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? The Lonely Planet Discover Europeguide has one that gives a wide-eyed first-timer the 10 best of Europe’s cities in three weeks. (Of course, it’s OK to take longer.)

LONDON

Two days isn’t a huge amount of time in a city with so much to do but you should still be able to see highlights like the Tower, Tate Modern, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace as well as attend a West End theatre show and enjoy the ethnic eateries of the East End.

PARIS

A high-speed Channel Tunnel train takes you to the sights in Paris. Overlooking the avenues from the Arc de Triomphe, seeing the Louvre or Versailles and a beautiful church or two is the least you can do. Try lively Montmartre for dinner.

BARCELONA

An overnight ride of the rails and you’re at your next stop, colourful Barcelona, where the organic Modernista architecture and Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia will wow you. Don’t miss the Catalan cooking. Your first flight of the trip moves you along to…

ROME

The Eternal City; they say a lifetime isn’t enough to know it. During two days sightseeing in Rome, choose from among the monumental attractions of the Colosseum, Vatican City, Pantheon, Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. Evenings you’ll be eating out in the centro storico and Trastevere.

VIENNA

Overnight on the train to the imperial city of Vienna (which ‘waits for you’ according to Billy Joel), where you’ll linger in a coffee house, watch the Lipizzaner stallions, wander the pedestrian shopping streets and see a performance at the Staatsoper.

BUDAPEST

Just three hours away, Budapest also has a lively cafe culture, plus a vibrant mix of old and new. Be sure to visit Castle Hill and take a soak in one of the city’s thermal baths.

BERLIN

A full day riding the rails brings you to the sights of Berlin, Europe’s most rapidly changing (and exciting) city; must-sees include all the Berlin Wall galleries, memorials and museums, plus new city sights like the Sony Centre and Filmmuseum. At night Kreuzberg is the alternative nightlife hub, while Prenzlauer Berg is more grown up.

DUBROVNIK

You’ll have to board a plane in order to be dazzled by the marble streets and red roofs of Dubrovnik, Croatia. By all means, first walk the city walls; the views over the town and sea are great. Explore the rest of the old town and take a seat at a cafe or along one of the beaches.

ATHENS

The Greek capital is a treasure trove of ancient ruins with the magnificent buildings of the hill-top Acropolis heading the list. Below it stand more impressive remains, plus bustling flea markets and lively tavernas giving you a taste of more modern Athenian life.

ISTANBUL

Once you’ve touched down you’ve reached the edge of Europe, where east meets west. In Old İstanbul explore the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and Aya Sofya. Then shop and dine in modern Beyoğlu, centre of the city’s nightlife. A boat ride on the Bosphorus gives you the chance to step foot in Asia, looking back at the Europe you’ve just explored.

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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 your foot, which is considered the ‘lowest’ part of the body. If you accidentally do this, apologize by touching your hand to the person’s arm and then touching your own head. Don’t point at objects or people with your feet, don’t prop your feet on chairs or tables while sitting. – From the Lonely Planet Thailand travel guide (and other Asia guidebooks)

2. Also in Asia, refrain from touching people on the head or ruffling their hair. The head is spiritually the ‘highest’ part of the body. Don’t sit on pillows meant as headrests, as it is a variant on this taboo. – From the Lonely planet China travel guide

3. Shaking hands was introduced to Fiji in the 19th century by way of Tonga, and quickly became the established custom. An affectionate handshake can be very long, and may even last throughout an entire conversation. – From the Lonely Planet South Pacific Phrasebook

4. In Nepal, it’s bad manners to step over someone’s outstretched legs, so avoid doing that, and move your own legs when someone wants to pass. Also do not step over or sit on a monk’s cushions in or near a temple, even if no one is sitting on them. Always walk around stupas and chortens (Tibetan-style stupas) in a clockwise direction. – From the Lonely Planet Nepal travel guide

5. In Japanese baths, called onsen, always wash first before entering the water. The water is considered fouled if someone does not do this, kind of like the American equivalent of peeing in a pool. Also, use a wash cloth to cover your private bits and pieces. – From the Lonely Planet Japan travel guide. (Also see: Top 10 hot springs in Japan)

6. The people of Italy are emotionally demonstrative, so expect to see lots of cheek kissing among acquaintances, embraces between men who are good friends and lingering handshakes. Italian men may walk arm-in-arm, as may women. Pushing and shoving in busy places is not considered rude, so don’t be offended by it. Try to hold your ground. The Italian body language vocabulary is is quite extensive, but the following six may prove useful when traveling:

Six examples of Italian body language with their matching translations

7. Shaking hands across a threshold is considered unlucky in Russia. An interesting feature of this is that some pizza delivery guys refuse to conduct a transaction across a threshold; you either have to go out to the hall or invite them just inside the door. – From the Lonely Planet Russia travel guide

8. In India it is possible to pay a tremendous compliment with body language alone. When somebody approaches a person with their tongue between their teeth and gathers the air around the person’s head with their hands to draw it into their own personal space, it means they find the person either unbearably beautiful or extraordinarily intelligent. – From Lonely Planet’s Indian English Language & Culture

