Life

By Francesca Street, CNN (CNN) — The cruise industry continues to balloon — with ever bigger, ever wilder boats and some 37.1 million cruise passengers set to take to the waters in 2025, according to industry body Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). But another statistic in the world of cruising is on the up, and

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — For many of us, 2025 stretches ahead as a giant unknown. For trend forecasters, it’s already mapped out — or some of it, at least. Those in the business of predicting our next style choices have spent the fall collecting data they believe could foretell the months ahead. Fashion

By Ben Jones, CNN (CNN) — Amazing adventures, extraordinary landscapes and fabulous cuisine — the world’s greatest railway journeys are an unforgettable experience that can immerse you in the culture of a new country. Demand for luxury “land cruise” trains with five-star hotel-style accommodation is booming. 2025 will see several new trains take to the

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — It may not come as a surprise to anyone who has gone on vacation this year, but the United Nations has made it official: global tourism returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2024. Amid stowaway passengers, creative efforts in the field of attempted contraband smuggling, and other aviation drama this

By Christy Choi, CNN (CNN) — Bianca Tse is among a growing number of artists embracing AI. “It’s shortened the path between my ideas and my visions,” said the 43-year-old, sitting in front of “Breathing Room,” a photo recently showcased at the Blue Lotus Gallery in Hong Kong. In it, three Chinese men appear to

By Scottie Andrew, CNN (CNN) — Jocelyn Wildenstein, the Swiss-born socialite famous for the surgery-enhanced feline features that earned her nicknames in the American press like “Catwoman” and the “Bride of Wildenstein,” has died. Her partner Lloyd Klein told AFP she died of a pulmonary embolism in Paris. Wildenstein, who sometimes spelled her name “Jocelyne,”

By Oscar Holland, CNN (CNN) — The past year has seen the opening of the world’s second-tallest skyscraper, the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral and the announcement of countless futuristic urban mega-projects. Yet, the architecture world has, increasingly, recognized the value of altogether humbler pursuits. In March, the industry’s most prestigious accolade, the Pritzker Prize,

By Amanda Kludt, CNN (CNN) — New Year’s Day is meant for fresh starts. But maybe even more, it’s meant for food. As the new year arrives around the world, special desserts abound, as do long noodles (representing long life), field peas (representing coins), herring (representing abundance) and pigs (representing good luck). The particulars vary,

By Hassan Tayir, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — China has revealed a prototype of its next generation high-speed train, a vehicle it says is on track to be the world’s fastest. The CR450, which was unveiled in Beijing on December 29, had reached test speeds as high as 450 kilometers (281 miles) per hour and

By David Goldman, CNN (CNN) — Between figuring out Lightning Lanes and how to cram all the rides and meals the family wants into a single trip, planning a Disney World vacation is complicated enough — let alone if you’re trying to do Disney on a budget. An entire cottage industry of “Disney hacks” has

By Forrest Brown, CNN (CNN) — Are you ready to go big, bright and bold the last night of the year? If so, these destinations around the world have a well-deserved reputation for traditionally throwing a great New Year’s Eve shindig. Music, nightlife, countdowns, parties and New Year’s food traditions are definitely a part of

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — Sometimes it’s ignorance. Sometimes it’s hitting the airport bar too hard. Sometimes it’s being far from home and seemingly far from consequences. In the post-Covid era, more people are traveling than ever before. Record-breaking numbers of tourists also mean there was no shortage of unruly traveler incidents in 2024.

