Once it was famed for its fast cars, now it’s known for its slow food. Amy Egan heads to Piedmont and its post-industrial capital, Turin, and finds a hub of modern design, converted palaces and artisanal food.

Southern Italy has always fascinated former undercover detective Colin McLaren, despite its criminal networks – or maybe, strangely, because of them. Kendall Hill travels with him through Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily on a tour with a difference.

A Tuscan farmhouse, a Renaissance fortress, a Puglian trullo and more – we’ve picked 10 of our favourite Italian villas. Your room with a view (and perhaps even a George Clooney sighting) awaits.

The Turin megastore with the Slow Food conscience is redefining Italian food consumption across the world – even inspiring a New York counterpart. John Irving takes a tour of Eataly.

Is Penang Asia’s best place to eat street food? Pat Nourse ventures to the Malaysian island and finds a paradise for hungry diners.

New Orleans, with its street music, cocktails and Creole cuisine, is a spicy, sweaty, bouncing metropolis unlike any other in the USA. Shane Mitchell heads south to the Big Easy.

Single-origin cappuccino. Small plates rather than three-course menus. Rosa Jackson chats with a small group of restaurateurs exerting Antipodean influence on Paris’s food scene.

Fergus Henderson returns to India, having left the subcontinent in a bad temper 25 years ago, to fulfil his Bond fantasy and to mingle with the new IT crowd.

Choosing from the bounty of New Zealand's holiday destinations is no simple feat, but we've managed to narrow it down to a mixed dozen of great places to eat, drink and relax. Launch the gallery to see our picks.

As if foraging in Japanese forests and netting your own ducks weren’t challenge enough, the latest Cook It Raw festival threw art into the mix, writes Pat Nourse.

Architectural splendour, isolated locations, islands you’ll wish were yours: Kendall Hill goes in search of Australia’s best beach houses.

Max Veenhuyzen finds the best places to stay, eat, drink and play in South Africa’s Mother City.

Emma Sloley is seduced by St-Barths, the tiny island in the French West Indies that’s every bit as gorgeous and hedonistic as the beautiful people who flock there.

The territory of Réunion is a richly multicultural Indian Ocean idyll with a French twist. Rob Ingram finds himself dazzled by its diversity.

Bergamo’s ancient honey-coloured walls, empty piazzas and pealing church bells provide Leila McKinnon with the Italy of her dreams.

The sultanate of Oman combines a vast turquoise coastline and a desert heart with ancient legends and new-age luxury. Jennifer Byrne reports.

Unhurried, untouched and unforgettable: Richard Cooke discovers a tiny nation in the South Pacific where paradise is defined by what it’s not. Welcome to the Cook Islands.

Perhaps it’s the fall-out from the country’s infamously disruptive volcano, or maybe it’s something in the thermal waters, but Iceland has become a hive of bohemian cool. Shane Mitchell explores the world’s northernmost capital and finds great food, good drinking and cool shopping. World, meet Reykjavík.

Pat Nourse discovers Laos’s Luang Prabang – a tranquil town where the hours are measured not by the broker’s bell but by the alms march of monks at dawn – and says the time to visit is now.

George Epaminondas heads to Portland, USA, and discovers that the cloud-bound city has upped its hip quotient with vibrant bistros, sleek bars and quirky stores. It’s now the perfect balance of outdoor pursuits and urban pleasures. Get packing.

Kyneton and Castlemaine were born out of the gold-rush era, but now passion has replaced precious metal as the currency in these parts of central Victoria. Kerryn Burgess meets the people transforming the towns into hubs of good living. Read all about the towns in our article and launch the gallery for more images from the area. PHOTOGRAPHY PRUE RUSCOE

Sydney chef Peter Kuruvita explores Sri Lanka’s culinary and cultural bounty and shares his top 10 experiences for first-time visitors to the country of his forebears.

Kendall Hill travels through the Green North, a magical corner of Spain full of bright spring landscapes and unsung towns, aboard one of Europe’s most luxurious trains, El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo.

Tasmania’s Maria Island was once a penal colony, but walking here today is not punishing. Leo Schofield pulls on his hiking boots and discovers a peaceful place rich in natural beauty.

Kyneton and Castlemaine were born out of the gold-rush era, but now passion has replaced precious metal as the currency in these parts of central Victoria. Kerryn Burgess meets the people transforming the towns into hubs of good living.

Crete, with its distinctive flavours and renewed respect for tradition, is at the epicentre of Greece’s agro-tourism revolution. Victoria Kyriakopoulos explores the island responsible for rekindling the love affair between the Hellenes and their regional cuisines.

