Travel Dispatch: On the Trail of Legends and Giants in Wales

June 13, 2026

A large stone castle with multiple towers overlooks a town. Beyond the town, green fields meet the ocean under a cloudy sky.

Harlech Castle, in Wales, was built in the 13th century. Owen Richards for The New York Times

Dear Travel Fan,

Here in New York, the city is caught up in the N.B.A. finals, with the Knicks now leading the series 3 to 1 over the San Antonio Spurs, and watch parties and celebrations springing up all over town. But that other big sporting event has also started, and we’ve been keeping you up-to-date on the FIFA World Cup front:

Travelers on Amtrak between Vancouver and Seattle, which are both hosting games, can now get through border control faster.
Visitors who need visas to the U.S. can pay an additional fee to fast-track their application.
Our guide to the tournament cities is available in English and in Spanish.
If you are traveling for the tournament and want to share details of your experience, we’d love to hear from you.

Sticking with this hemisphere, we’ve got a roundup of great North American cities for biking, and a guide to exploring Chicago’s South Side, where the Obama Presidential Center is opening next week. And as part of our Revolutionary Journeys series, we also visit some taverns that are as old as the United States.

In Europe, our theme this week is staying close to the water. Our 36 Hours column visits Athens, where there’s history at every turn, but also lively food, art and music scenes. We’ve also got a guide to the Croatian coast, designed to help you pick the right destination, from Pula on the Istrian Peninsula to Dubrovnik in the south, with lots of recommendations for where to stay, eat and explore. And we also take a driving journey along the shoreline in Wales, a land of giants and legends.

Finally, we hope you never have to use this advice, but our Frugal Traveler, Elaine Glusac, tells you what you need to file a successful travel insurance claim.

Wishing you safe and happy travels (and Go New York Go!),
Amy Virshup

OPEN UP YOUR WORLD

Owen Richards for The New York Times

On the Trail of Legends and Giants in Wales

A Welsh writer’s trip hugs the coastline of Gwynedd, a land of castles, dramatic cliffs and wide river estuaries.

By Matthew Yeomans and Owen Richards

James Estrin/The New York Times

revolutionary journeys

Drink Like a Founder: 7 Bars That Are as Old as America

Taverns were important incubators of revolutionary fervor where patriots gathered to plot and gossip. Here are a few where you can still taste the spirit of 1776.

By Liza Weisstuch and James Estrin

A bronze statue of two people in modern clothing and walking hand in hand, both waving, seemingly to a crowd, stands in front of the window of a modern marble building.

Beyond the ‘Obamalisk’: A Guide to Chicago’s South Side

The Obama Presidential Center, opening on June 19, is poised to attract visitors to an often-overlooked area. Here’s what you’ll find in Hyde Park and beyond.

By Elaine Glusac and Akilah Townsend

A forested peninsula with a centuries-old town of white, red-roofed buildings on its tip juts out into the sea, which is filled with other islands.

Goran Afarek/Alamy

Where to Go on the Croatian Coast

Tips for first-time visitors to the cities, islands and stunning coastline of one of Europe’s most beguiling summer destinations.

By Alex Crevar

Two bikers follow a concrete bike path past a long wall of colorful murals. On the other side of the trail are trees with bright pink blossoms that separate the tree from a city street.

Boogich/Getty Images

5 Great North American Biking Cities

Safe, scenic pedaling opportunities abound in cities like Seattle, Montreal and Atlanta. Here are routes that will take you past waterways, through parks and along protected urban lanes.

By Cindy Hirschfeld

A couple embraces one another while sitting on a scenic overlook above a cityscape. In the foreground are graffitied boulders; in the background, other people mill around.

Camille McOuat for The New York Times

36 Hours

36 Hours in Athens

In Athens, experimental restaurants and lively bars brush up against archaeological ruins and millennia-old neighborhoods — proof that this ancient metropolis is no mere monument to the past.

By Iliana Magra and Camille McOuat

THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL

A large, unoccupied stadium under a clear blue sky. It features a rectangular green playing field surrounded by many dark seats.

Angela Weiss/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Are You Traveling for the World Cup? We Want to Hear From You.

Tell us about your experience buying tickets, finding a place to stay, making travel arrangements and, if you’re coming to the U.S., dealing with entry requirements.

By Danial Adkison

A green, brown and white train sits in a station underneath a swooping steel canopy. The locomotive reads “WSDOT” on the front and has several silver, red, white and blue Amtrak cars attached to it.

Alamy

Amtrak Speeds Up Border Crossing Between World Cup Cities

Passengers heading from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seattle will now clear U.S. customs before boarding instead of stopping once they’ve crossed the border.

By Gabe Castro-Root

An illustration shows a traumatized person in orange shirt, shorts and hat, with stylized cuts on their arm and leg, and a big bead of sweat dripping from their brow. They are talking into a cellphone, while holding and looking at a long document. In the orange sky, an airplane rises, and in front of the person is an upside down damaged suitcase with clothes, a passport and a camera falling out of it.

Philip Lindeman

Travel 101

How to File a Travel Insurance Claim

The process involves attention to detail and, above all, documentation. Here’s what you need to know.

By Elaine Glusac

Kenny Holston/The New York Times

Want to Skip a 12-Month Line for a U.S. Visa? That’ll Be $750.

A new fast-track program will allow certain visa applicants to pay a premium and secure an interview within 10 business days.

By Ryley Ober

Feedback, thoughts, tips? Email the Travel desk at travel@nytimes.com.

Make a friend’s day: Forward this email.

Did you get this from a friend? Sign up for the Travel Dispatch here. You can always find our latest stories here.

We have more newsletters you might like!

If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here.

Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance.

You received this email because you signed up for Travel Dispatch from The New York Times.

To stop receiving Travel Dispatch, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings.

Subscribe to The Times Get The New York Times app