From Vancouver to Ljubljana and regional NSW, travel editor Winsor Dobbin has the latest news and some recommendations.
Heading to support the Socceroos at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals?
This time around the competition is more bloated than ever and hosting duties will be shared by Canada, Mexico, and the US. Given the ongoing madness in the US, if I were planning a visit then I’d be tempted by spending more time in Vancouver, British Colombia, a delightful city that offers a lot to visitors.
The World Cup arrives in BC for seven matches between June 13 and July 7.
Local tourism organisations hope the event will spotlight the cultures, voices, and communities of Indigenous peoples and diverse cultures that call this part of Canada home.
Outside the stadium lies a province as immense as it is diverse: four times the size of the UK and Ireland combined.
BC Place Stadium in downtown Vancouver is a key venue with its seven games including two featuring Canada’s national team, one starring Australia and two showcasing New Zealand.
Vancouver is a city worth several days of anyone’s time, World Cup or not.
It is a gorgeous urban area, framed by mountains, temperate rainforest, and Pacific coastline – with the ski resort of Whistler not far away.
National Geographic recently named Vancouver among its Best of the World 2026 list.
The downtown area is home to beaches, ocean views, and 27 kilometres of forested trails. Visual highlights include Grouse Mountain with city-to-sea views and its new Grouse Bike Park, the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and Squamish Canyon.
Whales splashing off Vancouver’s coast – orcas, humpbacks, sea lions, and bald eagles – turn the Salish Sea into their arena. Tours depart from Granville Island in Vancouver, also home to one of the best produce markets in the world.
Hungry fans will be well catered for: from street food to fine dining, from historic Gastown to leafy Stanley Park. Pan-Asian flavours rule at the Richmond Night Market, one of the largest in North America, while in the Okanagan wine valley Kelowna was recently named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, the first in Canada.
Visitors can experience Salmon n’ Bannock, the only First Nations restaurant in Vancouver, showcasing local Indigenous ingredients with a modern twist.
This multi-cultural city is also home to Little Italy, an eight-block stretch along Commercial Drive in Vancouver and the Punjabi Market, a three-block area in the Sunset neighbourhood – home to one of the largest south Asian communities in Canada.
See https://www.destinationbc.ca/ and https://www.destinationvancouver.com/
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One of the great undiscovered destinations in Europe is the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana.
It is a city that is a pleasure to visit no matter the time of year, but the arrival of spring means Ljubljana Tourism, together with its partners, will present the fourth edition of LUV Fest from February 8 to March 12.
The event combines art, culture, gastronomy, and social experiences in the compact, easy-to-walk city.
The diverse program features exhibitions, concerts, workshops, and outdoor experiences with the central artistic highlight the light installation Brstenje (Budding) in the open-air art gallery, complemented by special guided tours and a wide range of events for all generations.
Brstenje, by artist Nika Erjavec, symbolises the awakening of the city and nature, and will be set up on Čufarjeva Street.
Other well-established installations will also return, including Brbotanje by Matej Bizovičar and Cvetilke, featuring motifs created by primary school pupils, which will again illuminate Zvezda Park.
This year will also focus on the courtyard of artists’ studios at Gornji trg 24, where artists will open the doors of their studios to visitors and present their works in an outdoor setting.
LUV Fest will extend across Ljubljana’s thoroughfares, cultural institutions and hotel venues, with a growing number of hoteliers and restaurateurs joining the festival with special seasonal offers.
The program will include concerts, theatre performances, dance events, themed guided tours, workshops and exhibitions.
Particular attention will be devoted to the Art Vital exhibition, exploring the love story of the artistic duo Ulay and Marina Abramović at Cukrarna, as well as a production of Wagner’s opera Tristan and Isolde at the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Ljubljana.
The festival will conclude on March 12, on St. Gregory’s Day (Gregorjevo), when the traditional Ljubljana custom of floating gregorčki (mini houses made from biodegradable materials) along the Gradaščica stream will symbolically welcome the arrival of spring.
See https://www.visitljubljana.com/en/visitors/sights-and-activities/highlights/luv-fest/
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Get familiar with the Ardour hotel brand – it is a name that’s getting plenty of traction.
Salter Brothers Hospitality, the luxury retreat hotel operator, has announced that two more well-known destinations will join its fledgling Ardour Hotels & Estates collection in 2026.
Spicers Guesthouse in the Hunter Valley (above) and Kingsford The Barossa in South Australia will both be re-branding under the Ardour banner.
Spicers Guesthouse, known for its wine tourism and epicurean experiences will become Ardour Guesthouse Hunter Valley, while Kingsford The Barossa, an award-winning heritage estate, will become Ardour Kingsford Barossa.
Ardour Hotels & Estates debuts with two of Australia’s best-known rural heritage estates, Ardour Milton Park Bowral, and Ardour Lilianfels Blue Mountains, with both revealing multi-million-dollar renovations.
“Ardour is about elevating Australia’s most extraordinary places into destinations of global calibre,” says Tash Tobias, CEO of Salter Brothers Hospitality,
“We’re not simply creating hotels, we’re shaping experiences that celebrate the beauty, culture and authenticity of each region.”
Signature rituals will include Ardour Hour, a daily celebration of connection in spectacular surroundings, and curated wine experiences developed with leading regional producers.
Ardour Milton Park Bowral will be open for stays from next month with Ardour Lilianfels Blue Mountains and the two newly announced destinations following later in the year.
To learn more see: https://www.worldsapart.club/ardour
See more of Winsor’s travel tips and news at www.gourmetontheroad.com.