Life

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — Kate Moss’s beach bag is not like ours — the supermodel was photographed on Wednesday in a bikini in Formentera, Spain, carrying a brown leather Hermès Kelly. Worth some tens of thousands of dollars, it was presumably full of her summer essentials. But while most celebrities who tote around

CNN By Marnie Hunter, CNN (CNN) — Amtrak’s NextGen Acela highspeed trains are set to debut this month after years of delays. New faster Acela trains will begin revenue service on August 28 along the Northeast Corridor between Washington, New York and Boston, Amtrak announced on Thursday. “In just a few weeks, history will be

By Marnie Hunter, CNN (CNN) — Amtrak’s NextGen Acela highspeed trains are set to debut this month after years of delays. New faster Acela trains will begin revenue service on August 28 along the Northeast Corridor between Washington, New York and Boston, Amtrak announced on Thursday. “In just a few weeks, history will be made

Joe Yogerst, CNN Island getaways have long captured our imagination. South Pacific landfalls with coral reefs and tropical beaches, European isles bristling with medieval castles, a remote cabin in the woods on a lake island — the choices seem almost unlimited. But we’re not alone in our attraction to these idyllic escapes. Many of the

By Danny Freeman, CNN (CNN) — From anchors aweigh to funnels ashore. As the historic SS United States gets ready to be converted into the world’s largest artificial reef off the coast of Florida, a new plan for an accompanying museum is coming into focus — preserving its iconic massive funnels. The two six-story-high towering

By Nimi Princewill, Larry Madowo, CNN (CNN) — Tourists and business travelers from Zambia and Malawi must pay a deposit of up to $15,000 when seeking a US visa, the State Department has announced, in a move likened to a visa ban for the African nations, which rank among the world’s poorest. Payment of the

By Haicen Yang and Hassan Tayir, CNN (CNN) — When visiting Chongqing for the first time last November, Joshua Guvi was worried that the city he’d seen on social media couldn’t possibly be as cool in real life. Located in a mountainous area of southwestern China, this sprawling metropolis is known for its complex, multilayered

By Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN (CNN) — A British hiker who had to be airlifted to safety after he ignored signs and crossed warning barriers in the Italian Dolomites is paying a high price for his rescue. The 60-year-old, whose name has not been made public, was given a bill for €14,225 ($16,400) to pay

By Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN Taichung, Taiwan (CNN) — There are more than 3,000 restaurants in the world with at least one Michelin star. Only one of them is dedicated solely to ice cream, and you’ll have to travel to Taiwan to experience it. Located in an alley in the city of Taichung, next to

By Kati Chitrakorn, CNN (CNN) — After years of renovations, Dior has re-opened the doors to its flagship store in New York City. And unlike its other global boutiques, this one houses its first permanent spa. Located on the corner of East 57th Street and Madison Avenue, Dior’s revamped space is designed by architect Peter

By Kati Chitrakorn, CNN (CNN) — In the fashion industry, where styles are cyclical and the same trends are repeatedly served up in TikTok and Instagram feeds, coming up with a unique and identifiable look is no small feat. Yet, it’s what Danish fashion designer Cecilie Bahnsen has achieved, with puffy sleeves, lace-up details, organza

By Julia Buckley, CNN (CNN) — As a travel journalist, Claire Dodd has checked into five-star hotels and set sail on butler-staffed cruises. But when she books her own vacations, she goes for something decidedly more low key: Jet2 Holidays, the British budget tour operator she declares “a fricking delight.” “They’re so nice to deal

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — Behind the elegant but unassuming entryway to an apartment near London’s Hyde Park, one of Europe’s most prominent collectors has amassed a remarkable trove of Surrealist and postwar art in a home bursting with color and eclectic design. Now in her 80s, Pauline Karpidas is selling nearly all of

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In our travel roundup this week: the luxury death trap that was the world’s first passenger plane, a forgotten but beautiful Bauhaus airport, and the rising cost of travel entry fees. Europe’s new travel fee will launch next year The must-have travel accessory du jour is a big fat

