Category: Travel

Hiking in the mountains is a national pastime in Bulgaria, where a landscape of glacial valleys and crystal-clear alpine lakes is complemented by a climate blessed with a moderating Mediterranean influence in the summer months from June to August.

In winter (December to February), those same peaks are covered in snow, but snowshoeing is a thrilling way to explore these rugged mountains on foot (and have an adventure of a lifetime in the process). 

For long-distance walkers, the trans-European E3, E4 and E8 hiking trails weave through the Bulgarian countryside. Once you’ve finished trekking, there are mineral spas where you can soak tired muscles in towns such as Hisar in the southern foothills of the Sredna Gora mountain range, and Sapareva Banya in the Rila Mountains – both were important wellness centers as far back as the Roman era.

Whether you fancy a day walk close to the capital, Sofia, or a multi-day hike through the Stara Planina mountain range, Bulgaria is the perfect destination for outdoors enthusiasts at all levels of fitness. Here are a few of the best hikes to add to your Bulgaria itinerary. 

Alpine lakes in Rila National Park in southwestern Bulgaria. Kisa_Markiza/Getty Images ©Kisa_Markiza/Getty Images

1. Seven Rila Lakes (Rila National Park)

Best for a day trip 

Distance: 10km (6.2 miles)

Estimated time to complete: 4 hours

Level of difficulty: Easy

Rila National Park, Bulgaria’s largest protected area, covers swathes of peaks, forests and high pastures, as well as glinting glacial lakes. In fact, the word “Rila” – possibly derived from ancient Thracian – means “Mountains of Water,” a nod to the area’s turquoise lakes.

The park is just 90km (56 miles) from Sofia, so you can hike between these jewel-like lakes on a long day-trip from the capital. But it’s best to stay overnight to see more of what this stunning region has to offer, like historic Rila Monastery and the Goritsa waterfall.

The day-long Seven Rile Lakes walk begins with a ride on the Pionerska chairlift from the winter ski resort of Panichishte in the northwest of the park. You’ll be transported over towering trees to an elevation of 2100m (6890ft), where you’re immediately surrounded by alpine meadows circled by granite rocks. Here, the first of Rila’s seven lakes comes into view. 

Over the next 10km (6.2 miles), you’ll follow a well-marked path past six more shimmering lakes of different shapes and sizes. Admire the epic views, and look out for wildflowers among the granite outcrops, and golden eagles and peregrine falcons above. There are shorter routes back if you’re struggling on the outbound leg.

At the end of the hike, reward yourself for all that exertion with an afternoon (or a whole day if time allows) of soaking in the geothermal waters of Sapareva Banya, where you’ll also find steam rooms, Jacuzzis and massages that are perfect for relaxing tired muscles.

Planning tip: Arrive at the chairlift early to avoid having to queue – especially on weekends! 

Mountain huts on the green slopes of Malyovitsa Peak in the Rila Mountains. Matyas Rehak/Shutterstock Matyas Rehak / Shutterstock

2. Malyovitsa Peak (Rila National Park)

Best for avoiding the crowds

Distance: 36km (22 miles)

Estimated time to complete: 2 days

Level of difficulty: Moderate

For a wilder Rila National Park experience, you’ll need to climb a little higher into the mountains than the day trippers on the popular Seven Rila Lakes route. In the crags above is a less-trodden route – a two-day Rila mountains traverse, taking in one of the highest summits and ending with a spiritual and artistic flourish at the 10th-century Rila Monastery.

From the starting point in the meadows beside the Malyovitsa Central Mountain School, about 25km (15.5 miles) southwest of Samokov, you’ll stroll through an area of forest, watching crossbills snaffling seeds from pine cones. Beyond, a rocky track traces the valley floor through scrubby heathland, climbing toward a forbidding rock wall above which alpine choughs and buzzards wheel. 

At the head of this valley is a memorial cairn bearing plaques and climbing equipment, commemorating Bulgarian climbers who lost their lives in these mountains. The trail steepens rapidly, taking hikers over boulders green with lichen and ferns poking out of cracks, on the ascent to Elenini Ezero (Deer Lake). 

Beyond the lake, the trail rises again to the grey ridge ending at Malyovitsa Peak. This is not quite the “roof of Bulgaria” – that accolade goes to nearby 2925m (9596ft) Musala – but Malyovitsa reaches a respectable 2729m (8953ft). Further south along a heavily wooded valley is Rila Monastery, your ultimate destination at the end of the trail.

Planning tip: There are wild cats and capercaillie here, as well as bears and wolves, although you’ll be fortunate to spot them. Make sure you’re aware of the local mountain safety advice before you depart, just in case. 

Raysko Praskalo waterfall on the path to Botev Peak. Nikola Zafirov/Shutterstock Shutterstock / Nikola Zafirov

3. Rayskoto Praskalo and Botev Peak (Central Balkan National Park)

Best waterfall view

Distance: 24km (15 miles)

Estimated time to complete: 1–2 days

Level of difficulty: Moderate to challenging

In the heart of Bulgaria, Central Balkan National Park is a paradise for hikers seeking unspoiled nature, dramatic mountain scenery, and rich biodiversity. Covering more than 700 sq km (270 sq miles), the park takes in the highest parts of the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina), with soaring peaks and deep forested valleys.

One of the most popular hiking routes here is the trail to 2376m (7795ft) Botev Peak. The route begins from Kalofer, a small town at the southern foot of the range. From here, you’ll follow the trail through the Panitsite area to Rai Hut (Hizha Rai), around 11km (6.8 miles) from the start point – a good place to stop for the night.

It’s not far from the hut to the spectacular Rayskoto Praskalo waterfall, the highest waterfall in the Balkans, which drops 125m (410ft). The best way to trek this route is to stay overnight at Rai Hut and summit Botek Peak the next day, allowing plenty of time to climb, soak up the views and return safely before dark. 

However, experienced walkers can push on to the summit of Botek Peak in one day – it’s only another 4km (2.5 miles) but the climb involves a 900m (2953ft) ascent. In total, the full summit hike from Kalofer to Botek and back is around 24km (15 miles) – around nine hours of walking.

Planning tip: The terrain is steep, especially near the top, and weather can change rapidly, so pack proper mountain hiking gear, and bring layers to protect against the cold at the top.

The trail from Vihren Hut to the summit of Vihren. Efimova Anna/Shutterstock Efimova Anna / Shutterstock

4. Vihren Peak (Pirin National Park)

Best for a sense of achievement

Distance: 10km (6.2 miles)

Estimated time to complete: 1 day

Level of difficulty: Moderate to challenging

The crown jewel of the Pirin Mountains, Vihren Peak is Bulgaria’s second-highest mountain at 2914m (9560ft), but it’s surprisingly accessible – providing you don’t suffer from vertigo!

The walk begins at Vihren Hut, set at 1950m (6400ft) above sea level. A regular bus links the resort town of Bansko with Vihren Hut, but hikers looking for more of a challenge can hike from Bansko before ascending above the treeline. 

As you climb higher, the views become increasingly spectacular, with sweeping panoramas of UNESCO-listed Pirin National Park and its dramatic ridges, sparkling glacial lakes and distant mountain ranges.

From Vihren Hut, it’s an 8km (5-mile) uphill climb to the top of Vihren. You’ll gain nearly 1000m (3280ft) in elevation over just a few hours of tramping uphill. The final stretch is steep and exposed, requiring a good footing and a head for heights, especially in windy conditions. For the effort, you’ll be rewarded with incredible views toward Rila and beyond.

Detour: On your return, soak in a hot mineral spring in a spa in one of the nearby villages – there are several spas at various price points in Bankso and Dobrinishte. 

The most challenging section of the Koncheto Ridge at Pirin National Park. trabantos/Shutterstock trabantos / Shutterstock

5. Koncheto Ridge (Pirin National Park)

Best for adrenaline and bragging rights 

Distance: 12km (7.5 miles)

Estimated time to complete: 1 day 

Level of difficulty: Challenging

One of the most thrilling routes in Bulgaria is the hike – or rather, scramble – between Vihren Peak and Kutelo Peak. At 2908m (9540ft), Kutelo peak is the second-highest peak in the Pirin Mountains.

This is one for experienced and confident hikers only; wear appropriate hiking gear, and seek local advice about trail and weather conditions, including incoming rain or fog. 

The dramatic, 12km-long (7.5-mile) trail traverses a narrow limestone ridge that plunges steeply on both sides. In places, the path is just a meter wide. There are chains bolted into the rock to assist hikers along the most vertiginous sections, but it can still be an unnerving experience.

The name “Koncheto” (meaning “Little Horse”) refers to the way some hikers straddle the ridge like a horse rider for balance. The adrenaline rush is powerful, but so are the views — the surrounding peaks, glacial cirques and deep valleys create an uplifting alpine spectacle.

Hiking along both the Mt Vihren and Koncheto Ridge trails in one day is possible, but you will need to be very fit and start early.

Detour: It’s possible to hike to Kutelo Peak from alternative starting points such as the Yavorov Hut, turning this into a one-way walk, exiting at Vihren Hut, where you can catch the bus back to Bansko.

Trekkers walking above the clouds in Rila National Park. Maya Karkalicheva/Getty Images Getty Images

6. Five Mountains Trail

Best long-distance hike

Distance: 260km (161 miles)

Estimated time to complete: 13 days

Level of difficulty: Moderate to challenging

The Five Mountains Trail traverses (you guessed it) five mountains in Bulgaria – Vitosha, Verila, Rila, Pirin and Slavyanka. The route takes you into limestone mountains, past waterfalls and caves, and through pristine coniferous forests.

The trail is part of the E4 European long-distance path, a spectacular hiking route stretching over 10,000km (6213 miles) from Portugal to Greece. It’s a reminder that Bulgaria has long been an important junction on European trade routes, occupied by Macedonians, Romans, Bulgars and the Ottoman Empire over the centuries.

The way is marked with red signposts, and with some planning, you can pre-book mountain refuges or huts to sleep in. These are well spaced along each of the 13 segments of the hike. You should still carry a tent in case a hut is full or you don’t make the distance of the day. Some of the hike traverses very rocky paths, particularly in the Rila and Pirin Mountains, which is why it’s recommended for experienced, well-equipped hikers only. 

As this hike takes you to remote mountain locations, you’ll also need to carry food supplies and plan where you can top up supplies en route. It’s worth investing in a trail-specific guidebook for this one!

The classic route takes you up Vihren Peak and along the Koncheto Ridge, but further south, the going gets gentler in the Rhodope Mountains, where the trail winds through forests, meadows, and remote villages where you can experience traditional Bulgarian life and admire Ottoman-era architecture.

Vitosha Nature Park is a great destination for winter walkers. Boryana Manzurova/Shutterstock Boryana Manzurova / Shutterstock

7. Vitosha Nature Park

Best for snowshoeing 

Distance: 12km return (7.5 miles)

Estimated time to complete: 1 day

Level of difficulty: Easy to moderate

On the outskirts of Sofia, Vitosha Nature Park offers a peaceful escape from the capital, but with a difference if you come in winter. From December to March, snow blankets the mountains, and the park is transformed into a serene wonderland perfect for a snowshoeing adventure.

Vitosha is the oldest nature park in Bulgaria, and it’s highly recommended for its well-marked hiking and snowshoeing trails, and its mix of alpine meadows and forest landscapes. One of the most popular routes is from Aleko Hut – set at 1810m (5940ft) – to the top of 2290m (7515ft) Cherni Vrah, the highest peak in Vitosha. You can reach Aleko Hut by public transport and hire snowshoes here.

The route begins with a gradual ascent through frost-covered pine forests, then opens onto a high alpine plateau. At the top, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the Sofia Valley and the Rila Mountains. It’s a moderately challenging walk at around 6km (3.7 miles) each way, and it can take up to 3 hours to reach the summit in summer; plan on more time in winter to be safe.

No technical skills or experience are required for snowshoeing at Vitosha; all you need is waterproof boots, warm layered clothing, and a pair of snowshoes. An alternative winter walk is the track to the Boyana waterfall, starting at Boyana Church. This route takes you through quiet beech forests to a beautiful waterfall that is partially frozen in winter.

Planning tip: Organized snowshoeing tours are available, and recommended if you’re unfamiliar with winter hiking or want a more in-depth experience of the mountains. Guides know where to be more cautious – for example, where icy rocks make the trails more treacherous — which is particularly useful on the Boyana waterfall trail.

Access the mountains from the winter resort town of Bansko. Alexey Oblov/Shutterstock Alexey Oblov / Shutterstock

Top tips for hiking in Bulgaria

The following tips will help you plan a hiking trip to Bulgaria.

• Some of Bulgaria’s best trails pass through Rila National Park, Pirin National Park and Central Balkan National Park – be aware that the flora, fauna and environment are protected, and heed environmental rules. Some trails also pass through Bulgaria’s system of “nature parks,” which also have unique, managed ecosystems.
• June to October is the best time to hike for snow-free paths, but winter walks and mountain ascents are also possible in Bulgaria, so long as you have the right gear.
• Waterproofs, warm layers and sturdy hiking boots are essential for walking in Bulgaria, even in summer. If you’re hiking in the mountains, it can be significantly colder at altitude, especially if you’ve worked up a sweat. 
• Bring a sleeping bag for multi-day hikes; if you’ve pre-booked a refuge where blankets are provided, you may be able to get by with a sheet or sleeping bag liner. Always check ahead to see what facilities are on offer.
• While major trails are well-marked, carrying a detailed map and compass is highly recommended. Don’t rely on only using your phone to navigate in case the battery runs out.

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Romania & Bulgaria guidebook, published in August 2024.

As the birthplace of modern Western civilization, sprawling Athens has enough august monuments to keep you busy for a week – or a lifetime.

