Category: World Roaming

30 Cruise Secrets Only Insiders Know

Slide 1 of 31: A cruise can be a great option for frugal vacationers. Not only can cruisers sail to exotic locales, sampling the culture and cuisine, but they can also enjoy a wide array of onboard activities, from swimming to rock climbing. But, that doesn’t mean cruising is inexpensive. Cruisers spent an average of about $1,425 per person on their trip, according to a 2016 annual report by Carnival Cruise Line, and that amount doesn’t even include airfare. Onboard amenities like spa treatments, exclusive restaurants and alcoholic drinks can destroy your vacation budget, too. GOBankingRates spoke to travel experts for tips on saving on your next cruise. Click through to learn how to avoid wasting money on your next cruise from these insiders.

A cruise can be a great option for frugal vacationers. Not only can cruisers sail to exotic locales, sampling the culture and cuisine, but they can also enjoy a wide array of onboard activities, from swimming to rock climbing.

But, that doesn’t mean cruising is inexpensive. Cruisers spent an average of about $1,425 per person on their trip, according to a 2016 annual report by Carnival Cruise Line, and that amount doesn’t even include airfare. Onboard amenities like spa treatments, exclusive restaurants and alcoholic drinks can destroy your vacation budget, too. GOBankingRates spoke to travel experts for tips on saving on your next cruise.

Slide 2 of 31: One of the best ways to save money on a cruise is to book nine to 18 months before sailing, said Colleen McDaniel, senior executive editor of cruise reviews and information site Cruise Critic. “Booking in advance can allow you to not only secure a lower introductory fare, but it also can offer some significant add-on savings, like onboard credit, beverage packages or included gratuity — all of which could save hundreds of dollars,” she said. See how planning ahead can help you can enjoy a fall cruise on $100 a day.

Book Far in Advance

One of the best ways to save money on a cruise is to book nine to 18 months before sailing, said Colleen McDaniel, senior executive editor of cruise reviews and information site Cruise Critic.

“Booking in advance can allow you to not only secure a lower introductory fare, but it also can offer some significant add-on savings, like onboard credit, beverage packages or included gratuity — all of which could save hundreds of dollars,” she said.Slide 3 of 31: If you’re a spur-of-the-moment vacationer, you can find deals on cruises within three months of departure. “The majority of companies will slash pricing at the last minute in order to fill the boat,” said Greg Geronemus, co-CEO of smarTours, a group vacation tour company. Expect discounts as high as 50 percent. Keep in mind, though, you’ll have a limited selection of cabins — and they’re not liable to be the best, since preferred cabins will likely have sold first, McDaniel said.

Book at the Last Minute

If you’re a spur-of-the-moment vacationer, you can find deals on cruises within three months of departure. “The majority of companies will slash pricing at the last minute in order to fill the boat,” said Greg Geronemus, co-CEO of smarTours, a group vacation tour company.

Expect discounts as high as 50 percent. Keep in mind, though, you’ll have a limited selection of cabins — and they’re not liable to be the best, since preferred cabins will likely have sold first, McDaniel said.

Slide 4 of 31: If you haven’t locked in time off from work, opt to vacation when cruise prices are lower. Pricing for the same cruise can vary by hundreds of dollars from one week to the next, said cruise expert Stewart Chiron of cruise deals site Cruise Guy.

 

Be Flexible With Dates

If you haven’t locked in time off from work, opt to vacation when cruise prices are lower. Pricing for the same cruise can vary by hundreds of dollars from one week to the next, said cruise expert Stewart Chiron of cruise deals site Cruise Guy.

Slide 5 of 31: You can search cruise options online all day and still miss out on a good deal. That’s because travel agencies tend to know about exclusive offers and promotions. “Travel agents constantly have their fingers on the pulse of the cruise industry,” said Rob Stuart, co-author of “Just Add Water: Your Guide to the Ultimate Cruise Vacation.” Not only do travel agents know the industry inside and out, they can buy tickets in bulk to get better pricing, Geronemus said. Using an agent can save couples up to hundreds of dollars, he said.

5/31 SLIDES © RossHelen / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Use a Travel Agent

You can search cruise options online all day and still miss out on a good deal. That’s because travel agencies tend to know about exclusive offers and promotions.

“Travel agents constantly have their fingers on the pulse of the cruise industry,” said Rob Stuart, co-author of “Just Add Water: Your Guide to the Ultimate Cruise Vacation.”

Not only do travel agents know the industry inside and out, they can buy tickets in bulk to get better pricing, Geronemus said. Using an agent can save couples up to hundreds of dollars, he said.

Slide 6 of 31: January through March is known as wave season, and McDaniel said this time of year is the equivalent of Black Friday for cruise lines. Not only can you find great deals, you might pick up perks like free drink packages, Stuart said. Don’t Miss: The Best Time to Book Your Travel Plans

Take Advantage of Wave Season

January through March is known as wave season, and McDaniel said this time of year is the equivalent of Black Friday for cruise lines. Not only can you find great deals, you might pick up perks like free drink packages, Stuart said.

Slide 7 of 31: When winter comes biting, hunt down Black Friday deals on cruises for your perfect Caribbean getaway. Cruise lines have offered enticing deals on the shopping holiday in past years, McDaniel said. “In some cases, cruises are deeply discounted and, of course, bundled with enticing add-ons,” she said.

Don’t Miss Black Friday Deals

When winter comes biting, hunt down Black Friday deals on cruises for your perfect Caribbean getaway. Cruise lines have offered enticing deals on the shopping holiday in past years, McDaniel said. “In some cases, cruises are deeply discounted and, of course, bundled with enticing add-ons,” she said.

Slide 8 of 31: You can save 20 to 30 percent on the price of a cruise by traveling during the shoulder season, when demand is low. Most shoulder seasons are in the spring or fall. Geronemus recommended cruising in Europe and Asia in April and October for lower prices. For Alaskan cruises, vacation in May and September, McDaniel said.

Cruise in the Low Season

You can save 20 to 30 percent on the price of a cruise by traveling during the shoulder season, when demand is low. Most shoulder seasons are in the spring or fall.

Geronemus recommended cruising in Europe and Asia in April and October for lower prices. For Alaskan cruises, vacation in May and September, McDaniel said.

Slide 9 of 31: Cruise fares tend to be highest during the holidays, when droves of vacationers are hitting the open seas. “If you can avoid times when everyone is traveling, you’re going to save a lot of money,” Geronemus said. Not only are cruise fares higher during major holidays and long weekends, but so is airfare.

Avoid Cruising on Holiday Weekends

Cruise fares tend to be highest during the holidays, when droves of vacationers are hitting the open seas.

“If you can avoid times when everyone is traveling, you’re going to save a lot of money,” Geronemus said. Not only are cruise fares higher during major holidays and long weekends, but so is airfare.

Slide 10 of 31: Schedule a cruise to the Caribbean between two of the biggest holidays of the year, and you can snag a good deal, Stuart said. Don’t book a cruise too close to Christmas, though, because fares will be higher. Travel Abroad: 15 of the Most Luxurious Winter Cruises in the World

Cruise Between Thanksgiving and Christmas

Schedule a cruise to the Caribbean between two of the biggest holidays of the year, and you can snag a good deal, Stuart said. Don’t book a cruise too close to Christmas, though, because fares will be higher.

Slide 11 of 31: Sure, you can book a specific cabin on your cruise, but you can save money by booking a category of cabin instead. The guarantee cabin, as it’s called, ensures you get a certain type of cabin — like one with a balcony — plus the possibility of an upgrade. Although you might get a room in a noisy part of the ship, you can save up to $1,000 per person, Chiron said.

Gamble on a Cruise Guarantee Cabin

Sure, you can book a specific cabin on your cruise, but you can save money by booking a category of cabin instead. The guarantee cabin, as it’s called, ensures you get a certain type of cabin — like one with a balcony — plus the possibility of an upgrade. Although you might get a room in a noisy part of the ship, you can save up to $1,000 per person, Chiron said.

Slide 12 of 31: If you travel solo, you might be paying more for your single cabin. That’s because cruise lines price cabins assuming double occupancy, Chiron said. So, look for cruises that offer cabins for singles and compare pricing. Make sure you don’t make these costly mistakes while traveling alone.

Don’t Assume Traveling Solo Costs Less

If you travel solo, you might be paying more for your single cabin. That’s because cruise lines price cabins assuming double occupancy, Chiron said. So, look for cruises that offer cabins for singles and compare pricing. Make sure you don’t make these costly mistakes while traveling alone.

Slide 13 of 31: “For travelers looking for a budget-friendly getaway, weekend cruises are a great way to get away without spending too much money,” McDaniel said. You can take a three- to four-day cruise to the Bahamas for a couple hundred dollars, which is cheaper than the cost of airfare and hotel, she said.

Take a Short Cruise

“For travelers looking for a budget-friendly getaway, weekend cruises are a great way to get away without spending too much money,” McDaniel said. You can take a three- to four-day cruise to the Bahamas for a couple hundred dollars, which is cheaper than the cost of airfare and hotel, she said.

Slide 14 of 31: If you want to save serious cash, avoid traveling on brand-new cruises, which cost more, McDaniel said. “Older ships are often a bit smaller than newer megaships and don’t generally have all of the bells and whistles of ships just hitting the market. But [they] still offer a fantastic vacation option at a lower price point,” she said.
 

Avoid Cruising on New Ships

If you want to save serious cash, avoid traveling on brand-new cruises, which cost more, McDaniel said. “Older ships are often a bit smaller than newer megaships and don’t generally have all of the bells and whistles of ships just hitting the market. But [they] still offer a fantastic vacation option at a lower price point,” she said.

Slide 16 of 31: A lot of vacationers choose cruises based on the fare alone, Stuart said. But don’t neglect looking at what’s included in the fare and what amenities the ship offers. Although meals are typically included in the base fare, alcoholic beverages, WiFi and shore excursions might not. If you have to pay extra to take advantage of most amenities on the ship, you might be better off booking a more expensive cruise that offers them free of charge. Check Out: The Best and Worst US Vacation Cities for Your Wallet

Don’t Assume the Cheapest Cruise Is the Best Deal

A lot of vacationers choose cruises based on the fare alone, Stuart said. But don’t neglect looking at what’s included in the fare and what amenities the ship offers.

Although meals are typically included in the base fare, alcoholic beverages, WiFi and shore excursions might not. If you have to pay extra to take advantage of most amenities on the ship, you might be better off booking a more expensive cruise that offers them free of charge.

Slide 17 of 31: Stuart said upscale cruise lines are liable to offer more perks on base fares. Yes, you’ll pay more for the luxuries, but don’t assume the cruise is more expensive than paying a la carte on other cruise lines. If you opt for a cheaper cruise but want to dine in specialty restaurants and visit the spa, expect your vacation costs to jump. In fact, adding these extras to your base fare could equal the cost of an all-inclusive luxury line, which can include shore excursions and transfers between the ship and airport.

Consider a Luxury Cruise Line

Stuart said upscale cruise lines are liable to offer more perks on base fares. Yes, you’ll pay more for the luxuries, but don’t assume the cruise is more expensive than paying a la carte on other cruise lines.

If you opt for a cheaper cruise but want to dine in specialty restaurants and visit the spa, expect your vacation costs to jump. In fact, adding these extras to your base fare could equal the cost of an all-inclusive luxury line, which can include shore excursions and transfers between the ship and airport.

Slide 18 of 31: Because ships can’t cruise year-round in destinations like Alaska, cruise lines move their fleets every so often. Take advantage by booking a repositioning cruise, where you can enjoy a 10- to 14-day cruise for the price of a seven-day cruise or less, Stuart said. Repositioning cruises don’t have a lot of port stops, so they’re only ideal for people who are most interested in the cruise itself, rather than tourist destinations. “If the idea of a cruise is relaxing days on the ocean, a repositioning cruise is the way to go,” Stuart said.

Take a Repositioning Cruise

Because ships can’t cruise year-round in destinations like Alaska, cruise lines move their fleets every so often. Take advantage by booking a repositioning cruise, where you can enjoy a 10- to 14-day cruise for the price of a seven-day cruise or less, Stuart said.

Repositioning cruises don’t have a lot of port stops, so they’re only ideal for people who are most interested in the cruise itself, rather than tourist destinations. “If the idea of a cruise is relaxing days on the ocean, a repositioning cruise is the way to go,” Stuart said.

Slide 19 of 31: Once you’re onboard, be careful not to rack up costs as you sip martinis by the pool. Any extras you pick up will be charged to the card you provide at the beginning of the trip, Stuart said. He said he knows people who have paid more to get off a ship than to get on. So, although there are quite a few cruise activities that are worth the money, you’re better off sticking to the basics. If you’re raring to hit the spa, go to one off the ship.

Minimize Spending Onboard

Once you’re onboard, be careful not to rack up costs as you sip martinis by the pool. Any extras you pick up will be charged to the card you provide at the beginning of the trip, Stuart said. He said he knows people who have paid more to get off a ship than to get on. So, although there are quite a few cruise activities that are worth the money, you’re better off sticking to the basics. If you’re raring to hit the spa, go to one off the ship.

Slide 20 of 31: If you want to enjoy onboard amenities, book them in advance so you can account for them in your vacation budget. “Book your alternative restaurants, shore excursions and anything else you know you want to experience prior to boarding,” McDaniel said. “That way, you won’t be caught off guard by added costs, and you can focus more on enjoying your trip, instead of keeping close tabs on your onboard spending account.”

Book Extras in Advance

If you want to enjoy onboard amenities, book them in advance so you can account for them in your vacation budget.

“Book your alternative restaurants, shore excursions and anything else you know you want to experience prior to boarding,” McDaniel said. “That way, you won’t be caught off guard by added costs, and you can focus more on enjoying your trip, instead of keeping close tabs on your onboard spending account.”

Searching for nature in the city of love? Here are the best gardens in Paris

Slide 1 of 9: The Tuileries Garden is located in one of the best neighbourhoods of Paris, the first arrondissement. It can be found between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. This park is truly fit for royalty as it dates back to 1564 when it was created to be the garden of the Tuileries Palace and then it became a public park after the French Revolution. The garden is complete with fountains, ponds and stunning flowers.