9. Don’t stick your index finger and middle finger up with the palm of your hand facing towards you in the UK… it’s the equivalent of giving someone the finger. Tip: Don’t order two beers in this fashion in UK bars. Doing it palm facing out is OK (i.e., the peace sign) – From a Lonely Planet staffer in the UK

10. Moroccan greetings can last up to 10 minutes. Shake with your right hand then touch your hand to your heart, to indicate that you’re taking the meeting to heart. Good friends may tack on up to four air kisses, accompanied by a stream of well wishes: ‘How are you? Everything’s good with you? I hope your parents are well? Baraka(blessings) upon them!’ – From Alison Bing, Lonely Planet Morocco author

Know of other body language dos and don’ts around the world? Mime them for us in the comments below.

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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 pay many checked luggage fees and other surcharges.

It turns out that's just the tip of a two-tiered system under which elites aren't always held to the same rules as other customers. In interviews with current and former frequent fliers, as well as airline personnel, a clearer picture of this two-class system has emerged. Airlines often waive rules for their best customers, go beyond their contract of carriage and even hold the aircraft for latecomers.

Of course, this is good business for an airline. Why not treat your best customers better? And no one begrudges the elites for taking advantage of it.

I can't argue that if you pay for a more expensive ticket, you deserve certain amenities, like preferred boarding, a roomier seat and more attentive service. But creating one set of rules for regular passengers, and one for "special" passengers -- that's troubling.

One of the most dramatic examples is holding the plane. If you're a garden-variety passenger, and you're late for your flight, you're out of luck. You may even have to pay for a new ticket. But an assistant for a "high-level executive" sent me the story of how they held the plane for her boss.

"He was considered one of the most super-premium-platinum-plus elite on his preferred airline," she says. "He had been stuck in traffic en route to the airport. I personally witnessed the airline hold a flight for him."

Most of the rules that are waived for elites are considerably less over-the-top. For example, one airline staffer told me that when it comes to weather delays, the contract of carriage -- the legal agreement between the airline and customer -- is clear: The airline won't pick up the tab for meals and hotels.

But if you're an elite-level traveler on an international flight, and your connection in the States is delayed because of a thunderstorm, it's a little-known fact that the carrier will "take care of you," the insider told me. The other customers on that flight are on their own.

More often, an airline will just bend a little rule for a good customer. Tom Logue remembers flying from Memphis to Denver with his wife recently, and receiving such preferred treatment. As an elite, he was easily able to upgrade to first class, but his wife, who was traveling on a companion certificate, wasn't allowed up front. Companion certificates aren't upgradeable. But when he flashed his platinum card, she received her upgrade.

"They were pretty lenient," he says.

In fairness, there are also examples of compassionate airline personnel -- mindful that their rules often defy explanation -- ignoring policies for non-elites who just need help.

Still, there's a growing perception that there are two groups of airline passengers: one to whom all of the absurd rules always apply, and the other for which they may not.

Airlines call the practice "segmentation." But ordinary passengers have another word for it: unfair.

Christopher Elliott is the author of the upcoming book Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. He's also the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the co-founder of the Consumer Travel Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for travelers. You can read more tips on his blog, www.elliott.org or e-mail him at chris@elliott.org.

(c)2011 Christopher Elliott Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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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. So the foreign price it was.

Though initially infuriated, I began questioning whether this was really unfair treatment. I moved quickly from wondering how legitimately ‘Indian’ I was to contemplating whether charging different groups of people different prices – based on nationality – is a justifiable practice.

This debate has played out several times on our Thorn Tree forum, with members sparring over whether extra charges are ethically legitimate,how problematic ‘different’ fares actually are and why governments defend such practices.

As the ‘ripped off’ visitor, it’s easy to be indignant. You are paying more for the exact same experience. You are being discriminated against owing to your nationality (and sometimes, more problematically, your ethnicity). You feel as though you’re getting a raw deal.

But before you feel duped, consider these two questions:

Who ‘owns’ public attractions? It’s hardly unreasonable to assume that citizens of a particular country can lay priority claim to assets belonging to that country – from welfare support to membership in certain organisations. Following this logic, it seems fair that a citizen has priority right of access to something like a national park, owing to ‘collective ownership’ of the park. And they’re almost certainly paying taxes that support it. This preferred right of access might manifest itself in a reduced access fee.

Is this just legitimate market segmentation? Few people bat an eyelid when private train tickets cost less for students, or cinemas offer reduced-fee entry for senior citizens. But these institutions are generally not discounting for the greater good: they’re doing it to maximise profit. If you’re running a business, you’d ideally charge each consumer the maximum price he or she could afford for your service. That’s practically impossible, so segmentation is the next best thing. You divide up your consumers into groups based on ability to pay, and you adjust prices so that you extract the most money possible out of each group. (If you think this sounds horribly unfair, keep in mind that consumers generally have similar powers of choice based on businesses’ abilities to offer an attractive price.) Viewed in this way, charging foreigners higher fees is a crude tool, but it makes economic sense for the providers.