Yet venture beyond the Parthenon, and you’ll discover a more youthful side to the city through new art galleries, languid cafes and outdoor cinemas. You’ll find the relics of antiquity here, for sure (as well as easy access to the heavenly Greek Islands), but also a forward-looking, multicultural metropolis that’s fully of the 21st century.

Here are a few of Athens’ best experiences.

1. Ascend the steps of the Acropolis to the Parthenon

The greatest symbol of the glory of Ancient Greece, the Acropolis rises spectacularly smack in the center of Athens. In the reign of Pericles, in the 5th century BCE, the hilltop was established as a religious sanctuary, and remained a center of Athens’ spiritual life for centuries.

Just as pilgrims of millennia past made their way to worship here, you can ascend the marble steps on the west side to find yourself dwarfed by the towering columns of the magnificent Parthenon.

Detour: Complete your ancient immersion by seeing a concert or play at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

An exhibit at the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens. Marios Lolos/Xinhua via Getty Images Marios Lolos/Xinhua via Getty Images

2. Check out Athens’ hopping contemporary-art scene

Athens has become an essential stop for anyone who loves new art. From not-for-profit galleries like CheapArt Athens, the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation and the National Museum of Contemporary Art to well-established commercial spaces like The Breeder, the city’s creative side is thriving.

Also in the mix are a flurry of international artists who have moved to the city and set up outfits like Kypseli Print Studio – a print-screening space that hosts workshops for people of all abilities – and Haus N, a creative hub for new installations and works by young Greek artists. The creative scene only continues to get better here.

3. Conjure ancient Athens at Kerameikos

The city’s ancient necropolis is home to the Street of Tombs, where classical VIPs were interred. Many of the finest grave markers are replicas, with the originals on display at the small, absorbing on-site museum. This area was also the ceremonial entrance into ancient Athens – and though the gates no longer stand and the entrance road is now a paved city street, it’s still an interesting spot at which to pause and imagine the activity that took place here millennia ago.

An antiques vendor at Monastiraki Flea Market, Athens. Vangelis Koronakis for Lonely Planet ©Vangelis Koronakis/Lonely Planet

4. Haggle over a souvenir at Monastiraki Flea Market

On Saturdays, central Athens throngs with shoppers looking for a bargain at the huge Monastiraki Flea Market, which takes place between the Monastiraki and Thisseio neighborhoods.

Here, traders open up their secondhand stores to flog a jumble of flea-market finds, vintage clothing and oddities ranging from vintage magazines punctuated with bold Greek lettering to mid-century furniture and bizarrely compelling bric-a-brac. Look hard enough, and you can find a buried treasure – and if not, you’ll surely leave with a little insight into how modern Athenians have furnished their homes for the past 60 years.

5. Visit the ancient Agora, the birthplace of democracy

Follow in the footsteps of Socrates and his various political and philosophical cohorts at the Agora, the heart of ancient Athens’ civic life and the birthplace of Western democracy. In the stately Stoa of Attalos (whose colonnaded arcades are echoed in the architecture of modern Athens), the Agora Museum displays unusual finds from ancient daily life. Also worth a visit is the exquisite, very well preserved Temple of Hephaistos. (See how many of the Labors of Hercules you can identify on its frieze.)

Guards wearing traditional Evzones costumes in Syntagma Square, Athens. Dario Racane/Shutterstock ©Dario Racane/Shutterstock

7. Watch the changing of the guard in Syntagma Square

In the heart of Athens stands the rose-toned Hellenic Parliament building on Syntagma Square. Try and catch the elaborate ritual of the changing of the guard, which happens every hour. Two guards always stand sentry here, dressed in traditional Evzones costume: tasseled fez hat, thick kilt and stockinged legs with pom-pom shoes.

In summer, the customary get-up gets so hot that these guards have to be dabbed at with tissues, as they are forbidden from moving as they stand on watch guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It’s only on the hour that they can finally break free to move in perfectly choreographed synchronicity, kicking their legs high as they march off to end their shift.

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural seen from Stavros Niarchos Park, Athens. Here Now/Shutterstock Here Now / Shutterstock

7. See a show at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

A contemporary Athenian wonder, the Renzo Piano–designed Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center is home to the Greek National Opera and the main branch of the National Library. Seeing a performance here will be a highlight of your trip – but there are plenty of free things to see and do as well, including a meander through the gorgeous Stavros Niarchos Park. Designed to showcase Mediterranean flora, the park’s gently sloping gardens are the perfect spot to relax and take in city views and cooling sea breezes.

A gallery at the National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Jenoche/Shutterstock Shutterstock / Jenoche

8. Journey through history at the National Archaeological Museum

Athens’ preeminent museum houses the world’s largest and finest collection of Greek antiquities. Priceless items date from the Neolithic Era (6800 BCE) to the Cycladic, Mycenaean and Classical periods in the millennia that followed.

As you stroll through the galleries, it’s gratifying to discover iconic sculptures of Western art history here – such as the bronze figure of a bearded god and the hammered gold death mask of Agamemnon. Other surprises await, including frescoes from Santorini upstairs.

A cafe in a pedestrianized street in Exarchia, Athens. Here Now/Shutterstock Here Now / Shutterstock

9. Drink in the local coffee culture

Athenians don’t wait until the weekend to head out to catch up with friends. Rather, they spend just about every day under the shade of orange trees nursing coffees and conversing for hours. By day, the leafy central neighborhoods of Pangrati and Exarchia are packed with locals spilling out from kafeneia (Greek cafes) and into the streets, philosophizing (a favorite activity of any Greek), playing backgammon on marble table tops and sipping slowly on a frappé.

The monumental columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens. Viacheslav Lopatin/Shutterstock Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock

10. Take a walk among soaring ruins at the Temple of Olympian Zeus

Greece’s largest temple was seven centuries in the making. Or rather, what once was Greece’s largest temple: today, only a handful of its colossal columns remain, the rest having been picked apart and repurposed for other structures. The temple was dedicated to Zeus and, unofficially, to the Roman emperor Hadrian, who was the one who finally completed the construction job – before erecting a statue of himself.

Planning tip: While you’re here, take note of Hadrian’s Arch, which congratulates the emperor on his achievement. And explorers can seek out a sanctuary to Pan on the far side of the site.

11. Visit the miraculous Church of Agios Dimitrios Loumbardiaris

At the foot of Filopappou Hill, this 16th-century church may not be the oldest in Athens, but it is certainly one of the loveliest, with a heavy timber roof, marble floors and the permanent scent of incense. A great 1732 fresco of St Dimitrios, astride his horse in a pose copied from ancient images of Alexander the Great, adorns the interior. With its wooden gate and bells, the churchyard almost conjures Japan – a touch by modernist architect Dimitris Pikionis, who also applied his precise style to the restoration of the back exterior wall, a delightful piece of stonework.

In 1648, the church was the site of a reported miracle. The Turks, ensconced on the Acropolis, prepared to fire a cannon on worshippers gathered in the church – before the gunner was killed by lightning, saving the congregation. This episode gave the church its name (Loumbardiaris means “of the cannon”).

Visitors at the Acropolis Museum, Athens. Rajesh Vijayakumar/Shutterstock Rajesh Vijayakumar / Shutterstock

12. Admire the treasures of the Acropolis Museum

Natural light cascades through the spacious galleries of the modern Acropolis Museum, illuminating the priceless treasures that have been removed from the hill and installed here for safekeeping. The pinnacle of the museum is the top-floor glass atrium, where the 528ft-long (161m-long) frieze from around the top of the Parthenon (minus the portion still held in the British Museum) is installed at eye level, allowing visitors to see all the details of this masterpiece in marble, and get a truer sense of its grand scale.

13. Learn the story of Greece at the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture

If you have time for only one museum, make it this one. This impeccable private collection encompasses the sweep of Greek history from ancient times through the mid-20th century. The museum occupies a stunning neoclassical mansion, with fine art and mundane folk objects – both equally beautiful – displayed chronologically.

As a kind of counterpoint to the ancient grandeur palpable at the city’s many archaeological sites, the Benaki collection tells the story of how Greece has absorbed foreign influences and ideas to create its uniquely syncretic culture.

The beach at Vouliagmeni, just a tram ride away from central Athens. Jekatarinka/Shutterstock Jekatarinka / Shutterstock

14. Hit the beaches of the Apollo Coast

When the summer heat sets in, do as the Athenians do: escape to the beach. In the sweltering summer months, take the A1 tram to the Palaio Faliro neighborhood for a palm tree-lined promenade and a soft, sandy beach. Further south along the Apollo Coast are the more upmarket suburbs of Glyfada and Vouliagmeni, with no shortage of luxury beach clubs should you want a full day off from sightseeing. Out of season, Vouliagmeni has a burgeoning surf scene.

Planning tip: If you are willing to travel a little further for some beach time, grab the ferry to Aegina on a day trip.

The Panathenaic Stadium, Athens. Fernando Vazquez Miras/Getty Images © Fernando Vazquez Miras / Getty Images

15. Snap a shot on the winner’s pedestal at the Panathenaic Stadium

With its rows of white Pentelic marble seats built into a ravine next to Ardettos Hill, this ancient-turned-modern stadium is a draw both for lovers of classical architecture and sports fans who can imagine the roar of the crowds from millennia past. A ticket gets you an audio tour, admission to a tiny exhibit on the modern Olympics (mainly eye-candy posters) and the opportunity to take your photo on a winners’ pedestal.

Built in the 4th century BCE and restored for the first modern Olympic games in 1896, the grand stadium was first used as a venue for the Panathenaic athletic contests. It’s said that at Hadrian’s inauguration in 120 CE, a thousand wild animals were sacrificed in the arena. Later, the seats were rebuilt in marble by Herodes Atticus.

The sunset from Filopappou Hill, Athens. Christopher Moswitzer/Shutterstock Christopher Moswitzer / Shutterstock

16. Gaze over the city from Filopappou Hill at sunset

The mythical battleground of Theseus and the Amazons is today one of Athens’ best parks, studded with small ruins connected by beautiful stone paths that are themselves a minor architectural marvel. Make time in your schedule to come here around sundown one evening to watch the lights on the Acropolis switch on and glow gold against the blue sky.

Detour: To the north, the Hill of the Pnyx offers equally compelling views and is almost always empty.

Sushi is one of Japan’s most famous culinary exports and one of its most-consumed foods; that the salmon-and-tuna sushi has a permanent place in the emoji lexicon points to its importance in Japanese cuisine as well as food culture at large. Understand sushi’s history, the etiquette to eating it, and the best places to try it in Tokyo with this guide.

History of sushi

Japanese sushi historians consider Southeast Asia to be the birthplace of the earliest form of sushi; while others note that the earliest references to sushi (flavored with orange peel and “wine” made from grains) appear in 6th-century China. Regardless, what we do know is that sushi first appeared in Japanese historical records during the 8th century as a luxury item, as tribute offerings to the court or as payment for skilled artisans. 

Early sushi in Japan was made with lactic-acid fermentation, notably nare-zushi and funa-zushi. What we recognize as sushi today – nigiri-zushi, or hand-shaped vinegared rice topped with fish – dates back to the early 19th century in Edo (present-day Tokyo), when sushi became a popular street food eaten while standing. The early modern period saw a number of innovations: the development of “fast sushi” or “haya-zushi,” in which sake, kōji, and vinegar were added to speed up fermentation; as well as the use of nori (seaweed) in commercially-made sushi from the latter half of the 18th century. 

After WWII, sushi transformed from a cheap street snack into more of a sit-down meal. It was around this time that the term “Edomae” (literally “before Edo”) became synonymous with nigiri-zushi. Kaiten-zushi – conveyor-belt sushi restaurants – began to pop up, offering inexpensive sushi by the plate. Today, sushi is consumed at a wide range of price points. Rarefied high-end establishments are for special occasions, but supermarket sushi and conveyor belt restaurants are ideal for quick, convenient meals. 

Chefs working in a sushi restaurant, Tokyo. VTT Studio/Shutterstock VTT Studio / Shutterstock

Understanding Japanese sushi etiquette

There are a few pieces of etiquette to keep in mind, but eating sushi shouldn’t be a daunting experience. Enjoy your meal without worries with these pointers.

For starters, it’s entirely acceptable to use either your hands or chopsticks to eat at all sushi restaurants. When seasoning with soy sauce, dip the fish side of the sushi, not your rice! Rice soaks up soy sauce far too easily – it’ll be too salty and the whole piece will fall apart. Restaurants occasionally provide soy sauce brushes to prevent this issue. If you’re visiting a higher-end establishment for an omakase (chef’s choice), each piece will already have been seasoned. There’s no need to add more soy sauce. 

Other behavioral etiquette depends on the restaurant. High-end restaurants make more demands on the diner than more casual spots. The number one rule at these establishments, especially those with only a handful of counter seats, is to honor your reservation. At the very least, avoid no-shows and cancel early if needed – it’s considered rude to not show up at all. 

It’s also best to avoid smoking beforehand or wearing strong perfumes, especially at more expensive sushi restaurants – this interferes with being able to taste the sushi, and is also unpleasant for other diners. Lastly, it’s impolite to leave a freshly-made piece in front of you for longer than a few seconds, so resist the temptation to photograph each piece of sushi. If in doubt, look to other diners for cues on how to behave. 

Fresh nigiri-zushi in Tsukiji fish market, Tokyo. Stray Toki/Shutterstock ©Stray Toki/Shutterstock

Types of sushi you’ll find in Tokyo

• Nigiri-zushi: The quintessential “Edomae” Tokyo-style sushi consisting of hand-pressed rice, topped with fish or other seafood. 
• Maki-zushi: Rolled sushi with ingredients wrapped in seaweed and rice. 
• Temaki-zushi: Imagine an ice-cream cone, but with a nori cone filled with rice and raw fish. It’s fun to eat! 
• Chirashi-zushi (scattered sushi): Essentially vinegared sushi rice with various toppings, most commonly different types of raw fish and thin slices of omelette. 
• Gunkan-maki: Nori wrapped around rice, with a mound of seafood on top. Named for its resemblance to a battleship, or “gunkan”. 

