Some hikes are beautiful, some are challenging, and some change you. Hiking the Lost Valley in Glencoe, deep in the Scottish Highlands, was the closest I’ve ever come to sacred—a place where awe waits in the silence, the cliffs, and the fog.

Looking for a family-friendly hike in Switzerland? This trail from Gutschalp to Mürren in the Lauterbrunnen Valley offers sweeping views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, plus a cable car ride to Allmendhubel where kids can play at one of the best alpine playgrounds in Europe. It’s the perfect mix of adventure and slow travel for families exploring the Swiss Alps.

Two professors and 26 students left behind the traditional classroom for two weeks in Southern Italy. What began as a course on stress reduction and happiness became something deeper: an experience of slowing down, disconnecting from devices, stretching past comfort zones, and learning through connection, culture, and presence.

A 6-day road trip from Athens to Mt. Olympus — with myths, mountains, and one determined 7-year-old. What worked, what didn’t, and why we’d do it again.

We came to Athens for the history—the ruins, the museums, the must-see sights. But what stayed with us were the moments we didn’t plan: chasing pigeons in the shade, running across a marble stadium, saying yes when it would’ve been easier to say no. We didn’t do less. We just did it differently.