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — Over two decades have passed since the release of Disney’s comedy film “Freaky Friday,” but at the sequel’s premiere in London on Thursday, it seemed like no time at all. Chemistry abound between Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan — who are reprising their roles as mother Tess Coleman

By Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN (CNN) — If Carlo Zanella, president of the Alto Adige Alpine Club, had his way, travel influencers would be banned from the Dolomites. He blames them for the latest Italian social media trend, which has lured hundreds of thousands of tourists to the mountain range in northern Italy, with many

By Kati Chitrakorn, CNN (CNN) — American Vogue’s August 2025 issue has been making headlines — and not only for its cover featuring actor Anne Hathaway, who is back in the limelight as she films “The Devil Wears Prada” sequel. What has drawn much — if not more — attention can be found in the

By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN (CNN) — Riding along the busy, narrow roads of Bali on her scooter with the sun illuminating her face, Victoria Kjos has a clear destination in sight — the beach. The 71-year-old American, who relocated to the Indonesian destination in 2022, is a regular fixture on the sands of Sanur, which

By Joe Yogerst, CNN (CNN) — When the Turkmenistan government announced new streamlined visa regulations in April, people familiar with traveling to the Central Asian nation were unsure what to make of it. Not that there are many such experts — along with North Korea and Eritrea, Turkmenistan has long been considered one of the

By Matt Rehbein, Hanna Park, Martin Goillandeau, Lauren Mascarenhas, Mike Figliola, Mary Gilbert, CNN (CNN) — Some passengers were terrified, convinced the plane was going down. One seasoned traveler said it was the roughest flight he’d ever taken. A woman on board felt like she was experiencing an earthquake. Severe turbulence struck a Delta flight

By Catherine Nicholls, CNN London (CNN) — Outgoing flights from United Kingdom airports were disrupted by air traffic control technical problems on Wednesday, according to several airports. Airports across Britain – including Edinburgh Airport in Scotland, Newcastle Airport in north England, and Gatwick Airport in London – posted to X that flights from their transport

By Oscar Holland, CNN (CNN) — About two years ago, celebrity cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank noticed a new type of patient arriving at his New York practice. Amid an explosion in the number of Americans losing weight with drugs like Ozempic, he saw a “dramatic spike” in clients experiencing unwelcome side effects. “Although

Story by Barry Neild, video by Max Burnell, CNN De Havilland Aircraft Museum, England (CNN) — Today, jet-powered plane travel is easy to take for granted. We’re used to that surge of speed along the runway that pins us to our seats, those moments when we burst through ominous clouds into bright blue skies, and

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — This is not your grandmother’s nightgown. Or maybe it is. The same style of sleepwear that was once strictly relegated to bedrooms and boudoirs has now become the summer dress of the year. Reformation’s Holly Sleep Dress ($128), a floaty mini dress with a scrunched 1950s-style neckline with scalloped

By Francesca Street, CNN (CNN) — On a recent transatlantic flight from Florida to London Heathrow, married flight attendants Hunter Smith-Lihas and John Lihas locked eyes across the aisle. The two men smiled at each other, before swiftly returning to serving champagne to first class travelers. This shared smile was fleeting, but spoke volumes. And

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — A French resort town has introduced fines for people found to be walking around topless or in their swimsuits anywhere other than on the beach. Authorities in Les Sables d’Olonne, located in the Vendée region on France’s Atlantic coast, have announced fines of up to 150 euros ($175) for

By Maureen O’Hare (CNN) – In our latest roundup of travel news: a new unwelcome American visa fee, how airlines fight the “scourge” of excess baggage, plus a guide to packing everything you need in a backpack. Ryanair wants to ‘eliminate the scourge’ of excess baggage Michael O’Leary, the famously outspoken CEO of Europe’s biggest

By Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Venice (CNN) — The abandoned Venetian island of Poveglia — site of a plague pit and former asylum — is about to take on a happier new identity. On August 1, a group of Venetians will take possession of the supposedly haunted island under a 99-year lease from the Italian

By Francesca Street, CNN (CNN) — It’s a sticky, boiling hot day in Paris, London, Rome, Athens or any other heatwave-stricken European destination. You flop down in a cafe after a morning spent on your feet. You order a refreshing cold drink. The beverage arrives and it’s lukewarm. No ice cubes to be seen. You

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — The artist Amy Sherald has canceled a major exhibition of her work at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, citing censorship over one of her paintings depicting the Statue of Liberty modeled after a transgender artist. Sherald, who reached national fame for her official portrait of Michelle Obama in 2018,

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — They were once worn by athletes to win Olympic track races in the 1970s. Now, slim, low-profile sneakers are more often seen on the style set than in the context of 5,000-meter sprints. Harry Styles has several pairs of the oft-sold out Dries Van Noten’s panelled leather and suede

By Hilary Whiteman, CNN Brisbane, Australia (CNN) — Five Australian women have won the right to sue Qatar Airways for forcing them to undergo invasive physical examinations on a Doha airport tarmac in 2020 after a federal court upheld their appeal. The women, whose identities remain confidential, were among dozens of female passengers removed from

By Rhea Mogul and Aishwarya S. Iyer, CNN (CNN) — They are the two most populous countries in the world and neighbors clamoring for more tourists, but for much of the last five years it has been difficult for Indian and Chinese nationals to vacation in each other’s nations. Now that looks set to finally

By Rhea Mogul and Alysha Bibi, CNN (CNN) — When Prada sent several pairs of brown sandals with distinctive toe rings and intricate stitching down its menswear runway in Milan last month, observers were quick to point out their resemblance to a centuries-old piece of Indian heritage. The storied Italian fashion house may have presented

By Oscar Holland, CNN Singapore (CNN) — Waterlogged parks, submerged underpasses and streets engulfed by knee-deep water — low-lying Singapore is no stranger to what experts call “nuisance flooding,” which, though burdensome, poses no major threat to people or property. But in a tiny island nation that prides itself on long-term planning, the recent deluges

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — The United States is on the brink of dropping out of the top 10 ranking of the world’s most powerful passports. In the latest quarterly update of the Henley Passport Index, created by the London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners, the US — which held

By Alexander Rodway, CNN (CNN) — Over lunch of grilled shabout, or freshwater carp, at one of Halfeti’s floating restaurants, visitors might ponder what life was once like on the old streets, now abandoned several feet below the surface of the water. Halfeti is one of several settlements in the Şanlıurfa Province of southeastern Turkey

By Suyin Haynes, CNN (CNN) — While a British summer is never a guarantee of hot weather, there’s one thing you can be sure of: Brits will be going to the beach. For centuries, and in all kinds of weather, the British have licked ice creams, strolled piers and dropped coins in arcade games at

By Marnie Hunter, CNN (CNN) — The United States will require international visitors to pay a new “visa integrity fee” of at least $250, added to existing visa costs, according to a provision in the Trump administration’s recently enacted domestic policy bill. The fee will apply to all visitors who are required to obtain nonimmigrant

By Marnie Hunter, CNN (CNN) — The end of an era is official for Southwest Airlines passengers. On Monday, the airline announced a start date for its new assigned seating, which will bring the airline’s longstanding open-seat boarding tradition to an end. For flights beginning on January 27, 2026, passengers will have options for seat

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — Barcelona’s cruise-ship port is to close two of its terminals, as part of efforts to fight the city’s overtourism problem. The closure, which will bring the number of operational terminals down to to five when it takes effect next year, is part of an agreement with Barcelona’s city council,

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — While evolving bridal fashion trends have made suits, bright colors and shorter hemlines more common, the image of a demure, virgin-like woman in princess gown is still ubiquitous in western culture. But on Saturday, musician Charli XCX proved that going against bridal tradition isn’t simply a matter of style,

