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At any point during the West Coast winter, when all there is cold rain, and darkness, and the Trump administration south of the border, the notion of cycling across Andaluc铆a seems like a pretty good idea. It鈥檚 an easy sell.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, California 鈥� Yosemite National Park might not seem like an ideal winter destination, particularly if you鈥檙e from a part of the country where you鈥檇 like to trade in road salt for rim salt on your margarita and leave the words 鈥�

Sometimes in travel, the journey is the reward. That is particularly true in Europe, where travellers can enjoy special trains, buses and boats that link destinations near and far, high and low, urban and rural, often through spectacular scenery.

MANAUS, Brazil The warning from our guide made clear that this 鈥渇orest walk鈥� would be anything but a leisurely stroll. 鈥淟ook before grabbing any branches because the ants bite.

A former imperial capital and the home of the czars, St. Petersburg is Russia鈥檚 most tourist-worthy city. Pastel palaces, bucolic gardens, commanding statues, and graceful waterways evoke romantic images of Peter the Great and the Romanov dynasty.

The Dolomites 鈥� the dramatic mountains along Italy鈥檚 northeast border 鈥� offer not only some of Europe鈥檚 most scenic alpine experiences, but a chance to encounter an intriguing mingling of cultures.

Jake Gyllenhaal is walking into my New York hotel. It鈥檚 not on Fifth Avenue or one of the trendy corners of Lower Manhattan. It鈥檚 in Brooklyn. And it 鈥� the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge 鈥� might be the buzziest new hotel in the city, star sightings or no.

PALERMO, Italy 鈥� For many travellers, Italy is seen as romantic, mysterious and a bit chaotic, with torpid heat, gorgeously rich colours and irresistible food. In reality, of course, every region has a distinct culture and identity.

CAIRO 鈥� Egypt opened an exhibition this week to display previously unseen treasures from King Tutankhamun鈥檚 famed tomb.

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico 鈥� Away from bustling Santa Fe and quirky Albuquerque, New Mexico offers stunning natural wonders, wide expanses of desert and mountains and clear skies that guarantee endless days of sightseeing and outdoor fun.