my familiar ground, I made enjoyable ventures into the countryside. Sussex is on an artistic journey that means that in a single day, you can transition from 18th-century Gainsboroughs at Petworth to West Dean’s surrealist masterpieces and the Bloomsbury set’s artistic hub at Charleston and its new gallery in nearby Lewes set amid a vineyard-speckled landscape.
I traveled to Denmark twice; once to experience the delightful and community-centered Kanalhuset in Copenhagen, where locals and visitors congregate each evening for a communal meal. Other bonding activities arranged by the hotel include a weekly swim in the harbor. In April, I watched from the sidelines but in September, when I returned with my brother and cousin, one of my fondest memories of 2024 was the afternoon we opted out of the museums. Instead, basking in a final burst of summer sun, we – along with what felt like half of Copenhagen – sunbathed and swam in the harbor near the city’s Opera House.
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