JB & Renée

From historic cities to prominent wine regions to iconic landmarks that have inspired art and literature, there are plenty of reasons to go beyond the city and exploring the many fascinating destinations around Madrid.

We love Kyoto. It’s our favorite city in Japan. Tokyo and Osaka are incredible cities but Kyoto has everything we love most about this country – culture, atmosphere, history, and of course, great Japanese food.

Sushi is my absolute favorite Japanese food in the world so I welcomed the opportunity to have sushi as much as I could in Kanazawa. It was fresh, available everywhere, and relatively cheap compared to other cities in Japan.

Osaka is known for having some of the best food in Japan and it offers plenty to do for first-time visitors. Whether you’re staying for three days or a week, you won’t run out of fun and interesting things to do in Osaka.

There are plenty of reasons to visit Takayama. It’s a small city compared to Tokyo and Osaka but it’s a destination that oozes with character. When you’re in Takayama, you’ll feel like you’re in old Japan.

With delicious dishes like Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, anago meshi, and the juiciest and plumpest oysters tempting you at every turn, it isn’t hard to see why Hiroshima is a favorite food destination for many Japanese.

I went on a food tour in Kyoto and according to my guide, when Japanese people travel for food, they usually go to one of three cities – Nagoya, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka. This was surprising to me because I had always assumed it would be Osaka or Tokyo, not a less visited city like Fukuoka.

Within minutes of arriving in Budapest, you’ll notice its flamboyant architecture. You can’t help but appreciate what a beautiful city it is, built on either side of the Danube River with grand buildings and centuries-old thermal baths.

Saigon is an exciting city with the best street food in the country. It’s westernized and cosmopolitan city with glitzy shopping malls, fancy rooftop bars, and a pulsating nightlife.

Hue is a former Vietnamese capital that served as the Nguyen Dynasty’s seat of power for well over a century. It’s home to the magnificent Imperial City and a series of royal tombs housing the remains of nine Nguyen Dynasty emperors.