10 essential stops for Europe first-timers

We’ve come a long way since the emergence of the 17th-century ‘Grand Tour,’ when the wealthy (mostly Brits) finished their education with a real year in the world, learning to fence in Paris, studying art in Florence, climbing the Swiss Alps, and complaining about the service in Athens.Over time, the first-timer traveler’s trails across Europe have swayed back’n'forth, with changes ushered in by the advent of trains, Mark Twain’s ‘is he dead?’ jokes, and the rising or falling of an Iron Curtain or two.So, what is the ‘Grand Tour’ version of today?...

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Travel etiquette 101: body language

You step over someone’s legs in Nepal and don’t even realize you’ve committed a grave social taboo! Although most locals will excuse breaches in etiquette, wouldn’t you rather be informed? Read below for a list of etiquette tips, taken from our various guidebooks, to help you navigate different parts of the world. 1. In Asia, never touch any part of someone else’s body with...

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Airline Rules Were Meant to Be Broken

You don't have to fly frequently to know the airline industry has some of the most ridiculous rules in the travel business. But if you fly enough, you may not have to follow all of them. For example: Most passengers are herded through the boarding areas in large, disorganized groups. Unless you're an elite-level frequent flier; then you skip through a "breezeway" or over a red carpet, away from the long line, directly to your preferred seat. Frequent fliers also get to shortcut the lengthy security line at some airports, and they don't have to...

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Should foreigners pay higher prices?

A few years ago, I fronted up to Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, a stellar remnant of India’s Mughal past. An Indian by birth and ethnicity, I handed over the ‘local’ entrance fee – about US$0.10 – only for the guard to laugh and demand the much higher ‘foreigner’ fee (US$2). My protests were brushed aside: I could not produce an Indian passport, and my Hindi was horribly accented....

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Surfing Indonesia: where to find the perfect wave

View galleryTwo surfers wading out at Grajagan Bay. Paul Kennedy Lonely Planet Photographer View gallerySurfers have long been known for a nomadic lifestyle spent scouring the globe in search of the perfect wave, and at some point in their search every self-respecting surfer will find themselves drawn to the wave gardens of Indonesia. Here’s where to find them,...

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Top 10 cities for 2011

Who doesn’t love a city? Lonely Planet has scoured the globe for next year’s hottest cities. Our top picks show that a city doesn’t need to be a heaving metropolis to get on the list. Then again, sometimes it helps. One of our favourites is the world’s largest city that cannot be reached by road. And there are even a couple of European cities that remain criminally underrated. Here they are, Lonely Planet’s top 10 cities for next year, ranked in order:1. New YorkSince 9/11, the site of the World Trade Center’s twin towers has stood out as a closed-off,...

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It takes two: your guide to tango in Argentina

Tango is an integral part of Argentinian culture, so dust off those dancing shoes and get into the swing of it. Here’s the lowdown on where to see it, hear it, dance it – and how to turn down any unwanted Tango advances. See itTango is experiencing a renaissance and classes, milongas (dance halls or dance events) and shows are everywhere. Grab free booklets El Tangauta and BA Tango (often available from tango venues or tourist offices) or check outwww.letstango.com.ar.Sensationalised tango shows aimed at tourists are common, and ‘purists’ don’t...

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