Travel Dispatch: 36 Hours on Lake Como

September 19, 2026

An elegant fountain sits before a deep-blue lake, with green mountains rising gently in the distance. Overhead, wispy white clouds punctuate a pale blue sky. The fountain is capped by a sculpture of a single person; water spouts from either side of them.

In Tremezzo, Teresio Olivelli park is a beloved local spot for swimming and sunbathing. Pontus Berghe for The New York Times

Dear Travel Fan,

Fall officially begins on Tuesday and we got a jump on the season for you.

Several years ago, I went to Italy’s Lake Como in October and came back with my phone full of pictures, many of them taken in the magnificent garden of the Villa del Balbianello. I can happily report that the property makes an appearance on this week’s 36 Hours in Lake Como, along with a weekend’s worth of other sumptuous stops.

Autumn is a great time for outdoor adventures, whether you want to go cycling in Northern California, swimming in one of London’s outdoor pools or hiking in Swedish Lapland. And if you’re already thinking about spooky season, maybe a visit to a ghost town is in order. We’ve got a roundup of some fascinating ones.

We also take a look at the exciting ethnic food scene in Toronto, a city where nearly half the residents are immigrants and the dining is diverse and delicious.

On the news front, there has been a lot of debate about A.I. lately and what kind of threat it poses to humankind. But at the same time that many people are worrying about its impact, they are also using it in their everyday lives. This week, Seth Kugel, our Tripped Up columnist, has advice on how to ask your A.I. bot better questions about travel — so that you get better answers.

Finally, we write a lot about overtourism and how it is affecting European cities like Venice and Barcelona, which have taken measures to cut down on the number of visitors. But some of those same cities are now expanding their airports. We take a look at why that is — and how people in those places feel about it.

Wishing you safe and happy travels,
Amy Virshup

OPEN UP YOUR WORLD

The crumbling walls of a three-story building in Rhyolite, Nevada, stand amid piles of rock and concrete in a desert landscape with low, brown hills.

Gabe Castro-Root

After the Gold Rush: 5 Ghost Towns to Explore This Fall

These mostly abandoned wilderness outposts, resplendent in their solitude, invite curious visitors to imagine what life was like during the boom times.

By Gabe Castro-Root

Jessica Parrillo

Cycling California’s North Coast

This route takes both budding and experienced riders to redwoods, secluded beaches, scenic towns and the reborn Klamath River.

By Alex Crevar

Against a pale blue sky, an estate sits perched on a promontory overlooking glassy blue-green waters. Lush green topiary surrounds the structure, which is terraced across multiple levels. The building is elegant and tidy, with a pale, butter-yellow facade and several fairytale-like towers. Green mountains rise is the distance. In the foreground, the white-leather rim and wooden interiors of a speedboat are just visible.

Pontus Berghe for The New York Times

36 Hours

36 Hours on Lake Como, Italy

One of Italy’s most poetic destinations now shares the stage with a new generation of hotels, restaurants and an increasingly high-profile crowd.

By Laura Rysman and Pontus Berghe

Jack Taylor/Reuters

Diving Into London: 6 Places to Swim, No Matter What the Season

A dip in one of London’s swimming spots is an opportunity to immerse yourself “in an ordinary hour of a city’s life.”

By Mark Vanhoenacker

About a dozen reindeer stand on a patch of snow surrounded by a rocky landscape.

Where the Reindeer Roam: Trekking 67 Miles in Arctic Sweden

On a hike along the Kungsleden Trail, or “king’s trail,” in Swedish Lapland, a writer encounters majestic animals, challenging terrain and communal moments of sheer wonder.

By Jim O’Grady and Jon Harris

A Food Lover’s Tour of Toronto

Multicultural neighborhoods, market tours and dinner parties offer culinary intrigue in Canada’s largest city.

By Elaine Glusac and Eugen Sakhnenko

THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL

An illustration shows a man wearing glasses and a pink baseball cap sitting next to a pink robot that is pointing to a spot on a map laid out before them on desk. The robot has several speech balloons above its head, and the man is looking toward the robot with a pen in his hand. There are buildings, bridges and a jet in the background.

Minet Kim

Planning a Trip With A.I.? Here’s How to Do It Better.

Generic questions get generic answers, experts say, so to avoid mediocre recommendations, you’ll need to write smarter prompts. Follow these tips.

By Seth Kugel

A crowded beach lines the shores of a city. In the background are mountains beneath a clear sky. A silver plane can be seen above the city.

Clara Margais/picture alliance, via Getty Images

These European Cities Say They Have Too Many Tourists. Why Are Their Airports Growing?

Airport expansions in places like Venice, Barcelona and the Spanish island of Mallorca can undermine local efforts to restrain overtourism, and can even enable more tourists to come.

By Lisa Abend

Feedback, thoughts, tips? Email the Travel desk at travel@nytimes.com.

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