Greece heaves with ancient archaeological wonders, but which ones do you really need to see? Classical civilisations expert Eleni Argy picks 10 of the best, from the world-famous landmarks to the hidden treasures.

Meet Greece’s boutique winemakers, out to prove that their wines are world-class. After tasting his way from Santorini’s assyrtiko to Naoussa’s xynomavro – with countless mezedes in between – Max Allen needs no convincing.

Are Greece’s financial woes symptomatic of deeper cultural problems? Nick Pappas reflects on the nation’s collective reaction to its current crisis

There’s far more to the Greek capital than ancient history. George Calombaris looks beyond the city’s gritty façade and uncovers its culinary heart and soul, from traditional tavernas and delicatessens to the hottest new dining stars.

Greek-Australian make-up maven Napoleon Perdis shares his family’s top 10 Greek holiday experiences, from swimming in Paxos to sailing on the Aegean.

The isolated bays, ancient mysteries and quiet whitewashed beauty of the island of Astypalea in the Dodecanese and its Cycladic neighbour Amorgos have enchanted Amy Egan and her partner Fergus Stothart.

Fergus Henderson condemns anglicised Greek food, and saves his applause for the feta and raki of Athens.

The Danish capital came under the international culinary spotlight when René Redzepi’s restaurant was named the world’s best. But there’s more to Copenhagen than Noma. Is this the hottest food city on the planet?

Christine Manfield’s passion for the subcontinent is an enduring one. In this exclusive extract from her new book, Tasting India, the Sydney chef explores the regal splendour and vibrant flavours of Rajasthan.

Visitors often overlook New Zealand’s capital in favour of Auckland or Queenstown, so when Max Veenhuyzen hit Wellington on the eve of the Rugby World Cup, he was chuffed to discover a port city that lives to eat and drink.

Frank Camorra and Richard Cornish ate and drank their way through the narrow streets and intimate neighbourhoods of Barcelona to produce the definitive guide to the city’s culture of good living. Here’s an exclusive taste of their new book.

On South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, Kendall Hill revels in old-fashioned hospitality, seriously charismatic places to stay, a growing food scene and a relaxed coastal vibe.

Queen Elizabeth’s visit to the Republic of Ireland earlier this year is a telling sign that Northern Ireland has found its feet. Paul Daley explores Belfast, a vibrant city that’s accepting of its past and embracing its future.

One of Pakistan’s most famous daughters, Fatima Bhutto, says her country’s best food is found at the road-side stalls of her home town.

Tina Arena calls Paris home these days. Here, the Australian singer (and French national treasure) shares her insights into an authentic, intimate side of the City of Light, from the gritty streets of Montmartre to vintage couture at the Palais Royal.

The ultimate bread and butter, mind-blowing lobster ravioli: Paris-born chef Guillaume Brahimi shares his top 10 eating experiences in the French capital.

Pat Nourse heads to the French Riviera’s premium coastline and discovers a fishing town of plutocrats and blue-chip boutiques that confounds preconceptions. Bikinis are optional; credit cards are not.

Art, architecture, the food of Provence and the wines of Burgundy are among the highlights of a Rhône river cruise. Rob Ingram reports from the top deck of MS River Royale.

A gilded suite at Le Bristol Paris gives Kendall Hill a glimpse of the hotel habitués’ exalted lifestyles.

Kendall Hill congratulates the winners of the 2011 Travel Awards – a rollcall of the best travel destinations, services and experiences Australia has to offer.

Luxury digs, an open fire, a glass of organic pinot noir, lamb rack with artichoke purée… the après-ski action in New Zealand’s Wanaka is just as exciting as the skiing.

Pleasingly lush, thrillingly bleak, Dingle is a jewel on the wind-carved western Irish coast, where the only thing outdoing the authentic pubs and good food is the warmth of the local characters.

Standing knee-deep in a river between Thailand and Myanmar, surrounded by bathing elephants, is the definition of joy, writes Kendall Hill.

From Paloma Picasso and Kate Winslet to Elizabeth Gilbert and Carla Zampatti, friends of Gourmet Traveller share with us what they like to do “when in Rome”.

Once the seaside destination of Italy’s jet set, the Riviera di Ponente today moves at a quieter pace that’s ideal, writes John Irving, for exploring Liguria’s history, culture and, of course, food.

Leaning towards a group trip? With the whistlestop grand tour back in fashion, Rob Ingram boards a bus for an itinerary taking in Italy’s best-loved attractions.

A colossal undertaking is set to transform Italy’s most popular monument, writes Josephine McKenna.

