A family staying in an Airbnb in Ireland discovered they were being livestreamed by a hidden camera.
The Barkers found the camera concealed in the living room after father of five Andrew tried to connect his phone to the Wifi and saw a device labelled “IP camera”.
“He scanned that device’s ports and found the live video feed,” his wife Nealie told Stuff. “We were all watching ourselves on his mobile phone.”
The camera was in the lounge, positioned so it had a view of the dining and kitchen area as well.
“We have encountered lots of weird and wonderful things and like to think we take most things in our stride,” added Nealie. “However, this was shocking.”
1/52 Puerto Rico: After a devastating hurricane, an island on its way back
2/52 Hampi, India: An ancient archaeological complex becomes more accessible
At the height of the Vijayanagar empire in the 16th century, Hampi thrived as one of the largest and richest cities in the world. Its architectural legacy lives on in the southwestern state of Karnataka with over 1,000 well-preserved stone monuments, including Hindu temples, forts and palaces. Spread over 16 miles near the banks of the Tungabhadra river, and surrounded by a sea of granite boulders, the Unesco world heritage site has been notoriously difficult to reach, until now. TruJet recently began daily direct flights from Hyderabad and Bangalore to Ballari, a 25-mile drive from Hampi. Travellers can stay in the newly refreshed Evolve Back Kamalapura Palace or at Ultimate Travelling Camp’s new Kishkinda Camp, which introduced 10 stately tents in December. The outfitters Black Tomato and Remote Lands now offer journeys in the region, from guided archaeological tours to rock climbing and river jaunts in basket boats. Nora Walsh
3/52 Santa Barbara, California: The ‘American Riviera’ becomes a hip food and wine haven
Long known for drawing movie stars and millionaires to its resorts, Santa Barbara is now a foodie magnet. Acclaimed chef Jesse Singh oversees Bibi Ji, an edgy Indian restaurant – try the uni biryani – with a wine list curated by noted sommelier Rajat Parr. Top Chef alum Phillip Frankland Lee presides over the Monarch, a posh Californian restaurant, and Chaplin’s Martini Bar; he will open Silver Bough, a 10-seat tasting menu venue in January. The Santa Barbara Inn’s Convivo offers upmarket Italian fare and ocean views; nearby, at Tyger Tyger, Daniel Palaima, a veteran of the kitchens of Chicago-based chef Grant Achatz, serves southeast Asian fare (try the Szechuan pepper soft serve ice cream at Monkeyshine to finish off the night). The city has over 30 wine tasting rooms that don’t look like their more staid cousins up north. Frequency and Melville feature modern furnishings and party-ready playlists; vinyl rules at Sanguis, a winery run by drummers. Sheila Marikar
4/52 Panama: New eco-friendly resorts open on the country’s Pacific coast
5/52 Munich, Germany: Theatre. Art. Opera. What more do you want?
6/52 Eilat, Israel: A newly accessible Red Sea paradise
7/52 Setouchi, Japan: Art and nature harmonise in Japan’s inland sea
8/52 Aalborg, Denmark: Architecture revitalises the waterfront
Viking long ships once glided through Aalborg’s mighty Limfjord. Today, the city is turning its most famous natural asset into an artistic one. Wildly innovative buildings have sprouted on its shores, including the Utzon Centre, designed by Jorn Utzon, the architect of the Sydney Opera House – its new exhibition series on inspiring Nordic architects, runs through May. The curvilinear concert hall Musikkens Hus was recently followed by the vibrant Aalborg Street Food market; the pedestrian and cycling Culture Bridge; and the undulating Vestre Fjordpark, with an open-air swimming pool that meets the sea. Nordkraft, a power plant that was converted into a cultural hub, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with events in September. The Aalborg Akvavit distillery is being transformed into a new creative district over the next two years, presided over by a soaring glass polygonal sculpture by artist Tomás Saraceno, Harbour Gate from architect Bjarke Ingels, a hotel and more. Annelisa Sorensen
9/52 The Azores, Portugal: The Caribbean comes to the middle of the Atlantic
In the nippy Atlantic Ocean a four-hour flight from the US, the subtropical volcanic islands of the Azores, complete with Unesco world heritage sites and biospheres, await discovery. Mystical green lushness, oversize volcanic craters now turned into lakes, steaming natural hot springs that puff out from the earth, blue hydrangeas by the thousands and the only coffee growers in Europe distinguish the island chain. New restaurants in Ponta Delgada include the locavore Casa do Abel, the Japanese-influenced Otaka, and Tasquinha Vieira, which specialises in local, organic cuisine, while new hotels include the Lava Homes on Pico Island, and the Grand Hotel Açores Atlântico, opening in July. Daniel Scheffler
10/52 Ontario Ice Caves, Canada: See them now, as climate change may pose a threat
The ice caves that emerge from the winds and waves that pound the north shore of Lake Superior have always been somewhat ephemeral. But climate change has brought an element of doubt into their future. For now, the caves are a regularly occurring feature, notably along the shoreline near Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. Made from snow and ice, the caves vary in size, shape and colour. Large waves before they freeze up are the essential ingredient for large caverns. The wind, shifts in the ice and the effects of the sun constantly remake the formations. February is the most reliable month for a visit. Getting to the caves involves driving one of the more scenic sections of the Trans-Canada Highway. Alona Bay and Coppermine Point are two of the more popular destinations. The staff members at Stokely Creek Lodge, a cross-country skiing and snowshoeing resort just outside of the Sault, keep track of where the most dramatic, but accessible, caves have formed each winter. Ian Austen
11/52 Zadar, Croatia: Incomparable sunsets, a ‘sea organ’ and untrammelled islands
After the Croatian football team captured the world’s attention in the World Cup – its captain Luka Modric’s was particularly notable – fans revved up their search engines and learned that he hails from Zadar, a pretty, compact town on the Dalmatian Coast. Ryanair have added regular flights from Prague, Hamburg, Cologne and Nuremberg, starting this spring. Beyond Zadar’s medieval core, the city’s seaside promenade and music-making “sea organ”, created by architect Nikola Basic, is a must-see (or hear). The magical sunsets alone were enough to wow Alfred Hitchcock, who visited the city in 1964. The town is also a gateway to untrammelled islands, like Dugi Otok; an hour-and-20-minute ferry ride takes visitors to the sparsely populated island with uncrowded beaches and taverns. Seeking ultraclean waters? Then head to the island of Pasman, where the currents often change, making the surrounding waters some of the cleanest in the Adriatic. David Farley
12/52 Williamsburg, Virginia: The cradle of American democracy reflects on its past
In 1619, the area that includes the Jamestown Settlement, Williamsburg and Yorktown was home to some of the most significant events in American history: the official arrival of the first African slaves to North America, the convening of the first representative assembly in America and the first recorded proclamation of Thanksgiving in the New World. The area will observe the 400th anniversary of these events all year, highlighted by the Tenacity exhibition at the Jamestown Settlement, which recognises the contributions of women during the Colonial era, along with an archaeology-focused exhibit. Colonial Williamsburg, the expansive living-history museum, will give visitors a taste of life in the 18th century, along with the reimagined American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. For thrill seekers, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the European-theme amusement park, will unveil a new pendulum swing ride, while Water Country USA will unveil the state’s first hybrid water coaster. John L Dorman
13/52 Las Vegas: Sin City bets big on culture
Sure, there are still slot machines, strip clubs and steaks aplenty, but other options for culture in America’s playground abound. The new Park MGM hosts residencies from two music legends through 2019: Lady Gaga, doing one show of her pop hits and another riffing on American classics, and starting in April, Aerosmith. Also a rollicking iteration of the Italian emporium Eataly and Best Friend, a Korean restaurant by Roy Choi, the LA food truck pioneer, that becomes a hip-hop club afterwards. The Wynn recently added live, Dixieland-style jazz to its lakeside brunch; it also offers masterclasses on subjects like dumpling-making. Nearby, the Venetian debuted three craft cocktail bars, the Dorsey, Rosina and Electra, where guests can actually sit down and hear one another talk. Downtown, the Life Is Beautiful festival, which corrals an array of musicians and artists each fall, enters its seventh year; 2018 stars included the Weeknd and Florence and the Machine. Sheila Marikar
14/52 Salvador, Brazil: The country’s original capital gets a makeover
After completing a five-year historical preservation initiative to save its Unesco designation, Salvador, with its sherbet-coloured colonial facades, cobblestone streets and beaches, is gleaming. Rising along the coast of northeastern Bahia, the city’s downtown historic district thrums with vibrant Afro-Brazilian culture, ranging from free weekly performances by samba and drum corps to classical music and capoeira. Visitors can also find Salvador’s history exhibited in the new House of Carnival and, opening in 2020, the Museum of Music or catch a live concert at the Convention Centre, opening this year. The Fera Palace Hotel, a refurbished art deco gem, and the freshly minted Fasano Salvador, housed in a former 1930s newspaper building, both overlook All Saints Bay, which in November will host the finish of the International Regatta Transat Jacques Vabre, a 4,350-mile race along the historic coffee trading route between France and Brazil. Nora Walsh
15/52 Danang, Vietnam: A spot for foodies and beachgoers
