“Actor Peter Ustinov famously said that Toronto is New York run by the Swiss,” said Lydia Devereaux, international marketing director at Destination Ontario. “We’ve both got world-class museums and galleries, shopping, a renowned food scene inspired by an incredibly diverse population and unique walkable neighbourhoods.”
If you’re craving cowboy culture… try Argentina
Yellowstone has a lot to answer for. The popular Paramount show – along with spin off show 1888 and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter world tour – is behind what travel experts have called the rise in cowboy core: a growing interest in Western culture, ranch stays and horse-riding holidays. But while Montana and Wyoming are seeing new interest, you don’t have to be in the US to experience the best of cowboy culture: just ask the gauchos (cowboys) of Argentina.
Here, gaucho culture draws on a centuries-old heritage of nomadic horsemen who care for their livestock and live life in the saddle. While this traditional lifestyle is struggling to survive in the face of agricultural advancement, travellers can stay in a wide array of estancia (Argentine gaucho ranches) where the pace is slow, the landscapes are vast and the asado (traditional barbecue) is serious business.
“At Estancia Los Potreros, guests witness authentic horsemanship, asados and mate drinking, which are all still part of daily life,” said owner Kevin Begg, who believes the Argentinian version of cowboy culture is even more authentic than the US. “We invite our guests to be part of our family and our activities are all based on what is going on at the estancia as opposed to being picked off an activity list.”
If you marvelled at the Grand Canyon… try the Tara River Gorge in Montenegro
The Grand Canyon’s size and scale are unmatched – measuring 278 miles long, 18 miles across at its widest and an average of one mile deep. Its also one of the US’s most visited national parks, with nearly five million visitors last year.