Most restaurants in Tokyo, particularly those offering omakase courses, tend to serve nigiri-zushi with one or two types of temaki- or maki-zushi. Chirashi-zushi is a popular lunch option. Kaiten-zushi restaurants offer most if not all of the above styles. 

Mid-range and mass-market kaiten-zushi generally have a wide range of seafood on the menu; seasonal specialties will be highlighted. You will almost always see various types and cuts of tuna, salmon, squid, freshwater eel, conger eel, shrimp, mackerel, scallop and octopus. Seared wagyū (Japanese beef) sometimes appears as a sushi topping – gimmicky, yes, but tasty. 

High-end establishments serve whatever is freshest and in season that day. A good indicator of a restaurant’s calibre is the quality of hikarimono (silver things) or blue-backed fish. Toppings like aji (horse mackerel), iwashi (sardine), sanma (pike mackerel) and kohada (gizzard shad) are utterly transformative in the hands of a skilled chef.

A note for salmon lovers: salmon is usually considered a low-quality, inferior topping at high-end Edomae-style establishments, and you’re unlikely to see it served there. Then again, overfishing has led to the likes of the once-common sanma (pike mackerel) becoming a sought-after fish. Who knows what we’ll see at high-end sushi shops in future?

A sushi conveyor or belt buffet inside a Japanese restaurant. kckate16/Shutterstock ©kckate16/Shutterstock

Top sushi restaurants in Tokyo

Uobei, Shibuya

At Uobei, prices start at ¥110 (US$0.77) and hover around the ¥150 (US$1.05) mark per pair of nigiri, making this Shibuya kaiten-zushi restaurant the very definition of cheap and cheerful. The multilingual touchscreen menu has hundreds of choices – there are 11 nigiri variations for salmon alone – so it’s ideal for people who prefer choosing exactly what they want to eat. Families with young children, take note of the kids’ menu. 

Practical info: 2-29-11 Dogenzaka, Shibuya, Tokyo; Mon–Fri, 11am–11pm; Sat-Sun, 10:30am–11pm

Pintokona, Roppongi Hills

Great cost-performance is the selling point of this basement sushi restaurant. Lunch sets start at ¥1480 (US$10.35), and while ¥480 (US$3.35) per piece of wild salmon nigiri might seem a little steep next to conveyor-belt sushi, the price is shockingly reasonable for the quality, freshness and portion size. It’s also family-friendly, and therefore a useful option to have in your back pocket.

Practical info: Metro Hat B2F, 6-4-1 Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo; 11am–3pm, 5–11pm, Sat and Sun 11am–11pm

Sushi Azabu, Azabudai Hills 

While we’re discussing cost-performance, lunch at Sushi Azabu is good value for money. A 14-piece omakase set for ¥4800 (US$34) in Azabudai Hills, including its signature black sesame tofu? That’s a steal. Are there better sushi places in Tokyo? Yes, but those other restaurants aren’t in the same complex as the teamLab Borderless, making this a logistically sound choice for tourists in Tokyo. 

Practical info: 3F Hills Tower Plaza, 1-3-1 Azabudai, Minato, Tokyo; 11am–4pm, 5:30–10pm

Sushi chefs preparing to serve an omakase lunch at Manten Sushi Marunouchi, Tokyo. Jina Ihm/Shutterstock Jina Ihm / Shutterstock

Manten Sushi Marunouchi

A favorite with locals and tourists alike, this restaurant serves close-to-high-end sushi at mid-range prices. It’s raised its prices recently, but ¥4400 (US$31) for the lunch omakase and ¥8800 (US$62) for the dinner course continues to be excellent value for the quality of the offerings, which often includes abalone and sea urchin, and you’ll actually feel full afterwards. Reservations through TableCheck are necessary if you don’t want to spend two hours waiting in line.

Practical info: Marunouchi Brick Sq, 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; 11am–3pm, 5–11pm

Sushi Kyubey, Ginza

Kyubey is one of Tokyo’s most famous high-end sushi institutions. With consistent quality, it’s fairly relaxed and tourist-friendly, making it a good choice for those trying high-end sushi for the first time. Walk-ins are often possible at lunch as the restaurant is unusually large for Tokyo – it has multiple floors, with the ground floor alone seating 14 at a counter.

Practical info: 8-7-6 Ginza, Chuo, Tokyo; 11:30am–2pm, 5–10pm (closed Sun and Mon)

A high-end sushi restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo. Picturesque Japan/Shutterstock Picturesque Japan / Shutterstock

Best areas for sushi in Tokyo

Some parts of Tokyo are better for sushi than others. Areas with high foot traffic from white-collar workers tend to have more in the way of good food, including sushi. Areas where business people entertain their clients will also have a higher concentration of high-end sushi establishments – glitzy neighborhoods like Ginza, Roppongi, and Azabu-Juban are prime examples. 

For sushi on the mid to lower end of the price spectrum, the Tsukiji area is a solid bet, with at least a dozen sushi restaurants within five minutes’ walking distance from the Outer Market (itself home to several decent if touristy sushi restaurants). Then there’s Toyosu Market. While it’s unabashedly tourist-oriented and accordingly overpriced, sheer proximity to the world’s freshest fish means that you’ll find sushi that’s anywhere from at least okay to sublime.

Unique sushi experiences in Tokyo

The beauty of sushi is that there are so many ways to experience it beyond the glamorous omakase. For a casual snack in the Edo fashion, head to a standing sushi bar for a few nigiri. Feeling peckish at midnight? Head to a 24-hour supermarket or convenience store and pick up some discounted sushi. Conveyor-belt sushi restaurants are fantastic for families or anyone who enjoys a bit of novelty – it’s just fun when your food whizzes straight to your table. If you’re a dab hand in the kitchen, you could even try a sushi-making class at a place like Tamasushi near Tsukiji Market.

The world of sushi is constantly evolving. One recent trend in the Tokyo scene is the “mellowing” of the shari (vinegared rice in nigiri-zushi). For several years, shari with a more acidic kick (thanks to the copious use of red vinegar) was popular among many restaurants, but appears to have become less so in the last two years. 

Heavy use of social media, particularly TikTok, has also encouraged many restaurants to create more “Instagrammable” sushi with mass-market appeal – for example, fatty tuna sushi heavily loaded with sea urchin and salmon roe. Then there’s the colorful and divisive “sushi cakes” that resemble sponge cakes but aren’t, such as those made by No.Sushi. (These must be reserved before pickup in its Ginza shop.) Social media-friendly sushi is unlikely to go away, but consumers may become more discerning going forward.

Octopus sushi, Shinjuku. Anthony Plummer/Lonely Planet ©Anthony Plummer/Lonely Planet

How to order sushi like a local

Conveyor-belt sushi restaurants often have multilingual menus on touch-screen tablets. Other restaurants might have menus with photographs, while more old-fashioned ones might have handwritten menus or placards on the wall. But fish is fish wherever you go, and these days, Google Translate is able to handle much of the heavy lifting when it comes to communicating with Japanese speakers.  

Here are a few phrases that should come in useful at any sushi restaurant: 

• xxx wa arimasu ka? – do you have xxx? 
• xxx, hitotsu kudasai – one xxx please 
• Sabi nuki kudasai – no wasabi, please
• Shari sukuname kudasai – less rice, please 
• Okawari kudasai – one more of this item, please. 

At a high-end sushi restaurant that serves omakase courses, you’ll need to specify what you do and don’t eat. For example, if you’re allergic to shellfish or you keep kosher, it’s up to you to inform the chef of your dietary requirements beforehand, either at the time of your reservation, or directly before the meal starts. You may wish to print out a translation of what you want to communicate and show this to the serving staff.

Practical tips for your sushi adventure

Planning is key to making the most of eating in Tokyo, especially if you want to squeeze in a few special sushi experiences. For popular establishments – especially high-end places – you’ll need to book at least 1–2 months in advance. Even a kaiten-zushi chain like Kura Sushi merits advance reservations online if we’re talking about the permanently-crowded Harajuku branch. On the extreme end of the spectrum, restaurants like Sushi Saito are introduction-only, meaning you’ll need magnanimous friends in the know to even get your foot in the door. 

Sushi doesn’t have to break the bank. That being said, even conveyor-belt sushi can get expensive if you don’t keep an eye on the running total, so make sure you’re checking the e-tablet from time to time. If an omakase dinner at a high-end place feels a little too pricey, omakase lunches are an unbelievable steal. What it lacks in volume it makes up for in fabulous cost performance.

Modern interpretations of sushi

Sushi has become a global food, as we can see in the many ways it’s been interpreted around the world. Even within Japan, sushi innovation is ongoing. Besides No.Sushi’s aforementioned sushi cakes, there are now a small handful of restaurants in Tokyo that cater to vegetarians with plant-based sushi. For instance, the famed Udatsu in Nakameguro serves a gorgeous vegetarian set, which must be ordered at the time of reservation.

For a most unusual high-end sushi experience, try Sushi Sugahisa in Toranomon Hills, where Chef Kan Masahiro dishes up creative Thai-inspired versions of traditional sushi. Think cumin-spiced sauce on a piece of tuna nigiri, or savory egg custard infused with the flavors of green curry.

It’s perfectly feasible to eat your way around Sicily. Spaghetti ai ricci di mare (sea urchin) tucked into a corner table at a trattoria, swordfish carpaccio on a seafront terrace, primeval offal at a market, veg-spiked arancini at practically any corner – whatever the time, place or occasion, this Mediterranean heavyweight’s traditional dishes and street snacks burst with seasonal flavor and top-quality produce.

Fish and shellfish abound in sun-spun kitchens across the island archipelago. Over centuries, successive waves of invaders, poverty and deprivation spiced up dishes with foreign flavors and smart tricks. And in the face of a changing climate, innovative Sicilian farmers and winemakers are experimenting with new ways to grow old crops – and find new crops to replace old ones.

Pair all this with the island’s feisty lineup of cooks – Michelin-starred chefs to wizened nonnas (grandmas) – and the culinary experiences in Sicily are an earthy, honest, foodie heaven.

Share traditional Sicilian dishes in a Slow Food trattoria

Each town, village and even mountain has its own specialties and traditional dishes mirroring the land, season and ancestral heritage. Celebrate the differences with pasta alla Norma (pasta with eggplant, ricotta, basil and tomatoes) in a traditional trattoria in Catania, pasta con le sarde (pasta with sardines, pine nuts, raisins and wild fennel) in Palermo and agghiotta di pesce spada (swordfish with pine nuts, sultanas, capers, olives and tomatoes) in Messina.

Where to try it: Visit Slow Food member Me Cumpari Turiddu in Catania, Buatta and Ferro di Cavallo in Palermo, and Casa & Putia in Messina.

Cassata. Wead/Shutterstock © Wead / Shutterstock

Indulge your sweet tooth with Sicilian desserts

Sicily’s enticing array of sweets and cakes crafted from homegrown almonds, pistachios, spices and centuries of know-how is reason enough to never leave.

Top prize for instant seduction goes to minne di vergine (virgin’s breast), an individual white cake that’s iced and has a cherry on top. Other naughty-but-nice bites sold at pasticcerie (pastry shops) include torte di ricotta (ricotta cake), exquisitely sculpted marzipan fruits and cassata, an insanely sweet cake made with ricotta, vanilla, green icing and candied fruit.

Where to try it: Dig into Sicily’s centuries-old tradition of convent pastry making at I Segreti del Chiostro, in a 14th-century Palermo monastery, and old-world Pasticceria di Maria Grammatico in Erice. In the baroque showpiece town of Noto, creative third-generation pastry chef Corrado Assenza keeps things edgy at historic Caffè Sicilia.

Explore world flavors with couscous alla trapanese in Trapani

In western Sicily, Trapani‘s unique position on the sea route to Tunisia has made couscous a local specialty. Ladle the aromatic broth of seafood, garlic, chili, tomatoes, saffron, parsley and wine over a heap of couscous as a primi (first course), or order it as a meal in itself.

Where to try it: At modern Osteria la Bettolaccia, reservations are essential.

Pani ca meusa. FVPhotography/Shutterstock FVPhotography / Shutterstock

Seek out a Sicilian street food specialty in Palermo

Sicilian street food doesn’t get cheaper or more spectacular than Palermo’s signature pani ca meusa – a soft bun stuffed with boiled and lard-fried calf spleen, lung and trachea. The other gut-busting old-timer is stigghiola (veal, lamb or goat intestines wrapped around a spring onion or leek), brought to Palermo by the Greeks 2000-odd years ago. The grilled offal is always served in chunks, salted and with a wedge of lime.

Where to try it: For monster-sized pani ca meusa in Palermo, go to celebrated sandwich shops Nni Francu u Vastiddaru and Porta Carbone. At Mercato della Vucciria, track down Rocky Basile, one of Palermo’s last-remaining mèusari, who hawks pani ca meusa from a hand-pushed cart loaded with a steaming stainless steel vat of boiled beef. For grilled-while-you-wait stigghiola, join the line at Mercato di Ballarò’s El Bocadillo.

Cannoli. Anna Pekunova/Shutterstock Anna Pekunova / Shutterstock

Crunch into creamy cannoli

A raft of unspoken rules surround Sicily’s cannoli, the iconic crispy pastry shells filled to order with velvety ricotta cream. Avoid anything prefilled; left to sit, the shell becomes soggy, destroying the blissful crunchy-creamy contrast of the cannoli experience. Ditch cutlery – eating is strictly hands only. Alternate ends between bites.