So what does this mean for you, the traveller? Short of perfecting a local accent, your choices are limited. It’s not as though you’re going to get the laws changed anytime soon. Therefore, you have to figure out where you stand on principle, then balance that with the enjoyment you might be passing up.

It’s safe to say that the vast majority will continue lifting an eyebrow, perhaps letting out a peeved sigh, and forking over the additional cash. In my case, experiencing a crumbling royal observatory in the midst of the chaotic Indian capital was definitely worth it.

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Surfing Indonesia: where to find the perfect wave

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Two surfers wading out at Grajagan Bay.

• Paul Kennedy
• Lonely Planet Photographer

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Surfers 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, whether you’re a beginner or after something more challenging:

Bali

Bali, with its glut of world class surf spots, is the epicentre of Indonesian surfing. Any surf trip here almost invariably begins on Kuta beach, the original Indonesian beach resort. The waves here offer something for everyone; advanced surfers will revel in fun, peaky conditions whilst beginners will find the soft sand beach breaks, and numerous surf schools, the perfect setting for a first taste of surfing.

Not far from Kuta is the Bukit Peninsula where the best waves in Bali can be found. Padang Padang is one of Indonesia’s banner spots. It only comes to life on the biggest of swells but when it does you can expect one of the most intense lefthanders in the world. You can also expect serious crowds and lots of aggro in the water.

Nusa Tenggara

Just south of Bali is the island chain of Nusa Tenggara, which is rammed with surf spots. Lombok, the closest island to Bali, is the most visited by surfers and the jewel in the surf crown here is the legendry Desert Point; possibly the best wave in the world. It’s a highly fickle wave but when all the elements come together this near endless, freight train lefthander offers tube rides of up to twenty seconds. For something a little more beginner friendly try either Don Don or Inside Ekas both of which are found on the south coast of Lombok.

Java

The most famous wave on Java, Bali’s northern neighbour, is G-Land (also known as Grajagan). This is one of those freak of nature waves against which all other waves are measured. Endlessly long, flawlessly perfect and super consistent, G-Land is most commonly reached via boat charter from Bali.

For something less nerve-wracking, try the long, mellow sand bottom right point inBatu Karas. Needing a really solid swell to get going this is probably the most user-friendly spot in Indonesia and though experienced surfers might find it a little uninspiring it seems almost tailor made for learners and intermediates. There are a couple of surf schools and board hire places here as well as a few cheap places to stay.

Sumatra

Surfing Sumatra is all about the necklace of islands that lie off the west coast. Nias, in the far north, is the most famous. An almost hypnotically perfect righthander, this wave has always been considered perfect, but following the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami the wave actually improved dramatically after the reef rose upward by around a metre and made the wave hollower, faster and much more consistent.

Good as Nias is though if you ask the average surfer where they’d most like to go surfing the answer will almost invariably be the Mentawai Islands. These islands are home to more world class surf spots than any other place on Earth and it’s almost a given that on any single day of the year unbelievable waves will be breaking somewhere in the Mentawais. Surf trips here have long been the preserve of (expensive) boat charters and (equally expensive) surf resorts, but for the adventurous it’s still possible to charter a local fishing boat and put together your own Mentawai adventure.

When to go

Indonesia is basically a year-round surf destination, but it’s the dry season (May-October) – when the offshore southeast trade winds blow and the swell, pouring out of the Southern Ocean, is at its biggest and most consistent – that is far and away the best time to venture here.

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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 York

Since 9/11, the site of the World Trade Center’s twin towers has stood out as a closed-off, out-of-view, painful gaping void. This year that changes, as the former WTC site finally reopens to the public with the National September 11 Memorial, a 6-acre, tree-filled plaza with 30ft-deep waterfalls at the footprint of the former towers, rimmed by the name of each victim and illuminated at night (its museum will follow in 2012). For the city, this will be more momentous than if the Yankees, Knicks, Rangers and Giants won simultaneous championships while the ball dropped in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. For all of New York, 11 September 2011 will be a defining moment.

2. Tangier

From its extraordinary position perched on the northwestern-most tip of Africa, Tangier looks in two directions: one face towards Spain and Europe, and the other into Africa. The ‘white city’ announces a culture excitingly different from that of its close cousins across the water. With the recent arrival of a new city governor, the town beach now sparkles, the hustlers are off the streets and even the taxi drivers are polite. A stylish new Tangier is being created with a dynamic arts community, renovated buildings, great shopping and chic new restaurants.

3. Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is the total flipside of Jerusalem, a modern Sin City on the sea rather than an ancient Holy City on a hill. Hedonism is the one religion that unites its inhabitants. There are more bars than synagogues, God is a DJ and everyone’s body is a temple. Yet, scratch underneath the surface and Tel Aviv, or TLV, reveals itself as a truly diverse 21st-century Mediterranean hub. By far the most international city in Israel, Tel Aviv is also home to a large gay community, a kind of San Francisco in the Middle East. Thanks to its university and museums, it is also the greenhouse for Israel’s growing art, film and music scenes.

