Life

By Silvia Marchetti, CNN (CNN) — Sometimes making a fresh start isn’t all about big plans for the future. It can mean small changes such as walking instead of depending on a car. That was one of the key factors for Michael Steven Grant when he started considering a retirement move. Grant, a 63-year-old former

By Duarte Mendonca, Kathleen Magramo, Alex Stambaugh and Edward Szekeres, CNN (CNN) — Germany’s busiest airport temporarily suspended flights on Thursday after climate activists glued themselves to the tarmac in a protest against the use of fossil fuels. The airport, used by nearly 60 million travelers last year, advised passengers not to travel to the

By Chris Lau and Rinka Tonsho, CNN Tokyo (CNN) — Kudos to you if you can speak perfect Japanese and order food at a neighborhood sushi bar in Tokyo. If you can, chances are that on your next trip to Japan, you may be able to score a better deal by blending in as a

By Dhruv Tikekar, CNN (CNN) — When Simon Carter first laid his eyes on the “Totem Pole,” a 213-foot-tall monolith rising dramatically from the seas of eastern Tasmania, Australia, he was faced with a dilemma: “To climb or to photograph?” He did both. While the rock had been scaled before, the Australian photographer and his

By Jack Guy and Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN (CNN) — A mosaic from the floor of an ancient Roman villa has been uncovered on the seabed in the waters off Naples. Now underwater, the marble floor would originally have been located in the “protiro,” or decorated porch, of a residence overlooking the sea, according to

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — When Gigi Hadid stepped onto the “Deadpool & Wolverine” red carpet premiere in New York on Monday, she dusted off a Y2K summer staple, sporting a yellow triangle top bound to give any millennial an immediate flashback (and possibly a hot flash). If crop tops could talk, the triangle

By Leighton Rowell, CNN (CNN) — If there’s one thing Parisians want tourists to know before millions of people descend on their city for the Olympics, it’s a simple, seven-letter word. “Bonjour.” Knowing how to say “hello” in French might seem like a no-brainer, but experts say it’s the essential first step if you want

By Marnie Hunter, CNN (CNN) — Delta Air Lines reported “a significant return to operational reliability” on Wednesday after five days of widespread disruptions stemming from a global tech outage. And Thursday was expected to be a “normal day,” according to an update from Delta CEO Ed Bastian. While most airlines affected by a CrowdStrike

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — What’s red on the outside, purple on the inside, and grants you access to 195 destinations around the world visa-free? It’s the Singapore passport, and it’s just been named the world’s most powerful travel document in a quarterly ranking of the passports with the most international clout. For the

Essay by Forrest Brown, CNN (CNN) — Six little words – mundane to anyone else – electrified me: Boxed Lunch on the Capitol Steps. It was one line from an itinerary of an upcoming field trip to Columbia, the capital of South Carolina. I couldn’t have been any more excited if I had been told

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — A specific shade of retina-singeing chartreuse has become the defining color of summer 2024. Similar to the text message bubble sent from your iPhone, the vivid hue sits somewhere between 360 and 375 on the Pantone color chart. It is, of course, Brat green. Now synonymous with British pop

By Christian House, CNN Paris (CNN) — The bodybuilder is causing a stir in Place Vendôme. Prada-clad pedestrians are loitering outside Gagosian’s Paris showroom on rue de Castiglione, peering through its window, perplexed by the presence of a muscular man taking a breather on a bench, a damp towel dangling from his lap. He looks

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — While Japan’s overtourism issues may be causing headaches for local residents, there’s one group that seems to be benefiting from the influx of people – deer. Specifically, the deer who live in Nara, the ancient capital outside of Kyoto that is home to a series of UNESCO-recognized historic buildings.

Louis Mian, CNN (CNN) — Thousands of people took to the streets to protest against mass tourism on the island of Mallorca on Sunday as pushback against holidaymakers in Spain continued. The demonstration calling for limits on tourist numbers saw protestors carrying signs that read, “Tourists we love you when you don’t buy our land,”

By Barbie Latza Nadeau, Jessica Small and Erica Hill, CNN Venice, Italy (CNN) — Venice officials have hailed a temporary entrance fee to the city a success, as they experiment with measures aimed at controlling the number of people who come to visit. A 29-day €5 reservation entrance fee and reservation experiment, which began on April

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — In Albania’s capital Tirana, where a spate of new towers will soon transform the skyline, architects have revealed plans for a new double skyscraper that will bend elegantly like a ballet dancer’s plié, or a lover leaning in for a kiss. These were two of the visual cues for Bond Tower,

