At a Glance Category Details Best time to visit Mid-November through December 26 for markets and lights; December 20–January 2 for peak festive atmosphere (also peak prices) Average daily budget Budget: $80–$170 · Mid-range: $250–$420 · Luxury: $550–$850 Visa requirement Austria, Iceland, and Spain require a Schengen visa for non-exempt nationalities (90 days visa-free for … Read more
At a Glance Best time within September Daily budget, Mid-range Daily budget , Budget $50 – 60 (Bali / Hanoi) · €55 – 70 (Porto / Dubrovnik / Santorini) Daily budget , Mid-range $113 (Bali) · $121 (Hanoi) · €100 -150 (Mediterranean) Daily budget, Luxury $289+ (Bali) · $295+ (Hanoi) · €250 – 500+ (Mediterranean) … Read more
At a Glance Best months to visit June–September (varies by destination – see seasonal section) Average daily budget Budget: $60–$90 / Mid, range: $130–$200 / Luxury: $350+ Visa requirement Sardinia is the only European region on Lonely Planet’s global Best in Travel 2026 top 25 · Slovenia bookings up 286% YoY · Oulu, Finland, is … Read more
Phuket logged over 10 million international visitors in 2023. The Greek islands collected more than 32 million. The Amalfi Coast in peak July looks less like a coastline and more like a queue. Meanwhile, a small island in Phang Nga Bay received a fraction of Phuket’s footfall, a freshwater lagoon in southern Mexico was labelled … Read more
Bergen is the canonical Norwegian coastal city for long-stay international tourists, with the Bergen Railway, the Bryggen wharf, and the fish market. Ă…lesund, 200 kilometres to the north, received 657,000 cruise passengers in 2024, making it Norway’s second-busiest cruise port, yet almost all of them leave the same day, and the long-stay international visitor numbers … Read more
If you’re still deciding where to go in August 2026, you’re working with more options and more crowds than almost any other month. August is peak travel season across Europe, the height of Africa’s wildebeest migration, and the driest stretch in Bali. The best destinations August 2026 has on offer range from a total solar … Read more
April is travel’s best-kept secret. The summer crowds haven’t arrived. Hotel prices are 20–40% below their July peak. The weather across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa hits a sweet spot that July simply can’t match. This is the Goldilocks window, not too hot, not too cold, not too expensive, and never too crowded. … Read more
Important Note (Read Before You Book) This guide reflects trends and information available as of March 2026. Travel advisories, event schedules, air routes, and prices can change quickly. Always double‑check current government travel advisories (US, UK, Canada, EU) and local tourism board updates before you book flights or tours. 2026 is the year of the unexpected. … Read more
Think spring break is over? Think again. Dozens of major US universities, including UCLA (Mar 21–29), Cornell (Mar 28–Apr 6), CUNY (Apr 1–9), and Columbia (Mar 28–Apr 5), still have their spring break window coming up in the next two weeks. And if you’re a family traveler, Easter school holidays in April extend the season even further. The window … Read more
March belongs to the planners. April and May belong to the travelers. With spring in full swing across the Northern Hemisphere and golden autumn arriving in the south, April and May 2026 offer the sweet spot of travel: great weather, lighter crowds than peak summer, and prices that haven’t yet hit their July ceiling. Whether … Read more