Jamie Ditaranto

2 days ago | lonelyplanet.com | Jamie Ditaranto

There is nothing like summer on the Costa Brava. Small beach-lined villages are buzzing with life as sunbathers lie out on golden sands and hikers seek out far-flung coves along the coast-hugging Camí de Ronda. North of Barcelona, the Catalan coast stretches from Blanes all the way up to the French border near Portbou, and is filled with dozens of charming destinations tucked between the pine forests that top the clifftops.

3 days ago | islands.com | Jamie Ditaranto

Even though it had been years since my last trip to Madrid and I had never lived there, I was overcome with a sense of familiarity that reminded me of my years living in New York City. There are a lot of differences between the two cities, of course, beyond language and geography. For one thing, New York doesn't receive nearly as much sunshine as the Spanish capital, and Madrileños are landlocked while New Yorkers can enjoy the views on the Hudson.

2 weeks ago | islands.com | Jamie Ditaranto

While Colorado is known as the state with the best skiing in the country, the fun doesn't stop when the snow melts. There are thousands of natural lakes and reservoirs — not to mention over 9,000 miles of rivers — where Coloradans can cool down, but the largest is the 20-mile-long Blue Mesa Reservoir, located in Curecanti National Recreation Area. The reservoir was created in the 1960s with the construction of the 390-foot-tall Blue Mesa Dam, which helps to power around 8,000 homes in the area.

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Jamie Ditaranto

7 hours agoWhy Prince William’s ‘Temper Is Really Boiling Over’ After This Ski Trip With Kate MiddletonWe’re getting deja vu, because it seems that, once again, Prince William is absolutely furious with a certain magazine for posting pics of people he …1 day agoSelf-Propelled Skis Are Here and Cost Less Than $3,000The Vipera, a futuristic-looking product that combines skiing with snowmobiling, is now available on Kickstarter.

2 weeks ago | islands.com | Jamie Ditaranto

New Zealand's South Island may have gems like the coastal paradise of Abel Tasman National Park, but that doesn't mean you should skip the North Island, especially the most northern parts of the North Island. It is a region chock-full of white sand beaches with bright blue waters, coastal hikes through ancient forests, and beautiful cruising opportunities around the islands hugging the coast.