Firsthand travel guides
Firsthand travel,
properly edited.
Our destination-specific guides pair honest hotel notes, memorable meals and worthwhile excursions with seasonal weather, local events and the practical details we wish we had before going.
Sardinia, Italy
Sardinia 7-Day Itinerary: North or South?
Two realistic one-week routes with the right airport, two-base strategy, boat day and booking order.
Choose your route
Japan
Where to Stay in Tokyo for a First Trip
Neon nights, tiny bars, exceptional shopping and a city that rewards a little planning.
Read the travel guide
Japan
Is Osaka Worth Visiting for Two Days?
Bold design, late-night energy, excellent food and an easy castle-and-neighborhood itinerary.
Read the travel guide
Japan
How to See Kyoto in Three Days
Temples, hidden lanes and the four-hour e-bike tour we would book again immediately.
Read the travel guide
Italy
How to Plan a Puglia Road Trip
Whitewashed towns, limestone coves and the hotels and beach clubs that made southern Italy unforgettable.
Read the travel guide
Amalfi Coast, Italy
Where to Stay in Positano Without Regretting the Stairs
Choose a Positano hotel by the stairs you are willing to climb, the beach you want, and how you will arrive.
Read the travel guideItaly
Sardinia, Italy Travel Guide: North or South?
A first-trip guide to Sardinia, Italy: choosing the north or south, getting around and planning the best beach and boat days.
Read the travel guide
Balearic Islands, Spain
How to Plan Ibiza and Formentera Together
Plan an Ibiza hotel base that fits your nights, then protect a full day for Formentera.
Read the travel guide
Balearic Islands, Spain
Where to Stay in Mallorca for Coves and Calm
Hotel Bendinat, crystal-clear coves and a Viator excursion worth building into the trip.
Read the travel guide
Portugal
Where to Stay in Lisbon for a First Visit
Choose a Lisbon hotel by the neighborhoods you want at night, your tolerance for hills, and how much you plan to walk.
Read the travel guide
Portugal
Is a Private Douro Valley Day Trip Worth It?
A private driver, a home-cooked Portuguese lunch and the sparkling wine we fell in love with.
Read the travel guide
Jalisco, Mexico
How to Get to Verana in Yelapa
A boat-only escape, a 20-minute uphill arrival and one of the most special remote hotels we have stayed in.
Read the travel guide
Quintana Roo, Mexico
How to Get to Isla Holbox and Where to Stay
Barefoot beaches, long sunsets and Hotel AWA as the base for a slower island stay.
Read the travel guide
Mexico
A Food-First Mexico City Itinerary
A food-first city break where the restaurants—not a hotel checklist—were the reason to go.
Read the travel guide
Riviera Nayarit, Mexico
Sayulita vs. Punta Mita: Which Is Better?
Two neighboring beach escapes with completely different rhythms—which one is right for your trip?
Read the travel guideNayarit, Mexico
Where to Stay in Sayulita Without the Noise
A colorful surf town best approached with the right hotel base and an intentionally loose schedule.
Read the travel guideQuintana Roo, Mexico
Where to Stay in Tulum to Avoid Traffic
A beach-road stay with hotel-zone logistics, standout dinners and a plan that avoids spending the trip in traffic.
Read the travel guideFrance
Where to Stay in Paris for a Walkable First Trip
A polished city stay with a Left Bank base, intentional dinners and enough open time to wander.
Read the travel guideThe Onward split
Useful now. More valuable when you need the complete plan.
Most of each guide is public: the places, hotel impressions, standout experiences and the practical lessons. Exact day-by-day routes, complete maps and reservation sequences stay inside our premium trip edits.