‘I’ve never seen lily pads so big’: readers’ favourite gardens in Europe | Parks and green spaces

‘I’ve never seen lily pads so big’: readers’ favourite gardens in Europe | Parks and green spaces

Island oasis, Ischia, Italy La Mortella is an extraordinary garden we visited on the island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples. It is a wonderland of exotic plants, created in 1958 by Argentinian Susana Walton. Unbelievably sumptuous were the hanging orchids, and the experience was full of other delights such as the biggest lily … Read more

Kyoto’s picturesque geisha district fights back against over-tourism with keep-out signs

Kyoto’s picturesque geisha district fights back against over-tourism with keep-out signs

TOKYO — Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto, long a popular destination for tourists, is closing off some private-property alleys in its famous geisha district because of complaints about misbehaving visitors. Tourists crowd the narrow, quaint streets of the area called Gion, often following tour guides who show people around and lecture for long hours, local … Read more

United Airlines adds Morocco, Colombia, China flights

United Airlines adds Morocco, Colombia, China flights

A United Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft is seen taking off from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Nicolas Economou | Nurphoto | Getty Images United Airlines is planning to launch flights to Marrakesh, Morocco, and Medellin, Colombia, and ramp up its service to Asia, in the carrier’s latest bet that consumers will continue to shell out for … Read more

New to riding a sleeper train? Here’s the best way to book tickets

New to riding a sleeper train? Here’s the best way to book tickets

As more people reconsider how they travel on a warming planet, a small but growing contingent in Europe wants to switch from high-emission, short-haul planes to more climate-friendly sleeper trains. But for all the climate benefits — plus the enduring romance of overnight train journeys — it’s not always simple building a vacation around them. … Read more

Best passports in the world? See the 2024 Nomad Passport Index

Best passports in the world? See the 2024 Nomad Passport Index

Many passport rankings focus on one factor: visa-free travel. But passport strength is more complex than this, according to the tax and immigration consulting firm Nomad Capitalist. That’s why it produces a weighted annual index that analyzes five criteria: Visa-free travel — 50% Taxation — 20% Global perception —10% Ability to hold dual citizenship — … Read more

Delta Airlines is hiking checked-baggage fees 17% following similar moves by United and American

Delta Airlines is hiking checked-baggage fees 17% following similar moves by United and American

SAN FRANCISCO — In case you needed yet another incentive to cram all your travel items into a carry-on, Delta Airlines just boosted the cost of your first checked bag by 17%. The increase adds $5 to the previous, and not-exactly-insignificant, $30 fee for domestic flights. Delta is the third major U.S. carrier to hike … Read more

Debate heats up as Singapore PM says Taylor Swift deal isn’t ‘unfriendly’

Debate heats up as Singapore PM says Taylor Swift deal isn’t ‘unfriendly’

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Tuesday that a closed-door deal for Taylor Swift to perform in the city-state ensured she would not perform in other Southeast Asian countries during her Eras tour. “(Our) agencies negotiated an arrangement with her to come to Singapore and perform and to make Singapore her only stop in … Read more