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See our slideshow of the Most Outrageous Hotel Concierge Requests. A doctor from Hawaii recently embarked on his dream trip, a world tour to see all 36 existing Vermeer paintings. Museum viewing was no problem, but two Vermeers are in private locations—one of those being Buckingham Palace. And the queen is not exactly amenable to having complete strangers drop by. What to do? Enter Frank Laino, concierge at London ’s Stafford Hotel . Strings were pulled, favors called in, and …

See our slideshow of The World’s Most Spectacular Tasting Rooms. When it comes to tasting rooms, what’s outside your glass is often as important as what’s inside it. “The taste of wine is largely contextual,” says Ray Isle, wine editor for Travel + Leisure ’s sister publication Food & Wine . “If you’re on your honeymoon, sipping rosé from a paper cup on the French Mediterranean, it will taste fantastic. Later, if you drink an identical …

It’s the midst of peak cruising season, and millions of travelers are eagerly embarking on exotic vacations without thinking they could ever fall victim to a crime at sea.

See our slideshow of The World’s Top Biking Cities. Open the garage, grip the handlebars, stand on the pedals, and go. That’s all it takes for Joseph Duffy, a graphic designer in Minneapolis , to start his morning commute to work. But what lies ahead—a 15-mile route starting on converted railroad beds in the suburbs and ending on the dedicated bike lanes of the city’s downtown core—is a trip made possible only by a decade of planning to make the city fully …

A cruise ship resumed its voyage to Cozumel, Mexico, on Tuesday after the Coast Guard released it from the search for a 50-year-old woman believed to have fallen overboard late Monday.

Maria Shollenbarger’s “Exploring France’s Basque Country” [ May ] is beautifully done—but I don’t love how it starts. She says that everyone in Carmel, California, is retired, newly wed, or nearly dead. I have lived in this lovely town for 34 years and am none of the above. This fall I plan to take time off from work to drive around French Basque Country with my boyfriend, using her article as a guide. My favorite thing about that region is that the people …

I’m off to Argentina and Brazil later this week while various voices within this country continue to advocate closing U.S. borders and restricting travel to control the spread of the influenza A(H1N1) virus, or swine flu. No one at this point can confidently predict the course of the epidemic, but H1N1 appears to have characteristics that may well make it more challenging than the common flu, an annual event that cuts a significant swath through the U.S. population. In the days …

Q: Can you recommend any good tour operators offering rafting trips on the Colorado River? —Tom O’Neal, Cove Neck, N.Y. A: There are several outfitters to choose from, whether you’re looking for a one-day outing or a longer, more intensive experience. Rocky Mountain Adventures (one-day trips from $67 per person) goes to the Upper Colorado, where Class I and II waters are easy and calm. In Utah, Western River Expeditions (day trips from $71) leads an eight-hour journey down …

See our slideshow of the Top U.S. Seaside Inns. The words seaside inn are likely to conjure images of a charming Victorian-era lodge atop a craggy peninsula, with bluffside walking trails, crashing waves, glorious sunsets, and a thoroughly easygoing pace. And that’s just what you’ll find in Prouts Neck, ME , where the Black Point Inn has been providing travelers with a coastal getaway since 1878. Escaping to a classic retreat on the coast is a time-honored summer tradition. After …

See our slideshow of America’s Top Summer Activities 2009. A romantic castle in the hills of California ’s Napa Valley , Italian-style wines, and Robert Redford narrating Vivaldi’s Four Seasons , accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas: this can’t-miss concert happens July 21 at the Castello di Amorosa as part of the Festival del Sole. Festival del Sole is, of course, just one of the countless celebrations that take place during the warm-weather …