 

Tuileries Garden

The Tuileries Garden is located in one of the best neighbourhoods of Paris, the first arrondissement. It can be found between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. This park is truly fit for royalty as it dates back to 1564 when it was created to be the garden of the Tuileries Palace and then it became a public park after the French Revolution. The garden is complete with fountains, ponds and stunning flowers.
Slide 2 of 9: In this natural space it is impossible to forget the city for too long, as the Eiffel Tower stands proudly in direct eyeline of visitors. Despite attracting thousands of visitors, the gardens here still remain very clean. At the Champ de Mars you can appreciate both great views and great architecture. During the 18th century, this park used to be a training ground for those studying in the Ecole Militaire.

Champ de Mars

In this natural space it is impossible to forget the city for too long, as the Eiffel Tower stands proudly in direct eyeline of visitors. Despite attracting thousands of visitors, the gardens here still remain very clean. At the Champ de Mars you can appreciate both great views and great architecture. During the 18th century, this park used to be a training ground for those studying in the Ecole Militaire.
Slide 3 of 9: This park may be not as busy as other parks in the city but it is just as beautiful. On a super sunny day the woods here can provide some much needed shade. Visitors of this park have described the flora as breathtaking thanks to its signature rose garden. The park is very well-maintained so make sure you have your cameras ready to capture the memory of this scenic landscape. Adding to its peaceful nature are the parks many birds which flock here during spring.

3/9 SLIDES © Dmitriy Moroz/123RF

Parc de Bagatelle

This park may be not as busy as other parks in the city but it is just as beautiful. On a super sunny day the woods here can provide some much needed shade. Visitors of this park have described the flora as breathtaking thanks to its signature rose garden. The park is very well-maintained so make sure you have your cameras ready to capture the memory of this scenic landscape. Adding to its peaceful nature are the parks many birds which flock here during spring.
Slide 4 of 9: This 17th century park can be found in the 6th arrondissement on the boarder between Saint-Germain-des Pres and the Latin Quater. The inspiration for this garden was taken from the Boboli Gardens in Florence. It covers a total of 25 hectares of land and is split into both French and English gardens. What seperates the gardens is a large pond and geometric forest. There is also an impressive total of 106 statues in this garden.

Jardin du Luxembourg

This 17th century park can be found in the 6th arrondissement on the boarder between Saint-Germain-des Pres and the Latin Quater. The inspiration for this garden was taken from the Boboli Gardens in Florence. It covers a total of 25 hectares of land and is split into both French and English gardens. What seperates the gardens is a large pond and geometric forest. There is also an impressive total of 106 statues in this garden.
Slide 5 of 9: This park is a little out the way as it is in a northeastern suburb, the 19th arrondissement. It is the fifth largest park in Paris and has numerous features which render it unique. These include a suspended bridge, caves and even a waterfall! This park also offers a vairety of high points, so you can appreciate panoramic views of Paris from all angles. A hint of exotic is added to the park's charm thanks to its indigenous trees and numerous birds.

Parc de Buttes Chaumont

This park is a little out the way as it is in a northeastern suburb, the 19th arrondissement. It is the fifth largest park in Paris and has numerous features which render it unique. These include a suspended bridge, caves and even a waterfall! This park also offers a vairety of high points, so you can appreciate panoramic views of Paris from all angles. A hint of exotic is added to the park’s charm thanks to its indigenous trees and numerous birds.
Slide 6 of 9: Thousands of men took part in creating the gardens at the Palais de Versailles and their efforts are certainly reflected in its extravagant appearance. After all, it did take 40 years for the gardens to be fully complete. As one of the largest gardens ever created, it is home to 372 statues and 55 fountains. From the start of April to the end of October there are even Musical Fountain shows adding entertainment to the grandeur. One of the gardens most striking features is its maze so be prepared to get your cameras ready!

Palais de Versailles Gardens

Thousands of men took part in creating the gardens at the Palais de Versailles and their efforts are certainly reflected in its extravagant appearance. After all, it did take 40 years for the gardens to be fully complete. As one of the largest gardens ever created, it is home to 372 statues and 55 fountains. From the start of April to the end of October there are even Musical Fountain shows adding entertainment to the grandeur. One of the gardens most striking features is its maze so be prepared to get your cameras ready!
Slide 7 of 9: Both a botantical garden and a public park, this is a huge natural space in the city located within the Bois de Vincennes in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. It would take half a day for a visitor to fully explore and appreciate this beautiful place. The park provides a great vairety of flowers, butterfly house and even mini golf for entertainment. Compared to the other natural spaces in the city, this is quite an alternative and modern spot as it has only be open since 1969. Given this, it should be no suprise that it also plays host to free music festivals such as the Paris Jazz Festival.

Parc Floral de Paris

Both a botantical garden and a public park, this is a huge natural space in the city located within the Bois de Vincennes in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. It would take half a day for a visitor to fully explore and appreciate this beautiful place. The park provides a great vairety of flowers, butterfly house and even mini golf for entertainment. Compared to the other natural spaces in the city, this is quite an alternative and modern spot as it has only be open since 1969. Given this, it should be no suprise that it also plays host to free music festivals such as the Paris Jazz Festival.

For sun, sea and sand at a low cost, here are 5 places in Bulgaria which offer just that

Slide 1 of 5: At this beach you can find some of the purest sands the Black Sea has to offer. Not only there is sun, sea and sand but this beach has an abundance of vegetation. The bushes and trees that can be seen all around add a natural feel to the beach. There is also an aqua park nearby and those who visit this beach often partake in a number of watersports such as wind surfing or sailing.

Golden Sands Beach

At this beach you can find some of the purest sands the Black Sea has to offer. Not only there is sun, sea and sand but this beach has an abundance of vegetation. The bushes and trees that can be seen all around add a natural feel to the beach. There is also an aqua park nearby and those who visit this beach often partake in a number of watersports such as wind surfing or sailing.
Slide 3 of 5: Albena is renowned for being the most family friendly beach on the coast and it's easy to see why. Here you can find everything fun and exciting such as aqua parks, bowling alleys and mini golf courses. The sands are pristine and the waters crystal clear which add to its charm. Something that adds a special touch to Albena is its free beach library, which visitors can use to their hearts content.

Albena

Albena is renowned for being the most family friendly beach on the coast and it’s easy to see why. Here you can find everything fun and exciting such as aqua parks, bowling alleys and mini golf courses. The sands are pristine and the waters crystal clear which add to its charm. Something that adds a special touch to Albena is its free beach library, which visitors can use to their hearts content.
Slide 3 of 5: Albena is renowned for being the most family friendly beach on the coast and it's easy to see why. Here you can find everything fun and exciting such as aqua parks, bowling alleys and mini golf courses. The sands are pristine and the waters crystal clear which add to its charm. Something that adds a special touch to Albena is its free beach library, which visitors can use to their hearts content.

Albena

Albena is renowned for being the most family friendly beach on the coast and it’s easy to see why. Here you can find everything fun and exciting such as aqua parks, bowling alleys and mini golf courses. The sands are pristine and the waters crystal clear which add to its charm. Something that adds a special touch to Albena is its free beach library, which visitors can use to their hearts content.
Slide 4 of 5: This part of Bulgaria is not far from the Turkish border and has much more of a rustic charm. Forget usual souvenir shops here as its rocky shore is lined with ancient wooden houses. The Nestinarka and Lipite beaches are perfect for relaxing on during the day, but for those who wish to explore a more natural surrounding there is Veleka, an impressive river surrounded by trees which are hundreds of years old.

Athopol

This part of Bulgaria is not far from the Turkish border and has much more of a rustic charm. Forget usual souvenir shops here as its rocky shore is lined with ancient wooden houses. The Nestinarka and Lipite beaches are perfect for relaxing on during the day, but for those who wish to explore a more natural surrounding there is Veleka, an impressive river surrounded by trees which are hundreds of years old.
Slide 5 of 5: This beach may be difficult to reach given that it's located in the remote Strandzha National Park, but it is worth the trip for those who enjoy the feeling of serenity whilst under the sun. You may even lay your eyes on some unexpected creatures here such as owls and deers. The waters found here are extremely clear making it a favorite spot amongst scuba divers. If you are the adventurous type, you'll be happy to know that wild camping is allowed here!

Silistar

This beach may be difficult to reach given that it’s located in the remote Strandzha National Park, but it is worth the trip for those who enjoy the feeling of serenity whilst under the sun. You may even lay your eyes on some unexpected creatures here such as owls and deers. The waters found here are extremely clear making it a favorite spot amongst scuba divers. If you are the adventurous type, you’ll be happy to know that wild camping is allowed here!

What Are The Best Airline Ratings?

Before Tina Harrison flew from Toronto to Nashville, maybe she should have checked the best airline ratings. Somewhere along the way, Air Canada lost her luggage, and it stayed lost for four long days.

“It was one of my worst experiences with customer service,” she says. “This was a special trip celebrating my 50th birthday — and they ruined it in more ways than one.”

A little research might have revealed Air Canada’s reputation for losing luggage, although exact numbers are difficult to find. Unlike U.S. carriers, Canadian airlines do not report their lost luggage numbers in a systematic way.

Oddly, consulting a popular airline rating might have confused a passenger like Harrison. In 2017, for example, Skytrax crowned Air Canada the best airline in North America. That same year, another survey by JD Power and Associates found Air Canada ranked the worst.

best airline ratings

Which one can you trust? That’s a timely question on the eve of the annual Airline Quality Ratings’ release. But the answer is likely to resonate among travelers planning their summer vacations, and those who may have a choice. (I say “may” because on many routes, you only have one or two real options, making quality almost irrelevant.)

If you’ve been watching the airline industry for as long as I have, you’d only believe a few airline ratings. Fewer than you might think. Once you talk to the people behind these airline ratings, a strategy for booking your next flight reveals itself. I’ll share that with you in just a moment.

Which airline ratings are the most trustworthy?

Every week, it seems a company or media organization claims it has the definitive list of the best and worst airlines. But what are the best airline ratings?

If you’re a numbers person, you can easily eliminate some of them. For example, one survey claims to poll nearly 20 million people online. Highly unlikely. Others don’t even tell you how many passengers were surveyed, or how they qualified these participants. And few — very few — use hard performance data to back up their results.

By the way, Harrison’s case was not difficult. After four luggage-less days, she just wanted Air Canada to pay for the extra clothes and toiletries she had to buy, plus cover her cell phone bill.

“I don’t think this is too much to ask for after all of the time and effort I have gone through to get my luggage,” she told me.

I shared the Air Canada executive contacts from my consumer advocacy site and offered to help Harrison see her claim through on my help forum.

How do I know the best airline ratings?

I’ve covered the airline industry for years, both as a journalist and a consumer advocate. My nonprofit consumer advocacy organization collects consumer complaints and reports them every month. I’ve been able to overlay the complaints data with the surveys to determine which ones are talking to actual consumers — and which ones are interviewing random people online.

Here are the top 25 companies since the beginning of 2019. Note: these are not one-off questions sent to my advocacy site. Consumers must complete a detailed form to get help. Last month, we received nearly 1,000 requests for assistance, a new record.

Elliott Advocacy Cases Year-to-Date
Rank Top 25 Companies Total Complaints Percent
1 American Airlines 139 5.00%
2 United Airlines 55 1.98%
3 Airbnb 45 1.62%
4 Expedia 41 1.47%
5 AT&T Communications 40 1.44%
6 Sears Holdings Corporation 37 1.33%
7 Delta Air Lines 36 1.29%
8 Marriott 34 1.22%
9 Southwest Airlines 33 1.19%
10 Uber 33 1.19%
11 PayPal 31 1.11%
12 WOW Air 31 1.11%
13 Enterprise 30 1.08%
14 American Express 29 1.04%
15 Lufthansa 29 1.04%
16 Priceline 27 0.97%
17 British Airways 25 0.90%
18 Iberia Airlines 25 0.90%
19 Air Canada 24 0.86%
20 Facebook 24 0.86%
21 Walmart 24 0.86%
22 Amazon 23 0.83%
23 Sprint 22 0.79%
24 JustFly.Com 21 0.76%
25 Spirit Airlines 21 0.76%
Total Cases 1/1/2019-4/7/2019: 2,781
Total Cases 1/1/2018-4/7/2018: 1,429
Percent Difference: 94.61%

Yep, that’s a lot of airline complaints. And look, there’s Air Canada at number 19!

Here are the best airline ratings and here’s how they do it

Based on my observations, there are only a handful of airline quality measures to which I regularly refer.

Airline Quality Rating

The annual Airline Quality Rating (AQR), which will be released tomorrow morning, is a compilation of government data on airline performance. The rating is a multifactor examination of the airlines based on mishandled baggage, consumer complaints, on-time performance and involuntary denied boardings, reported to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

American Customer Satisfaction Index

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), which normally releases its airline index in late April, is a rigorously researched measure of customer sentiment. Each year, ACSI surveys 300,000 customers, using the results to benchmark customer satisfaction with more than 400 companies in 46 industries and 10 economic sectors — including airlines.

Routehappy

Routehappy doesn’t rate airlines. Instead, it gives you the information you need to rate an airline. When it’s integrated into a booking engine like Expedia, Google Flights, or Hipmunk, you can quickly pull up comprehensive information on flight amenities such as Wi-Fi, in-seat power, entertainment, seats, food, beverages, and aircraft type. I like Routehappy because airline quality is personal, and in the end, it’s your seat and onboard amenities that matter the most.

Is that it? Well, no. There are numerous other airline ratings, and a few of them are worth paying attention to. Most of them are complete nonsense, of course. To find out how to separate the wheat from the chaff, I consulted the experts.

How to tell if you’ve found the best airline ratings

“Travelers should definitely read the methodology to understand how the study defined quality,” advises Haley Berg, an economist at Hopper, a flight search engine. “You want to make sure the variables they looked at match what you value most when selecting a flight.”

But that can be tricky. If you take mostly short-haul flights, you may be willing to compromise on comfort, but on-time arrival may be a priority. If you’re a business traveler, you may be less price-sensitive but care about service.

“It’s easier to utilize these rankings when they’re only looking at the factor you care about most instead of an overall ranking,” says Berg.

David Van Amburg, managing director of the ACSI, says you should also look at who’s behind the study.

“Any study directly affiliated with an airline should be viewed suspiciously,” he says.

