RHIA HYLTON

PHOTO EDITOR

Every year when Best in Travel rolls around, it’s a fun excuse to take a walk down memory lane. I get to pore over all the gorgeous images the photo team commissioned and licensed over the past year and get them ready for your eyes. This means countless hours scrolling, zooming, cropping and adjusting.

Behind every image we commission, there’s a detailed itinerary crafted with our readers in mind. Your interests, your passions, your dream trips. We consider it all. From there, we pick a few destinations to capture. Whether we’re sending photographers through towering alpines in the Dolomites or into Buenos Aires’ sultry tango clubs, they always come back with plenty of stories to share. And luckily for us, we get to see these stories through their lens.

I think that’s one of my favorite things about this job. From my lil ol’ desk in Brooklyn, NYC, I get to help people experience the best that travel has to offer. The excitement of being in a new place, the curiosity that pushes you out of your comfort zone, and the people you meet along the way. Not a bad job, hey?

From the Dolomites to Lake Garda, the Veneto, which is the Italian region just outside Venice, is like Italy in microcosm. While tourists tend to stick to Italy’s flashier names, the Veneto quietly serves the best prosecco and tiramisu from sublime Renaissance cities like Verona and Padua. The skiing in the Dolomites is exquisite, while the walled center of Treviso is pure joy. There is so much to explore in this region, no matter the season, but don’t skimp on the wine; try the Amorone (Big Bitter) from one of the family wineries in the Valpolicella DOC wine territory.

SEE ITALY'S RANGE IN VENETO

Pulsing and passionate is how Lonely Planet contributor Isabel Albiston describes tango in Argentina. She says watching is spellbinding, but participating? Now that’s the real thrill. In Buenos Aires, stop by El Boliche de Roberto any night to hear tango musicians in an informal bar full of passionate locals. To watch the professionals engage in a fiery, choreographed performance, book a table at Bar Sur. If you want to learn or try your skill, look for a milonga like La Virtua in Palermo. You can take a class before the dance starts.

WHERE TO TANGO IN BUENOS AIRES

Writer Nerissa Golden promises that after you go to Montserrat, you’ll wonder why you stayed away from this volcano-sculpted island for so long. With emerald peaks, black-sand beaches and an award-winning dining scene, this Caribbean darling will leave you feeling as if you’ve uncovered something rare. You’ll arrive in a tiny plane, and Golden’s advice is to head straight for the island’s hidden beaches on arrival. Make sure you carve out time for an incredible spa experience, and spend your evenings gazing at a sky full of glittering stars. 

GUIDE TO MONTSERRAT