Vietnam’s third largest city, is known for being a gateway to the nearby Unesco Heritage town of Hoi An. But it’s begun to develop a reputation as the Miami of Vietnam, with a strong foodie scene and new hotels and resorts popping up on a five-mile beach strip. A typical day might start with a morning swim on the crescent-shape Non Nuoc Beach and perhaps a quick stop at the Han Market. Then, an afternoon visit to the Marble Mountains, where travellers can explore the temples and pagodas that look out over My Khe Beach and, later, dinner back in the city, perhaps at Nén, a new restaurant from much-followed food blogger Summer Le. Perhaps finish the day with a visit to Cau Rong Dragon Bridge in the hills above the city. Don’t leave without sampling a bowl of mi quang, the justifiably famous local noodle soup made with a turmeric-infused broth, chicken, pork, local seafood and shredded cabbage, and available for about $1 (78p) at any number of street food stalls. Stuart Emmrich
16/52 Costalegre, Mexico: A beach vacation, without the crowds
Costalegre is a stretch of 43 largely unpopulated beaches, capes and bays along Mexico’s gorgeous Pacific coast, about halfway between the better known destinations of Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo, and one that has so far escaped the attention of vacationers flocking to its popular neighbours to the north, Punta Mita and the surfer’s haven of Sayulita. One factor keeping away the crowds: lack of easy access. Up until now, the nearest airport has been more than a two-hour drive away, in Puerto Vallarta. But that will change with the planned opening of the Chalacatepec Airport in the second half of this year, which will cut travel time by more than half. And a clutch of luxury hotels will soon follow. For now, the best luxury option is Las Alamandas Resort, set on a 1,500-acre nature reserve, with just 16 suites in seven brightly painted casitas, as well as two restaurants, a spa and a large pool. Smaller hotels and even bungalows near the beaches can also be rented. Stuart Emmrich
17/52 Paparoa Track, New Zealand: A new wilderness trail explores a remote national park
18/52 Puglia, Italy: Baroque architecture and Adriatic beaches in Italy’s heel
The ancient fortified farmhouses called masserie, found only in the region of Puglia, are increasingly being turned into boutique hotels, most notably Rocco Forte’s Masseria Torre Maizza, and the 17th century Castello di Ugento, where guests can take cooking classes at the Puglia Culinary Centre. And the region’s 1,000-year-old wine culture, which began when the Greeks planted vines from their land across the Adriatic, is attracting more oenophiles to the area, including the owners of the London restaurant Bocca di Lupo, who recently bought a 600-acre estate in Salento called Tormaresca, where tastings are offered to visitors (you can also dine in their new restaurant in the town of Lecce). Puglia is also home to Europe’s Virgin Galactic spaceport, which is scheduled to open in 2019, with the promise of eventually sending passengers into space. No wonder Abercrombie and Kent’s new Italian cruise includes Puglia and Gargano National Park. Daniel Scheffler
19/52 Tatra Mountains, Slovakia: Off-the-grid skiing, rock climbing and more
While most visitors focus on Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, the soaring Tatra Mountains have emerged as an under-the-radar destination for skiing and outdoor activities, with new gondolas at the Bachledka and Jasna ski areas; slopes planned at Mlynicka Dolina; and new chair lifts at Oravska Lesna in the nearby Fatra range to the northwest. And it’s not just about winter sports: there is excellent hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking and fly-fishing, while beyond the Tatras, Kosice, a regional capital, offers colourful street art and plenty of cafes and restaurants, thanks to its three universities and associated night life. Plan on posting plenty of photos: you’ll find untouched folk architecture throughout the region, as well as perfectly preserved gothic and baroque buildings awaiting your lens. Evan Rail
20/52 Calgary, Alberta: A spectacular library adds to a once-neglected neighbourhood
Calgary’s new Central Library, from the architectural firm Snohetta, creates not just a design destination, with daily tours, but also a gateway in the form of an arched cedar-clad passageway linking downtown to the city’s evolving East Village, a booming neighbourhood where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet. Calgary was founded in the East Village area in 1875, with a fort built to curb the growing whiskey trade, but the area suffered roughly 70 years of neglect before the Calgary Municipal Land Corp, formed in 2007, began transforming the area, adding parks, attractions and high-rises. The 240,000-square-foot library, with a performance hall, cafe, children’s play area and outdoor electromagnetic sculptures by Christian Moeller, is next to Studio Bell, home to the National Music Centre museum and performance space, and near the just opened Alt Hotel. Later this year, the multiuse building M2 promises more shops and restaurants beside the Bow river. Elaine Glusac
21/52 Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal, Russia: A natural wonder resisting the threats of development
Lake Baikal in Siberia is the world’s deepest lake, plunging 1 mile into the Earth’s crust. It contains nearly 20 per cent of the world’s unfrozen fresh water and is so abundant in wildlife – bears, foxes, sables, rare and endangered freshwater seals – that Unesco calls it “the Galapagos of Russia”. The wildlife, like the lake itself, has been under threat for years, from indifferent Soviet industrial policy, from climate change and from today’s rising tourism, especially from China. Even so, it remains largely unspoiled, and activists are working hard to keep it that way. Olkhon Island, Baikal’s largest, and a place that Buddhists consider one of the holiest in Asia, is a popular base for excursions year round, even from December to April or May, when the surface freezes into turquoise sheets of ice that Siberian winds churn into natural sculptures. The Baikal Ice Marathon, a charity devoted to the lake’s conservation, will be held 2 March. Steven Lee Myers
22/52 Huntsville, Alabama: Time to party like it’s 1969
The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing will draw crowds to Huntsville – aka Rocket City – home of the Marshall Space Flight Centre, where the spacecraft that launched astronauts to the moon were developed. Throughout the year, there will be daily reenactments of the moon landing at the US Space and Rocket Centre, but the biggest thrills are planned for the anniversary week of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission in July. Beginning on launch day, 16 July, the centre will attempt to break a Guinness World Record by launching 5,000 model rockets at 8.32 am, the precise time that rocket engines ignited in 1969. Festivities will continue with a classic car show, concerts, a homecoming parade and a street party in downtown Huntsville – the same location where Apollo workers celebrated after the successful mission. If that’s not fun enough, 2019 also marks the state’s bicentennial, giving Alabamians yet another excuse to party. Ingrid K Williams
23/52 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): Five kinds of penguins, easier to reach
The Falkland Islands, far off the coast of Argentina, offer an astonishing variety of wildlife that includes five kinds of penguins, hundreds of bird species, seals, sea lions and whales, as well as remote natural beauty that travellers often have to themselves. Two new local touring companies are increasing accessibility to the riches of the islands. Falklands Outdoors opened in November 2018 and offers mountain climbing, foraging, hiking and sea kayaking expeditions to beaches and penguin colonies that can’t be reached by road; in January, Falklands Helicopter Services will start scenic flights to Volunteer Point (home to an enormous king penguin colony), and other isolated spots. While there’s a single weekly commercial flight in and out of the Falklands, the first new route to the islands from South America in more than 20 years is being planned: LATAM is expected to begin weekly flights to the islands from Brazil by late this year. Nell McShane Wulfhart
24/52 Aberdeen, Scotland: The granite city via brand new old-fashioned trains
Just as many famous European overnight train routes have been retired, the Caledonian Sleeper, the train that travels through the night from London to the north of Scotland, is rolling out new carriages for summer. The new cars preserve the romance of overnight trains, in contemporary comfort, with a choice of hotel-style suites, classic bunk beds or seats. The Highlander route to Aberdeen leaves Euston station in the evening and hits the Scottish coast by 5 am, so travellers who take an early breakfast in the dining car can enjoy coastal views as the sun rises (get off at Leuchars for medieval St Andrews). Off the train, Aberdeen and its surroundings offer historic castles set in fields of purple heather, in pine woods and along the dramatic coastline. Hiking trails abound on and around the queen’s estate at Balmoral, and rail buffs can visit the former royal train station in Ballater, closed since 1966, and ride on the Royal Deeside Railway a short drive from there. Palko Karasz
25/52 Golfo Paradiso, Italy: A rare unspoiled gem on the Italian Riviera
The well-known pearls of the Ligurian Riviera – Portofino, Cinque Terre, Portovenere – are overwhelmed with tourists, a problem so acute that in some areas authorities have debated measures to stem the flow of daytrippers. But just a few miles away, between Portofino and Genoa, remains a peaceful sliver of coastline rarely explored by travellers to the region. Known as the Golfo Paradiso, this small gulf is home to five often-overlooked villages, including Camogli, a colourful fishing hamlet as charming as any of the Cinque Terre. Italians will boast about the renowned local cuisine: fresh-caught anchovies, hand-rolled trofie pasta and cheese-filled focaccia from the town of Recco, a speciality that recently earned IGP status, a prestigious Italian designation for quality food products. Between meals, explore blooming gardens in Pieve Ligure, beaches in Sori and the romanesque abbey of San Fruttuoso, which is accessible only by boat or a long, sweaty hike.
