International Traveller

I’m writing this letter while sitting at LAX waiting for a flight out of Los Angeles having flown in this morning; I have been here for a grand total of 16.5 hours. Knowing that I was doing such a tight turnaround on two very long flights, I was payi

LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC UNIVERSITY TOWN OF GÖTTINGEN, IN GERMANY’S LOWER SAXONY, HOTEL FREIGEIST IS A RELENTLESSLY MODERN NEW BUILD (AND A MEMBER OF DESIGN HOTELS) FEATURING 118 ROOMS. THE DÉCOR CONTINUES THE THEME, WITH WOOD AND COPPER FITTINGS THRO

1. It was first opened in 1910 by the famous Le Bon Marché department store, an icon of the Left Bank, for use by its important clients; it’s the area’s only historic grand hotel. 2. The hotel combined aspects of Art Nouveau and the emerging Art Deco

A year after the devastating Northern California wildfires that burned through some 99,148 hectares and destroyed thousands of homes around Sonoma and Napa Counties, the food and wine meccas are getting back on their feet. Given the area around Sonom

Finland punches way above its weight and size when it comes to producing iconic designers and design brands. Known as some of the happiest people on Earth, with a love of living life at full tilt, often in the great outdoors (in spite of their long,

MICHAEL JACKSON: ON THE WALL,LONDON, UK. MICHAEL JACKSON WOULD HAVE TURNED 60 IN AUGUST, AND THIS LANDMARK EXHIBITION AT LONDON’S NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY COMMEMORATES HIM IN STYLE. IT EXPLORES THE ICON’S INFLUENCE ON CONTEMPORARY ART SINCE HE FIRST

There’s a spot in the Pacific Ocean that holds a special significance to anyone with a deep appreciation for the natural world. If Charles Darwin hadn’t observed the unique wildlife of the Galápagos, namely its famous finches, and made deductions tha

Taking an enforced break from our devices doesn’t mean we need to journey to some remote corner of the Earth until the signal drops out. We just have to put ourselves somewhere so beguiling it holds our attention, and do things while we’re there that

You can’t help but like Australian Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo. On-track, he’s a fearless competitor, the sport’s best natural overtaker, while off it, he’s the straight-talking bloke next door with the winning smile and laughs for all. And thi

Does travelling catch up with you? At 91 years young, Patricia Grove asked herself that very question. But after recently completing her 75th cruise, there are no signs of Mrs Grove packing up her suitcase for good. That’s not to say things aren’t a

Home to one of the world’s first great civilisations, Egypt needs little introduction. With those famous pyramids, the tomb-strewn Valley of the Kings and the mighty temples of Abu Simbel, Egypt has attracted travellers since classical times, but the

8AM: The Parthenon stands sentry over the city of Athens as it has done for 2500 years, but its founders might be shocked by the concrete jungle that has developed a few hundred metres below it over millennia. Sprawling apartment blocks; tiny domed c

Every one of the 250 beautiful rooms – including over-water villas – at the Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay boast water views, so you can wake up to those mystical blues every morning of your stay. There are five restaurants at the resort. Try traditio

With its intoxicating blend of ancient and modern; of stunning natural beauty and awe-inspiring man-made monuments; and experiences ranging from the exhilarating to the serenely sublime, Japan offers travellers the perfect ‘choose your own adventure’

The flagstone floor of the American Colony Hotel Jerusalem has been worn smooth by more than a century of footsteps. Built during Ottoman rule by the Pasha of Jerusalem to accommodate his four wives, the house was bought towards the turn of the 19th

I’m admiring the view from my hotel room window at the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian. Clinging to the craggy outcrop of an extinct volcano are the imposing fortress and mottled sandstone buildings of Edinburgh Castle. The Caledonian prou

As my Finnair flight from Helsinki glides towards the runway of Kittilä airport, the evening landscape of Finnish Lapland comes into view: deep, thick snow blankets the ground as far as the eye can see and there is a gentle haze as if the air itself

1. THE ULTIMATE INSTAGRAM MOMENT – The pursuit of the ultimate Instagram shot while on holiday has become something of a frenzied pastime; but Fiji delivers the goods every evening. Due to its location close to the equator, sunsets in Fiji are often

The old joke that you don’t travel to Ireland for the weather is entirely true. Ireland is not the kind of place that a ‘sun-worshipping, cocktails-by-the-pool-from-11am-till-late’ wife like mine would naturally seek out. So to convince her to spend

The rivers of Europe allow passengers to experience multiple countries, cultures, cuisines and history in one enjoyable, unpack-once, sit-back-and-relax trip. The three most popular rivers to cruise are the RHINE , DANUBE and SEINE . The 1233-kilomet

