Top Arts & Entertainment Getaways - Int'l: Editor's Top 10

If you're visiting London, England, for the first time, you may arrive expecting a European city that overflows with pomp and pageantry. Few visitors to London will fail to be impressed by the grandeur and history of such monumental sights as Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's Cathedral, but that's only a small slice of today's London.... Goto Destination Guide »

If you're visiting London, England, for the first time, you may arrive expecting a European city that overflows with pomp and pageantry. Few visitors to London will fail to be impressed by the grandeur and history of such monumental sights as Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's Cathedral, but that's only a small slice of today's London.... Goto Destination Guide »

Rome, Italy, seems to have its own gravitational pull, attracting not only millions of tourists each year, but also the most creative artists and thinkers of every era. All that surrounds a visitor in Rome-the stunning art and architecture, the terrible traffic, the grandeur of scale and the lively (almost hyperanimated) citizens-guarantees an unforgettable trip.... Goto Destination Guide »

Madrid, Spain, strikes a balance between constant, almost chaotic motion and uncompromising leisure. Madrilenos, as Madrid's residents are called, seem always to be on the go, except when they're taking long breaks to eat, drink and enjoy life. The competing urges to move or sit for hours are cleverly reconciled in the Madrid institution known as ir de tapas, which entails hopping leisurely from one tapas bar to the next.... Goto Destination Guide »

St. Petersburg has had three names in less than 100 years, changes that mirror the shifting political winds of Mother Russia. The names of its places and people are a roll call of Russian history of the 19th and 20th centuries: the Winter Palace, the czars, Dostoyevsky, the Catherine Palace, Tchaikovsky, Lenin.... Goto Destination Guide »

Florence, Italy, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world; for many visitors, Florence is the most splendid. Florence's palaces, churches and museums overflow with masterful paintings and sculpture.... Goto Destination Guide »

With its industrial and seaside satellites, Bilbao extends 10 mi/16 km along the banks of the Nervion River. The city is the largest in the Basque region, an unbroken metropolis hemmed in by steep hills. It used to be primarily an industrial center, with looks to match, but that's changing fast.... Goto Destination Guide »

Paris, "The City of Light," has been written about, filmed and photographed countless times. Although it seems as if we all know Paris even before we see it, nothing compares to actually being there. Going up the Eiffel Tower, walking along the Seine at dusk or sipping coffee at an elegant sidewalk cafe are uniquely Parisian experiences-and the wonder of it is that real life takes on an aura of magical make-believe, so that it seems just like being in the movies.... Goto Destination Guide »

Cairo has been called "the mother of the world" and "city of victory." Visitors will find it to be a fascinating and often bewildering mixture of old and new. Cairo businesspeople in suits and locals in traditional robes can both be found at sidewalk coffee shops, and minarets and domes share the skyline with high-rise office buildings and hotel towers. Traditional music competes with jazz or Egyptian pop, as well as with the incessant honking of horns.... Goto Destination Guide »

Tell anyone you're going to Amsterdam and there's a fair chance they'll either sigh with envy or give you a sly nod. Amsterdam's reputation for tolerance laced with sin precedes it, but equally renowned are its scenic and cultural attractions. Amsterdam hotels are known for their cleanliness and hospitality, its restaurants offer world cuisine, and along the city streets is a shopper's paradise. Most visitors fall in love with the city and return again and again.... Goto Destination Guide »