Airports in Italy are trialling new security and boarding technology that will mean passengers do not have to show their documents to get on a flight.
29.04.2024 - 11:23 / theguardian.com
Driving through the Tuscan hills, the sun beginning its slow descent in the hazy, glowing heat on an August evening was one of the most exquisite experiences I have ever had. Travelling slowly along small, winding roads near Siena in our old Polo, we settled in to the rhythm the locals live by. The peaceful embrace of the Tuscan way of life was felt at every turn, with every smile we saw and every vineyard we gazed across. The cypress trees lining other, yet-to-be-discovered roads in the distance added to our awe at our surroundings.
Lotta
A week in western Slovenia offers everything you could want from a European road trip – breathtaking mountain views, easy hops between stops and, maybe most importantly, scenic but well-maintained roads. Pick up a car in Ljubljana, head north to the lakes of Bled and Bohinj, then wind slowly south, via the vinicultural Vipava valley, to the caves and cliffside castles of Postojna. Finally, end your trip in the coastal town of Piran for an open-air spa day on the salt flats of the Sečovlje Salina nature park, and a view of the glittering Adriatic sea, with a glass of Slovenian wine in hand.
Holly R
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My trip by motorcycle from Lake Como in Italy to Lake Constance (Bodensee) in Germany over the wonderfully twisty Splügen Pass was fantastic. Setting off in bright sunlight with the scent of wisteria in the air, up and over the pass with its road signs beginning with Tornante (hairpin bend) moving on to Due tornanti (two hairpin bends) and finally warning you of Molti Tornanti as the winding road up the steep mountainside comes fearfully into view. Down into Switzerland along sweeping curves, through the micro state of Liechtenstein in just 30 minutes or so, clipping a corner of Austria and on into Germany. A late afternoon arrival in Immenstaad on the shores of Lake Constance and an opportunity to sample the local wine in celebration of a great bike ride was perfection. Five countries in five hours.
Stephen Shaw
In Cyprus’s Troodos mountains, after driving on the scary mountain roads, we ran out of petrol in the middle of a village on a Sunday morning. The villagers knocked on doors to wake up the man who operated the petrol pump, while we were served cheese snacks and black coffees. They wouldn’t accept our offers of money, so we bought literally all of their tomatoes! Piled into the back I remember tears of laughter as to what we were going to do with them all. Best trip ever.
Zoe
After navigating the Montenegrin coastal roads, we decided
Airports in Italy are trialling new security and boarding technology that will mean passengers do not have to show their documents to get on a flight.
I've been on 18 cruises and I absolutely love them.
Richard Branson has added a new safari experience to his Virgin Limited Edition portfolio—the award-winning Finch Hattons Luxury Safari Camp in Kenya. Located in Africa's only Shetani lava flow, Finch Hattons features 17 tented suites and offers stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro. The camp joins other African destinations in Virgin Limited Edition's collection, including Mahali Mzuri (also in Kenya), South Africa’s Ulusaba Private Game Reserve and Mont Rochelle hotel and vineyard, and Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco.
On my twenty-plus trips to Seoul, I generally steered clear of Gangnam, the district south of the Han River immortalized by the South Korean rapper PSY’s 2012 smash hit “Gangnam Style.” Something, however, shifted in me while planning my recent spring jaunt. Gangbuk, the district north of the Han River—where I’d typically plant myself—started feeling a touch too familiar. Plus: how could I judge a place I hadn’t actually spent quality time in?
Seeking the perfect gift this Father’s Day? Lonely Planet has released its top travel and lifestyle inspiration titles for Dads, from cycling adventures close to home to journeys exploring the offbeat side of North America to incredible train journeys around the world and inspiration for gardening enthusiasts. The global travel expert has the perfect book for every interest.
Of all the ways to explore southern Germany this summer, the most memorable is not by train, bus or hire car but by boat. Lake Constance, nearly 40 times bigger than Windermere and two hours south-west of Munich by public transport, is a wonderful water world ringed by harbour towns, and it makes an idyllic break from the Bavarian capital.
Some people go to Vegas to gamble; I go to eat.
Of all the international travel hubs around the world, Vienna is home to the best airport lounge in the world—Vienna Lounge at Terminal 1 in Vienna Airport was voted not just the best in Europe, but the overall global winner in the inaugural Priority Pass Excellence Awards. The awards consider over 1,500 lounges and travel experiences and are judged on 379,966 Priority Pass member ratings and reviews across a wide range of criteria, including quality of facilities, customer service, food and beverage selection, and overall satisfaction.
Steamy natural thermal water simmers beneath the surface throughout almost the whole Italian peninsula. It bubbles up above the ground in the form of hot springs across the country, creating heavenly hot pools and balmy baths.
Whether it is the outstanding Renaissance monuments or authentic, regional cuisine, Italy’s appeal has long been far-reaching. As a country, it has never had to ‘hard sell’ itself to tourists, with the country being a perennial favourite destination for travellers. As well as having more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other country (59 in total), its rich culture, architecture, art and beloved gastronomy is a source of inspiration for tourists across the world.
Lübeck – Queen of the Hanseatic League – has a fading charm and vulnerability absent from the likes of Berlin, Munich and Hamburg … and most of Germany. I loved my trip there, wandering the cobbled streets, climbing every brick gothic church tower – generally alone! Thomas Mann wrote the unbearably sad novel Buddenbrooks there, then fled to the US from nazism in 1939. The Tin Drum author Günter Grass lived and worked in Lübeck in later life. Visit their former houses, now museums, the Grass-Haus and the Buddenbrook Haus. A singular German city, full of history and significance.Martin Charlesworth
Slovenia is often called small.