Thursday, January 8, 2009

They may no longer be used for repelling enemy hordes or otherwise defending the kingdom, but these castles still have their rugged good looks. Pick your own favorites in our slide show. read more

• Transylvania's Revamped Guesthouses
• Germany's Castle Hotels: Fairy Tales Do Come True
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Secret Hotels of Sicily

This month brings the winter edition of les soldes, France's twice-yearly sales. With up to 70% off, they're as much a competitive sport as they are a tradition. read post

• What Recession? Don't Look for Easy Deals on the New England Slopes
• Sheraton Makes It Easier to Stay Fit While Traveling
• London: Bringing Back the Red Double-decker Buses
• This Weekend: Shop a Famous Brooklyn Flea Market Without Freezing

You've clued us into cool towns like Bisbee, Ariz.; Grinnell, Iowa; Pahoa, Hawaii; and La Conner, Wash. But we're still looking. If you know of a remarkable town of less than 10,000 people—a town with a bit of an edge, with artists and shops that put bigger towns to shame—then go to our Coolest Small Towns homepage and nominate it. And if you've got time, upload photos. After all, seeing is believing. nominate now

Top Budget Travel Destinations for 2009 Our own short list of the 10 best-value cities and countries to visit this year… Where Are You Headed? Nearly 500 comments from readers about their travel plans for '09… A Peek at the Government's Files on Travelers See the sort of information that Homeland Security is collecting on you.

Alabama holds a great deal of respect for the past, and that includes some handed-down recipes for pulled pork as well as memorials to civil-rights leaders. Our slide show helps show the beauty in this Deep South gem. read more

Planning a trip with your girlfriends but don't even know where to start? Have a destination in mind but don't know how your group should best tackle it? Want to do something special with your gal pals but don't know where to find it? Readers have sent in questions ranging from "What do we want to be sure NOT to miss in Savannah?" to "Where should we go to celebrate turning 30 this September that's accessible from the Bay Area?" Send your own travel-planning headaches to info@girlgetaways.com, and Gigi will sort you out! send gigi an e-mail

This tour includes a cruise on Loch Lomond, visits to churches and palaces, and even a visit with a kilt maker. Six nights in the land of Robert Burns start at $1,229 per person. why it's a deal

• Scotland's Big Bard Year: Robert Burns's 250th Anniversary
• Walking Scotland's Kintyre Peninsula
• How to Buy a Kilt in Scotland
• Glasgow: Eating on Tour With Franz Ferdinand

Visit a sultan's glorious summer palace and a casbah as you soak up the culture in an ancient city on the Mediterranean.
why it's a deal

• Morocco Menu Decoder
• My Marrakech Is Better Than Yours
• Video: Marrakech Uncut
• Asilah: Before the Crowds

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