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Jake Gyllenhaal is walking into my New York hotel. It’s not on Fifth Avenue or one of the trendy corners of Lower Manhattan. It’s in Brooklyn. And it — the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge — might be the buzziest new hotel in the city, star sightings or no.

PALERMO, Italy — For many travellers, Italy is seen as romantic, mysterious and a bit chaotic, with torpid heat, gorgeously rich colours and irresistible food. In reality, of course, every region has a distinct culture and identity.

CAIRO — Egypt opened an exhibition this week to display previously unseen treasures from King Tutankhamun’s famed tomb.

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — Away from bustling Santa Fe and quirky Albuquerque, New Mexico offers stunning natural wonders, wide expanses of desert and mountains and clear skies that guarantee endless days of sightseeing and outdoor fun.

CLAYDON, Sask. — The tiny community of Claydon, Sask., isn’t exactly a tourism mecca.

I don’t give much thought to petty crime when I travel abroad. I’m well aware that it happens: I’ve been preaching about the importance of wearing a moneybelt for decades.

BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL FOREST, Uganda — The gorillas ignore us so completely that if one hadn’t brushed against my leg on her way to a new perch, we might have been invisible.

If you find conceptual art mystifying, you aren’t alone. The trends that have dominated art for the better part of a century are often so complicated — sometimes obtuse — that they require decoding.

Tucked into a far corner of Europe, just two hours north of Lisbon, is one of my favourite beach towns: Nazaré, an Atlantic Coast fishing town turned tourist retreat.

France is a cultural bouillabaisse that surprises travellers with its varied, complex flavours. To experience the tasty and fragrant wonders of its edible diversity, head to a street market.