Where to try it: For classic cannoli, try Pasticceria D’Amore in Taormina. For gourmets, the deconstructed version at Kalòs in Agrigento is out of this world. In Syracuse, order a cone at Cannoli del Re.

An aracini vendor in Palermo. Marco Frino Fotografo/Shutterstock Marco Frino Fotografo / Shutterstock

Satisfy a snack attack with arancini

If Sicilians aren’t nursing a gelato (in a cone or brioche bun) during Sunday’s sacrosanct passeggiata (afternoon stroll), they’re popping arancini. The deep-fried rice balls – roughly golf-ball sized – are coated with breadcrumbs and filled with meat, sausage, cheese, herbs, veg and nuts of all sorts; pistachios, harvested in fall, are a die-hard favorite.

Where to try it: Flavors are wild and seasonal – swordfish and eggplant perhaps, or curried chicken and apple? – at arancineria Cantunera in Ragusa and Modica. Wash them down with local craft beer for maximum effect.

Granita. JannHuizenga/Getty Images ©JannHuizenga/Getty Images

Keep cool with granita

Beat Palermo’s city heat with an old-school beaker of grattatella – ice shavings scratched by hand from a huge block of ice wrapped in a cloth and served with fresh fruit syrup. Islandwide, granita (crushed ice made with fresh fruit) is cool any time of day. Go local: buy a brioche to dunk in the crushed ice. Mulberry, pomegranate, pistachio and watermelon are hot August flavors.

Where to try it: Piero Caccamo scratches ice to order behind his Grattatella all’antica no Zu’ Vicè cart at Palermo’s Mercato del Capo or in front of Teatro Massimo. On the Aeolian island of Salina, Da Alfredo by Lingua‘s pebble beach is famed for its granita. Ricotta granita with candied capers and toasted capers at Pa.Pe.Ro’ in fishing hamlet Rinella, on Salina’s southern coast, is celestial.

Taste Sicilian wines with the makers

Predictably, Italy’s second-largest wine-producing region is worth a tipple. Native Catarratto, Grillo and Inzoli grapes fuel elegant whites, and Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese and Frappato yield robust reds. Don’t miss Sicily’s only DOCG wine, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, blending Nero d’Avola and Frappato.

Get the inside story over a degustazione (tasting) with local wine growers in sumptuous noble villas on the volcanic, vineyard-clad slopes of Mt Etna and in 19th-century wine cellars in the sweet wine town Marsala.

Where to try it: In Marsala, Cantine Florio serves spectacular grassroots Sicilian cuisine at Ciacco. Get around Catania on a road trip by bicycle or car along the Strada del Vino e dei Sapori dell’Etna. The village- and vineyard-hopping narrow-gauge Etna Wine Train is pretty cool too. To overnight in an abandoned village-turned-winery, Tenuta di Fessina fits the bill.

Fried seafood in Palermo. Viliam.M/Shutterstock Viliam.M / Shutterstock

Feast on swordfish and the ocean flavors of the Aeolian islands

Mediterranean fish and shellfish – particularly swordfish, tuna, mackerel and delicate fingernail-sized clams – are lasting foundations of Sicilian cuisine: frittura mista (a battered, deep-fried mix of shrimp, squid and fish), carpaccio di spada (raw marinated swordfish) and tonno scottato al pistachio (seared tuna in pistachio crust) are practically staples.

But it is in the eco-sourced kitchens on Sicily’s seven-island Aeolian archipelago that fresh produce and flavors peak. Hand-picked figs, pomegranates, capers and caper flowers, honey-sweet Malvasia wine, mountains of wild herbs and mulberry granita appear in spades.

Where to try it: Trendy Kasbah in Lipari does creative spins on local swordfish (fresh from May to September). Vulcano’s Il Cappero celebrates island produce with a 10-course tasting menu and sea views. On Marettimo, reserve at least 24 hours in advance to feast at Il Veliero’s.

Vegetarians and vegans

The natural abundance of top-quality, sun-fueled produce has lead to plenty of classic Sicilian antipasti, pastas and contorni (side dishes) that feature just vegetables.

Vegetarians can’t go wrong with caponata (Sicily’s emblematic appetizer of eggplant, tomatoes, olives and capers) and busiate alla trapanese (hand-twirled, spaghetti-like pasta from Trapani, with tomato, basil, garlic and almond pesto). Pane cunzato (open sandwiches), piled high with a choice of toppings, are meals in themselves (those at Malvasia on the Aeolian island of Vulcano and in Milazzo are legendary).

It’s a rockier ride for vegans: many island dishes feature butter, eggs or another animal product. When buying cannoli, check what oil the shell was fried in – traditionally it’s pork lard, though many pastry chefs these days use vegetable oil.

Extravagant royal palaces seem to pop up on every street corner in Rajasthan, but the City Palace in Udaipur is perhaps the grandest of them all. It’s certainly the largest, taking up half a kilometer of the lakeshore in the center of Rajasthan’s legendary White City.  

Crowned by a fabulous collection of turrets, terraces and domes, this gleaming, creamy white palace dominates the eastern bank of Lake Pichola, the royal reservoir carved out of the desert by the rulers of the Mewar Kingdom in the 14th century. 

Maharana Udai Singh II founded the City Palace two centuries later, filling its courtyards and palaces with murals, mirrored mosaics and carved marble. It still serves as a residence for the Mewar royal family, but several wings are open to visitors as part of the City Palace Museum. 

Even by the lavish standards of India, the treasures of the Mewar rulers are truly something to behold. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Udaipur’s City Palace. 

What’s the history of Jaipur’s City Palace?

The House of Mewar, Udaipur’s ruling clan, is the oldest serving dynasty in the world, founded by the Rajput warrior Bappa Rawal in the 7th century. Its maharanas (princely rulers) were responsible for building most of Udaipur’s monuments, and they were also pivotal in limiting – temporarily, at least – the expansion of the Mughal empire.

The City Palace was founded by Maharana Udai Singh II in the 1550s, after a chance meeting with a sage who advised him to build a city here, but the complex was expanded and remodelled repeatedly over the following centuries.

Udaipur became Mewar’s power base after the capture of Chittorgarh in 1568, and Maharana Pratap famously held back the vast armies of Akbar at Haldighati in 1576 before the Mewars and Mughals finally agreed a peace treaty in 1615.

Most people associate Mewar with the Sisodia family, who ruled the kingdom from the 14th century to the present day. The current head of the House of Mewar, Dr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, is a successful tourism entrepreneur and holder of seven Guinness World Records for his charitable, social and environmental work.

When should I go to the City Palace?

Try to enter as soon as possible after the palace gates open at 9am – the crowds swell quickly, and the crush of visitors can make it difficult to stop and study the exhibits in some parts of the museum. The palace stays busy right up until closing time at 5:30pm. 

The best time to visit Udaipur’s City Palace is just after the rainy monsoon, from October to November, when the skies are clear and sunny. The weather stays mostly dry until March, but mornings and evenings can be chilly from December to February. It’s best to avoid Rajasthan in April and May, when temperatures can soar above 33°C (91°F). 

Birdcages on display in the City Palace’s royal apartments. Joe Bindloss for Lonely Planet Joe Bindloss for Lonely Planet

How much time should I spend at the City Palace?

You’ll need at least half a day to explore the City Palace, or a full day if you also plan to visit associated sights such as the Crystal Gallery and Vintage & Classic Car Collection and also take the boat trip to Jagmandir Island.  

If you stay anywhere close to Lake Pichola, you can reach the palace easily on foot – taxis are not permitted to enter the historic center of Udaipur during the day, and autorickshaws can only navigate certain streets (and often get stuck in autorickshaw jams). 

What’s the best way to see the City Palace?

The City Palace is a maze of interlinked courtyards and palaces, but navigating is fairly straightforward as visitors follow a linear route through the complex. You’ll start and end at Manek Chowk, which you can enter from the north via the Badi Pol gate, or from the south via the Sheetla Mata gate. 

Official guides can be arranged at the palace ticket desks, and it’s definitely helpful to have a detailed commentary while exploring this vast residence. If you’d rather explore at your own pace, audio guides are available in Hindi, English, French, German and Spanish for an extra ₹200 (US$2.35). 

How much do tickets cost?

Tour agencies can make bookings, but it’s just as easy to buy tickets on arrival at the Badi Pol or Sheetla Mata gates. Entry costs ₹400 (US$4.70) for adults, or ₹150 (US$1.75) for children, and entry is free for the under-fives and people with disabilities. 

There’s also a ₹50 (US$0.60) entry fee to enter the palace compound, a ₹50 (US$0.60) fee for the Government Museum, a ₹500 (US$5.90) fee for the Crystal Gallery, and a ₹330 (US$3.90) fee for the Vintage & Classic Car Collection. 

What should I eat and drink at the City Palace? 

With the downtown location, many of Udaipur’s best restaurants are close at hand in the Lal Ghat area, or across Lake Pichola at Hanuman Ghat. However, the palace is so vast that you may prefer to spend the whole day inside the compound.

Filling set meals of dhal bhatti churma (Rajasthani-style wheat rolls with lentil curry) are served at the museum restaurant in the Zenana Mahal, and at higher prices at the museum restaurant in Manek Chowk. For something more upmarket, enjoy spectacular Indian gastronomy with lake views at Sunset Terrace, the restaurant at the Taj Fateh Prakash Palace hotel.

Chequerboard courtyards divide the chambers of the City Palace. Manoej Paateel/Shutterstock Manoej Paateel / Shutterstock

What are the City Palace’s must-sees?

Rajasthan’s largest palace is a sprawling maze with a massive floorplan. To make the most of your time, enter via the northern Badi Pol gate and exit via the southern Sheetla Mata gate, also visiting the Crystal Gallery, Jagmandir Island and the Vintage & Classic Car Collection just east of the palace grounds.

Manek Chowk

Whichever gate you enter through, you’ll emerge into the huge open courtyard known as Manek Chowk, once the setting for royal elephant fights. Near the Badi Pol, look out for the eight arches just outside the Tripolia Gate, commemorating the eight times the maharanas were weighed and their weight in treasure distributed to the populace. 

Beside the main courtyard are giant, mousetrap-like devices used to catch tigers and leopards. A fun sound-and-light show takes place in Manek Chowk in the evenings, telling the story of the fort – check timings locally as the show is sometimes paused. During Holi, the courtyard hosts a massive ceremonial bonfire and processions attended by the Mewar royal family. 

City Palace Museum

The City Palace Museum covers the heart of the palace, centered on the Rai Angan (Royal Courtyard), where Maharana Udai Singh II met the sage who told him to build the city of Udaipur. Note the sun-topped royal crest of Mewar as you pass through the Darikhana ki Pol gate to enter the museum.

The Armoury

Bear right as you enter to reach the astonishing armory, full of whistle-tooting guards trying desperately to keep the crowds in order. You find everything from chain mail trousers to swords, battleaxes, warhammers, flintlock rifles, spears, shields and katar punch daggers – almost all of them lavishly inlaid and engraved. Look out for the crescent-shaped arrows designed to maximize injuries – a gruesome tool in the medieval Rajput arsenal.

Elegant interiors inside the Bhim Vilas. Joe Bindloss for Lonely Planet Joe Bindloss for Lonely Planet

Ganesh Chowk & Government Museum

Moving beyond the armory, you’ll pass into open Ganesh Chowk, with a gateway leading on to the often overlooked Government Museum, accessed on a separate ticket. The museum’s dusty collection includes ivory models, carved temple deities, moth-eaten taxidermy, jewel-like miniature paintings from the Mewar School, regal portraits of maharanas with twirly mustaches, and a collection of turbans, including one worn by Shah Jahan, creator of the Taj Mahal.

Rai Angan

Passing through the mirror-mosaic-covered Ganesh Deodi hall, you’ll reach the chequerboard-paved Rai Angan (Royal Courtyard). Rooms along one side contain historical paintings, including several of the Battle of Haldighati (1576), where Mewar forces gallantly fought the army of the Mughal emperor Akbar. Look out for the bowl of genuine Haldighati battlefield dirt.

The Royal Apartments

Continue through a chain of apartments reserved for the royal household. Of particular note are the Baadi Mahal from 1699, ringed by open pavilions containing fountains and colorful stained glass, and the Kishan Vilas, with intricate miniature paintings from the time of Maharana Bhim Singh (r 1778–1828).

Executed in a Mewar-meets-baroque style, the turquoise Bhim Vilas is one of the most beautiful spaces in all of Rajasthan. Note the ornate arched doorways and royal swing-seat, and the lace-like patterns painted on the ceilings.

Lavish mirror mosaics adorn the walls of the Mor Chowk. Sanga Park/Shutterstock Sanga Park / Shutterstock

Mor Chowk & Surya Choupad

A sequence of mirror- and painting-adorned chambers leads on to the achingly beautiful courtyard known as Mor Chowk – with its gasp-inducing mosaics of peacocks, flowers and maharanas – and the mural-filled Surya Choupad, dominated by a huge metal mask of Surya, patron deity of the Mewar dynasty.

Zenana Mahal

The southern end of the museum comprises the 17th-century Zenana Mahal, the royal ladies’ quarters. Devote some time to the interesting displays on life in the women’s quarters, the collection of ornately decorated musical instruments, and the brilliant Picturing Place exhibition, exploring Udaipur’s long history using paintings and old maps.

The palace’s central courtyard, Laxmi Chowk, contains a beautiful white pavilion and displays of royal outfits, howdahs (elephant saddles), palanquins and other posh people carriers. This is also where you’ll find the more budget-friendly of the palace’s two restaurants. 

Crystal Gallery

Inside the City Palace compound, south of Manek Chowk near the Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel, the Crystal Gallery displays an extravagant collection of crystal-handled cutlery and place settings, chandeliers, crystal-framed chairs and even a crystal bed. 

