Posts

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to buy and renovate one of Italy’s €1 homes, Sopranos star Lorraine Bracco has a new HGTV show for you. Bracco’s latest project, My Big Italian Adventure, chronicles her experience renovating a rundown 1,075-square-foot property in a region of southwestern Sicily known for its beaches, vineyards, and hilltops. Bracco’s 200-year-old property is among 16 vacant houses Sambuca di Sicilia put up for auction in 2019 in an attempt to lure new residents to the shrinking village....

If Thompson Aero Seating has its way, the days of cramming into the middle seat, engaging in the passive-aggressive skirmish for the armrests, will be long gone. The Northern Ireland seating manufacturer has transformed the infamous center seat into the prime place to park yourself for the duration of your flight, thanks to its staggered Cozy Suite design. The design detail making the middle seat worth fighting over: an extra headrest....

It may be time to move from daydreaming about your next cruise vacation to serious planning and checking the calendar and budget. Are you thinking about a romantic couple’s trip or maybe a family get together to make up for a missed vacation this year? Is it time to check off a bucket list cruise, perhaps across the Atlantic or through the Panama Canal? Have you always longed to see the pyramids or glaciers?...

Every year, Travel + Leisure launches a collection of comprehensive gift guides designed to help you find the perfect present for everyone on your holiday shopping list. That includes a wide range of categories, like the best gifts for avid travelers and gifts for long distance friends. We also frequently cover our favorite places to shop online for presents and one of our favorite destinations is always Nordstrom. If you’re ready to get started on your holiday shopping, you’ll want to check out Nordstrom’s just-launched gift hub, which has gifts for everyone on your list at every price point....

Have you ever seen cosmic dust fall from the night sky? There’s nothing like the sight of a fleeting bright light streaking across the night sky for a few seconds, and this month, you may be able to see shooting stars from your backyard as the Eta Aquarid meteor shower strikes. More space travel and astronomy news What is the Eta Aquarid meteor shower? It’s an annual event that occurs each spring when shooting stars appear to observers under clear, dark skies....

Years have gone by since Harry Potter cast his last spell, defeating He Who Must Not Be Named, but fans remain enchanted with Harry and all of the other unique characters from the Wizarding World. Harry Potter enthusiasts itching for more magical encounters will soon have their wish granted with Harry Potter: The Exhibition. Debuting in 2022, Harry Potter: The Exhibition is a new immersive experience from Imagine Exhibitions in partnership with Warner Bros....

For travelers who live for a good deal, there’s nothing better than getting paid to give up your seat on an oversold flight — especially when the newly confirmed flight is better and you don’t have to physically go to the airport and check-in before getting bumped. According to a recent passenger report on The Points Guy, the American Airlines app now lets passengers volunteer for their flight’s bump list, confirm a new flight, and get compensated for it — all when they go into the app to check-in for their flight....

It’s been about a year and a half since his tragic death in June 2018, but Anthony Bourdain still has some beautiful messages about travel that we can all take to heart. In honor of the decade coming to a close, NPR’s Fresh Air series is looking back on its favorite interviews from the last 10 years. On Monday, the radio program posted an incredible interview with chef, author, and TV host Anthony Bourdain from 2016 with NPR’s Dave Davies....

The National Park Service (NPS) is celebrating its 105th anniversary and you can pitch in for a birthday gift by simply using Apple Pay. From now through Aug. 29, Apple will donate $10 to the National Park Foundation for each purchase made with Apple Pay on apple.com, in the App Store, or at an Apple store location in the U.S. “With every passing year, our national parks only become more precious,” Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said in a statement....

Solo cruising is about to get a major upgrade on Atlas Ocean Voyages. The cruise line just unveiled its first Solo Suites — 183-square-foot escapes that travelers won’t have to pay extra for to get all to themselves. Each suite comes with a queen-sized bed, television, desk, mini fridge, and en suite bathroom featuring a rainfall shower. Most suites also have balconies from which to enjoy the expansive ocean views....

Much like plane seating preferences — window seats are for sound sleeping, aisles for easy restroom access — airline allegiances are carefully calculated. For Travel + Leisure readers, everything from bag fees to flight attendant interactions make some airlines significantly more appealing than others. Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more....

This year’s World’s Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three year period. We hope that this year’s honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world. The best spas in the world have always been a way to reset the mind, body, and spirit....

It’s about to get a whole lot easier to get out of New York City. Delta Air Lines announced it’s adding more than 100 flights a day from John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports by November as its route map begins to look a little more like its pre-pandemic self. That amounts to about 8,000 additional seats each day to places including Charlotte, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and even sunny Panama City, Panama....

Everyone deserves a vacation, even if it has to be a virtual one. Since there are travel advisories all over the world due to outbreaks of the coronavirus, most people are opting to stay inside in order to combat the spread of the disease. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take a trip. Jesse Kraft/EyeEm/Getty Images Imagen de Chile, a nonprofit brand organization for the country of Chile, is offering a free app called Chile 360....

Photographer Sean Scott caught both a rare and terrifying image as he flew his drone just off the coast of Western Australia’s Red Bluff Beach. While watching the footage later, Scott realized that not only were there a handful of children floating and playing in the water, but there were also hundreds of bronze whaler sharks lurking beneath them. However, as he explained, the sharks weren’t there for the humans, but rather the giant bait ball of fish that was dangling nearby....

Editor’s note: Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure. While the idea of jetting off to Mexico for a week has even the best of us dreaming of our next getaway, there a few things to be aware of while planning a trip while the country is still grappling with COVID-19....

Furloughed cabin crew in Singapore are finding a second wind in their new jobs as coronavirus “ambassadors.” This week, Singapore entered a monthlong total lockdown. After successfully containing the virus for months, the island city-state now has more than 1,375 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. And while aircraft are grounded due to travel bans and restrictions, former airline workers are being transitioned to new roles to help combat the coronavirus pandemic to serve the public....

This spring, airlines grounded most of their fleets and slashed more than 90 percent of their schedules. Even then, many planes flew nearly empty. By July, U.S. carriers had recovered some of their pre-pandemic business, with flights on average about 50 percent full, according to Cirium, a company that tracks the sector. Airlines remain in dire financial straits, but the mask-wearing passengers still flying have found plenty of room to stretch out (even in coach), plus uncongested airports, deep-cleaned aircraft, and tons of overhead bin space....

As the coronavirus pandemic has swept not only the United States but the world, healthcare workers and those on the frontlines helping to keep everyone safe are the heroes in this crisis. And yes, doing our part to stay home and maintain our social distance from one another contributes to the effort of flattening the curve, but the nurses, doctors and anyone who suits up everyday to help those who are infected, are doing the real work and deserve infinite amounts of gratitude....

Six hundred and fifty miles off the coast of North Carolina, Bermuda’s shining sun, pink beaches, and gorgeous waters are inviting you to escape your every day — even for just a day. While Bermuda is worth visiting for a week or even longer, it’s also possible to have one single perfect day on the island. Here are a few activities to fill a quick vacation. Learn about Bermuda’s history at King’s Square...