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Document requirements 

Because Malta is a Schengen area country, Canadian, USA, and UK citizens do not require a visa for a short visit. Make sure to check your local government website for specific rules and regulations in case things change. 

Check the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which was planned to begin operations in 2026 but has yet to kick in. ETIAS will introduce a mandatory digital authorisation, linked to your passport, for €20 per adult. ETIAS is valid for three years or until your passport expires.

Getting around Malta 

• Taxi: Take a Malta Taxi, the official taxi company, which has an app.
• Car rentals: Rent a car straight from the airport or ahead of time with Expedia, which offers discounts for bundled services (ie. flight + car).
• Public transit: Take advantage of public transit, which has multiple direct airport routes across the island. Tickets can be purchased on board with cash or a contactless bank card. Winter fair is €2, summer fair is €2.50, you can also pre-purchase ticket packages with the Tallinja App. 
• Rideshare: Uber, Bolt, and Loop operate in Malta. Locals have shared that Bolt has better map accuracy than Uber. Get up to 60% off your first Bolt ride with code: JRLQKU.
• Hotel shuttles: Don’t forget to check if your hotel includes an airport shuttle service.

Valletta Ferry 

The best way to get from Valletta to Sliema or Cospicua is by ferry. In season, the ferry lines can get quite long. Once the ferry is full, you will have to wait for the next one, so budget extra time for the lines. 

Tickets are sold at the ferry terminal, €3.80 day return, cash only. The ticket queue will turn into the ferry queue. Pack water, sunblock, and a head covering because this area is not shaded. An additional €1 will buy you a shuttle from the Valletta ferry to the top of the city, well worth it if you are short on time. 

Valletta ferry schedule

Tours & Excursions in Malta

Between day-long excursions, multi-day tours, and historic attractions, you have a lot of options for activities in Malta. Excursion packages are offered by local tourism associations, residents and third-party organisations, so it is worth comparing rates if you are looking for a deal. 

For convenience, most hotel concierges will arrange all tours for you at no charge. Alternatively, here are a few of the most popular options.   

• Heritage Malta offers a wide range of tickets, passes, and toursi from priority access to boat cruises and special event tickets.  Multisite Pass, for example, includes access to a wide range of tourism sites across Malta and is valid for 30 days from first use (€30.00 – €60.00). 
• iSeeMalta is another locally popular excursion company with access to 35+ Malta attractions, day tours, and multi-day combo passes. Day tours include boat excursions to Gozo, Comino, Blue Lagoon, combinations of the two, and hop-on-hop-off buses. 
• City Sightseeing is a global sightseeing organisation, offering hop-on-hop-off bus tours, leisure passes, cruises, and packages of the two. 
• Third-party booking companies operating in Malta include GetYourGuide, Viator, and TripAdvisor.  

Blue Lagoon tip: the island is not accessible; to get off the boat and onto the island, you will need to take a zig-zaggy staircase up and follow rocky paths around to the beach and viewing areas. Chairs and umbrellas can be rented by the hour. Beverages can be purchased on site, but you can also pack your own picnic lunch. Pack towels and other sun essentials.

Is Malta safe?

Malta is one of the safer places you can visit in Europe. The main risks are petty theft and rowdy nightlife, not violent crime. The US State Department, Australia’s Smartraveller, and Canada’s travel advisory all put Malta at their lowest risk tier: “exercise normal precautions.” The US Department of State classifies Malta at level 1, the same as Switzerland or Japan. 

Nightlife is the one area to be careful with. Paceville (the St Julian’s clubbing strip) comes up repeatedly as the exception to Malta’s otherwise calm vibe. Beyond petty theft, Paceville sees occasional pickpocketing, drink spiking, and fights late at night, with some poorly lit streets, so it is worth being extra alert there after midnight, especially when travelling solo.

Malta’s beaches 

There are over 50 beaches in Malta, some of which are quite remote, while others can be reached with a short walk within the city. Many of the best ones get very crowded and hot midday in summer, so early morning or late afternoon visits are worth it. Here is a shortlist of best beaches in Malta:

• Blue Lagoon (Comino): The postcard shot of Malta: shallow, brilliantly turquoise water over white sand. Best reached by boat trip and best visited early to beat the day-tripper crowds.
• Golden Bay (Malta): A wide, popular sandy beach on the west coast with good sunset views and plenty of bars/restaurants nearby.
• Ġnejna Bay: Quieter and more low-key than Golden Bay, with orange cliffs framing the sand, a good pick if you want fewer crowds.
• Mellieħa Bay: Malta’s largest sandy beach, shallow and calm, so it’s popular with families.
• Ramla Bay (Gozo): A striking reddish-gold sand beach on Gozo, backed by dunes and countryside, one of the best on the sister island.
• St. Peter’s Pool: Not sand but a rocky swimming spot near Marsaxlokk with clear water for cliff-jumping and snorkelling.
• Exiles Beach, or Baths of Sliema: A small, popular rocky/concrete sunbathing area right on the Sliema coast, with steps and platforms into clear water. It’s not a sandy beach, but it’s convenient if you’re staying in Sliema and want a quick swim without travelling. A nice spot for sunbathing and snorkelling close to shore, especially popular at sunset.

See the complete list of beaches on visitmalta.com.

Exiles Beach, or Baths of Sliema. Photos by Kateryna Topol.

Best time to visit Malta 

Malta benefits from the Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters, with over 3,000 hours of sunshine annually. The yearly daytime average is 23°C (73 °F).

The best time to visit Malta is during the shoulder seasons, April to June or September to October, when the island offers an ideal balance of pleasant weather and manageable crowds. 

During these months, temperatures typically hover in the comfortable 20-25°C (68-77°F) range, perfect for exploring without the intense heat and tourist crush of peak summer. Spring months showcase Malta’s countryside in bloom with wildflowers, and autumn offers warm sea temperatures ideal for swimming after the summer rush has faded.

July and August, while sunny and warm, bring scorching temperatures often exceeding 30°C (86°F) along with heavy crowds and higher prices. Winter (November to March) is mild but can be rainy and windy, making it less ideal for beach activities.

Scenes from Valletta, Malta. Photos by Kateryna Topol.

Where to stay in Malta 

Valletta is the best choice if you want to be situated within walking distance of major sights like St. John’s Co-Cathedral and the Grand Harbour. Valletta offers access to boutique hotels in restored palazzos, next-door museums, restaurants, and the city gates. The trade-off is that Valletta is quieter at night and doesn’t have great beaches nearby, so it suits travellers prioritising culture and history over sun and sand.

Sliema and St. Julian’s form Malta’s modern hub, ideal for travellers who want nightlife, shopping, and waterfront promenades alongside easy transport links. Sliema has a long seafront path, plenty of mid-range and upscale hotels with sea views, and a ferry that shuttles you across the harbour to Valletta in about 15 minutes. St. Julian’s, just next door, is where you’ll find Malta’s liveliest bars and clubs, particularly around Paceville, making it popular with younger travellers and those wanting an active nightlife scene without sacrificing convenience.

See Spend your sunny Malta vacation at the Courtyard Sliema for a boutique hotel recommendation. 

Mellieħa and St. Paul’s Bay, up in the north, are the go-to areas if beaches are your priority. Mellieħa Bay is Malta’s largest sandy beach, and the surrounding town has a relaxed, family-friendly feel with resorts and self-catering apartments well suited to longer stays. It’s also a convenient jumping-off point for day trips to Gozo, Comino, and Blue Lagoon. St. Paul’s Bay offers a similar coastal vibe with a bit more of a local fishing-village atmosphere mixed in with tourist infrastructure.

Gozo, Malta’s quieter sister island, will allow you to skip the crowds almost entirely. Known for its rural scenery, dramatic coastline, and slower pace, it is ideal for travellers who’ve already seen the main sights and want a few days of unwinding.

Find accommodations in Malta

Using your phone in Malta 

If using your domestic provider’s international plan is not an option, you can purchase a local physical SIM or an eSIM plan. Local SIMs can be purchased at the Malta International Airport on arrival from major providers like Epic and GO, located in the Arrivals Hall. 

An eSIM can be purchased ahead of time from companies like Airalo, GigSky, Ohayu (get 10% off with code PATHSTOTRAVEL10), or one of many other eSIM companies worldwide. The eSIM will require an app installation from which you can activate your plan, monitor it on the go, and top up as needed. 

Languages spoken in Malta 

Malta has two official languages: Maltese and English. Maltese is the national language, which evolved from Siculo-Arabic with heavy influences from Italian, Sicilian, and English layered in over centuries of foreign rule. 

English is widely spoken as a result of Malta’s history as a British colony until 1964. It’s used in government, business, and education, and pretty much all Maltese people are fluent in it, so travellers rarely encounter a language barrier.

The post A practical guide for visiting Malta appeared first on Paths to Travel.

The winemaker 

Winemaking and viticulture was McLean’s second career pursuits after biochemistry. “I’ve never really considered winemaking as a career,” he admitted, but working in restaurants, he developed an interest in wine. After graduating from Brock University’s winemaking program, McLean moved back out west, where he spent eleven years making wine across the Okanagan, British Columbia (including LaStella and Tantalus Vineyards).

A typical winemaker’s journey takes them around the globe, working harvests in different wine regions. This wasn’t McLean’s journey, but Okanagan has a lot of foreign winemakers, which allowed him to work with winemakers from all over the world in a local climate. “The nice thing about having a bunch of different people that you’ve worked with is you can kind of pick and choose what you like from them and carry that with you,” he shared. “In hindsight, it was tough because you’re spending so long training, but now that I’m on the other side of it, I see all the tools and the skills that I picked up from those mentors as really invaluable. I’m really happy that I have gone that way, because it’s given me the confidence to move forward and believe in myself,” he added.