4. Wellington

Wellington is Cool-with-a-capital-C, crammed with more bars, cafes and restaurants per capita than New York, and a slew of gourmet producers including some 10 independent coffee roasteries. Year-round you’ll find arts and cultural events in abundance. Likewise, its film industry, ‘Wellywood’, centred on the Miramar Peninsula, is booming thanks in large part to the success of Wellingtonian Sir Peter Jackson (executive producer of the 2011 and 2012 Hobbit movies currently being made here). This little capital will be front-and-centre on the world stage in 2011 when New Zealand hosts the Rugby World Cup.

5. Valencia

Valencia sits coquettishly and again confidently along Spain’s Mediterranean coast. For centuries, it was overshadowed by larger Spanish cities – hard-nosed, commercially-minded Barcelona and Madrid, the nation’s capital. Not any more. While retaining its provincial charm, Spain’s third city now mixes with the international crowd. Host of a couple of America’s Cup yachting jamborees and an annual street circuit Formula 1 motor race, it’s also European Capital of Sport for 2011 and a favourite destination for conferences and congresses. Valencia enjoyed its golden age two full centuries before the rest of Spain.

6. Iquitos

After days forging by boat along rainforest-fringed rivers, Iquitos, mighty megalopolis of the Peruvian Amazon, comes as a shock to the system. Pulsating with life, the city’s latest boom is tourism: visitors may flock to reconnoitre the rainforest but taking time to imbibe Iquitos itself is imperative too. This is a sultry slice of Amazon life: Brazilian, Colombian, indigenous and expat. Clubs bounce to salsa and rock until the early hours with the vigour you’d expect of Peru’s jungle capital, but Iquitos is also a cultural hub: expect works by Peru’s top artists, opulent rubber-boom mansions and a museum on Amazon ethnography for starters. As a trading post for rainforest tribes, market mayhem and riverboat bustle are part of the package, all conspiring to fill the city with an addictive, round-the-clock energy.

7. Ghent

Here’s a secret within a secret: Ghent might just be the best European city you’ve never thought of visiting, in a country that continues to be criminally overlooked. Ghent hides away in the middle of Belgium’s big three – Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp. Most Belgium-bound visitors rushing between these see nothing more than the stately fortifications of Ghent’s St Pieter’s Station. Those who do hop off the train and stroll along the Leie River to the historic centre will have their eyes out on stalks. Here hides one of Europe’s finest panoramas of water, spires and centuries-old grand houses. But this is no place to simply kick back: Ghent has one of Europe’s most dynamic festival scenes, which vies for visitors’ attention. This year the entire centre will emerge from a major program of rebuilding designed to show off the huge pedestrianised squares.

8. Delhi

The great metropolis of Delhi, encompassing Old and New Delhi and sprawling out for miles, has not looked this smart and sparkling in centuries. Huge preparations for the Commonwealth Games, which took place in October 2010, improved the city’s infrastructure, cleaned up its streets and added to its accommodation options. Aside from, of course, a bounty of new or improved sporting facilities, there’s the marvellous artery of the Metro – an underground transport system that’s a futuristic, egalitarian world away from the sometimes chaotic, class-ridden situation above ground. This year marks 100 years since New Delhi was founded in 1911. At least eight cities are known to have been founded on this spot. The commemoration of this anniversary is sure to be a colourful and lively affair.

9. Newcastle

Is it Australia’s most underrated city? Anyone surprised to see Newcastle on the list of 2011′s hottest cities (and there’s a few of you, right?) probably hasn’t pulled in off the Pacific Highway, or at least not for a while. Newcastle flies under the radar of Aussies and international travellers in part because it’s overshadowed by its bigger, bolder and better-known sibling, Sydney, 150km south. But, at around one-tenth the size, Australia’s second-oldest city has Sydney-like assets: surf beaches, a sun-drenched subtropical climate, and diverse dining, nightlife and arts. Not only is Newcastle ideally located just two hours by road or rail or 30 minutes by plane or seaplane from Sydney, it’s less than an hour’s drive west to the Hunter Valley wineries, south to sailboat-filled Lake Macquarie, north to whale-watching and sharkfeeding at Port Stephens and to sandboarding at Stockton Beach (the southern end of the 32km-long beach is a five-minute ferry ride across Newcastle’s harbour).

10. Chiang Mai

If Chiang Mai were a person, it would be Bob Dylan. With a history dating back further than anyone can remember, its influence remains enormous. And despite its great age, there’s still a bohemian chic that makes it as relevant and hip as ever. Culture capital of Thailand, Chiang Mai was once the heart of the Lanna kingdom. Today those wanting to flee the bustle of Bangkok visit to lounge in coffee shops and drink in the city’s artisanal atmosphere. With a friendly, cosmopolitan feel, this is one easy, safe and pleasant place to explore. There are dozens of well-preserved temples here, too. Many new ecotours and adventure trips are appearing, and with a choice of river rafting, elephant rides, trekking and off-road cycling, even the biggest adrenaline junkie will be sated.

