The Italian pastry that’s caused a frenzy
By Jeanne Bonner, CNN
(CNN) — This week in travel news: A frenzy erupts over Italian pastries, a college town serves up serious pizza, plus younger Brits are shunning the traditional night at the pub.
Buon appetito!
Known for its sumptuous cuisine and delicious desserts, Italy has tourists lining up for gelato all over the peninsula. But what about an Italian treat that’s sometimes overlooked – the pastry? Well, some travelers have put one particular doughy delight at the center of their itineraries, much to the chagrin of unassuming locals.
A hiking hut in a peaceful, remote area of the Italian Dolomites has been overrun by visitors seeking out a pastry known locally as a krapfen or bombolone, a filled delicacy similar to a donut without a hole.
Following the advice of food bloggers and influencers, overzealous visitors have thronged a rifugio (refuge) in Italy’s Val di Fassa valley, all because of this traditional pastry.
Stanley Tucci also sampled pastries – without causing offense – during an episode of CNN’s “Searching for Italy.” US-based subscribers can stream the show here.
South Korea’s first foreign haenyeo
Can you imagine diving into the sea without breathing gear to catch fresh seafood? It’s likely few of us could, but it’s a tradition on Jeju Island in South Korea, where now an American woman has become the first foreigner to hold a license to be a haenyeo — the local term for female divers.
Kylie Genter is a true rarity. “As a foreigner doing this, especially as a person who is not a Korean citizen, it’s a big responsibility,” she tells CNN.
Genter lives in Youngrak-ri, a small coastal village on the far western side of Jeju Island. Most villages have their own groups of haenyeo. And their bond is strong: They eat, dive, bathe and relax together — while also keeping each other safe.
CNN subscribers can read all about Genter and the haenyeo tradition here.
No olive branch for Canada
Amid another trade battle with Canada, President Trump issued an executive order changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America.
The announcement is spurring fears of a fresh wave of Canadian travelers steering clear of the US. This past year, CNN Travel visited a stretch of the Florida coast known as “Little Quebec,” which was seeing a major dip in tourism because of the tariffs and political infighting between the two North American neighbors. We’ve also spoken with many Canadian snowbirds who opted for other destinations over the winter.
A cultural oasis in New England
Continuing our countdown of America’s Best Towns to Visit in 2026, we have New Haven at No. 2.
New Haven is both a typical New England town dating from the colonial era – laid out in a grid with a historic town green – and also the chic, dynamic global home of Yale University.
Connecticut’s cultural capital, New Haven is an urban walker’s paradise, abounding in good eats and history. Spend time with master art works by Rodin, Van Gogh and Turner – for free – and then grab a coffee or enjoy your pick of historic hamburger joints, food trucks, taco places and Ethiopian restaurants.
Another thing that’s put the Connecticut city on the map? Pizza. To paraphrase Yalie and Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale, you may regret that you have but one weekend to give to New Haven.
Take a look, too, at the rest of our list so far: Roanoke, Virginia, at No. 10; Lawrence, Kansas, at No. 9; Iowa City, Iowa at No. 8; Juneau, Alaska, at No. 7; Burlington, Vermont, at No. 6; Fort Collins, Colorado, at No. 5; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, at No. 4; and Greenville, South Carolina at No. 3.
Next week, we’ll tell you all about our No. 1 pick. Do you have a suggestion for the 2027 list? Tell us about it here.
In case you missed it
Britain’s Gen Z is shunning the traditional night at the pub.
These young people are just as likely to head to the running track after work.
A man called the “Beast Runner” searches Taiwan’s mountains for missing hikers.
He follows clues even after everyone else has given up.
A restaurant in Bangkok says food first, not phones.
Run by a celebrity chef, it invites diners to enjoy the meal without a screen.
A legend remembered. A measles surge. A tragic flood.
What do you remember from the week that was?
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