If possible, find out what the survey asked. “Any of the popular one-question studies implemented to measure consumer experiences should be viewed with suspicion as well; they’re cheap and easy, which means the data probably isn’t as reliable,” he adds.

Finally, check the survey’s track record.

“Look at longevity,” says Brent Bowen, the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professor who publishes the AQR. “There seems to be a top 10 rating of everything today. Look to see if the survey is just a popularity poll or hard data.”

If you start applying these hard templates to the airline ratings out there, they start to fade to irrelevance. Some reader polls don’t bother to ask if the respondents even flew on the airlines they’re rating. Others have only been around a few years or were published on a whim by a blogger who wanted to make a quick buck. And others are commercial enterprises that want to sell their awards to the industry but do the bare minimum to keep out of trouble with the statistics police.

How to use the best airline ratings

A minimalist approach to the best airline ratings may help you select the best flight. Use a few trusted sources to make your next booking decision — if you have a choice of carriers — and you can’t go wrong. Which is to say, check the ACSI, AQR and the Routehappy data before reserving a seat on the most convenient flight for you.

How To Get Free WiFi And Texting On Your Smartphone While You Fly

WiFi services aboard aircraft have become a necessity for many travelers and are available on more than fifty-five different airlines throughout the world. Many even allow telephone calls from your handset, as I wrote about on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Delhi to London. If you are a frequent flyer and need to connect with email and text messaging, Gogo in-flight Internet provides service throughout the continental United States on Delta, United, Alaska, American, US Airways, Air Canada, Virgin American, Japan Air Lines, Aero Mexico, British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Gol, Beiijing Capital, JTA, Hainan Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines. But it is expensive and the rates have been steadily rising. I realized on a recent flight that it was free to access their network on some airlines, thanks to T-Mobile and an offer I did not pay much attention to in the past.

In order to attract customers, T-Mobile introduced a clever promotion in June, 2016 that works on five of the Gogo-equipped airlines (Delta, American, Alaska, US Airways, and Virgin America) . It allows their customers to access the Internet and email for a free hour, and texts as well as iMessage, Google Hangouts, WhatsApp, and Vibe for the entire flight. For many years I have been paying Gogo for access even though they operate a relatively old system with limited bandwidth. In fact, American Airlines was a client that sued the company to break their contract because of poor performance, favoring ViaSat instead. Gogo immediately announced the system would be upgraded to better serve the flying public.

I am a customer of both Verizon and T-Mobile. I primarily utilize Verizon in the U.S. and T-Mobile in Europe because I believe they still have the best overall pricing in the industry for frequent overseas travelers. I had always believed that in order to log in for the free T-Mobile Gogo service I would have to do so with my T-Mobile handset (which I rarely carry or use here in the U.S.). That turns out not to be exactly correct. So I was curious as to how the Carrier insured that only the actual T-Mobile subscribers could access the service. I assumed that either T-Mobile or Gogo would verify the phone number against the SIM in the phone before authenticating the subscriber or the handset MAC address. This would insure that a valid T-Mobile customer was actually using the service with a T-Mobile handset.  That also turned out to be an assumption that was wrong. So how does the carrier assure the security of their service offering and protect Gogo in order to prevent just anyone, with any phone, from simply entering a valid number and getting a free hour of Internet and unlimited texts during a flight?

I contacted a senior representative of T-Mobile and also ran several tests with different Verizon and T-Mobile handsets (Google Pixel, iPhone 6S, and Blackberry Dtek60) while flying different routes in order to understand the limits of their free offering. T-Mobile assured me that they had certain validation checks in place to prevent what I just described but they admitted there were still some issues (as did Gogo when I spoke with them).

Here is what you need to know in order to take advantage of what I consider to be one of the most innovative offerings by a cellular carrier for their customers, especially business travelers:

  • The service is only legally offered to T-Mobile customers on domestic and international flights with five of the airlines that contract with Gogo;
  • Log-in requires you to enter your T-Mobile phone number. Once that is verified, you will be able to access the internet for one hour on that flight;
  • T-Mobile told me that the offer was good on each flight segment that was flown during the same day. That turns out not to be true, as I found when I tried to access the network on a connecting flight. The system reported that I had already used up my one hour and that I would be able to purchase more time, but the free ride was over. Of course that was only part of the story if a subscriber had more than one phone number linked to the account;
  • If you have a shared or family or business plan with multiple phone numbers, then when your time is up on one account, you can enter another phone number for another hour of service;
  • The system is only available for smartphones and will not work with laptops or tablets;
  • Text messaging will work on every flight without any time restrictions;
  • If you pay an extra fifteen dollars per month for T-Mobile ONE Plus, and a five dollar surcharge for each line, then you have full flight Gogo access width no time limits throughout the Gogo system on the five listed airlines;
  • While the normal T-Mobile plans allow an hour of free WiFi, the ONE Plus scheme provides unlimited domestic and international coverage on Delta Air Lines and the four other carriers. I almost exclusively fly Delta for overseas travel so this constitutes a significant saving. Gogo ordinarily charges an extra $35 for an overseas flight unless you subscribe to international service because only domestic coverage is include in their normal monthly or annual rate plans. Their plan that provides for full international service costs $80 per month;
  • You can use any smartphone to access the T-Mobile promotion. The Carrier does not appear to be validating the phone number against the SIM, so this means that inputting a valid T-Mobile number will result in the ability to access the service. I spoke with a representative of Gogo Internet and they advised that this actually has caused some issues with multiple users attempting to utilize one phone number.
  • You can use a phone that does not have a SIM card installed. I tested the system with an iPhone 6S with the SIM removed and it worked without a problem;
  • If your account has several associated phone numbers, you can stack the access, one hour at a time. The system will allow each valid phone number equal access rights. It did not appear to matter that the numbers were all entered from one handset or different ones;
  • You can use more than one number on the same account during a flight at the same time with different handsets. So if two people are traveling, they both have Internet access;
  • You can use a smartphone with any SIM card for text messaging so long as you input your T-Mobile number for access. I sent and received text messages with my Verizon handset and SIM, using the Verizon Messenger Application. The messages were sent and received with my Verizon-assigned phone number and NOT my T-Mobile number. So I could continue to text with my Verizon account even though I was gaining free Internet access through T-Mobile;
  • T-Mobile does not have a text messaging App like Verizon, but if you have a Verizon phone number, you can use it so long as you log into the network with your valid T-Mobile number;
  • Whether the phone number is associated with a standard rate plans or the ONE Plus scheme, full text messaging is available on every flight;
  • At the present time (until T-Mobile resolves the problems in their authentication system) a subscriber can, based upon my testing, use multiple numbers from one handset to obtain free WFi services;
  • T-Mobile presently is only verifying that the phone number is valid, and then determines what type of in-flight benefits the customer will receive. My experience was that they were not cross-referencing the SIM against the actual T-Mobile handset, which would be the easiest way to deal with this issue.

If you fly frequently and want Internet connectivity in the air, then the economics of having a T-Mobile account can be very advantageous, especially considering their overseas rate structure that incorporates free text, email and Internet service throughout the world, and $.20 per minute phone calls. For the four phone numbers that I have with T-Mobile (for $120 per month plus tax) it will cost an added $20 per month, in total, to cover all four handsets in the ONE Plus rate promotion, including all taxes, as compared to my current Simple choice plan. Considering what it costs per-flight, or per-month for WiFi service, this is a real bargain, especially if your preferred air carrier is Delta Air Lines for international flights.

How You Can Be Charged For Not Answering Your Cell Phone On Cruise Ships

Cell phone service is available on virtually all passenger ships throughout the world because for travelers it is now a necessity. It also constitutes a significant revenue source for both the ships and cell companies. Unless you subscribe to a cruise ship package from your cellular carrier, extremely high charges can be accrued if certain basic phone settings are not understood or implemented. Failure to do so can include the potential to be billed for incoming calls not answered, which can cost as much as $7.50 every time your phone rings.

Isabel is a colleague who recently crossed the Atlantic on Cunard Lines from Southampton to New York with her T-Mobile iPhone handset. She left her phone turned on but was instructed to turn off data roaming so only text and phone calls could be received. She was also told not to answer a call unless it was a family emergency. She thought that with caller ID she could screen calls and determine if she needed to answer or ignore the phone ringing. She never gave it a thought that if she did not answer the phone there could be any adverse consequences.

As she sailed West, she received only two inbound calls, both of which she ignored. She let the phone ring until each call was picked up by her T-Mobile voicemail. Then she got the surprise: in her next billing cycle she was charged $15.00 for the two calls even though there was never an actual connection, or so she logically thought.

Most cellular networks only bill when a call is answered; not for airtime as was the practice when cellular was first introduced in the 1980s. It would be logical for consumers to assume the same rules apply for a cellular call regardless of the originating location. Unfortunately, that is not true on ships because of the way the network is configured and how inbound calls are handled and routed. While Isabel was correct in her assumption that not answering the phone meant no charges, it did not prevent a billable call. That is because when the system sent the call back to her voicemail, it determined there was in effect another call from the ship to the U.S. and hence the one-minute T-Mobile charge of six dollars plus tax. She was not billed for the incoming call but was charged for the call from the ship. It was considered as a new call, initiated to the U.S. voicemail system.

Depending upon whether you use the onboard cellular network or WiFi, there are several options for minimizing or eliminating potential charges. Here are my suggestions:

If you will not use cell, text, or data: Turn your phone completely off, rather than just putting it to sleep. Whether it is an iPhone or Android, there are two different operating states: sleep with screen off, and shutdown. If the phone is only in sleep mode, battery consumption is reduced because the screen (which accounts for much of the current drain) is not turned on. In this mode, many consumers believe their phone is turned off when the display is dark which is initiated by pressing the button on the right side of the handset. In truth, the phone is still working and is connected to the network, so it can receive calls, data, and text messages.

If you really do not want to accrue any possible charges, then press and hold both the right (screen) and left (volume) control buttons simultaneously until the phone asks whether it is to be turned off or restarted. If the phone is in the off-mode, it will not do anything that can cause a billable event, although technically the phone is still running in the background and may allow GPS tracking and other silent functions to occur, especially if malware or covert software has been downloaded without your knowledge;

If you do not want to make or receive any cellular communications but wish to access WiFi: Turn off cellular data roaming and place the phone in Airplane Mode, then enable WiFi and search and log into an available network. If you utilize a VoIP application like Skype, Vonage Extensions, or WhatsApp for placing or receiving calls, then answering or not answering a call will not result in charges because a cellular network is not involved, and no toll charges can occur;

If you only want to exchange text messages or phone calls: Turn data roaming off;

Reducing data usage if you log into a cellular carrier: If you are billed on a data usage basis, which can cost as much as twenty dollars per Mbyte, you want to drastically reduce the consumption of data. Turn off all non-critical programs that run in the background and are constantly refreshed. This can be as important on a cellular network as it is on Wi-Fi, especially if the ship has gone to pricing plans that track data usage rather than time;

Subscribe to a cellular package for lower rates: AT&T, in my view, has the only cruise ship pricing schemes that allow for cost control for calls, text, and data. Neither Verizon or T-Mobile have discounted or flat rate pricing, so if you anticipate using a lot of data, sending or receiving many texts, or making lots of calls, then AT&T is the best choice.

Use WiFi and VoIP services: Some of the cruise lines have introduced a different pricing scheme for their WiFi services, offering data access pricing rather than the traditional per minute charge. I am posting this article from a Holland America ship in South America heading toward Antarctica. They now offer unlimited WiFi access with different data allowances based upon price, which means WiFi can be left active all the time. Most of my calls have been through AT&T with their unlimited thirty-day call plan, or on WiFi with the Vonage Extension Application, which means free calls. I also utilize global two-way radio to keep in contact with my colleagues, which works over any IP connection.

When in port:  I switch to T-Mobile as a second number configured as an eSIM because they offer free data, text, and $.25/minute phone calls.  With T-Mobile, if WiFi is not available, most networks provide 3G or 4G access which allows the use of VoIP applications, which means free voice calls. You can also subscribe to the AT&T or Verizon daily flat rate plans for ten dollars a day, but remember these are only good while on shore, and not while at sea.

If you are on a cruise ship, be sure you pay attention to your phone settings and how it is configured consistent with your usage requirements. Otherwise you may be charged for services you did not utilize or receive.

Check Into One&Only Reethi Rah And Get More Than A Good Night’s Sleep

You wouldn’t ordinarily come to one of the most romantic destinations on earth just to sleep, but the latest wellness retreat at One&Only Reethi Rah, in the North Malé Atoll of the Maldives, is making it seductively easy to do just that.

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And breathe… welcome to One&Only Reethi Rah.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

Renowned for its holistic spa journeys, which bring in a bevy of experts to target different concerns, the luxury resort has recently launched a new Sleep Journey, to target insomniacs and stressed visitors alike, amid its glorious setting.

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The opulent spa entrance.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

Let’s face it, it’s hard not to relax here. Arriving at Reethi Rah, you immediately start to breathe more deeply and walk a little bit slower – so when it comes to de-stressing, the resort is already on to a winning start. With 6km of coastline, the octopus-shaped island is one of the largest in the region – with a carpet of jungle inland and endless turquoise, sparkling waters surrounding its chi chi accommodation.  While there are stunning over-water villas to stay in, my money is on the beach properties, which are vast, uber-glamourous places to rest your head (even for those counting sheep).

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Take it all in: the view from your bed.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

Designed by Jean-Michel Gathy, each villa opens out to its own strip of private beach, with hammocks strung up between palm trees, daybeds and sofas on private terraces, and some boasting their own private pools. Inside, vaulted, bamboo-clad ceilings give the rooms a sense of loftiness, while crisp white bed linens are contrasted with pillows in tasteful shades of ochre, rust and silver. From marble coffee tables, cream linen armchairs and footstools, there’s occasional furniture aplenty – which all give a homely feel. At night, wooden shutters give privacy and, in the morning, open out to the brightest azure seas you’ll ever gaze on. Large dressing rooms segue into luxury bathrooms – where there are huge sunken tubs, shower rooms with steam functions and the best dressing table ever – Art Deco in style, it was designed specifically for the hotel brand, and comes complete with an illuminated magnifying mirror, twinkling inbuilt fairy lights and – wait for it– a mini fridge to keep your cosmetics from melting.