The winery

Black Bank Hill is a family business. The owner, Taylor Emerson, came back to Canada from London, UK, where he worked at the Weather Network, for a hard career pivot to winemaking in 2017. “Aloof” cousins on the mother’s side, Taylor and Jonathan, reconnected over winemaking while Jonathan was working in BC. Having recently lost his father, Jonathan felt a pull back to Ontario, strengthened by the opportunity to work with Taylor. 

“Taylor did a really good job finding a piece of property that can create really beautiful, distinct, and elegant wines,” Jonathan noted. The 20-acre property produces 12 varietals, five red (Pinot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) and seven whites (Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne). For such a small piece of land, the range is very impressive.

2022 was the first year McLean grew the grapes and made the wine. The immense amount of rain made this a challenging harvest, resulting in a much lower yield. But despite the difficulties, those first few bottles performed really well at the National Wine Awards and in the Decanter Awards, with the Cabernet Franc winning platinum two years in a row. 

Tasting at Black Bank Hill winery in Niagara, Ontario, Canada. Photos by Kateryna Topol.

The not-so-secret sauce

Black Bank Hill winery is inherently natural. No enzymes or other additives are used in production. “People are often surprised that I’m able to create these colours and tannin structures without additives,” I was one of these people, he pointed out. There are a few things that he does differently in the cellar, but in McLean’s point of view, it is his winegrowing skills that make the wine:

The advantage of being the winemaker and wine grower is the ability to nurture the grapes throughout the year: “I’m making wine for four months before the grapes even show up,” he points out, “I think the big difference is the relationship I have with my vineyard”. This care and attention enable Jonathan to predict the yield outcomes come harvest, “my yields are always bang on, and that’s a sense of pride for me, at the end of the season, I can say, Taylor, you told me to pick 44 tons, and I picked 44 tons plus 200 kilograms”.

The grapes are hand-harvested and put through a basket press instead of a modern membrane press. This very strategic decision is one of many that look to treat the grape with respect and ensure year-to-year release consistency. “We’re doing everything we can to make sure that the grape is the hero of the show,” he shared.

Left: barrel room at Black Bank Hill, Niagara. Photo by Kateryna Topol. Right: Black Bank Hill Cabernet Franc harvest. Photo by Jonathan McLean.

The philosophy 

McLean is currently working on his Master’s in Environmental Sustainability. When asked why he chose sustainability over winemaking, a question he’s been asked more than once, he replies: “For me, what was more important is creating wines more sustainably, particularly in how it relates to my Indigenous heritage.”

“We didn’t know much about our father’s side of the family,” he admitted. But after his father’s passing, McLean’s sister dug into their heritage, learning that they come from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. “I’m also part of the Bear Clan. My heritage goes back seven generations, all the way to the Mohawk Valley and what is now called New York state,” he shares. “My family has been part of this region for time immemorial, and a part of this is honouring them and honouring my ancestors, particularly my great-grandmother, who had her Indigenous status removed by the Canadian government.”

In the vineyard, he “decided to make a sustainability program based on traditional Indigenous knowledge, and that still is the goal,” but first, he needs to properly understand the traditional knowledge systems and how all of these relations (nature, community, history) can inform his approach to viticulture. “Reconnecting is a really challenging thing, because you feel the feelings,” he admits, “and you can choose to feel the feelings, and if you do, you have good days, and you have bad days,” admiring the strength of Indigenous people and being saddened by their continuous mistreatment.

Black Bank Hill winery production spaces. Photos by Kateryna Topol.

The winemaking future 

“My thesis is all about approaching wine in a different way, changing the colonial paradigms of sustainability and just kind of breaking down colonial structures in this industry,” McLean stated. “We have a lot of places in our industry where power is kind of collected and protected for certain people, and I’d love to see an industry that’s more inclusive. An industry that invites new voices and new faces.” McLean’s theory is that inviting new voices into the industry will inspire innovation that the industry so affected by climate change desperately needs. 

Winemaker’s favourite bottles

Visit blackbankhill.com to learn about the wine club and upcoming events.

The post Growing Niagara wine with purpose with Jonathan McLean of Black Bank Hill appeared first on Paths to Travel.

This guide fixes that. If you only have 48 hours, and most first-timers do, the Porto itinerary below covers the essential sights, the best food, and the neighbourhoods worth wandering, while still leaving room to get wonderfully lost. Two days is enough to fall for the city. It is rarely enough to leave it willingly.

Why Porto belongs on your Portugal itinerary

Lisbon gets the lion’s share of the Portugal conversation, but Porto has something its rival is starting to lose: the feeling that you have discovered it yourself. The old town is compact and walkable, the food is arguably better (the francesinha alone wins that argument), and the wine is made twenty minutes upriver in the Douro Valley.

Porto also has the Douro River along its southern edge, which means almost every old-town viewpoint looks out over water, terracotta rooftops, and the Gaia riverbank beyond. It is one of those rare cities where getting deliberately lost produces views instead of frustration, and that alone reshapes how you think about what to do in Porto.

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São Bento station by Jesus Esteban.

Day 1: Porto’s historic core

Day one is about orientation. You will cover most of the headline Porto attractions on foot, building a mental map of the city as you go.

Morning: São Bento, the Cathedral & the Clérigos Tower

Start at Estação de São Bento, one of Europe’s most beautiful train stations. Arrive early, before the tour groups, and spend fifteen minutes on the 20,000 blue-and-white azulejo tiles that cover the main hall. They are not a decorative background. They are a full pictorial history of Portugal, painted by Jorge Colaço in the early twentieth century.

From São Bento, walk uphill to the Sé do Porto (Porto Cathedral). The exterior is austere Romanesque; the interior opens into Gothic cloisters lined with 18th-century azulejo panels. The cathedral sits on one of the city’s highest points, so the terrace views are free and well worth the climb.

Continue to the Torre dos Clérigos. The tower is 76 metres tall and 240 steps up, and the panorama from the top gives you the clearest possible picture of how Porto is laid out, which makes everything else on this itinerary easier to navigate.

Late morning: Livraria Lello & the Bonfim backstreets

Livraria Lello, the famous bookshop with the scarlet staircase, requires a timed-entry ticket that you should book in advance. The pre-sale system means it is no longer the crushing scrum it once was, and the space is genuinely beautiful. Buy something while you are there, because the stock is actually good.

Afterwards, resist the pull back toward the tourist circuit and walk east into Bonfim. This neighbourhood has excellent coffee shops, independent ceramics studios, and small restaurants where the daily lunch special costs eight euros and beats most things on an expensive menu. The energy here is closer to how Porto residents actually live.

Afternoon: Ribeira & Crossing to Vila Nova de Gaia

Walk down to Cais da Ribeira, Porto’s riverside heart and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The iconic view, with narrow azulejo-faced houses stacked up the hillside above the waterfront, is as good as the photographs suggest. Grab a riverside terrace for a drink, but for lunch itself, walk one block back from the water: the restaurants directly on the Cais charge tourist prices, while the parallel street behind serves the same food for half the cost.

Cross the lower deck of the Ponte Dom Luís I (pedestrians only) into Vila Nova de Gaia, where all of Portugal’s Port wine is aged and bottled. The hillside is lined with lodges such as Sandeman, Graham’s, Taylor’s, and Ramos Pinto, most offering cellar tours and tastings for €15 to €20. If you only do one, Graham’s Six Grapes is consistently excellent.

Before sunset, take the cable car up to Jardim do Morro, a garden perched above Gaia with one of the best elevated views of Porto’s skyline. It sits beside the 17th-century Serra do Pilar Monastery and is free, always open, and never as crowded as it deserves to be.

As we cover in our guide to the walking tour of Porto, the city’s best moments tend to unfold on foot, and the walk back across the upper deck of the Dom Luís I Bridge at dusk, with the whole Ribeira lit below you, is one of the finest things to do in Porto.

Evening: Francesinha, Porto’s legendary sandwich

Do not leave without eating a Francesinha. This city-specific sandwich could have been designed as a dare: layers of ham, linguiça sausage, and steak, blanketed in melted cheese, drowned in a tomato-beer-brandy sauce, with chips on the side. It sounds like a fever dream and tastes remarkable. Café Santiago on Rua Passos Manuel is the most visited; Bufete Fase in Bonfim is the local favourite. Both are worth the queue.

Day 2: The best of slower Porto

With the headline sights behind you, day two is for markets, tiles, and neighbourhoods, the things to do in Porto that turn a first visit into a return trip.

Morning: Mercado do Bolhão

Mercado do Bolhão, fully restored after a decade-long renovation, is one of the best municipal markets in Portugal. Vendors sell fruit, cheese, charcuterie, flowers, and fresh fish across two iron-gallery levels. Go before 10 AM, when the produce is at its best, and the crowds are thin.

Late morning: Porto’s Azulejo Tile Trail

Porto has a serious relationship with decorative tile. The Igreja do Carmo and the Igreja dos Carmelitas share a party wall, and between them sits the city’s narrowest house, built deliberately to keep nuns and friars apart. The Chapel of Souls on Rua de Santa Catarina wears a blue-and-white façade depicting the life of Saint Francis across 15,947 individual tiles. Look out for the smaller neighbourhood churches around Cedofeita too, where the tilework is just as striking and the crowds far thinner.

Left: Igreja do Carmo by Jure Tufekcic. Right: Porto by Robert Bye.

Afternoon: Shopping on Rua das Flores & Rua Miguel Bombarda

Porto’s best shopping is not in malls. Walk Rua das Flores for concept stores, independent jewellers, and quality Portuguese linen and ceramics; it is also where you will find reclaimed azulejo dealers selling individual tiles by the piece. Rua Miguel Bombarda has a cluster of contemporary galleries and design shops, and on the first Saturday of each month several open together for a gallery walk.

For edible souvenirs, Garrafeira do Carmo stocks excellent Douro wines, A Conga sells beautifully packaged tinned fish, and the Bolhão vendors will vacuum-pack cured cheese and charcuterie if you ask.