By Wayne Chang, CNN Taipei (CNN) — Harry Li never thought that an online event he created to celebrate New Year’s Eve just for laughs would become the talk of the town. Instead of typical celebrations that include fireworks, going to concerts or partying, some in Taiwan are joining the 22-year-old university student to mark

By Martha Alexander, CNN (CNN) — While women’s desire is nothing new and certainly not a trend, 2024 has seen the female sex drive take the wheel in popular culture. It feels apt that the year will close — culturally speaking, at least — with the release of “Babygirl.” The movie, which came out on

By Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN (CNN) — A shark attack in Egypt’s Red Sea resort town of Marsa Alam has killed one foreigner and injured another, Egypt’s Ministry of Environment said in a statement Sunday. The attack occurred in deep waters, the ministry said, outside the designated swimming area of Marsa Alam. The injured foreigner was

By Yumi Asada, Chris Lau and Lisako Neriki Ancheta, CNN Tokyo (CNN) — Ginzan Onsen, a popular Japanese hot spring town known for its scenic snowy views, has begun limiting entry to day trippers during winter peak season, becoming another destination to tackle overtourism amid the country’s record influx of travelers. Located in the Yamagata

By Zahra Hankir, CNN (CNN) — One hundred years ago, in a courtyard at the Neues Museum in Berlin, the world came face to face for the first time with one of its most enduring beauty icons: Queen Nefertiti. Discovered in Egypt in 1912 by German archaeologists, her 3,300-year-old stucco-coated limestone bust went on display

By Alexandra Skores, Raja Razek and Forrest Brown, CNN (CNN) — Yet another stowaway managed to board a major airline’s plane – renewing serious questions and concerns about airport safety during the busiest travel season of the year. This time, a stowaway tried to hitch a ride on Delta Air Lines Flight 487 at Seattle-Tacoma

By Jeanine Barone, CNN (CNN) — In the Faroe Islands, wild, unpredictable weather — fierce winds and rain, and thick fog that settles like a curtain — can sometimes make travel by car or ferry problematic. No wonder the Faroese love their tunnels. They’ve built 17 of them on land and four subsea — including

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — If fashion is a language, Arianne Phillips, costume designer on James Mangold’s latest film “A Complete Unknown,” is a polyglot. In 2005, she mastered the visual lexicon of Johnny Cash’s style for Mangold’s “Walk the Line,” dressing the Rockabilly legend in Western work shirts and all-black stagewear. For 2019’s

CNN, SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — If fashion is a language, Arianne Phillips, costume designer on James Mangold’s latest film “A Complete Unknown,” is a polyglot. In 2005, she mastered the visual lexicon of Johnny Cash’s style for Mangold’s “Walk the Line,” dressing the Rockabilly legend in Western work shirts and all-black

By Chris Lau and Lisako Neriki Ancheta, CNN Tokyo (CNN) — One of Sumire Sekino’s most memorable Christmases involved spending the day hopping around some of Tokyo’s best date spots with her boyfriend. That day, she recalled, began with the pair snapping away at TeamLab, an immersive and extremely Instagrammable digital art installation. Then, they

By Lex Harvey, CNN (CNN) — A Swiss International Air Lines flight was forced to make an emergency landing Monday due to smoke in the cabin and cockpit, the airline said. Flight LX1885 was en route from Bucharest, Romania to Zurich when the crew decided to abort the journey due to engine issues and smoke

By Terry Ward, CNN (CNN) — Anyone who’s skied at a major North American resort in recent years might have experienced as much sticker shock as fresh snow. Lift ticket prices at many resorts in the United States and Canada are dynamic, which means they adjust in real time according to demand. And price points

By Julia Buckley, CNN (CNN) — It’s the body of water that instils fear and inspires sailors in equal measure. Six hundred miles of open sea, and some of the roughest conditions on the planet – with an equally inhospitable land of snow and ice awaiting you at the end of it. “The most dreaded

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — It takes a lot to shock the TSA, but one traveler managed to pull it off when agents found dozens of fireworks and weapons in her carry-on luggage. The woman’s bag was flagged for search at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)’s terminal 4 on December 15 when a screener

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — A dozen years after it broke ground, Vietnam’s largest city has unveiled its first mass rapid transit line. Hundreds of people lined up for the chance to be among the first passengers to board Metro Line 1 as it began operations in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday, according