Ingrid K Williams
Ingrid K Williams
26/52 Dessau, Germany: A big birthday for Bauhaus
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of German architect Walter Gropius’ “Proclamation of the Bauhaus”, a radical reimagining of art, architecture and design. To celebrate the Bauhaus centennial, cities around Germany will hold events, from the opening festival in Berlin – several days of art, dance, concerts, theatre, lectures and more this month – to the debut of the Bauhaus Museum in Weimar, where the movement was born. But the most compelling destination might be Dessau. Home of the Bauhaus school during the 1920s and 1930s, the northeastern German city still contains the school’s pioneering (and Unesco-listed) Bauhaus Building, the Gropius-designed Masters Houses, and the Prellerhaus studio building (a warren of former Bauhaus ateliers that now contains a hotel). And in September, Dessau opens its long-awaited Bauhaus Museum, a glassy, minimalist rectangle that will showcase typefaces, textiles, artwork, furniture and more from the movement. Seth Sherwood
27/52 Tunis, Tunisia: The spark for the Arab Spring, still lit
Freedom is what makes Tunis unique. Eight years after it kicked off the Arab Spring, it remains the only Arab capital with real freedom of expression, not to mention the peaceful rotation of power. But the city holds many other charms. Among them are the ruins of the ancient city of Carthage, from which Hannibal’s elephants once threatened Rome. The carefully preserved old medina dates from the 12th to the 16th century, when Tunis was a major centre of the Islamic world. The tree-lined Avenue Habib Bourguiba downtown bears the influence of decades of French rule. And the cafes, art galleries and blue-and-white hues of the neighbourhood of Sidi Bou Said, overlooking the Mediterranean, have long lured European painters, writers and thinkers. A short taxi ride away are the beaches and nightclubs of La Marsa. The French-influenced north African food is delicious. The local red wines are not bad. And, in another regional rarity, Tunis in 2018 elected a woman its mayor. David D Kirkpatrick
28/52 Gambia: Hippos and chimpanzees – and a renewed sense of hope
Gambia’s tourism industry was hit hard in 2017, when its long-time authoritarian ruler Yahya Jammeh refused to cede leadership after an election loss, forcing a political standoff that brought foreign troops in. But with its new president, Adama Barrow, now safely in place, there’s a renewed sense of hope across continental Africa’s smallest country – now more accessible than ever. In January, a new bridge over the Gambia river, three decades in the making, will be inaugurated with a nearly 200-mile relay run to Dakar, Senegal. Peregrine Adventures launches its first cruise up the 700-mile river, with a stop at Baboon Island, home to hippos, crocodiles and chimpanzees, part of Africa’s longest-running centre for rehabilitating chimpanzees into the wild. New and coming hotels, including the African Princess Beach Hotel, and two properties by Thomas Cook, will serve as stylish bases. And new direct flights from Europe make getting to this west African country easier than ever. Ratha Tep
29/52 Northern Rivers, Australia: Along a breezy coastline, boho paradise
30/52 Frisian Islands and Wadden Sea: Oysters, seals, birds and dark skies on Europe’s wild left coast
31/52 New York City: New cultural monuments, and remembrances of the past
32/52 Chongli, China: Witness a winter sports revolution
The leadup to the next Winter Games is well underway in and around Beijing, and the spectacle is breathtaking. The most stunning transformations are happening a four-hour drive north in Chongli, once one of the country’s poorest areas and now home to several multibillion-dollar ski resorts, towering condominiums and flashy hotels. It has transformed into a glistening winter sports hub filled with restaurants, inns and watering holes. At least five ski resorts now surround the city, including places like Genting Secret Gardens, Fulong and Thaiwoo, which has an on-property brewery, a mid-mountain chalet that serves Swiss and Austrian fare, and brand new gondolas. A high-speed train from Beijing to Chongli should open in 2019. The skiing isn’t world-class. Nearly all of the snow comes from a cannon, and runs average about 1,300 vertical feet. But go now to see firsthand how the world’s most populous country is working overtime to become a competitive winter sports nation. Tim Neville
33/52 Orcas Island, Washington: A small island is attracting big-time foodies (and Oprah)
The horseshoe-shaped Orcas, one of the largest islands that make up the San Juan archipelago, has gained fame in recent years for its impressive tide-to-table culinary scene and experimental wines, attracting, among others, Oprah Winfrey (in 2018, Winfrey bought a 43-acre estate on the island for a reported $8.275m). A new wine enterprise, Doe Bay Wine Co, is presenting its Orcas Project in 2019 – a collaboration between acclaimed winemakers and vineyards in the Pacific northwest. Ventures from James Beard-nominated chef Jay Blackinton, who owns Hogstone, a former pizzeria now featuring ambitious nose-to-tail fare, and its more upscale counterpart Aelder, are also on the horizon. Another addition to the island are the luxury suites at Outlook Inn, in the town of Eastsound, overlooking Fishing Bay. If you want to hike, or ride a horse, the island’s Moran State Park will be adding trails to its 38-mile network this year.
Daniel Scheffler
Daniel Scheffler
34/52 Uzbekistan: Visa-free travel and reopened borders along the Silk Road
35/52 Vestlandet, Norway: A bucolic paradise for mountain-climbing beer lovers Rural Vestlandet, in western Norway, home to some of Scandinavia’s most beautiful landscapes, is piquing the interest of outdoorsy types, especially those who take
Rural Vestlandet is home to some of Scandinavia’s most beautiful landscapes and is piquing the interest of outdoorsy types. The Loen Skylift ferries travel more than 3,280 feet to the top of Mount Hoven in just a few minutes, while fearless climbers can put on a harness, hire a guide and make roughly the same journey in six hours, following a path that features one of the longest suspension bridges in Europe. After sightseeing, relax over an ale made with kveik, a local yeast that has enthralled brewers and scientists around the world in recent years for its fruity aromas and higher-than-normal fermentation temperatures. You can find it at bars like Tre Bror, in Voss, the Smalahovetunet restaurant and brewery nearby. Beer lovers who want to learn (and taste) more can time their visit to coincide with the October Norsk Kornolfestival, which features close to 100 beers made with kveik, often including juniper and other traditional regional ingredients. Evan Rail
36/52 Lyon, France: Soccer, sausage and fresh air
Football fans should set their sights on France this summer, especially Lyon, where we could see the US women will clinch their fourth World Cup title in the final match 7 July. Even if you can’t get tickets – or détestez le football – the city of half a million people and 4,000 restaurants is worth a visit. This year, Lyon plays host to an International City of Gastronomy project. The indoor, one-acre exhibition will include interactive workshops and conferences designed to showcase France’s cuisine and its contributions to health and pleasure. Held at the Grand Hôtel Dieu, a sprawling complex first founded in the 1300s that reopens after four years of renovations with shops, restaurants, public spaces. When it comes time to work off all those plates of pork sausage, hike in nearby Écrins National Park, where traditional working dogs protect herds of sheep. Book a stay at the Temple-Écrins hut, where workers recently wrapped up three years of renovations. Tim Neville
37/52 Doha, Qatar: Avant-garde architecture blooms in the desert
As the next men’s soccer World Cup approaches in 2022, the host nation, Qatar, is loading its capital with structures from the biggest names in international architecture. The sharp-angled, futuristic Qatar National Library, designed by Rem Koolhaas and his OMA firm, opened in 2018; 2019 will welcome the National Museum of Qatar, a sprawling expanse of interlocking tilted circular discs by Jean Nouvel. A contribution from a third Pritzker prize-winner, Zaha Hadid, is slated to materialise in the form of a swooping, curvaceous stadium; another stadium, from Pritzker-winner Norman Foster, is also under construction. The new structures add further dazzle to the Doha skyline, which already includes Nouvel’s syringe-like Doha Tower and the blocky white jumble of the Museum of Islamic Art, by IM Pei. Seth Sherwood
38/52 Batumi, Georgia: A hushed seaside escape
39/52 Marseille, France: An influx of young creatives gives the city a new edge
Six years after Marseille was named European Capital of Culture in 2013, the city’s renewal is still galloping along. Jean Nouvel has just finished his striking new red, white and blue skyscraper La Marseillaise. The real proof of the city’s metamorphosis, however, is that it is attracting young creative types from all over France and beyond. Laura Vidal, a sommelier from Quebec, and British chef Harry Cummins opened La Mercerie, a market-driven bistro in an old notions shop in the city’s Noailles district last spring. Noailles is brimming with shops (don’t miss Épicerie I’ldeal, the best new food store), cafes and restaurants. Other districts in the heart of Marseille are being transformed as well. Near the opera, Tony Collins recently opened Deep, a coffee shop that roasts its own beans and also sells vinyl records; and the mixologists at the Copper Bay bar shake it up for locals and guests from the nearby Les Bords de Mer, the city’s best new boutique hotel. Alexander Lobrano
40/52 Wyoming: A sesquicentennial celebration of women’s suffrage in the Equality State
41/52 Los Angeles: Finally, more than Grauman’s (groan)