By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN (CNN) — With his retirement fast approaching, Jim Dolan, from the US, felt as though his future was more or less mapped out. He and his wife Som Dolan would build a house in her native country, Thailand, and split their time between the Southeast Asian destination and the States. But

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — As the sun baked down on New York City on Tuesday, warming the concrete jungle to temperatures upwards of 80 degrees, actor and “Longlegs” star Maika Monroe stepped out in a surprising textile: Patent sheep leather. Similarly, last week, Monroe arrived at the LA premiere of the 1990s-inspired serial

By Forrest Brown and Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: A museum in France gets cheesy, a global IT meltdown snarls travel and a look at another one of America’s best towns to visit in 2024. Homage to fromage Museums are a highlight of any visit to Paris: The Louvre! The d’Orsay! The

By Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Ostia, Italy (CNN) — The Mediterranean Sea may evoke images of luxurious beach holidays, scrumptious seafood meals and endless sandy beaches, but this body of water is increasingly toxic. More than 87% of the Mediterranean Sea, which extends from the Atlantic Ocean to Africa, Europe and Asia, is polluted with

CNN By CNN Staff (CNN) — Unexpected tech outages have been impacting airlines and airports across the world. Major hotel brands have also reported outages. Here’s what to know if you’re planning to travel this weekend. What’s going on? Widespread IT problems are impacting global travel. It’s believed the issue stems, at least in part,

By Amarachi Orie, CNN (CNN) — While tourists in Barcelona risk being squirted with water pistols, those in the town of Calpe on Spain’s Mediterranean coast face another threat: a hefty fine for reserving space on the beach for themselves. The town council reminded beachgoers in a news release Wednesday that under the Municipal Ordinance

CNN staff (CNN) — Many flights across the world have been delayed or canceled Friday because of a major IT system failure. All flights for US carriers United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines were grounded early on Friday before operations started ramping up again. American Airlines has confirmed that is has resolved the

By CNN Staff (CNN) — Unexpected tech outages have been impacting airlines and airports across the world. Major hotel brands have also reported outages. Here’s what to know if you’re planning to travel this weekend. What’s going on? Widespread IT problems are impacting global travel. It’s believed the issue stems, at least in part, from

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — What was your most thrilling first date? In 2016, two young Russians known for their extreme “rooftopping” adventures — where they attempt to illegally climb vertiginous landmarks like La Sagrada Familia and the Eiffel Tower — skipped the perfunctory happy hour cocktail and instead ascended China’s tallest incomplete skyscraper,

By Jessie Yeung, CNN Seoul, South Korea (CNN) — Imagine this: you need to pick up a package, top up your metro card, grab lunch and take out some cash. In most places, that would probably mean separate trips to the post office, the subway station, a restaurant and an ATM. But in South Korea,

By Forrest Brown, CNN (CNN) — At first glance, it’s a rather unmarkable, plain-looking, one-story building that sits in an unadorned lot in the dry West Texas town of Marfa. It has off-white adobe walls and a metal roof. On the front, it has two narrow vertical windows and a wooden door. A handful of

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — A lot of habits picked up in the pandemic era have stuck around. For most of us, that means grabbing Ubers when we could take the subway, or ordering food rather than walking to the store. For the super-rich, however, those convenient little time-saves now include ditching scheduled flights

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — Gabriele Sewtz is not the kind of person who goes on wellness retreats. The German-born, Brooklyn-based real estate agent described herself as “very data-driven” and thinks that oatmeal is an exciting breakfast. But that was before she started experiencing menopause, and before she found herself on a ranch outside

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — Looking down a street in Daulatpur, a rural village in Punjab, India with a mishmash of eclectic, colorful architecture, photographer Rajesh Vora felt he had struck lucky. In front of him, was a large facsimile of an Air-India plane on top of a pale green building. Facing it from across

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — We’ve seen spray-on hair, a spray-on dress and now — marathon-winning spray-on shoes. Swiss sportswear brand On is the latest company to embrace advanced “spray-on” materials with a “revolutionary” robot-made sneaker it believes can improve performance at this month’s Olympics. The Cloudboom Strike LS is lace-free, weighs less than

By Lilit Marcus, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — Bar Leone – an Italian cocktail spot in central Hong Kong – has been crowned the best bar in Asia. It’s an impressive achievement, considering the venue has only been open for about a year. “We were not expecting this,” co-founder Lorenzo Antinori told CNN shortly after

By Lauren Rapp and Nic F. Anderson, CNN (CNN) — Ninety giant African snails were confiscated by US Customs and Border Protection at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport late last month, the agency said in a news release Tuesday. An “odd odor” coming from a passenger’s bag tipped off agriculture specialists, officials said in the release. The passenger, who was arriving from

