Traveling with a gimlet eye.
“to have a gimlet eye”: to look at carefully and not miss anything
Welcome to The Gimlet Traveler. As our friends know, my husband and I are as particular about the quality of our vodka gimlets as we are about where and how we travel. For some time now, they have asked me for our vacation travel recommendations, so I’ve finally gathered my thoughts in one place, here, at The Gimlet Traveler. Most of these destinations are places we’ve visited, while some are planned itineraries for the future. New destinations, themed posts and pictures will continue to appear over time so be sure to check back! Hope you find this information helpful or inspiring. Cheers!
— Marc, the Gimlet Traveler
Zurich, Switzerland
Apparently, summer in Zurich is off-season for the Swiss. Since we’re not skiers or cold-weather fans, this was perfect for us: all the charm, culture and cocktails — with fewer crowds!
Lucerne, Switzerland
Situated on a sprawling, emerald green lake with views of the Alps in the distance, Lucerne is a charming (and well-preserved) old city. While it may be a little snoozy, there’s nothing lovelier than sitting lake-side watching boats glide across the lake.
Lake Como, Italy
You may not get to stay at George and Amal’s villa, but a visit to Lake Como is still a glamorous holiday. So, settle in, have the bartender pour you another cocktail and watch the light sparkle across the water.
Marrakech and The Atlas Mountains, Morocco
The city of Marrakech evokes fantasies of days spent wandering labyrinthine, dusty, rose-colored alleyways in search of fabulous finds, afternoons cooling off at a luxe hotel pool and mild evenings lounging over a leisurely-paced meal on the rooftop of a Riad with the Koutoubia Mosque and the Atlas Mountains in the distance. Guess what—it’s all true! And yes, we even managed to find quite a few swanky cocktails.
Provincetown, Massachusetts
At the very tip of Cape Cod is where you’ll find magical Provincetown. Streets filled with lovely B&Bs, dozens of great restaurants, eclectic and stylish shopping, interesting art galleries, a wide range of bars, and fantastic people-watching. Not to mention its expansive, sandy beaches, beautiful sunsets, and many other outdoor activities. And while P-town proudly displays the full spectrum of LGBTQI+ colors, including plenty of sassy drag queens, everyone of all stripes will feel welcome here!
Palm Springs, California
One of my favorite places in the world. Relax, sit by a pool (or float in it), go out for swanky cocktails and a nice dinner, and shop for mid-century modern goods in the Uptown Design District. Or go hiking in one of the many canyons right on the edge of town. The dry, sunny climate always leaves me recharged and rejuvenated — just avoid mid-summer when daytime temps usually top 100 degrees. Updated April 2024.
Istanbul, Turkey
A friend once told me that Istanbul is “a place with soul.” After exploring this rich and historic city full of contrasts between old and new, I knew exactly what she meant and can’t think of a better way to describe it. Once you visit, I expect you’ll think so, too.
Cappadocia, Turkey
Cool geological rock formations, rose-colored canyons, wheat-colored valleys, ancient cave dwellings (not to mention modern cave hotels)…Capadoccia is well worth a special trip to the center of Turkey. And don’t miss the opportunity to take a hot air balloon ride while you’re there. Its spectacular! Even for those of us afraid of flying and/or heights — I promise!
Sirince, Turkey and Ancient Ephesus
A surprise highlight of our trip to the impressive Ruins of Ancient Ephesus archaeological site was our stay at the Terrace House — a B&B with great views, good food and warm hospitality hidden in the rustic hillside village of Sirince. It’s worth driving the extra 15 minutes in lieu of the closer, but highly-touristed town of Selcuk.
Bodrum, Turkey
A few days spent lounging in the sun at the seaside town of Bodrum with vacationing Europeans and Istanbulites sounds glamorous — and it might have been if the weather had fully cooperated. But we didn’t let a little drizzle dampen our spirits! We still found plenty to do…and even a gimlet or two to drink.
London, England
London has something for everyone: theater in the West End, museums by the dozen, historic landmarks, fabulous shopping (for all budgets), great dining and last but certainly not least, world-class cocktail bars!
Stockholm, Sweden
Packed with sophisticated shops (GT loves Swedish design), a diverse array of restaurants and bars, plenty of art (in museums, galleries—even throughout the entire subway system), culture (a gorgeous opera house, and, um, ABBA!) and lots of outdoor space to explore (the city is spread across 14 islands connected by walkable bridges), Stockholm is an ideal future gimlet traveler destination — especially when enjoyed during the extra-long days of midsummer.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Called one of the happiest cities in the world, future gimlet traveler destination Copenhagen is known as the hub of Danish design and as a major foodie destination. While we’re not haute-Nordic-cuisine types (Noma? No mas.), we are big design fans (and there are plenty of other cool restaurants to keep us happy). But it’s not all high-brow minimalism and danish-decor shopping – there’s also the colorful and touristic old port and The Tivoli Gardens amusement park – and of course you should at least pass by the iconic Little Mermaid statue!
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon has a special place in our traveling hearts as it was the first stop on our honeymoon. Wander around its hilly neighborhoods, explore the charming old town and take a long walk along the Tagus river. It’s easy to become a fan of this beautiful mid-sized city — we can’t wait to go back!
The Eastern Algarve, Portugal
Have you ever had an entire beach all to yourself? With no other humans for as far as your eyes could see? We did — and while we can’t guarantee that you’ll find an empty beach all to yourself (it was a weekday morning after all!), we’re fairly certain you won’t be disappointed, even if other humans are present.
Central Alentejo, Portugal
The third stop on our honeymoon tour of southern Portugal was the inland area of the Alentejo. Medieval cities to explore, wineries for wine tasting and a meal amidst the vineyards, picturesque hilltop towns (some with views into Spain) and a fab, high-style modern boutique hotel — complete with sheep grazing on their grounds.
Rome, Italy
When planning our trip, it seemed everyone we spoke with had a strong opinion about Rome — they either loved it or…weren’t fans. We LOVED IT — and it quickly made it onto the list of favorite cities that we look forward to revisiting.
Venice, Italy
Venice is one of those places that is more about a feeling or a mood than it is about a list of important sights to see (though there are plenty of those). Twisty walkways and canals, bridges, and its grand old Palazzos — we fell under its spell. Make sure to get on a boat and ride the canals at least once.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Cocktail bars are big in Amsterdam — so that’s already a big plus! We found a few of those, but you won’t be at a loss of things to do, see, eat drink or buy, even in the midst of winter (we were there at the holidays). Just be careful when you cross the street — those bicyclists are intense!
Brugge, Belgium
We fell in love with Brugge. It’s simply beautiful, and yes, magical. It’s like a living fairy-tale village, but with great restaurants, cocktails, and shopping. We will go back.