42/52 Dakar, Senegal: An oasis of freedom in a region of unrest
43/52 Perth, Australia: A city transformed and enlivened
A decade-long development boom has supercharged Perth. Among the new attractions: Yagan Square, with its distinctive market hall, art park and 147-foot digital tower showcases work by local artists and livestreams events; Optus Stadium, a 60,000-seat venue for concerts and sporting events; and Raine Square, a $200m redevelopment that includes a movie theatre, shopping and restaurants including dim sum chain Tim Ho Wan, considered the world’s most affordable Michelin-starred restaurant. To accommodate the expected growth in tourism, 31 new or redeveloped hotels have opened in the past five years, including the luxury COMO, the hip QT and a Westin. Since 2007, liquor law reforms, including a 2018 change that let restaurants serve drinks without a meal, have changed the drinking and dining scene with more than 100 small bars opening in the central business district alone. And Qantas started a nonstop flight from London to Perth this year, the first from Europe. Kelly DiNardo
44/52 Hong Kong: Dazzling infrastructure eases travel but could threaten independence
45/52 Iran: Tourism cautiously returns to this Middle East jewel
The appeal of Iran for adventurous travellers is obvious: the monumental ruins of ancient Persia; the spectacular, centuries-old mosques of Shiraz and Isfahan; the Grand Bazaar and Golestan Palace in bustling Tehran. One additional reason to visit in 2019 is a major exhibition scheduled to open at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. “Portrait, Still-life, Landscape” (21 February to 20 April) will take over the entire museum, with a selection of about 500 works, including pieces by Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko and Marcel Duchamp, as well as about 40 Picassos recently discovered in the museum’s storage facilities (much of the collection has been kept under wraps since the 1979 revolution). The US State Department discourages, but does not prohibit, travel to Iran by American citizens, and Americans can travel to Iran only as part of an organised tour. Options for 2019 include three expeditions from Intrepid Travel, including the company’s first-ever all-female tour. Stuart Emmrich
46/52 Houston: Rebounding bigger and better after a hurricane
After Hurricane Harvey, the city is back on its feet and showing off the everything-is-bigger-in-Texas attitude. Four food halls opened in 2018, including Finn Hall, which features up-and-coming chefs like James Beard-nominated Jianyun Ye and a downtown outpost of his Chinese hotspot Mala Sichuan and a taqueria from local favourite Goode Co. The five-diamond Post Oak Hotel has a two-storey Rolls-Royce showroom, art by Frank Stella and a 30,000-bottle wine cellar. The Menil Collection, known for its eclectic art ranging from Byzantine antiques to 20th century pop art, underwent a renovation and opened the 30,000-square-foot Menil Drawing Institute. The city’s museum boom continues with an expansion of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, to be completed in 2020, a newly built location for the Holocaust Museum, which will move in this spring, and a restoration of the Apollo Mission Centre that will open in time for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing in July. Kelly DiNardo
47/52 Columbus, Ohio: Is this the American city of the future?
With a revitalised riverfront and booming downtown, Columbus is already one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities. Now, it’s poised to become the model for the future of innovative urban transportation, with self-driving shuttles carrying travellers along the Scioto Mile, recently revitalised, adding 33 acres of riverfront green space for festivals, water sports and outdoor art. Among the newest dining options are Veritas, which specializes in small-plate offerings; Service Bar, run by young chef Avishar Barua, a veteran of New York’s Mission Chinese and WD-50; and, in the North Market neighborhood, veggie-forward Little Eater. The Short North Arts District offers access to the city’s local businesses like the new fashion store Thread and the original Jeni’s ice cream store. But don’t skip Italian Village and German Village neighborhoods, where innovators and dreamers have opened destination shops like Stump Plants and Vernacular and bars like Cosecha. Daniel Scheffler
48/52 Plovdiv, Bulgaria: A city ready for the spotlight
With its colourful, cobblestoned historic centre, well-preserved Roman ruins and lively art scene, Bulgaria’s second-largest city is surprisingly overlooked by tourists who favour the quirky, post-Soviet charm of the country’s capital, Sofia. But as a European cultural capital of 2019, this gem is ready to shine. Organisers have planned more than 500 events throughout the city and its region, including concerts, open-air theatre performances and street-food fairs. Tucked into the heart of central Bulgaria and built on seven hills, Plovdiv features an artistic quarter called Kapana, whose winding streets are lined with galleries and stylish cafes, as well as a beautifully restored Roman amphitheatre that hosts summer opera performances under the stars. The city’s location at the foot of the Rhodope Mountains – with their stunning views of peaks and deep gorges — makes it an excellent launch point for hiking day trips. Ann Mah
49/52 Vevey, Switzerland: A once-in-a-generation winegrowers’ festival on the Swiss Riviera
Everything runs like clockwork in Switzerland, including the Fête des Vignerons, although its timetable is considerably extended. This Unesco-recognised wine festival, which celebrates the viticultural traditions of the Lavaux and Chablais regions near Lake Geneva, takes place every 20 to 25 years in the heart of Vevey, a breathtaking lakeside town beneath sloping vineyards in the canton of Vaud. Since 1797, the date has been decided by the Confrérie des Vignerons, which has spent the past several years (and a reported 99 million Swiss francs, or roughly $98m) planning for the 12th edition, which will run from 18 July to 11 August. For the first time, tickets for the two-hour show can be purchased online. Oenophiles seeking a “full-bodied” experience of Helvetian wines, which are rarely exported, can also download the new app from the Canton of Vaud featuring eight wine-centric hiking routes, including one above Vevey. Erin Levi
50/52 Cádiz province, Spain: Sparkling cities and towns in southwest Andalusia
At the tip of a peninsula thrust into the Atlantic, the city of Cádiz, a trading hub since 1100, has a vibe that’s more Havana than Madrid. A culinary renaissance is underway, with newcomers like Saja River and Codigo de Barra joining classics like El Faro. But the biggest gastronomic news lies across the bay in Puerto de Santa Maria, where Angel León’s Aponiente, which has three Michelin stars, offers a lyric poem to seafood (plankton risotto). A second León restaurant, Alevante, in nearby Sancti Petri just received its first star. Twenty minutes inland, Jerez de la Frontera is a cradle of the fortified wines known as sherry, which are now on the hot list of sommeliers and the craft-cocktail crowd. Beyond the cities, hilltop villages like Vejer de la Frontera lure expatriates with a blend of hip luxury hotels and art by the likes of Olafur Eliasson at NMAC sculpture garden. Add a stretch of Atlantic shore, and the province of Cádiz ticks all the boxes. Andrew Ferren
51/52 Elqui Valley, Chile: Eclipse mania, and nights of dark skies
52/52 The islands of Tahiti: The birthplace of the overwater bungalow ups its ecotourism
1/52 Puerto Rico: After a devastating hurricane, an island on its way back
2/52 Hampi, India: An ancient archaeological complex becomes more accessible
At the height of the Vijayanagar empire in the 16th century, Hampi thrived as one of the largest and richest cities in the world. Its architectural legacy lives on in the southwestern state of Karnataka with over 1,000 well-preserved stone monuments, including Hindu temples, forts and palaces. Spread over 16 miles near the banks of the Tungabhadra river, and surrounded by a sea of granite boulders, the Unesco world heritage site has been notoriously difficult to reach, until now. TruJet recently began daily direct flights from Hyderabad and Bangalore to Ballari, a 25-mile drive from Hampi. Travellers can stay in the newly refreshed Evolve Back Kamalapura Palace or at Ultimate Travelling Camp’s new Kishkinda Camp, which introduced 10 stately tents in December. The outfitters Black Tomato and Remote Lands now offer journeys in the region, from guided archaeological tours to rock climbing and river jaunts in basket boats. Nora Walsh
3/52 Santa Barbara, California: The ‘American Riviera’ becomes a hip food and wine haven
Long known for drawing movie stars and millionaires to its resorts, Santa Barbara is now a foodie magnet. Acclaimed chef Jesse Singh oversees Bibi Ji, an edgy Indian restaurant – try the uni biryani – with a wine list curated by noted sommelier Rajat Parr. Top Chef alum Phillip Frankland Lee presides over the Monarch, a posh Californian restaurant, and Chaplin’s Martini Bar; he will open Silver Bough, a 10-seat tasting menu venue in January. The Santa Barbara Inn’s Convivo offers upmarket Italian fare and ocean views; nearby, at Tyger Tyger, Daniel Palaima, a veteran of the kitchens of Chicago-based chef Grant Achatz, serves southeast Asian fare (try the Szechuan pepper soft serve ice cream at Monkeyshine to finish off the night). The city has over 30 wine tasting rooms that don’t look like their more staid cousins up north. Frequency and Melville feature modern furnishings and party-ready playlists; vinyl rules at Sanguis, a winery run by drummers. Sheila Marikar
4/52 Panama: New eco-friendly resorts open on the country’s Pacific coast
5/52 Munich, Germany: Theatre. Art. Opera. What more do you want?
