Elba

"Dine on homemade focaccia and wine made on site. Enjoy pasta with local Genovese pesto in a romantic setting." - Ashley Day

"Fried empanadas overflowing with melty cheese; colorful completo hot dogs topped with diced tomatoes, sauerkraut, mashed avocado, and mayonnaise (don’t knock it til you’ve tried it); and doughy sopaipillas bring the flavors of Chilean homes and markets to Hood River’s food cart scene. Owner Norma Vega and her husband originally hail from Chile’s capital city of Santiago, but now serve popular Chilean street food from this food cart along 13th Street. The house specialty is the empanada, stuffed with traditional fillings like a ground beef, onion, eggs, and black olives blend called pino, or non-traditional fruity fillings like pineapple. The recipes come from Vega’s grandmother, for whom the cart is named. In the summer, cool off with a glass of mote con huesillo, a syrupy-sweet drink made with peaches and husked wheat brought from Chile." - Zoe Baillargeon, Molly Allen

"“We are not the Rat Pack,” quips Andrew Pedder, the witty Yorkshire-born captain of Seabourn Ovation. He's referring to himself and the other senior officers, for any guests who may have wandered into their impromptu panel session instead of the musical show taking place later that evening. The Q&A—which covers everything from the prettiest ports to the number of Champagne bottles typically consumed during a seven-day voyage—is part of a last-minute program of activities arranged for an unexpected sea day when it’s too windy to dock in the South of France. This is mid-October, on one of the ship’s jaunts around the Mediterranean for the season, and no one seems to mind the change of plan (although when we do explore, all the islands we visit—Menorca, Corsica, Elba—are blissfully tourist-free). It simply means more time for spa treatments, soaks in the outdoor hot tubs, and afternoon tea in the observation bar. Even then, it only feels like there are 60 passengers onboard, rather than 600. The restaurants are excellent, from Sushi, where you can sit at the counter watching the Japanese chefs at work, to poolside Earth & Ocean for Tandoori-style rotisserie chicken and Madras-style white bean cassoulet. Suites are spacious, each one with a balcony. West End–standard entertainment includes a magician and a chart-topping classical singer. But what makes this ultraluxe ship really memorable is the relaxed, on-point service by staff who remember your name and coffee order, or even a familiar face from a sailing five years ago. Seven-day sailings from $2,649 per person. —Emma Love" - CNT Editors

"The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago lacks the glamour of Sardinia's Emerald Coast or even that of the mainland's tonier beach resorts, and that's just why its devotees flock here. Low-key Elba trades hard on its Napoleonic history — the megalomaniacal leader was exiled here for 10 months — but it's the coastline that really draws the crowds. There are more than 80 "official" beaches ringing the island, plus countless hidden coves to explore by foot or boat. The snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming are all first-rate here. For those content with modest digs — most hotels here are three-star, and there are plenty of basic vacation rentals and campgrounds — Elba offers a relaxed and understated alternative to the often-hectic summer scene at Italy's bigger beach resorts. Be sure to spend some time in the interior, where a network of hundreds of hiking and mountain biking trails traverse densely wooded, rugged terrain, passing by charming villages and the occasional mouflon — wild sheep that roam the island." - Travel + Leisure Editors