Evening: Fado & A final glass of Port

Fado do Porto is distinct from Lisbon’s version: rougher, more melancholic, less polished. Small fado houses in Bonfim and the Baixa perform from around 9 PM. Pair it with a final glass of aged Tawny from a Gaia wine bar, and you have done Porto correctly.

More of the Best Things to Do in Porto

Two days fill quickly, but if you have extra hours, or you are stretching this into three, these are the Porto attractions worth adding:

• Palácio da Bolsa, the 19th-century Stock Exchange Palace, whose gilded Arabian Hall is one of the most opulent rooms in the country.
• Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, terraced gardens with peacocks and sweeping Douro views, ideal for a slow morning.
• Foz do Douro, reached on Tram Line 1 along the river to where Porto meets the Atlantic, for seafood and a sea breeze.
• A Douro Valley wine tour, the single best day trip from Porto if you have a third day to spare.
• Serralves, a contemporary art museum, Art Deco villa, and park, a short hop from the centre.

Where to stay in Porto

The best base for a short trip is the historic old town. Staying near São Bento, the Cathedral, Ribeira, and Lello means you can cover most of day one entirely on foot from your room, which is the whole point of a 2-day Porto itinerary.

For somewhere with genuine character, Canto de Luz is a luxury boutique hotel in Porto, occupying a fully restored historic building on Rua do Almada, a quiet street minutes from the main sights. It offers nine rooms and suites, from cosy Maison Suites with city views to the Villa Almada, a two-bedroom villa with a private heated pool. Rooms come with Samsung Art TV, Nespresso, and Rituals amenities.

What sets Canto de Luz apart is the daily organic breakfast, sourced from Porto’s own markets and changing every morning. There is a wine machine pouring Douro Valley wines by the glass, private chef services, and an associated culinary school, Canto Cooking, running market tours, cooking classes, and wine tastings for guests who want to go deeper into Portuguese food culture. The hotel has been featured in Lonely Planet, The Telegraph, El País, and the Michelin Guide. It is neighbourhood-scale, independently run, and genuinely embedded in the city around it.

Canto de Luz is a luxury boutique hotel in Porto, Portugal.

Getting around Porto

The metro covers all the main areas and the airport efficiently. The Andante Card is a rechargeable pass covering metro, bus, and some trams; it saves money over single tickets once you make more than four or five journeys. Tram Line 22 (a circular old-town route) and Tram Line 1 (along the Douro to Foz) are functional services, not tourist novelties. In the historic centre, walking beats any vehicle. The city is compact but vertical, so wear shoes with grip.

Best time to visit Porto

The sweet spot is May to June and September to October: warm, bright, and far less crowded than high summer. Winter is quiet, green, and very affordable; summer is busy and hot. The airport (OPO) connects to the centre via metro Line E in about 40 minutes, the euro is the currency, and cards are accepted almost everywhere. English is widely spoken in tourist areas, though a little Portuguese is always welcome.

Your Porto itinerary, sorted

Two days in Porto gives you the cathedral and the Clérigos panorama, a Gaia Port tasting, a francesinha you will think about for weeks, a morning of tiles and markets, and at least one sunset over the Douro you did not plan for. That is the perfect first-timer’s framework, and Porto has a habit of making people extend the trip anyway. Pack with that in mind.

The post Things to do in Porto, Portugal: The perfect 2-day first-timer’s itinerary appeared first on Paths to Travel.

Palma works beautifully as a short city break. The historic centre is compact and walkable, you rarely need a taxi, and within twenty minutes you can go from a Gothic cathedral to a sandy beach. Here is exactly what to do in Palma, plus the best beaches, day trips, and where to stay.

Is Palma de Mallorca worth visiting?

In a word, yes. Palma is the capital of the Balearic Islands, and around half the island’s population lives here, which gives it a real year-round buzz rather than the seasonal emptiness of a pure resort town. The old town is a maze of honey-coloured stone, shaded squares, and narrow lanes built over Roman and Moorish foundations. Wrapped around it, you will find a working port, a palm-lined seafront, and some genuinely excellent restaurants. It is stylish without being stuffy, and small enough to feel manageable on a first visit.

This article might contain affiliate links. Read the disclaimer about affiliate links & PR gifting here.

Exploring Palma Old Town: Cathedral, palaces and hidden squares

Palma’s old town is where most first visits begin, and the main sights sit within a ten-minute walk of one another, so this part is best done on foot.

Palma Cathedral (La Seu): The city’s must-see landmark

Start at Palma Cathedral, known locally as La Seu. It rises straight out of the old sea walls and is one of the most striking Gothic cathedrals in Spain, with a vast rose window and an interior partly reimagined by Antoni Gaudí. Go early, before the light gets harsh and the cruise crowds arrive, and walk the seafront promenade in front of it for the postcard view across the reflecting pool.

The Royal Palace of La Almudaina

Directly beside the cathedral stands La Almudaina, a 13th-century royal palace built on the site of a Moorish fortress and still used for official ceremonies. The gardens and the views back over the bay are worth the short visit, and they set up the layers of history you will keep meeting all over the city.

Left: The Royal Palace of La Almudaina by Federico Di Dio. Right: Palma Cathedral by Lucas Derksen.

The Arab Quarter & The Arab Baths

Behind the cathedral lies the old Arab Quarter, a tangle of quiet lanes, courtyards, and small museums. Seek out the Banys Àrabs (Arab Baths), one of the few surviving traces of Moorish Palma, tucked into a peaceful garden. This is the part of the old town where getting deliberately lost pays off most.

Passeig del Born & The best shopping in Palma

When you are ready for life and shade, head to Passeig del Born, the tree-lined boulevard that acts as Palma’s main artery. For shopping in Palma, the streets around the Born and Carrer Jaume III mix Spanish brands, independent boutiques, and design shops, while the smaller side streets hide ceramics, linen, and the island’s famous woven espadrilles. Stop for a coffee and an ensaïmada, the spiral Mallorcan pastry, before moving on.

Bellver Castle: The best views over Palma

Round off the old-town exploring at Bellver Castle, a rare circular fortress on a wooded hill just west of the centre. It is a short taxi or uphill walk, and the reward is the best panorama in the city: the whole of Palma, the cathedral, and the Bay of Palma laid out below. Time it for late afternoon and the golden light does the rest.

Palma’s markets, beaches & Local food scene

Once you have seen the monuments, turn to the markets, food, and seafront, the things to do in Palma that show how the city actually lives.

Mercat de l’Olivar & The best markets in Palma

Start at Mercat de l’Olivar, the city’s main covered market, for fresh produce, Mallorcan cheese, charcuterie, and a stand-up seafood breakfast. It is one of the most enjoyable free things to do in Palma and a great place to assemble a picnic. If it is a Saturday, the Santa Catalina market nearby is just as lively.

The best beaches in Palma de Mallorca

Palma is one of the few cities where you can walk or cycle to the sand. Playa de Palma is the long, lively stretch east of the centre, backed by bars and promenade. For something closer and more local, Can Pere Antoni beach sits a short walk from the old town, and the pretty fishing quarter of Portixol beyond it is perfect for a seafood lunch by the water. These are the easiest Palma beaches to reach without a car.

Where to eat: The best restaurants in Palma

For dinner, cross into Santa Catalina, the old fishermen’s neighbourhood that has become the city’s food capital. It is home to some of the best restaurants in Palma, from its buzzing market food stalls to modern Mallorcan tasting menus and casual tapas bars. Book ahead at weekends, when locals and visitors fill the terraces.

Palma nightlife: Bars, wine & Live music

Palma nightlife is more grown-up than the island’s resort strips. Santa Catalina and the lanes around La Lonja are full of wine bars, cocktail spots, and live music, while the seafront Paseo Marítimo has the latter clubs. A glass of local wine on a quiet plaça is just as valid a way to end the night.

The best beaches in Mallorca beyond Palma

If you have a third day, the best beaches in Mallorca are an easy drive from the city. Highlights include Es Trenc, a long stretch of white sand and shallow turquoise water in the south; the dramatic cove of Cala Llombards; and the calm, family-friendly bays around Alcúdia in the north. Hire a car early, as parking fills fast in summer.

The best day trips from Palma de Mallorca

Mallorca rewards exploring, and the best day trips from Palma are simple to organise:

• Sóller and the vintage train. The historic Sóller train rattles through the mountains from Palma to the pretty town of Sóller, then a tram continues to the harbour. It is the single most scenic half-day trip on the island.
• Valldemossa and Deià. Two of the prettiest villages in the Tramuntana mountains, full of stone houses, art history, and terraced views down to the sea.
• Cap de Formentor. A spectacular drive north to the island’s wild northern tip and its lighthouse.

Where to stay in Palma de Mallorca: Best areas & Hotels

For a short trip, the old town is the obvious base. Staying near the cathedral, Mercat de l’Olivar, and Passeig del Born means you can cover most of this guide entirely on foot, which is the whole point of a Palma city break.

For genuine character, Casa Roca is a boutique hotel in Palma Old Town, a lovingly restored building in the heart of the Casco Histórico that carries 175 years of heritage alongside modern, design-led comfort. The location is hard to beat for a first visit: Plaça Major is around the corner, the Mercat de l’Olivar is five minutes on foot, and Palma Cathedral, the Arab Baths, and the shopping streets of Calle Jaume III are all an easy stroll. The Pere Antoni beach and the pretty port of Portixol are a short walk along the seafront, so you can sightsee, shop, and swim without ever needing a car.

Inside, the style is part Modernist sanctuary, part Art Deco glamour. Accommodation runs from City Suites with deep soaking tubs to Luxury Suites with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the old-town skyline, larger Retreat Suites, one and two-bedroom Residences with super-king en-suites and private terraces, and a three-bedroom Penthouse crowned by a sunny rooftop terrace. There is a spa, a rooftop, and even a secret speakeasy bar tucked inside, and the whole property can be booked for exclusive occupancy for weddings, milestone celebrations, or group retreats. Recent guests give it a perfect five-star rating, repeatedly singling out the design, the attention to detail, and the warmth of the service.

