Travel Dispatch: Let Us Pick Your Italian Destination

June 27, 2026

Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, has increasingly appeared in movies and on television shows. Andrej Vasilenko for The New York Times

Dear Travel Fan,

It’s not often we bring you celestial travel stories, but this week we have two. The first carries you to a sparsely populated swath of Spain, where a solar eclipse will envelop the region in darkness on Aug. 12. We visited several provinces to scout out places to see the eclipse and experience the culture and natural wonders. In the second, we take a close look at travel opportunities beyond Earth, 25 years after an American entrepreneur paid a reported $20 million to become the first space tourist.

If you’re considering a trip to Europe this summer, we’ve got you covered. In light of this week’s devastating heat wave, we have tips to stay cool amid soaring temperatures. We also have a quiz that, after a few brief questions, will help you decide which destination in Italy is right for you. And our 36 Hours column visits Vilnius, an art-loving capital that’s finally ready for its close-up.

In our ongoing coverage of America’s 250th birthday, we track down the places in London that hold the blueprints of the American Revolution.

Stateside, we look at six locations along the coast of New England where you might consider a short cruise — to see whales, lighthouses and magical islands. And if you’re planning to visit a national park this summer, we describe how visitor numbers, sharply reduced staffing, scrapped reservation systems and higher entry fees for nonresidents could make your trip a bit less serene.

Finally, we offer a roundup of five boutique hotels around the world with dreamy atmospheres and picturesque views, including a chateau amid a vineyard in Burgundy and a romantic hideaway in Malta.

Wishing you safe and happy travels,
The Editors

OPEN UP YOUR WORLD

Dreaming of an Italian Vacation? Take This Quiz to Find a Destination.

Answer four questions, and we'll help you plan a trip.

By Seth Sherwood

Long tables with red chairs set up for a dinner inside a wood-paneled hall lined with armor busts and windows with stained glass.

How to Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday in the Country It Broke Up With

Britain may have lost the Revolutionary War, but London still holds the blueprints of the American Revolution. Follow in the founders’ footsteps at these notable places.

By Claire Moses and Jeremie Souteyrat

Andrej Vasilenko for The New York Times

36 Hours

36 Hours in Vilnius, Lithuania

An increasingly popular filming location for movies and television shows, including Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” Lithuania’s leafy, art-loving capital is finally ready for its close-up.

By Evan Rail and Andrej Vasilenko

A ruined stone castle with a tall tower sits on a dry, rocky hill. Beyond the castle, a dense green forest stretches to fields of golden crops and distant hills.

An Eclipse Is About to Lift ‘Emptied Spain’ Out of the Shadows

In August, a celestial spectacle will draw millions to a sparsely populated swath of Spain. Visitors will find the region is full of earthly wonders, too.

By María Sánchez Díez and Emilio Parra Doiztua

An aerial view of a small island, forested on one side, and with a manicured lawn and stone building with a white tower on the other end. The island is rimmed with sandy beach and there is a long dock that protrudes into the calm water.

Richard Bonenfant

Whales, Lighthouses and Magical Islands: Short Cruises Off the New England Coast

From Connecticut to Maine, narrated excursions, and even a mailboat run, are ready to be added to summer vacation itineraries.

By Debbie Seaman

THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL

Joann Pai for The New York Times

Traveling to Europe in a Heat Wave? Here’s What to Know.

Residents and summer travelers alike are searching for ways to stay safe and cool as the continent swelters amid a heat wave. Here are some tips.

By Ryley Ober

Md/Florida Today, via Associated Press

Is Space Tourism Finally Ready for Takeoff?

Delays and rising prices have made the promise of space travel for ordinary people more elusive than ever. Will that ever change?

By Stefano Montali

The entrance to a small hotel in a centuries-old building has a tall arched ceiling covered in frescoes, a hanging iron lantern and, on either side of a stairway, potted plants and an antique chair. In front of the stairway is a faded Oriental rug.

Boz Gagovski

5 New Intimate Hotels With Atmosphere to Spare

Whether set amid vineyards in Burgundy or in the heart of Florence, these boutique hotels will keep the crowds at bay.

By Stephanie Rosenbloom

Long lines of cars wait on a tree-lined road to pass through four national park entry gates covered in a brown wooden structure.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Going to a National Park This Summer? Here’s What to Expect.

Huge visitor numbers, sharply reduced staffing, scrapped reservation systems and higher entry fees for nonresidents could make your trip a bit less serene.

By Ruffin Prevost

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