Filipino Fortress
Built in the late 1500s by the Spanish (who occupied the Philippines from 1521 until 1898), the oldest part of Manila is a thick-walled medieval city called Intramuros. Built as a fortress to protect the colonizers from Chinese pirates and other foreign threats, Intramuros is home to some of Manila’s most important buildings, including theaters, schools, restaurants, museums, and shops.
Intramuros is a great place to spend a day (or early evening) walking around, says Carlos Celdran, a performance artist who leads walking tours around Manila. Start your walk at the south entrance of Intramuros and stroll along Calle Real de Palacio, which is also known as General Luna Street in honor of the Filipino freedom fighter who helped the country secure independence in the late 1800s.
First stop is Ilustrado, a fine-dining restaurant that is a great place to get local dishes like lengua (made from ox or pork tongue) and bangus relleno (stuffed milkfish). If you’re not hungry yet, spend some time in the Silahis Center, a bargain-filled arts, handicrafts, books, and antiques shop near Ilustrado.
Farther down Calle Real, you’ll come to San Agustin Church, the oldest stone church in the Philippines, with a botanical garden and a collection of ecclesiastical relics to soothe the mind and soul. Across the street is Casa Manila, a 19th-century mansion where visitors can get a glimpse of how wealthy Manila dwellers lived at the time. “It’s retro but feels really authentic,” says Celdran.
At the end of General Luna Street stands Fort Santiago (above), a former garrison and dungeon whose plazas, ruins, and upper ramparts are open for exploration. “It’s a garden,” says Celdran. “One of the quietest spaces in Manila and one of the greenest.”
Exit Intramuros by Fort Santiago and make your way along the outer wall to General Douglas MacArthur’s former residence, the elegant Manila Hotel, for a postwalk drink. But be on the lookout for flying golf balls, as you’ll be traversing the Club Intramuros Golf Course. The links are actually in Intramuros’ former moat, which has since been repurposed into something a bit more inviting.
— Arin Greenwood
(Unheard Of)
The Ghosts of Arizona
“Grandma respected Cochise; she said he always told the truth,” says Carla Adams, the manager at the Cochise Hotel, the only hotel in the town of Cochise, Ariz., population 24. Down the street, the proprietor of the antique shop tells how if Uncle Matt hadn’t robbed the second train he probably would’ve gotten away with the first. A giant leap into the past, Cochise, 80 miles from Tucson, is where these rich stories still live. The hotel in this still-functional near-ghost town has been in business since 1882 and offers guests ranch cooking, “honest” beds, and peace and quiet — when the tales aren’t being spun, of course. cochisehotel.com — Sandra Scott
Memphis
Heart and Soul
Fifty years ago in Memphis, artists both black and white integrated elements of country and gospel to create soul music, the sound of a new America. It was here, through Memphis’ lively musical and cultural scene, that the nation found a way forward, and this year the city steps to the mike to celebrate that legacy. From the Gibson Guitar Factory to Graceland, fans can take in some of music’s most storied sites. They can hear the sounds still pumping at the Stax Museum and Sun Studio. The Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum shows how the exciting new sound affected the lives of all Americans, no matter where their dial was turned. And the Peabody Memphis Hotel, located blocks from legendary Beale Street, has been tending to visitors in grand style since 1925. The Peabody’s 50 Years of Soul package pulls together all the tickets you need for a soul-searching experience, as well as some posh perks worthy of the King himself. memphissoul50.com — John Patrick Pullen
Sacramento
Back in the Saddle
May kicks off trail-riding season at the Wild Horse Sanctuary in Shingletown, Calif., 170 miles northeast of Sacramento. Founded in 1978 as a preserve for horses facing slaughter or confinement, the 5,000-acre site near Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to approximately 300 mustangs that roam free, frolicking in the countryside and blazing trails across the area’s lunar landscape. The sanctuary offers two- and three-day trail rides that provide a unique opportunity to get up close with these magnificent creatures. Evenings around the campfire supply camaraderie, company, and entertainment, and guests spend their nights in the frontier-style cabins. wildhorsesanctuary.com — J.P.P.
Amsterdam
Going Green
In Amsterdam, the most stimulating plants aren’t necessarily the ones you smoke. The Hortus Botanicus, located in the charming Plantage district, opened in 1638 as an herb garden to house the city’s supply of precious medicinal remedies. With more than 6,000 exotic and indigenous plants on display in its winding gardens and towering greenhouse installations, the Hortus boasts one of the oldest and strangest collections of flora on the planet, including some species that were recovered from the jungles of then-uncharted lands by the Dutch East India Company some 300 years ago. dehortus.nl — Owen Baker
Rio de Janeiro
Rhapsody in Flight
Rio de Janeiro may have been discovered by sea, but it’s best explored by air. From the staggering 1,700-foot height of Pedra Bonita (Pretty Rock) in Tijuca National Park, the guides at Just Fly take daring travelers on a tandem hang glide over lush jungle canopy and steep rock faces, high above the nearest macaw or monkey. Coasting on the area’s naturally occurring thermals — rising currents of warm air — the glider swoops over the Tijuca Forest National Park before landing smoothly in the soft sands of Săo Conrado. Tours last as long as 30 minutes, depending on the air conditions, leaving plenty of time for a rumba, a rum and Coke, or another run. justfly.com.br — Andrew Eitelbach
Dublin
Arias in Eire
Travelers to Ireland can experience a virtual tour of Europe at the 56th annual Wexford Festival Opera. The two-and-a-half-week event is stuffed with works from all over Europe and features fully staged opera performances, lunch recitals, concerts, and a late-night post-opera party. The festival takes place on the grounds of Johnstown Castle, a 16th-century structure near Wexford — just a two-hour drive from Dublin. This year’s festival begins May 31, and the schedule offers several opportunities to see the three main programs: Kurt Weill’s Der Silbersee; a double bill of Ferruccio Busoni’s Arlecchino and Igor Stravinsky’s Pulcinella; and the well-known Rusalka by Antonin Dvorák. wexfordopera.com — Tami Swartz
Las Vegas
Sine Qua Non
Considering its larger-than-life locale, it should come as no surprise that Qua, the new spa at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, takes relaxation to a level that even Caesar would envy. Among Qua’s marquee treatments is the 75-minute Raindrop Therapy Massage, during which nine organic oils are layered into the body, transporting spa-goers to a blissful state. After, you can come down from your treatment by enjoying three Roman baths (one hot, one cold, and one kept at body temperature), the Herbal Steam Room, the Arctic Ice Room, or a cup of tea poured by the in-house tea sommelier, who selects your drink based on any treatments you’ve received. It’s a winning experience. harrahs.com/qua — Martin Lieberman
Getting There: All the destinations covered in “Go Explore” can be reached by flying Continental Airlines. To book your vacation, contact Continental Airlines Vacations at covacations.com.
