The 5 Best Countries for Expats, Ranked

As Insider's travel reporter in Singapore, I've backpacked in four countries across Asia and have stayed in a dozen hostels.

For grand castles and gritty industrial architecture, half-timbered taverns and edgy techno nightclubs, head to Germany.

According to research from Germany-based Cruisewatch: “Booking the respective cruise destination at the right time can realistically save you up to 71 percent reductions off your cruise.”

Skytrax is out with its annual list of the World’s Top 100 Airlines, perhaps the most recognized worldwide ranking of best airlines. As usual, and to the chagrin of travelers here in the states, most of the top performers are not U.S. airlines. Instead, the list is dominated by Asian, Middle Eastern, and, to a lesser extent, European carriers.

Looking for the best cities to live in or retire abroad? The world’s most livable city is once again Vienna, Austria, according to The Economist’s Intelligence Unit’s annual Most Livable Cities ranking.

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.

For the sixth year in a row, Finland has claimed the top spot in the World Happiness Report. The annual report, compiled by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, surveys residents in over 150 countries to determine which nations are the happiest.

With its long, sunny days, and kids out of school, summer is typically a busy season for travel. But jam-packed planes and sky-high airfares mean that many Americans aren’t able to plan for as much travel as they’d like this year.

When it comes to exceptional escapes, the South African province of Limpopo is ahead of the game. Just a few hours drive or a short flight north of Johannesburg, Limpopo offers visitors the unique opportunity of combining safari and first-rate golf. It's home to both one of the largest game parks in the world, the prestigious Kruger National Park, and a wealth of word class golf courses.

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.

If you've got wheels, wanderlust and a spot of time, a road trip in Europe offers the chance to see the continent at a more relaxed pace. From the sunny shores of Portugal to the dungeons of Dracula's castle in Transylvania in Romania, the following itineraries can be easily combined, shortened or altered to suit your wayfaring tastes. Here are 9 of the best road trips in Europe, a clutch of which also feature in our run-down of the best countries for summer in Europe.

Time does strange things in southwest Germany. Even before Einstein hit on his Theory of Relativity in Ülm, Mark Twain had realized something was up after taking to the waters in the smart spa town of Baden-Baden. “Here at the Friedrichsbad,” he wrote, ”you lose track of time within ten minutes and track of the world within twenty.”