6/52 Eilat, Israel: A newly accessible Red Sea paradise
7/52 Setouchi, Japan: Art and nature harmonise in Japan’s inland sea
8/52 Aalborg, Denmark: Architecture revitalises the waterfront
Viking long ships once glided through Aalborg’s mighty Limfjord. Today, the city is turning its most famous natural asset into an artistic one. Wildly innovative buildings have sprouted on its shores, including the Utzon Centre, designed by Jorn Utzon, the architect of the Sydney Opera House – its new exhibition series on inspiring Nordic architects, runs through May. The curvilinear concert hall Musikkens Hus was recently followed by the vibrant Aalborg Street Food market; the pedestrian and cycling Culture Bridge; and the undulating Vestre Fjordpark, with an open-air swimming pool that meets the sea. Nordkraft, a power plant that was converted into a cultural hub, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with events in September. The Aalborg Akvavit distillery is being transformed into a new creative district over the next two years, presided over by a soaring glass polygonal sculpture by artist Tomás Saraceno, Harbour Gate from architect Bjarke Ingels, a hotel and more. Annelisa Sorensen
9/52 The Azores, Portugal: The Caribbean comes to the middle of the Atlantic
In the nippy Atlantic Ocean a four-hour flight from the US, the subtropical volcanic islands of the Azores, complete with Unesco world heritage sites and biospheres, await discovery. Mystical green lushness, oversize volcanic craters now turned into lakes, steaming natural hot springs that puff out from the earth, blue hydrangeas by the thousands and the only coffee growers in Europe distinguish the island chain. New restaurants in Ponta Delgada include the locavore Casa do Abel, the Japanese-influenced Otaka, and Tasquinha Vieira, which specialises in local, organic cuisine, while new hotels include the Lava Homes on Pico Island, and the Grand Hotel Açores Atlântico, opening in July. Daniel Scheffler
10/52 Ontario Ice Caves, Canada: See them now, as climate change may pose a threat
The ice caves that emerge from the winds and waves that pound the north shore of Lake Superior have always been somewhat ephemeral. But climate change has brought an element of doubt into their future. For now, the caves are a regularly occurring feature, notably along the shoreline near Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. Made from snow and ice, the caves vary in size, shape and colour. Large waves before they freeze up are the essential ingredient for large caverns. The wind, shifts in the ice and the effects of the sun constantly remake the formations. February is the most reliable month for a visit. Getting to the caves involves driving one of the more scenic sections of the Trans-Canada Highway. Alona Bay and Coppermine Point are two of the more popular destinations. The staff members at Stokely Creek Lodge, a cross-country skiing and snowshoeing resort just outside of the Sault, keep track of where the most dramatic, but accessible, caves have formed each winter. Ian Austen
11/52 Zadar, Croatia: Incomparable sunsets, a ‘sea organ’ and untrammelled islands
After the Croatian football team captured the world’s attention in the World Cup – its captain Luka Modric’s was particularly notable – fans revved up their search engines and learned that he hails from Zadar, a pretty, compact town on the Dalmatian Coast. Ryanair have added regular flights from Prague, Hamburg, Cologne and Nuremberg, starting this spring. Beyond Zadar’s medieval core, the city’s seaside promenade and music-making “sea organ”, created by architect Nikola Basic, is a must-see (or hear). The magical sunsets alone were enough to wow Alfred Hitchcock, who visited the city in 1964. The town is also a gateway to untrammelled islands, like Dugi Otok; an hour-and-20-minute ferry ride takes visitors to the sparsely populated island with uncrowded beaches and taverns. Seeking ultraclean waters? Then head to the island of Pasman, where the currents often change, making the surrounding waters some of the cleanest in the Adriatic. David Farley
12/52 Williamsburg, Virginia: The cradle of American democracy reflects on its past
In 1619, the area that includes the Jamestown Settlement, Williamsburg and Yorktown was home to some of the most significant events in American history: the official arrival of the first African slaves to North America, the convening of the first representative assembly in America and the first recorded proclamation of Thanksgiving in the New World. The area will observe the 400th anniversary of these events all year, highlighted by the Tenacity exhibition at the Jamestown Settlement, which recognises the contributions of women during the Colonial era, along with an archaeology-focused exhibit. Colonial Williamsburg, the expansive living-history museum, will give visitors a taste of life in the 18th century, along with the reimagined American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. For thrill seekers, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the European-theme amusement park, will unveil a new pendulum swing ride, while Water Country USA will unveil the state’s first hybrid water coaster. John L Dorman
13/52 Las Vegas: Sin City bets big on culture
Sure, there are still slot machines, strip clubs and steaks aplenty, but other options for culture in America’s playground abound. The new Park MGM hosts residencies from two music legends through 2019: Lady Gaga, doing one show of her pop hits and another riffing on American classics, and starting in April, Aerosmith. Also a rollicking iteration of the Italian emporium Eataly and Best Friend, a Korean restaurant by Roy Choi, the LA food truck pioneer, that becomes a hip-hop club afterwards. The Wynn recently added live, Dixieland-style jazz to its lakeside brunch; it also offers masterclasses on subjects like dumpling-making. Nearby, the Venetian debuted three craft cocktail bars, the Dorsey, Rosina and Electra, where guests can actually sit down and hear one another talk. Downtown, the Life Is Beautiful festival, which corrals an array of musicians and artists each fall, enters its seventh year; 2018 stars included the Weeknd and Florence and the Machine. Sheila Marikar
14/52 Salvador, Brazil: The country’s original capital gets a makeover
After completing a five-year historical preservation initiative to save its Unesco designation, Salvador, with its sherbet-coloured colonial facades, cobblestone streets and beaches, is gleaming. Rising along the coast of northeastern Bahia, the city’s downtown historic district thrums with vibrant Afro-Brazilian culture, ranging from free weekly performances by samba and drum corps to classical music and capoeira. Visitors can also find Salvador’s history exhibited in the new House of Carnival and, opening in 2020, the Museum of Music or catch a live concert at the Convention Centre, opening this year. The Fera Palace Hotel, a refurbished art deco gem, and the freshly minted Fasano Salvador, housed in a former 1930s newspaper building, both overlook All Saints Bay, which in November will host the finish of the International Regatta Transat Jacques Vabre, a 4,350-mile race along the historic coffee trading route between France and Brazil. Nora Walsh
15/52 Danang, Vietnam: A spot for foodies and beachgoers
Vietnam’s third largest city, is known for being a gateway to the nearby Unesco Heritage town of Hoi An. But it’s begun to develop a reputation as the Miami of Vietnam, with a strong foodie scene and new hotels and resorts popping up on a five-mile beach strip. A typical day might start with a morning swim on the crescent-shape Non Nuoc Beach and perhaps a quick stop at the Han Market. Then, an afternoon visit to the Marble Mountains, where travellers can explore the temples and pagodas that look out over My Khe Beach and, later, dinner back in the city, perhaps at Nén, a new restaurant from much-followed food blogger Summer Le. Perhaps finish the day with a visit to Cau Rong Dragon Bridge in the hills above the city. Don’t leave without sampling a bowl of mi quang, the justifiably famous local noodle soup made with a turmeric-infused broth, chicken, pork, local seafood and shredded cabbage, and available for about $1 (78p) at any number of street food stalls. Stuart Emmrich
16/52 Costalegre, Mexico: A beach vacation, without the crowds
Costalegre is a stretch of 43 largely unpopulated beaches, capes and bays along Mexico’s gorgeous Pacific coast, about halfway between the better known destinations of Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo, and one that has so far escaped the attention of vacationers flocking to its popular neighbours to the north, Punta Mita and the surfer’s haven of Sayulita. One factor keeping away the crowds: lack of easy access. Up until now, the nearest airport has been more than a two-hour drive away, in Puerto Vallarta. But that will change with the planned opening of the Chalacatepec Airport in the second half of this year, which will cut travel time by more than half. And a clutch of luxury hotels will soon follow. For now, the best luxury option is Las Alamandas Resort, set on a 1,500-acre nature reserve, with just 16 suites in seven brightly painted casitas, as well as two restaurants, a spa and a large pool. Smaller hotels and even bungalows near the beaches can also be rented. Stuart Emmrich
