City breaks with a twist: Europe's 10 best homestay experiences

By traditional measures, Alaska Airlines is a carrier of decidedly modest size, even after its acquisition of Virgin America. Its own flight network is small, compared to those of American, Delta, and United. And it’s not a member of one of the three global airline alliances.

Calling Europe a “hot” destination this year has little to do with trends; when Paris hit 109 degrees in July, it marked the city’s hottest day on record—shattering the previous record by five degrees. And the worst may not be over: August could be even hotter, and heat waves in Europe, where fewer than five percent of homes have air conditioning, seem to be getting more common overall.

Italy’s Riviera di Ponente, or Western Riviera, has long attracted travelers—in the late 19th century new rail connections made it easier for well-heeled and titled English and Russians to escape their dreary winters, but before and after WWII, destinations on the Côte d'Azur and Riviera di Levante (the Eastern Riviera), like Rapallo, Portofino, and later, Cinque Terre, stepped into the spotlight, drawing celebrity names and eventually flocks of tourists.

Americans traveling to Dublin have been warned to avoid walking alone after a series of violent attacks in the city and the brutal assault of a US tourist last week.

To be completely transparent, I’m not a fan of big beach resorts. Whether they’re in Florida, Aruba, southern France, or the Middle East, they always seem to have a certain uniformity: the sprawling private beach with lounge chairs arranged like assembly lines, shady cabanas-for-purchase, mediocre lunch buffets, cookie-cutter rooms that aren’t quite worth the price, and public spaces that lack character. It doesn’t matter where you are – resorts have a homogenizing quality that makes you forget that you’re, well, anywhere at all. And that’s no fun. That’s why Villa Le Blanc in Menorca, Spain, was a pleasant surprise.

Last year, my mom suggested we take a river cruise called the Viking Skaga. Its eight-day "Paris & the Heart of Normandy" itinerary along the Seine starts and ends in Paris and includes small towns in Normandy — such as La Roche-Guyon, Vernon, and Rouen.

From cricket at Lords to darts in Lakeside and boxing in London, here's ten of our favourite British sporting breaks. Share your own below.

The grand old capital of Vienna was one of the first European cities to reopen in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic – Viennese hotels unlocked their doors just days ago on 29 May, while bars and restaurants have been back in business since mid-May. As lockdown lifts and restrictions are gradually eased, Rough Guides explores what this means for the travel industry, and what trips to the city might look like in the coming months. To gain more insight, we spoke to the Managing Director of the Vienna Tourist Board, Norbert Kettner, to dig a little deeper.

Pick Pula Croatia for your next city break. It's a natural choice after Dubrovnik and Split. It's laidback and cosmopolitan. Home to some impressive Roman ruins. And it retains a refreshing sense of authenticity. The compact historic centre is as picturesque as any in Croatia. But its shipyard's giant cranes indicate a working city.

London, Edinburgh, Cardiff… These are the usual suspects when visitors are thinking about city breaks in the United Kingdom. But there are actually 66 other cities to be explored throughout this land, each with something different to offer. Here’s our pick of the 8 best alternative UK city breaks, covering England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

British Columbia – Canada’s westernmost province, home to the vibrant city of Vancouver and world-class skiing at Whistler – is known for its outstanding natural beauty. Its wide-open landscapes and (really) great outdoors have long been a draw for travellers from across the globe. We spoke to Stephanie Fielden, Market Development Manager for Europe & the South Pacific at Destination British Columbia, to find out more about how the region was coping with coronavirus, and what plans are in store going forwards.

With the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of Europe in the final years of WWII in 2019–2020, Rough Guides is releasing a new, comprehensive and inspirational guidebook: Travel the Liberation Route Europe. Rough Guides editor Helen Fanthorpe introduces the book and explains what it’s all about.