Food that levitates? Check. Arabian luxury digs in the Abu Dhabi desert? Check. Planking and cold-smoking? Check. It must be the Gourmet Traveller Hot 100. Restaurants of the moment, exciting new talent, emerging trends, savvy travel tips… consider this your new global hit list.

Food that levitates? Check. Arabian luxury digs in the Abu Dhabi desert? Check. Planking and cold-smoking? Check. It must be the Gourmet Traveller Hot 100. Restaurants of the moment, exciting new talent, emerging trends, savvy travel tips… consider this your new global hit list.

Food that levitates? Check. Arabian luxury digs in the Abu Dhabi desert? Check. Planking and cold-smoking? Check. It must be the Gourmet Traveller Hot 100. Restaurants of the moment, exciting new talent, emerging trends, savvy travel tips… consider this your new global hit list.

Food that levitates? Check. Arabian luxury digs in the Abu Dhabi desert? Check. Planking and cold-smoking? Check. It must be the Gourmet Traveller Hot 100. Restaurants of the moment, exciting new talent, emerging trends, savvy travel tips… consider this your new global hit list.

Food that levitates? Check. Arabian luxury digs in the Abu Dhabi desert? Check. Planking and cold-smoking? Check. It must be the Gourmet Traveller Hot 100. Restaurants of the moment, exciting new talent, emerging trends, savvy travel tips… consider this your new global hit list.

Personal butlers, virgin jungle, mansion-like villas: welcome to the other world that is Soneva Kiri by Six Senses, where every indulgence is covered, writes Anthea Loucas.

Wildman Wilderness Lodge is the perfect new launching point for exploring the natural beauty and open zoo of wildlife that is the Top End. Rob Ingram heads north to the Mary River wetlands.

Kyoto, the former imperial capital of Japan, is renowned for its beauty and unique food culture, writes John Ashburne.

Assessing the impact of the summer’s disasters on food and Queensland's tourism industry.

Museums such as MoMA and the Met hold the limelight in the city that never sleeps, but less heralded cultural gems await discovery. From ancient artefacts in Brooklyn to African-American art in Harlem, David Vincent turns up a host of hidden treasures.

Camping needn’t be down and dirty. Kerryn Burgess pops the cork on Victoria’s flash wilderness retreats.

From hot restaurants and cute cafés to chic boutique hotels and provocative private museum MONA, Hobart is suddenly hip. Kendall Hill ventures south.

In the world of luxury cruising, few do it with the class of Silversea. Leo Schofield soaks up five-star life on the ocean aboard the sublime Silver Shadow.

Wondering what’s on the menu in Australia’s best-loved international beach destination? Kendall Hill reports on the coolest places to eat, drink and make merry in Bali.

Oprah may have only just discovered it, but we’ve always revered the unique treasure that is the Sydney Opera House. With major changes now afoot, there’s no better time to get up close and personal with our very own cultural icon.

Emirates has brought its thoughtful brand of luxury to New South Wales with Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa. Rob Ingram reflects on the valley’s colonial mining past and its ecologically sustainable future.

Its dramatic landscape – red-rock forms that overwhelm a deep blue sky – is the staggeringly beautiful attraction of the Flinders Ranges. But a luxury homestead stay is now also part of this unique outback experience, discovers Tony Maniaty.

With its punting on the river Avon and its gothic revival architecture, Christchurch is too often written off as a quaint outpost of empire. But there’s more to New Zealand’s second-largest city than you might think. Kendall Hill is charmed.

With more than 200 inhabited islands, the Greek archipelago offers everything from glam beach clubs and chic boutiques to medieval ruins and rocky mountain ranges. Here are 10 of the best islands – and 10 reasons to add them to your next Mediterranean itinerary.

The classic Sydney beachside neighbourhood of Manly has come of age, with new restaurants, cafés and boutiques bringing sophistication to the seaside vibe. Jump a ferry and catch the new wave.

Fringed by cobalt waters and dazzling beaches, Fiji’s Laucala takes luxury to a whole new level, thanks to mega investment from Red Bull baron Dietrich Mateschitz. Kendall Hill wings his way to the ultra-exclusive eco-chic destination to discover the private paradise setting a new benchmark in the South Pacific.

They’re following the sun and chasing the snow, staying close to home and heading farther afield: we asked some of our favourite people from the worlds of art, sport, food, fashion and entertainment where they’re headed this summer. Pack your bags, good times await. Compiled by Emma Ventura & Monique Lane For more great holiday ideas, check out ninemsn Travel's Top 10 summer holiday spots.

Where better to pub crawl than in the streets of Dublin? Paul Daley tours the city’s more famous drinking houses, retracing the steps (and reading from the works) of Beckett, Joyce and Wilde. Make ours a pint.

