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Travel / Europe

A young Ernest Hemingway on what would prove his most fruitful trip to Pamplona, in July 1925.

Go Behind the Scenes of the Running of the Bulls

An offbeat journey to the legendary Spanish festival 100 years after the life-changing trip that inspired Ernest Hemingway to write “The Sun Also Rises”

No winners are declared. No medals are handed out. There is no podium. The only aim for riders of the Vätternrundan is to complete the challenge, and doing so is a rite of passage. 

How Sweden’s Vätternrundan Became One of the Biggest Recreational Bike Rides on the Planet

For 60 years, cyclists have descended on the city of Motala in June to ride 196 miles around Lake Vättern and promote healthy living

Scoresby Sund in Eastern Greenland is the largest fjord system in the world.

Nine Ways to Experience Greenland’s Unique Culture and Icy Landscapes

The first-ever direct flights from the United States to Greenland will give tourists easier access to the island’s history, culture and natural wonders

In England’s Lake District, a wooden footbridge connects two rocky sides of a riverbank as mountains peek out from the fog in the distance.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

See 15 Serene Scenes of the English Countryside

Quaint centuries-old villages dot the rural landscapes of the United Kingdom

The Vicus Caprarius (City of Water), an underground museum that includes an ancient apartment complex, was discovered in 1999-2001.

Explore Rome’s Hidden Underworld, Where a City Lurks Beneath a City

A journey into the vast subterranean grounds preserved under Rome—from ancient aqueducts and apartment buildings to pagan shrines

In all its simplicity, the maritozzo is a soft bun filled with a hefty dollop of whipped cream, or panna as it is referred to in Italian.

Since Ancient Times, Romans Have Gifted These Cream-Filled Treats to Their Sweethearts

Once a part of marriage proposals, maritozzi are making a comeback in Italy and around the world

Six of the 24 Orthodox Christian monasteries strewn across Meteora, a collection of massive stone pillars and rounded boulders in northwestern Greece, are still active more than 700 years after the first was founded in the 14th century.

Ten Isolated, Gravity-Defying Monasteries You Can Visit Around the World

Monks have been seeking spiritual enlightenment at these sites on steep cliffs, inside caves and atop an extinct volcano for centuries

A skin diver swims with a sperm whale in the Caribbean off of Dominica.

Eight Natural Phenomena Worth Traveling for in 2025

You won’t regret experiencing bioluminescence, swimming with sperm whales or witnessing the rush of a horizontal waterfall

The systems have been especially successful in Latin America, where massive cities and dramatic landscapes make building roads, rail lines and subway tunnels difficult. Mi Teléferico, shown here, connects more than two million people across the La Paz metro in Bolivia.

Seven Cities in the World Where You Can Ride an Aerial Cable Car

Urban planners from Mexico City to Toulouse are adopting the high-flying mode of transit. Will it catch on elsewhere?

Around the world, a wealth of new museums are also bringing art and culture, science and technology, and education and storytelling to the forefront.

Ten Must-See Museums Opening Around the World in 2025

New institutions dedicated to artificial intelligence, West African art, barbeque and more are expected to welcome visitors this year

Whether you “win” or “lose” a snowball fight, you’re probably walking away with a frosty face full of flakes.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Walk Through a Wintry Wonderland of Seasonal Fun With These 15 Photos

Get into the winter spirit with these images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

Loaded with leather and sheepskins, Salvatore Gungui tightens his headscarf. Although only men dress as Mamuthones, the scarf adds a feminine element.

Coastal Cities of Europe

See the Mysterious Winter Parade That Brings Tourists to the Remote Island of Sardinia

Since ancient times, a town on the Italian isle has marked the season with a grim costumed festival

The giant Santa statue near the Santa Claus House in the town of North Pole, Alaska

Why Is Santa From the North Pole? Here’s How the Legend Originated and Why Different Towns Lay Claim to It

Santa Claus is usually good news for tourism—and locales all over the world embrace their proximity to the Christmas figure

On the weekend when Catholics celebrate St. Martin’s Day, the beginning of the “reveling season” of winter, Mirano’s central square is completely transformed into a giant, 16th-century board game.

The Italian Town That Becomes a Giant, Goose-Themed Board Game Each Fall

With teams competing in outlandish physical challenges, the Zogo dell’Oca of Mirano showcases Italy’s flair for invented traditions

A potato baked in a hay crust at Hisa Franko.

Discover the Fresh and Unexpected Flavors of Slovenia, a Secret European Delight

In the young, tiny nation, inventive chefs are putting their own twists on classic regional dishes, using river trout, berries and other locally sourced delicacies to create some of the hautest cuisine around

Cyclists pass a preserved section of the Berlin Wall.

How the Berlin Wall Became a 100-Mile Bike and Pedestrian Trail

Once one of the world’s most dangerous border crossings, Berlin’s symbol of death and division has been turned into a tangible way to experience history

The Ofaerufoss waterfall is part of the Nyrdri-Ofaera River, meaning the “impassable northern river.” The river flows into Eldgja, or the “Canyon of Fire.”  

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Go Chasing Waterfalls With These 15 Awe-Inspiring Images

See photographs of the beautiful natural wonders from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

Longyearbyen is full of individuals who have relocated here for all kinds of reasons, but I’ve found that they often share a deep appreciation for nature.

What It’s Like to Experience Polar Night in the World’s Northernmost Town

Eight years into living in Longyearbyen, on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, I embrace the seasonal plunge into total darkness

A participant dressed up as a demon brandishes a stick with fireworks during Correfoc in Catalonia.

Halloween Is Spooky. But So Are These Eight Other Celebrations Around the World

From Setsubun in Japan to Fèt Gede in Haiti, these festivals relish in the macabre

Between 2019 and 2023, the number of walkers just on Spain and Portugal’s Camino de Santiago, a Christian pilgrimage leading to the purported tomb of St. James the Apostle, increased by nearly 100,000.

Six Lodge-to-Lodge Hikes That Will Have You Falling in Love With Slow Travel

From Scotland to Japan, these multiday treks offer adventure and a truly immersive experience

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