It seems we’ve only just stopped dreaming of last issue’s Maui hideaways , but now we’re ready to start plotting the best way to get to the Amalfi Coast. Yes, the latest issue of National Geographic Traveler is heading to a newsstand or mailbox near you, and it’s stuffed with ways to help you plan your own escapes this spring and summer: Best-selling author Elizabeth Berg penned our cover story about cooking school in Positano, Italy , with sumptuous photos by Massimo Bassano . Try not to salivate. Our contributing editor Andrew Nelson could get dropped off in Siberia and instantly make friends, but we made things slightly easier for him. We sent him to Miami without a plan, and told him to use only one tool, Twitter, to help him get around. In the resulting story, “Tweet Me in Miami,” he gets guided by locals whose “recommendations and comments are fresher and more up-to-date than any guidebook,” he writes. Get the full story here . Thanks to all of his followers who gave suggestions (and their Twitter names are embedded in our online story)! Looking for an authentic getaway in Britain and Ireland? Charles Kulander culled 89 charming hotels packed with personality for our annual Stay List. Most hotels began as something else (monasteries, castles, you get the idea) and have evolved into unique lodgings. To be selected the sites must be fully engaged with their surroundings, tied to community, and tuned to the environment. Find the complete list of hotels here . And last but certainly not least, sand-loving expat Kris LeBoutillier reveals his favorite little-known beaches in Southeast Asia, based on 12 years of travels and countless pictures of sunsets. Read the story and see more of his photos . Find more from the issue plus dozens of online extras on Traveler’s website

Read the original here Inside Our April Issue: Amalfi, Miami, Britain & Ireland