He’s headed to New Zealand’s Central Otago and settled into the luxurious Matakauri Lodge but Rob Ingram has a problem: he never wants to leave.

If your stress levels are peaking but there’s no time for an overseas jaunt, check out our pick of Australian short breaks, long on luxury yet short on travel time. You’ll be unwound before your BlackBerry knows you’re gone.

George Epaminondas sets his GPS for the sweeping boulevards of Los Angeles and uncovers, beyond the Tinseltown hype, a city of first-rate eateries, sensational vintage shopping and cool galleries.

Fashion identity Fleur Wood travels regularly to India to source fabrics and craftwork for her gorgeous garments. On the eve of the Commonwealth Games, she shares her favourite places to shop, eat and chill out in the host city.

In the history-soaked Spanish cities of Toledo, Segovia and Salamanca, all an easy drive from Madrid, Kendall Hill finds storybook perfection in towering fortresses, gothic cathedrals and awe-inspiring castles.

There’s something big happening on the small island. In a pocket of pristine Tasmanian wilderness, Leo Schofield discovers Saffire Freycinet, a new luxury lodge that offers five-star polish in an untamed setting.

Rob Ingram explores the spare beauty and mystery of Easter Island, known to locals as Rapa Nui, a windblown outcrop perched in the middle of the South Pacific.

Richard Cooke hops a train through Switzerland and, beyond the chocolate and cuckoo clock clichés, discovers contemporary architecture, quirky museums and remote alpine spas.

History can be difficult to come by in China’s most cosmopolitan metropolis. In a bid to reimagine the city’s golden age, Kendall Hill goes in search of its last art deco treasures.

The Queensland capital’s dining scene has shifted up a gear, it’s popped the top and it’s revving its engine anew. Pat Nourse shares his picks of the new Brisbane eats and drinks.

Rum, rumba and revolution. What’s not to like about the hottest city in the Caribbean? Leo Schofield is seduced by the faded glamour and glory of Havana, a time-warped city with one foot in the past and a tentative toehold on the future.

The legendary El Bulli chef has given the world far more than just foams and spheres, writes Colman Andrews.

On vacation in the Blue Mountains, Frank Moorhouse risks ordering a martini – and is amply rewarded.

Erase the images of that volcano with the unpronounceable name from your mind with the much more stunning images from our story on Iceland including web exclusives you’ll only find in our online gallery. PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES FISHER

Shane Mitchell ventures beyond the hard-to-pronounce volcano to the westernmost region of Iceland, a land of stark tundra, quirky country hotels and startled elves.

Touring through Turkey, Leo Schofield loses himself amid an abundance of historical riches, from Istanbul’s opulent Topkapi Palace to the caves of Cappadocia and the memorials of Gallipoli.

Golden Age style meets unspoiled snowfields at Sun Valley, Idaho – the ski resort of choice for the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Clark Gable. Pat Nourse soaks up its attractions both on-piste and off.

Paris’s hottest dining trend is “cave à manger” – wine shops doing double duty as restaurants. Intimate, casual and affordable, these gems are hiding some of the city’s best eating and drinking. Here’s a taste.

From the food and the venue to the outstanding winners, the focus was on the country’s finest at this year’s Gourmet Traveller Travel Awards.

Rob Ingram journeys to the heart of Cognac and discovers, among the medieval architecture and postcard-perfect countryside, that there’s more to this bucolic corner of the world than just brandy.

Take a walk on the wild side. Follow Brittany’s windswept coastline west to , a remote region suffused with maritime folklore, sustained by a Celtic heritage and renowned for bountiful produce. Oysters, butter, cider, strawberries and super-sized savoury crêpes – this is one grand land. Launch the gallery below to take a closer look at the region and read Amy Egan's guide to Finistère here. PHOTOGRAPHY FERGUS STOTHART

Take a walk on the wild side. Follow Brittany’s windswept coastline west to a remote region suffused with maritime folklore, sustained by a Celtic heritage and renowned for bountiful produce. Oysters, butter, cider, strawberries and super-sized savoury crêpes – this is one grand land.

The winners’ circle in the 2010 Travel Awards is a rollcall of outstanding local holiday experiences. Put your hands together for the cream of the crop.

Travelling from the Great Karoo to the Kruger, Emma Ventura discovers South Africa’s sumptuous lodges, spectacular animals and the stirring beauty of wide, brown plains. Zebra roll in dust baths, wildebeest charge across the horizon and hippos huff bubbles in murky ponds. Welcome to the safari. PHOTOGRAPHY JULIAN KINGMA