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The beach villa is its own private haven.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

If you don’t sleep well in the huge beds, with the sound of the ocean gently nudging you off to slumber, then you’re definitely in line for some help with the Sleep Journey. The award-winning ESPA spa is a destination in its own right – with a series of thatched treatment rooms dotted around pristine tropical gardens with ponds adorned with lotus-flowers. This, the latest wellness innovation at the spa, kicks off with a Sleep Ritual assessment, whereby a Sleep Trainer will examine your sleeping patterns and develop a bespoke approach to try and help you sleep better.

The sleep meditation, meanwhile, is instantly soothing – with guests guided through breathing and visualisation techniques to the sound of soothing Balinese music. The approach is definitely head to toe, with the feet a surprisingly effective focus of the journey.

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One of the spa’s wellness pavilions.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

Given that Parisian foot guru Bastien Gonzalez has an outpost here and is involved in evolving many of the spa treatments, it makes sense to target his expertise. One of the choices on offer, therefore, is his Foot Re-Foundation, a heavenly treat which starts with a Black Diamond Scrub, followed by an intense feet and leg massage, which relieves muscle tension and ‘heavy legs’. Apart from anything else, it’s just the thing you need after a long flight.

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You had me at ‘hello’ – the spa reception.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

After a full-body massage, using a combination of hot stones and warm relaxing oil, a scalp massage concludes the treatment – aiming to clear the mind and destress. It’s zombifyingly good.

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To infinity and beyond… one of the over-water villas.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

Also included are special Sleep Collection amenities – such as mini ESPA products, wellbeing tea and personalised sleep music – delivered to your villa each night. The 360° approach continues with the resort also adding on further benefits – such as  ‘mindful diving’. From the Turtle Adventure – led by a resident marine biologist, during which you find out more about the endangered Hawksbill Turtles and snorkel alongside them – to the Shark Safari, to swim with reef sharks in their natural habitat – the idea is to offer inspiring, yet gentle experiences to help you forget your daily anxieties.

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Explore the atoll onboard a traditional Dhoni boat.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

Reethi Rah is also renowned for its exceptional dining offering, and you can also bolt on a healthy eating focus at many of the restaurants, to complete the wellbeing approach. At its heart, is the Beach Club, for instance, where you can tuck into one of the Bliss Bowls for lunch, rich in fresh, natural ingredients and antioxidants, such as pomegranate, coconut, pumpkin seeds and avocado.

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Fanditha’s Sunset Bar.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

Come sundown, head for drinks at The Fanditha Bar on the northernmost point of the island (for a healthy option try The Lychee Refresher). It’s an enchanting spot and you’ll find carpets in the sand, chill-out swing sofas, inviting day beds and giant cushions. Meaning ‘magic’ in Dhivehi, Fanditha specialises in Middle Eastern food serving mezzes, grills, dips and freshly baked saaj Arabic bread. It’s also the best location on the island to see the magnificent Maldivian sunsets, while lounging on daybeds, drink in hand. The boho-chic décor brings together vintage brass hurricane lamps, flickering candles, richly patterned Arabian rugs and crystal chandeliers suspended from palm trees.

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One of the Tapasake overwater pavilions.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

Tapasake, meanwhile, is a modern Japanese restaurant and the first of its kind in the Maldives. This is a dress-up and ‘be seen’ spot (after all, Reethi Rah is where the likes of the Beckhams, the Ramsays and Tom Cruise come to holiday) and the décor reflects the upscale vibe with glass, stone and stainless steel features and tables perched over-water (watch out for the reef sharks swimming below). Moody and sophisticated, underfoot is a black terrazzo floor, while tables are carved out of oyster-grey mother of pearl with whalebone-effect legs. At its heart is a sushi counter while, outside, on its open deck, are individual Teppanyaki pavilions, where at each one, private chefs cook up a storm – think: the freshest fish, seafood and rice dishes – all created in front of up to eight diners.

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Botanica’s gin bar with a difference.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

Best of all, however, is Botanica, which is tucked away in a hidden garden and lit by flickering candle light. Beautifully atmospheric, guests sit amid towering palms and age-old Banyan Trees. Serving natural garden-to-table cuisine, the focus here is the kitchen garden, which is found at the entrance of the restaurant, and where you can even dine in the potager, amid the natural vegetables and herbs. Adding to the feel of lushness is the glass Orchid House, full of hundreds of vibrant blooms. There’s also an on-trend Gin Bar, serving 34 different gins from around the world, paired with herbs, fruits and flavours from the Chef’s Garden to match the unique characteristics of each gin.

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from garden to plate… welcome to Botanica.

(CREDIT: ONE&ONLY)

Botanica’s cuisine uses natural and sustainable produce picked from the Chef’s Garden, or sourced from local artisanal producers so everything is as fresh as can be. From the ‘Cauliflower’ starter – charred cauliflower, local almonds and mint oil – to the ‘Reef Fish & Prawn’ main course – a Maldivian curry with okra – the menu is refined and pared-back, yet packed with unique taste pairings. To finish, go for the ‘Coconut’ – a coconut blanc manger and lime zest and skip the coffee. Remember: you have the busy job of sleeping to do.

Our 12 Favorite Moments From the Latest Women Who Travel Trip to Colombia

Slide 1 of 14: Travel is a lot of things—exciting, scary, life changing—but sometimes it can be downright awkward. Who hasn’t had a conversation with a stranger that gets lost in translation? Or accidentally ordered something unpalatable in a restaurant? One time, I got butt naked at a Japanese onsen (that’s a hot spring to the uninitiated) only to discover that I’d walked into the men’s section by mistake. So when I was asked to submerge myself in a crowded pool of thick, volcanic mud in Cartagena, Colombia, a few weeks ago...well, I didn’t think twice about doing it. That thrill of awkwardness—being far outside of your comfort zone—is part of the reason you travel, isn’t it? Let the most adventurous, spontaneous, fun version of yourself kick in. How did I end up there, exactly? It was all part of our recent Women Who Travel trip to Colombia, a nine-day adventure through Cartagena and Medellín with 12 intrepid women. We learned to dance champeta alongside the pros; ate piping hot arepa de huevos, fresh out of streetside deep fryers; walked around the rainbow-colored streets of Guatapé; and stayed up late drinking too much aguardiente under the palm trees. But before all of that—before the bonding and inside jokes that come with group travel—we took a mud bath together. We’d known each other less than 24 hours when we put on our swimsuits and ascended the steep, uneven steps that lead you to the top of El Totumo, an active mud volcano an hour’s drive outside of Cartagena. The mud is thought to have healing properties by locals, but all I could think about as I lowered myself down into the abyss was that I had no idea if I’d be able to touch the bottom. (I couldn’t.) It was, in no uncertain terms, chaos in the mud pool. Swimming was virtually impossible. Mud splashed in our eyes. A woman from New Jersey may or may not have been having a panic attack. But each time one of us floated on our backs, or tried to pose for a photo, we’d shriek with laughter. It was weird. Unpredictable. Hilarious. And, like all of the best travel moments, it brought us closer together. On the way back up the mud-covered ladder I slipped and lost my footing, and for one split second I feared I’d be lost to the mud bath forever. Another unfortunate tourist relegated to brief, Internet stardom. But I needn’t have worried, of course—my new friends were already there to catch me.

Travel is a lot of things—exciting, scary, life changing—but sometimes it can be downright awkward. Who hasn’t had a conversation with a stranger that gets lost in translation? Or accidentally ordered something unpalatable in a restaurant? One time, I got butt naked at a Japanese onsen (that’s a hot spring to the uninitiated) only to discover that I’d walked into the men’s section by mistake. So when I was asked to submerge myself in a crowded pool of thick, volcanic mud in Cartagena, Colombia, a few weeks ago…well, I didn’t think twice about doing it. That thrill of awkwardness—being far outside of your comfort zone—is part of the reason you travel, isn’t it? Let the most adventurous, spontaneous, fun version of yourself kick in.

How did I end up there, exactly? It was all part of our recent Women Who Travel trip to Colombia, a nine-day adventure through Cartagena and Medellín with 12 intrepid women. We learned to dance champeta alongside the pros; ate piping hot arepa de huevos, fresh out of streetside deep fryers; walked around the rainbow-colored streets of Guatapé; and stayed up late drinking too much aguardiente under the palm trees. But before all of that—before the bonding and inside jokes that come with group travel—we took a mud bath together.

We’d known each other less than 24 hours when we put on our swimsuits and ascended the steep, uneven steps that lead you to the top of El Totumo, an active mud volcano an hour’s drive outside of Cartagena. The mud is thought to have healing properties by locals, but all I could think about as I lowered myself down into the abyss was that I had no idea if I’d be able to touch the bottom. (I couldn’t.) It was, in no uncertain terms, chaos in the mud pool. Swimming was virtually impossible. Mud splashed in our eyes. A woman from New Jersey may or may not have been having a panic attack. But each time one of us floated on our backs, or tried to pose for a photo, we’d shriek with laughter. It was weird. Unpredictable. Hilarious. And, like all of the best travel moments, it brought us closer together.

On the way back up the mud-covered ladder I slipped and lost my footing, and for one split second I feared I’d be lost to the mud bath forever. Another unfortunate tourist relegated to brief, Internet stardom. But I needn’t have worried, of course—my new friends were already there to catch me.

Slide 2 of 14: As I said, the mud bath was intense. But where else can you treat yourself to an all-natural facial while sitting at the top of a volcano?

 

Diving Into the Mud at El Totumo

As I said, the mud bath was intense. But where else can you treat yourself to an all-natural facial while sitting at the top of a volcano?

Slide 3 of 14: We ditched the tourist circuit for the afternoon and cut our teeth at a few local salsa joints instead. All it took was a little encouragement from our teacher, Anderson—and a little Dutch courage—to get us dancing out on the street.

Learning How to Salsa in Cartagena

We ditched the tourist circuit for the afternoon and cut our teeth at a few local salsa joints instead. All it took was a little encouragement from our teacher, Anderson—and a little Dutch courage—to get us dancing out on the street.

Slide 4 of 14: The historic walled city of Cartagena is an Instagrammer's playground, and thankfully we had our on-trip photographer Simone at our side to capture all of the highlights (wall selfies included).

Striking a Pose For the On-Trip Photographer

The historic walled city of Cartagena is an Instagrammer’s playground, and thankfully we had our on-trip photographer Simone at our side to capture all of the highlights (wall selfies included).

Slide 5 of 14: Have you ever had a deep-fried arepa with egg and cheese cooked inside of it? Well, you should. Not only is it a piping hot mouthful of greasy goodness, but an ideal hangover cure after too much aguardiente and salsa dancing.

Sampling Street Food in Old Town Cartagena

Have you ever had a deep-fried arepa with egg and cheese cooked inside of it? Well, you should. Not only is it a piping hot mouthful of greasy goodness, but an ideal hangover cure after too much aguardiente and salsa dancing.

Slide 6 of 14: Clear Caribbean waters, 85-degree weather, and a private catamaran? I dare you to find an image that screams "out of office" more than this one.

Snorkeling Along the Coastline

Clear Caribbean waters, 85-degree weather, and a private catamaran? I dare you to find an image that screams “out of office” more than this one.
Slide 7 of 14: For the second half of the trip, we headed to Medellín—also known as the “City of Eternal Spring,” thanks to its year-round temperate weather. Needless to say, cocktail hour meant watching the sun set in a purple-pink haze over the skyline and neighboring Aburrá Valley.
 

Sunsets in Medellín

For the second half of the trip, we headed to Medellín—also known as the “City of Eternal Spring,” thanks to its year-round temperate weather. Needless to say, cocktail hour meant watching the sun set in a purple-pink haze over the skyline and neighboring Aburrá Valley.

Slide 8 of 14: Colombia has been long-considered one of the best places in the world for coffee. We spent an afternoon getting a coffee tutorial from the experts—and discovered that we'd been brewing our own coffee all wrong.

Tasting the Best of Colombian Coffee

Colombia has been long-considered one of the best places in the world for coffee. We spent an afternoon getting a coffee tutorial from the experts—and discovered that we’d been brewing our own coffee all wrong.

Slide 9 of 14: Two hours outside of Medellín lies Guatapé, a tiny cobblestoned town filled with plenty of colorful buildings and murals. Plus, the town's public transport is nothing short of adorable.

Exploring Multi-Colored Guatapé

Two hours outside of Medellín lies Guatapé, a tiny cobblestoned town filled with plenty of colorful buildings and murals. Plus, the town’s public transport is nothing short of adorable.

Slide 10 of 14: All that walking around Guatapé is tiring (and no, we didn't attempt the 659-step climb to the top of the region's landmark rock, El Peñón) so we set up camp at a private lake house for the day, complete with a swimming pool, hammocks, and unrivaled views. Not pictured: a six-course Argentinian lunch, fresh off the grill.

Spending the Day at a Private Lake House

All that walking around Guatapé is tiring (and no, we didn’t attempt the 659-step climb to the top of the region’s landmark rock, El Peñón) so we set up camp at a private lake house for the day, complete with a swimming pool, hammocks, and unrivaled views. Not pictured: a six-course Argentinian lunch, fresh off the grill.
Slide 11 of 14: If you live in New York, like I do, watching breakdancers is basically part of your daily commute. But watching this group perform in Comuna 13—a neighborhood that was once the most dangerous in the city, and now the most visited—took things to a whole other level. One thing that made them really stand out from the crowd? Their best performer was a woman.

 

Watching Breakdancers in Medellín’s Comuna 13

If you live in New York, like I do, watching breakdancers is basically part of your daily commute. But watching this group perform in Comuna 13—a neighborhood that was once the most dangerous in the city, and now the most visited—took things to a whole other level. One thing that made them really stand out from the crowd? Their best performer was a woman.
Slide 12 of 14: Street art has been an intrinsic part of rebuilding communities within Comuna 13—so much so that thousands of visitors flock to see its murals each year. We got a lesson from one of the neighborhood's most famous street artists, Chota, who helped us leave our very own mark on Medellín.

Creating Our Own Street Art

Street art has been an intrinsic part of rebuilding communities within Comuna 13—so much so that thousands of visitors flock to see its murals each year. We got a lesson from one of the neighborhood’s most famous street artists, Chota, who helped us leave our very own mark on Medellín.
Slide 13 of 14: And in case you were wondering, we're already plotting our next trip together.