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s artwork featuring a fresh banana taped to a wall has been eaten by a visitor to a museum in France. The piece, titled “Comedian,” was eaten by a gallery-goer at the Centre-Pompidou Metz in eastern France on July 12, according to a statement from the

By Francesca Street, CNN (CNN) — Vickie Moretz had never left the southern United States, let alone traveled abroad. The prospect of flying across the Atlantic was equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. It was February 1982. Vickie was 22, a recent graduate from the University of Tennessee, en route to London to participate in a

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In our latest roundup of travel news: the librarian who ran off with the yacht captain, what Disneyland used to look like, plus the best summer fare — from salads to ice cream to hot-weather drinks. Summer food and drink If salad for you is just lettuce and tomatoes

By Jeanne Bonner, CNN (CNN) – More than 130 cruise ship passengers reported suffering from a gastrointestinal disease after setting sail from Los Angeles on July 4. The cause of the outbreak has not been determined. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 134 passengers on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas —

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — “Rosebud,” the famed wooden sled at the heart of Orson Welles’ classic 1941 movie “Citizen Kane,” has sold at auction for $14.75 million. This was a “remarkable” price for the “iconic prop,” Dallas-based auction house Heritage Auctions said in a statement published Wednesday. Prior to the sale, the sled

By Griffin Shea, CNN (CNN) — After decades largely cut off from the world, Angola’s natural wonders are again ready for discovery. The southern African country is twice the size of Texas, and the roads and accommodation that will allow more tourists to explore the interior are just getting into place. But even a short

By Megan Williams, CNN (CNN) — Visitors to European galleries with an interest in pioneering women artists will have plenty of choice this summer, with a series of new exhibitions featuring some of the biggest names in 20th century art. Fantastical sculptures and dreamlike drawings by the late French artist Louise Bourgeois, famed for her

By Alexandra Skores, CNN Washington (CNN) — The Department of Homeland Security announced an expansion of Transportation Security Administration checkpoints for families traveling with children and military members on Thursday. TSA will add a dedicated family lane at security checkpoints under a program called “Families on the Fly,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced at

Story by Jeanne Bonner, CNN | Video by David Yim and Deborah Brunswick, CNN Northampton, Massachusetts (CNN) — A town’s motto can reveal exactly what’s charming about the place, and it’s also shorthand for its unique quirks. Northampton, in western Massachusetts, isn’t the only place in the Bay State to grab a cup of Joe

CNN Jade Walker, CNN The Trump administration has ended the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s specialized service for LGBTQ+ youth. Previously, people who called 988 for help could “press 3” to reach counselors specifically trained to respond to the needs of this community. Since it launched in 2022, the specialized service has received nearly 1.5

By Natasha Chen, CNN Anaheim, California (CNN) — For the first time since Walt Disney’s death in 1966, guests at Disneyland can get a lifelike glimpse of the man who started the first animation studios in California, planting the seed that would grow into an international media and entertainment empire. Disney has recreated its founder

By Will Noble, CNN (CNN) — Fried breakfast. Sunday lunch. Fish and chip supper. Any member of this holy triumvirate might qualify for the title of Britain’s National Dish. Except that Britain’s real signature plate isn’t served on a plate at all, but from a metalized plastic bag. It doesn’t sizzle or boil, but rustles

By Francesca Perry, CNN (CNN) — When the Japanese artist Shimabuku was 31 years old, he took an octopus on a tour of Tokyo. After catching it from the sea with the help of a local fisherman in Akashi, a coastal city over 3 hours away from the Japanese capital by train, he transported the

By Oscar Holland, CNN Singapore (CNN) — With three 650-foot-tall skyscrapers connected across the top by a boat-like skybridge — and an Instagram-famous infinity pool — Marina Bay Sands has given Singapore one of Asia’s most recognizable skylines since opening in 2011. So, when the resort’s original architect was invited to design a new, fourth

