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This week’s roundup of travel articles takes you to Hitler’s wolf den in the forests of Poland, a “haunted” Baltimore hotel in Maryland, and the best destinations to satisfy your hunger this year.
Some people just follow their heart, but why not follow your stomach this year?
The Michelin Guide, the flavor and tire giant, has released a list of the top 16 gourmet spots for 2026, and it’s sure to whet your appetite.
The historic cities of Boston and Philadelphia are both Michelin-starred this year as they celebrate their 250th anniversary, as does Route 66, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Many of the diners and motels along the 4,448-mile highway are gearing up for the nation’s 100th anniversary.
The southern United States is also recommended. From Atlanta to North Carolina to Tennessee, there are 159 Michelin-rated restaurants. Michelin also recommends exploratory road trips in Florida. This is covered in a separate guide. Greater Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and St. Pete-Clearwater are part of the Sunshine State’s growing culinary scene.
Next month’s Winter Olympics are bringing new infrastructure and ambitious alpine cuisine to the Italian Dolomites, Michelin says, and Vancouver (and its amazing seafood) is also in the spotlight thanks to this summer’s FIFA World Cup. The French-influenced Quebec cuisine also makes sense. If you’re up for it, check out Montreal’s Bagel Wars.
A long-time love affair with Boston oysters.
A long-time love affair with Boston oysters.
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Venice and the Amalfi Coast are little-known destinations in Italy, but the luxurious Orient Express hotel and gorgeous new gourmet railway line add a special flavor.
Further east, the Czech Republic is highlighted, including the beautiful UNESCO spa town of Karlovy Vary, as well as the vibrant Polish city of Wrocław and 18 Michelin Guide restaurants in Turkey’s otherworldly landscape of Cappadocia.
The newly published Michelin Guide has put Saudi Arabia on the list, with the “very affordable” Jiangsu province hailed as one of China’s “most sophisticated” eateries with a notable garden culture.
Finally, Manila and Cebu are the hubs of the Philippines’ vibrant dining scene. Here, CNN presents the best breakfast menus in the country. You can start your day right there. (The full Michelin list can be found here).
Deep in the forests of northeastern Poland lies the Wolf Lair, the secret military base where Adolf Hitler oversaw Germany’s invasion of Russia. It was also the setting for Operation Valkyrie, one of the most famous failed assassination attempts against a dictator.
Today, the vast complex is a museum and tourist attraction, with a sense of unease lurking along the paved tourist trails and a sense of unease lingering in the dark hallways. CNN visited the scene.
Germany’s Grünesbund is an 860-mile natural biosphere along the former communist-era East-West border. Once a mine-ridden no-man’s land, this former “Dead Quarter” is now a gorgeous, peaceful stretch of wilderness, rich in orchids, wetlands and birds.
Georgia’s Pankisi Valley has been linked to recent conflicts and riots. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States claimed that al-Qaeda operatives were in Pankisi and speculated that Osama bin Laden was among them, but this claim has not been proven. The destination remains on the U.S. watch list, but the number of American visitors is increasing.
In 1929, dozens of people jumped to their deaths at this Baltimore hotel. It is now one of the most haunted places in America.
Guests staying at the Lord Baltimore Hotel in Maryland can expect to encounter a lot of “hospitable spirit,” in the words of staff wandering the halls. “They’re here,” says one employee of the building where the “creepy” incident was allegedly caught on surveillance cameras.
It’s a crackdown on immigration. The leader was captured. Influenza is rapidly increasing.
What do you remember about that week?
The world’s most punctual airlines and airports in 2025.
Because there are places to go and people to meet.
She bought a cheap house in Italy for her lifestyle.
After that, my son’s health improved dramatically.
Everyone is talking about Greenland.
This is what it looks like when you visit.