Maharana Sajjan Singh placed a massive order with English crystal maker F&C Osler & Co in 1877, but he died before it arrived, so the delivery was packed away, unopened, for 110 years. You’ll need to leave cameras and phones with the guard. 

The relatively hefty admission fee also includes entry to the downstairs Durbar Hall – a lavish space full of weaponry, royal portraits and dangling chandeliers. You can visit both without entering the City Palace Museum, but you’ll have to pay the small City Palace entry fee to enter the compound.

Boats run to the Jagmandir Palace from the City Palace’s Rameshwar Ghat. Bule Sky Studio/Shutterstock Shutterstock / Bule Sky Studio

Jagmandir Island

Before you leave the palace compound, walk down to Rameshwar Ghat on the eastern bank of Lake Pichola, where boats leave regularly for Jagmandir Island, with its own elegant palace, built by Maharana Karan Singh II in 1620. Today, the island hosts a swish hotel with a restaurant, cafe, bar and spa that are open to day-trippers. You’re also welcome to just stroll and enjoy the gardens. 

It’s a more accessible alternative to an expensive stay at the famous Taj Lake Palace hotel, set on another private island at the north end of Lake Pichola. The gorgeous views back toward the City Palace are reason enough to invest in a boat ticket; return fares start at ₹600 (US$7). 

Jagmandir Island boat trips run hourly from 10am until around sunset, and prices increase in the middle of the afternoon. After taking a turn around the lake, you can linger as long as you like on the island before taking any boat back to shore. 

Vintage & Classic Car Collection

It’s worth making one more detour before you step back from the lavish lives of Mewar’s first family. Proudly displayed at the Garden Hotel on Lake Palace Rd, a 10-minute walk east from the City Palace’s southern gate, the private car collection of the Mewar royal family will make auto-enthusiasts go weak at the knees. 

Among the elegant motors in the Vintage & Classic Car Collection are the beautiful 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II used in the Bond film Octopussy and the Cadillac convertible that whisked Queen Elizabeth II to the airport during the British royal visit in 1961. The royal garage even has its own petrol station with cute vintage pumps.

Is the City Palace accessible? 

The City Palace is partly accessible for wheelchair users and those with restricted mobility and there are special displays designed for neurodivergent people. Wheelchairs are available for use by visitors, there are accessible toilets and an elevator inside the Toran Pol gate leads to the first floor of the Mardana Mahal (within the City Palace Museum). However, some sections of the palace can only be reached via steps or stairways. 

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s India guidebook, published in November 2024.

The most significant Hindu site on the Indonesian island of Java rises dramatically from a flat plain to the northeast of Yogyakarta, the nation’s ancient capital of art and culture. The Prambanan Temple Complex covers not one temple, but hundreds of temples, ranging from tiny toppled shrines to the carving-covered towers of the mighty Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma temples that form the heart of this ancient site.   

Constructed in the 9th century CE, these three ancient temples – devoted to the Trimurti, the trio of Hindu deities responsible for creating, preserving and destroying the universe – are the centerpiece for a vast religious complex sprawling across 40 hectares (99 acres) of green parkland. 

Although many of Prambanan’s ancient stone structures lie in ruins, this is the second largest Hindu temple complex in Southeast Asia after Cambodia’s Angkor Wat – and an undisputed highlight of the island of Java. It’s often visited on a day trip from Yogyakarta along with nearby Borobudur.

Today, the site offers a chance to time travel into Indonesia’s layered past, where Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic kingdoms jostled for power, both against each other and against the forces of nature. Earthquakes toppled many of the temples in ancient times, before the key structures were restored by archaeologists in the early 20th century. 

From the essential temples to explore to the best times to visit, here’s everything you need to know about Indonesia’s Prambanan Temple Complex. 

The Prambanan Temple Complex covers hundreds of Hindu and Buddhist temples and shrines. MarlonH
/Shutterstock MarlonH / Shutterstock

What’s the history of the Prambanan Temple Complex?

Construction of the Prambanan Temples was most likely initiated in the 9th century by Rakai Pikatan, leader of the Hindu Mataram kingdom, and completed by his successor Lokapala. Many historians believe the temple was built as a statement of Hindu power – a response in stone to the construction of the Buddhist complex at Borobudur by the rival Sailendra dynasty some 50 years earlier. 

The creation of Prambanan marked a key shift in belief in the Mataram kingdom, which turned from Mahayana Buddhism to Shaivite Hinduism before Islam rose to prominence across Java. Both Borobudur and Prambanan were abandoned in the 10th century – perhaps due to eruptions of Mt Merapi – and Mataram became a powerful Muslim sultanate, before falling to the Dutch in the 1740s. 

It was the Dutch who took the first steps to restore the temples, which were toppled by severe earthquakes in the 16th century. The site was cleared of vegetation in 1805, and half-hearted excavation attempts followed in the 1880s, before the temple towers were painstakingly reassembled between 1913 and 1953. 

When should I go to the Prambanan Temple Complex?

The Prambanan Temple Complex is open from 6:30am to 5pm daily except Monday. Try to reach the site at opening time, so you can enjoy a more contemplative experience of this ancient sacred site before the tour groups arrive. The easiest option is to come with your own transport so you can reach the complex as the gates open, but you can also get here from Yogyakarta on bus 1A. It’s easy to arrange a rental scooter, taxi or chartered car and driver in Yogyakarta.

The late afternoon, just before closing time, is also a good time to visit, as the pre-sunset light bathes Prambanan in a warm glow (enter before the ticket desk closes at 5pm). Try to avoid the middle of the day, when temperatures can feel uncomfortably hot. With Indonesia’s monsoon-influenced climate, the best season to visit is from May to October – the driest time of year.

How much time should I spend at the Prambanan Temple Complex?

Allow at least half a day to explore, and longer if you plan to check out the outlying ruins beyond the main Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma temples. There’s plenty to see if you’re a committed temple fan – consider bringing a picnic lunch, then stop in for a more substantial meal at one of the nearby restaurants when you’ve finished exploring the temples. 

The Prambanan Temples are sacred to a variety of Hindu and Buddhist deities. Alifasetya/Shutterstock Alifasetya / Shutterstock

What’s the best way to see the Prambanan Temples?

The Prambanan Temple site is well signposted and not overly complicated to navigate, but the ruins are spread out and it takes time to reach the outlying temples. To get the most out of the experience, hire a local guide inside the main entrance. 

As well as knowing all the history, a guide will add real value to your visit, taking you to places that you cannot go without one. They also know the best spots and angles for photos, plus shortcuts between the temples and ruins – information that’s worth its weight in gold on a hot, humid day.

How much do tickets cost?

Tour agencies can make bookings as part of day tours from Yogyakarta, but it’s easy to buy tickets on arrival at the complex. The standard ticket costs the equivalent of US$25 for foreign adult visitors, with discounts for children under 10 years. 

You can also buy combination tickets covering Prambanan and Borobudur, or Prambanan and Kraton Ratu Boko – a ruined palace complex about 3km (1.9 miles) from the site (a shuttle bus is included in the price).

What should I eat and drink at Prambanan? 

If you plan to visit over lunchtime, one option is to bring a picnic lunch of fresh fruit and portable Indonesian snacks such as nasi lemak (coconut rice and sundries, packed inside banana leaves) or lemper (steamed, stuffed sticky rice parcels).

Alternatively, you can enjoy a more substantial meal at one of the many restaurants near the ruins once you’ve finished exploring the temples. For homestyle Indonesian cooking, head north of the ruins to Wedang Kopi Prambanan or Kali Opak Resto. For a posher meal with a view, try Rama Shinta Garden Resto immediately west of the temples. 

The temples of Pramabanan combine elements of Indian and Southeast Asian architecture. saiko3p/Shutterstock saiko3p / Shutterstock

What are Prambanan’s must-sees?

The Prambanan temples sprawl over a large area – if you only have time for a short visit, concentrate on the three main temples and the surrounding ruined shrines. 

Shiva, Vishnu & Brahma Temples

The three main temples at Prambanan – all impressively restored – tower 47m (154ft) above the surrounding plain, making them taller than even Borobudur. Modelled after the temples of India but with unmistakable Javan influences, these striking stone temples mark an architectural mid-point between the shikhara temple spires common in India and the Buddhist prang towers popular in mainland Southeast Asia.  

The temples are dedicated to the Hindu gods Brahma (the creator of the universe), Vishnu (the preserver of the universe) and Shiva (the cosmic destroyer), who gets the largest temple. All three temples are lavishly carved with ornamental details and deities, and flanking shrines are dedicated to their vahanas (beings that serve as mystical vehicles for the gods). Look out for the bas reliefs showing scenes from the Ramayana and Bhagavata Purana – two of the Hindu epics.

Inside the Shiva Temple, a four-armed statue of Shiva as Mahadeva, the supreme being, stands on a lotus pedestal – a symbol of Buddhism – while flanking chambers contain statues of elephant-headed Ganesh, Durga slaying the buffalo demon Mahishasura, and potbellied and bearded Agastya, the divine teacher. 

Surrounding these three structures is a vast complex of 224 pervara (ancillary) temples, arranged in concentric rings. Most are unrestored ruins, lying much as they fell after the 16th-century earthquake that toppled the site. 

The ancient Sewu temple is one of the most impressive Buddhist temples on the island of Java. cittadinodelmondo/Shutterstock cittadinodelmondo / Shutterstock

Outlying temples

Away from the main complex lie three smaller temple complexes that many visitors are unaware of unless they visit with a guide. To reach them, head north from the main temple group. On a hot day, consider hiring a shuttle to take you around, as it’s 1km (0.6 miles) to the furthest temple. 

You’ll first reach the small Lumbung Temple – a time-scarred Buddhist shrine surrounded by its own small cluster of pervara temples. Next is the Bubrah Temple, whose name means “in ruins” – though in fact, this Buddhist temple was impressively restored in 2017.  

The most northerly temple, Sewu, is the largest and most impressive structure beyond the main group, and it’s well worth investigating. This Buddhist temple was constructed in the 8th century – earlier than the main group temples – and it may originally have been sacred to the bodhisattva (enlightened being) Manjushri. It’s the second largest Buddhist temple in Java, after Borobudur.

Museum Candi Prambanan

To learn more about Prambanan’s rich history, visit the Museum Candi Prambanan, just south of the Lumbung Temple, which is home to a collection of Buddhist and Hindu artifacts, statues and fossils discovered in the area. 

The Prambanan Ramayana Ballet retells stories from the Hindu epics. danviewfinder/Shutterstock danviewfinder / Shutterstock

Prambanan Ramayana Ballet

If you visit in the afternoon, you can stick around until the evening to see Javanese dancers retelling stories from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, at the Prambanan Ramayana Ballet, just west of the main temple group. Shows take place indoors in the wet season and outdoors in the dry season, with the Prambanan temples as a backdrop. The show usually starts at 7:30pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings.

Kraton Ratu Boka

It’s well worth taking a detour to the ruins of Kraton Ratu Boko, set on a hilltop about 3km (1.9 miles) from Prambanan; if you purchased a combined ticket, a shuttle bus transfer is included in the price. Unlike the temple ruins in the area, this site appears to have been a fortified royal settlement, complete with a kraton (palace), bathing pools and a dried-up moat.

It is unclear what most of the structures here were used for, apart from the pools, which were used for the princesses and concubines of the king for bathing. Taking a walk around the ruins in the late afternoon as the sky fills with sunset colors is a highly rewarding experience. If you want some memorable photos, the setting sun is framed by the ruins of a large gateway at the entrance to the complex.

Is Prambanan accessible? 

Visitors with limited mobility should be able to admire the exteriors of the temples without too much difficulty, but seeing the interiors of the shrines is trickier because of steps and uneven surfaces. Ramps allow access to some sections of the shrines, and specialist tour operators such as Accessible Indonesia are permitted to use modified vehicles on site, and can help visitors reach some more inaccessible areas. 

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Indonesia guidebook, published in July 2024.

Walking is one of the best ways to familiarize yourself with a new place. You can take your time, follow your whims and stop at a moment’s notice when you spot something interesting. Strolling along, you’re fully immersed in a city’s architecture and vibes – with no barrier between you and the world around you. 

And, as a budget-conscious vacationer, being able to walk nearly everywhere can help you save money, since you don’t need to pay for an expensive rental car. Walking also eliminates some of the logistical hassles of travel, like finding a place to park or navigating rush-hour traffic.

If you’re a fan of exploring on your own two feet, plan your next trip to one of these pedestrian-friendly cities around the US.   

Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado. Moab Republic/Shutterstock Moab Republic / Shutterstock

Boulder, Colorado

Boulder consistently ranks as one of the happiest, most livable cities in the US – and its walkability is a major contributing factor. Situated in the shadow of dramatic rock formations known as the Flatirons, Boulder has long prioritized open space, trails and other features designed to get people up and moving (cycling is big here, too). 

This college town’s most famous street is the Pearl Street Mall, a pedestrian-only thoroughfare lined with shops, restaurants, bars and shady trees. Beyond that, it’s got more than 150 miles of natural hiking trails, 70 miles of multi-use paths and 500 miles of sidewalks – perfect for exploring on foot during your next vacation to Colorado. 

Take a walk in Boulder: Start at Scott Carpenter Park (named for a NASA astronaut who grew up in Boulder) and head west along the Boulder Creek Path. This is the city’s scenic main artery, so you’ll see lots of folks out and about jogging, pushing strollers, walking their dogs and cycling. Keep going and you’ll pass the University of Colorado Boulder, which is regularly regarded as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the country. 

Make a food and drink pitstop at the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, an elaborately decorated venue that symbolizes Boulder’s sister-city relationship with Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Next door, peruse the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. And on Saturdays and Wednesdays in the summer, stock up on locally grown produce at the Boulder County Farmers Market.