By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN (CNN) — It wasn’t until he moved near to an airfield in the UK over a decade ago that mechanical engineer Ashok Aliseril Thamarakshan began to seriously consider learning to fly a plane. He got his first taste of flying a few years later, when his wife Abhilasha bought him a

By Oscar Holland, CNN (CNN) — Move over Lululemon, Berluti and Ralph Lauren. The internet has chosen its new favorite national uniform at the forthcoming Paris 2024 Olympics: Mongolia’s. Featuring intricately embroidered vests, pleated robes and accessories inspired by traditional attire, the country’s opening and closing ceremony outfits have taken social media by storm since

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — One of America’s most popular exports is illegal in South Korea – Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning mix. The blend, which is popular with influencers and regularly spotted in recipes on TikTok, contains salt, minced garlic, sesame seeds and poppy seeds – the last of which is

By Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN (CNN) — The Forbidden City was once one of the most powerful places on the planet. In 1420, while Europe was in the midst of the Hundred Years’ War and yet to discover America, China’s Ming Dynasty ruler was moving into his new home in the center of Beijing and

By Rhea Mogul, CNN (CNN) — India’s most anticipated wedding of the year came to an end on Sunday after a star-studded three-day celebration that even saw the country’s prime minister arrive to bless the young couple. Billionaire heir Anant Ambani married his longtime girlfriend Radhika Merchant in Mumbai in a lavish ceremony attended by

By Emily Blumenthal, CNN (CNN) — Lord Howe Island has the look of a destination ripe for overtourism, with verdant mountaintops, pristine white-sand beaches and clear-blue waters teeming with colorful fish. Yet on this island of around 400 people, located 372 miles off the east coast of mainland Australia, the beaches are empty. The only

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: A beloved former airline is making a brief – and expensive – victory lap, France celebrates its national holiday, and we spotlight a Pacific Northwest destination that should be on your travel list. Flying high Pan Am is synonymous with glamorous travel. Although the

By Forrest Brown, CNN (CNN) — Bears and bison aren’t the only potential hazards when visiting Yellowstone National Park. The area’s thermal features also provide a point of caution as tourists in one car found out this week. On Thursday, a car with five occupants inadvertently drove off a roadway and into the Semi-Centennial Geyser,

CNN By Oscar Holland, Leah Dolan and Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, and Riddhi Doshi on the red carpet (CNN) — After seven months of extravagant pre-wedding celebrations, Anant Ambani, the son of India’s richest man, completed his long-awaited marriage to pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant before thousands of guests on Friday. Kim and Khloé Kardashian, Nick Jonas

By Oscar Holland, Leah Dolan and Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, and Riddhi Doshi on the red carpet (CNN) — After seven months of extravagant pre-wedding celebrations, Anant Ambani, the son of India’s richest man, completed his long-awaited marriage to pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant before thousands of guests on Friday. Kim and Khloé Kardashian, Nick Jonas and

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — A controversial statue by Pakistani-American sculptor Shahzia Sikander — one of a handful of public pieces by the celebrated artist — has been beheaded at the University of Houston. “Witness,” a larger-than-life, 18-foot golden statue of a levitating woman, was originally commissioned by the Madison Square Park Conservancy in Manhattan and

By Francesca Street, CNN (CNN) — Years after they’d broken up, Tom Giuliani found himself thinking about the role of timing in his relationship with Susan Hall. Tom and Susan were on the same flight from the US to Ireland in the summer of 1989. But they never saw one another. Then, Tom and Susan

By Billy Stockwell, CNN (CNN) — Buckingham Palace’s famous balcony room, where the monarch and other members of the royal family gather on special occasions before waving at cheering crowds in the streets below, is opening to the public for the first time. For royal fans who have waited for hours on The Mall in

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — Pristine, crisp and all-white — tennis whites have been a tradition dating back centuries. The distinctive look has not only made the racquet sport stand out, it has also become a sartorial mainstay off the courts, too. And even though most of the major tournaments have done away with

By Will Ripley, CNN (CNN) — Even for locals, travel inside the isolated nation officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is heavily restricted. But arranging a trip was much easier for Russian national Yuri Frolov, 25, who spent two weeks in the hermit kingdom as a high-school student in 2015 and 2016. Yuri’s

By Kathleen Magramo, CNN (CNN) — A museum in Australia has come clean: The Picasso paintings hanging in its women’s restroom were forged by one of its own curators. The American curator and artist Kirsha Kaechele — who is married to the owner of Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) — admitted in