By Marnie Hunter, CNN (CNN) — The liquid rule for carry-on bags could be the next airport security measure to be overhauled. Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, hinted at a possible policy change on Wednesday at the Hill Nation Summit hosted by The Hill and NewsNation in Washington. “But I will

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — When Megan Stalter, the leading lady in Lena Dunham’s new Netflix series “Too Much,” arrived on stage at “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” this week, she did so in a calf-length honey blonde wig and a top that declared she was the prettiest girl in America. “It must

By Issy Ronald, CNN (CNN) — An erotic mosaic stolen from Pompeii by a Nazi captain during World War II was finally returned to the ancient site on Tuesday. Featuring a man reclining on a couch being attended to by a scantily clad woman, the small mosaic may have decorated a bedroom floor in a

By Jeremy Harlan, CNN (CNN) — There’s enough culinary stress as it is hosting a dinner party. Getting worked up about wine is unnecessary, some sommeliers say, but there’s no denying that a perfect wine pairing can accentuate the taste and tone of your soirée. A misstep or two, and the night’s notes could turn

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — Even if you have never been to Los Angeles, you may still harbor a subconscious awareness of Studio City Farmers Market. There, amongst the 85 organic produce vendors, did paparazzi first snap Jeremy Allen White back in 2023 straining against the weight of freshly-cut flowers the size of his

By Brad Lendon and Miki Lendon, CNN Kumagaya, Japan (CNN) — Eighty years later, the scars of the last American firebombing of a Japanese city remain — on the skin of a man who still lives mere yards from where hundreds died, on the surface of a statue of a revered Buddhist monk, and in

By Zoe Whitfield, CNN London (CNN) — From bondage styles to safety pinned dresses, daring party frocks are widely considered to be the key protagonists of Gianni Versace’s sartorial legacy. But the late Italian fashion designer was also responsible for some of the most majestic silk shirts of the 1990s, and his close friend Elton

By Lilit Marcus, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — These days, travel between the harbor cities of Hong Kong and Macao takes an hour by high-speed ferry. But from 1948 to 1961, when the two were still colonies of European powers, wealthy tourists could opt for a brief trip by air. Miss Macao was not a

By Alexandra Skores, CNN (CNN) — Bruce Gamble has been flying out of Birmingham, Alabama, since the late 1980s for his job as a consultant for car dealerships. Along the way, he got to know Delta Air Lines employees at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport pretty well, making a point of greeting the customer service agents during

By Olivia Kemp, CNN (CNN) — A German backpacker who survived 12 days lost in Australia’s remote outback has said she is “beyond grateful to have survived.” In her first public statement since being found alive on Friday, 26-year-old Carolina Wilga said she “hit her head significantly” when she crashed her car and became lost

By Leah Dolan, CNN London (CNN) — Lucy Jones painted her first nude self-portrait at 50. She was in New York with her husband Peter Leach, she said, when he “took a picture of my backside. I thought, ‘Well I don’t look too bad from the back, so maybe I’ll paint it!’” Jones is sitting

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: five Americans living in France and loving it, inside the cockpit of a self-landing plane, plus sweaty secrets of the TSA security checkpoints. Keep your cool It’s been a sizzling summer so far in the United States and Europe, but there’s one lesser-known side

By Francesca Perry, CNN (CNN) — “If pollinators designed gardens, what would humans see?” Over a video call, the London-based artist Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg is talking about “Pollinator Pathway,” an online tool she developed that allows users to design gardens for the benefit of pollinating insects, such as bees — many species of which are

By Alice Pfeiffer, CNN Paris (CNN) — After a week’s pause following the men’s fashion shows, celebrities, editors and influencers were back in Paris for Haute Couture — where bespoke collections are shown and eventually sold to the world’s wealthiest customers. The official fall 2025 schedule felt lighter than usual, with absences from major labels

By Lilit Marcus, CNN Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (CNN) — Many American schoolchildren grow up learning that Yellowstone was the world’s first national park. But across the globe in Mongolia, just south of the capital, Ulaanbaatar, a mountain holds a claim to the crown. Like many things in Mongolia, that mountain has a connection to Chinggis Khan