Autumn alleyway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Sean Pavone / Shutterstock

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lots of East Coast cities are easy to navigate on foot. But for travelers with a penchant for history, Philadelphia stands apart. Here, you can lace up your walking shoes and hit multiple hallowed American landmarks within the same stroll – Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, for example, are mere steps apart. 

This vibrant city also has a compact layout that makes walking a dream – all thanks to William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania and designed the grid-like layout of Philly’s downtown back in the 17th century. You can saunter from one side of the Center City neighborhood to the other in less than an hour, since it’s just 26 blocks from east to west. Other parts of Philly are ideal for exploring on foot, too, like Fishtown, Rittenhouse Square and Fairmount.

Take a walk in Philadelphia: You’re probably visiting Philly – at least in part – because you want to experience American history. So, take yourself on a self-guided walking tour of some of the nation’s most influential sites. 

Start at Independence Hall to see where America’s forefathers debated and inked the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Sidle over to the Liberty Bell Center to see the famous cracked icon. Head two blocks east to the Benjamin Franklin Museum, located on the site of the illustrious inventor’s long-time home. Then, for a little time travel adventure, head northeast to Elfreth’s Alley, a cobblestone street lined with more than 30 structures built between 1720 and 1836.

Need a break from all the remnants of the past? Head west for a little less than a mile to Reading Terminal Market, the city’s oldest public market. Once inside, you’ll find yourself immersed in the sights, sounds and aromas of Philly, with more than 75 vendors offering everything from fancy corn dogs to African art.

Liberty Bridge in Greenville, South Carolina. Alamy Stock Photo. © Alamy Stock Photo

Greenville, South Carolina

Visiting Greenville? Don’t bother renting a car. This revitalized mill town in the Upstate region of South Carolina is incredibly pedestrian-friendly, especially if you book a room at a centrally located hotel like Grand Bohemian Lodge or The Westin Poinsett, Greenville.

From your lodging, you’ll be able to walk right out the front door and start exploring – without needing to fuss with parking or traffic. Downtown Greenville has wide, spacious sidewalks shaded by towering trees, making it easy to visit the abundant restaurants, boutiques and galleries. And on Saturday mornings from May through October, Main Street is closed to cars to make way for the city’s bustling market, which features colorful fruits and veggies, plus artisanal products. 

Take a walk in Greenville: The crown jewel of Greenville is the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 28-mile multi-use path that hugs the curves of the Reedy River. It’s easy to access from downtown and connects you with some of Greenville’s must-see attractions. 

First stop? Falls Park on the Reedy, a lush riverfront spot with gorgeous waterfalls and the curved Liberty Bridge. From here, mosey northwest until you reach Unity Park, a true Greenville gem featuring expansive green spaces, playgrounds and community vibes. Stop into The Commons food hall for a bite to eat or sip a refreshing craft beer on the spacious patio of Southernside Brewing Co. 

Boise, Idaho. Charles Knowles/Shutterstock Charles Knowles / Shutterstock

Boise, Idaho

Whether you’re visiting to eat your way through Boise’s famed “potato trail,” immerse yourself in Basque culture or check out the abundant public art, you won’t need to pack much more than a good pair of walking shoes. Getting around on foot is a breeze, thanks to Boise’s compact footprint and well-connected pedestrian infrastructure.

Downtown Boise is home to the 8th Street Promenade, a lively two-block pedestrian mall that provides easy access to Freak Alley (an incredible open-air mural gallery), the Grove Plaza (a hub for community events), shops, restaurants and more. Just northeast of downtown, the Military Reserve is a 734-acre natural area in the foothills with some of Boise’s best hiking trails.

Take a walk in Boise: Boise’s nickname is the “City of Trees,” and when you take a walk along the Boise River Greenbelt, you’ll immediately understand why. This tree-lined path runs right through the heart of town, connecting parks, museums, a golf course, the Boise State University campus and other attractions. 

The entire greenbelt spans 25 miles, but one of the best stretches is just south of downtown. Stroll around Julia Davis Park, home to Zoo Boise, the Idaho State Museum, the Idaho Black History Museum, the Boise Art Museum, the Boise Rose Garden and more. Head west for a moment of reflection at the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, then continue for about a mile until you reach the Green Acres Food Truck Park, which is perfect for a snack and a drink. 

Providence River Walk. Brester Irina/Shutterstock Brester Irina / Shutterstock

Providence, Rhode Island

Shops, restaurants, theaters, museums, historic sites and other attractions are all within walking distance of each other in Providence, Rhode Island. And it’s not just the city’s compact downtown that’s friendly to pedestrians, either. Neighborhoods like Fox Point, Federal Hill and College Hill are also a breeze to navigate on foot – so you can explore multiple parts of Rhode Island’s capital city without ever setting foot in a car. Just be forewarned: Providence is super hilly, so you may need to go slow and take breaks as you roam around on foot.

Take a walk in Providence: Wandering along the 2.4-mile Providence Riverwalk is one of the best ways to get acquainted with this historic New England community. 

Meander across the Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial pedestrian bridge, pausing to snap a few photos of the city skyline. Continue north through 195 District Park, which is usually buzzing with people, activities and events. 

Cross the river at South Water Street, then pay your respects at Memorial Park, a beautiful and contemplative spot filled with sculptures and monuments dedicated to individuals who lost their lives during global conflicts. If you’re feeling peckish, pop into Hemenway’s for oysters and tuna crudo.

Admire the campus of the Rhode Island School of Design – and be sure to keep an eye out for gondoliers rowing authentic Venetian gondolas (you can try to nab a ride on the spot, but it’s best to make a reservation in advance). Wrap up at Waterplace Park, which is home to WaterFire, a popular art installation that combines fire, music and performers.

The Space Needle building in Seattle, Washington. Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock

Seattle, Washington

From Pioneer Square and Belltown to Fremont and Ballard, Seattle is brimming with walkable neighborhoods. Situated on Puget Sound, the capital city of Washington has more than 2,400 miles of sidewalks, and city leaders are currently working to add even more. Seattle also has hundreds of acres of parks and open space that are criss-crossed with hiking trails – so if you need an escape from the bustling city, you’re never far from the serenity of nature. 

You may have heard it rains a lot in Seattle. But the weather doesn’t have to put a damper on your dreams of sashaying around the Emerald City. Remember: There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear. Don your raincoat, grab an umbrella and lace up some sturdy walking shoes.

Take a walk in Seattle: Feel the sea breezes – and keep an eye out for critters like harbor seals and gulls – while strolling along the Seattle waterfront. Get a bird’s eye view and enjoy an exhilarating ride on the Seattle Great Wheel, then head northwest until you reach the Seattle Aquarium. Drop in to see creatures like sharks, stingrays, otters, seals and birds before continuing your journey.

As you keep ambling, you might get lucky and spot a cruise ship parked at Pier 66, since Seattle is a big hub for voyages to Alaska. Grab a meal at Six Seven Restaurant, located inside the historic Edgewater Hotel, which famously hosted the Beatles during their first American tour in 1964.

From here, get inspired at Olympic Sculpture Park, which is filled with large, colorful, Instagram-worthy masterpieces. If you’re not tired yet, keep going to Myrtle Edwards Park, where you can soak up the views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains.

Monona terrace in Madison, Wisconsin. Jay Yuan/Shutterstock Jay Yuan / Shutterstock

Madison, Wisconsin

Located in south-central Wisconsin, Madison is one of the safest cities for pedestrians in the country. That’s largely due to its walk-friendly infrastructure, which includes nearly 1,200 miles of sidewalk and more than 200 miles of biking and hiking trails in and around the city.

In recent years, Madison has also been experimenting with closing certain streets to cars to make them into pedestrian malls. For little ones, the city has a robust school crossing guard program, as well as other initiatives designed to encourage more kids to walk to school. You’ll also see lots of students getting around on foot on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, located in the heart of town along the southern shores of Lake Mendota.

Take a walk in Madison: Technically, you could walk all the way around Madison’s Lake Monona – but, at 13 miles, the full loop might be a bit of a challenge. Instead, explore a section at a time. 

If you’re new in town, start at Olin Park and head clockwise. As you stride next to John Nolen Drive, you’ll have views of the lake and the downtown skyline beyond. Keep going until you reach the Monona Terrace, which was designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. 

Meander over to Capitol Square and admire the stately seat of Wisconsin’s government. Guided tours of the capitol building are free and offered daily year-round. And, from mid-April through December, the seasonal observation deck offers some of the best views in town. If you get hungry, venture over to the Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company for an order of cheese curds – Wisconsin’s squeaky speciality.

Many visitors to Louisville never travel beyond Downtown, which makes sense: this compact and walkable district is packed with some of the best museums in the South, as well as top-notch bars, restaurants and distilleries. What’s not to like?

But Louisville’s charm extends to its historic neighborhoods, too. Celebrated architectural treasures like Victorian mansions, German-built shotgun and camelback homes and renovated meatpacking warehouses help shape a patchwork of unique personalities colored with travel-worthy breweries and distilleries, quirky shops and some of the South’s best restaurants.

It’s easy to get around Louisville and explore on a budget. Here are the best neighborhoods to check out while you’re here.

Mural of boxer Muhammad Ali by artist Ashley Cathey located in Museum Row. BD Images/Shutterstock BD Images / Shutterstock

1. Downtown Louisville

Best for museums and distilleries

It’s easy to get sucked into Downtown’s charms and leave Louisville without ever escaping its grasp – it’s easily one of the most compact and navigable cultural corridors in the entire American South. Victorian-era buildings and their extraordinary cast-iron facades share real estate with striking contemporary architecture, creating a neighborhood that is as visually compelling as its iconic Americana allure.

The city is anchored by a head-spinning arsenal of arts and culture attractions on and around West Main Street, known as Museum Row, including the Muhammad Ali Center and Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory – two of the most emblematic icons in American sports history. Nearly all of most celebrated attractions except Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum sit here within 0.4 miles of each other – the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Kentucky Science Center, KMAC Museum, 21c Museum Hotel and the Frazier History Museum among them.  

Surrounding these attractions are some of the South’s most interesting and dynamic food (Proof on Main) and drink (Meta, Ei8htUp, Hell or High Water) establishments, several worthwhile distilleries (Old Forester Distilling Co, Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery) and an arts-driven focus that gives the entire quarter a sense of creative fervor. Home to one of the largest collections of cast-iron facades outside of New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, Downtown is easy on the eyes as well.

2. Germantown

Best for atmospheric bars

Germantown and its sister neighborhood, Schnitzelberg, are located about three miles southeast of Downtown on either side of Goss Ave. Once a marshy swampland, the area was settled by German immigrants throughout the second half of the 19th century and today is famed for being home to one of the largest collections of surviving shotgun and camelback homes in the US.

Traditionally a working-class neighborhood, Germantown has been a hotbed of divey neighborhood bars dating to the arrival of the beer-loving Germans; today, the district skews younger and somewhat alternative, but its reputation as a watering hole for a stiff drink or a cold brew remain. It’s the kind of place that’s perfect for transforming a former auto garage into a quirky bar/consignment shop (ShopBar) or where dive bars like The Pearl of Germantown and The Nachbar serve beers with a shot to both bearded hipsters and construction workers without irony.

Monnik Brewing Co. in Schnitzelberg is one of Louisville’s best craft breweries both in beer quality and atmosphere, and their beer cheese with spent grain bread is one of the best versions of this unique Kentucky dish you’ll find anywhere in the state.

Naive restaurant in Butchertown. Louisville Tourism © Louisville Tourism

3. Butchertown

Best for epicurean delights

The area just east of Downtown was dominated by butcher shops and stockyards throughout the 1800s. Today JBS Foods is the lone survivor and protein anchor for Butchertown, a neighborhood now listed on the US Register of Historic Places due to Washington Street’s Greek Revival architecture, shotgun homes and St. Joseph Catholic Church dating back to 1886.

Butchertown’s revival owes a deep debt to dining and shopping, which coincide with Louisville’s city-wide post-Great Recession hipsterfication. When Bourbon Stockyards – the longest continuously operating stockyard in the US – shuttered in 1995, the neighborhood collapsed. But cheap rents and alternative spaces soon lured innovative chefs and retail visionaries, who kicked off one of the city’s coolest reincarnations. Butchertown Market was one of the city’s first establishments to convert a slaughterhouse into a cutting-edge retail space.

Butchertown’s food and beverage scene now dominates the district. Feeling peckish? Naive, Pho Ba Luu and Cultured Cheese & Charcuterie are sustenance staples. The new Copper & Kings Rooftop Bar and Restaurant has opened above the already-established Copper & Kings, Bourbon County’s only brandy distillery. TEN20 Craft Brewery also keeps neighborhood thirst at bay.

4. NuLu

Best for shopping

Downtown’s East Market Street just south of Butchertown was originally known as the East Market District, but hip re-branding has christened the neighborhood NuLu (New Louisville) – home to thriving art galleries, antique shops and local-centric creative specialty retail stores. The district’s history as a hubbub of commerce dates to the early 1800s; throughout the 19th century, the street was dominated by markets, stockyards and retailers.

Local shops dominate the landscape here. Unique home goods and Kentucky-themed gifts (Revelry), locally driven bath products (Peace of the Earth), coveted caramel-covered marshmallow confections called Modjeskas (Muth’s Candies) and hand-crafted leather (Clayton & Crume) are just a sample of the imaginative retail fare in NuLu.

Like most Louisville neighborhoods worth their name in grain, distilleries (Rabbit Hole, Angel’s Envy), breweries (West Sixth, Akasha, Goodword) and great eateries (Mayan Cafe, Feast BBQ) also feature, so refueling after some retail therapy is not a problem.

