Country tips

Imagine being able to board a train from Spain to Morocco, and travel efficiently—and sustainably—between Europe and Africa in under six hours. Thanks to a historic rail tunnel project currently being considered by the two countries’ transportation ministries, the first-ever rail link between the two continents could become a reality in just a few years.

Longtime food writer Priya Krishna’s latest offering is a very different kind of cookbook. Aimed at kids ages 8 to 11, Priya’s Kitchen Adventures: A Cookbook for Kids is a collection of recipes organized by some of the countries Krishna was able to visit in her own childhood thanks to her mother’s career in the travel industry. “Every country starts with a little narrative from my younger self about my experiences of the countries, and I mined my old diaries to get a lot of that content,” she says.

One kiss or two? Anna Richards, one of the authors of the new Lonely Planet France guidebook, shares her tips to avoid some common French faux pas.

With four official languages yet a distinct sense of national identity, Switzerland is a mix of cultures and at the same time innately Swiss – and that goes for its cuisine, too.

Once you've visited over half of the world's countries, the urge to travel to every nation slowly starts to take hold of your itinerary.

Just as sports obsessives will travel to Paris this summer for the Olympics, pop music lovers with a penchant for camp will travel to Malmö for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Summer on the coast or winter on the slopes? Anna Richards, one of the authors of the new Lonely Planet France guidebook, shares her tips for planning the best time to visit France for your perfect vacation.

Last week was a fun-filled week of theme park news.

There are European country house hotels, and then there is Casa Palmela, about a 45-minute drive south of Lisbon. Located a couple of miles beyond the sleepy port city of Setubal, it’s surrounded by lush countryside covered in vineyards and dotted with cork trees. A very long and grand walled driveway takes you into a spacious courtyard, letting you know in all its 17th-century splendor that you have arrived.

As the host of popular TV shows ranging from Bizarre Foods to Magnolia Network’s Family Dinner, Andrew Zimmern has traveled and eaten his way across the globe.

Whitening. Herbal. Charcoal. Color changing? I'm in the toothpaste aisle at Target, dumbfounded by a selection that runs several shelves long and as many high. After more than 20 years in Cuba, where Close-Up and La Perla were the only choices for most of that time, I'm overwhelmed by the number of options. If Target triggers paralysis, I shudder to think what terror Costco might elicit.

Denmark is a haven for cyclists of all abilities, with 11,000km of marked cycle routes to ride. From adventurous cycling on multi-day trips that take in the country’s most varied scenery, to day trips and wine tours, these are the country’s best bike routes for everyone, from hobbyists to expert-level athletes. To make it extra easy, accommodation options line the routes, including simple campsites and shelters, run by the Danish Nature Agency and offered for free or almost free, as well as B&Bs and hotels especially set up for cyclists, with bike rooms, e-bike charging stations and rooms made available for fixing your bike as you go. Aktiv Danmark has a list of bike-friendly accommodation and there is also a group of Danish Bike Hotels that have bike facilities. Bike rental is available in major cities and towns all over the country.

Little did I know when I moved to Switzerland a decade ago that I’d still be here now. But with its supermodel looks, fine weather, easy-peasy public transport, multilingual mindset and penchant for cheese and wine, this is a country where it’s easy to get comfortable – even if things are a bit on the pricey side.

While neon-lit Tokyo moves ahead at hyperspeed, Kyoto ambles along at a leisurely pace. During its thousand-year reign as Japan’s imperial city, artisans from around the country flocked here to hone their skills in nishijin-ori silk weaving and kyo-yaki pottery. Today, in its traditional machiya town houses, ceramicists and woodworkers still produce the same fine wares as their ances- tors. But a group of younger makers is shaking up the scene, opening next-gen ateliers, teahouses, and concept stores that swap the sometimes-intimidating rules and rituals of traditional crafts with modern designs and easygoing retail spaces. Whatever the approach, one thing is for sure in Kyoto: The handmade reigns supreme.

Slovenia is small and it’s possible to cross the country by car, bus or train within the course of a day.

Nothing can ruin a vacation like being the victim of a pickpocketing scam. Throughout Europe specifically, a new study shows that there are some destinations where theft is more prevalent than others.

Slovenia is an all-year destination. Every season has its appeal, but the best time to visit depends on your interests and priorities.

Princess Cruise's new around-the-world voyage will hit two vacation trends in one itinerary.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a country that packs so much to see and do in such a compact area.

Napa Valley has long been a mecca for wine lovers. Who doesn’t fantasize about sipping wine while overlooking a vineyard? But wine country vacations are getting expensive: tasting room fees have risen sharply since 2019, according to Silicon Valley Bank’s 2023 Direct to Consumer report. With premium tasting experiences often costing an average of $128 per person per winery, a weekend getaway can quickly add up. And long gone are the days of traversing Highway 29 and popping into places on a whim; reservations, a practice that gained traction during the pandemic, remain firmly in place.

For proof that good things come in small packages, one need only visit Slovenia. In an area half the size of Switzerland, this Central European country packs in breathtaking mountain scenery, lively coastal resorts, fashionable cities, crystal-clear lakes and rivers, and charming, isolated villages.