For the first time in three years, Largay Travel held its company-wide retreat, this time in Newport, R.I. The best few days in travel saw Largay and affiliate advisors reunite with our favorite suppliers for updates after a crazy year of restarting the travel industry. The Slumber Showcase featured hoteliers and their representatives donning their finest and most comfortable pajamas to tell us all about the wonderful amenities and adventures to be had at their hotels and resorts, and we capped off the event with a Roaring 20s-themed party at The Breakers, one of Newport’s famed Gilded Age mansions.

Tomes can be written about the rivalry between Madrid and Barcelona, Spain’s primary cities. Blood has been spilled, friends turned to enemies and bitterness drawn out for decades. And that’s just on the soccer pitch. Madrid was the seat of power as a newly unified Spain built one of the most powerful empires the world has ever seen in the 16th century. Barcelona, meanwhile, grew as an industrial power and capital of Catalonia, a prosperous region with a fierce independent streak.

Travelers were so eager to get out this year that airlines could scarcely keep up. They’re trying to get a jump on 2023 travel with new routes. Notably, Delta and United have announced new flights for next year. Some are restorations of routes that were cut when the pandemic set in, others have not flown in years, or ever.

It might be a little tougher to identify now with travel schedules compressed and demand still high in the industry’s recovery from Covid, but the shoulder season is here. A lot of people are still traveling, though things are a far cry from the heights of summer. Those who are traveling are onto something, because there are a great many things that make the shoulder season a wonderful time to explore.

Over the summer, we noted how affordable the eurozone had become with the dollar hitting parity with the euro for the first time in 20 years. Europe is still on sale, with the dollar slightly stronger than the euro at 97 cents to the euro. At the time, the Great British pound was at $1.19, much more favorable than the year before. It’s been lost amid the ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, but last week the pound fell to a record low against the dollar in the opening days of Liz Truss’ term as prime minister. It briefly touched below $1.04 and remains below $1.10, making the U.K. as affordable as it’s ever been for Americans.

Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in London this week marks the farewell to a reign that lasted more than 70 years. She was in Kenya in early 1952 when she learned her father had died and she would take over as queen of the United Kingdom. In her time on the throne, many former British colonies gained independence. More than 50 countries remain members of the Commonwealth of Nations, maintaining close relations with the U.K. In all those decades, the queen made many journeys throughout the lands that once made up an empire on which the sun never set. These are a few of the most memorable, in places where you can follow in her footsteps.

You do need to be part of a tour, at least for the time being, but visiting the Land of the Rising Sun got easier last week, when Japan dropped its COVID testing requirement for travelers who are fully vaccinated and have had a booster shot.

Depending on where you live, school either just started or is about to. Kids are excited (or anxious) about a new year of learning, and parents are excited about not having to plan daily activities. But soon enough, once the exhaustion wears off, you’ll miss having the kids around. It’s not too early to start thinking about the next school break and ways to spend some quality time together. The learning doesn’t have to stop when kids leave the classroom, and there are great ways to show them the world that are both fun and educational.

We’ve shared some tips with you this summer of navigating what can be a hectic flying experience. What we can’t do is keep airlines from canceling or delaying flights. But under a proposed rule from the Transportation Department, airlines would be required to give passengers refunds if they are delayed more than 3 hours for domestic flights or 6 hours for international ones. Technically, airlines are already required to offer refunds for canceled or significantly changed flights, but because the Transportation Department has never formally defined the terms, they typically offer vouchers instead.

Some of us will attend in person and others will attend virtually, but we’re all geared for another Virtuoso Travel Week. It’s the time each year when we meet with hotels, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators and other suppliers to learn about the latest offerings in the world of travel. As travel advisors, we think of it as our annual shopping trip for our clients.

The first Friday in August marks International Beer Day, a time to enjoy a pint with friends and enjoy both the company and the craft that went into our favorite brews. For the thirsty travelers who would go to the ends of the earth for a nice glass of beer, these are some of the best beer journeys available

You may have seen the scenes of hectic airports this summer, either on TV, online or witnessed them in person. People are traveling in record numbers and airports and airlines don’t have enough staffing to keep things running smoothly all the time. This had led to canceled flights and lost bags. It’s especially noticeable at major hubs where flights and travelers are coming from and going to all parts of the world.

We repeat it every year, but it’s important information. If you have not started planning your festive season travel for the end of the year, you had better start now. We really mean it every year, but this year we really, really mean it. Travel has been so busy this year, we had several suppliers tell us as early as the spring that they simply did not have enough guides and drivers available to handle any more bookings for the summer. It is truly like nothing we have seen before.

Experiences, not things. That’s been the mantra of younger generations of travelers for years now. And you know what, they’re onto something. We had more than enough time to be at home and shop online for a couple of years. As one traveler told Virtuoso chairman and CEO Matthew D. Upchurch, “At the end of the day there’s only so much wine and so much furniture I can buy.”

You may have been on the fence about it before, but these days travel insurance is an absolute must. There is a long list of countries that now won’t even let visitors in without it. While we always plan the best trip we can for our clients, there are a lot of things that are out of our hands once we send you out into the wide world. Part of doing everything we can to make sure things go smoothly for you is protecting your investment with insurance.

They don’t call Thailand the “Land of Smiles” for no reason. Thanks to the welcoming hospitality to the mouth-watering food to the beautiful landscapes and architecture, you’d have a hard time having a bad time on a journey there. The dry season from November to early April is the best time to visit, and you are invited to join a custom-designed Temples and Treasures tour led by a pair of Largay-affiliated advisors from Nov. 3-14 of this year.

It’s a scientific fact: Travel is good for your health. Even short trips have shown to reduce stress for weeks after travelers return home. Giving your brain a break and changing your state of mind can boost creativity and make you more productive.

Every week is Travel and Tourism Week for us, but this week we’re celebrating it nationwide. It’s National Travel and Tourism Week, and it’s a great reminder that if you haven’t booked your travel for this year yet, it is time to contact your advisor. Summer season has filled up fast as eager travelers gear up to go anywhere and everywhere now that most COVID restrictions have been lifted. If you’re lucky, your advisor might find some last-minute space, but time is of the essence. Even for trips the rest of this year and into next, space is limited as the world rushes back to travel. The sooner you can plan, the better.

After a lost summer season in 2020, the wild frontiers of Alaska were able to salvage a partial season last year, with great success. This year at least figures to offer a full summer of adventure — although you don’t have to limit your Alaska explorations to the warmer months. Alaska’s autumn colors are just as spectacular as any you’ll see in the Lower 48, and the longer nights increase your chances of spotting Northern Lights. Cruising is the most common way people get around, and the Inside Passage does indeed showcase the state’s spectacular landscapes and wildlife, but it’s not the only way. Boutique lodges can be a fabulous way to explore Alaska’s interior and less-trafficked waterways.

They call it the Eternal City for a reason. On April 21, Rome celebrates its 2,775th birthday, dating to its legendary founding in 753 B.C.E. This year, the city is emerging from another plague, one of many it has endured in its long history and making a glorious return to the world stage as nearly all COVID restrictions in Italy are gone.