Travel in Germany

Changes are coming to business class seating for the 747-8 aircraft operated by German flag carrier Lufthansa.

Each year in the Alps, as the first snows of the season start to fall, mountain towns welcome winter visitors with a slew of smart new hotels. And this year is no different, with upscale brands including COMO Hotels and Resorts moving its beach-beautiful ethos to the Italian Alps in COMO Alpina Dolomites, and Grace Hotels giving St Moritz its first luxury opening in half a century in the Grace La Margna. With its boutique modern addition, the sleek Swiss hotel breathes new life into the former art nouveau hotel La Margna, following a trend for high-profile revamps seen across the Alps this season. Here’s a look at the six best new openings, many of which revitalise former hotel landmarks.

“He’s in here, in the kitchen every night and he’s smiling. He’s so happy to be doing this,” explains one of the managers of Café Carmellini. He is chef Andrew Carmellini, well known around New York the past 15 years for his respected but more casual restaurants Locanda Verde, Lafayette, The Dutch, Carne Mare and Bar Primi. This restaurant, which opened November 1st in the new Fifth Avenue Hotel, marks his return to fine dining with reinterpretations of French and Italian classics and as his most personal restaurant is the first one that bears his name. It’s been packed since opening night and looking around the Gilded Age style dining room with its oversized bronze and seeded glass chandeliers suspended from double height ceilings, plush blue banquettes and sculpted trees in the middle of the floor, the chef isn’t the only one smiling.

While countries like Germany and Austria tend to get the lion’s share of attention when it comes to Christmas markets, the Czech Republic should be a prime destination for those seeking enchanting holiday markets. Prague's Old Town Square is a picturesque and festive spot come holiday time, but you’ll also find lesser-known treasures in places like Brno and Plzeň, each offering incredible markets. Here’s a closer look at three fantastic destinations in the Czech Republic where you can immerse yourself in the holiday spirit while enjoying the festive charm of Christmas markets.

This year, Norway’s historic coastal ferry is finally back in full daily operation after the disruption caused by the pandemic and delays to new vessels. It also marks the 130th anniversary of the coastal route.

There’s no denying that the power of libations brings people together—and there’s simply nothing like toasting to the holiday season with Christmas drinks that are essentially crafted cocktails. This year is a perfect excuse to sip your way into one-of-a-kind Christmas traditions, celebrated around the globe.

Long before she entered the tent as the elegantly erudite judge of The Great British Bake Off, Prue Leith was already enjoying a fascinating career: Born in Cape Town, South Africa, she studied at the Sorbonne in Paris before opening a Michelin-starred restaurant in London. Among her many, many roles in the decades since, she has written a dozen cookbooks and nearly as many novels, opened several culinary schools, and sat on the board of British Railways and Orient Express.

Cycling boosts health, offers affordable transportation – and it’s fun. Few countries embrace biking more enthusiastically than the Netherlands, where it is deeply ingrained in its cultural DNA. On average, each Dutch resident has 1.3 bicycles and there is an extensive network of cycle paths – more than 37,000 km (nearly 23,000 miles) – nationwide, according to the country’s official tourism board.

The Canary Islands welcomes approximately 450,000 LGBTQ+ tourists annually, representing 2.7% of the total tourists to the islands. This accounts for over 5.4% of the tourism revenue and generated a turnover of €960 million in 2022. 

There’s something truly magical about meandering through a Christmas market with a glass of hot wine or apple cider in hand. The sights, sounds and smells of the market—wherever you are in the world—make it hard not to get into the spirit of teh season.

According to online travel agency Trip.com, China is broadening its unilateral visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from six nations—France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia—in an effort to bolster the recovery of the East Asian giant’s tourism sector industry. For now, the program is being implemented on a trial basis, with plans to keep it in effect from December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024.

MSC Cruises' is getting into the holiday spirit by extending its Cyber Monday all the way to Sunday.

Skiing has long had a reputation as the sport of the ultra-wealthy, and this year it is set to be even more expensive as resorts hike up prices. However, if you look beyond the big-name slopes you’ll find plenty of alternative affordable options. You can also save money and do your bit for the environment by taking the train instead of flying.

Earlier this year, Germany introduced a new €49 public transport ticket that is valid on trains, buses and metro systems across the country.

Berlin-based hospitality brand Numa Group has acquired Dutch aparthotels operator YAYS Group from Proprium Capital Partners. The companies did not disclose details of the deal. 

In August 1944, the coastal Breton city of Saint-Malo was nearly wiped off the map. The opening scene of the Netflix limited series All the Light We Cannot See conjures the ferocity of the battle: an American squadron traverses the English Channel in darkness, dodges anti-aircraft fire, then releases its bombs on the Nazi-occupied French port.

How to Travel Better is a new monthly column with Condé Nast Traveler’s sustainability editor Juliet Kinsman. In this series, Juliet introduces us to the sustainability heroes she meets, signposts the experiences that are enhancing our world, and shares the little and big ways we can all travel better.

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ATM and the Emirates tourism stand out this month. The IMEX conference also attracts great interest from the sector. 

The museum owns over 200 aircraft previously operated by the Yugoslav Air Force (both royal and communist), Serbian Air Force, and others, as well as aircraft previously flown by several civil airliners and private flying clubs.

Integrated tickets available on 13 new destinations in Germany and Switzerland