What really sets Casa Roca apart is its focus on Mallorcan food and wine. It is a dedicated wine hotel, with a collection of more than forty local labels you can pour by the glass using a personal Wine Pass and the hotel’s wine machines, perfectly matched with signature tapas. Guests can go deeper through a programme of experiences run from the in-house Tasting Room, including wine tastings led by fifth-generation island winemaker Tomeu Llabrés, an Olivar Market tour and Mallorcan cooking class, small-group gourmet food tours, and vermouth, gin, and coffee tastings. It is independently run, properly embedded in its neighbourhood, and has been featured by IB3, the BBC, and Diario de Mallorca.

When is the best time to visit Palma? A quick weather guide

Palma’s weather is kind for most of the year. May, June, September, and early October are the sweet spot: warm, bright, and far less crowded than peak summer, with sea temperatures still pleasant. July and August are hot and busy, ideal for a beach-first trip but less comfortable for sightseeing. Winters are mild and quiet, and late January brings the Sant Sebastià festival, when the whole city spills outdoors for street parties and bonfires. Whenever you come, pack for the sun and bring comfortable shoes for the old town’s cobbles.

How to get around Palma de Mallorca

Central Palma is best explored on foot, and the historic alleys can only really be seen that way. The EMT bus network is cheap and reliable for the airport, port, and beaches, and bike lanes run throughout the city, so renting a bike or e-bike is a fun way to reach the coast. You will rarely need a taxi within the centre, and a car is more hindrance than help in the old town, where parking is genuinely difficult.

For more European city break ideas, browse our destination guides.

Final tips for your first trip to Palma de Mallorca

A short break in Palma gives you a golden cathedral, an old town built for wandering, a market breakfast, a beach you walked to, and a long dinner in Santa Catalina. Add a third day for the Sóller train or a southern beach, and you have one of the most complete city breaks in the Mediterranean. Book restaurants ahead in summer, start your sightseeing early to beat the heat and the cruise crowds, and do not be surprised if you leave already planning a longer return trip.

The post The best things to do in Palma de Mallorca for first-time visitors appeared first on Paths to Travel.

The town is located on the shared, traditional territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Nation and Lil̓wat7úl (Lil’wat) Nation, incorporating various authentic Indigenous experiences throughout. Most people come to Whistler to experience nature, but its many museums, art galleries, and cultural experiences will be a great addition to the trip.

This article might contain affiliate links. Read the disclaimer about affiliate links & PR gifting here.
Parts of this trip were hosted by Explore Burnaby and Fairmont Chateau Whistler, who did not review or approve this story.

Whistler origins 

Whistler Village opened as a ski area in December 1980, and at the time, it was the largest ski complex in North America. Six years later, the Vancouver World’s Fair caused an influx of tourism to the Coast Mountains, putting Whistler Village on the global map. Soon after, American landscape artist Eldon Beck was recruited to design the village expansion. Beck decided to defy the classic North American grid built and instead wanted to build a “Village in the forest,” emphasising natural sightlines and sunlight paths across the space. The rest, as they say, is history.

What to do & See in Whistler

There are plenty of things to do in Whistler year-round, even for those who don’t come here for the winter sports. From culture and adventure to scenic gondola rides, your Whistler vacation can easily take on the leisurely pace of your choice. Visitors also have access to a collection of free self-guided tours with the Go Whistler app. There are 11 tours total, ranging from cultural and indigenous walks to craft beer and sweet treat tours. 

Explore Whistler Village Centre & Village North

Whistler Village is divided into three parts: Upper Village (the ski-in area), Village Centre, and Village North, the newest corner of town. The curvy pathways of the village cut through forested areas, along waterways and through a scenic wooden bridge. Nature exists seamlessly between the modern alpine ski chalet-style buildings lining the streets. 

Village Centre is packed with bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and over 200 retail shops, selling everything from ski essentials to large-scale souvenirs of Canada. Between the shops are art galleries where local artists display and sell paintings, photography, hand-woven baskets, First Nations designs, pottery and much more. Skis and snowboards are propped up in front of shops and restaurants almost year-round, adding a cheerful touch of colour to the scene. Bright yellow Muskoka chairs and loungers are thoughtfully placed around the village, overlooking ponds, rivers, and public squares. 

Village North is home to the Whistler Olympic Plaza, which prominently features the Olympic sign put in place during the 2010 Winter Olympics. A row of covered picnic pods offers more intimate spaces for an afternoon lunch surrounded by a bright patch of green grass behind the Olympic rings. 

Whistler Village, British Columbia. Images by Kateryna Topol.

Art & Culture 

Whistler Village houses quite a few notable museums and art galleries, in addition to the Whistler Museum. Audain Art Museum, which opened in 2016, has one of the world’s finest collections of First Nations masks, an impressive library of Emily Carr paintings, and works by Canada’s most internationally regarded contemporary artists. 

The building is a work of art in itself. Built to withstand the impact from the Fitzsimmons Creek floodplain and the heavy Whistler snowfalls, the structure seemingly floats above ground. Blending into the surrounding evergreen forest vegetation, the museum sits a full storey above ground and has a steeply sloped roof, making it, from some angles, look like a diamond. The building is connected to the main road by a bridge, which leads to an envelope-shaped entry with the forest shadows cutting through the slatted walls. 

Audain Art Museum 
4350 Blackcomb Wy, Whistler, BC V8E 1N3 | Map link
Tickets: Adults $22, seniors $19, young adults (19-15) $15, youth under 18 are free. 

Above and below: Audain Art Museum, Whistler, BC. Image by Kateryna Topol.

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Líḻwat7ul Cultural Centre (Squamish Lil’wat) is a first-of-its-kind in Canada world-class cultural centre operated by the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations. The museum embodies the spirit of partnership between the two First Nations through exhibitions and experiences that celebrate both cultures.

The museum site consists of multiple interior and exterior areas, including the Great Hall and galleries, a traditional Tl’aktaxen Lam (longhouse), and the İstken (pit house). An hourly guided tour is included in the cost of admission and will bring you into the local culture and history with a knowledgeable local. Ground floor Thunderbird Café serves an Indigenous-inspired menu worthy of a visit on its own.  

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Líḻwat7ul Cultural Centre
4584 Blackcomb Wy, Whistler, BC V8E 0Y3 | Map link
Tickets: Adult $25, teens (618) $12, children under 5 free. 

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Líḻwat7ul Cultural Centre. Images by Kateryna Topol.

Maury Young Arts Centre, located closer to Village North, is a community art gallery, theatre, and youth centre. Visitors can pick up art and souvenirs on the ground floor, view exhibitions on the second, or explore classes and entertainment if the schedule allows. The hub is managed by Arts Whistler. 

Take note of the Timeless Circle Sculpture in front of the Maury Young Arts Centre. The sculpture was created by a renowned Coast Salish artist, Susan Point, who created 86 different faces that reflect the diversity of the people who attended the 2010 Olympic Games.

Maury Young Arts Centre
4335 Blackcomb Wy, Whistler, BC V8E 0X4 | Map link
Tickets: Free entry 

Timeless Circle Sculpture, Whistler, BC, Canada. Images by Kateryna Topol.

Blackcomb Mountain Gondola

One of the main attractions in Whistler is Blackcomb Mountain and its newest Peak 2 Peak Gondola. The gondola opened in 2018 and combines Peak 2 Peak and Whistler Village gondolas in a continuous 13.5 km lift system. The gondola goes from the Upper Village to the top of the mountain, where even in May the peaks will be covered with snow. 

Summer Alpine Experience access includes a labyrinth of snow walls that tower above Pika’s Traverse on Whistler Mountain. This unique experience is available for a very limited time, before the seasonal snow melts for the summer. The visitor’s centre at the top has a spacious cafeteria with an outdoor terrace and a seasonal restaurant, Christine’s. 

Blackcomb Mountain Gondola
4553 Blackcomb Wy, Whistler, BC V8E 0Y1 | Map link
Tickets: Spring to fall day passes start at $85 per adult. Seasonal passes are available. 

May on Blackcomb Mountain Gondola. Images by Kateryna Topol.

Hiking & Adventure

Whistler summer activities include hiking, ziplining, mountain biking, wildlife experiences, and water sports.

Hiking in Whistler 

The natural beauty of the mountains is best experienced through their many trails. Alpine hiking on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains is accessible by gondola. The trails vary from family-friendly to advanced hikes to lakes, glaciers and alpine meadows. Blackcomb Mountain Ascent Trails, for example, take you all the way up to the summit for epic views and giant trees. Mid-summer’s must-do is the wildflower trail hike, which lasts only two to three weeks. 

Many hiking trails don’t require a gondola ticket, though some BC Parks, including Garibaldi Provincial Park and Joffre Lakes Park, require Day-Use passes, which can be purchased on bcparks.ca. Some of the best hikes in Whistler include the Lost Lake and the Rainbow Falls Loop.

Soft adventure in Whistler

There are five lakes around Whistler offering breathtaking views and a range of activities from canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards to sailing. The lake can be reached with pubic transit from Whistler Village, making this adventure car-free if necessary. Find canoe tours and rentals info on whistler.com. For a birds-eye view of Whistler, hop aboard a seaplane for a Garibaldi Lake and Black Tusk 30-minute plane ride.

Wildlife watching is another popular activity in the region. The Alpine trail map is marked with wildlife viewing spots where you can spot deer, squirrels, bears, marmots, birds, and other creatures. Black bear viewing tours are commonly done with a 4×4 safari-style vehicle, comfortably roaming through the mountain terrain. Bear tours operate from May to October.

Afternoon/Evening bear viewing tour

Enjoy one of the premier black bear viewing spots in Whistler. Join a local professional nature guide and photographers on your wilderness luxury Land Rover black bear excursion. 2.5 hours. 

