Travel Dispatch: We’re Coming to the Cottage (Country, That Is)

August 15, 2026

An aerial view of a boat moving away from the camera on a lake at golden hour. Thick tree cover is visible on each side of the lake.

Among the many appeals of Muskoka are its sunsets. Above, the day’s last light falls across Lake Muskoka. Brendan George Ko for The New York Times

Dear Travel Fan,

If you watched “Heated Rivalry,” you know about the cottage — the retreat where the show’s main characters have their emotional breakthrough. On the show, it’s in Quebec. But the home shown is really in Muskoka, often called the Hamptons of Ontario. Our writer visited the area and found stunning lake houses, exciting water-skiing shows, beautiful hikes and weep-worthy sunsets.

In March, the King Charles III England Coast Path opened (inaugurated by Charles III himself), offering a continuous path along England’s coastline. Who better to write about it than Paul Theroux, who in 1982, made his way around the British coastline by foot, bike and train for his book “The Kingdom by the Sea.” He walked three sections of the trail for this report.

Many people in Europe were lucky enough to see a total solar eclipse this week. There’s another one next August that people are already calling the Eclipse of the Century — it will be visible in Luxor, Egypt, with totality lasting more than six minutes. We’ve got the details. We also have a roundup of great bike rides in the United States that are under 25 miles. (Lots of readers have already replied with their favorites, so you might want to check out the comments.)

But in some areas of Europe it has once again been very hot, with wildfires causing mass evacuations. We took a look at how travelers are changing their plans as heat waves and fires become more common. One strategy is to visit destinations farther north — and we can help with that. The latest in our Travel 101 City Guides has everything you need for a trip to Copenhagen, a city of great food and history, which is a spectacular summer destination. And our 36 Hours column this week visits Bergen, Norway, a cool harbor city with mountains to climb.

Our Frugal Traveler has some advice on how to save money on airfare, using A.I. apps that can get you a rebate if the price on your flight drops after you book. And we’ve also got a disturbing report about the allegedly unsanitary conditions at an airline catering company.

Finally, while Barcelona battles overtourism, the small local bars known as bodegas are hanging on, offering glasses of vermut and maybe some snacks — minus the tourist crowds. We’ve got suggestions for ones to visit.

Wishing you safe and happy travels,
Amy Virshup

OPEN UP YOUR WORLD

Two people stand on a glass-and-stone viewing platform that extends over a grassy green hill, where a red funicular chugs up the tracks. In the distance, buildings form a horseshoe around a greyish body of water, where boats also bob. The sky is grey but bright.

David B. Torch for The New York Times

36 Hours

36 Hours in Bergen, Norway

The city on Norway’s west coast is no hayseed cousin to the cosmopolitan capitals of Scandinavia, with a thriving cultural scene that ranges from high art to heavy metal.

By Lynsey Chutel and David B. Torch

A Coastal Path Fit for a King, Now Open to All

Paul Theroux traced the British coastline in 1982 for his book “The Kingdom by the Sea.” This year he walked parts of the new King Charles III England Coast Path, a continuous route along the country’s seashore.

By Paul Theroux and Jeremie Souteyrat

A wooden bridge with two cyclists extends through a verdant landscape. Green trees and a blue sky with white clouds are in the background.

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

5 Great American Bike Rides of 25 Miles or Less

Whether you’re looking for a soothing seaside cruise or a blood-pumping Rocky Mountain ascent, these rides are perfect for a spectacular day trip.

By Lauren Matison

A waterside view of a boat docked along Nyhavn canal with bustling crowds and colorful rowhouses in the background.

Ulf Svane for The New York Times

Travel 101

Your Guide to Copenhagen

From picturesque canals to cozy coffee shops, here's all you need to plan your visit to the Danish capital.

By Ingrid K. Williams

A person, wearing a green vest and black shorts, is propelled skyward above a lake by jet streams of water. Boats full of people sit on the lake and lush trees on the shoreline appear in the background.

Come for the ‘Heated Rivalry’ Cottage. Stay for Everything Else.

The chance to see the hideaway from the hit queer hockey romance lured me to Canada’s cottage country. But it was the glistening lakes and weep-worthy sunsets that won me over.

By Sarah Bahr and Brendan George Ko

In Barcelona, Finding the Perfect Spot for Vermut and Snacks

The classic bars, known as bodegas, are where locals in the Catalan capital take their rituals seriously. If you know where to look, you can join them.

By Danielle Pergament and Mariano Herrera

THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL

An illustration depicts a person in a sun hat sitting under an orange striped umbrella on a dock that juts into blue water. At the edge of the dock, a robot-like figure holds a fishing line, trying to hook "deals" in the form of circles with things like price tags, hotels and airplanes in the center of them.

Chanelle Nibbelink

Frugal Traveler

Can A.I. Get You Where You Want to Go for Less?

A wave of new services uses A.I. to monitor flights and hotel reservations to help you find lower prices. We look at how these tools work.

By Elaine Glusac

Intense red and gray clouds hover over a campground, with dozens of cars parked in the foreground and green trees above and behind them. In the foreground is a colorful slide.

Kryssi Whitehurst

As Europe Faces Another Heat Wave, Travelers Are Forced to Adapt

Soaring temperatures, widespread wildfires and dried-up rivers are transforming tourism across the continent. Here’s how travelers are responding.

By Ryley Ober

Four white trucks and a trailer parked under a white canopy. One of the trucks says “Flying Food Group” in blue letters on the side. Above them, in the blue sky, a jet is flying.

Patrick T. Fallon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Workers Complain of Mold and Bugs at Airline Catering Facility

Employees of Flying Food Group, a major provider of airline meals, said they saw maggots, cockroaches and flies at a branch serving Los Angeles International Airport.

By Gabe Castro-Root

A red-orange sun with a crescent-shaped dark area obscuring it, over a dark, silhouetted mountainous landscape. The sky is a deep reddish hue.

Finbarr O'Reilly for The New York Times

How to Catch the ‘Eclipse of the Century’ Next Year

On Aug. 2, Southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East will witness a solar blockbuster with extra-long totality. If you want to see it, book soon.

By Danielle Dowling

Feedback, thoughts, tips? Email the Travel desk at travel@nytimes.com.

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