I’M A BIT EMBARRASSED TO ADMIT it’s taken me this long, but I finally made it to Portugal this summer. While I spent only two days in Lisbon, my visit in June, paired with the Porto article (turn to page 62), left me wanting more. I have a long list of destinations within the country to visit next time — and I won’t let it take me so long to return. It’s easier than ever for U.S. travelers to visit Portugal, as TAP Air Portugal recently launched service from Chicago (ORD); Washington, D.C. (IAD); and San Francisco (SFO). I was lucky enough to join the inaugural flight from San Francisco to Lisbon (more on page 18), and the excitement in the air was palpable before boarding. The new flights will go a long way in connecting Portuguese communities in the United States with their homeland.

Welcome to our Food & Wine Issue; in the past, this has been our Wine Issue, but this year we opened that up to include cuisine, one of the most important aspects of travel for many people. A Food & Wine Issue wouldn’t be complete, of course, without Portugal, and my recent trip highlighted the importance of food in my travels. Despite a limited time in the city and a tight schedule, it was essential I make time to visit Pastéis de Belém to try the famous egg custard tart of the same name. It didn’t feel like my visit would be complete without sampling the iconic dessert, available throughout the country but particularly of note at this specific bakery, where the tart’s secret ingredient has been a long-held secret. It was worth the visit.

I also eagerly read Donna Long’s article on Savannah, Georgia, page 63. Next month I’m headed to the city for the first time for a bachelorette party. If there’s a city that can live up to the task of offering food and beverage to satisfy 11 women with varying diets and tastes, Savannah is it.

Each article in this issue made me eager to visit the destination — and made me hungry and thirsty! Where else are we eating and drinking this month? Tokyo, Hanoi, Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Bangkok, Cafayate, Italy and Bordeaux. Check out some lesser-known food and wine regions on page 44, and find out which airlines serve the best wines in the sky on page 34. Join us next month when we visit the burgeoning tourist destination of Malta and go gorilla trekking in Uganda. Until then, cheers!