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — Red velvet suit, white fur trim, tall black boots, cozy (if not indulgent) pom-pom hat. Santa Claus’ uniform may have some variations, from Tim Allen’s off-duty outfits in “The Santa Clause” as he slowly transforms into the legendary gift-giver, to The Plastics’ spaghetti-strap-dress versions in “Mean Girls,” but his

By Dalia Faheid and Maria Sole Campinoti, CNN (CNN) — When Allie Reimold boarded Flight 2223 in Houston a week ago, she didn’t expect to see him. It had been four years since they’d last visited in person. And eight years, almost exactly, since the budding scientist – on the darkest day of the year

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — Each week of 2024, CNN Style has delved into the standout or most talked-about celebrity fashion moment of the last seven days, from Heidi Klum’s show-stopping E.T. Halloween costume to the internet-breaking Harris-Walz camo caps released on the campaign trail. Not all ensembles were enviable, of course. Looks ranged

By Julia Buckley, CNN Florence, Italy (CNN) — It was built as a secret passageway for the elite of Florence to pass undetected, far from the regular citizens. Now, for the first time in history, the Corridoio Vasariano, or Vasari Corridor, has opened to the general public. Less a corridor, more a private walking trail

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — It’s a solstice Saturday in the Northern Hemisphere as December 21 is the shortest day of the year and the official first day of winter. Yes, that’s right. It’s only just begun. Cheer yourself up with our last travel news roundup of 2024. Switzerland aims high A spectacular new

By Thomas Page, CNN (CNN) — In a dark corner of a mansion in mid-century Pennsylvania, Erzsébet, a Hungarian immigrant rebuilding her life in America, pores over the contents of a desk. Scattered across it are sketches and technical drawings for a civic building, a grand folly designed by her husband László, for the wealthy

By Kate Springer, CNN (CNN) — Siargao’s global reputation as the “surf capital of the Philippines” dates back to 1980, when surf photographer Tony Arruza and surfer Steve Jones visited the island in their quest for the “perfect wave.” They hit the jackpot. These pioneering surf explorers spread the word about the area’s abundance of

By Alexandra Skores, CNN (CNN) — American Airlines has settled a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by three Black men who alleged they were thrown off a plane in January for a false complaint about body odor. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but it includes a commitment from the Fort Worth-based airline to prevent

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) — The great and ancient city of Istanbul – formerly Constantinople, formerly New Rome, formerly Byzantium – straddles two continents. The European side extends like a finger across the Bosphorus Strait, almost but not quite touching its Asian counterpart. The strait is just 700 meters wide at its

By Hassan Tayir, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — China is adding yet another superlative to its aviation roster: the world’s largest airport on a man-made island. Currently under construction off the country’s northeast coast, the Dalian Jinzhou Bay International Airport will eventually cover a 20-square-kilometer (7.7-square-mile) island with four runways and a 900,000-square-meter (969,000 sq

By Faith Karimi, CNN (CNN) — Army veteran Wayne Hoey takes his saxophone with him everywhere. It came in handy this month when his flight sat on the tarmac for more than an hour in Atlanta. Hoey was returning from a family visit to Detroit and was on a Delta Air Lines connecting flight to

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — Too many fingers or too many teeth — as generative AI imagery exploded across the internet last year, these bodily mishaps became both a punchline and a tell-tale sign that these photographs weren’t real. Instead, they were a machine’s best-guess at the world through human prompts. The images that

By Julia Buckley, CNN (CNN) — If you think planes have got fuller and the skies busier over the past year, you’d be right — especially if you live in either Hong Kong or Taipei. Travel intelligence company OAG has released its annual list of the world’s busiest flight routes — and the 105-minute hop

By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN (CNN) — Hear the word “Kallax,” and many people, particularly those outside of Sweden, will immediately think of a certain storage shelf from IKEA. But like many of the Swedish furniture giant’s products, the shelving unit takes its name from a location in the Scandinavian country — in this case a