Book

Bear tour with exclusive Olympic Park access

Discover Whistler’s wild side on a guided black bear tour in Olympic Park. Travel in an open 4×4 built for safari-style viewing and observe wild black bears safely with your expert local guide.

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Adventure experiences in Whistler 

In the summer, the mountains transform into a custom-built bike park, perfect for progressive mountain bike rides. Bike park passes are available as one-time visits or seasonal passes. Fans of more extreme activities can head out on the Green River for a whitewater rafting adventure, go rock climbing, or reach the sky with Whistler Via Ferrata. Another fun activity is bungee jumping above the glacial-fed Cheakamus River or ziplining above the forest. 

Where to eat & Drink in Whistler

As expected, there are quite a few restaurants, cafes, and bars across Whistler Village, suitable for different moods and appetites. Provisions is a local favourite for breakfast, most notably for the poached egg breakfast sandwich. For lunch, grab a slice of pizza at Fat Tony’s Pizza or head over to the Thunderbird Café for a delicious chowder and a bannock sandwich.

Find a vibrant atmosphere, good cocktails, and shareable bites at Bar Oso, serving contemporary Spanish cuisine, or Balam, focused on Latin American bites. Araxi Restaurant & Oyster Bar is a great option for a seafood set course, or an Après happy hour, 3 PM to 4:45 PM.

Some of the best dining experiences in Whistler are naturally offered by upscale hotels, like Fairmont Chateau Whistler. The Wildflower dining room faces Blackcomb Mountain, perfectly lighting the space at golden hour through floor-to-ceiling windows. The restaurant serves seasonal dishes prepared with hyper-local ingredients.

The menu has a balanced representation of land and sea, and being so close to the source, fresh seafood (Ocean Wise certified) comes highly recommended. From West Coast Oysters served with mint mignonette to Tofino Albacore Crudo and locally caught fish, choosing seafood is easy. Short rib, Fraser Valley duck, chicken and Alberta AAA steaks perfectly balance out the seafood on the menu. 

The Wildflower restaurant at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. West Coast Oysters served over ice with mint mignonette, Hokkaido Scallops perfectly cooked with pork belly and a crispy chicharron, and Dungeness Crab Tagliatelle, decadently flavoured with saffron and chilli butter. Images by Kateryna Topol.

For unique dining experiences, Audain Art Museum hosts seasonal dining events like Art of Wine and Art of the Cocktail. Both Araxi Restaurant and Wild Blue host long table dinners in the summer, and Blackcomb Mountain offers a Mountain Top Summer Feast, among other dining experiences. 

Wellness in Whistler 

There are quite a few wellness facilities in Whistler. The Spa at Whistler, for example, is a spacious public facility with a liquor-licensed area. Whistler Day Spa, The Spa At Nita Lake Lodge, and Vida Spa at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler all come highly recommended.  

Scandinave Spa Whistler, however, is the main spa destination in Whistler. Set among the tall alpine trees, a wooden pathway leads you to the spa from the open parking lot, hash signs preparing you for what’s to come. This is a 25,000-square-foot outdoor sanctuary with four pools, two saunas, two eucalyptus steam rooms, and five distinct relaxation areas. A village in itself, Scandinave Spa Whistler, is ideal for a relaxing afternoon spent coming in and out of sleep between healing rituals. 

Scandinave Spa Whistler
8010 Mons Rd, Whistler, BC V8E 1K7 | Map link
Rates: Starting at $118 per person, robes and towels included 

Scandinave Spa Whistler, images courtesy of the spa.

Where to stay in Whistler

Fairmont Chateau Whistler, situated at the foot of Blackcomb Mountain, is a two-Michelin-key property. It is a ski-in ski-out castle with a spa, fitness centre, multiple pools, five restaurants, and three bars. Rooms range from standard king and queens to luxury suites with balconies and sitting rooms.

Four Seasons Resort Whistler is another two-Michelin-key property in Whistler. The hotel is located a short walk from the main village and offers complimentary car service to all guests. Amenities include a spa, wellness centre, outdoor pool, three restaurants, a cafe, and a pool bar. Rooms range from mountain-view balcony king rooms to spacious resort rooms and speciality suites, some of which have a private jacuzzi.

Nita Lake Lodge is a great boutique hotel alternative to the large resorts with one Michelin key. The lodge, located near the Whistler Golf Club, has a spa, fitness centre, kayak rentals, a garden, two restaurants, and a cafe. Rooms range from balcony one bedrooms to six-person suites with a living room. 

Fairmont Chateau Whistler
4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5
Rooms starting at $450 CAD for a king
Book directly on fairmont.com or compare with your favourite booking site: Expedia | Booking.com | Hotels.com | TripAdvisor

Four Seasons Resort Whistler
4591 Blackcomb Wy, Whistler, BC V8E 0Y4
Rooms starting at $463 CAD for two queens
Book directly on fourseasons.com or compare with your favourite booking site: Expedia | Booking.com | TripAdvisor

Nita Lake Lodge
2131 Lake Placid Rd, Whistler, BC V8E 0B2
Rooms starting at $239 CAD for a king
Book directly on nitalakelodge.com or compare with your favourite booking site: Expedia | Booking.com | TripAdvisor

Fairmont Chateau Whistler and Four Seasons Resort Whistler balcony, images by Kateryna Topol.

More hotels & Accomodations in Whistler

Whistler Olympic Plaza. Image by Kateryna Topol.

Getting to & Around Whistler

Whistler is located around two hours from Vancouver International Airport (YVR). You can rent a car at the airport or opt for one of the available shuttles. There are multiple options for the Whistler shuttle from the Vancouver airport, departing at different times of day. A few to consider are:

• Whistler Shuttle, with multiple pick-up and drop-off locations
• Epic Rides with non-stop service from Vancouver to Whistler 
• Bus transfer with Skylinx
• Canadian Craft Charters, which offers private Whistler transfer with an option to add scenic stops 
• Vanlimo Limousine Service, private transfer 
• Private transfer with sightseeing stops in Vancouver and Whistler 

Whistler is very walkable, and if you don’t intend to do any day trips, you can easily navigate without a car. Ridesharing is not available in Whistler, but there is a small taxi company, Whistler Taxis. The company has an app that allows you to track the driver online. You can always call +1 (604) 932-3333 to request a ride; the hold time will be spent listening to music, like 50 Cent’s “In da Club”. 

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If you’re craving a more intentional way to experience the Bahamas, then this is the place to be. Think unhurried days, shaded paths, and space to slow down, far from the packed stretches of sand where everyone’s competing for a spot to lay a towel. 

Why you should explore Nassau through its gardens

Gardens in New Providence aren’t just for decoration. They hold tons of history and some of the most beautiful native plant species. Walking through the gardens will tell you way more about Bahamian land culture than any resort pool bar, and they’re the perfect stop for nature-lovers and intentional travellers alike. 

If you arrived on a quick cruise to the Bahamas and found yourself wanting more time ashore, then the gardens are the perfect reason to come back and stay a little longer. When you choose slow travel here, you’re going to get a lot more depth than if you were rushing to secure a spot at the usual attractions. 

Day 1: Discovery 

Nassau Botanical Gardens is the ideal place to start your trip. Spread across 18 acres in the southwestern part of New Providence, it’s home to more than 600 species of tropical plants. 

From there, Ardastra Gardens gives you something a little different. It’s primarily a wildlife conservation centre (the only one in Nassau), and is best known for its Caribbean flamingos. The focus on native birds sets it apart from some of the other gardens, and gives you (and the family) something to do when you’re out and about. 

End the first day with a walk through downtown Nassau. Here, you’ll find colonial-era courtyards and streets lined with trees that create the perfect blend of architecture and greenery. 

Pink flamingos, image courtesy of Nassau Paradise Island; Queen’s Staircase, Greenwich Street, Nasáu, Bahamas, image by Miguel Ángel Sanz.

Day 2: Native landscapes & Coastal gardens

The Retreat Garden National Park, managed by the Bahamas National Trust, includes one of the largest private collections of palms in the Western Hemisphere. That alone makes it worth dedicating your morning to exploring its shaded paths and landscapes.

After your visit, you’ll find several restaurants nearby with outdoor seating and plenty of shade, ideal for a light lunch before heading toward the northwestern coast for the afternoon. Look out for the casuarina trees and sea grapes that are dotted along the water’s edge. 

Tip: Late-afternoon light along the coast is great for photography, whether you’re after Insta-worthy shots or simply want to capture incredible moments from your vacation. 

Day 3: Beyond the tourist trail

Nassua’s community gardens in quieter neighbourhoods are usually quiet, and you can find them almost anywhere. You won’t find these gardens on your typical tourist map, but that’s the best part about them!

In the western end of New Providence, you’ll get an authentic feel for the busiest island in the Bahamas. There are loads of hidden tropical gardens tucked away behind residential streets. However, you need to keep your eyes peeled, or you’ll miss them entirely. 

Practical tips for a slow-travel garden escape 

November and late April are the sweet spot for slow travel. The temperatures are milder, and there’s less rainfall (and people) than during busy travel seasons. It’s also worth noting that flowering seasons peak in the spring, while birdwatching is best in winter when the migratory species are passing through. 

If you want to get around easily, taxis are super convenient for travelling between gardens. In some areas, walking is also a great choice, especially in the morning before the heat sets in. Lastly, be sure to pack wisely, since you’ll need quite a bit of sunscreen and some broken-in walking shoes if you’re walking through multiple gardens. 

Finding Nassau’s green side

New Providence is an ultra-rewarding destination if you want a slower trip. Its gardens all differ from one another, and three days spent moving between them rather than beach-hopping will give you a much better idea of what the island is actually like. 

