Everything you need to know before you travel to Munich

A transatlantic United Airlines plane headed to the United States was diverted over the weekend after a laptop got stuck on board.

Icelandic budget carrier Play is observing Memorial Day with a special flash sale, which offers travelers the chance to book one-way flights to Europe for as low as $99. This promotion, which ends at 12:00 a.m. ET on May 27, covers travel dates from August through December 2024. It also extends to some of the Continent’s most sought-after destinations, including such as France, England, Iceland, Ireland, Germany, Greece and others.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, which secured access for everyone to some of our wildest and most beautiful places. There are now 15 national parks across the UK, covering a staggering variety of landscapes, from the heather-clad uplands of the Cairngorms in Scotland to the chalky grasslands of the South Downs, England’s newest national park. We’d love to hear about your favourite beauty spots and outdoor activities, whether it be paddling the tranquil waterways of the Norfolk Broads or birdwatching on the craggy Pembrokeshire coast.

Several tourists have already been caught smuggling sand, stones and archaeological remains from the Italian island of Sardinia this year. 

I have to admit that on trips to Thailand and China I was not adventurous when it came to lunch and dinner. I must have set a record for ordering vegetable pad Thai in Thailand. But with May now officially Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we should take advantage of restaurants offering these tasty cuisines in the Times Square area.

From the Renaissance splendour and symmetry of the Boboli gardens in Florence to the trickling fountains and rose gardens of the Alhambra in Spain, Europe has no shortage of “must see” gardens, but a tranquil escape from the tourist crowds they are not. Instead, we’d love to hear about your favourite “secret gardens” in continental Europe; oases of green that offer cool respite from a busy sightseeing itinerary and where you won’t be jostling for elbow room with coach parties of tourists. It could be a leafy public park, the grounds of a museum or gallery, or a botanical garden that turned into an unexpected highlight of your trip.

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.

A millennium ago, the folklore goes, Castel di Luco was the site of ritual pagan sacrifices. Now the round castle atop a travertine knoll in the untouristed Italian region of Le Marche is the site of a much happier history that’s still being rewritten. And a major new chapter is beginning this spring.

When you travel, it's obviously important to be able to pay for whatever it is you need whenever you need it. Sometimes, that's going to be with the right credit card. Other times, especially in certain countries, you'll find yourself in a cash-only situation.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation and emails with Gladys Nkengasong , a 27-year-old consultant who moved to the UK from Atlanta in 2021. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Some girlfriends and I found ourselves in the north of Barbados, suddenly in desperate need of some painkillers. We’d been enjoying some girl talk and an afternoon island drive, with no destination in particular, when I was assaulted by a headache.

While there aren’t many bargains in Munich, there are a surprising number of one-of-a-kind activities and sights that are completely free.