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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 it

Tango 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 consider them authentic – though this doesn’t necessarily make them bad. Modest shows are more intimate and cost far less, but you won’t get the same level of visual punch. For free (that is, donation) tango in Buenos Aires, head to Galerías Pacíficos for daily street performances; Sundays in San Telmo, dancers do their thing in Plaza Dorrego (but it’s crowded, so watch your bag). Another good bet is weekends on Caminito in La Boca.

Hear it

Dive into tango through the music of the genre’s most legendary performer, singerCarlos Gardel (1887–1935). Violinist Juan D’Arienzo‘s orchestra reigned over tango throughout the 1930s and into the 1940s. Osvaldo Pugliese and Hector Varela are important bandleaders from the 1940s, but the real giant of the era was bandoneón(an accordion-like instrument) player Aníbal Troilo. Modern tango is largely dominated by the work of bandoneón maestro Astor Piazzolla who paved the way for the tango fusion of the 1970s and continues to this day with tango electrónica groups such asBajofondo Tango Club.

Learn it

Tango classes are available just about everywhere, from youth hostels and cultural centres to all the milongas. With so many foreigners flooding BA to learn the dance, many instructors now teach in English. Milongas are very affordable and start in either the afternoon or evening. For a unique outdoor experience, head to the bandstand at the Barrancas de Belgrano, where the casual milonga ‘La Glorieta’ takes place on Sunday evenings at around 8pm (free tango lessons given earlier).

The etiquette

Tango is a serious business. At an established milonga choosing a partner involves many hidden codes, rules and signals. After all, no serious milonguera (female regular) wants to have someone stepping on her toes. Ideally, you should sit with easy access to the floor. Couples sit further back. If a man arrives with a woman, she is ‘his’. To dance with others, they either arrive separately, or the man may ask another woman, and then ‘his’ partner is open for asking.

The cabezazo – the quick nod, eye contact and uplifted eyebrows that signals a man would like to dance – can happen from across the room. The woman either nods yes and the man escorts her to the floor, or she pretends not to have noticed. It’s polite to dance at least two songs; if you are given a curt ‘gracias’ after one, consider that partner is unavailable for the night. If you don’t want to dance with anyone, don’t look around too much – you could be breaking hearts.

Get started – Buenos Aires’ best tango halls

Confitería Ideal – The mother of all historic tango halls, with many classes and milongas. Live orchestras often accompany dancers.

El Beso – A traditional, popular upstairs place that attracts some very good dancers. It’s got a good feel and a convenient bar as you enter.

Gricel – This old classic (far from the centre, take a taxi) is open on weekends, attracting an older, well-dressed crowd.

La Catedral – Tango goes hip in this grungy warehouse, with art on the walls and jeans on the dancers.

La Marshall – Best known for ‘Tango Queer’, its gay tango night on Tuesdays. Classes at 10pm, milonga starts at 11:30pm.

La Viruta – Located in the basement of the Asociación Cultural Armenia building. Good beginner tango classes available.

Niño Bien – Beautiful atmosphere, large ballroom and good dance floor. Gets very crowded so come early and dress well. (It’s far from the centre – take a taxi.)

Salon Canning – Some of BA’s finest dancers grace this traditional venue. Well-known tango company Parakultural often stages good events here.

Sin Rumbo – One of the oldest tango joints in BA. Local neighborhood place that attracts older professionals. Far from the centre in Villa Urquiza; take a taxi.

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The best countries for food

Food and travel go together like planes and airports. No matter where you go you’ll have little trouble finding at least one culinary experience that will help you understand the local culture. In some countries the food is the highlight, drawing many a foodie to its borders, like a moth to a flame. Here are 11 countries (in no particular order) that your taste buds will thank you for visiting.

1. Thailand

Image by jaaron

Standing at the crossroads of India, China and Oceania, Thai cuisine is like a best-of of all three’s techniques and ingredients. Dishes generally go in hard with garlic and chillies (especially the phrik khii nuu variety, which literally translates as ‘mouseshit peppers’). Other signature ingredients include lime juice, coriander and lemon grass, which give the cuisine its characteristic tang. Legendary fish sauce or shrimp paste looks after the salt.

2. Greece

Image by Klearchos Kapoutsis

From olives to octopus, the true taste of Greece depends on fresh, unadulterated staples. Masking or complicating original flavours is not the done thing, especially when you’re dealing with oven-fresh bread, rosy tomatoes and fish fresh from the Mediterranean. The midday meal is the main event with a procession of goodies brought to the table as they’re ready. With Wednesday and Friday traditionally reserved as fast days (ie no-meat days), vegetarians are also looked after.

3. China

From back-alley dumpling shops to four-star banquet halls, China has one of the world’s finest palates. Cultural precepts of Yin and Yang (balance and harmony) are evident in the bowl: with food for the day including cooling foods such as vegetables and fruit to counter warming spices and meat. The Chinese revere rice but also choose noodles, with either almost always accompanying a meal. A range of regional specialities exist, variously influenced by geography and history.

