Meditations in the Med: an alternative Tour de France

Remi Lucidi, a sergeant in the French Army, died far from a battlefield. His body was found last week aside a Hong Kong skyscraper where he had been spotted near the rooftop.

If picturesque cycling, coastal walks and simple seaside pleasures float your boat, make the Isle of Wight your first port of call. Home to Queen Victoria’s summer retreat, Osborne House, the island has 20 beaches and a series of unspoilt coves. A network of cycle and walking trails covers 17 miles of coastline and countryside. Famous for the Cowes sailing regatta in July and August, the 147-square-mile island also offers every water sport going, from kayak surfing and windsurfing to paddle-boarding and parasailing.

There are certain things that passengers have come to expect while traveling by plane: long security lines, a small treat after takeoff (if you're lucky), and seats that face forward. 

Tourists are often considered an obnoxious and intrusive bunch, but some are so bad they make international headlines.

As a family sat vigil over a coffin containing the body of an elderly relative, the wooded hills around their apartment building in Palermo burned from wildfires. Winds blew the blazes closer, torching cars, dumpsters, sheds and electricity poles. Then the flames licked the apartment building, forcing its inhabitants to flee.

Last year when Italy’s Cinque Terre decided to limit the amount of tourists that visit each year, overtourism once again came to the forefront of many people’s travel plans. While other popular landmarks and cities also had tourist caps or were exploring crowd-limiting options, iconic Cinque Terre’s cap has gained a lot of attention, and is part of a rising trend.

Seen from the outside, Red Jane, a new bakery in the center of Chania, a Greek port city on the island of Crete, looks like a Berlin nightclub, with no obvious sign and a concrete facade covered in graffiti. Inside, it might pass for a New York boutique: There are Italian tiles on the floor and an exposed-brick ceiling and on a long red marble counter, lit by minimalist pendant lamps, pastries are laid out like jewels in a glass vitrine. Owned by Nikos Tsepetis, the hotelier behind the nearby beach resort Ammos (a favorite of the art and design crowd), the space is the first fully realized interiors project overseen by the London-based lighting and furniture designer Michael Anastassiades. Eyal Schwartz, the former head baker and co-owner of London’s E5 Bakehouse, created the menu. On its opening day this month, Red Jane sold out of its chocolate-filled croissants, koulouri (Greek sesame-topped bagels) and baklava swirls by noon. Locals lingered for an hour after, despite the fact that Tsepetis and Anastassiades designed the space without tables.

Liv Cycling, official partner of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and sponsor of the white jersey for the “Best Young Rider Classification” is hosting a global series of watch parties to get more viewers engage with the race, now in its second year. Founded in 2008 by Giant executive Bonnie Tu as part of the Giant Group, Liv is the only comprehensive cycling brand in the world dedicated solely to women. Liv’s sponsorship of the race aligns with the brand’s mission to empower all riders, from beginners to pros, and to get more women and girls on bikes. The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is an inspiring showcase of the awesome athleticism of some of the world’s best cyclists.

Australia started to recover from devastating summer bushfires only a month ago, leaving behind a landscape that led The New York Times to proclaim “The End of Australia as We Know It.” Many spent the hot summer indoors, unable to go outside due to the hazardous smoke that filled central business districts and country towns. Brave firefighters battled the flames trying to protect homes rather than enjoying Christmas with their families. When the rain eventually came, it provided much-needed relief. But with the rain also came flooding for some towns that could ill afford more bad luck.

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Repeated heatwaves and growing fears about the climate crisis may spell the beginning of the end for the Mediterranean as a holiday destination, according to a report published by the European Travel Commission.

At the far north of New Zealand’s South Island, visitors flock to the Nelson Tasman region to hike and kayak in spectacular Abel Tasman National Park. The turquoise waters and sheltered bays of this protected coastline are undeniably beautiful, but increased visitor numbers in New Zealand's smallest national park are putting pressure on infrastructure – particularly along the popular 60-kilometre Abel Tasman Coastal Track. Just beyond Abel Tasman’s northern rocky headland, peaceful Golden Bay sees a fraction of the park’s visitors.