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — When “Sex and the City” lead Carrie Bradshaw sees Mr. Big step out of a Presbyterian church in Manhattan, she notes with particular reverence that he was “wearing Armani on Sunday.” Looking suave, slick and seductive, the sight leaves Carrie overwhelmed and she gives in to her impulse, accosting

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — For better or for worse, days-long wedding events have become common in cultures around the world. Between Friday night cocktail receptions and sore-headed Sunday brunches, what might once have been a half-day affair can now easily envelop three or four days. But a wedding that spans seven months is

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — After judges of the world’s first AI beauty pageant unveiled 10 finalists last month, the inaugural Miss AI has now been crowned. Meet Kenza Layli, a Moroccan lifestyle influencer who hopes to bring “diversity and inclusivity” to the AI creator landscape. With nearly 200,000 Instagram followers, and a further

By Heather Chen and Sooyoung Rhee, CNN Seoul, South Korea (CNN) — As the issue of overtourism sweeps cities and countries around the world, authorities in South Korea have announced stricter controls and measures to protect a historic traditional village district in downtown Seoul from throngs of tourists, who have flooded its streets and caused

By Catherine Nicholls, CNN London (CNN) — “We mostly know classical, but we could give it a shot,” the conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra tells hip-hop group Cypress Hill when discussing a potential collaboration in a 1996 episode of “The Simpsons” titled “Homerpalooza.” Now, 28 years later, the two acclaimed ensembles are making it

By Casey Barber, CNN (CNN) — You know what I love doing in the summer? I’ll give you three things: • Taking road trip vacations• Eating well on my road trips• Not going over my food budget while on a road trip That last one is a little tricky to pull off because — and

By Francesca Street, CNN (CNN) — American Helene Sula vividly remembers the first time she discovered tap water was a different ball game in Europe. Sula, from Texas, was at a restaurant in Germany. When the server asked for her drink order, Sula requested water. “They kind of scoffed at me like, ‘You can get

By Oscar Holland, CNN (CNN) — A soaring hotel in Dubai, a space observatory in Cyprus and the control center of a Turkish solar power plant are among more than 220 projects shortlisted for the coveted World Building of the Year prize. Spanning 18 categories, from housing and offices to health facilities and sport venues,

By Fred He, Alex Stambaugh and Jack Guy, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — A man was caught trying to smuggle more than 100 live snakes into mainland China by stuffing them into his pants, according to the country’s customs authority. Customs officers in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen intercepted the man traveling through Futian

By Scott McLean and Umut Sevdi Tangor, CNN Edirne, Turkey (CNN) — Under a pop-up tent on a sunbeaten patch of grass, a shirtless Cengizhan Koca is bent over a pair of black leather pants in prayer. But more than just prayer alone is needed to wriggle into the stiff-looking trousers emblazoned with his family

By Kathleen Magramo, CNN Buscalan, Philippines (CNN) — The first sound I heard upon reaching Buscalan was that of heaving and panting. A group of us had just completed a steep climb to the remote village, which is tucked deep into the undulating mountains of the Philippines’ Kalinga province. But, like me, my fellow travelers

By Martha Zhou, CNN Beijing (CNN) — The world’s largest indoor ice and snow theme park has officially opened its doors to the public, giving visitors to the city of Harbin in northeast China a chance to feel wintery temperatures year-round. The country’s northernmost metropolis, Harbin is the capital of Heilongjiang province. Also known as

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — Visitors to Copenhagen who engage in environmentally-friendly activities such as litter picking or traveling on public transport could be rewarded with free food, cultural experiences and tours as part of a new pilot program. The CopenPay trial scheme, which runs between July 15 and August 11, involves “transforming green

Silvia Marchetti, CNN (CNN) — Most people buying cheap houses in Italy are simply attracted by the idea of paying a bargain price for the opportunity to escape to somewhere warmer that has better food. But what if it could also help you live longer? That was the thinking for Bingwa Thomas, 72, originally from

By Kathleen Magramo, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — Budget airline HK Express has apologized after two blind passengers alleged its crew removed them from a flight citing safety concerns, in an ordeal that left them feeling “insulted and embarrassed.” Passengers Andy Chui, 34, and John Li, 27, were booked for an afternoon flight from Hong

By Heather Chen, CNN (CNN) — In the mood for silkworm satay? Or how about nasi lemak served up with some crispy crickets on the side? Singapore’s state food agency has approved 16 species of edible insects for sale and consumption in the country, according to a July 8 public circular addressed to food traders. “With