4. France

Image by Sunfox

From cheese and champagne to snails and baguettes, the French are famous for their foodstuffs. French cuisine has long distinguished itself for dallying with a great variety of foods. Each region’s distinct climate and geography have influenced the array of regional specialities. Many in France consider lunch as the day’s main meal, though the two hour marathon meal is increasingly rare. The crowning meal is a fully fledged home-cooked dinner comprising six distinct plats (courses).

5. Spain

Image by scaredy_kat

Best in Barcelona, Catalan cooking is racking up the accolades from gourmands around the globe. Like other regional Spanish cuisines, Catalan cooking favours spices such as saffron and cumin, as well as honeyed sweets. A mixture of ingredients and traditions adds flair to Barcelona’s fare: using seafood and meats in a rich array of sauces. Dinner is the main event, but never before 9pm.

6. Mexico

Image by chargrillkiller

Would you like some magic-realism with that enchilada? The Mexican sensibility for enchanting influences is also brought to the table in its food, particularly during celebrations. Mexican cuisine has an overriding Spanish influence, with a twist of French and African thanks to its history. Corn and bean-based dishes are prominent – prepared in a multitude of world renowned ways including tacos, enchiladas andquesadillas. And who could forget the worm that waits at the bottom of a bottle ofMezcal?

7. Italy

Image by Allerina and Glen MacLarty

Its food is arguably Italy‘s most famous export, and it’s with good reason that the world wants it. Despite all the variations that exist between regions, some common staples bind the country’s culinary creations. Think thin-crust pizza and al dente pastasand risottos. And to drink? One word: coffee. The Italians do it best – from perfecting a distinguished roast to the gentle extraction of its essence into the cup. Perfecto!

8. India

Image by maintenancepic

India’s protean gastronomy changes shape as you move between neighbourhoods, towns and states. The basis of all meals is rice in the south, and roti in the north. These are generally partnered with dhal, vegetables and chutney. Fish or meat may also be added. Whatever the ingredients: the dish usually contains a heady cast of exotic spices that make the taste buds stand up and take notice.

9. Japan

Image by jetalone

If you can wrap your tongue around pronouncing the menu, Japan’s cuisine is a most rewarding mouthful. Most Japanese restaurants concentrate on a specialty cuisine, such as yakitori (skewers of grilled chicken or veg), sushi and sashimi (raw fish),tempura (lightly battered and fried ingredients) and ramen noodle bars. The pinnacle of Japanese cooking, kaiseki (derived as an adjunct to the tea ceremony), combines ingredients, preparation, setting and ceremony over several small courses to distinguish the gentle art of eating.

10. Indonesia & Malaysia

Image by paularps

Indonesian and Malaysian cuisines are one big food swap: Chinese, Portuguese, Indian, colonists and traders have all influenced their ingredients and culinary concepts. They are nations well represented by their food. The abundance of rice is characteristic of the region’s fertile terraced landscape, the spices are reminiscent of a time of trade and invasion (the Spice Islands), and fiery chilli echoes the people’s passion. Indonesian and Malaysian cooking is not complex, and tastes here stay separate, simple and substantial.

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40 free attractions in New York City

Seeing the bulk of New York City’s biggest attractions can mean spending a hefty chunk of a trip’s budget on tickets. Empire State Building? $20. The Met? $20. The Guggenheim and Whitney go for $18 each. Even the Frick is $15. But there’s a lifetime of fun to be had without ever handing over a cent, and not just by taking on park trails, bike paths or window browsing. (Plus some ticket-admission spots have free times too – see the end of the post.)

Free New York travelers, get busy!

1. African Burial Ground

One of Lower Manhattan’s most fascinating, and controversial, stories of recent years circulates around the new African Burial Ground National Monument site. It began when a construction project in 1991 uncovered a burial ground of slaves – more than 400 caskets were found – from an age when New York had more slaves than any American city outside Charleston, South Carolina. Outside you can see part of the site now enveloped by buildings, and the compact visitors center does a masterful job at retelling African-American history in the city. See our 76-Second Travel Show episodeon the museum’s opening. 290 Broadway between Duane & Elk Sts, Lower Manhattan.

2. Brooklyn Brewery tours

Free Saturday tours of Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Brewery run half an hour from 1-4pm.79 N 11th St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

3. Central Park

It doesn’t take brilliant travel minds to tell you that a park is free to visit – most parks are. But most parks aren’t Central Park, Manhattan’s famed claim to thinking ahead (even if it was designed in the 1860s to boost real-estate value uptown). It’s filled with free events, statues, people-watching and sites like Strawberry Fields, an ‘Imagine’ mosaic near the Dakota, where John Lennon was killed in 1980. Another site is ‘the Pond,’ at the southeastern corner, where Holden Caulfield kept turning to in ‘The Catcher in the Rye,’ wondering where those ducks go when it’s cold. (For the answer,watch this video.) Uptown.

4. Chelsea galleries

New York’s most concentrated area for a gallery crawl is in Chelsea, mostly in the 20s Streets between 10th and 11th Avenues. Check Gallery Guide orwestchelseaarts.com for listings. All are free, no pressure to buy. And try timing for wine-and-cheese openings on Thursday evenings.