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The land where the sea becomes salt

You do not merely arrive in the Little Rann of Kutch; you dissolve into it. Located in the northwestern corner of Gujarat, India, this vast 5,000-square-kilometre salt marsh is a geographical illusionist. Millions of years ago, this land was an extension of the Arabian Sea. Over millennia, geological shifts cut off the inlet, trapping a shallow watery basin.

Today, a seasonal cycle dictates its life. Every monsoon, the sea and local rivers flood the plains. But as the fierce desert sun takes over, the water recedes and evaporates, leaving behind a blinding, white-cracked crust of pure salt. It is a prehistoric landscape that defies the traditional definition of a desert. It is an ecotone, a rare, transitional zone and a living, breathing biosphere that encompasses the lesser-known Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary. Here, life does not just survive; it thrives through a seasonal alchemy of mud and tide. Standing here today, I looked out at a featureless, surreal topography where the horizon line completely vanishes, blurring the boundary between earth and sky.

This article might contain affiliate links. Read the disclaimer about affiliate links & PR gifting here.
This trip was hosted by The Fern Sattva Resort, Little Rann of Kutch who did not review or approve this story.

My desert sanctuary: The Fern Sattva Resort

Perched right on the edge of this stunning, rugged wilderness, I found the ideal base for my explorations at The Fern Sattva Resort, Little Rann of Kutch, Series by Marriott. Instead of just talking about eco-friendly ideas, the resort actively practices them. During my stay, I learned that they harvest rainwater, run on solar power, recycle their waste, and strictly limit plastic use, making my journey feel genuinely responsible.

The layout, shaped by ARK Reza Kabul Architects, felt exceptionally built to spoil, yet it managed to blend up-to-date amenities with a warm, rustic charm. The room’s interior elements, from the organic timber finishes to the dim, warm lighting seemed to imitate the raw desert tones outside carefully. My room featured a Bougainvillea garden where a curious spiny lizard often darted out to visit, an open-air bathroom where I could count the stars during a night bath under the desert sky, and a veranda with a pool. The thoughtfully designed villas clustered around a central lily pond, built to lower the resort’s environmental footprint, gave me a quiet place to unwind and sleep to the sound of the cattails as the wind blew through them.

In the afternoon, hungry, I headed over to Dune, the resort’s main dining spot. The menu pays true homage to the region, balancing familiar international choices with authentic local Gujarati flavours. For lunch, I sat down to an incredibly comforting, rustic meal of Aloo Baigan shaak, a rich, spiced curry of potatoes and eggplant, which I scooped up using hot, fresh rotis. To beat the intense afternoon heat, I paired it with a cold, tangy glass of spiced buttermilk, known locally as chaas. That warm, satisfying meal provided the ultimate sensory contrast to the raw, windswept wilderness waiting just outside the resort property.

The Fern Sattva Resort, Little Rann of Kutch, images by Nupur Singh.

The sunset safari: Into the salt’s silhouette

My true immersion began in the cooling late afternoon as we climbed into an open-top, four-wheel-drive safari jeep alongside my expert naturalist guide, arranged by The Fern Sattva Resort. The engine rumbled to life, and we left the paved roads behind. The tire tracks crunching softly over the fragile, saline earth as we tracked deeper into the heart of the salt world. The cracked clay hexagons beneath my feet stretched out uninterrupted for miles, a geometric masterpiece carved entirely by the elements. 

Suddenly, a wild boar bolted from the brush, running swiftly across our path and kicking up dust before disappearing into the arid scrub. As the afternoon shifted, I witnessed the region’s famous “pink horizons.” Thousands of migratory lesser flamingos, pelicans, cranes, and storks blanketed the seasonal water pockets, turning the horizon into a shimmering blush of pink and white. My naturalist cut the engine. 

In the absolute quiet of this unparalleled birdwatching haven, my daughter suddenly raised her hand, stopping us mid-breath. Peering through her binoculars, she spotted a fierce Merlin, a compact, hyper-focused falcon known for its lightning-fast aerial hunts, perched starkly on a dead tree stump, while a majestic peregrine falcon rested quietly on the ground near a shrub nearby.

Just beyond it, our guide pointed to a much darker drama unfolding in the sky: a massive cinereous vulture was making a sudden, low sweep toward the ground. It was targeting an Indian Desert Fox pup, also known as the White-footed Fox. The naturalist explained that these animals are beautifully engineered for extreme climates, using their unusually large ears to shed body heat and pinpoint the faint rustles of underground prey. Fortunately, the pup darted into its den just in time. Turning our eyes back to the wetlands, the predatory display escalated as we watched a stealthy steppe eagle in action, powerfully conquering and eating a swan at the water’s edge.

As we rolled past the scrub, our presence froze a lone Indian Striped Hyena in its tracks. Caught in the open before dark, it erected its long spine mane, licking its jaws while locking onto our jeep with piercing, analytical eyes for a breathless second before vanishing into the thorns.

Right in the middle of these dynamic mudflats, a herd of the rare Indian Wild Ass emerged from the shimmering dust. I watched in awe as these magnificent, chestnut-coloured creatures sprinted effortlessly across the cracked earth, putting on a breathtaking display of the incredible speed and stamina that make them famous.

By now the air had cooled rapidly as my naturalist stopped near the wetland and I saw the sun melting like I have never before in hues of orange, pink and red. The vast white salt desert dissolved into a flawless, expansive mirror. The entire sky ignited. Out here, the standard metrics of time and distance simply evaporate. Looking out at the horizon, it became blindingly clear that this is no empty void; it is a complex, hyper-resilient landscape shaped by a quiet, majestic history, raw adventure, and an impossibly adaptive nature.

Images courtesy of The Fern Sattva Resort, Little Rann of Kutch.

Travel practicalities

• Getting there: Fly from Toronto or Vancouver into Ahmedabad (AMD), followed by a two-to-three-hour private drive.
• When to visit: October to March provides cool weather and peak migratory bird numbers.
• What to pack: Bring clothing layers for extreme temperature shifts, plus high-SPF sunscreen, a cotton scarf, and polarised sunglasses for the salt glare.
• Booking safaris: Arrange your jeep tours through the front desk at The Fern Sattva Resort, Little Rann of Kutch, Series by Marriott for certified naturalists.

The post The Little Rann of Kutch: India’s salt desert where wild spirits and pink horizons await appeared first on Paths to Travel.

If you’re wondering where to stay in Lyon, France, you’re in luck because the city punches well above its weight for boutique and design hotels. Here are five of the most distinctive properties, from a 14th-century Radisson in Vieux Lyon to a waterfront eco-hotel at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône. For more Lyon travel ideas, visit our Lyon city guide.

This article might contain affiliate links. Read the disclaimer about affiliate links & PR gifting here. 
Cover image: Fourvière Hôtel, Lyon, France. All images courtesy of the hotels.

Cour des Loges

A Radisson Collection Hotel, Cour des Loges, welcomes you with a stunning courtyard that works as a lobby. With only 60 rooms, this property has a lot of unique, antique character, including a 14th-century staircase. Each suite is a unique, loft-style room furnished with period pieces and new age classics. The hotel has an indoor swimming pool and spa, a fitness centre, on-site dining options, including Les Loges (Michelin star restaurant), and an EV charging station. It is a Michelin Guide property.

6 rue du Bœuf, Lyon, France | Map link
Rooms starting at $346 CAD
Book directly on radissonhotels.com to access special offers or your preferred booking site: Expedia | Booking.com | TripAdvisor | Trivago

Hôtel de L’Abbaye and L’Artichaut restaurant, Lyon, France.

Hôtel de L’Abbaye

Set next door to the Basilica of St Martin d’Ainay, Hôtel de L’Abbaye is a luxury historic boutique hotel. There are only 21 rooms, each beautifully decorated with vintage and modernist classical pieces. The exterior is historically commanding, while the interior has been carefully renovated, preserving its old-world character. On site is L’Artichaut, a bistronomic Michelin restaurant. Located on the ground floor, this restaurant is a destination on its own, serving an original, creative menu and seasonal wine pairings.

20 rue de l’Abbaye d’Ainay, Lyon, France | Map link
Rooms starting at $433 CAD
Book directly on hotelabbayelyon.com to access special offers or your preferred booking site: Expedia | Trivago | Booking.com | TripAdvisor | Hotels.com

MiHotel La Tour Rose

The beautifully decorated rooms with colourful furnishings and tropical wallpaper are perhaps the main draw to MiHotel La Tour Rose. But then, there are also the bathtubs, the fireplaces, and living plants under handmade lampshades. This Michelin-recognised hotel consists of high-end suites across six 18th-century apartments, a place you can truly make your own. All suites are unique and come with daily breakfast service, ie., freshly baked pain au chocolat.

22 rue du Bœuf, Lyon, France | Map link
Rooms starting at $202 CAD
Book directly on mihotel.fr to access special offers or your preferred booking site: Expedia | Booking.com | Hotels.com

MOB HOTEL Lyon Confluence

An eco-hotel with a stunning outdoor terrace, MOB Lyon Confluence is located in the waterfront district where the Saône and Rhône rivers come together. This noticeably contemporary structure, which resembles large-scale art from a distance, is also Michelin-recognised. The rooms are beautifully decorated with a minimalistic but fun and colourful touch. Hotel patrons have access to yoga classes, live music, pop-up shops, and other one-off events hosted throughout the year. In many ways, MOB Lyon Confluence is a part of the city’s cultural tapestry.

55 quai Rambaud, Lyon, France | Map link
Rooms starting at $318 CAD
Book directly on mobhotel.com to access special offers or your preferred booking site: Expedia | Booking.com | TripAdvisor

Fourvière Hôtel, Lyon, France.

Fourvière Hôtel

Another Michelin Guide property, Fourvière Hôtel, is located in an upscale neighbourhood on a hilltop to the west of Lyon’s old town. It is a 19th-century convent turned 21st-century hotel, built around a large courtyard. Despite its rich history, the rooms are minimally decorated, leaning into the modern styles with black-and-white portraits of local historical figures hung on the walls. Guests have access to a 25-meter heated lap pool, a spa and gardens, and two restaurants, upscale Les Téléphones and the Le Bouchon bistro.

