ARCHIVES

Economic setbacks haven't slowed the pulse of the Spanish capital, where lively cafés, innovative culinary concepts, and arty boutiques are thriving.

With a spate of small new venues attracting big-time bands and fresh record labels curating local talent, Birmingham has moved well beyond old-time rock and roll.

Surrounded by three volcanoes, the blissfully blue lake is home to numerous Mayan villages that take their relaxation seriously.

With experimental new art spaces, a thriving gallery scene, and a burgeoning cocktail culture, this midwestern city offers much more than the typical college town charms.

With a host of new breweries and craft ale houses�plus a cosmopolitan mix of design hotels, hip eateries, and contemporary galleries�Britain’s second city is on the rise.

The tiny Far West Texas town is best known for its visual arts scene, but movie obsessives will find plenty to love: film festivals, famously cinematic desertscapes, and bona fide Hollywood history.

With great off-season rates, a spate of stylish new hotels and boutiques, and less-crowded beaches, spring’s the perfect time to visit the evolving Hawaiian capital.

With a cluster of new galleries, plans for a behemoth art space, and street murals galore, the Memphis art scene is having a moment.

As Panama’s famous canal turns 100, its capital’s diverse foodie scene�from the bustling fish market to experimental restaurants�is experiencing a rebirth, placing the city at a culinary crossroads.

With an expanding roster of art museums, inventive Nordic-inspired restaurants, and a spate of new local boutiques, this medieval capital has moved squarely into the present.