Some places look even better than their photographs. Venice at sunset, with the canal lights coming on, is one of them. The Norwegian fjords, Santorini, Kyoto in cherry blossom season and Machu Picchu at dawn complete the top five.
Patagonia, the Amalfi Coast, Banff, Cappadocia and the Scottish Highlands round out the list, each offering a completely different kind of beauty.
Visit outside peak season if you can: the light is softer, the crowds are smaller and the prices are friendlier.
Blue doors, bougainvillea and long lunches: why small coastal villages are worth the detour.
Travellers want fewer crowds and more time ashore, and the cruise industry is listening.
Leave the metro map at the hotel. Paris is best discovered one neighbourhood at a time.
Old cars and long roads are a perfect match, as long as you plan for a few surprises.
Six weeks of simple exercises make the first days on the slopes far more fun.
Free ferries, park walks and pizza by the slice: New York can be surprisingly affordable.
