Exploring Slovenia in the spring

Love and marriage may be the ultimate gift, but just beyond those cherished vows and celebratory toasts comes the unforgettable honeymoon. Unlike the nuptials themselves, the honeymoon is intimate; a private dessert for two. It’s chapter one of a love story. Better still, it’s the newlyweds’ first chance to voyage together in wedded harmony. For LGBTQ+ couples, planning a romantic honeymoon comes with familiar choices—beach or city, resort or B&B, adventure or light recreation—plus considerations about feeling welcome as well as safe.

Ever dreamed of packing up everything and moving to another country? Here are the most livable cities in the world, according to a study by The Economist.

Looking for a new museum to add to your travel to-do list? TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company) has released the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Museums of 2018, including the top 10 worldwide and the top 10 in the United States, with some surprising frontrunners. The findings also highlight bookable ways to see each winner—think VIP tours and scavenger hunts—with some offering the added perk of allowing you to skip the lines to get in.

Southeast Asia is the quintessential backpacker destination – all noodle stands, grungy hostels and full moon parties, right? Not necessarily. There are still plenty of authentic Southeast Asian escapes. You just need to know where to find them. Start here.

You’ve probably never heard of apitourism, or even considered “bee tourism” to be a thing. But it is, and it’s a travel trend swarming all over Slovenia.

A town of steaming onsen hot springs, ancient teahouses and world-class art galleries, presided over by spectacular Mount Fuji and reflected in the mirror-like surface of Lake Ashi, Hakone has it all. What’s more, it’s easily accessible on a daytrip from Shinjuku, Tokyo, a train journey of about eighty minutes on Odakyu Electric Railway's Romoncecar. There are many good reasons to catch the Tokyo to Hakone train – read on for some of the best.

If there is one European city that seems particularly focused on the World War I centenary then it is the Austrian capital Vienna , where a host of war-themed exhibitions will be opening over the course of the year. Such attention may come as something as a surprise when one considers that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was one of the powers brought crashing to its knees by the conflict. Few other European nations would find their own decline and fall quite so engrossing.

Hot springs and geysers are all well and good, but man cannot live on water alone. Iceland's biggest new attraction is quickly shaping up to be the food scene in its capital. From Mexican flavours to traditional Icelandic specialities, there's a lot to explore. Here Tamara Hinson shares the nine Reykjavik restaurants you ought to put at the top of your hit list.

This week, pictures have emerged of Italians enjoying al-fresco meals in pizzerias, sun-baked Greeks heading to the beach, and hikers taking to the wide-open expanses of the USA’s national parks. This is not business as usual – social-distancing measures and other hygiene regulations are strict – but there’s a thrill in seeing life creep back into cities and towns around the world. Of course, for those of us still under lockdown, it’s bittersweet watching the world resume some semblance of normality (we’re craving our turn), but here at Rough Guides, it’s provided one thing in bucket loads: hope.

There’s no question that we’re living through unusual times: the coronavirus pandemic is a health crisis unparalleled in our lifetimes. But it’s by no means the first disease to spread across the world: there are plenty of plagues and illnesses that are now consigned to the archives of human history. Here, we take a look at nine locations across the globe that have been touched by pandemics in the past.

Johannesburg is a much-misunderstood city but despite misconceptions it’s one well worth visiting too, with a wealth of museums and galleries, world-class jazz and – as it turns out – a thriving street art scene. With Past Experiences guide and founder Jo Buitendach, Rebecca Hallett takes a walking tour of Maboneng Precinct to discover a lesser-known side to the city.

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.