5. City Hall

Home to New York City’s government since 1812, City Hall tours take in its cupola-topped marble hall, the governor’s room as well as the spot where Abraham Lincoln’s coffin lay in state briefly in 1865. Tours must be reserved in advance. City Hall Park, facing the Brooklyn Bridge, Lower Manhattan.

6. Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Museum

It’s always Fashion Week in the FIT Museum, which features rotating exhibits by students and a surprisingly interesting and detailed collection of the country’s first gallery of fashion, picked from a collection of 50,000 garments dating from the 18th century to present. Seventh Ave & 27th St, Garment District, Midtown West.

7. Federal Hall

Two presidents were inaugurated in New York City, beginning with the first ‘Dubya’, George Washington, who took the oath in Federal Hall in 1789, back when New York was the first capital. (Chester A Arthur was the second.) There’s a nice statue outside, overlooking the New York Stock Exchange across Wall Street, and a small, recently renovated museum on post-colonial New York inside. 26 Wall St, Lower Manhattan.

8. Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Reserve at least a week ahead (sometimes a month!) to visit the Federal Reserve Bank, most rewarding just to ogle the facility’s high-security vault – useful considering more than 10,000 tons of gold reserves reside here, 80ft below ground. There’s also exhibits on counterfeit currency as well as a serious coin collection of the American Numismatic Society. A tour’s the only way to get in. 33 Liberty St, Lower Manhattan.

9. Forbes Collection

The lobby galleries of Forbes magazine have some various curios from the lateMalcolm Forbes’ collection, most notably early versions of Monopoly boards. (Or watch our tour of Monopoly sites around the properties’ namesakes at Atlantic City, New Jersey.) 62 Fifth Ave at 12th St, Greenwich Village.

10. General Ulysses S Grant National Memorial (aka ‘Grant’s Tomb’)

Also called ‘Grant’s Tomb’, the $600,000 granite structure that holds the remains of the Civil War hero and 18th president (and his wife Julia) is the largest mausoleum in the US, and is patterned after Mausolus’ tomb at Halicarnassus, making it a plagiarized version of one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Riverside Dr at 122nd St, Morningside Heights.

11. Governor’s Island

The ferry to Governor’s Island is free, as is access to the 172-acre island which opened to the public only in 2003. There’s a 2.2-mile bike path, mini golf, a picnic area, plus military sites such as Admiral’s House and a ‘ghost town’ of sorts at Nolan Park. Ferries leave from Battery Maritime Bldg, Slip 7, Lower Manhattan.

12. Grand Central Partnership Walking Tours

Two historians lead free 90-minute walking tours at 12:30pm every Friday, hitting places like Grand Central Terminal’s ‘whispering gallery’ and the Chrysler Building.120 Park Ave, at 42nd St, Midtown East.

13. Green-Wood Cemetery

Once the nation’s most visited tourist attraction outside Niagara Falls, the gorgeousGreen-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838 and is the eternal home to some 600,000 people (or about 530 miles of bodies, head to toe). It’s leafy and lovely, features Brooklyn’s highest point at Battle Hill, a site from the Revolutionary War, now marked with a seven-foot statue of the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva. Watch for the squawking green parakeets at the cemetery’s Gothic entry — these are runaways from a JFK mishap in 1980 and have lived here since. 500 25th St, Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

14. Hamilton Grange

You know you’re important when you get a grange. This one, Hamilton Grange, to reopen in 2011 after renovation, is the Federal-style country retreat where Alexander Hamilton spent quieter, pre-death-by-duel New York days. St Nicholas Park at 141st St, Hamilton Heights.

15. High Line

It’s a park, so it should be free, but the expanding High Line project has the impact and feel of an real-live attraction, complete with its own opening hours. Created from an abandoned stretch of elevated railroad track, the native-inspired landscaping of this park 30 feet in the air connects the Meatpacking District with Chelsea’s galleries (another great free institution). There’s wonderful Hudson River views, or of pedestrians on the sidewalks below. Watch for public-art installations and events.Gansevoort Street to 20th St (currently), between 9th & 11th Aves, Chelsea.

16. Hispanic Society of America Museum & Library

The largest collection of Spanish art outside Spain fills the ornate Beaux Arts space of the Hispanic Society of America Museum & Library on the serene Audobon Terrace in far north Manhattan. Broadway & 155th St, Washington Heights.

17. Japan Society

The films and lectures usually involve a ticket, but the gallery exhibits at the Japan Society (focusing on Japanese art) are always free. 333 E 47 St, between First & Second Aves, Midtown East.

18. National Museum of the American Indian

This Smithsonian ex-pat, just off the historic Bowling Green and Battery Park, is neighbors to frenetic commuters and tourists heading to the Statue of Liberty but often gets missed. Situation in the spectacular former US Customs House (1907), theNational Museum of the American Indian is actually one of the country’s finest collections of Native American art. The focus is on culture, not history, and does so with many of its million-plus items. There’s also many programs. 1 Bowling Green, Lower Manhattan.

