Nine of the world’s most unforgettable train trips

A nostalgic train ride through Portugal The Vouga Historical Train offers a quaint ride through the rolling hillsides of Portugal’s Vouga Valley on a 1964 Basque Railway diesel locomotive, the country’s only remaining narrow-gauge railway. The colourful wooden carriages – painted in glossy red, hunter green and royal blue, with mint green interiors and varnished […]

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Visa-free travel helps drive tourism in China and Kazakhstan

Border port cities in northwest China’s Xinjiang have seen a boom in cross-border tourism propelled by a visa-free agreement between China and Kazakhstan, in effect since November 2023. “This summer, I made two trips to Alakol Lake in Kazakhstan,” said Tao Qin, from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Lake swimming and mud bath are among the attractions […]

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World Tourism Day 2025: History, significance and all you need to know

World Tourism Day is observed every year on September 27, established by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in 1980 to raise awareness of tourism’s role in global development. The date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the UNWTO Statutes in 1970, a milestone in shaping international tourism. Over decades, the day has […]

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Europe’s best ski destinations for 2026 – The Irish Times

“It was overwhelming coming to Europe and seeing the number of options there are when it comes to resorts,” says New Zealander and avid skier Beks Lockie, who now lives in London. “The North Island of New Zealand has one mountain that has two sides to it, so you’re on one side or the other. […]

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