23, rue Roger Radisson, Lyon, France | Map link
Rooms starting at $255
Book directly on fourviere-hotel.com to access special offers or your preferred booking site: Expedia | Booking.com | TripAdvisor

The post Where to stay in Lyon, France: Five unique hotels appeared first on Paths to Travel.

When picturing British Columbia’s culinary scene, most imagine Vancouver, or perhaps Richmond, for its many Chinese restaurants, but Burnaby is a detour you’ll want to take if food is something you travel for. Burnaby’s culinary scene is rooted in its people and their rich cultural diversity. Each place, and often each plate within it, tells a story through flavours developed by generations. 

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This trip was partially hosted by Explore Burnaby who did not review or approve this story.
All images by Kateryna Topol.

Burnaby, BC, is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia (BC), east of Vancouver and only 20 minutes away by SkyTrain. It is one of the most culturally diverse cities in Canada, with 120 languages spoken at home. So naturally, the culinary scene is a reflection of this diversity. From family restaurants to fine dining, Burnaby has it all, so bring your appetite, whether you visit the city for a day or stay here for a week exploring its ancient forests, mountainous trails, and urban corridors.

Metrotown is the city’s centre, but one of the city’s most iconic neighbourhoods is Burnaby Heights. This stretch of Hastings Street houses nearly 80 immigrant-run family food and beverage businesses, many of which have been here for generations. You can spend an entire day exploring the dining options in this neighbourhood or chip away at them one at a time. The Amazing Brentwood, on the other hand, is a new public plaza and shopping centre. Between retail stores are many larger restaurants and unique dining experiences, equally representative of the city’s diversity. 

House-made sausages and pickled preserves from Cioffi’s Meat Market & Deli.

Cioffi’s Meat Market & Deli

This is the “Heights,” a classic blade sign protruding from the building declares. A woman in a blue dress, just under, is frozen mid-swing, her name is Helen. Helen owned a famous children’s clothing shop in the Heights since 1956, and promised her space to the Cioffi family once she retired. Today, Cioffis own three side-by-side storefronts on Hastings Street, including Helen’s original shop. The business was started by Antonio Cioffi in 1989 and is currently owned by his sons, Rino and Sergio. In conversation, Rino admitted he only got into this business to help his father, “the food business is for life, I wouldn’t wish it on my children,” he added. And yet the passion and dedication are steeped into every corner of this business. 

Cioffi’s Meat Market & Deli supplies both, local residents and Vancouver’s top kitchens with speciality produce, but you can also come in here for a meal or a sandwich, which many locals do on the daily. Porchetta and short rib sandwiches are the top sellers. And then there are the decadent cheese tortellini, imported from Italy (best served in cream sauce with bacon bits), cold tiramisus handmade by Italian Nona’s, house-made sausages, and imported Italian coldcuts perfect for a girls’ dinner or family gathering alike.

Google maps | Instagram | cioffisgroup.com

Cheese Tortellini, imported from Italy, charcuterie board sample with imported cold cuts and aged cheeses from Cioffi’s Meat Market & Deli, Burnaby, British Columbia.

Peaked Pies

The company is rooted in love for food: Kerri Jones missed proper Australian pies from home, so her husband, Alex Relf, made her some pies. The company has four locations across BC, and the Burnaby outpost is a popular stop for lunch and takeaways among the neighbours. Kerri and Alex’s unique take on the classic Australian pie is a top-up tower of mashed potatoes, mushy peas, and savoury gravy. One pie is a whole meal.

The flaky, delicious pastry serves as a vessel for juicy meat fillings like AA Alberta beef, bacon and cheese, butter chicken, kangaroo, and locally sourced vegetables. Pies (and sausage rolls) can be bundled into a lunch or dinner combo with a cold pint of beer, salad, or a non-alcoholic beverage of your choice. 

Google maps | Instagram | peakedpies.com

Peaked Pies with mashed potatoes and mushy peas. Hannah, Peaked Pies Burnaby supervisor.

Di Chai Laotian Restaurant

This family-owned and operated restaurant, focused on seasonal Laotian food, is a unique stop even for Burnaby. This is “a house full of chefs,” co-owner Lena Truong joked, sharing their family backstory, while her brother, Chef Calvin Truong, worked in the back on preparing the meal. The Truong family immigrated to Canada from a war-torn country and built a small culinary empire. Di Chai is their latest opening, drawing on their mom’s recipes with a few modern Lao plates by Chef Calvin.

Lao food is meant to be shared at the round table, sticky rice cups, jaew (traditional dipping sauce), and hot sauce are at the centre. Every dish is refreshingly green and decadent. The best way to experience Lao food is a sharing plate. There are four on the menu, but Saap Saap will encompass most of the essential dishes in one. Perfectly seasoned beef jerky, decadent lemongrass chicken, juicy grilled pork, and lao sausages are just a few of the items on this show-stopping plate. For a lighter meal, Gang Som hot and sour soup has a light, but flavourful broth and a wealth of chicken and vegetables, the kind of bowl that can easily become a weekly favourite. 

Google maps | Instagram | Reservations

Saap Saap sharing plate; cover image is Nam Khao (crispy rice wrap), Di Chai Laotian Restaurant, Burnaby.

La Taquería Restaurante Mexicano

La Taquería have three concepts across Vancouver, and this Brentwood location is a classic Mexican restaurant. A spacious dining room spills out onto the terrace with views of the lively Amazing Brentwood. La Taquería is a cool spot you can come into for a snack, for a big date night, or a casual family celebration.

The menu is created by Chef Maria Ponce. Navojoa Mexican-native Chef Maria trained in award-winning kitchens across North and Latin America before settling in Vancouver. Staying close to the concept name La Taquería offers authentic Mexican food like the traditional Esquites served with queso fresco (sautéed corn), silky tuna tostada with citrus vinaigrette, and mole-forward main dishes like pork belly or tetela (triangular corn dough pocket stuffed with cheese). Guests have an option to add an agave flight pairing to their meal, which can include mezcal, tequila, and raicilla. 

Google maps | Instagram | lataqueria.com

Esquites, margaritas, and tuna tostada at La Taquería Restaurante Mexicano, Burnaby, BC.

Atlas Steak + Fish

A modern take on a traditional steakhouse, Atlas Steak + Fish is the kind of place you go to celebrate. The decor is elegant and atmospheric, heavy curtains and dim lighting setting an intimate mood. Located inside the Delta Hotels Burnaby Conference Centre, sharing the floor with Grand Villa Casino, the restaurant feels like a world of its own.

Many of the menu items are prepared tableside with a flair, adding a layer of entertainment to the meal. Premium cuts like tomahawk steak and beef carpaccio are accompanied by butter-poached asparagus with Béarnaise sauce and whipped brie mashed potatoes. Top-catch seafood is always on the menu, and the Atlas signature is the crowd-stopping seafood tower, which lands on the table in a cloud of white fog. To close out the meal, baked Alaska is set a flame tableside, adding crisp toasted streaks to the otherwise pillowy, cold dessert. 

Google maps | Instagram | atlassteakandfish.com

Chef Olya Karpova, a Marriott Masters of the Craft award winner, restaurant interior, and Baked Alaska prepared tableside at Atlas Steak + Fish.

Seafood Tower and Beef Carpaccio at Atlas Steak + Fish Restaurant, Burnaby, BC.

Getting to Burnaby

From the airport

If you are travelling from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) SkyTrain is always an option and will take you through Vancouver to Metrotown in about an hour. The best way to get to Burnaby from YVR is by car. You can rent a car at the airport or through Turo (a peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace). You can also order a taxi or an Uber, or prebook a private transport with companies like Star Chauffeured Services. Some hotels offer a free shuttle service from the airport.

From Vancouver

If you are staying in Vancouver, you can take the SkyTrain, Millennium or Expo Lines. The Expo line from the Waterfront takes 20 minutes to Metrotown, for example, which makes it very accessible for lunch or dinner. Taxis and rideshares are always an option as well. 

Find a hotel in Burnaby 

Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, 1 King 2 Room Executive Suite and just some of the breakfast options.

The post Best Restaurants in Burnaby BC: A local dining guide appeared first on Paths to Travel.

As a young adult, Malcolm Campbell wanted to be a photographer, but like most teenagers entering adulthood, he needed a job. The early days involved working in casual restaurants with his friends, “like a bunch of misfits, we had a lot of fun”. With time, the interest in culinary arts grew into a passion. Having completed The Red Seal and VCC’s culinary programs, Campbell decided to spend some time abroad, reconnecting with his Scottish roots in the UK. The Ritz London was the ultimate launchpad to what grew into a rapid culinary pursuit from London to Lyon, Toronto, and eventually, Halifax.

Soft murmurs of Mystic were drifting through Halifax long before Air Canada named it Best New Restaurant in Canada. Tucked away under a 40-foot interactive sculpture, Tidal Beacon in Queen’s Marque, Mystic blends into the environment. Through a dimly lit entry, guests are welcomed by a wide-open space, illuminated by natural light from the Halifax Harbour. Pine green upholstery, driftwood panels and furnishings, subtly layered textures, and weathered stone in the dining room bring the natural landscape in. A gallery of found natural objects is curated across the chef’s galley – a foreground to a team creating dishes with surgical precision in a soundless open kitchen. 

Kateryna Topol: Is Mystic the one that finally feels like home?

Chef Malcolm Campbell: I got this opportunity at Mystic, and everything just kind of lined up, and I was like, “Say that again?” I got to hire 3-4 people who used to work with me before because I know how they work, and having that trust level in somebody, especially for something like Mystic, is very important. We just clicked as a team with the front of the house too, everyone came together pretty seamlessly.