Making Lifelong Travel Buddies

And in case you were wondering, we’re already plotting our next trip together.

50 Most Beautiful Cities in the World

Slide 1 of 50: This one's a given, right? Paris is a place where romance and history play side by side. Cafés line cobblestone streets, beautiful people stroll along the Seine at all hours, and every neighborhood seems to have its own iconic landmark, be it the Notre Dame, Sacré-Coeur, or Eiffel Tower.

Paris, France

This one’s a given, right? Paris is a place where romance and history play side by side. Cafés line cobblestone streets, beautiful people stroll along the Seine at all hours, and every neighborhood seems to have its own iconic landmark, be it the Notre Dame, Sacré-Coeur, or Eiffel Tower.

Slide 2 of 50: If you think Dubai needs a low-dose chill pill prescription, then you might find Doha to be more your cup of tea. Founded on a turquoise bay in the 1820s, this former fishing village is lined with Emerald City-esque skyscrapers, the colorful Souq Waqif, and the I. M. Pei–designed Museum of Islamic Art. (Get ready to see more of the city as Qatar gears up to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022.)

Doha, Qatar

If you think Dubai needs a low-dose chill pill prescription, then you might find Doha to be more your cup of tea. Founded on a turquoise bay in the 1820s, this former fishing village is lined with Emerald City-esque skyscrapers, the colorful Souq Waqif, and the I. M. Pei–designed Museum of Islamic Art. (Get ready to see more of the city as Qatar gears up to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022.)
Slide 3 of 50: You know Amsterdam's oh-so-famous central canal, rightly dubbed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. Add to that swathes of green spaces, storied red-brick facades, and museums filled with Van Gogh paintings, and you have yourself one of Europe's most gorgeous cultural epicenters.

 

Amsterdam, Netherlands

You know Amsterdam’s oh-so-famous central canal, rightly dubbed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. Add to that swathes of green spaces, storied red-brick facades, and museums filled with Van Gogh paintings, and you have yourself one of Europe’s most gorgeous cultural epicenters.
Slide 4 of 50: There's nowhere on Earth quite like Venice: Its canals, labyrinth of car-free cobblestone streets, and hidden passageways are perfect for wandering. Hail a water taxi or gondola to wind through the city and, if you have time, get out of the historic center and head for the outer islands.

 

Venice, Italy

There’s nowhere on Earth quite like Venice: Its canals, labyrinth of car-free cobblestone streets, and hidden passageways are perfect for wandering. Hail a water taxi or gondola to wind through the city and, if you have time, get out of the historic center and head for the outer islands.
Slide 5 of 50: Visiting Japan's imperial capital is like taking a step back in time. Some 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines are ready to entrance visitors, and you might even spot a geisha while strolling the city's leafy, craft shop-lined streets. For those desperately seeking cherry blossoms, fear not: Kyoto Botanical Garden and Philosopher's Path are some of Japan's most popular spots for hanami.

 

Kyoto, Japan

Visiting Japan’s imperial capital is like taking a step back in time. Some 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines are ready to entrance visitors, and you might even spot a geisha while strolling the city’s leafy, craft shop-lined streets. For those desperately seeking cherry blossoms, fear not: Kyoto Botanical Garden and Philosopher’s Path are some of Japan’s most popular spots for hanami.
Slide 6 of 50: You can't talk about Barcelona without mentioning Antoni Gaudí, the Catalan architect who left his mark all over the city. A walk around town leads you through his undulating stonework and ironwork, which include Park Güell and culminate in his unfinished masterpiece La Sagrada Família. It's not just about colorful mosaics, though: From the mountains to the beach, the historic to the contemporary, sunny Barcelona pretty much has it all.
 

Barcelona, Spain

You can’t talk about Barcelona without mentioning Antoni Gaudí, the Catalan architect who left his mark all over the city. A walk around town leads you through his undulating stonework and ironwork, which include Park Güell and culminate in his unfinished masterpiece La Sagrada Família. It’s not just about colorful mosaics, though: From the mountains to the beach, the historic to the contemporary, sunny Barcelona pretty much has it all.
Slide 7 of 50: One of the world’s oldest cities is brimming with new life these days, but the appeal of Athens' beauty is its healthy mix of ancient and modern. Get your dose of history at the Acropolis, which provides both close-up views of the Parthenon and panoramic views of the city from its hilltop. Get similarly sweeping views without the heavy footwork at Lykavittos Hill, reachable via cable car. After all that antiquity, devote an afternoon to a site that's only a couple years old: The Renzo Piano-designed, $623 million Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, which houses the National Opera and the National Library of Greece.

Athens, Greece

One of the world’s oldest cities is brimming with new life these days, but the appeal of Athens‘ beauty is its healthy mix of ancient and modern. Get your dose of history at the Acropolis, which provides both close-up views of the Parthenon and panoramic views of the city from its hilltop. Get similarly sweeping views without the heavy footwork at Lykavittos Hill, reachable via cable car. After all that antiquity, devote an afternoon to a site that’s only a couple years old: The Renzo Piano-designed, $623 million Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, which houses the National Opera and the National Library of Greece.
Slide 8 of 50: It's almost not fair how pretty Sydney is. Australia’s biggest city benefits from a waterfront culture, with locals hopping on ferries to commute home—or play—on Bondi, Manly, and Coogee beaches, and the dramatic Sydney Opera House standing sentry in the harbor.

 

Sydney, Australia

It’s almost not fair how pretty Sydney is. Australia’s biggest city benefits from a waterfront culture, with locals hopping on ferries to commute home—or play—on Bondi, Manly, and Coogee beaches, and the dramatic Sydney Opera House standing sentry in the harbor.
Slide 9 of 50: Many consider colonial-era San Miguel de Allende one of Mexico’s prettiest cities, and it’s no wonder. Here, you’ll find leafy courtyards, narrow cobblestone streets, and a historic town center from which the Gothic Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel’s pink towers rise high above the main plaza.

 

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Many consider colonial-era San Miguel de Allende one of Mexico’s prettiest cities, and it’s no wonder. Here, you’ll find leafy courtyards, narrow cobblestone streets, and a historic town center from which the Gothic Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel’s pink towers rise high above the main plaza.
Slide 10 of 50: Cuba has been one of our favorite travel destinations for the past few years, and its capital is back on our radars, thanks to Virgin Voyages' announcement that Havana would be the first stop on its maiden voyage in 2020. From the pastel architecture of Old Havana to the rich green moss of Metropolitan Park, the city is as colorful as it is energetic. (Now if only we could get Camila Cabello out of our heads...)

 

Havana, Cuba

Cuba has been one of our favorite travel destinations for the past few years, and its capital is back on our radars, thanks to Virgin Voyages’ announcement that Havana would be the first stop on its maiden voyage in 2020. From the pastel architecture of Old Havana to the rich green moss of Metropolitan Park, the city is as colorful as it is energetic. (Now if only we could get Camila Cabello out of our heads…)
Slide 11 of 50: Beirut's seaside glamour rivals that of any European riviera, with posh beach clubs and rooftop bars, palm tree-lined promenades, and hidden courtyards filled with bougainvillea. But here, glossy high-rises are juxtaposed against centuries-old mosques and souks, giving the city a timeless appeal you won't find anywhere else.

 

Beirut, Lebanon

Beirut’s seaside glamour rivals that of any European riviera, with posh beach clubs and rooftop bars, palm tree-lined promenades, and hidden courtyards filled with bougainvillea. But here, glossy high-rises are juxtaposed against centuries-old mosques and souks, giving the city a timeless appeal you won’t find anywhere else.
Slide 12 of 50: Mountains, coastlines, beaches filled with penguins: Cape Town pretty much has it all. Each day in the Mother City will make you fall in love with some new sight, be it the king protea-filled Kirstenbosch National Botanic Gardens or the rainbow-bright row houses of Bo-Kaap. In fact, you can start sightseeing before your plane even lands: That first glimpse of Table Mountain from the sky will never leave your memory.

 

Cape Town, South Africa

Mountains, coastlines, beaches filled with penguins: Cape Town pretty much has it all. Each day in the Mother City will make you fall in love with some new sight, be it the king protea-filled Kirstenbosch National Botanic Gardens or the rainbow-bright row houses of Bo-Kaap. In fact, you can start sightseeing before your plane even lands: That first glimpse of Table Mountain from the sky will never leave your memory.

Slide 13 of 50: With some of the best Art Nouveau architecture in Europe, Budapest has no bad angles. Case in point: The city's famous thermal baths, or the gilded, slightly ostentatious Café Gerbeaud. For the very best angle, though, walk the Széchenyi Chain Bridge at night for unforgettable views of the Hungarian Parliament shining over the Danube River.

 

Budapest, Hungary

With some of the best Art Nouveau architecture in Europe, Budapest has no bad angles. Case in point: The city’s famous thermal baths, or the gilded, slightly ostentatious Café Gerbeaud. For the very best angle, though, walk the Széchenyi Chain Bridge at night for unforgettable views of the Hungarian Parliament shining over the Danube River.
Slide 14 of 50: Buenos Aires is often called the "Paris of South America," but we think this city is in a class all its own. Design lovers should plan at least one visit to Recoleta Cemetery, then explore the wildly varied architectural styles around every corner—from neoclassical mansions to the brightly painted buildings in La Boca. And let's face it: Everything seems more beautiful to a soundtrack of sizzling asado and flowing Malbec.

 

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires is often called the “Paris of South America,” but we think this city is in a class all its own. Design lovers should plan at least one visit to Recoleta Cemetery, then explore the wildly varied architectural styles around every corner—from neoclassical mansions to the brightly painted buildings in La Boca. And let’s face it: Everything seems more beautiful to a soundtrack of sizzling asado and flowing Malbec.
Slide 15 of 50: You can't walk down a street in Lisbon without spotting something beautiful. Just check out the terra-cotta roofs of Alfama, or the neo-classical architecture on the riverfront Praça do Comércio. But really, the visual appeal of Lisbon can be summed up in just three words: tiles, tiles, tiles.
 

Lisbon, Portugal

You can’t walk down a street in Lisbon without spotting something beautiful. Just check out the terra-cotta roofs of Alfama, or the neo-classical architecture on the riverfront Praça do Comércio. But really, the visual appeal of Lisbon can be summed up in just three words: tiles, tiles, tiles.
Slide 16 of 50: It may not have the temples of Siem Reap or the ancient ruins of Bagan, but Luang Prabang might just be Southeast Asia's ideal city. It's hard to pinpoint exactly why that is, but you might chalk it up to the daily, early-morning processions of 200 saffron-robed monks, or the bright explosions of orchids sprouting out of the trees. And is it just us, or does the sky seem just a little bit bluer here?

 

Luang Prabang, Laos

It may not have the temples of Siem Reap or the ancient ruins of Bagan, but Luang Prabang might just be Southeast Asia’s ideal city. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why that is, but you might chalk it up to the daily, early-morning processions of 200 saffron-robed monks, or the bright explosions of orchids sprouting out of the trees. And is it just us, or does the sky seem just a little bit bluer here?
Slide 17 of 50: Italy has no shortage of beautiful cities, but Florence remains unrivaled in history, art, and architecture. You'll find traces of Renaissance aesthetics all over town, like the striking Santa Maria del Fiore (The Duomo) and Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. Meanwhile, Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi remain essential photo backdrops.

 

Florence, Italy

Italy has no shortage of beautiful cities, but Florence remains unrivaled in history, art, and architecture. You’ll find traces of Renaissance aesthetics all over town, like the striking Santa Maria del Fiore (The Duomo) and Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. Meanwhile, Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi remain essential photo backdrops.
Slide 18 of 50: Istanbul continues to draw us in, whether it's through the frenetic opulence of the Grand Bazaar or the old-meets-new aesthetic of Karaköy. But the architecture still shines brightest here, with the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia featuring prominent displays of both Byzantine and Ottoman styles: Think massive domes, colored mosaics, minarets, and Islamic calligraphy.

 

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul continues to draw us in, whether it’s through the frenetic opulence of the Grand Bazaar or the old-meets-new aesthetic of Karaköy. But the architecture still shines brightest here, with the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia featuring prominent displays of both Byzantine and Ottoman styles: Think massive domes, colored mosaics, minarets, and Islamic calligraphy.
Slide 19 of 50: Hong Kong is impressive from many angles—beneath the towering skyscrapers, or from a ferry crossing Victoria Harbour—but you can see its finest side from the air. As your flight approaches the city, it feels like the mist parts and reveals a modern paradise, where hilly islands surround a concrete jungle. Best. Skyline. Ever.

 

Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong is impressive from many angles—beneath the towering skyscrapers, or from a ferry crossing Victoria Harbour—but you can see its finest side from the air. As your flight approaches the city, it feels like the mist parts and reveals a modern paradise, where hilly islands surround a concrete jungle. Best. Skyline. Ever.
Slide 20 of 50: Despite its reputation for churning out cutting-edge restaurants and hotels, Copenhagen has an ageless charm that makes you want to keep going back. The whimsical, 1800s-era Tivoli Gardens puts all other amusement parks to shame, while the bohemian commune of Christiania is a hazy, verdant dreamland. And in case you were wondering, yes: The waterfront houses of Nyhavn really are that pretty.

 

Copenhagen, Denmark

Despite its reputation for churning out cutting-edge restaurants and hotels, Copenhagen has an ageless charm that makes you want to keep going back. The whimsical, 1800s-era Tivoli Gardens puts all other amusement parks to shame, while the bohemian commune of Christiania is a hazy, verdant dreamland. And in case you were wondering, yes: The waterfront houses of Nyhavn really are that pretty.
Slide 21 of 50: Long a place of religious pilgrimage, Jerusalem is now drawing a different sort of pilgrim: the global traveler. The city's monuments of faith—like the Western Wall or the Dome of the Rock—are still spectacular, of course; but the influx of design hotels and buzzy restaurants in open-air markets are reinventing Jerusalem from the ground up. It's amazing how a city that dates to the fourth millennium B.C. still manages to surprise us.

