This Elegant European City Is a Trap

Plus, This Dream Vacation Hotspot Is Spiraling Into a Deadly Cartel Battlefield

Manage newsletters View in browser The entire world in your inbox. Hello all—   I hope you had a fabulous Halloween and that your costume was more creative than mine (I went as a Greaser).   I don't know whether it's a result of the pandemic or getting older, but I find myself really valuing places that I could see myself spending a long stretch of time in. Our latest selection for It's Still a Big World is Zurich, and is definitely one of those cities for me.    While we're always trying to take you somewhere new with It's Still a Big World, Mexico is one country you consistently see covered in our pages. There's so much to love, but there can be darker moments too. Jeremy Kryt reports on the recent spate of violence in Tulum and the Riviera Maya. Finally, Cassandra Brooklyn takes us to Colombia's two Lost Cities. One is very easy to get to and explore, the other requires a multi-day hike and isn't for the faint-hearted. But they're both a less crowded alternative to Latin America's more popular  historical spots.    Enjoy!   — William O'Connor, Travel Editor This Elegant European City Is a Trap This charming city on the lakeshore has everything you could want, so don't be surprised if you find yourself figuring out a way to stay for good. This Dream Vacation Hotspot Is Spiraling Into a Deadly Cartel Battlefield High-profile tourist destinations along Mexico's dreamy Mayan Riviera are increasingly subject to cartel violence, with the latest incident killing two women vacationing in Tulum. Leave Machu Picchu to the Tourists. Go See Colombia's Pristine Lost Cities. Colombia's Lost Cities have low profiles, small crowds, and loads of history. Forget Marco Polo! The Real Origin of Spaghetti & Tomato Sauce We talked to author and Italian food scholar Massimo Montanari about his new book, "A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce," and the real history of this staple. Bose Noise-Canceling Headphones Make Travel More Peaceful Scouting Report: These Bose headphones offer 11 levels of active noise cancellation, so you can drown out the world around you, no matter how hectic it gets.   The most distinctive feature of the Bose 700 Headphones is this: they offer 11 levels of active noise cancellation. It's as if they have a level for every distraction. Dog barking? Turn it up a level. Trash truck backing up? Turn it up a level. You get the idea. It helps me—a very easily distracted person— stay focused.   Another important feature for headphones is wearability. Some pairs are really heavy or not that comfortable, but when I wear these, it feels like I'm not wearing headphones at all. Instead, it's like I have a super power to drown out what I want, when I want to.   — Scouted by Daniel Modlin BUY ON AMAZON >>> "As they were expanding a highway that cuts across England from the east coast to the town of Leicester, construction workers stumbled across artifacts from Roman-era Britain. Among the debris was part of a broken millstone complete with something one doesn't usually associate with bakeries: a phallus with testicles attached. Though phalli were everywhere in antiquity—57 examples adorn Hadrian's wall, for example—this particular piece of X-rated décor is unusual." —Candida Moss reports on the significance of a naughtier piece of archaeology. OMG I Want to Rent This House!      Country Home, Woodstock, N.Y. (Vrbo): There are many beautiful places to visit in the world, but there is a special magic being spun in the Hudson River Valley. Maybe the calming and enchanting vibes resonate so deeply in relation to the frenetic pace of the Big City to the south; maybe the magic comes from the delightful series of little towns that each have their own character; or maybe it is a product of the mighty Hudson River that carves a path through the area. But figuring out what creates the Hudson River Valley's secret sauce doesn't matter as much as your ability to book a trip there ASAP, and we have the perfect home in which you can unwind from the year's stress: a streamside country house in the well-heeled wilds of Woodstock.   It's no wonder that the reviews of this house use words like "charming" and "wondrous" and "like a fairytale." Light up the outdoor fire pit, bundle into your coziest sweaters and scarves, get your s'more fixin's ready to go, and settle in for a night that will have you trying to top these glorious reviews. We warned you—the Hudson River Valley is magic.   Book Your Stay: Country Home, Woodstock, NY: $2,000/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 Back in Time to 1950s New York City   It's not just because all the men wear hats or the taxis are big metal sedans—no, flipping through photographer Ernst Haas' images of New York City in the 1950s is weird because, well, there are so many people.   While the city today can seem empty, the mere mention of it can still conjure up the best of what we love about cities before COVID—crowds, characters, energy, serendipity, food, and so on. That's why the latest selected for Just Booked, our series on beautiful travel-related coffee table books, is Ernst Haas: New York in Color, 1952-1962.   Check out our previous selections for our series on gorgeous travel-related coffee table books, Just Booked. BUY ON AMAZON  >>               Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts or newsletters, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales. © Copyright 2021 The Daily Beast Company LLC  555 W. 18th Street, New York NY 10011  Privacy Policy If you are on a mobile device or cannot view the images in this message, click here to view this email in your browser. To ensure delivery of these emails, please add emails@thedailybeast.com to your address book. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, or think you have received this message in error, you can safely unsubscribe.