Where Lonely Planet staffers traveled in August

Strikes are a regular occurrence in Europe, as employees withhold their labour to fight for better pay and conditions.

Once rather unknown to travelers, the Urla district in Turkey’s seaside Izmir province has recently been propelled into the limelight. That's thanks to a string of newly minted Michelin-starred restaurants (three with the famed stars, and three with sustainability recognition)—and trail of inventive and boutique wine producers called the Urla Wine Route. The area is a year-round reprieve that has managed to preserve and capitalize on its natural beauty; olive groves, fruit orchards, and vineyards here have become ground zero for the reinvention of modern Aegean cuisine and wine, inspired and sustained by the region’s fruitful lands. Today, Urla beckons with culinary delights, cultural treasures, and design-first hotels—here's how to experience the new nucleus of Turkey's fine-dining scene.

Traveling during hurricane season, which spans from June to November, can be both thrilling and precarious.

Would you take a free trip to Epstein island? It’s a question that Zoë Kravitz’s debut film asks and also answers: perhaps yes, if you need a vacation badly enough. But you’ll also sorely regret it. The film follows down-on-her-luck cater waiter Frida (Naomi Ackie) who, after using her credentials to sneak into the gala at which she’s meant to be pouring Champagne, meets-cute with tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum, with a name more evocative of Elon Musk—consider him a conglomerate). King is re-assimilating to society following a narrowly-skirted cancellation for vaguely defined and sexually suspicious maybe-crimes. By the end of the night, she and her friend (always bring a buddy!) have been whisked aboard a private jet replete with halfway-handsome bachelors and a few other beautiful ladies, bound for King’s private island that, presumably, sits somewhere in the Caribbean.

Aug 20, 2024 • 7 min read

Hundreds of flights were disrupted on Saturday after a pair of scissors went missing at a Japanese airport, local media reported.

Emily is still in Paris. In the first half of Emily in Paris season four, the intrepid PR executive continues her march through the City of Light’s cobblestone streets like a Energizer bunny ensconced in clashing patterns. She just can’t help herself. As in season three, Emily and her merry band of cosmopolitans take their antics to places new as well as old, both in and out of Paris—Claude Monet’s home an hour outside the city in Giverny is one, three Michelin-starred haute restaurant L'Ambroisie another.

In this episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast, Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia sits down with Mahesh Iyer, managing director and CEO of Thomas Cook India, to explore how the company is strategically adapting to the evolving preferences of Indian travelers. The discussion delves into the shifting dynamics of India’s travel landscape and how Thomas Cook is positioning itself to meet these new demands.

Southwest Airlines has slashed many of its fares through early 2025, and travelers can book one-way tickets starting at $46.

Aug 12, 2024 • 7 min read

Dangerous wildfires near Athens, Greece forced hundreds to evacuate the suburbs north of the country's capital on Monday, August 12, reported to be the worst fire the Mediterranean country has seen so far this year.

It's easy to appreciate the enormity of a skyscraper as it's being built in plain sight, each floor constructed atop the one below — but what about a cruise ship? The newest megaships are just as massive lengthwise as skyscrapers are tall, and they're equally complex. But you never see cruise ships being built on-site at a cruise port.