Some travelers dig deep, with a sharp appetite for knowledge and minds wide open to what's old and what's new. In Cultured Traveler, the latest in the travel book collaborations between The New York Times and TASCHEN, these adventurers hum to Mozart in Vienna and tap their toes to dance music in Dar es Salaam. They pursue Hamlet in Elsinore, Picasso on the French Riviera, and Le Corbusier in India. They follow the footsteps of Georgia O'Keeffe, Jackie Kennedy, and Jesus.
In 100 trips around the globe, talented Times travel writers and photographers invite readers to share their discoveries. Pack your suitcase with curiosity for a trek to see Buddhist cave art in China or an afternoon of kayaking in Germany's mysterious Spreewald. Challenge your senses along with your wits, tasting maple syrup in Quebec and octopus snacks at a Japanese baseball game, sniffing the flowers in French perfume country, and sipping cognac at the source.
And, as always, sample each writer's unique point of view. Henry Shukman, poet and teacher of Zen, hikes in England on Europe's oldest road amid a landscape "elemental, austere, with a kind of monumental elegance." Jason Wilson, the series editor for Best American Travel Writing, follows the trail of the Stradivarius while confessing that "I do not, in fact, play the violin." The veteran travel writer and author Tony Perrottet, with Sydney's art scene as Exhibit A, sets out to prove that "Australia has a lot more to offer than rampant hedonism and cuddly koalas."
The best travel is both fun and a learning experience. With Times-quality journalism and visuals, illuminating historic photos, and tips on what to read and watch for inspiration, Cultured Traveler gets there in depth.
Wander the halls of Italy's Renaissance libraries, revel in the Sahara's imposing silence as described by Paul Bowles, or stroll the streets of Josephine Baker's Paris. The writers and photographers of The New York Times are your guides to the history, literature, art, or cuisine of a destination in 100 stories from the Cultured Traveler column.
