Photos tips

Hundred-year-old carriages from the Orient Express fleet make up the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Belmond's revamp of the iconic luxury sleeper train. With 60 routes in 17 cities, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is perhaps the most luxurious train in Europe. Prices start at $9,000 a night.

As a solo-travel content creator, the No. 1 question I'm asked is how I take great pictures of myself when I'm alone.

Passengers aboard the Silversea Silver Nova have been informed, more than a week in advance, that their disembarkation time in Fort Lauderdale would be delayed by four hours. The reason offered for this change was a photo opportunity with the Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas and the Celebrity Ascent two days before disembarkation.

When I decided to visit Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland for the first time in just two weeks back in 2022, I wanted to take trains and maximize my time exploring each country.

Hanoi's Old Quarter has many constants, from its French Colonial architecture, Opera House and 1,000-year-old Temple of Literature to its vibrant street food and the chaotic two-, three- and four-wheel traffic that swirls all day and much of the night around picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake.

OutsideAgents.com has launched its new luxury division, Opulence.

I've made a number of visits to the Galapagos Islands over the years, so I was excited when I learned of an opportunity to try something a little bit different on a recent trip there.

I took my first luxury cruise last summer, sailing on a seven-day Mediterranean adventure with Virgin Voyages, an award-winning, adults-only cruise line that's been operating since 2021, according to the company's website. 

First-time cruisers may feel overwhelmed by the vacation style. It's a new form of transportation for some, and when you're traveling on a large ship with so many places to eat and so many activities and excursions, it can be hard to figure out how to spend your time.

If you’re debating whether to spring for one of the best travel cameras before an upcoming trip, consider this: Yes, a smartphone is perfectly capable of serving the average traveler’s photography goals, but a dedicated camera is required for capturing high-quality memories. The wide angle lens of a smartphone camera can only take its images so far; in spite of technology’s advancements over the years, its zoom feature still degrades photo quality, making them too grainy—in our opinion—to be worth taking. When it comes to travel photography, many of us want to get close and fill the frame with exciting faraway shots like skylines and canyons. A good travel camera also allows the photographer to shoot exciting, fleeting scenes from their trips, like bicycles blurring through a charming street, low-light landscapes like a starry sky, or a city strip flashing with neon lights. Lastly, we’ll leave you with this: In an era when we’re glued to our phones every minute of the day, documenting a trip with a camera allows us to be present in the here and now, and actually connect with the place we’ve traveled so far to experience.

Following a huge wave of winter storms, the California desert is expecting another spectacular wildflower super bloom.

Shannon Garcia has been named senior vice president of global sales and strategy at Altour.

Barely a mile off the windward coast of Dominica, three galloping Zodiacs packed with guests circled the Sea Cloud Spirit. The sea was calm, belying blustery, rainbow-spiked skies, and cameras were busy. Climbing the gangway to reboard the ship, a guest from the Washington area was elated.

Celebrating photography beneath the surface of oceans, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools, the Underwater Photographer of the Year contest has announced this year’s amazing winning entries.

Fairy-tale villages. Alpine lakes as blue as cobalt. Regal ibex standing sentry on misty ridges — the Engadin Valley, a narrow ravine cutting across the Swiss canton of Graubünden, is one the most sublime pockets of the Alps. Long a coveted destination for skiers, hikers, and outdoor adventurers, the valley has culinary verve and cultural cachet worthy of its scenic splendor. From the glitzy, celebrity-studded ski resorts of St. Moritz — the St. Tropez of the Alps — to sleepy mountain hamlets frozen in time since the medieval era, the Engadin mesmerizes.

The central train station in Edinburgh is Waverley. It’s in the city’s center, under the shadow of the Old Town’s narrow closes, wynds, courts, the Mound, and Edinburgh Castle. Arriving by train in my teenage years, this grand welcome would leave me speechless. And after living in Edinburgh for over six years, it still does today.

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Overlanders find their sanctuary in the heart of nature’s embrace, where the crisp air mingles with the rustle of leaves and the distant calls of wildlife create a symphony. As the seasons change, so does the call of adventure, beckoning us to explore the great outdoors armed with the latest and most reliable gear. In this comprehensive overlanding gear guide, we embark on a journey to discover the essential tools that elevate our outdoor experiences to new heights. From cutting-edge camping equipment that seamlessly blends technology with nature, to rugged yet stylish hiking apparel designed to withstand the elements, our guide is a compass pointing towards the optimal gear for every adventure enthusiast. Gear up and get ready to immerse yourself in the world of outdoor exploration where function meets fashion, and the wild becomes your playground.

Powder laps in the morning and performance art in the afternoon — such is the winter life in Western Massachusetts. The region’s ranging mountains and snow-covered forests create a spectacular backdrop for outdoor recreation such as skiing and snowshoeing while its small towns have long provided respite for artists. In the 19th century, painters, artisans, and writers began retreating from nearby big cities to the Berkshires and surrounding areas to find solitude and the space to create. (Take, for example, Edith Wharton, who needed space so badly she had a 35-room mansion built in Lenox called The Mount.)

Maryland’s Eastern Shore, stretching from the Chesapeake Bay to the Atlantic Ocean, is a vast landscape of farmland, tidal wetlands, and small towns, many of which retain their character and architecture of the past, thanks to significant preservation efforts. The Eastern Shore is about an hour and 20 minutes from DC, making it an easy day trip from the nation’s capital.

Heavy rainfall created a temporary lake in Death Valley National Park, one of Earth's driest locations, prompting travelers to take a potentially once-in-a-lifetime swim.