Tropical, relaxing, friendly and fun, the Pacific is an ever-popular ocean to cruise, particularly for Australians with cruises departing from the East Coast and New Zealand. It’s a top choice for people who love the sun, the great outdoors, snorkell

ABOUT US Cruising holidays have changed. Ships are bolder and better – none more so than at Royal Caribbean. When it comes to unforgettable onboard experiences, we know how to raise the bar. On all of our 26 ships, you’ll discover never-before-seen i

ABOUT US Holland America Line was born to voyage. For 145 years, we’ve been introducing guests to new places and new cultures, and we’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of travel. We’ve seen how it opens minds, builds connections and fos

Cruising Alaska’s INSIDE PASSAGE on board an expedition ship is an altogether different experience than you’ll find on a mega-liner. You’ll be moored in quieter bays, have up-close-and-personal encounters with wildlife such as HUMPBACKS and BROWN BEA

ABOUT US With 125 years of experience sailing to some of the world’s most pristine locations, Hurtigruten have been helping travellers experience the polar extremes of the planet for generations. Taking guests beyond what a traditional cruise line ca

“I didn’t think I’d be able to find a corner of Italy not choked with tourists in high summer, but then I discovered Ponza [pictured], off the coast of Lazio, which is choked with cute fritti shops, pastel paint jobs and trattorias by the water inste

EACH TRAVELLER’S IDEA of their holiday destination bucket list can differ wildly from the next person’s. It all depends, of course, on what you want to discover. Some places in the world, however, are so unequivocally awe-inspiring, so indisputably i

The best, least crowded beaches in Spain lie on the Costa Brava, north of Barcelona in Catalonia, with hardly a high-rise in sight. On scorching days, head to Tamariu, in the province of Girona, to fling yourself into the crystal sea from a springboa

Stay at the Hotel Abruzzi: it’s been there forever and I can remember it from when I lived in Rome for two years as a child. Just 20 metres from the Pantheon in the Piazza della Rotonda, it represents incredible value for its location and rooms. Head

AS AN EXTENSION of the classic European holiday, travellers have been flocking to Scandinavia for years. Boasting pristine natural landscapes, cosmopolitan cities and an intriguing culture and heritage, it’s no mystery as to why this is the case. Win

TOP PACKING HACKS TO HELP YOU MASTER THE ART OF A PERFECTLY PACKED SUITCASE BY TRAVEL BLOGGER AND PHOTOGRAPHER EDWINA HART Nothing will make the task of packing easier than finding a suitcase with all the right features. Pick something: • Lightweight

IT’S ONE OF life’s great ironies that if you need a holiday, the last thing you have the time to do is plan a holiday. Finding a good deal can really take you down the internet rabbit hole, so a time-poor traveller without the hours to surf for a bar

Cruise ships often feature specialty restaurants that can be very popular. If your cruise allows you to, get in early and pre-book your dining options before you embark, otherwise make bookings as soon as you get on board. Stuart Allison, senior vi

Despite all our travels to beautiful places, we still vote the beaches of our home in South Australia our all-time favourites. Nothing beats a weekend home on the Fleurieu Peninsula: wine tasting in McLaren Vale with fish and chips for dinner on Sell

YOU KNOW the amazing frisson you get every time you explore a new destination? That passion is ready to be rekindled, even in your very own backyard. Inspiring Journeys’ range of holidays, from five to 22 days of boutique touring, explores some of th

Consider travelling in the shoulder seasons of where you want to go. Not only are prices generally lower, but locations are quieter, staff have more time to dedicate to guests and there are often unexpected benefits like different wildlife or weather

“Travellers are looking for new, less-explored, brag-worthy destinations,” says Emma Prineas, acting head of marketing at Wendy Wu Tours, and the ‘Stans’ of Central Asia – which stretch from the Caspian Sea in the west to China in the east and Russia

FOR OVER 20 YEARS, G Adventures have been the small-group adventure travel experts. More than a vacation, we offer the chance to get to know your world better by putting yourself on a first-name basis with the people, places, and things that make it

An easy hour out of Tokyo is the Izu Peninsula, a heartbreakingly beautiful area brimming with hot springs within sight of Mount Fuji. It’s all about the water here: craft beer made with Fuji’s hundred-year-old snow melt, dining on eel raised in the

Tucked into a cosy, dimly lit corner of a hotel lobby, I have literally just met the gentleman sitting in front of me but already I am holding his hand and staring intently into his wise eyes. Before you imagine the scene as a Mills & Boon-style assi

Unpick Miami’s arts district with this walking guide to the city’s most enticing neighbourhood . Start the day at this specialty coffee roaster and pick up a fresh one to get your day in Wynwood off to a flying start; its muralled exterior and hipste