A guide to the Tour de France
If you happen to be in France one July and wonder what all the two-wheeling is about - its the Tour de France. Let us put you in the picturesque picture.The purpose of the Tour de France was simple: to make supermen. The harder the race and the longer the course, the more public interest that it wou
Best things to do in summer in Japan
Summer in much of Japan is hot and can be unrelentingly humid, but it’s also the season for top festivals, mass folk dancing, mountain hikes, and enjoying a cold beer on a city rooftop. If you’re travelling in Japan between June and September, carry a fan and make the most of these summertime experi
Best value destinations for 2015
Bang for your buck and pizzazz for your pound: here’s where to stretch this year’s travel budget until it oozes contentment.1. Tunisia Low prices had just begun to lure travellers back to Tunisia, but a terrorist attack in the capital on March 18 has dealt a blow to the tourism industry’s recove
The world’s hottest new travel experiences for 2015
Which of the planet’s amazing experiences are on your wish list for 2015? How about exploring the inside of an ice cap in Iceland, star-gazing in Australia’s outback or zip-lining over lush valleys in Taiwan?Lonely Planet’s destination gurus have scoured the globe to find awesome attractions for our
Best places to travel in September 2015
As temperatures grow milder and tourist crowds wane, September can be a wonderful time of year to travel.Head to Shanghai for mid-autumn moon gazing, or catch the last of the summer sun on the shores of Lake Michigan. This is also the time to indulge in a tipple or two - at La Riojas grape harvest c
Best places to travel in October 2015
As the shoulder season for many regions – with prices and footfall tending to be lower than they are in peak months – October is the ideal time for a stress-free jaunt.You could gain some serious altitude in Nepal and Albuquerque, beat the crowds in Jordan and Cornwall, meet the Grand Canyon’s match
Best places to travel in November 2015
Choose to travel in November and you’re in for a treat – this penultimate month is packed with quirky festivals, sporting events and wondrous wildlife-spotting opportunities.Don your cowboy boots and indulge in a little gaucho culture in Argentina; stand in awe of nature’s marvels in autumnal Japan
Best places to travel in December 2015
Another year of travel is nearly over… but not quite. There’s still time to squeeze in a stint of last-minute shopping at Europe’s Christmas markets, or make arrangements to see in the new year in style.Do December travel the traditional way – with fireworks, comfort food and snow – or get away from
Counting the stars at Malawis lakeside music festival
The sun-bleached sands of Lake Malawi play host to one of the most memorable musical gatherings in the world, the Lake of Stars Festival. Malawi has long been known as the warm heart of Africa, but every September as the festival cranks up the volume, the lakeside really hots up. To get you into the
Best places to travel in January 2016
January may be the perfect time to start making travel plans for the year ahead – but its also a wonderful month to put them into action.Why wait to soak up some vitamin D in Guatemala or the Philippines, shuck oysters in South Carolina, tackle a frosty Great Wall of China or hit the slopes in Iran?
Australias best summer festivals
There’s always a festival somewhere in a country as big and diverse as Australia, but it’s in summer, roughly from November to March, that things really kick off. Whatever you’re into, wherever you find yourself, you’ll find like-minded souls getting together to cheer on the good things in life. Fro
Exploring Cubas 500
Soon after arriving in Cuba in 1511, conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuellar set about founding seven pioneering villas , that occupies restored colonial digs. With the explosive growth of Cuba’s private sector, new state-run restaurants tend to get short shrift, but exceptions can be made for T
Best places to travel in February 2016
The shortest month of the year is also the sweetest – if you know where to travel. Spend February up to your eyeballs in sugar-laced pancakes at Russia’s version of Mardi Gras; sip cocktails at a Modernist poolside setting in Palm Springs; or opt for something a little more tart, like Menton’s Fête
Tis the season: whats on in London over winter
London in winter has an atmosphere all of its own. Festivals, sales and sporting events illuminate the dark evenings, cosy pubs come into their own and ice rinks and carol concerts ring in the Christmas spirit. Many attractions, meanwhile, are far quieter than they are in summer.And while locals lov
Best places to travel in March 2016
Depending on where you are in the world, March marks the start of spring or autumn; but whatever your starting point, there’s a travel adventure on the doorstep.Lonely Planet’s destination experts have a host of suggestions to satisfy your wanderlust this month, from scoffing delicacies at a Kiwi fo
Best places to travel in April 2016
With spring in full swing in the northern hemisphere, and fewer crowds in the southern hemisphere’s hotspots, April is an excellent time to travel.Immerse yourself in epic landscapes, like Ecuador’s valley of the volcanoes or Oman’s spectacular coast; celebrate history and culture in England, Albuqu
Where to celebrate Chinese New Year
You don’t need to head to China to see in the Year of the Monkey this February. Make for Chinatown in cities from London to Kuala Lumpur and we promise you’ll feast just like you would in a Beijing hutong and party as if you were in downtown Shanghai. Pace yourself. Celebrations can last for two wee
Carnivals 101: a guide to some of the greatest shows on Earth
Swept away in a sea of feather headdresses as sequins ping from overtight costumes, few travellers stop to wonder why carnivals exist. These riots of pre-Lenten revelry demand to be experienced rather than understood. Their common element is a gleeful up-ending of social norms, making them among the
Tapati Rapa Nui: Easter Islands iconic festival in images
Colorful, spectacular, grandiose – words do little justice to the annual Tapati Rapa Nui, Easter Island’s greatest festival and a vibrant celebration of the islands Polynesian culture. For about two weeks in the first half of February, Easter Island (Rapa Nui) comes alive with a series of music, dan
Best places to travel in May 2016
Choose to travel in May and you’re in for a treat – especially if you’re keen to explore new cultures and ancient cities.Fancy losing yourself in the souks and sounds of Fez during a world music festival? How about a Nordic knees-up on Bergen’s waterfront? From rural Serbia to the Silk Road, our tra