Jerusalem, Israel

Long a place of religious pilgrimage, Jerusalem is now drawing a different sort of pilgrim: the global traveler. The city’s monuments of faith—like the Western Wall or the Dome of the Rock—are still spectacular, of course; but the influx of design hotels and buzzy restaurants in open-air markets are reinventing Jerusalem from the ground up. It’s amazing how a city that dates to the fourth millennium B.C. still manages to surprise us.
Slide 22 of 50: It seems like every European city boasts a beautiful central square, but we'd argue that Krakow's Rynek Glówny ranks among the best. The square is defined by its 15th-century town hall tower (which you can, and should, climb), with the UNESCO-listed Wawel Castle just a short walk away. Oh, and the city's 40-plus parks certainly don't hurt the attractiveness score here.

 

Krakow, Poland

It seems like every European city boasts a beautiful central square, but we’d argue that Krakow’s Rynek Glówny ranks among the best. The square is defined by its 15th-century town hall tower (which you can, and should, climb), with the UNESCO-listed Wawel Castle just a short walk away. Oh, and the city’s 40-plus parks certainly don’t hurt the attractiveness score here.
Slide 23 of 50: With its cobblestone streets and peaceful, tree-lined canals, it's not hard to see Bruges as one big fairytale setting come to life. Much of the city's charm lies in its immaculately preserved old city, built between the 12th and 15th centuries; grab a seat at a cafe near the Markt (the historic center square), and plan to linger for the better part of a day.

 

Bruges, Belgium

With its cobblestone streets and peaceful, tree-lined canals, it’s not hard to see Bruges as one big fairytale setting come to life. Much of the city’s charm lies in its immaculately preserved old city, built between the 12th and 15th centuries; grab a seat at a cafe near the Markt (the historic center square), and plan to linger for the better part of a day.
Slide 24 of 50: We once dubbed Busan "South Korea’s answer to Barcelona"—and just one glimpse at the seaside city proves this point. Aside from miles of wide beaches and a killer food scene, Busan has views for days: Check out the hilltop, Crayola-colored neighborhood of Gamcheon for some of the best in town. On the temple front, you can't find much prettier (in the entire country, really) than Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, overlooking the sea on the northwest corner of Busan.

 

Busan, South Korea

We once dubbed Busan “South Korea’s answer to Barcelona”—and just one glimpse at the seaside city proves this point. Aside from miles of wide beaches and a killer food scene, Busan has views for days: Check out the hilltop, Crayola-colored neighborhood of Gamcheon for some of the best in town. On the temple front, you can’t find much prettier (in the entire country, really) than Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, overlooking the sea on the northwest corner of Busan.
Slide 25 of 50: There are few places that better capture the grand soul of maritime Old Europe than Dubrovnik. The city played King's Landing in Game of Thrones, and was formerly the capital of the Maritime Republic of Ragusa, rival to Italy's Venice and Amalfi. Dubrovnik's crown jewel is the lovely old town of Stari Grad, whose convents, palaces, and fountains were cut from the same lightly colored stone.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

There are few places that better capture the grand soul of maritime Old Europe than Dubrovnik. The city played King’s Landing in Game of Thrones, and was formerly the capital of the Maritime Republic of Ragusa, rival to Italy’s Venice and Amalfi. Dubrovnik’s crown jewel is the lovely old town of Stari Grad, whose convents, palaces, and fountains were cut from the same lightly colored stone.
Slide 26 of 50: This immaculately preserved 16th-century city on the Caribbean coast should be on any Colombian itinerary. Make sure to visit the impossibly pretty, UNESCO-listed Old Town, complete with cobbled streets and colonial architecture, as well as the high-rise-heavy neighborhood of Bocagrande and street art haven of Getsemaní.

Cartagena, Colombia

This immaculately preserved 16th-century city on the Caribbean coast should be on any Colombian itinerary. Make sure to visit the impossibly pretty, UNESCO-listed Old Town, complete with cobbled streets and colonial architecture, as well as the high-rise-heavy neighborhood of Bocagrande and street art haven of Getsemaní.
Slide 27 of 50: Beloved for its endless green hills and fascinating history, Edinburgh looks great in all seasons. Aside from its beautiful Gothic buildings, cobblestoned Royal Mile, and 12th-century castle keeping watch on a hilltop, it also happens to have an extinct volcano within its parameters. Take that, Paris.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Beloved for its endless green hills and fascinating history, Edinburgh looks great in all seasons. Aside from its beautiful Gothic buildings, cobblestoned Royal Mile, and 12th-century castle keeping watch on a hilltop, it also happens to have an extinct volcano within its parameters. Take that, Paris.
Slide 28 of 50: For a real taste of Canada’s European past, look no further than Quebec City. The city has an enviable position on a hill by a cliff overlooking the St. Lawrence River, which only makes its ancient architecture even more spectacular. For that once-in-a-lifetime shot, head to the opposite end of the river and watch the sunset paint the Old Town in shades of pinks and purple.

Québec City, Canada

For a real taste of Canada’s European past, look no further than Quebec City. The city has an enviable position on a hill by a cliff overlooking the St. Lawrence River, which only makes its ancient architecture even more spectacular. For that once-in-a-lifetime shot, head to the opposite end of the river and watch the sunset paint the Old Town in shades of pinks and purple.
Slide 29 of 50: Love the canals of Amsterdam and Venice? Germany’s second largest city reportedly has more than both cities—combined. Float through the historic Speicherstadt warehouse district and past the 19th-century Town Hall, or stay on dry land to tour the 170,000-square-foot, $1 billion Elbphilharmonie concert venue.

Hamburg, Germany

Love the canals of Amsterdam and Venice? Germany’s second largest city reportedly has more than both cities—combined. Float through the historic Speicherstadt warehouse district and past the 19th-century Town Hall, or stay on dry land to tour the 170,000-square-foot, $1 billion Elbphilharmonie concert venue.
Slide 30 of 50: Rajasthan's capital, a.k.a. the Pink City, isn't the kind of place to hide its true colors. The city’s maharaja, Sawai Ram Singh II, ordered the buildings be painted an orangey-pink color in 1876 for a royal visit from Prince Albert and Queen Victoria; many buildings in the city’s old town remain painted this color today.

Jaipur, India

Rajasthan’s capital, a.k.a. the Pink City, isn’t the kind of place to hide its true colors. The city’s maharaja, Sawai Ram Singh II, ordered the buildings be painted an orangey-pink color in 1876 for a royal visit from Prince Albert and Queen Victoria; many buildings in the city’s old town remain painted this color today.
Slide 31 of 50: The adrenaline capital of the world is just a stone's throw away from some of the country's most incredible natural wonders, from milky-blue Lake Wakatipu to the so-called "big three" mountains (the Remarkables, Cecil Peak, and Walter Peak). If you'd rather not take in the vistas from a bungee-jumping harness, cozy up at Matakuri Lodge's courtyard or large infinity pool—both viable viewing platforms.

Queenstown, New Zealand

The adrenaline capital of the world is just a stone’s throw away from some of the country’s most incredible natural wonders, from milky-blue Lake Wakatipu to the so-called “big three” mountains (the Remarkables, Cecil Peak, and Walter Peak). If you’d rather not take in the vistas from a bungee-jumping harness, cozy up at Matakuri Lodge’s courtyard or large infinity pool—both viable viewing platforms.
Slide 32 of 50: Oman has some of the most spectacular landscapes, from beaches to fantastically craggy mountain ranges. Meanwhile, Muscat, Oman’s port capital, is hemmed in by mountains and deserts on the Gulf of Oman, where 21st-century shopping malls share space with 16th-century Portuguese forts and gleaming mosques.

Muscat, Oman

Oman has some of the most spectacular landscapes, from beaches to fantastically craggy mountain ranges. Meanwhile, Muscat, Oman’s port capital, is hemmed in by mountains and deserts on the Gulf of Oman, where 21st-century shopping malls share space with 16th-century Portuguese forts and gleaming mosques.
Slide 33 of 50: London is one of the most vibrant cities in the world, with history (Westminster Abbey) and models of modernity (London Eye, The Gherkin) mingling on the Thames. Art and literature seem to seep out of the city's walls—and in recent years, London has glammed up even more, with contemporary art galleries and boutique retailers adding some glimmer to formerly seedy areas.

London, U.K.

London is one of the most vibrant cities in the world, with history (Westminster Abbey) and models of modernity (London Eye, The Gherkin) mingling on the Thames. Art and literature seem to seep out of the city’s walls—and in recent years, London has glammed up even more, with contemporary art galleries and boutique retailers adding some glimmer to formerly seedy areas.
Slide 34 of 50: Tucked high in Morocco’s Rif Mountains, this 15th-century, famously blue fortress town remains a popular draw for tourists. Pick any spot in Chefchaouen’s medina, and you're bound to find a jaw-dropping view of its dreamy sky blue buildings (which get a new coat of paint every year) or the surrounding mountains. For a view over the whole town, make the 20-minute hike up to the Grande Mosquée.

Chefchaouen, Morocco

Tucked high in Morocco’s Rif Mountains, this 15th-century, famously blue fortress town remains a popular draw for tourists. Pick any spot in Chefchaouen’s medina, and you’re bound to find a jaw-dropping view of its dreamy sky blue buildings (which get a new coat of paint every year) or the surrounding mountains. For a view over the whole town, make the 20-minute hike up to the Grande Mosquée.
Slide 35 of 50: With its meticulously kept gardens, vibrantly painted Georgian houses along Rainbow Row (you get a gorgeous mansion! and you get a gorgeous mansion!), and carriages clacking across cobblestone streets, Charleston remains one of America's most picturesque cities. No wonder it's topped our list of best small cities in the U.S. for eight years running.

Charleston, South Carolina

With its meticulously kept gardens, vibrantly painted Georgian houses along Rainbow Row (you get a gorgeous mansion! and you get a gorgeous mansion!), and carriages clacking across cobblestone streets, Charleston remains one of America’s most picturesque cities. No wonder it’s topped our list of best small cities in the U.S. for eight years running.
Slide 36 of 50: From its Old Town (the third-largest in Europe) to its world-renowned tapas scene, Seville blends modernity and history as easily as its famed flamenco dancers tap their feet. Game of Thrones made the Andalusian capital a central shot location for its fifth and subsequent seasons, putting places like lavish Alcázar of Seville on the pop culture map.

Seville, Spain

From its Old Town (the third-largest in Europe) to its world-renowned tapas scene, Seville blends modernity and history as easily as its famed flamenco dancers tap their feet. Game of Thrones made the Andalusian capital a central shot location for its fifth and subsequent seasons, putting places like lavish Alcázar of Seville on the pop culture map.
Slide 37 of 50: New York's beauty is multi-sensory: It's the historic architecture, from the Flatiron Building to One World Trade Center. It's the feel of grass beneath your feet (and the smell of roasted nuts) in Central Park. It's the art of the Met, MoMa, and Frick. But most of all, it's the sight of beautiful, diverse people walking the city streets with heads held high.

 

New York, New York

New York’s beauty is multi-sensory: It’s the historic architecture, from the Flatiron Building to One World Trade Center. It’s the feel of grass beneath your feet (and the smell of roasted nuts) in Central Park. It’s the art of the Met, MoMa, and Frick. But most of all, it’s the sight of beautiful, diverse people walking the city streets with heads held high.
Slide 38 of 50: Isfahan is one of the Iran's largest metropolises, with wide, tree-lined boulevards and hidden Persian gardens made for exploring. Shah Mosque (also known as Imam Mosque), in particular, is one of the city's finest examples of Islamic architecture, known for its Persian domes, marble columns, and, above all, intricate mosaics. The mosque's entrances and prayer halls are covered with hundred of thousands of blue tiles, punctuated with yellows and greens.

Isfahan, Iran

Isfahan is one of the Iran’s largest metropolises, with wide, tree-lined boulevards and hidden Persian gardens made for exploring. Shah Mosque (also known as Imam Mosque), in particular, is one of the city’s finest examples of Islamic architecture, known for its Persian domes, marble columns, and, above all, intricate mosaics. The mosque’s entrances and prayer halls are covered with hundred of thousands of blue tiles, punctuated with yellows and greens.
Slide 39 of 50: Rio has some of the loveliest stretches of sand in the world, from Copacabana to Ipanema. Christ the Redeemer watches over the entire coastline, where a vibrant city seems to dance down to the sea and mellow as it floats off on a stand-up paddleboard.

 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio has some of the loveliest stretches of sand in the world, from Copacabana to Ipanema. Christ the Redeemer watches over the entire coastline, where a vibrant city seems to dance down to the sea and mellow as it floats off on a stand-up paddleboard.
Slide 40 of 50: Rome captivates travelers in ways few cities can—chalk it up to world-class architecture, impossibly narrow cobblestone vicoli, and museums filled with artistic masterpieces. Call us sentimental, but we still stop dead in our tracks at the first glimpse of the Pantheon as we turn into the Piazza della Rotonda.

 

Rome, Italy

Rome captivates travelers in ways few cities can—chalk it up to world-class architecture, impossibly narrow cobblestone vicoli, and museums filled with artistic masterpieces. Call us sentimental, but we still stop dead in our tracks at the first glimpse of the Pantheon as we turn into the Piazza della Rotonda.
Slide 41 of 50: Arguably China’s most exciting city, Shanghai's skyline is defined by shiny beacons like the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower. But he city's not all 21st-century glitz and luxury brand-name boutiques; there are plenty of opportunities to partake in more traditional pleasures, whether it's strolling the Bund or exploring the colonial architecture in the old French Concession.

 

Shanghai, China

Arguably China’s most exciting city, Shanghai’s skyline is defined by shiny beacons like the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower. But he city’s not all 21st-century glitz and luxury brand-name boutiques; there are plenty of opportunities to partake in more traditional pleasures, whether it’s strolling the Bund or exploring the colonial architecture in the old French Concession.
Slide 42 of 50: St. Petersburg may have been immortalized by Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, but the city is well worth exploring beyond the pages of a book. Palace Square provides front-row viewing of both the Building of the General Staff and Winter Palace, the latter of which may be Russia's finest example of Baroque architecture. Also worth a visit is the five-domed Church of the Saviour on the Spilled Blood, as well as the city's many spectacular Orthodox churches.