17/52 Paparoa Track, New Zealand: A new wilderness trail explores a remote national park
18/52 Puglia, Italy: Baroque architecture and Adriatic beaches in Italy’s heel
The ancient fortified farmhouses called masserie, found only in the region of Puglia, are increasingly being turned into boutique hotels, most notably Rocco Forte’s Masseria Torre Maizza, and the 17th century Castello di Ugento, where guests can take cooking classes at the Puglia Culinary Centre. And the region’s 1,000-year-old wine culture, which began when the Greeks planted vines from their land across the Adriatic, is attracting more oenophiles to the area, including the owners of the London restaurant Bocca di Lupo, who recently bought a 600-acre estate in Salento called Tormaresca, where tastings are offered to visitors (you can also dine in their new restaurant in the town of Lecce). Puglia is also home to Europe’s Virgin Galactic spaceport, which is scheduled to open in 2019, with the promise of eventually sending passengers into space. No wonder Abercrombie and Kent’s new Italian cruise includes Puglia and Gargano National Park. Daniel Scheffler
19/52 Tatra Mountains, Slovakia: Off-the-grid skiing, rock climbing and more
While most visitors focus on Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, the soaring Tatra Mountains have emerged as an under-the-radar destination for skiing and outdoor activities, with new gondolas at the Bachledka and Jasna ski areas; slopes planned at Mlynicka Dolina; and new chair lifts at Oravska Lesna in the nearby Fatra range to the northwest. And it’s not just about winter sports: there is excellent hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking and fly-fishing, while beyond the Tatras, Kosice, a regional capital, offers colourful street art and plenty of cafes and restaurants, thanks to its three universities and associated night life. Plan on posting plenty of photos: you’ll find untouched folk architecture throughout the region, as well as perfectly preserved gothic and baroque buildings awaiting your lens. Evan Rail
20/52 Calgary, Alberta: A spectacular library adds to a once-neglected neighbourhood
Calgary’s new Central Library, from the architectural firm Snohetta, creates not just a design destination, with daily tours, but also a gateway in the form of an arched cedar-clad passageway linking downtown to the city’s evolving East Village, a booming neighbourhood where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet. Calgary was founded in the East Village area in 1875, with a fort built to curb the growing whiskey trade, but the area suffered roughly 70 years of neglect before the Calgary Municipal Land Corp, formed in 2007, began transforming the area, adding parks, attractions and high-rises. The 240,000-square-foot library, with a performance hall, cafe, children’s play area and outdoor electromagnetic sculptures by Christian Moeller, is next to Studio Bell, home to the National Music Centre museum and performance space, and near the just opened Alt Hotel. Later this year, the multiuse building M2 promises more shops and restaurants beside the Bow river. Elaine Glusac
21/52 Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal, Russia: A natural wonder resisting the threats of development
Lake Baikal in Siberia is the world’s deepest lake, plunging 1 mile into the Earth’s crust. It contains nearly 20 per cent of the world’s unfrozen fresh water and is so abundant in wildlife – bears, foxes, sables, rare and endangered freshwater seals – that Unesco calls it “the Galapagos of Russia”. The wildlife, like the lake itself, has been under threat for years, from indifferent Soviet industrial policy, from climate change and from today’s rising tourism, especially from China. Even so, it remains largely unspoiled, and activists are working hard to keep it that way. Olkhon Island, Baikal’s largest, and a place that Buddhists consider one of the holiest in Asia, is a popular base for excursions year round, even from December to April or May, when the surface freezes into turquoise sheets of ice that Siberian winds churn into natural sculptures. The Baikal Ice Marathon, a charity devoted to the lake’s conservation, will be held 2 March. Steven Lee Myers
22/52 Huntsville, Alabama: Time to party like it’s 1969
The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing will draw crowds to Huntsville – aka Rocket City – home of the Marshall Space Flight Centre, where the spacecraft that launched astronauts to the moon were developed. Throughout the year, there will be daily reenactments of the moon landing at the US Space and Rocket Centre, but the biggest thrills are planned for the anniversary week of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission in July. Beginning on launch day, 16 July, the centre will attempt to break a Guinness World Record by launching 5,000 model rockets at 8.32 am, the precise time that rocket engines ignited in 1969. Festivities will continue with a classic car show, concerts, a homecoming parade and a street party in downtown Huntsville – the same location where Apollo workers celebrated after the successful mission. If that’s not fun enough, 2019 also marks the state’s bicentennial, giving Alabamians yet another excuse to party. Ingrid K Williams
23/52 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): Five kinds of penguins, easier to reach
The Falkland Islands, far off the coast of Argentina, offer an astonishing variety of wildlife that includes five kinds of penguins, hundreds of bird species, seals, sea lions and whales, as well as remote natural beauty that travellers often have to themselves. Two new local touring companies are increasing accessibility to the riches of the islands. Falklands Outdoors opened in November 2018 and offers mountain climbing, foraging, hiking and sea kayaking expeditions to beaches and penguin colonies that can’t be reached by road; in January, Falklands Helicopter Services will start scenic flights to Volunteer Point (home to an enormous king penguin colony), and other isolated spots. While there’s a single weekly commercial flight in and out of the Falklands, the first new route to the islands from South America in more than 20 years is being planned: LATAM is expected to begin weekly flights to the islands from Brazil by late this year. Nell McShane Wulfhart
24/52 Aberdeen, Scotland: The granite city via brand new old-fashioned trains
Just as many famous European overnight train routes have been retired, the Caledonian Sleeper, the train that travels through the night from London to the north of Scotland, is rolling out new carriages for summer. The new cars preserve the romance of overnight trains, in contemporary comfort, with a choice of hotel-style suites, classic bunk beds or seats. The Highlander route to Aberdeen leaves Euston station in the evening and hits the Scottish coast by 5 am, so travellers who take an early breakfast in the dining car can enjoy coastal views as the sun rises (get off at Leuchars for medieval St Andrews). Off the train, Aberdeen and its surroundings offer historic castles set in fields of purple heather, in pine woods and along the dramatic coastline. Hiking trails abound on and around the queen’s estate at Balmoral, and rail buffs can visit the former royal train station in Ballater, closed since 1966, and ride on the Royal Deeside Railway a short drive from there. Palko Karasz
25/52 Golfo Paradiso, Italy: A rare unspoiled gem on the Italian Riviera
The well-known pearls of the Ligurian Riviera – Portofino, Cinque Terre, Portovenere – are overwhelmed with tourists, a problem so acute that in some areas authorities have debated measures to stem the flow of daytrippers. But just a few miles away, between Portofino and Genoa, remains a peaceful sliver of coastline rarely explored by travellers to the region. Known as the Golfo Paradiso, this small gulf is home to five often-overlooked villages, including Camogli, a colourful fishing hamlet as charming as any of the Cinque Terre. Italians will boast about the renowned local cuisine: fresh-caught anchovies, hand-rolled trofie pasta and cheese-filled focaccia from the town of Recco, a speciality that recently earned IGP status, a prestigious Italian designation for quality food products. Between meals, explore blooming gardens in Pieve Ligure, beaches in Sori and the romanesque abbey of San Fruttuoso, which is accessible only by boat or a long, sweaty hike.
