The Great Wall gets all the attention. These are the experiences that actually define a China trip.

China is roughly the size of the continental US. Most first trips fail simply by trying to cover too much of it.

Mexico isn't a beach country that happens to have a capital. Mexico City alone could fill a full trip on its own.

Five things nobody mentioned before our first trip to Oaxaca — starting with how much we'd cry over mole.

Skip the resort checklist. These are the experiences that make people fall for Mexico beyond the beach.

Cancún and Tulum sit an hour apart and deliver almost opposite trips. Here's how to actually pick

We came to San Sebastián for the pintxos and stayed for the total lack of urgency about anything.

Everyone asks which city to visit first. The honest answer depends on what kind of trip you actually want.

Spain's interior and coast run on almost opposite calendars. Here's how to actually time a trip around that.

Everyone asks which city to visit first. The honest answer depends on what kind of trip you actually want.

Skip the landmark checklist. These are the experiences that make people fall for France on repeat.

Everyone asks which city to visit first. The honest answer depends on what kind of trip you actually want.

Skip the list of landmarks. These are the experiences that make people come back to Portugal a second time.

Everyone does Lisbon and Porto and calls it a trip. Here's how to actually plan Portugal — which regions earn a spot, when to go, and how long you really need.