St Petersburg, Russia

St. Petersburg may have been immortalized by Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, but the city is well worth exploring beyond the pages of a book. Palace Square provides front-row viewing of both the Building of the General Staff and Winter Palace, the latter of which may be Russia’s finest example of Baroque architecture. Also worth a visit is the five-domed Church of the Saviour on the Spilled Blood, as well as the city’s many spectacular Orthodox churches.
Slide 43 of 50: It's easy to see why so many travelers are devotedVancouver loyalists. Once described as "the little village on the edge of the rainforest," the now-cosmopolitan city (Canada's third largest) is surrounded by incredible natural beauty—snow-capped mountains on one side, and the Pacific Ocean on the other. You don't even have to travel far to get your dose of nature: Downtown Stanley Park has more than 1,000 acres of waterfront and woodlands.

 

Vancouver, Canada

It’s easy to see why so many travelers are devoted Vancouver loyalists. Once described as “the little village on the edge of the rainforest,” the now-cosmopolitan city (Canada’s third largest) is surrounded by incredible natural beauty—snow-capped mountains on one side, and the Pacific Ocean on the other. You don’t even have to travel far to get your dose of nature: Downtown Stanley Park has more than 1,000 acres of waterfront and woodlands.
Slide 44 of 50: Tallinn practically overflows with storybook charm, thanks to colorful buildings, turreted castles, and a lovely location on the Baltic Sea. The city has one of the best-preserved historical centers in Europe, with many of its medieval churches and merchant houses falling under UNESCO protection. The views of the city center from Toompea Castle are beautiful no matter the season—in fact, they make those cold, Baltic winters downright bearable.

 

Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn practically overflows with storybook charm, thanks to colorful buildings, turreted castles, and a lovely location on the Baltic Sea. The city has one of the best-preserved historical centers in Europe, with many of its medieval churches and merchant houses falling under UNESCO protection. The views of the city center from Toompea Castle are beautiful no matter the season—in fact, they make those cold, Baltic winters downright bearable.
Slide 45 of 50: Artistic and exquisite, it's no surprise that Vienna was voted the best city in Europe in this year's Readers' Choice Awards. Between visiting the opera and sampling Sachertorte, be sure to pay a visit to Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Habsburgs and Vienna's most popular tourist attraction. The palace's Baroque architecture and spectacular gardens are worth bumping elbows with a few fellow tourists.

Vienna, Austria

Artistic and exquisite, it’s no surprise that Vienna was voted the best city in Europe in this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards. Between visiting the opera and sampling Sachertorte, be sure to pay a visit to Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Habsburgs and Vienna’s most popular tourist attraction. The palace’s Baroque architecture and spectacular gardens are worth bumping elbows with a few fellow tourists.
Slide 46 of 50: Singapore is a superlative city, with elaborate temples, extraordinary gardens, and world-class architecture (check out the candy-colored houses on Koon Seng Road). The beauty here is both natural and man-made, with travelers seeking out the city's tropical jungle in the Botanic Garden and the wild, technicolor Gardens by the Bay. As an added bonus, you can reach everything via some of the cleanest streets and subways we've ever seen.

 

Singapore

Singapore is a superlative city, with elaborate temples, extraordinary gardens, and world-class architecture (check out the candy-colored houses on Koon Seng Road). The beauty here is both natural and man-made, with travelers seeking out the city’s tropical jungle in the Botanic Garden and the wild, technicolor Gardens by the Bay. As an added bonus, you can reach everything via some of the cleanest streets and subways we’ve ever seen.
Slide 48 of 50: Sitting on the mouth of the River Liffey, the capital of Ireland is renowned for its medieval buildings, stately churches, and public parks. (And Guinness, which is a beautiful thing in its own right.) Dublin's appeal will even follow you indoors: Step inside Trinity College to gawk at the Old Library's Long Room, which is easily one of the most gorgeous libraries in the entire world.

 

Dublin, Ireland

Sitting on the mouth of the River Liffey, the capital of Ireland is renowned for its medieval buildings, stately churches, and public parks. (And Guinness, which is a beautiful thing in its own right.) Dublin’s appeal will even follow you indoors: Step inside Trinity College to gawk at the Old Library’s Long Room, which is easily one of the most gorgeous libraries in the entire world.
Slide 49 of 50: What is it about this Swiss lakeside town outside of Zurich that wins so many hearts? We're guessing it has a lot to do with the town's storybook setting, complete with turreted buildings, picturesque Old Town, and famed Kapellbrücke (the oldest covered bridge in Europe). Lucerne also happens to be a popular departure point for the Swiss Alps, which are visible from the town.

Lucerne, Switzerland

What is it about this Swiss lakeside town outside of Zurich that wins so many hearts? We’re guessing it has a lot to do with the town’s storybook setting, complete with turreted buildings, picturesque Old Town, and famed Kapellbrücke (the oldest covered bridge in Europe). Lucerne also happens to be a popular departure point for the Swiss Alps, which are visible from the town.
Slide 50 of 50: Quito's Old Town could almost be mistaken for Florence, with its spectacularly gilded churches and cobbled streets. However, Ecuador's capital has the geological advantage here—namely, its position under two snow-capped volcanos (both active) in the Andes mountains. Climb the dizzyingly high central tower of Basílica del Voto Nacional to see the city's buildings and mountains in one sweeping view.

Quito, Ecuador

Quito’s Old Town could almost be mistaken for Florence, with its spectacularly gilded churches and cobbled streets. However, Ecuador’s capital has the geological advantage here—namely, its position under two snow-capped volcanos (both active) in the Andes mountains. Climb the dizzyingly high central tower of Basílica del Voto Nacional to see the city’s buildings and mountains in one sweeping view.

World’s most amazing mazes you’ll want to get stuck into

Slide 1 of 32: From mind-boggling family fun to romantic walks in lush surroundings, these lovely labyrinths are an ideal way to while away an afternoon. Some in our selection are permanent fixtures, others are shaped especially each year and, either way, are sure to test your gray matter. Whether you want to get stuck in or simply admire their beauty, you're sure to have an a-maze-ing time...

These attractions are a cut above

From mind-boggling family fun to romantic walks in lush surroundings, these lovely labyrinths are an ideal way to while away an afternoon. Some in our selection are permanent fixtures, others are shaped especially each year and, either way, are sure to test your gray matter. Whether you want to get stuck in or simply admire their beauty, you’re sure to have an a-maze-ing time…
Slide 2 of 32: Family fun is the name of the game at this gorgeous spiral maze in Rotorua on New Zealand's North Island. You’re sure to get lost as you twist and turn through the 0.8 miles (1.4km) of winding hedge in search of the center. There are optional gaps in the hedge where you can try to find shortcuts but, then, you’ll also hit permanent blocks and one-way doors. It's sure to leave you scratching your head. 

2/32 SLIDES © aMAZEme/Instagram

aMAZEme, North Island, New Zealand

Family fun is the name of the game at this gorgeous spiral maze in Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island. You’re sure to get lost as you twist and turn through the 0.8 miles (1.4km) of winding hedge in search of the center. There are optional gaps in the hedge where you can try to find shortcuts but, then, you’ll also hit permanent blocks and one-way doors. It’s sure to leave you scratching your head.

Slide 3 of 32: One of the world’s finest mazes, the hedges form an intricate squid-like design that will baffle and intrigue. You’ll find the castle in Tiszadob, in the northeast of Hungary near the Slovakian border, where it was built for Count Gyula Andrássy, the first Hungarian prime minister. The boxwood labyrinth was designed in the late 19th century in the Romantic style and has been providing dreamy ways to get lost ever since.

3/32 SLIDES © Andrássy Castle/Instagram

Andrássy Castle maze, Hungary

One of the world’s finest mazes, the hedges form an intricate squid-like design that will baffle and intrigue. You’ll find the castle in Tiszadob, in the northeast of Hungary near the Slovakian border, where it was built for Count Gyula Andrássy, the first Hungarian prime minister. The boxwood labyrinth was designed in the late 19th century in the Romantic style and has been providing dreamy ways to get lost ever since.

Slide 4 of 32: Delight in being engulfed in this lush hedge maze on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, just over an hour's drive from Melbourne. It's more than 9.8 feet high (3m) and 9.8 feet thick making some sections delightfully narrow paths to squeeze through. There are also no straight edges, so orienteering is that little bit tougher. The maze tasks you to find each of the four mosaic flags in the north and south halves of the maze, both of which are completely different. 

 

Ashcombe Maze and Lavender Garden, Victoria, Australia

Delight in being engulfed in this lush hedge maze on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne. It’s more than 9.8 feet high (3m) and 9.8 feet thick making some sections delightfully narrow paths to squeeze through. There are also no straight edges, so orienteering is that little bit tougher. The maze tasks you to find each of the four mosaic flags in the north and south halves of the maze, both of which are completely different.

Slide 5 of 32: Wine-lovers rejoice. This cute vino-themed maze on the Bago Vineyard in New South Wales has more than 1.2 miles (2km) of pathway and is the biggest in the region. It’s been growing from vines for more than a decade and is now over 7.5 feet high (2.3m) and it features lookout towers and concealed items to find, and bridges and boardwalks over a sunken path. The design is intented to celebrate the cyclical nature of the vineyard.

 

Bago Maze, New South Wales, Australia

Wine-lovers rejoice. This cute vino-themed maze on the Bago Vineyard in New South Wales has more than 1.2 miles (2km) of pathway and is the biggest in the region. It’s been growing from vines for more than a decade and is now over 7.5 feet high (2.3m) and it features lookout towers and concealed items to find, and bridges and boardwalks over a sunken path. The design is intented to celebrate the cyclical nature of the vineyard.

Slide 6 of 32: This verdant two-mile maze can be found in grounds of Blenheim Palace, the ancestral seat of the Duke of Marlborough in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, which is also the birthplace of former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill. Made of hundreds of yew trees, its design is inspired by the palace’s 300-year history making for a regal adventure.  

6/32 SLIDES © Blenheim Palace 2019

Marlborough Maze, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, UK

This verdant two-mile maze can be found in grounds of Blenheim Palace, the ancestral seat of the Duke of Marlborough in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, which is also the birthplace of former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill. Made of hundreds of yew trees, its design is inspired by the palace’s 300-year history making for a regal adventure.

Slide 7 of 32: You don’t need many excuses to go to Hawaii but this super-fun and huge pineapple maze – officially the world’s largest – is one of the many attractions on the Dole Plantation. Covering more than three acres, you’ll need to navigate nearly 2.5 miles (4km) of maze carefully sculpted from 14,000 colorful Hawaiian plants to find eight secret stations that will lead to the heart of this labyrinth. Fantastic fruity fun.

 

Pineapple maze, Dole Plantation, Hawaii, USA

You don’t need many excuses to go to Hawaii but this super-fun and huge pineapple maze – officially the world’s largest – is one of the many attractions on the Dole Plantation. Covering more than three acres, you’ll need to navigate nearly 2.5 miles (4km) of maze carefully sculpted from 14,000 colorful Hawaiian plants to find eight secret stations that will lead to the heart of this labyrinth. Fantastic fruity fun.

Slide 8 of 32: Covering more than eight hectares in Parma, this star-shaped maze claims to be the largest labyrinth in existence and is made of about 2,000 bamboo plants reaching up to 49.2 feet (15m) high and forming more than 1.8 miles (3km) of path. There are traps and blind alleys along the route as you make your way to the mysterious building at the center.

 

Masone Labyrinth, Parma, Italy

Covering more than eight hectares in Parma, this star-shaped maze claims to be the largest labyrinth in existence and is made of about 2,000 bamboo plants reaching up to 49.2 feet (15m) high and forming more than 1.8 miles (3km) of path. There are traps and blind alleys along the route as you make your way to the mysterious building at the center.

Slide 9 of 32: It’s hard to imagine a place prettier than Hever, the double-moated 13th-century castle that was once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's doomed second wife. The same is true of its equally historic mazes: the yew maze and the water maze. Set within the castle’s magnificent 125-acre gardens in Hever, Kent you can pit yourself against the hidden jets and tilting stepping stones of the water garden or wander amid the romantic atmosphere of the yew tree maze that's pictured here.  

Hever Castle mazes, Kent, UK

It’s hard to imagine a place prettier than Hever, the double-moated 13th-century castle that was once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s doomed second wife. The same is true of its equally historic mazes: the yew maze and the water maze. Set within the castle’s magnificent 125-acre gardens in Hever, Kent you can pit yourself against the hidden jets and tilting stepping stones of the water garden or wander amid the romantic atmosphere of the yew tree maze that’s pictured here.

Slide 10 of 32: Voted one of the 10 best corn mazes in the USA and now stretching over more than 24 acres with around 3.5 miles (5.6km) of winding trails, what makes this maze unique is its location on a hillside in Danville, Vermont. There are fantastic views to be admired as you pass by the bridges and other fun features as you navigate its inspired design. It's only open at certain times of the year, so check before you go. 

10/32 SLIDES © Great Vermont Corn Maze/Facebook

Great Vermont corn maze, Danville, Vermont, USA

Voted one of the 10 best corn mazes in the USA and now stretching over more than 24 acres with around 3.5 miles (5.6km) of winding trails, what makes this maze unique is its location on a hillside in Danville, Vermont. There are fantastic views to be admired as you pass by the bridges and other fun features as you navigate its inspired design. It’s only open at certain times of the year, so check before you go.

Slide 11 of 32: It’s no wonder that Castlewellan Forest Park's Peace Maze is rapidly becoming one of Northern Ireland's most popular attractions. Its design is based on ideas from thousands of children and its 6,000 yew trees were planted by more than 4,000 school children and 1,000 adults on community planting days during 2000 to 2001. Explore the massive 2.18 miles (3.5km) of maze covering almost three acres to ring the bell at its center.

Peace Maze, Northern Ireland

It’s no wonder that Castlewellan Forest Park’s Peace Maze is rapidly becoming one of Northern Ireland’s most popular attractions. Its design is based on ideas from thousands of children and its 6,000 yew trees were planted by more than 4,000 school children and 1,000 adults on community planting days during 2000 to 2001. Explore the massive 2.18 miles (3.5km) of maze covering almost three acres to ring the bell at its center.

Slide 12 of 32: Built on the Venetian island of San Giorgio Maggiore – to celebrate the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges on the 25th anniversary of his death in 2011 – this maze is as mind-bending as the author’s extraordinary stories. Made of 3,200 box trees, the labyrinth weaves in two opposite directions as the word "Borges" and symbols the poet held dearest – a stick, an hourglass, a tiger and a question mark – are formed. 