When you think of the menu from when we opened to now, I’d like to think there is a huge improvement in the way we run the kitchen, the way we do service. There are things we need to work on for sure, but that’s the daily grind, the refinement, it’s been a pleasure so far. It’s been really, really fun.

KT: Very cool. In the restaurant description, there is this wholesome statement about your people and how they are “the storytellers of this land, sea, and air” – can you please speak to this a bit

CMC: Yeah, definitely, even before we opened, we did a lot of foraging. It was the end of summer, there was so much out there, we were trying to find farms and unique ingredients and suppliers, and it was just a massive learning curve that, I think, we’ve all enjoyed so much. We try to keep to the Maritimes, and if not, there are some things we do get from other spots in Canada, but primarily, the dish needs to speak of Nova Scotia with the ingredients.

Some ingredients are ok to mix, selfishly also because there are a lot of ingredients I love to use at the fine dining level that may not be from Nova Scotia, but the question is: how could I use that as a vessel to showcase what is from Nova Scotia? Foie gras is a great example, no one is really making foie gras here, but everything else on that dish is Nova Scotia: the berries, the local foraged sumac, all those other things come together to make that dish a Nova Scotia dish.

Mystic restaurant exterior and summer Discovery Menu. Images by Kateryna Topol.

KT: Our server mentioned he forges for you near his cabin. Is that common among the team?

CMC: Yeah, I take some things from home as well. My wife is from Chech Republic, and she likes to grow. We always have a little garden going, so sometimes I’ll come into the backyard and take a little bit of this and a little bit of that and bring it to work with me. With the Discovery menu as well, you can change it daily. I don’t have to have it costed out and written out, it doesn’t have to go to print, we do everything in-house. One of our SAs, Harper, has beautiful handwriting, so she writes the menus by hand, and they look gorgeous. The next day, it’s like change this and change that, we got five of these at the market, I found some baby strawberries on the trails, and we kind of put a dish together.

We have 15 portions, and then it’s gone. I have stuff in the restaurant from my daughter – this big shell she found in the backyard in the garden, I cleaned it and brought it to work. There are little bits of coral and ocean rock from my fish tank that now live on the rail in the chef’s galley. And some antlers from Cape Breton, you know, some little trinkets here and there.

KT: How did you go about learning how to forage?

CMC:  The district chef, Bill Osborne, was a great support for a lot of things. He had already been foraging to gear towards Mystic. And my sous chef, Cameron Benns, does a lot of that as well… There are a couple of books floating around about Nova Scotia terroir, what’s edible and so on. I will always steer away from mushrooms personally, so we use an expert, Fred Dardenne, from WildFoods. He does a lot of foraging for us, knows where the spots are and gets mushrooms that are harder to find and don’t have a big yield.

KT: I’ve heard you are seen at Farmer’s Markets quite often

CMC: Yeah, usually in the summer. It’s so much better than ordering from big suppliers, especially when we are not crazy busy and don’t have time to wander around the woods for 3-4 hours. We just buy enough of what we need for a day or two. And all the farmers are there, so it’s a good selection of different things from the island. We get to support local farmers and have great relationships with them. There are a few that we really like, like the saffron farm located about an hour and a half from here. They have the best saffron I’ve ever tried, and I can get it fresh-grown in Nova Scotia, it blew me away. It’s primarily used in our pasta recipe but also in sauces and chocolates.

KT: You also preserve a lot of these ingredients ….

CMC:  Yeah, to use in the winter. And there are a few things that the flavour changes when we do a cheong, which is a sweet fermentation when you add equal weights of sugar to, lets say a berry and then you extract the syrup after 3 to 6 months, so we did that last year, Rosehip cheong was really good, we use it for dessert and then we paired it with parsnip because it was available. But it’s also great because now that we have a year under our belt, some things are really starting to come in, especially a lot of the vinegars. I’ve been playing with them personally. Pine vinegar, for example, takes 6 months to a year to make, and we have it now and use it for beef jus, gives it like, a Je ne sais quoi.

…Same with lemon, we will use vinegar instead, primarily goldenrod [common, native Nova Scotia flowering herb], that’s our base vinegar for a lot of things. Sugar too, a lot of recipes need sugar, so instead we’ll use our own black honey to sweeten things and would use goldenrod instead of the lemon, so we’re still getting that sweet and sour that you need for certain items and recepies but it’s using local stuff that we made ourselves, without importing lemons from California or Mexico.

KT: So no lemons at all?

CMC: We do have some that we use in the bar, but in the kitchen, we try not to use it at all. I don’t want to say we don’t use anything that’s not from Nova Scotia, because that’s not true, there are things that we do, but we try hard not to. There is often a substitution that we can find closer to home.

KT: A lot of these preserves are on display at the bar 

CMC: Yep, that’s a beautiful set-up there, right when you come in, we just call it “fermentation wall” technically, most of it is there, but we have a lot stored in the back and in the kitchen. The bar has its own program too, using the same philosophy on bespoke cocktails as we do. It’s very fun to see the same ingredients at the same time, we can learn from each other, see different techniques.

KT: That would also mean the cocktails pair better, cocktails with the food…

CMC: Yeah, we had a cocktail with chanterelle mushrooms in the summer that would go through the pass, it’s very fun and unique. And we do a couple of tailored dinners for that, called The Long Pour. The dinner is based on the cocktails and drinks first and foremost, and the food is second. We have one of the best sommeliers in the country, Samuel Melanson, so we do wine dinners as well. When we opened, Mystic was chef-centric, but it’s not really a chef-driven restaurant – it’s a team-driven restaurant, so this was a way for us to share some of the spotlight.

KT: You have a few special dinners coming up

CMC: Yes, it started last year. At first were only open Wednesday to Saturday, so when we opened on Tuesdays, it wasn’t as busy, so this was a way to try to generate some interest on the slowest day of the week. And it’s just turned into this whole thing now. We did a couple of fermentation dinners, and the Tuna Dinner was a huge hit. I was a little nervous about carving up a whole animal in the middle of the restaurant, but honestly, everyone seemed to have a great time.

… The last tuna was the biggest one, it was 400lb, I wouldn’t want to go more than that, just because it’s really hard to move around. I actually got a scar from the last one, it was falling of and I was trying to grab the tail and hit my head on this shelf, so now I have a tuna scar [chuckles]. And we used pretty much every single thing except for the skin. All the bones are processed, we made stock with the head, I kept the fins… And then with the last one, we did a huge tuna print on an 8-foot tarp using a Japanese technique called Gyotaku: you paint the fish, and you roll the tarp on the fish to imprint. I want to action it off at the next dinner, thinking all proceeds would go to charity.

There was only supposed to be one tuna dinner, but the interest was really big, so we were able to fill three full nights, and now we’re gonna do another one this year. We’re looking at maybe doing swordfish, other Nova Scotia big fish we can work with. 

Wine pairing and Amuse-bouche at Mystic, Halifax. Image by Kateryna Topol.

KT: Speaking of animals, you bring in quite a few interesting ingredients, do you use snout to tail all of them?

CMC: Oh yeah, 100%. We just got another seven whole lambs from Brian MacKay-Lyons, who runs a local farm in Shobac. Last one we were paying around ageing the whole leg in beeswax – we dip the whole thing in beeswax, dry age it for weeks, and it develops a ton of flavour. I started with lobster tails as a trial. We use the hearts in different ways as well, like grading them on top of things. We made raviolo for the Discovery Menu, we did the lamb neck in the pasta, a lot of different areas to use all of the product up. It is challenging and it helps us break in new ideas and try new things.

KT: Let’s go back to the menu, there are a few options

CMC: Biota and Fauna are the main menus, we also have a vegetarian menu, Flora. When we first opened, we had those 3 menus, but we wanted to introduce the Discovery Menu just for the chef’s galley. There are usually 10-20 covers for that. The Discovery Menu changes daily, it’s handwritten, and you don’t know what it’ll be. You know the main component of the dish, so it may say scallop, lamb, but you don’t know what you’re getting, how it’s cooked, how it looks, it’s all kind of a surprise. It’s great for us because we can use it as an avenue to try new dishes, new techniques. A lot of stuff that goes on the main menu has been rotated through the Discovery Menu. Some things are easily 2-3 different versions until I think everyone likes it. Guest feedback is very important as well. 

We recently added a short-form menu; it’s still a full experience, but you get it a little bit quicker with a couple less dishes, but still the same quality of food service and drinks. And then we, of course, our bar bites menu and the Unwritten bar program based on cocktails. The food is based on cocktails, you sit at the bar, and the bartenders take you through all the drinks and the components, similar to the Discovery Menu.

KT: The daily changes with the Discovery Menu, is that driven by the ingredients? 

CMC: Yes, and stuff we want to try. All the dishes have interchangeable parts, like if it’s not endive, it can be radicchio, if it’s gem lettuce, it can be frisee, and so on. We can spin a dish with different ingredients, and you get a completely different outcome. 

And sometimes it is completely onset new dishes… It usually comes together with a couple of different people. I’ll go to my sous chef and go like “hey man I’ve got this idea I want to try, what do you think” and he’ll be like “what if we do this and this” and then between the two or three of us it becomes a better version of the dish, then if it was just me, four eyes see better then two eyes, you know.

So we have a bit of a melting pot of ideas and techniques that come together. I obviously give that creative license as well. Same things with the sommeliers, I value their opinion, they have an amazing palette, Samuel Melanson has an amazing palette, he’s travelled the world and worked at top restaurants, why wouldn’t I let him try? I value these opinions, the collaborations make us and that dish better and stronger. And it makes everyone feel pride in place as well.

KT: Anything you’d like to add 

CMC: Just hammer in the point that it’s a team effort, the ownership with the vision and direction and the team we all came together, and every single person just put in so much work and made it possible.

The post Chef Malcolm Campbell on refining terroir dining inside Mystic Nova Scotia appeared first on Paths to Travel.