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — Superfans of Lisa Rinna may have spotted The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills breakout star around Paris this week — though her signature honey blonde spiky bob was noticeably absent. Instead, Rinna attended the Haute Couture shows wearing a rotation of wigs, ranging from an inky black bowl-cut worn

CNN By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — Scuffed, scratched and stained, this black leather Birkin bag just sold for €8.6 million ($10 million), with fees, becoming the most expensive handbag to ever sell at auction. The hammer fell at a winning bid of €7 million ($8.2 million). The first ever Birkin to have been created

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — Scuffed, scratched and stained, this black leather Birkin bag just sold for €8.6 million ($10 million), with fees, becoming the most expensive handbag to ever sell at auction. The hammer fell at a winning bid of €7 million ($8.2 million). The first ever Birkin to have been created by

By Fiona Govan, CNN (CNN) — For the past two years, summer in Spain has meant prominent protests against tourism: holidaymakers being drenched by angry locals armed with water pistols in Barcelona and protesters marching under banners proclaiming “Your paradise is our nightmare” in the Balearic Islands regularly make headlines as the saturation of the

By Yumi Asada, Hanako Montgomery and Chris Lau, CNN Shirahama, Japan (CNN) — They came, dressed in black and white, wearing furry hats, and clutching banners and soft toys. With tears in their eyes and sobs in their throats, they waited patiently in line under the scorching sun for one last glimpse before it was

CNN By Jade Walker, CNN Medical associations representing hundreds of thousands of doctors and scientists are suing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as the heads of the FDA, NIH and CDC, for limiting who can get Covid-19 vaccines and for undermining overall vaccine confidence. Experts said these changes could create new barriers

Jessie Lau, CNN (CNN) — There’s a photo of my mother on her wedding day that I love. She’s sipping soda and laughing with relatives at my parent’s Chinese banquet, looking radiant in her evening gown: a strapless, mandarin orange dress that puffs out towards the floor, princess-style. A classic pillbox hat sits poised over

CNN By Pete Muntean and Alexandra Skores, CNN Washington (CNN) — After nearly two decades, passengers going through airport security in the United States will no longer have to take their shoes off. The Transportation Security Administration will be eliminating the security requirement “effective immediately,” Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, announced Tuesday. ”TSA

By Francesca Street, CNN (CNN) — The moment Andrew McGowan and Shallen Yu met eyes through a storefront window, it felt like something passed between them. Andrew was sure his life was about to change. “I saw her through the window and I was like, ‘I’m going to marry that girl,’” Andrew tells CNN Travel

By Alice Pfeiffer, CNN Paris (CNN) — It was eerily still in Paris on Sunday, as the streets came to a standstill for “Paris Respire”, a car-free scheme where certain districts in the city are closed to motorized traffic for the day. Yet, the Tuileries Gardens was buzzing with a stylish crowd, many of whom

By Christopher Lamb, CNN Castel Gandolfo, Italy (CNN) — After the whirlwind of his election and a nonstop round of public and private meetings ever since, Pope Leo XIV has chosen to take some time to rest and recharge. Choosing where to take his vacation was a simple decision. For centuries popes have spent their

By Olivia Kemp, CNN (CNN) — A humpback whale diving under the ocean’s surface, cownose rays approaching menhaden bait fish, and a spinner shark on the hunt are all images taken by the inaugural winner of the International Aerial Photographer of the Year competition. Joanna Steidle, a professional drone pilot from New York, captured the

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — Amid a record-breaking heatwave in the City of Lights — with temperatures so high the Eiffel Tower summit was closed to tourists last week — fashion designers prepare their pièce de résistance for Paris Haute Couture Week, which runs from 7-10 July. The clothes on show at Haute Couture

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: Why Thailand did a U-turn on legalizing marijuana, why the party might be over for Germany’s clubbing capital, plus more generous luggage rules are coming to European flights. EU hand luggage is about to get less confusing European lawmakers have voted to get rid

