Over-crowding. Global warming. Anti-Americanism. Border butterflies. Tariff insecurity. It’s enough to give even the most sophisticated voyager an acute case of travel anxiety. But with summer approaching, thoughts nonetheless turn to wanderlust, so Carnet de Voyage asked one of our most-trusted travel gurus, Jack Ezon, founder of Embark Beyond, a luxury travel consultancy and bespoke journey tailor, for some of the the top destinations for his clients right now. Limiting him to five proved tricky, but with a little leeway, he managed.
5. Scandinavia
A canal in Copenhagen, Denmark. Photo by Vierra Vincent, courtesy of Unsplash.
As flexible travelers switch their traditional Mediterranean summer visits to the shoulder seasons of May/June and September/October to avoid crowds and high temperatures, cities like Copenhagen and Stockholm and nearby fjord resorts have surged in popularity—with visits up 30% in the last two years. Generally less expensive than major tourist cities, these Scandinavian destinations are considerably more attractive than the “cool-cation” designation they’ve been tagged with. And they’re close enough to Germany to take advantage of another of Ezon’s tips. “You can go to the Mercedes factory,” buy a new car sans dealer markup, drive it instead of a rental, Mercedes will ship it home for you for free, get a VAT refund “and even with tariffs, it will be 25% less than buying it here,” Ezon says.
4. Slovenia
Lake Bled, Slovenia. Photo by Severinus Dewantara, courtesy of Unsplash.
The central European republic, tucked in a crevice between Austria, Italy and Croatia, is “the new Switzerland,” Ezon says. It boasts “incredible infrastructure, gorgeous nature, and beautiful boutiques,” and can be easily combined with a pilgrimage to Venice, or visits to Croatia or the stunning Kotor fjords between Havar and Dubrovnik in Montenegro. “[They’re] magical islands for sailing,” he promises.
3. La Dolce Vita Orient Express
The dining car. Photo courtesy of Orient Express.
Recently launched, this nine-car update of the legendary trans-European luxury train—complete with fine food and two classes of ultra-sophisticated cabins—offers eight different itineraries that traverse the length and breadth of Italy. Two-and three-day trips include an exploration of Tuscan wine country, round trips from Rome to the truffle route of Piedmont, the historic cave houses of Matera, or to Venice and either Portofino or Siena. Ezon’s favorites ride from Rome to several cities in Sicily, which include the decoupling of the train and its loading on a ferry to cross the Strait of Messina. “Its younger and fresher than the Venice Simplon,” the traditional Orient Express train through Europe, Ezon says, for “people who want to see something new but don’t want risks.”
2. The Amalfi Coast
The island of Capri. Photo by Letizia Agosta, courtesy of Unsplash.
I challenged Ezon when he brought up this old reliable, despite last year’s reopening of the Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport, which made getting there far easier. “Not Positano!” he countered. Instead, he suggests, combine “something old and something new.” First, stay at Amalfi’s three-year-old Borgo Santandrea, with its private white-pebble beach club and pier, “in an enclave, not crazy populated,” Ezon says. Then, spend a few days in Anacapri, the quieter town on the island of Capri, where you can avoid the day-tripping throngs in Capri’s bustling Piazzetta but still “make a pilgrimage to someplace you love.” Or better yet, take the three-hour drive to Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot. “It’s flatter, with sand beaches and lots of beach clubs.”
1. Monte Carlo
Monaco, as seen from the entrance to the Casino de Monte-Carlo. Photo by Dominik Pearce, courtesy of Unsplash.
“Monaco is the center of the Riviera,” Ezon begins, and Monte Carlo, the central district of the city-state “is a cool base” for discovering both the French and Italian shorelines, “elegant and amazing,” combining “entertainment and energy.” With its world-famous casino, multitude of restaurants, five-star hotels and easy day-trip access to St.-Tropez, Cannes, Menton, Cap d’Ail, Cap Martin, Antibes and the extraordinary market of Ventimiglia, just across the Italian border, it’s “the best of both worlds,” Ezon says. And the Cote d’Azur’s “wild, amazing shopping,” is made even more attractive by what are effectively 20- to 30% discounts off the rising price of European imports to America.