 

Borges Labyrinth, Venice, Italy

Built on the Venetian island of San Giorgio Maggiore – to celebrate the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges on the 25th anniversary of his death in 2011 – this maze is as mind-bending as the author’s extraordinary stories. Made of 3,200 box trees, the labyrinth weaves in two opposite directions as the word “Borges” and symbols the poet held dearest – a stick, an hourglass, a tiger and a question mark – are formed.

Slide 13 of 32: Probably the most serene puzzle in the world, the Green Man maze in mid-Wales was planted in the shape of the pagan symbol of renewal to mark the turn of the millennium. Set in the extensive grounds of Penpont, one of the finest houses in the heart of the Brecon Beacons, follow the beech- and yew-lined paths as you wander past pools, secret gardens, banks of lavender, benches, tunnels, and an inner labyrinth to find the wishing stone in a wildflower garden. A slice of heaven. 

13/32 SLIDES © Penpont

Green Man Maze, Wales, UK

Probably the most serene puzzle in the world, the Green Man maze in mid-Wales was planted in the shape of the pagan symbol of renewal to mark the turn of the millennium. Set in the extensive grounds of Penpont, one of the finest houses in the heart of the Brecon Beacons, follow the beech- and yew-lined paths as you wander past pools, secret gardens, banks of lavender, benches, tunnels, and an inner labyrinth to find the wishing stone in a wildflower garden. A slice of heaven.

Slide 14 of 32: This stone labyrinth maze takes its inspiration from Greek myths and is all the more fun for it. One of several arts and architecture attractions at Kielder Castle in Northumberland, it includes a set of stairs that climb above the walls so you can look for routes to the goal: a small glittering room made of shards of recycled glass.
 

Minotaur Maze, Northumberland, UK

This stone labyrinth maze takes its inspiration from Greek myths and is all the more fun for it. One of several arts and architecture attractions at Kielder Castle in Northumberland, it includes a set of stairs that climb above the walls so you can look for routes to the goal: a small glittering room made of shards of recycled glass.

Slide 15 of 32: You’ll find one of Europe’s longest mazes at this farm zoo near Bristol. It’s made from a staggering 14,000 beech trees delightfully created in the shape of Noah’s Ark with seven animals hidden inside. There’s also a mini-maze for smaller children to learn the ropes. 

15/32 SLIDES © Noah’s Ark Farm Zoo, UK

Noah’s Ark Farm Zoo, North Somerset, UK

You’ll find one of Europe’s longest mazes at this farm zoo near Bristol. It’s made from a staggering 14,000 beech trees delightfully created in the shape of Noah’s Ark with seven animals hidden inside. There’s also a mini-maze for smaller children to learn the ropes.

Slide 16 of 32: Mazes don’t come much more majestic than this historical garden in the Horta-Guinardó district of Barcelona. The labyrinth is Barcelona's version of Granada's Alhambra and is made from 6.5 feet (2m) high hedges in a design that honors Greek mythology. You’ll find a classical frieze depicting Minos and, at its center, a statue of Cupid to explore as you wander leisurely through the verdant hedges under the warming sun.  Read more: find our guide to sleep, eating and sightseeing in the Catalan capital here. 

 

Laberint d’Horta Park, Spain

Mazes don’t come much more majestic than this historical garden in the Horta-Guinardó district of Barcelona. The labyrinth is Barcelona’s version of Granada’s Alhambra and is made from 6.5 feet (2m) high hedges in a design that honors Greek mythology. You’ll find a classical frieze depicting Minos and, at its center, a statue of Cupid to explore as you wander leisurely through the verdant hedges under the warming sun.

Slide 17 of 32: Open from September to October, this award-winning maze in Dixon, California was named the Guinness Book of World Records “world’s largest temporary corn maze” in 2007. Since then, it has grown to cover more than 53 acres. Each year, a new design is hand-cut from a detailed plan to provide visitors with hours of puzzling fun.

Cool Patch Pumpkins Maze, California, USA

Open from September to October, this award-winning maze in Dixon, California was named the Guinness Book of World Records “world’s largest temporary corn maze” in 2007. Since then, it has grown to cover more than 53 acres. Each year, a new design is hand-cut from a detailed plan to provide visitors with hours of puzzling fun.

Slide 18 of 32: The maze of tall, narrow hedges at the grand Schönbrunn Palace was laid out around 1720. Designed without the dead-ends and false turns of a classic maze, it was intended to give the palace’s elevated residents – the 1,441-room Baroque building was the summer residence of the Hapsburgs – an inviting setting for a gentle stroll. We all deserve the same luxury.

 

Schönbrunn Palace Maze, Vienna, Austria

The maze of tall, narrow hedges at the grand Schönbrunn Palace was laid out around 1720. Designed without the dead-ends and false turns of a classic maze, it was intended to give the palace’s elevated residents – the 1,441-room Baroque building was the summer residence of the Hapsburgs – an inviting setting for a gentle stroll. We all deserve the same luxury.

Slide 19 of 32: To celebrate the opening of its new glass entrance in 2015, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam planted 125,000 sunflowers – famously painted by the artist – in what’s surely one of the prettiest puzzle attractions ever. Sadly, it was only open for a weekend but we’d have been in no hurry to solve this one.

19/32 SLIDES © Jan Kees Steenman/Van Gogh Museum

Van Gogh Maze, the Netherlands

To celebrate the opening of its new glass entrance in 2015, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam planted 125,000 sunflowers – famously painted by the artist – in what’s surely one of the prettiest puzzle attractions ever. Sadly, it was only open for a weekend but we’d have been in no hurry to solve this one.

Slide 20 of 32: The biggest maize maze in Europe, the award-winning York Maze is quickly becoming one of the region’s most popular attractions. And it’s massive. Made from more than one million plants, it covers an area bigger than eight football pitches and is fashioned into a spectacular new shape each year. One of its biggest hits was this humongous Harry Potter tribute. We can’t wait to see what this year brings when it opens in July. 

 

York Maze, UK

The biggest maize maze in Europe, the award-winning York Maze is quickly becoming one of the region’s most popular attractions. And it’s massive. Made from more than one million plants, it covers an area bigger than eight football pitches and is fashioned into a spectacular new shape each year. One of its biggest hits was this humongous Harry Potter tribute. We can’t wait to see what this year brings when it opens in July.

Slide 21 of 32: The crystal-mad headquarters of Swarovski, Kristallwelten (Crystal World) in Wattens is not a place you’d expected to find a fabulous maze but this visitor attraction is home to one of the cutest children’s puzzles we’ve seen. Nestled in the beautiful park landscape, the green labyrinth, designed by André Heller, forms a hand. Don’t leave all the hide-and-seek fun to the kids. 

 

Swarovski, Kristallwelten, Tirol, Austria

The crystal-mad headquarters of Swarovski, Kristallwelten (Crystal World) in Wattens is not a place you’d expected to find a fabulous maze but this visitor attraction is home to one of the cutest children’s puzzles we’ve seen. Nestled in the beautiful park landscape, the green labyrinth, designed by André Heller, forms a hand. Don’t leave all the hide-and-seek fun to the kids.

Slide 22 of 32: Dubbed the world’s longest and most intricate, this corn maze in Spring Grove, Illinois has about nine to 10 miles of trail winding through 28 acres of live corn. Usually formed from four smaller mazes, you can choose to tackle one maze, a few, or the whole lot. There are multiple checkpoints and three bridges to help you get your bearings while navigating this beast of a puzzle. Each year has a theme, with The Beatles maze, pictured here, from the 2013 season. 
 

Richardson Corn Maze, Illinois, USA

Dubbed the world’s longest and most intricate, this corn maze in Spring Grove, Illinois has about nine to 10 miles of trail winding through 28 acres of live corn. Usually formed from four smaller mazes, you can choose to tackle one maze, a few, or the whole lot. There are multiple checkpoints and three bridges to help you get your bearings while navigating this beast of a puzzle. Each year has a theme, with The Beatles maze, pictured here, from the 2013 season.

Slide 23 of 32: Originally a formal garden laid out in the 18th century, the hedge maze at Traquair House, Peeblesshire was planted in 1981 and is the largest in Scotland. The intriguing layout has no dead ends and challengers must reach four sub-centers before they can find their way to the center. There are also pretty terraces allowing vantage points to guide friends around the maze.

Traquair maze, Scotland, UK

Originally a formal garden laid out in the 18th century, the hedge maze at Traquair House, Peeblesshire was planted in 1981 and is the largest in Scotland. The intriguing layout has no dead ends and challengers must reach four sub-centers before they can find their way to the center. There are also pretty terraces allowing vantage points to guide friends around the maze.

Slide 24 of 32: Located in Lacombe, in the heart of Alberta, last year the corn maze celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Canadian Finals Rodeo with an intricate 15-acre design. The maze also offers a choice of trivia games to add an extra layer of excitement to navigating your way around. 

24/32 SLIDES © Kraay Family Farm

Lacombe corn maze, Kraay Family Farm, Alberta, Canada

Located in Lacombe, in the heart of Alberta, last year the corn maze celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Canadian Finals Rodeo with an intricate 15-acre design. The maze also offers a choice of trivia games to add an extra layer of excitement to navigating your way around.

Slide 25 of 32: Ambition is critical at this maize maze at Skylark Garden Centre in Wimblington. The huge puzzle takes an exciting new form every year. 2018 saw visitors challenged to complete the maze in the shape a giant T-Rex, while previous years have served up a BFG in honor of children's author Roald Dahl and a Star Wars-shaped adventure. Find out what head-scratching fun 2019 will bring when the maze opens in July.  

Skylark Maize Maze, Cambridgeshire, UK

Ambition is critical at this maize maze at Skylark Garden Centre in Wimblington. The huge puzzle takes an exciting new form every year. 2018 saw visitors challenged to complete the maze in the shape a giant T-Rex, while previous years have served up a BFG in honor of children’s author Roald Dahl and a Star Wars-shaped adventure. Find out what head-scratching fun 2019 will bring when the maze opens in July.

Slide 26 of 32: The oldest surviving hedge maze in the UK, the many twists and turns of this multicursal maze dates back to the 1700s, when it was commissioned by William III. A trapezoid shape, it was originally grown in hornbeam and planted as part of formal garden layout known as the "wilderness". But it was later replanted using yew trees to provide an elegant adventure. 

26/32 SLIDES © Historic Royal Palaces

Hampton Court Maze, UK

The oldest surviving hedge maze in the UK, the many twists and turns of this multicursal maze dates back to the 1700s, when it was commissioned by William III. A trapezoid shape, it was originally grown in hornbeam and planted as part of formal garden layout known as the “wilderness”. But it was later replanted using yew trees to provide an elegant adventure.

Slide 27 of 32: Harbin, in China's Heilongjiang province, holds an annual ice festival over its freezing winter, during which temperatures linger around 8.6°F (-13°C). Harbin Ice and Snow World forms one of the festival's most dazzling parts and an amazing ice maze is one of its many attractions. We can't think of anything more magical than wrapping up and wandering through this frozen dreamworld. 

 

Harbin Ice And Snow World Maze, China

Harbin, in China’s Heilongjiang province, holds an annual ice festival over its freezing winter, during which temperatures linger around 8.6°F (-13°C). Harbin Ice and Snow World forms one of the festival’s most dazzling parts and an amazing ice maze is one of its many attractions. We can’t think of anything more magical than wrapping up and wandering through this frozen dreamworld.

Slide 28 of 32: This living puzzle was planted at the stunning National Trust garden in Mawnan Smith, near Falmouth, Cornwall. Planted in cherry laurel, palm trees mark the four corners of the puzzle, while a thatched summerhouse at the center provides a charming place to relax and enjoy your achievement.

Glendurgan Garden Maze, Cornwall, UK

This living puzzle was planted at the stunning National Trust garden in Mawnan Smith, near Falmouth, Cornwall. Planted in cherry laurel, palm trees mark the four corners of the puzzle, while a thatched summerhouse at the center provides a charming place to relax and enjoy your achievement.

Slide 29 of 32: You’ll find this complex and beautiful nine-layer maze at the Villa Pisani National Museum in Stra. Designed in 1720, this classic medieval circular path has concentric repeating patterns and dead ends surrounding a small tower at its heart. With hedges so high you’ll be unable to see over them to find a route, so you have to guess your way towards the statue of Minerva, at the top of the central tower.

29/32 SLIDES © Vitmore/Shutterstock

Villa Pisani maze, near Venice, Italy

You’ll find this complex and beautiful nine-layer maze at the Villa Pisani National Museum in Stra. Designed in 1720, this classic medieval circular path has concentric repeating patterns and dead ends surrounding a small tower at its heart. With hedges so high you’ll be unable to see over them to find a route, so you have to guess your way towards the statue of Minerva, at the top of the central tower.

Slide 30 of 32: This farm maze in Lodi, Wisconsin is known for its super-creative mazes. Amazingly, they are personally designed, and the trails hand-cut into the cornfield every year, with the help of some smart kids and a grid, instead of using GPS. It's no wonder the results are so charming. The maze opens in September each year. We can't wait to get lost.  Discover 40 places you won't believe are in the USA

Deer Meadow Farms Maze, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Now covering around 10 acres in size, this maze in Winnipeg creates intricate designs celebrating the area. The 2018 maze honored the Winnipeg Whiteout (ice hockey success) and features a map of Winnipeg, the image of Winnipeg Jets’s Connor Hellebuyk, team slogans, fan chants and the team logo. A lot of love and attention goes into creating the mazes, so it would be a shame not to try to solve it this year.

Slide 32 of 32: With nearly 2 miles (3.2km) of path, Longleat’s maze is the longest in Britain. Made from more than 16,000 yew trees, you will need to track the winding paths in search of the central observation tower. The Marquess of Bath commissioned the huge hedge maze in 1975, which is so large gardeners use stilts while trimming it back. Now read: 39 unusual places to stay in the UK

Longleat hedge maze, Wiltshire, UK

With nearly 2 miles (3.2km) of path, Longleat’s maze is the longest in Britain. Made from more than 16,000 yew trees, you will need to track the winding paths in search of the central observation tower. The Marquess of Bath commissioned the huge hedge maze in 1975, which is so large gardeners use stilts while trimming it back.