Gordon Cole-Schmidt, CNN Madrid, Spain (CNN) — Spectators gathered on the cobblestone streets of Madrid’s Chueca neighborhood this week to watch one of Spain’s most curious races: the “Carrera de Tacones,” or heel race. Held annually as part of the city’s Pride celebrations, the race sees competitors — mostly men in towering heels — pound

By Ben Jones, CNN (CNN) — In the early 1840s, Queen Victoria became the first British monarch to travel by train in her own dedicated royal saloons, but more than 180 years later, King Charles III looks set to oversee an end to this noble tradition. The current British royal train, decked out in its

Story by Reuters (Reuters) — India’s southern state of Kerala has found a unique ambassador to promote its coconut palm-lined beaches, backwaters and vibrant culture to tourists – a British F-35 fighter jet that has been stranded there since mid-June. The Royal Navy aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at the airport of

By Francesca Perry, CNN Venice, Italy (CNN) — Erupting from fiery volcanoes, lava has historically been an uncontrollable force that destroys buildings and neighborhoods in its wake. But what if that force could instead be redirected and harnessed to create whole cities? An ambitious project from Icelandic firm s.ap arkitektar, presented at this year’s Venice

Story by Will McGough | Video by Nick Blatt and McKenna Ewen, CNN (CNN) — The American West is full of towns that serve as gateways into the natural world. Launching points, if you will, that sit on the edge of the wilderness and offer the infamous three Bs — a beer, a burger and

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — When Marc Jacobs designed The Tote Bag, it seemed like the world nodded and scurried out to buy one overnight. When he launched his junior sub-brand Heaven, the notoriously elusive Gen Z shopper quickly claimed it as the aspirational label du jour. So it’s perhaps fitting that on Monday,

By Jeanne Bonner, CNN (CNN) — The best pizza in the United States comes from a wood-fired oven on New York’s Lower East Side, an Italian pizza-ranking guide has announced. For the second year running, the Naples-based 50 Top Pizza judged Una Pizza Napoletana the winner in its annual assessment of American bakers. The ranking

By Jeremy Harlan, CNN (CNN) — Summer temperatures have cranked up to ‘HI,’ and many Americans will be turning up the heat another notch as they light the fire on family cookouts. Unfortunately for some, more grilling means more over-cooked hamburgers, burnt bratwurst and scorched steaks. But chef Tyler Florence, whose latest cookbook is “American

By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN (CNN) — She first traveled to Paris when she was 21, and nearly six decades later, Mary Jane Wilkie decided that it was finally time to move to the French capital for good. In December 2021, Mary Jane, who was 79 at the time, relocated from New York to Paris to

By Oscar Holland, CNN (CNN) — In the multibillion-dollar global fight against wildfires, early detection is critical. Satellites, drones, thermal cameras and manned lookout towers are just some of the tools currently used to alert authorities and first responders to imminent threats. In under-resourced areas, however, these defenses can be prohibitively expensive. That’s why a

By Karla Cripps, CNN Ask one of my fellow Canadians to describe our nation’s cuisine and you may very well be met with a blank stare, followed by a few mumbles about poutine and maple syrup being awesome. It’s a tough question to answer. Taking up a space of 3.8 million square miles, Canada is

By Lisa Klaassen, CNN Paris (CNN) — This summer in Paris, a sunset cigarette under the Eiffel Tower could come with an unexpected price tag. Starting July 1, France has banned smoking in all outdoor areas frequented by children — including parks, beaches, public gardens, bus stops, school entrances, and sports venues. The sweeping measure

By Alice Pfeiffer Paris (CNN) — Against the backdrop of a scorching heatwave in Europe that has not spared the French capital, the menswear edition of Paris Fashion Week wrapped up on Sunday. The sweltering conditions were perhaps an incidental metaphor for the pressure the industry is feeling as the global luxury industry experiences a