Ingrid K Williams
Ingrid K Williams
26/52 Dessau, Germany: A big birthday for Bauhaus
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of German architect Walter Gropius’ “Proclamation of the Bauhaus”, a radical reimagining of art, architecture and design. To celebrate the Bauhaus centennial, cities around Germany will hold events, from the opening festival in Berlin – several days of art, dance, concerts, theatre, lectures and more this month – to the debut of the Bauhaus Museum in Weimar, where the movement was born. But the most compelling destination might be Dessau. Home of the Bauhaus school during the 1920s and 1930s, the northeastern German city still contains the school’s pioneering (and Unesco-listed) Bauhaus Building, the Gropius-designed Masters Houses, and the Prellerhaus studio building (a warren of former Bauhaus ateliers that now contains a hotel). And in September, Dessau opens its long-awaited Bauhaus Museum, a glassy, minimalist rectangle that will showcase typefaces, textiles, artwork, furniture and more from the movement. Seth Sherwood
27/52 Tunis, Tunisia: The spark for the Arab Spring, still lit
Freedom is what makes Tunis unique. Eight years after it kicked off the Arab Spring, it remains the only Arab capital with real freedom of expression, not to mention the peaceful rotation of power. But the city holds many other charms. Among them are the ruins of the ancient city of Carthage, from which Hannibal’s elephants once threatened Rome. The carefully preserved old medina dates from the 12th to the 16th century, when Tunis was a major centre of the Islamic world. The tree-lined Avenue Habib Bourguiba downtown bears the influence of decades of French rule. And the cafes, art galleries and blue-and-white hues of the neighbourhood of Sidi Bou Said, overlooking the Mediterranean, have long lured European painters, writers and thinkers. A short taxi ride away are the beaches and nightclubs of La Marsa. The French-influenced north African food is delicious. The local red wines are not bad. And, in another regional rarity, Tunis in 2018 elected a woman its mayor. David D Kirkpatrick
28/52 Gambia: Hippos and chimpanzees – and a renewed sense of hope
Gambia’s tourism industry was hit hard in 2017, when its long-time authoritarian ruler Yahya Jammeh refused to cede leadership after an election loss, forcing a political standoff that brought foreign troops in. But with its new president, Adama Barrow, now safely in place, there’s a renewed sense of hope across continental Africa’s smallest country – now more accessible than ever. In January, a new bridge over the Gambia river, three decades in the making, will be inaugurated with a nearly 200-mile relay run to Dakar, Senegal. Peregrine Adventures launches its first cruise up the 700-mile river, with a stop at Baboon Island, home to hippos, crocodiles and chimpanzees, part of Africa’s longest-running centre for rehabilitating chimpanzees into the wild. New and coming hotels, including the African Princess Beach Hotel, and two properties by Thomas Cook, will serve as stylish bases. And new direct flights from Europe make getting to this west African country easier than ever. Ratha Tep
29/52 Northern Rivers, Australia: Along a breezy coastline, boho paradise
30/52 Frisian Islands and Wadden Sea: Oysters, seals, birds and dark skies on Europe’s wild left coast
31/52 New York City: New cultural monuments, and remembrances of the past
32/52 Chongli, China: Witness a winter sports revolution
The leadup to the next Winter Games is well underway in and around Beijing, and the spectacle is breathtaking. The most stunning transformations are happening a four-hour drive north in Chongli, once one of the country’s poorest areas and now home to several multibillion-dollar ski resorts, towering condominiums and flashy hotels. It has transformed into a glistening winter sports hub filled with restaurants, inns and watering holes. At least five ski resorts now surround the city, including places like Genting Secret Gardens, Fulong and Thaiwoo, which has an on-property brewery, a mid-mountain chalet that serves Swiss and Austrian fare, and brand new gondolas. A high-speed train from Beijing to Chongli should open in 2019. The skiing isn’t world-class. Nearly all of the snow comes from a cannon, and runs average about 1,300 vertical feet. But go now to see firsthand how the world’s most populous country is working overtime to become a competitive winter sports nation. Tim Neville
33/52 Orcas Island, Washington: A small island is attracting big-time foodies (and Oprah)
The horseshoe-shaped Orcas, one of the largest islands that make up the San Juan archipelago, has gained fame in recent years for its impressive tide-to-table culinary scene and experimental wines, attracting, among others, Oprah Winfrey (in 2018, Winfrey bought a 43-acre estate on the island for a reported $8.275m). A new wine enterprise, Doe Bay Wine Co, is presenting its Orcas Project in 2019 – a collaboration between acclaimed winemakers and vineyards in the Pacific northwest. Ventures from James Beard-nominated chef Jay Blackinton, who owns Hogstone, a former pizzeria now featuring ambitious nose-to-tail fare, and its more upscale counterpart Aelder, are also on the horizon. Another addition to the island are the luxury suites at Outlook Inn, in the town of Eastsound, overlooking Fishing Bay. If you want to hike, or ride a horse, the island’s Moran State Park will be adding trails to its 38-mile network this year.
Daniel Scheffler
Daniel Scheffler
34/52 Uzbekistan: Visa-free travel and reopened borders along the Silk Road
35/52 Vestlandet, Norway: A bucolic paradise for mountain-climbing beer lovers Rural Vestlandet, in western Norway, home to some of Scandinavia’s most beautiful landscapes, is piquing the interest of outdoorsy types, especially those who take
Rural Vestlandet is home to some of Scandinavia’s most beautiful landscapes and is piquing the interest of outdoorsy types. The Loen Skylift ferries travel more than 3,280 feet to the top of Mount Hoven in just a few minutes, while fearless climbers can put on a harness, hire a guide and make roughly the same journey in six hours, following a path that features one of the longest suspension bridges in Europe. After sightseeing, relax over an ale made with kveik, a local yeast that has enthralled brewers and scientists around the world in recent years for its fruity aromas and higher-than-normal fermentation temperatures. You can find it at bars like Tre Bror, in Voss, the Smalahovetunet restaurant and brewery nearby. Beer lovers who want to learn (and taste) more can time their visit to coincide with the October Norsk Kornolfestival, which features close to 100 beers made with kveik, often including juniper and other traditional regional ingredients. Evan Rail
36/52 Lyon, France: Soccer, sausage and fresh air
Football fans should set their sights on France this summer, especially Lyon, where we could see the US women will clinch their fourth World Cup title in the final match 7 July. Even if you can’t get tickets – or détestez le football – the city of half a million people and 4,000 restaurants is worth a visit. This year, Lyon plays host to an International City of Gastronomy project. The indoor, one-acre exhibition will include interactive workshops and conferences designed to showcase France’s cuisine and its contributions to health and pleasure. Held at the Grand Hôtel Dieu, a sprawling complex first founded in the 1300s that reopens after four years of renovations with shops, restaurants, public spaces. When it comes time to work off all those plates of pork sausage, hike in nearby Écrins National Park, where traditional working dogs protect herds of sheep. Book a stay at the Temple-Écrins hut, where workers recently wrapped up three years of renovations. Tim Neville
37/52 Doha, Qatar: Avant-garde architecture blooms in the desert
As the next men’s soccer World Cup approaches in 2022, the host nation, Qatar, is loading its capital with structures from the biggest names in international architecture. The sharp-angled, futuristic Qatar National Library, designed by Rem Koolhaas and his OMA firm, opened in 2018; 2019 will welcome the National Museum of Qatar, a sprawling expanse of interlocking tilted circular discs by Jean Nouvel. A contribution from a third Pritzker prize-winner, Zaha Hadid, is slated to materialise in the form of a swooping, curvaceous stadium; another stadium, from Pritzker-winner Norman Foster, is also under construction. The new structures add further dazzle to the Doha skyline, which already includes Nouvel’s syringe-like Doha Tower and the blocky white jumble of the Museum of Islamic Art, by IM Pei. Seth Sherwood
38/52 Batumi, Georgia: A hushed seaside escape
39/52 Marseille, France: An influx of young creatives gives the city a new edge
Six years after Marseille was named European Capital of Culture in 2013, the city’s renewal is still galloping along. Jean Nouvel has just finished his striking new red, white and blue skyscraper La Marseillaise. The real proof of the city’s metamorphosis, however, is that it is attracting young creative types from all over France and beyond. Laura Vidal, a sommelier from Quebec, and British chef Harry Cummins opened La Mercerie, a market-driven bistro in an old notions shop in the city’s Noailles district last spring. Noailles is brimming with shops (don’t miss Épicerie I’ldeal, the best new food store), cafes and restaurants. Other districts in the heart of Marseille are being transformed as well. Near the opera, Tony Collins recently opened Deep, a coffee shop that roasts its own beans and also sells vinyl records; and the mixologists at the Copper Bay bar shake it up for locals and guests from the nearby Les Bords de Mer, the city’s best new boutique hotel. Alexander Lobrano
40/52 Wyoming: A sesquicentennial celebration of women’s suffrage in the Equality State
41/52 Los Angeles: Finally, more than Grauman’s (groan)
