From the balcony of my hotel room in the medieval center, the casco viejo, I look down on cobbled streets lined with enticing restaurants and bars, trendy shops, hair salons, butchers, bakers, and—a few blocks away—the largest enclosed food market in Europe. Down the street, on a raised platform, a juggler is performing. Tourists and locals stroll in small groups, laughing, joking, and window-shopping.

I first visited Nicaragua nearly a decade ago and fell in love with its rough-around-the-edges beauty and the genuine warmth of its people. In 2007, my husband and I lived for a while on this hilltop overlooking San Juan del Sur. We spent lazy days exploring hidden beaches and lively evenings with friends at the thatch-roofed seafood restaurants that line the beach. Now we had returned to reacquaint ourselves…

In your October issue, Lee revealed all his good reasons for choosing this “Europe of South America” and explained why you should consider following his example. But there’s even more to this fascinating, lesser-known country. If you’re looking for an environment where your money is safe, you and your family can feel secure, and taxes are low, this country should be on your short list.

High in the Venezuelan Andes, crammed into the Chama River Valley, there’s a small city with a growing reputation. Home to colonial buildings, shady plazas, leafy parks, and1,000 flavors of ice cream, Mérida has become increasingly popular with travelers looking for a South American experience.

Ask any Italian about Tuscany, Lombardy, or the Veneto and they can rattle off a list of the attractions of these well-known regions. But bring up Le Marche, scrunched between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea, and they may fall silent. It’s a mystery why. Less than three hours’ drive from Rome, Le Marche features sandy beaches and great seafood on its Adriatic Coast, rolling hills topped with medieval fortified towns and villages to the west, along with snow-capped peaks in the south. You’ll find a musical heritage, too…composer Rossini was born here.

When Cheryl Finnegan lost her job, she considered putting up a fight. She could stay in San Francisco – maybe get back into another firm with another position in corporate marketing. Or she could do something else with her life. At the age of 39, in the middle of a divorce and with a generous severance package from her former employer, Levi Strauss, Cheryl did just that.