On Location: The Orient Express Goes Off the Rails in ‘Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One'

It’s hard to know if Milan’s fashionistas are bemused more by my driving or by my vehicle as I stall, splutter and crunch the gears while double-parking the tuk-tuk on Via Monte Napoleone, the city’s swankiest street. Both it and I look comically out of place on a thoroughfare dripping with designer shops and high-end motors. I’ve just seen a Hermès shirt with a €10,500 price tag and spotted the Argentina World Cup winner and Inter Milan star Lautaro Martínez laden with Gucci shopping bags, and bouncing into a blacked-out Hummer with his girlfriend and minder.

With rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft taking over, you might be wondering where in the world it’s still possible to take a cheap taxi. Cabs aren’t dead, yet: These countries still heavily rely on them.

Halfway through my international journalism program at City, University of London, COVID-19 hit. I was forced to move back in with my parents in rural Wales for three months. I then made the impulsive decision to fly to any airport that would take UK travelers. I found myself on the last flight out to Belgrade, Serbia. 

The Colosseum is the most visited attraction in Rome. Every year around six million people purchase tickets to marvel at the historical landmark, making it not only the capital’s, but one of the world’s most popular sights. This means the city center, grounds and interior of the amphitheatre are extremely busy. Staying at a hotel in the area offers an incredible opportunity to be close so you can beat the crowds first thing in the morning and you can enjoy the architecture from the comfort of your hotel. Hotels near the Colosseum are centrally located, making them a convenient base for exploring the city. Aside from the Colosseum itself, you’re within walking distance of other significant sites like the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. There’s a wide range of accommodation options to suit different budgets and preferences. From luxury hotels like Hotel Palazzo Manfredi offering stunning views of the Colosseum and five-star amenities, to more affordable yet comfortable stays like the Colosseum Corner.

Staying the night in the smallest country in the world, Vatican City, would likely be a bucket-list item for many travelers if it were possible. Unfortunately, it isn’t. There are no hotels in Vatican City and you certainly can’t pitch your tent on St. Peter’s Square. However, there are hotels very, very close to the Holy See, some with unparalleled views of St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world.

From the comfort of these luxurious hotels near the Statue of Liberty, you can marvel at the grandeur of the iconic statue bathed in the golden glow of sunrise or under the twinkling stars right from the comfort of your accommodation. These hotels not only provide an unforgettable visual treat but also place you in the heart of New York City, where you’re just steps away from other major attractions such as the Empire State Building. Visiting the Statue of Liberty should be planned in advance — after all, it is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. Opting for a hotel on or close to the water means you can roll out of bed at sunrise and get a little head start before the crowds hit. The hotels here have been selected for location, but also five-star amenities, service, and an overall exceptional rating from guests.

Travel journalist James Marsh is not immune to the charms of France's Côte d'Azur and gets why that may be your first choice for a beach holiday in France - but here's why he thinks you should consider visiting the Vendée region instead. 

It was the shower for me. A shower convinced me that more luxury fashion brands should explore expansions into hotels and resorts. This particular shower was in my suite at the Bulgari Hotel Paris, one of the legendary Italian brand’s newer properties opened in December of 2021. For some reason, a lot of luxury resorts and hotels like to tout “rainfall” showers as a feature of their rooms, but for the most part, and in the hundreds of properties I’ve visited, such “rainfall” showers usually feel like a downpour let down. But not at the Bulgari Hotel Paris: this shower was transformative, the droplets so fine yet plentiful and luxuriously soft that I knew I had never felt real rain in actual nature like THIS.

A guide in China's Yunnan province caused a heated online debate about tourist etiquette when she yelled at a passenger on her tour for sleeping on the bus.

Ticked off New York City’s big sights and wondering where to go next? From sinking a pint in Brooklyn's Red Hook to sampling Italian delicacies in The Bronx, Stephen Keeling picks the city’s off-the-beaten track highlights.

Feet itching to get out on the road again? Been back home for a while since your last adventure and desperate to start the next one? If your travel piggy bank isn’t quite up to the task of flying you off on the next big trip just yet, don’t let the travel bug get its claws into you – combat the desire to run away from home with our top tips on how to beat it.