The Highlands district, Louisville. Louisville Tourism © Louisville Tourism

5. The Highlands

Best for craft beer

Before every neighborhood in Louisville offered a head-spinning laundry list of outstanding food and drink, there was Bardstown Road, the city’s original Restaurant Row. The fun begins three miles or so southeast of Downtown, where a three-mile stretch of Baxter Avenue and Bardstown Road – which leads out of Louisville into the heart of the Bourbon Trail – is known as the Highlands for its location atop a ridge between Beargrass Creek’s middle and south forks.

Bustling with nocturnal diversion, the Highlands is the perfect neighborhood to position yourself for a deep weekend run on the bars. For connoisseurs of craft, that might mean worshipping at the altar of rare Old World brews inside a converted church at Holy Grale or IPAs, German-style pilsners and barrel-aged sours at Gravely Brewing Co. Highlands Taproom offers another 25 choice brews on draft.

But the Highlands can’t be solely characterized as a craft haven – this is a come one, come all stretch of watering holes. Both Hunter S. Thompson and Jack Harlow grew up here, which personifies Highland’s eclectic personalities. Classic dives like Bambi Bar share real estate with traditional Irish pubs like Molly Malone’s, Flanagan’s Ale House and O’Shea’s and welcoming LGBTQI+ hangouts like Big Bar and Chill Bar. With the addition of two new hip accommodations, Bungalou and The Bellwether, the stumble back home is even shorter!

St James Court in Old Louisville. EQRoy/Shutterstock EQRoy / Shutterstock

6. Old Louisville

Best for a taste of the Victorian era

The neighborhood of Old Louisville boasts the largest collection of restored Victorian homes in the country and is the third-largest Historical Preservation District in the US. Across about 40 blocks sandwiched between W Broadway, one mile south of Downtown’s Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, and the University of Louisville’s main campus south of W Hill St, Victorian mansions were constructed in a wide range of styles at the tail end of the 1883–1887 Southern Exposition (a five-year series of World’s Fairs held in Louisville).

In addition to the architectural eye candy on display throughout the district, Old Louisville hosts numerous B&Bs, which makes it a very charming neighborhood to come home to after a day of sightseeing and bourbon-swilling. Sleeping here leaves you perfectly positioned to visit attractions in Downtown, the Speed Art Museum at the southern end of Old Lousiville, and key South Louisville sights such as Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum, Iroquis Park, Kentucky Kingdom and Jefferson Memorial Forest, one of the largest urban municipal forests in the country.

From sunny, white-sand beaches and untamed subtropical mangrove forests to bustling space centers and theme parks packed with excited kids, Florida is one gigantic fantasyland.

Choosing the best places to visit in Florida is no mean feat. Whether you’re slipping away on a romantic escape or making family memories, let this list guide shape your time in the Sunshine State.  

Sunset over Miami’s skyline. ALBERTO GV/Shutterstock ALBERTO GV / Shutterstock

1. Miami, the “Magic City”

Best for parties and nightlife

With pastel-colored art deco buildings trimming sparkling azure waters, Miami screams tropics. One of America’s most visited cities, this bustling metropolis scores big with urban see-and-be-seen types. Crowd lovers bask in South Beach‘s iconic energy, slathering on sunscreen to soak up scorching rays and indulging in the best people-watching opportunities the planet offers. Those who prefer a bit more solitude can escape to Miami Beach Botanical Garden, a free tropical oasis with meandering paths, native plants and curated gardens. And, for those who energize after dark, Miami’s packed world-renowned clubs epitomize wicked all-nighters.

Miami scores big with foodies, too, who savor its tasty cuisines enhanced with strong Cuban and Caribbean flavors. And while the neon promenades of Miami’s beaches garner much of the attention, the Design District is worth a visit. Wynwood is the city’s heart of art and culture, home to numerous galleries and studios with spectacular street art at Wynwood Walls and the Museum of Graffiti.

Detour: A world apart, yet only 50 miles (80km) away, the Everglades offer a very different kind of wildness. Airboat, camp or take scenic drives to see gators and other exotic wildlife.

2. Vero Beach

Best for calm, romantic getaways

For a more sedate experience, visit the skyscraper-less beach of this under-the-radar jewel, just 150 miles (241km) north of Miami. There’s little in the way of nightlife, but many find it a delightful reprieve. Embrace each new day with meditative yoga, digging your toes into warm sand as the sun rises over the ocean at pop star Gloria Estefan’s Costa d’Este resort (non-guests welcome). Grab an award-winning burger at Casey’s Place, a throwback to outdoor burger shacks of the 1970s, and learn the juicy history of Florida oranges at the tiny Indian River Citrus Museum. For beachside cocktails and a dash of maritime history, The Boiler encourages cozy evenings (or afternoons – they open early!) of conversation by the bar’s entrancing aquarium.

Detour: Visit A.E. Backus Museum and Florida Highwaymen Museum in nearby Fort Pierce and become instant fans of this famous Florida landscape artist and the talented African-American painters he inspired.

Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Kamira/Shutterstock ©Kamira/Shutterstock

3. Orlando

Best for theme parks and family activities

A place where dreams come true, Orlando is a cosmopolitan city sprinkled with pixie dust. Sure, there’s serious business going on here, but you wouldn’t know it basking inside a sun-kissed swan paddle boat on Lake Eola, surrounded by towering skyscrapers in the heart of downtown. The ultimate in family fun, Orlando offers Disney parks and Universal – theme parks that are bound to keep kids awake weeks before arriving. There’s also a chocolate museum and a star-car museum.

When you really need a break from all the crowds and chaos (and you will!), stroll or cycle along Orlando’s Urban Trail to Leu Gardens, a tranquil 50-acre botanical paradise, or relax in the sculpture garden at the Mennello Museum of American Art. Just north of the city proper, Winter Park has boutique shops, cozy cafés, art and history museums, and the Winter Park Farmers’ Market every Saturday. Explore the area with a scenic boat tour or explore the impressive collections at the Morse Museum.

Detour: Outside of the theme parks, you’ll find attractions, restaurants and plenty of touristy kitsch, including the World’s Largest McDonald’s, along the bustling strip of International Drive. ICON Park is an entertainment complex featuring restaurants and live music, an aquarium, a celebrity wax museum and the towering Orlando Eye.

4. St Augustine

Best for history and arresting architecture

Step back in time by wandering ancient cobblestone streets in St Augustine, America’s oldest city. Settled by Spaniards in 1565, the facades of Old Town buildings reflect the Spanish-Colonial and Spanish Renaissance Revival eras. Its main thoroughfare, St George Street, is packed with charming boutiques, tacky souvenir shops, and restaurants overlooking the glimmering waters of the Matanzas River. If museums, galleries and churches are up your alley, there are plenty of those nearby as well. From the unspoiled sands of Anastasia State Park to the coquina watchtower of Fort Matanzas, Anastasia Island offers plenty of shoreside fun for beachgoers visiting Northeast Florida.

St Augustine is a haven for history lovers, from witnessing live reenactments at the Castillo de San Marcos to sipping from the Fountain of Youth. Even the eateries are rife with history, like the Columbia Restaurant with its Old World architecture and Spanish recipes that have been on the menu for more than a century.

Fort Lauderdale’s beautiful seafront. GagliardiPhotography/Shutterstock GagliardiPhotography / Shutterstock

5. Fort Lauderdale

Best for tantalizing beaches and boating

Blessed with an impressive stretch of white-sand beaches and seemingly endless canals, Fort Lauderdale is heralded as the yachting capital of the world and “The Venice of America.” Its annual boat show in October is the world’s largest in-water boating show. Stroll the famous Riverwalk, stop for a beer at the legendary Elbo Room, watch mermaids perform at America’s only underwater burlesque show, or shop and dine along famous Las Olas Boulevard.

Detour: Take a narrated water taxi tour to Hollywood Beach’s lively Broadwalk, passing mansions of the rich and famous along your journey. Buy an express pass or a hop-on, hop-off day pass with 11 scenic stops to enjoy.

Duval St in Key West. Justin Foulkes for Lonely Planet ©Justin Foulkes/Lonely Planet

6. Key West

Best for barhopping and snorkeling

Rows of pastel yellow, pink and green conch island homes with gingerbread trim complement Key West’s crystal-clear turquoise waters, transporting you to a world seemingly immune from daily problems. It’s no wonder that world traveler and celebrated author Ernest Hemingway chose this Caribbean-style jewel to settle in during the 1930s (don’t miss the museum about his life).

Browse the marketplace for trinkets at Mallory Square, then catch the hop-on, hop-off trolley to tour the island’s most popular sights. Just a short walk from the Southernmost Point of the Continental USA, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park is perfect for a sun-soaked afternoon of swimming, fishing, paddling and snorkeling. Though laid-back by day, a festive party vibe dominates at night. (Some dive bars along Duval Street get rowdy, so avoid staying in Old Town if you want to sleep!) Key Lime Pie Co bakes up some of the country’s best, and Conch Republic Seafood Company serves killer conch fritters, another Key West delicacy.

Detour: Ferries and seaplanes shuttle from the Florida Keys to the secluded island paradise of Dry Tortugas National Park, which has some of the world’s greatest snorkeling in the shallow Florida Reef.

Shops on Worth Ave in Palm Beach. Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock

7. West Palm Beach

Best for shopping and bargain hunting

West Palm Beach’s palm-lined boulevards welcome visitors to some of Florida’s best shopping. At the heart of it all is The Square, a 72-acre shopping, dining and entertainment complex featuring brand-name retailers and specialty boutiques. Fill your bags, then relax by the central fountain to enjoy free classic rock and country music concerts. Don’t miss the spectacular GreenMarket, a downtown farmers market with more than 120 vendors, every Saturday morning (October to April). Sixty additional flea market booths leading up Clematis St certify it as a bargain hunter’s utopia.

Detour: Take a 10-minute ferry ride to nearby Peanut Island, a snorkeler’s paradise, where crystal-clear waters promise a captivating underwater adventure. It’s all the more extraordinary for being the location of a nuclear bunker built for JFK, though it’s currently closed to the public.

8. Fort Myers, “the City of Palms”

Best for local arts and fishing

Despite the devastation wrought upon the seven miles of coast along Fort Myers Beach during Hurricane Ian in 2022, the recovery is well underway. Sadly, its signature quaint pubs and boardwalk taco stands will be gone as the blank canvas is repainted with glossy chic. But that doesn’t detract from the other riches this beautiful Gulf Coast area boasts. The bricked, palm-lined boulevards of downtown Fort Myers’ River District are enhanced with colorful murals and artistic sculptures and dotted with bistros, cafes, galleries, museums and theaters. Deep-sea anglers reel in massive tarpon and swordfish nearby, while paddleboarders love navigating the Gulf Coast’s calm, clear waters.

One of the best things to do in the area is to pay a visit to nearby Matlacha, a funky fishing village bursting with color at every turn. Also, don’t miss Wonder Gardens, a lush botanical garden and animal rescue facility that first opened in 1936 and is still a throwback to “Old Florida.”

Detour: Nearby Sanibel Island boasts a motherlode of almost 400 species of shells, while Bonita Springs is a quiet enclave with cafes and microbreweries.

9. Pensacola

Best for learning to surf

With emerald-green waters kissing 18 miles (28km) of powdery, sugar-white sand, Pensacola’s spacious beaches are heaven to those seeking a secluded getaway. The unspoiled terrain of Gulf Islands National Seashore, America’s largest stretch of protected coastline, extends from both sides of Pensacola Beach, a haven for water sports enthusiasts. Its warm waters and gentle summer waves make it perfect for learning to surf.

The city itself feels like a cross between an urban hub and a chill beach town, with award-winning eateries and chic boutiques. Seville Quarter, a former cigar warehouse complex, is packed with busy bars and trendy restaurants. Seville Square, a small historic park, hosts many unique music, food and art festivals throughout the year.

Detour: Dolphins regularly swarm the warm coastal waters of Northwest Florida off nearby Destin. Several local boat-tour operators offer guided excursions to observe these splendid creatures from a safe distance within their natural environment. For closer encounters with dolphins, stingrays and other aquatic life, plan a visit to the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Fort Walton Beach.

Rosemary Beach, one of the idyllic towns on Hwy 30A. Angelinamartin/Shutterstock Angelinamartin / Shutterstock

10. Scenic Highway 30A

Best for a coastal drive

Along the Florida Panhandle between the condos of Destin and the spring break hub of Panama City Beach, Scenic Highway 30A is an idyllic stretch that connects a series of quaint beachside towns. Along the corridor, you’ll encounter Old Florida architecture, sugar-white beaches and coastal dune lakes, a geologic rarity found in only two places in the United States. Travel down the highway by car or bike overlooking the sparkling emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico and soaking in the distinct charms of each town.

Take some time to explore the trails and coastal dune lakes of Grayton Beach State Park, the perfect place to swap your car for a kayak to paddle across the calm, clear waters.

11. Canaveral National Seashore

Best for viewing space shuttle launches

Directly east of Orlando (about an hour’s drive), Canaveral National Seashore rests on the longest stretch of undeveloped beach on Florida’s Atlantic coast. The secluded barrier island acts as a sanctuary for thousands of plant and animal species, from the windswept shores to the tangled mangroves along the lagoon. From June to October, Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Lagoon emit a mystical blue-green bioluminescent glow, a spectacular living light show as tiny creatures called dinoflagellates react to the movements of boats and animals. Book a guided bioluminescent kayak tour for a truly magical experience.

Many visitors make their way to Canaveral for a different type of observation. Known as the Space Coast, the area provides prime locations for catching a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral. Playalinda Beach is a local favorite for public viewing. For the best experience, though, watch a launch from Kennedy Space Center. During your visit, discover what it’s like to explore space with interactive exhibits, stand in the shadow of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, or even chat with a real astronaut.

