Photo: Hannah D. Cooper
Stay in Homes Around the World for Free as a Pet Sitter
Stay somewhere for free. Seriously. A program called Trusted Housesitters lets you travel from country to country without paying for a single night's lodging, caring for cats, dogs, and horses in exchange. Sits run from a weekend to over three months, and no money changes hands, just a swap that cuts costs for travelers and spares owners the boarding fees.
For slow travelers, digital nomads, and anyone fond of the four-legged, it might be the smartest way to see the world on the cheap.
G U I D E
A Small-Ship Expedition Cruise Is the Best Way to See the Galápagos Islands in All Their Glory
Photos: Jesse Adams
Most Galápagos expedition ships carry up to 100 passengers; Ecoventura caps it at 20 plus two naturalist guides. That means early-morning detours to watch a humpback and her calf, spontaneous swims with manta rays, and long stops for sea lion pups with the clock ignored.
N E W S
This Week in Travel
T R E N D S
The Rise of the Coolcation: Scandinavia’s Answer to Summer Heat
FROM OUR FRIENDS AT CATALYST PLANET
As summer heat cranks up, more travelers are skipping the crowded coastlines for somewhere cooler. Enter the "coolcation," where Scandinavia's 59-to-72-degree summers, long daylight hours, and nature-first pace are turning what was once seen as a climate downside into the whole reason to book.
S T U D I O S
The Real Guide to Barbados? It's the People.
Yes, the island has beaches and rum. But it's the locals who give them meaning: the artists, chefs, musicians, and rum experts who turn a good vacation into something worth crossing an ocean for.
Watch the Matador Studios original to meet them and see what makes this island so special.
S T A Y S
This Napa Resort Connects to the Valley’s Oldest Winery, But There’s More to It Than Wine
Photo: Alila Napa Valley
At Alila Napa Valley in St. Helena, there's far more going on than wine tasting, from falconry to dinners by executive chef Mark Shoemaker. A 1907 Georgian-style manor houses the restaurants and check-in, contrasting with the resort's modernist design. A footbridge links the property to Beringer, the oldest continuously operating winery in Napa Valley.
Travel Well
The Matador Editorial Team
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