Elite Traveler Spring 2019

C U LT U R E S E E K E R

THE NORTHERN PASSAGE CANADA AND GREENLAND

Unleash your inner polar explorer with a 23-night cruise on board Ponant’s expedition vessel Le Boreal . FromMontreal, fly to Kangerlussuaq on the edge of the Greenland ice sheet, a gargantuan body of ice that is home to native wildlife including falcons, eagles and arctic fox. You’ll then board Le Boreal and traverse icy waters past iceberg-strewn fjords to Greenland, the Canadian Arctic and Alaska. In Western Greenland, explore Inuit culture and meet a dogsled team in Sisimiut; discover ancient huts made of whale bones and see traditional leather-tanning workshops in the Uummannaq Fjord; spot narwhals and polar bears in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago; see the Smoking Hills of Franklin Bay where, when the jarosite-covered cliffs interact with cold air, a thick smoke, akin to a volcano eruption, is produced. As you head into Alaska, keep your eyes peeled for the Northern Lights above. When you reach Little Diomede between Russia and Alaska, you’ll board a Zodiac inflatable watercraft and visit the Ingalikmiut people, who still hunt and fish these waters according to ancient customs and use the hides of seal, walrus and polar bear for clothing and currency. While on board the vessel, you can learn more about these ancient cultures by attending expert-led lectures, and a photographer will be on hand to help you capture that perfect shot. $129,400 for 23 nights in the Balcony Suite. Contact Melissa Cookway, travel specialist, +44 124 238 6477, abercrombiekent.com

ART TRAIL VIETNAM

INHEMINGWAY’S FOOTSTEPS SPAIN

Uncover the fascinating history and unique culture of Vietnam from those who know it best. Hop on a Vespa and wind through the beautiful Khanh Hoa province to visit the villages, homes and workshops of the supremely talented local artists — an experience that is ordinarily off-limits to tourists. You’ll gain behind-the- scenes insight as you meet with each artist. Enjoy a glass of wine with them while you learn about their experiences and how life in Vietnam has influenced their work. The Anam, a five-star beach resort, has a carefully selected list of the area’s top painters, sculptors and photographers to choose from (including Mai Loc of National Geographic fame). If you spot a piece that catches your eye, you can purchase it to take home as a memento of your experience. Art Trail from$80 per person, The AnamTerrace Suite from$595 per night. Contact Herbert Laubichler- Pichler, general manager, info@theanam.com, +84 258 398 9499, theanam.com

This year is the 120th anniversary of Ernest Hemingway’s birth, and this new tour inMadrid studies the people and places that inspired the legendary writer. He returned to the city many times throughout his life, and it is the setting for a number of his novels and short stories including The Capital of theWorld , The Sun Also Rises and Death in the Afternoon . Accompanied by a local Hemingway aficionado, discover the stories behind his most infamous haunts, including Cervecería Alemana, a German beerhouse that has remained nearly unchanged since he frequented it; Hemingway’s barbershop (where, incredibly, his original barber still works); Sobrino de Botín, the oldest restaurant in the world, which charmed not only Hemingway but also the characters in his novels; and Casa Salvador, practically a time machine to 1950s Madrid and a Hemingway favorite thanks to its oxtail stew. End in theMuseo Chicote bar to meet the son of one of the writer’s oldest friends, Daily Telegraph correspondent Henry Buckley, and hear tales of what it was like to grow up with Hemingway as a regular houseguest. From $6,000 per person for five days. Contact Alondra Palomino, senior travel consultant, alondra@madridandbeyond.com, +1 917 470 9460, madridandbeyond.com