Destinations

Lonely Planet Destination Editor Amy Lynch traveled to Tampere, Finland – the sauna capital of the world – to discover what lies behind the Finnish passion for saunas. Here, she shares some tips and insights for anyone planning a similar trip. I thought I knew what saunas were all about. Small, electric affairs at the local swimming

Ross Clarke recently returned from Fuerteventura where he was researching for the upcoming Canary Islands guidebook (publishing November 2024). This is his ultimate guide to planning your holiday to Fuerteventura. When people think of the Canary Islands, sunshine and seaside fun usually spring to mind. And rightly so, as the archipelago is awash with both

Ross Clarke has recently returned from Gran Canaria where he was researching for the upcoming Canary Islands guidebook (publishing November 2024). Here he creates the ultimate guide to help you start planning your vacation to the Canaries’ third-largest island. When you fly into Gran Canaria or traverse its coastline by boat to dock at one

Inexpensive lodging and affordable street food mean Oaxaca delivers plenty of bang for your buck – add a plethora of free attractions to the mix and the colorful city is about as budget-friendly as they come. Cultural activities abound in Oaxaca, many of which won’t set you back a single peso. Scores of free museums, galleries

It’s been 30 years since the Eurostar first connected London to mainland Europe via the Channel Tunnel. As an Australian living in London, I cannot tell you how excited I was the first time I arrived at St Pancras “International” to board a Paris-bound train.  A few trips later, including a recent long weekend in

Alberta is home to some of the most awe-inspiring scenery on the planet: rugged snow-capped mountains, massive glaciers, thick forests, impossibly blue lakes, vast prairies and other-worldly badlands filled with dinosaur bones. It’s a nature lover’s paradise, but that’s only one side of this remarkable destination. First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples have lived on

Some girlfriends and I found ourselves in the north of Barbados, suddenly in desperate need of some painkillers. We’d been enjoying some girl talk and an afternoon island drive, with no destination in particular, when I was assaulted by a headache. Now, something to know about Barbados is the further north you venture, modern conveniences

For grand castles and gritty industrial architecture, half-timbered taverns and edgy techno nightclubs, head to Germany. Explore culture-rich cities like Berlin or Hamburg; dive into the great outdoors by visiting epic mountains and national parks; or examine to modern history and reminders of a divided past. Here are some of the top things to do across

Edmonton does things big: it’s home to Canada’s largest sports and entertainment district, the largest stretch of urban parkland in North America, the oldest and largest fringe theater festival in North America and one of the largest shopping malls on the planet. But underneath that big, bold surface is a vibrant capital city with an

Since time immemorial, Mother Nature has been hard at work in Arches National Park, famous for its namesake rock formations that splash soaring arcs of red-orange sandstone against the bright blue sky of Utah. True to its name, Arches has the highest concentration of natural stone arches of anywhere on Earth, from the graceful 306ft-long

While there aren’t many bargains in Munich, there are a surprising number of one-of-a-kind activities and sights that are completely free. Whether you’re a music lover, a car enthusiast or a fan of world-class soccer, gardens, history or architecture, Munich has a free experience for you. Here’s our guide to the very best of them. 1.

A mind-boggling glimpse into layers upon layers of Earth’s planetary past, Canyonlands National Park is Utah’s largest – and least visited – national park, even though part of it sits a short distance away from Arches National Park, a 40-minute drive from the town of Moab. Canyonlands’ meandering cliffsides are stacked with thousands of feet

If you ask someone to rattle off Austria’s unmissable attractions, they’ll probably rave about Vienna and its lavish feast of palaces, coffee houses, concert halls and galleries, and the heart-racing trails and slopes traversing the Alps that ripple across half the country. Worthy though these are, this pocket-sized alpine fantasy of a country has lesser-known

India may be famous for its fragrant, spice-infused chai, but in Bengaluru (Bangalore) and elsewhere across South India, another hot caffeinated drink reigns supreme. Walk past any local breakfast joint in Bengaluru and you’ll see swarms of people standing at stainless steel tables washing down fluffy idlis (South Indian spongy, round, fermented rice cake) and crispy

On 6 February 2023, Türkiye suffered one of the most devastating events in its post-war history: a pair of 7.8- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that ravaged the country’s southeastern region, killing more than 50,000 people in 11 provinces. With over 160,000 buildings severely damaged or destroyed, 100,000 people injured and 3 million displaced, the disaster’s effects

“Where locals go” is our series featuring under-the-radar holiday destinations that are often overlooked by visitors but cherished by locals. In this edition, our NYC experts showcase their favorite holiday spots at home. While those of us who live in New York City know there is no place like home, we also know there is

Where some families have recipes that they hand down through generations, my family has canoes and sand dunes. Every summer since my grandmother was a girl, my family has made the trek from wherever we are living to a little lake cottage in Northern Michigan. We spend our days riding bikes and playing in the

There is something magical about a natural hot spring. They are formed when magma forces hot water through fissures in the earth – but that explanation doesn’t make them any less special. When you’re soaking in steamy mineral water it feels as if Mother Nature created a geothermal phenomenon just for you. This is especially

Once dismissed as a sleepy retirement home for aging Anglophiles, Vancouver Island has acquired a racier profile in recent years, courtesy of its free-spirited surfing towns, pastoral wineries, community-built biking networks and extravagantly eccentric accommodations. If you’ve ever spent time fantasizing about “hanging ten” in Tofino, sleeping in spherical treehouses, visiting Canada’s only commercial tea

The smallest of Utah’s “Mighty 5” national parks, Bryce Canyon packs a big punch. The first time you clap eyes on its iconic hoodoos – those otherworldly rock spires striped with orange, pink and red – is a moment you’ll never forget, even if you’ve seen photos of them before. This incredible park is home to more