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — Nicole Kidman has officially clocked into the press tour for her latest film, “Babygirl,” and she’s dressed for business. On Monday evening, the actor — who plays a high-powered executive in Halina Reijn’s movie, out Christmas Day in the US — arrived at the Late Show with Stephen Colbert

By Mary Novakovich, CNN (CNN) — Skiing without borders — when you have breakfast in one country and easily ski into another for lunch. European ski domains that sprawl across international borders bring a new meaning to the idea of cross-country skiing. It’s hard to suppress a little thrill when you find yourself skiing into

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — China has tripled the amount of time visitors can spend in the country without a visa in yet another move to entice more foreign tourists. The Chinese State Administration of Immigration announced the country will expand its visa-free layover period to 240 hours (10 days) across the board. Previously,

By Alexandra Skores, CNN (CNN) — The US Department of Transportation has issued a new rule requiring airlines to follow more rigorous standards when it comes to airline passengers with disabilities. The new rule will require airlines to meet standards for “safe and dignified” assistance to people with disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs. It

By Benjamin Sutton (CNN) — Lorraine O’Grady, an indefatigable conceptual artist whose work critiqued definitions of identity, died in New York on Friday aged 90. Her gallery, Mariane Ibrahim, confirmed her death via email, adding that it was due to natural causes. O’Grady became an artist comparatively late in life, when she was in her

By Jessica Salter, CNN (CNN) — A huge and teeming Mediterranean port with a gritty reputation, Marseille isn’t typically seen as one France’s classic destinations, yet the country’s second biggest city by population has recently found itself in the spotlight. First it was couture house Chanel putting Marseille on the fashion map when it brought

By Rosa Rahimi, CNN London (CNN) — A perfectly twirled bite of spaghetti hangs off a fork mid-air. Next to it, a bowl of ramen and a katsudon — freshly cooked eggs and pork cutlet – fall fresh out of the pan. Plates are stacked high with colorful sashimi and elaborate parfaits. It’s a feast for

By Thomas Page, CNN London, UK (CNN) — In the depths of Covid, Aamir Khan tried walking away from it all. Acting, filmmaking; the business that made him a household name to millions in India and beyond. No more. The Bollywood megastar, one of India’s highest paid actors, was locked down in 2020 and feeling

By David G. Allan, CNN (CNN) — Fifty years ago, parishioners from Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple in San Francisco began to settle a rural commune in the South American country of Guyana. The Jonestown experiment ended four years later in one of the most tragic and bizarre murder-suicide incidents in American history. More than 900

By Francesca Street, CNN (CNN) — When frazzled twentysomething traveler Jennea arrived at London’s King’s Cross railway station on December 15, 2013, the station was absolutely packed. Carol singers in one corner were singing with gusto, collecting money for charity in brightly colored buckets. Gathered in the middle of the Victorian concourse, crowds of travelers

By Lianne Kolirin, Rosanne Roobeek and Mick Krever, CNN (CNN) — The Miss Netherlands beauty pageant has been scrapped, after the competition’s organizers said it was time for change. The contest will no longer run, and in its place those behind it have introduced a new initiative aimed at “inspiring” young people in many different

By Amarachi Orie, CNN London (CNN) — Famed British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who became a household name after performing at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, has said he had to cancel a concert in Canada after the country’s largest airline denied his pre-booked seat for his cello. Kanneh-Mason is currently on a

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — In an age ruled by neatly slicked buns, it’s easy to forget there was a time before extra-hold gel — when hair was encouraged to expand rather than contract. At the LA premiere for “A Complete Unknown” Tuesday night, Elle Fanning took it upon herself to remind us of

By Kate Springer, CNN (CNN) — Wilfried Gebhardt still remembers his first dive at Apo Reef over 30 years ago. The now-retired German geographer had just moved to Sablayan, a municipality on Mindoro island, southwest of Manila, to assist victims of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption. While stationed there, he heard about a magical underwater

