Where to Play, Eat, and Stay in Armenia, From City Life to Magic Monasteries

Everyone wants to save money on vacation, but steep discounts are rare for most — unless you are a high-profile celebrity, influencer, or, it seems, the mayor of New York City.

Istanbul is undeniably the most well-know part of Türkiye, but it’s far from being the only one worth visiting. If you’re keen to explore the country further but want to keep your carbon footprint down, you can opt to travel by train. The rail network in Türkiye is relatively extensive, with high-speed trains linking Istanbul to Ankara, Konya, and Sivas, local trains, long-distance routes, sleeper trains, and even touristic trains covering large swathes of the country. The Mesopotamia Express, a sleeper train that travels 653 miles across Anatolia is Türkiye’s latest touristic, long-distance sleeper rail offering.

Ankara, the Turkish capital, has been wilting under days of intense heat. Our taxi driver lets us out at the station with a gift of a cool apple. The forecourt is a mess of commuters competing for taxis and minivans. Through its automatic doors, though, is a gleaming air-conditioned cathedral to Turkey’s high-speed rail. The relief is short-lived—a uniformed attendant at the information window soon informs us our train, the Doğu Ekspresi (translation: Eastern Express) actually departs from the old station next door.

If you’re planning a trip to Denmark, Italy, or the United Kingdom, the U.S. State Department urges you to exercise increased caution. In September, these popular European vacation destinations had their warning levels elevated due to the risk of potential terrorist attacks.

Elivaas, a tech-driven luxury villa and apartment management Indian startup, has secured $5 million in a funding round led by Bengaluru-based 3one4 Capital, with participation from Peak XV’s Surge and other angel investors. 

Sep 21, 2024 • 11 min read

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, September 20, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Emirates is one of the world's most beloved airlines, consistently voted by our readers as one of the top international carriers. A big reason for that is the quality and comfort of their seats—no matter which cabin you're flying in.

Another ‘Sphere’ is landing on Earth, this time in Dubai. MGM Resorts is building its own “Dubai Sphere”, promised by CEO and president Bill Hornbuckle to be “equally compelling as the Las Vegas Sphere.”

MGM Resorts has already submitted its proposal to the UAE government to operate a casino in the country, CEO Bill Hornbuckle said Thursday at the Skift Global Forum 2024. The Las Vegas giant is yet to have any running hotels there but is the only operator to openly state it has applied for the right to run a legal casino.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, September 19, 2024, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Dubai boasts of the world’s tallest building, the world’s largest mall, and the only “unofficial” seven-star hotel. Four decades after embracing tourism, Dubai wants to hone in on the “real” aspects of the city and its hidden gems.