Editor’s note: This letter will be presented in two parts, one about the planning and one about the trip.

Early in 2017, my husband, Bob, and I started to plan our annual fall trip to Europe. We had been receiving a weekly email from Travelzoo (www.travelzoo.com/top20) listing the week’s top 20 deals. This newsletter gives us an idea of what’s available. We decided that we wanted to explore the west coast of Ireland: the Wild Atlantic Way. 

One of the...

Before we embarked on a 2-week South America cruise with Oceania Cruises, my husband and I were fortunate enough to spend three days and two nights in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at the Algodon Mansion (1647 Montevideo St.; phone +54 11 3530 7777, www.relaischateaux.com/us/argentina/algodon-buenos-aires).

Our stay at this 10-room boutique hotel was the most fantastic experience of our entire trip! 

A Relais & Châteaux property in the heart of Recoleta, the hotel is a 1912...

After weeks of touring Central Asia, my friend Scott and I stopped in fascinating Istanbul for a 3-day visit on our way home.

Despite gray skies and intermittent rain, on Oct. 25, 2017, we enjoyed our visits to the usual tourist sights, finishing with the Topkapı Palace complex. Afterward, Scott wanted to explore the Galata area while I wished to revisit the Grand Bazaar. Both of us are experienced travelers, so we split up.

It began to rain, and I was a bit tired after all our...