42/52 Dakar, Senegal: An oasis of freedom in a region of unrest
43/52 Perth, Australia: A city transformed and enlivened
A decade-long development boom has supercharged Perth. Among the new attractions: Yagan Square, with its distinctive market hall, art park and 147-foot digital tower showcases work by local artists and livestreams events; Optus Stadium, a 60,000-seat venue for concerts and sporting events; and Raine Square, a $200m redevelopment that includes a movie theatre, shopping and restaurants including dim sum chain Tim Ho Wan, considered the world’s most affordable Michelin-starred restaurant. To accommodate the expected growth in tourism, 31 new or redeveloped hotels have opened in the past five years, including the luxury COMO, the hip QT and a Westin. Since 2007, liquor law reforms, including a 2018 change that let restaurants serve drinks without a meal, have changed the drinking and dining scene with more than 100 small bars opening in the central business district alone. And Qantas started a nonstop flight from London to Perth this year, the first from Europe. Kelly DiNardo
44/52 Hong Kong: Dazzling infrastructure eases travel but could threaten independence
45/52 Iran: Tourism cautiously returns to this Middle East jewel
The appeal of Iran for adventurous travellers is obvious: the monumental ruins of ancient Persia; the spectacular, centuries-old mosques of Shiraz and Isfahan; the Grand Bazaar and Golestan Palace in bustling Tehran. One additional reason to visit in 2019 is a major exhibition scheduled to open at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. “Portrait, Still-life, Landscape” (21 February to 20 April) will take over the entire museum, with a selection of about 500 works, including pieces by Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko and Marcel Duchamp, as well as about 40 Picassos recently discovered in the museum’s storage facilities (much of the collection has been kept under wraps since the 1979 revolution). The US State Department discourages, but does not prohibit, travel to Iran by American citizens, and Americans can travel to Iran only as part of an organised tour. Options for 2019 include three expeditions from Intrepid Travel, including the company’s first-ever all-female tour. Stuart Emmrich
46/52 Houston: Rebounding bigger and better after a hurricane
After Hurricane Harvey, the city is back on its feet and showing off the everything-is-bigger-in-Texas attitude. Four food halls opened in 2018, including Finn Hall, which features up-and-coming chefs like James Beard-nominated Jianyun Ye and a downtown outpost of his Chinese hotspot Mala Sichuan and a taqueria from local favourite Goode Co. The five-diamond Post Oak Hotel has a two-storey Rolls-Royce showroom, art by Frank Stella and a 30,000-bottle wine cellar. The Menil Collection, known for its eclectic art ranging from Byzantine antiques to 20th century pop art, underwent a renovation and opened the 30,000-square-foot Menil Drawing Institute. The city’s museum boom continues with an expansion of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, to be completed in 2020, a newly built location for the Holocaust Museum, which will move in this spring, and a restoration of the Apollo Mission Centre that will open in time for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing in July. Kelly DiNardo
47/52 Columbus, Ohio: Is this the American city of the future?
With a revitalised riverfront and booming downtown, Columbus is already one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities. Now, it’s poised to become the model for the future of innovative urban transportation, with self-driving shuttles carrying travellers along the Scioto Mile, recently revitalised, adding 33 acres of riverfront green space for festivals, water sports and outdoor art. Among the newest dining options are Veritas, which specializes in small-plate offerings; Service Bar, run by young chef Avishar Barua, a veteran of New York’s Mission Chinese and WD-50; and, in the North Market neighborhood, veggie-forward Little Eater. The Short North Arts District offers access to the city’s local businesses like the new fashion store Thread and the original Jeni’s ice cream store. But don’t skip Italian Village and German Village neighborhoods, where innovators and dreamers have opened destination shops like Stump Plants and Vernacular and bars like Cosecha. Daniel Scheffler
48/52 Plovdiv, Bulgaria: A city ready for the spotlight
With its colourful, cobblestoned historic centre, well-preserved Roman ruins and lively art scene, Bulgaria’s second-largest city is surprisingly overlooked by tourists who favour the quirky, post-Soviet charm of the country’s capital, Sofia. But as a European cultural capital of 2019, this gem is ready to shine. Organisers have planned more than 500 events throughout the city and its region, including concerts, open-air theatre performances and street-food fairs. Tucked into the heart of central Bulgaria and built on seven hills, Plovdiv features an artistic quarter called Kapana, whose winding streets are lined with galleries and stylish cafes, as well as a beautifully restored Roman amphitheatre that hosts summer opera performances under the stars. The city’s location at the foot of the Rhodope Mountains – with their stunning views of peaks and deep gorges — makes it an excellent launch point for hiking day trips. Ann Mah
49/52 Vevey, Switzerland: A once-in-a-generation winegrowers’ festival on the Swiss Riviera
Everything runs like clockwork in Switzerland, including the Fête des Vignerons, although its timetable is considerably extended. This Unesco-recognised wine festival, which celebrates the viticultural traditions of the Lavaux and Chablais regions near Lake Geneva, takes place every 20 to 25 years in the heart of Vevey, a breathtaking lakeside town beneath sloping vineyards in the canton of Vaud. Since 1797, the date has been decided by the Confrérie des Vignerons, which has spent the past several years (and a reported 99 million Swiss francs, or roughly $98m) planning for the 12th edition, which will run from 18 July to 11 August. For the first time, tickets for the two-hour show can be purchased online. Oenophiles seeking a “full-bodied” experience of Helvetian wines, which are rarely exported, can also download the new app from the Canton of Vaud featuring eight wine-centric hiking routes, including one above Vevey. Erin Levi
50/52 Cádiz province, Spain: Sparkling cities and towns in southwest Andalusia
At the tip of a peninsula thrust into the Atlantic, the city of Cádiz, a trading hub since 1100, has a vibe that’s more Havana than Madrid. A culinary renaissance is underway, with newcomers like Saja River and Codigo de Barra joining classics like El Faro. But the biggest gastronomic news lies across the bay in Puerto de Santa Maria, where Angel León’s Aponiente, which has three Michelin stars, offers a lyric poem to seafood (plankton risotto). A second León restaurant, Alevante, in nearby Sancti Petri just received its first star. Twenty minutes inland, Jerez de la Frontera is a cradle of the fortified wines known as sherry, which are now on the hot list of sommeliers and the craft-cocktail crowd. Beyond the cities, hilltop villages like Vejer de la Frontera lure expatriates with a blend of hip luxury hotels and art by the likes of Olafur Eliasson at NMAC sculpture garden. Add a stretch of Atlantic shore, and the province of Cádiz ticks all the boxes. Andrew Ferren
51/52 Elqui Valley, Chile: Eclipse mania, and nights of dark skies
52/52 The islands of Tahiti: The birthplace of the overwater bungalow ups its ecotourism
The Barkers had checked in with their children on 3 March, having paid in full for three nights’ accommodation.
“It was late at night, but we decided fairly quickly we didn’t feel comfortable about staying at the house,” said Nealie.
They immediately left and checked into a nearby hotel.
When the Barkers subsequently asked the Airbnb host about the camera, he refused to answer their questions at first and denied the device’s existence.
However, when Andrew said they could see themselves on the camera, the host “became flustered and hung up”.
He rang back later and said that he had only installed the camera to “protect his asset”.
Nealie said Airbnb’s response was initially “hopeless”: it took weeks to hear back about the outcome of the investigation.
An Airbnb spokesperson said: “We have permanently removed this bad actor from our platform.
“Our original handling of this incident did not meet the high standards we set for ourselves, and we have apologised to the family and fully refunded their stay. There have been over half a billion guest arrivals in Airbnb listings to date and negative incidents are incredibly rare.”
Airbnb has strict policies governing the use of cameras in listings – they are never allowed in bathrooms or bedrooms or to be hidden – and has a zero tolerance stance when it comes to violations.
There have been several high profile cases of holidaymakers finding hidden cameras in Airbnb properties in recent years.
Dougie Hamilton was on holiday with his girlfriend in Toronto, Canada, in 2018 when he found one hidden in a digital clock.
The Scottish holidaymaker told the Daily Record: “We were only in the place for 20 minutes when I noticed the clock. There was just something in my head that made me feel a bit uneasy.
“I took the charger out of it and saw there was a lithium battery in the back. At this point, I slid the front facing off the clock and could see there actually was a camera. The hidden camera was facing into the living area and open-plan bedroom, so it could see everything. We didn’t know if the owner had been watching. It just felt really creepy and we didn’t want to stay.”
Source Article from https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/airbnb-hidden-camera-live-stream-wifi-family-a8854341.html
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