A manatee in Crystal River, Florida. Thierry Eidenweil/Shutterstock Thierry Eidenweil / Shutterstock

12. Crystal River

Best for spotting manatees

The manatee is a cherished treasure of Florida wildlife and the official state marine mammal. Due to loss of habitat and boat collisions, Florida manatees are an endangered species, highly protected by both federal and state laws. Although the shy sea cows can be found in coastal waters in the Gulf and up the coast, Crystal River is the best place in Florida to witness the majesty of manatees as they gather inland during the winter months. The peak time to see them is December to February, when the mammals move inland in search of warmer waters.

From hiking and bicycling to boating and fishing, Crystal River Preserve State Park is brimming with opportunities to experience local wildlife and learn about the diverse species that call the region home. Learn about the history of the area’s indigenous human inhabitants at Crystal River Archaeological State Park.

13. Tampa Bay

Best for urban adventures

A bustling metropolis of business, culture and entertainment, there’s a lot to explore in Tampa Bay. The city boasts major attractions including Busch Gardens, ZooTampa and the Florida Aquarium. The area is also home to some of Florida’s best beaches, from Clearwater to St Petersburg.

In downtown Tampa, take a stroll along the Riverwalk, then make your way to Sparkman Wharf for premier shopping, dining and events. Along the coast, splash along the white sand shores of Clearwater Beach or head up to Caladesi Island State Park for a secluded, natural retreat. Down in St Pete, families with young kids will want to spend some time at the Great Explorations Children’s Museum and Sunken Gardens, while art lovers can check out the Dalí Museum’s extensive collection.

Detours: The charming town of Dunedin is a relaxing escape from the busy beaches and city center with breweries, shops and a local artisan market. Slightly further north, find the historic sponge docks of Tarpon Springs. 

A race at the Daytona International Speedway. Grindstone Media Group/Shutterstock Grindstone Media Group / Shutterstock

14. Daytona

Best for thrill-seekers

Daytona is known for two things: beaches and racing. From adrenaline-pumping water sports to the high-octane spectacle of Daytona International Speedway, this destination is a thrill-seeker’s paradise. The hard-packed sands along Daytona Beach are great for cruising on an ATV, while the open ocean calls to surfers, paddlers and jet skiers. Parasailers glide high above the shores while scuba divers explore below. Known as the skydiving capital of the world, visitors can take their vacation to new heights in nearby DeLand. Whether it’s your first jump or your fiftieth, SkyDive DeLand offers diving experiences for all skill levels.

Detour: Near DeLand, visitors to the Reptile Discovery Center can experience a different type of thrill. The exhibit is home to dozens of the world’s most dangerous snakes. Observe a live venom extraction (a process that helps produce anti-venom) and view alligators, lizards, tortoises and other reptiles along the nature trail.

15. Ocala National Forest

Best for inland adventures

While Florida’s major cities and beaches get a lot of attention, Ocala National Forest proves that there’s plenty to love about North Central Florida. This sprawling forest features natural pools, canoe runs, walking trails and historic ruins. Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs and Salt Springs all offer unique opportunities to connect with the natural world, whether camping, swimming, paddling, hiking, cycling, diving or snorkeling. This secluded destination provides a tranquil contrast to the bustle of Florida’s theme parks and coastlines.

Detour: For more natural wonders to explore, visit nearby Silver Springs State Park or take a dip in the prehistoric spring at Devil’s Den.

16. Mount Dora

Best for a small-town retreat

Tucked between Orlando and Ocala National Forest is the quiet town of Mount Dora. The colorful architecture and picturesque lighthouse give this destination its fairytale-like charm. Donnelly Park is the town’s central hub, surrounded by the shops, restaurants and museums of the historic district. Allow plenty of time during your visit to browse the sprawling open-air marketplaces at Renniger’s Flea Market & Antique Center, where you never know what treasures you might find. The “Lighthouse Walk” leads to Mount Dora’s most famous landmark; the lighthouse at Grantham Pointe is the only inland freshwater lighthouse in the state.

Vichy, in the center of France, is one of the 11 Great Spa Towns of Europe which in July 2021 were jointly awarded a UNESCO World Heritage Label. Just like its counterparts, Vichy is a town where people come for spa treatments, seeking curative and therapeutic effects from its natural mineral spring waters, which you will have drunk if you’ve ever bought a bottle of Vichy water.

Others just come for a day or two to soak in some 19th-century vibes with the architecture, take in some shows at the spectacular yellow and ivory art nouveau opera house, enjoy gourmet meals, and be sporty on and along the majestic Allier, one of Western Europe’s few remaining wild rivers.

Napoleon III’s cottage in Vichy. BAUER Alexandre/Shutterstock BAUER Alexandre / Shutterstock

What is Vichy known for?

But Vichy has also been trying hard for the past 80 years to shake off a darker image, at least in the eyes of the French. At its height in the late 19th and early 20th centuries Vichy had up to 250 hotels that could welcome more than 100,000 clients a year. This accommodation capacity, the presence of a modern telephone exchange, and its geographical position south of the German Nazi line of occupation were why the town was chosen by the collaborationist, contested government of France as its capital from July 1940 to August 1944.

Today Vichy is a thriving small town (population: 26,000) which continues to restore its elegant 19th-century heritage and care for its waters, already appreciated by the Romans. The first thermal establishment was built and promenades designed to accommodate Louis XV’s eight daughters (born between 1727 and 1737) enabling them to cool off after the warm baths, digest the water they’d drunk and take therapeutic walks.

But it was the Bonapartes who really pushed Vichy’s development. In 1812, at the request of his mother, Letitia, Napoleon I paid for more promenades to be built and fountains to be installed thereby creating the Parc des Sources, which links the water sources and the baths and forms the town’s backbone.

His nephew Napoleon III (1808–1873), who came five times to treat his renal colic, continued the work. For his first two visits in 1861 and 1862 the city authorities put the Villa Strauss at his disposal. In thanks, he decreed an urban development plan with a railway station, a new street layout and a casino, where visitors sedately played cards and board-games!

In 1863 architect Jean Lefaure built him a “chalet” (more of a small mansion!), the “Marie-Louise”, but it faced the boulevard and the emperor wanted greater privacy so had Lefaure build him two others facing the river Allier: one for him, one for his long-suffering wife the Empress Eugenie. These two chalets at 107 and 108 boulevard des États-Unis bear a discreet crown and initials “N” and “E” above their respective doors. They, and the four others in a row next to them, are privately owned so you can’t visit them but you get a very good view of them from the riverside park.

Lefaure also designed eight identical villas along the rue Alquié for the imperial guard, but after Napoleon ceased visiting Vichy these villas were sold. Each new owner modified their villa so n°21 remains the closest to the original design.

The covered walkway in Parc des Sources. RossHelen/Getty Images RossHelen/Getty Images

When should I go to Vichy?

May to October are the nicest months. Bring or rent your sumptuous crinolines, parasols and top hats if visiting in mid-June for the annual Napoleon III festivities when the town slides 150 years back to the hey-day of imperial gaiety. From September to May you can enjoy a wide variety of shows at the sumptuous art deco opera house and shop…even on Sundays because, since 1906, this is one of the very few towns in France where shops are permitted to open on that day.

How long should I spend in Vichy?

If you’re coming to just visit the town then you’ll see most of the sights in two days. You can also book up to five days of health and beauty treatments and intersperse these with cultural activities. If you come for a thermal cure prescribed by a doctor then the minimal stay is 21 days.

The Vichy cure is indicated for the treatment of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent), high cholesterol and/or triglycerides and/or uric acid levels. It also treats digestive disorders and food allergies.

It is also prescribed by doctors for the treatment of arthritis, tendinitis, back problems; the after-effects of trauma (sprains, dislocations, fractures), fibromyalgia, algodystrophy and orthopedic surgery; osteoporosis; gout and inflammatory rheumatism.

Vichy’s medically prescribed spa treatments always last three weeks and include drinking the thermal waters, having mud poultices applied, taking thermal steam baths and showers and receiving underwater massages from a physiotherapist. The patient is seen three times by a doctor and has a multidisciplinary team at hand including nutritionists and psychologists.

The Vichy Célestins Spa in Vichy. Andrei Antipov/Shutterstock Shutterstock / Andrei Antipov

Where should I go for a spa treatment?

In 2025 while the historical Dômes thermal establishment, with its spectacular Moorish dome, is closed for renovations, the Vichy Célestins Thermal Spa is the only establishment in town that offers Vichy mineral water wellness and beauty treatments. The Callou Thermal Spa, which is where medically-prescribed treatments are given, also offers a five-day mini-cure, no prescription needed.

Can my thermal cure be paid for by my health insurance provider?

If you are a resident of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or the UK and the health insurance system in your country of residence covers thermal cures, then your health insurance provider may cover you on condition that a thermal cure cannot be undertaken in your own country within a reasonable delay given your health. Contact your health insurance provider for personalized instructions.

Is it easy to get to and around Vichy?

Vichy lies 360km (224 miles) south of Paris. Come by train because you really don’t need a car in the town, which fans out from the train station to the Allier river just 1km (0.6 miles) away. Everything is walkable. There are nine trains a day from Paris (average travel time 3½ hours) and 10 a day from Lyon (2 hours), which is 160km (99 miles) southeast of Vichy. The journey from Paris costs €22.50–70 (US$26–80) and from Lyon, €18–35 (US$20–40).

If you’ve come by car, park it in the underground La Poste car park (€8/US$9 for 24 hours).

Hall des Sources, where you can taste five of Vichy’s famous waters. Pecold/Shutterstock Pecold / Shutterstock

Top things to do in and around Vichy

Taste the famous Vichy waters at Hall des Sources

First go to the Hall des Sources designed by Lucien Woog and Charles Lecoeur at the northern end of the Parc des Sources where you can freely taste water (or fill your bottle) from five of the nine sources. I’ve tasted all five: Chomel – whose minerals are used to make the famous Vichy-État lozenges – is good for indigestion; Grande Grille, which needs to be drunk in homeopathic doses, can have surprising effects on the digestive system; Hôpital, which is very sulfurous; Célestins, the saltiest of all (actually bicarbonate of soda); and Lucas…well, let’s say I prefer tap water! 

Promenade in Parc des Sources

The 280m-long (918ft) eastern and western edges of the Parc des Sources are both lined with a covered wrought-iron walkway built in 1901–02 by Émile Robert to allow ladies and gentlemen to promenade, protected from sun and rain. Imitate them to reach the southern end of the park where you’ll find the Grand Casino and Opera.

Tour Vichy’s iconic Grand Casino

The Grand Casino is Vichy’s iconic building. Inaugurated on July 2nd, 1865 it was designed by Charles Badger in a classical style, its facade decorated by caryatids representing the four seasons. It had a theater, games rooms, a gentlemen’s reading room, a ladies’ conversation room and a vast ballroom. But it quickly became too small so in 1903 a new art nouveau theater was added, the old one transformed into a huge games room. But after the tragedy of WWII, the casino fell into disrepair until 1988 when the town bought the building to turn it into a conference center. The art deco ornamentation inside has just been renovated so it’s worth booking a tour to see it.

The source of Célestins water is protected in an elegant pavilion. EBASCOL/Shutterstock EBASCOL / Shutterstock

Find the source of Célestins water

A little over 400m (1312ft) south of the casino, (go via the rue Hubert Colombier, once a private road with its extraordinary mix of neo-Flemish, art nouveau and neo-Gothic buildings all built between 1895 and 1905 for short-term rentals), have a look at the Célestins source, now protected behind marble and glass under an elegant, elliptical, 18th-century style pavilion designed by architect Lucien Woog. The water from this source is the one that’s bottled and sold the world over.

See the colors within Notre Dame des Malades

Then walk 100m (328ft) further south to Notre Dame des Malades church (aka Saint Blaise) built between 1925 and 1956. Don’t be put off by the austere reinforced concrete exterior. Inside you’ll find an explosion of colors from the slender lapis lazuli columns to the strong red, blues and greens of the stained glass windows via the shimmering gold of the mosaics.

Turning back north between the park and the river admire the flamboyant early 20th-century homes built for wealthy patrons on the boulevard des États-Unis, the rue de Belgique and the boulevard de Russie.

Opéra de Vichy. INTREEGUE Photography/Shutterstock INTREEGUE Photography / Shutterstock

My favorite thing to do in Vichy

I really enjoy visiting the art nouveau Opéra de Vichy, which opened in March 1903 and is the only one in Europe with a yellow, ivory and white color scheme. With seating for 1400 people, it is still today the biggest pre-modern opera house in France outside Paris. I love the two white peacocks painted over the proscenium arch and the jewel-studded heads painted on the ceiling between the arches. I recommend taking a guided tour as this is where you’ll also learn about Vichy’s role in WWII.

How much money do I need to visit Vichy?

You won’t spend much if you’re just visiting the town, but expect to part with considerable sums if you want some wellness and beauty treatments thrown in!

• Cup of coffee: €2 (US$2.30)
• Beer: €3.50 (US$4)
• Three-course meal: €35 (US$40)
• Night at a hotel: €85–234 per night (US$97–266)
• Four half-day beauty treatments at the Célestins Spa & Thermal Hotel: €855 (US$973)
• Detox at Célestins: €930 (US$1058)

There are about 20 hotels in the vicinity of the Parc des Sources to choose from. Top of the range is the Maison Decoret (€234/US$266 a night for two). But perfectly comfortable is Le Patio, which will only set you back €85 (US$97) for two. But for a real 19th-century vibe try the pavilion of Le Chalet Impérial Clermont-Tonnerre (one of those “chalets” mentioned above) for just €95 (US$108).

For something more medieval you can stay for €210 (US$239) in the moat-surrounded Chateau de la Mothe, just a half-hour’s drive west of Vichy.

The choice for food is vast, from the Maison Decoret’s 1-star Michelin restaurant (€135/US$154 or so for dinner) to a three-course meal for as little as €28 (US$32) at the Michelin-recommended Les Caudalies.