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — It may be an archaeologist’s job to unearth astounding discoveries, but every year some people just have an extraordinarily lucky — or strange — day. That was no different in 2024, with a construction worker turning up a nude marble deity hidden some 1,600 years ago, an art historian

Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — After months of speculation, Chanel has named its new artistic director. On Thursday, Matthieu Blazy — most recently, the creative director of luxury Italian label Bottega Veneta — was appointed to one of the most high-profile jobs in fashion. Blazy is only the fourth head designer of the French fashion

By Alexandra Skores, CNN (CNN) — As they were coming in for a landing, a “plume” of bad weather suddenly appeared in front of Hawaiian Airlines pilots who hit severe turbulence just seconds later. Dozens of passengers were injured. Passengers experienced a “hard jolt” and then a “free fall” sensation. One passenger crawled back to

By Alexandra Skores, CNN (CNN) — United Airlines travelers with lost luggage have a new tool to track their bags. If the lost bag has an Apple AirTag in it, that information can now be passed directly to United, the airline announced Thursday. The new feature, called Share Item Location, allows travelers with an AirTag

By Jon Jensen, CNN Alice Springs, Australia (CNN) — The Australian outback is one of the wildest places on Earth. A vast void of deserts and semi-arid wilderness, it stretches across about 80% of the country’s interior — an area roughly equivalent to seven times the size of Texas. Temperatures are extreme day and night,

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — “I feel you like a serpent crawling inside my body,” whimpers Ellen, played by Lily-Rose Depp — the tortured object of Count Orlok’s affection. In director Robert Eggers’ latest film, “Nosferatu,” the year is 1838, and the ancient Translyvanian vampire has been tainting Ellen’s dreams with psychosexual nightmares since

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN Kaçkar Mountains, Turkey (CNN) — “Every day you can make a different cheese. It’s all in your hands,” says Sevda İyem, her fingers working nimbly as she prepares a fresh block in the kitchen of her family guesthouse overlooking the Macahel Valley, close to the Turkish border with Georgia. Today, like

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — An image of a squirrel stuck in a tree has been named the overall winner of this year’s Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, with a frog in a bubble and a bream chasing a bald eagle among the category winners. “Stuck Squirrel” by Milko Marchetti was chosen as the

CNN By Christy Choi, CNN (CNN) — Bianca Tse is among a growing number of artists embracing AI. “It’s shortened the path between my ideas and my visions,” said the 43-year-old, sitting in front of “Breathing Room,” a photo recently showcased at the Blue Lotus Gallery in Hong Kong. In it, three Chinese men appear

By Leah Dolan, CNN London (CNN) — For those unable to visit the Tokyo National Museum, where Iwasa Matabei’s famous 17th-century epic gold leaf painting “Rakuchu Rakugai Zu Byobu” currently hangs, the Gagosian gallery in London is displaying a large-scale replica this December. Look closer, however, and not all is quite as it seems. In

By Antonia Mortensen, Christopher Lamb and Alessandro Gentile, CNN Rome (CNN) — Anyone visiting Rome in 2024 could be forgiven for being disappointed. While the city has no shortage of ancient treasures to explore, many of them have been buried under scaffolding amid extensive renovations. The city’s historic center has resembled a building site, with

By Lianne Kolirin, CNN When World War II ended and the horrors of the Holocaust began to emerge, the focus was on the human cost, and seeking justice, retribution and answers for the survivors and bereaved families. Then came the drive for reparations and restitution, which not only sought to compensate for the unimaginable suffering

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — Japan Airlines is now offering to drop travelers’ suitcases off at their hotels for them, for a fee. But the new program isn’t just about providing good customer service — it’s aimed at alleviating the burden on Tokyo’s overcrowded mass transit system. Passengers at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport can pay

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — South Korean sharpshooter Kim Ye-ji, whose seemingly effortless shooting style and “aura” enthralled the internet this summer, is one of the stars of the latest Balenciaga campaign. The 32-year-old Olympic silver medalist joins Romeo Beckham and singer Kim Petras in a series of photographs taken around Paris, in which

