Tight streets, a famous university and glimpses of parks, commons and courtyards dominate Cambridge, England. North of London, the city is accentuated by the River Cam and buildings both new and old, such as historic King’s College Chapel and Cambridge University’s modern Centre for Mathematical Sciences.

World’s most beautiful cities according to ForbesTraveler.com.

Canadians who stayed away helped contribute to a US$1.3-billion drop in spending by air travelers to Hawaii in 2009. However, things started to improve by December, the state’s tourism authority reported in late January 2010.

Hawaii’s number one industry welcomed 6.5 million visitors in 2009, a 4.5 per cent decline from 2008. Visitors arriving by air spent $9.9 billion last year, a decrease of 11.7 per cent, from the year before.

For the year of 2009, arrivals by air from Canada declined 5.8 per cent, Japan 4.9 per cent, the U.S. West 1.8 per cent and U.S. East 7.2 per cent. The four are Hawaii’s top visitor markets.

Canadians will need a passport to enter Mexico as of March 1, 2010 the Canadian Tourism Board advises.

Canadian citizens have been able to visit the country with just a birth certificate plus photo ID, but that is changing as Mexico “aligns its entry requirements to the rest of North America,” said Alfonso Sumano, the Mexico Tourism Board’s regional director for Canada.

Out of the 1.2 million Canadian tourists who visited Mexico last year, about 10,000 – or less than one per cent – did not have a passport, Sumano said.

These spots offer up the ultimate in global cuisine.

Paris is known for its patisseries, Michelin-starred restaurants and perfectly prepared steak frites. In Rome, square slices of pizza topped with zucchini, Caprese sandwiches and of course, gelato, tempt foodies. In Tokyo, upscale favorites like sashimi and robatayaki rule alongside street food mainstays like Gyudon, a beef and onion mixture served over rice.

Have you ever decided at the last minute to take a vacation, but didn’t know where to go, or if you could afford it? Last minute travel deals through online travel agencies are becoming the wave of the future. If you are open-minded, flexible and ready to explore, read on.

The Villa d’Este, is often noted to be the world`s largest hotel. It is often acclaimed for its location, views, architecture, beauty, service, decor, history, easy accessibility, a spa, sightseeing and weather.”

When the editors of Forbes Traveler asked the world’s top travelers to name the 400 best hotels on the planet, it was no surprise to find a Lake Como property atop the list. For hundreds of years, this elite getaway 30 miles north of Milan has attracted discerning travelers with picturesque views and a Mediterranean-like climate. One of the lake’s town names has even become a synonym for luxury itself: Bellagio.

The Dead Sea, one of the world’s cultural and ecological treasures, has been long recognized for its healing powers. Legend holds that such figures as the Queen of Sheba, Aristotle and Cleopatra sought the Dead Sea’s life-enhancing waters. (In fact, it is said that Cleopatra traveled from Egypt to build the world’s first spa on its shore.)

King David took refuge there and Herod the Great soaked away cares of state in the sea. For 5,000 years people have floated (literally) on the buoyant, salty waters.

Journey to the extraordinary: Check out these awe-inspiring sacred sites and ancient wonders.

Jerusalem, Israel

Located in the Judean Mountains, between the Mediterranean Sea and the northern tip of the Dead Sea, Jerusalem has a history that goes back to the 4th millennium BC, making it one of the oldest cities in the world.

Jerusalem is considered holy to Judaism, Christianity and Islam – making it sacred to more than a third of the world’s population. Key religious sites include the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque. The old walled city, a World Heritage site, has been traditionally divided into four quarters, although the names used today — the Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Quarters — were introduced in the early 19th century.

You know you won’t need half the stuff in your suitcase. The next time you travel, pack lighter and pack smarter. Here’s how.

“There are only two types of luggage,” says Doug Dyment. “Carry-on luggage and lost luggage.”

Dyment is a former computer technician and creator of OneBag, a travel blog that offers advice on what and how to pack. His perspective on single-bag travel is evangelical, and his commandments are based on the simple premise that a bit of forethought can alleviate the stress of packing, getting through the airport and navigating unfamiliar terrain with unwieldy luggage.