19. New York Earth Room

Now for something completely different: the Earth Room, Walter De Maria’s 1977 art installation, a single room filled with 280,000 pounds of dirt, combines the framework of an ordinary office with the scent of a wet forest. 141 Wooster St, SoHo

20. New York Public Library

Remember the Dewey Decimal System? The New York Public Library, New York’s most famous library (aka the Stephen A Schwarzman Building), which turns 100 in 2011, is situated in a grand Beaux Arts icon east of Times Square. It’s fronted by marble lions named ‘Patience’ and ‘Fortitude,’ and is just a jaw-dropper to walk through, particularly the reading room fit for 500 patrons reading with the aid of the library’s original Carre-and-Hastings lamps. There’s exhibits too, including a copy of the original Declaration of Independence, a Gutenburg Bible, plus 431,000 old maps. There are free tours at 11am and 2pm Monday to Saturday, 2pm Sunday. Fifth Ave at 42nd St, Midtown East.

21. Old Stone House

A Breuckelen legacy from Brooklyn’s Dutch origins, and a survivor from the ill-fated Battle of Brooklyn, this Old Stone House features a small exhibit on the battle. Its upstairs is sometimes rented out for the likes of sample sales. Fifth Ave, btwn 3th & 4th Sts, Park Slope, Brooklyn.

22. Public boathouse kayaking

Kayak for free from public boathouses such as the Downtown Boathouse and Long Island Community Boathouse in Queens.

23. Rockefeller Center Public Art

Built in the 1930s Great Depression, the 22-acre Rockefeller Center is more than the setting for NBC’s Today Shows (lines appear by 6am often) and a giant Christmas tree in December (not to mention to $19 NBC tours or $21 trips to the observatory deck!). But do pop by to see the slew of art commissioned under the theme of ‘Man at the Crossroads Looks Uncertainly But Hopefully at the Future.’ A bit wordy, but the pieces pack a big punch, such as the statue of Promethus overlooking the skating rink, or Atlas holding the world at 630 Fifth Ave. Jose Maria Sert’s murals in the (main) GE Building used the likes of Abe Lincoln to replace the original ‘communist imagery’ (eg Vladimir Lenin) by a snubbed, outraged Diego Rivera. Between Fifth & Sixth Aves, around 49th & 50th Sts, Midtown.

24. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

Part of the city’s library system, the country’s largest collection of documents, books, recordings and photographs related to the African-American experience, theSchomburg Center also hosts free exhibits. 515 Malcolm X Blvd at 135th St, Harlem.

25. Socrates Sculpture Park

On the East River, overlooking Roosevelt Island and the Upper East Side, theSocrates Sculpture Park, a former dump site, now has interesting art installations, light shows and movies on Wednesdays in summer. Broadway at Vernon Blvd, Astoria, Queens.

26. Staten Island Ferry

Everyone wants to see the Statue of Liberty. Ferry tours there start at $12. But theStaten Island Ferry for commuters, cutting across the New York Harbor, is absolutely free and has long held the distinction as the single greatest free attraction on the Eastern Seaboard. Around since 1905, the ferry carries 19 million across the harbor each year. Technically for transport in between Staten Island and Manhattan, most visitors simply hop back on to get back to New York. It never gets old. East end of Battery Park, Lower Manhattan.

FREE ATTRACTIONS AT SCHEDULED TIMES:

27. American Museum of Natural History
Free its last hour (4:45-5:45pm). Central Park West & 79th St, Upper West Side.

28. Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Free Tuesday, and 10am to noon Saturday. Eastern Parkway at Washington Ave, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

29. Brooklyn Museum
Free first Saturday of the month, when there’s big wine-sipping, DJ parties that draw half the neighborhood. 200 Eastern Parkway, at Washington Ave, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

30. Bronx Zoo
Pay what you wish on Wednesday. 2300 Southern Blvd, The Bronx.

31. El Museo del Barrio
Free the third Saturday of the month. 1230 Fifth Ave between 104th & 105th Sts, Spanish Harlem.

32. Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum
Pay what you wish, first Friday of the month. 9-01 33rd Rd, Astoria, Queens.

33. Museum of Modern Art
Entry is free 4-8pm on Friday. Gets busy. 11 W 53rd St, between Fifth & Sixth Aves, Midtown West.

34. Museum of the Moving Image
Free 4-8pm Friday. 35th Ave, at 36th St, Astoria, Queens.

35. Neue Galerie
Free 6-8pm the first Friday of the month. 1048 Fifth Ave at 86th St, Upper East Side.

36. New York Botanical Garden
Free Wednesday, 10am to noon Saturday. Bronx River Pkwy & Fordham Rd, The Bronx.

37. New York Historical Society
Pay what you wish, 6-8pm Friday. 2 W 77th St at Central Park West, Upper West Side.

38. South Street Seaport Museum
Free the third Friday of every month. 207 Front St, Lower Manhattan.

39. Studio Museum in Harlem
Free on Sunday. 144 W 125th St at Adam Clayton Powell Blvd, Harlem.

40. Wave Hill
Free 9am to noon Tuesday and Saturday. W 249th St at Independence Ave, Riverdale, The Bronx.

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