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — In their Upper East Side townhouse, TV power couple Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos have recreated a slice of Paris in New York. The glamorous five-story home has seen their three children grow up, but has largely remained unchanged since interior designers William Sofield and Emma O’Neill of Studio

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — A Canadian woman has been arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs into New Zealand — by disguising them as Christmas presents. New Zealand Customs officials said 10.2 kilograms (22 pounds) of methamphetamine worth up to $2.2 million was discovered in the woman’s carry-on luggage when she arrived at

By Fred He, CNN (CNN) — Wendy Chen decided to challenge herself by climbing Mount Tai, a well-known mountain in eastern China. But there was one obstacle in her way: she couldn’t find a friend to join her for the five-hour trek. Rather than forgo her plans, the 25-year-old hired a “climbing buddy,” a young

By Julianna Bragg, CNN (CNN) — Once famed for carrying wealthy passengers across Europe in opulent train carriages, the Orient Express brand has resurfaced once again — this time jumping off the rails in Italy for a luxury hotel venture. Orient Express La Minerva, set to open in central Rome in spring 2025, is the

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — Russian-born American photographer Anastasia Samoylova loves “Barbie.” Not only did she wear a hot pink suit to the opening of her own photography exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in October, she also insisted on taking her teenage son to see Greta Gerwig’s 2023 film — considering it

By Blane Bachelor, CNN (CNN) — Since the US presidential election, there’s been a spike in Americans’ interest in moving abroad. “It’s been such a gut reaction of, ‘I want to move, but I don’t know where, and I don’t know how,’ ” says Arielle Tucker, a Switzerland-based certified financial planner who specializes in assisting

By Joshua Berlinger, CNN Paris (CNN) — Five years after it was nearly destroyed in a devastating fire, Notre Dame de Paris formally reopened on Saturday with a two-hour ceremony inside the famed cathedral’s gleaming, newly renovated interior. Global leaders and dignitaries including US President-elect Donald Trump, current US first lady Jill Biden, Elon Musk

CNN By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: railway ambitions in Greece, Vietnam, Britain and the United States, exciting new maritime adventures from Virgin Voyages and the Orient Express, plus the world’s top cities for 2024. Life at sea Spending $120,000 for a vacation sure does sound expensive. However, if it

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: railway ambitions in Greece, Vietnam, Britain and the United States, exciting new maritime adventures from Virgin Voyages and the Orient Express, plus the world’s top cities for 2024. Life at sea Spending $120,000 for a vacation sure does sound expensive. However, if it means

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — It’s a go-to question at bar trivia: what is the only national flag in the world that isn’t rectangular or square shaped? The answer is Nepal. But beyond the simple fact of its uncommon shape, Nepal’s flag is a bit of a mystery. Depending who you ask, the flag

By Caroline Baum and Sérène Nourrison, CNN Paris (CNN) — France’s largest musical instrument is ready to sound again. It has taken months of painstaking cleaning and decontaminating of 8,000 pipes, 115 organ stops and numerous other musical components, but on Saturday the majestic tones of the Grand Organ of Notre Dame will ring out

By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN (CNN) — Growing up in a very small town in the Alentejo region of Portugal during the 1970s, Leonor Drago recalls watching planes fly over her home, convinced she’d never get to ride on one. She dreamed of visiting destinations like the United States or even France, but the prospect of

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — At the annual Gotham Awards on Tuesday night, Pamela Anderson arrived on the red carpet in a strapless champagne-hued Oscar de la Renta satin gown. As the “Baywatch” star turned to pose for the wall of photographers, a larger-than-life bow peeped out from the back of her dress. Yet

By Barry Neild, CNN (CNN) — The ancient Lycians knew a thing or two about democracy. Two thousand years ago, the one-time rulers of modern-day Turkey’s southwestern corner had a fully functioning democratic federation that centuries later inspired America’s political structure. While democracies everywhere might be facing turbulent times, another Lycian legacy remains steadfastly present