This European Island is Like Hawaii Without the Tourists

Plus, Destinations That 'Forgot' Covid Are Making a Killing

Manage newsletters View in browser The entire world in your inbox. Hello all—   Wishing a Merry Christmas in advance to those who celebrate, it's crazy to believe that we're already here. I'm in Arizona researching a couple of upcoming stories, and enjoying the warmth for a couple more days.    If you happen to be seeking a warm getaway that is a bit under the radar, don't miss our latest in the It's Still a Big World series. Cassandra Brooklyn recently visited the Portuguese island of Madeira, located off the northwest coast of Africa. It has incredible outdoor adventures, iconic wine, and a lively capital city, Funchal. And best of all, none of the crowds.   Those of us who have continued traveling this past year or so have likely benefited from one of COVID's more painful truths—some places just couldn't afford to shut down. And so, there are a number of countries whose tourism industries have had a great year. The obvious one is Mexico, but as Barbie Nadeau reports, there have been surprises like the Balkans for skiing.    Enjoy!   —William O'Connor, Travel Editor This European Island is Like Hawaii Without the Tourists Madeira, the tropical-like island, has a strikingly different landscape than the mainland, looking more like Hawaii or the Caribbean than a European destination. Destinations That 'Forgot' Covid Are Making a Killing Skiing in Bosnia, sunning in Mexico, and sailing off the Canary Islands are just some of the options out there for those who are desperate to travel before the pandemic is over. Inside the Wild Tale of the 'Versailles of Belarus' It is one of Europe's great ruins, a poetic reminder of an empire that once shook the continent. A stark sentinel, it would later bear witness to unimaginable crimes. Iceland Just Got a New Luxury Hotel With Some New York Cool Nightlife impresario Ian Schrager's hotel group has opened a new location in the far north. You'll Buy This Blanket for Camping— and End Up Using It Every Night on the Couch Scouting Report: The first Rumpl blanket—the O.G. puffy blanket—may have been created with camping in mind, but that doesn't mean you have to use it exclusively for outdoor adventures.   Rumpl blankets are intelligently designed and durably constructed. Both the Original Puffy and the (even more packable) NanoLoft Puffy can be rolled and packed down small enough to stash in a duffel or large backpack, yet when unfurled offer plenty of surface area to keep a person warm.   Rumpl blanket's portability make it the consummate camping and travel blanket, but the warmth and comfort of a Rumpl will have you using it at home far more often than you break it out in the backwoods. A soft, smooth exterior made from 100 percent recycled ripstop material is welcome against your skin or as another layer in frosty conditions. And, beneath that recycled polyester shell is recycled polyester filling—the exact same type of insulating material you'd find in a mountaineer's packable jacket or technical sleeping bag.   The corners of a Rumpl blanket feature little loops that can be used to secure it to sand, soil, or another surface for when you need ground cover or to help you fasten the blanket in place over some sort of frame to create a temporary shelter. Plus, when you snap and loop along one edge of the blanket, it can be held in place around your shoulders, hands-free.   Oh, and you can machine-wash a Rumpl and even tumble dry, provided you keep the heat good and low. Talk about convenience.   You'll love your Rumpl camping blanket because it's soft and warm, but also because it's durable and versatile. And, if you are equally into the form of a product as well as the function, so to speak, you'll also appreciate how many different colors and patterns these blankets come in.   — Scouted by Steven John SHOP AT RUMPL >>> "I don't think that he realizes that no matter what kind of concessions he made, it is still going to put pressure on the community. We were very disgusted when we walked out of [the hearing]. We did not feel that what they did was fair." —Noah Kirsch reports on the furor over billionaire Joe Rickett's plan to turn his family's ranch into a resort. OMG I Want to Rent This House!      Invisible House, Joshua Tree, CA (Vrbo): Only ten minutes from the town of Joshua Tree is a 5,500-square-foot home that both embraces the desert and is inspired by big city living. On a clear day, on a stormy day—on any day really—it can be hard to distinguish between this one-of-a-kind vacation home and its surroundings. Inspired by the look of the glass used in skyscrapers, this might just be the closest we're going to get to an invisibility-cloaked home until that magical tech is actually invented.   The Invisible House is very much of it's surroundings, reflecting the desert back on itself, but it's also wholly apart, inspired by the materials and design of the big city. It's hard to find a one-of-a-kind place that's also in an utterly unique location, but here, you've done it. Hopefully this will be the perfect place to make your grand return to vacationing, even if it is to a domestic location accompanied by your reunited COVID pod.   Book Your Stay: Invisible House, Joshua Tree, CA: $4,300/night via Vrbo   Don't miss previous OMG, I Want to Rent This House posts, which spotlight the most spectacular and unique homes that you can actually stay in.  Check out the full archives.  Travel to Australia with this Cookbook   One of our favorite parts of travel we can't wait to get back into is food travel. Sure, museums are great and so are nature trails. But few things are as satisfying as finding a truly great eat somewhere far from home.   Australia is one of those countries that has had a major modern impact on the world food scene (especially here in the U.S.). That's why the latest selection for Just Booked, our series on exciting new travel books, is Australia: The Cookbook. Put together by Ross Dobson for Phaidon, the tome is both a useful entry into the Australian culinary scene and an enlightening text examining its origins, from traditional Aboriginal fare to the tasty results of waves of immigration.   Plus, peppered throughout with photos not only of food (we want to try matchsticks) but also photos of scenic Australia we can't we can't wait to get back to.   Check out our previous selections for our series on gorgeous travel-related coffee table books, Just Booked. 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