Travel guides
When to go, where to stay and how to save — practical guides for 50 destinations, each linked to live prices.
Portugal
Lisbon travel guide
Lisbon climbs seven hills above the Tagus, mixing tiled Alfama lanes, riverside miradouros and some of Europe's best-value boutique hotels.
Best time: March to May and September to October, when it's warm but not crowded.
United Kingdom
London travel guide
London packs world-class museums, West End theatre and historic pubs into dozens of distinct neighbourhoods, with hotels from grand Victorian icons to compact design stays.
Best time: May to September for long days; November to February for the lowest rates.
France
Paris travel guide
Paris rewards wandering — café terraces, the Seine, and small hotels tucked into Haussmann buildings across the arrondissements.
Best time: April to June and September to October.
United States
New York travel guide
New York City has more hotel variety than almost anywhere, from Midtown towers near Times Square to loft-style stays in SoHo and Brooklyn.
Best time: April to June and September to early December.
United States
Miami travel guide
Miami blends Art Deco beachfront, Latin food and nightlife, with hotels spread from South Beach to Brickell's skyline and quieter Key Biscayne.
Best time: December to April for dry, sunny weather.
Japan
Tokyo travel guide
Tokyo is spotless, safe and endlessly energetic, with hotels ranging from sleek high-rises in Shinjuku to traditional-style stays in Asakusa.
Best time: Late March to April for cherry blossoms; October to November for autumn colour.
Thailand
Bangkok travel guide
Bangkok pairs golden temples and street food with remarkable luxury hotels on the Chao Phraya River at prices far below other capitals.
Best time: November to February, the cooler dry season.
Canada
Vancouver travel guide
Vancouver sits between mountains and the Pacific, with Stanley Park, seafood and hotels minutes from ski slopes and beaches.
Best time: June to September; December to March for skiing nearby.
United Arab Emirates
Dubai travel guide
Dubai is known for record-breaking towers, beach resorts on the Gulf and some of the world's most lavish hotels.
Best time: November to March, when days are warm rather than scorching.
Italy
Rome travel guide
Rome layers ancient ruins, Renaissance piazzas and trattorias, with hotels in palazzi steps from the Pantheon and Spanish Steps.
Best time: April to June and September to October.
Spain
Barcelona travel guide
Barcelona combines Gaudí architecture, city beaches and late-night tapas, with stylish hotels throughout the Gothic Quarter and Eixample.
Best time: May to June and September.
Netherlands
Amsterdam travel guide
Amsterdam's canal rings, museums and bike-friendly streets make it one of Europe's most walkable cities, with canal-house hotels full of character.
Best time: April to May for tulips; September for fewer crowds.
Türkiye
Istanbul travel guide
Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia, with Ottoman mosques, grand bazaars and Bosphorus-view hotels at every budget.
Best time: April to May and September to November.
Singapore
Singapore travel guide
Singapore is a compact, green city-state known for hawker food, futuristic gardens and exceptional hotels.
Best time: February to April, the drier months.
Indonesia
Bali travel guide
Bali offers rice terraces, surf beaches and temples, with everything from jungle villas in Ubud to beach resorts in Seminyak and Nusa Dua.
Best time: April to October, the dry season.
United States
Las Vegas travel guide
Las Vegas is famous for mega-resorts on the Strip, shows and dining, plus easy trips to the Grand Canyon and Red Rock.
Best time: March to May and September to November.
United States
Orlando travel guide
Orlando is the theme park capital of the world, with family resorts near Walt Disney World, Universal and SeaWorld.
Best time: Late January to March and late August to September.
Mexico
Cancún travel guide
Cancún's Hotel Zone lines turquoise Caribbean beaches with all-inclusive resorts, close to the Mayan ruins and Riviera Maya.
Best time: December to April.
Spain
Madrid travel guide
Madrid is Spain's lively capital, known for the Prado, grand boulevards and late dinners in bustling plazas.
Best time: April to June and September to October.
Germany
Berlin travel guide
Berlin mixes history, galleries and legendary nightlife across neighbourhoods that each feel like their own city.
Best time: May to September.
Czech Republic
Prague travel guide
Prague's fairy-tale Old Town, castle and bridges make it one of Europe's most beautiful — and affordable — city breaks.
Best time: April to June and September.
Austria
Vienna travel guide
Vienna is imperial palaces, coffee houses and classical music, with elegant hotels on and around the Ringstrasse.
Best time: April to June and December for Christmas markets.
Australia
Sydney travel guide
Sydney wraps around one of the world's great harbours, with beaches, the Opera House and hotels from The Rocks to Bondi.
Best time: September to November and March to May.
United States
Los Angeles travel guide
Los Angeles spreads from Hollywood hills to Pacific beaches, with hotels in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Downtown.
Best time: March to May and September to November.
United States
San Francisco travel guide
San Francisco offers cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge and a food scene that punches far above the city's size.
Best time: September to October, the warmest months.
United States
Chicago travel guide
Chicago boasts landmark architecture, a lakefront and deep-dish pizza, with hotels along the Magnificent Mile and the Loop.
Best time: May to October.
Canada
Toronto travel guide
Toronto is Canada's largest city, known for diverse neighbourhoods, the CN Tower and a busy events calendar.
Best time: May to October.
Mexico
Mexico City travel guide
Mexico City is a giant of culture and cuisine, with leafy neighbourhoods, museums and outstanding boutique hotels.
Best time: March to May.
Egypt
Cairo travel guide
Cairo is the gateway to the Pyramids of Giza and the Egyptian Museum, with Nile-view hotels and resorts near the pyramids.
Best time: October to April.
Morocco
Marrakech travel guide
Marrakech is a sensory city of souks, gardens and riads — traditional courtyard houses turned into intimate hotels.
Best time: March to May and October to November.
South Africa
Cape Town travel guide
Cape Town sits beneath Table Mountain between two oceans, close to winelands, beaches and spectacular coastal drives.
Best time: November to March.
Thailand
Phuket travel guide
Phuket is Thailand's largest island, with lively Patong, calm family beaches and luxury resorts on the west coast.
Best time: November to April.
South Korea
Seoul travel guide
Seoul blends palaces, K-culture and neon shopping districts, with modern hotels across both sides of the Han River.
Best time: April to May and September to November.
Japan
Kyoto travel guide
Kyoto is Japan's former capital, home to thousands of temples, geisha districts and traditional ryokan inns.
Best time: Late March to April and November.
Italy
Milan travel guide
Milan is Italy's capital of fashion and design, with the Duomo, Last Supper and chic hotels near the Quadrilatero.
Best time: April to June and September.
Italy
Venice travel guide
Venice is a city of canals, bridges and palazzo hotels, best experienced after the day-trippers leave.
Best time: April to May and September to November.
Italy
Florence travel guide
Florence is the cradle of the Renaissance, packed with art, Tuscan food and hotels in centuries-old buildings.
Best time: April to June and September to October.
Greece
Athens travel guide
Athens pairs the Acropolis and ancient sites with rooftop bars and easy ferries to the Greek islands.
Best time: April to June and September to October.
Ireland
Dublin travel guide
Dublin is a friendly, walkable capital of pubs, literary history and Georgian squares.
Best time: May to September.
United Kingdom
Edinburgh travel guide
Edinburgh's castle, cobbled Old Town and Georgian New Town make it one of Britain's most atmospheric cities.
Best time: May to September; book far ahead for the August festivals.
India
Mumbai travel guide
Mumbai is India's energetic financial capital, with colonial landmarks, seafront promenades and iconic luxury hotels.
Best time: November to February.
Qatar
Doha travel guide
Doha offers striking modern architecture, souqs and museums, with high-end hotels along the Corniche and West Bay.
Best time: November to March.
United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi travel guide
Abu Dhabi is home to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi and beach resorts on Saadiyat and Yas islands.
Best time: November to March.
United States
Honolulu travel guide
Honolulu on Oʻahu is Hawaii's gateway, with Waikīkī Beach, Diamond Head and year-round warm weather.
Best time: April to June and September to October.
Dominican Republic
Punta Cana travel guide
Punta Cana is lined with white-sand beaches and all-inclusive resorts on the Dominican Republic's eastern tip.
Best time: December to April.
Canada
Montreal travel guide
Montreal brings European charm to North America, with a cobbled Old Port, festivals and famous food.
Best time: May to October.
Germany
Munich travel guide
Munich is Bavaria's elegant capital of beer halls, palaces and easy trips to the Alps.
Best time: May to October; book far ahead for Oktoberfest.
Switzerland
Zurich travel guide
Zurich sits on a clear alpine lake, pairing an old town, fine dining and quick trains into the mountains.
Best time: June to September.
Hungary
Budapest travel guide
Budapest spans the Danube, famous for thermal baths, ruin bars and grand architecture at great value.
Best time: April to June and September to October.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong travel guide
Hong Kong is a vertical city of harbour views, dim sum and hiking trails, with outstanding hotels on both sides of Victoria Harbour.
Best time: October to December.