By Catherine Nicholls, CNN (CNN) — Two flintlock Gossard pistols once owned by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte have sold at auction for €1.69 million ($1.83 million). The guns were sold at French auction house Osenat in Fontainebleau, just outside Paris, on Sunday. They were originally valued at an estimated €1.2 million-€1.5 million ($1.3 million- $1.63

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — For more than fifty years, athletes competing in the Olympic Games have often been cheered on by either a furry, feathered or slimy friend. The Olympic mascot – a cartoonish encapsulation of the host city’s culture and history – is so important, designs are often selected and finalized years

By Jacopo Prisco, CNN (CNN) — It was meant to be one of the most advanced aircraft of its era, dispatching the threat of Soviet nuclear bombers and making Canada a world leader in military aviation and engineering. The Avro Arrow, also known as the CF-105, had a lot resting on its wings. However, the

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — Protesters in Barcelona have sprayed visitors with water as part of a demonstration against mass tourism. Demonstrators marching through areas popular with tourists on Saturday chanted “tourists go home” and squirted them with water pistols, while others carried signs with slogans including “Barcelona is not for sale.” Thousands of

By Catherine Nicholls, CNN (CNN) — Malpensa, Milan’s biggest airport, and the second-busiest in Italy, will be renamed after the country’s late former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi. Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister and minister of infrastructure and transport, announced the change on social media Friday, writing: “Good news: Milan Malpensa airport will be named

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — Have you ever looked at a beautiful little mews house in London and thought “it must be so amazing to live there?” If so, you’re not the only one. But for the people who actually do live in those homes, social media photography has changed what it means to

By Ashley R. Williams, CNN (CNN) — After going missing for more than 50 years, a firearm dating back to the Revolutionary War has been recovered and donated to a Philadelphia museum, the FBI says. The .78-caliber musket, which was stolen from Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in October 1968, was donated to the Museum of the

By Catherine Nicholls, CNN (CNN) — Paris’ iconic Moulin Rouge windmill has been fitted with new blades, nearly three months after they fell off the landmark. According to CNN affiliate BFMTV, around 500 spectators watched the inauguration of the blades on Friday evening, welcoming the installation with thunderous applause. Jean-Victor Clerico, General Manager of Moulin

By Richard Quest and Joe Minihane, CNN Osaka, Japan (CNN) — Let’s be honest. Osaka hasn’t got Tokyo’s mind-bending urban sprawl, where every turn opens up a world of adventure. Likewise, it lacks the historic temples, tree-covered hills and ancient history of Kyoto. What it does have, though, are two of the biggest draws any

By Forrest Brown, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: Shark attacks are very rare, but our fascination with them is endless. Also, rough weather in tourist spots and aviation highs and lows. Fins to the left, fins to the right The late Jimmy Buffett’s cautionary “Fins” from 1979 dealt with predatory “land sharks”

By Julia Buckley, CNN (CNN) — It’s hardly a great tourism slogan. “Britain is grinding to a halt” was the verdict of the UK’s Labour Party on the country they hoped to govern, as they were setting out their case for election in June. On July 4, they won by a landslide, promising change. As

By Francesca Street, CNN (CNN) — Carter Leathers was sitting at a table on the terrace of a boutique hotel in the center of Florence, Italy – sipping a Negroni and trying to quieten her nerves. The courtyard was peaceful, open and airy, dotted with aperitivo-hour drinkers. Carter tried to soak up the Florentine vibes

By Casey Barber, CNN (CNN) — Home is where you are. Home is where you make it. Home on the range. Home is … in a camper van? Absolutely! When I tried camper van life for the first time, I went all in. For three weeks, my husband and I drove a kitted-out, circa 2012

By Forrest Brown, CNN (CNN) — On Good Friday 2017, Wyatt Werneth got a call from his wife, who had gone grocery shopping with their daughter: The car’s broken down. Please rescue us. Werneth hopped in his vehicle to assist, driving by Patrick Space Force Base near Cape Canaveral, Florida. From the A1A highway, Werneth

By Lilit Marcus, CNN Thimpu, Bhutan (CNN) — Located between China and India, the world’s two most populous countries, high in the Himalayas, sits Bhutan. Known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon, it’s a Buddhist monarchy of 700,000 residents that has only had regular television broadcasts since 1999. Most foreigners who have heard of

By Christy Choi, photos by Noemi Cassanelli and curation by Jennifer Arnow, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — There are a lot of princesses at Hong Kong Disneyland, but not the ones you think. Instead of your Cinderellas, Elsas and Annas in their royal best, it’s a fuzzy pink fox that’s inspiring the princess-esque outfits of

CNN By Natasha Chen, CNN Los Angeles (CNN) — Her nails are painted blue and white. There’s a Dodgers logo on one nail, the number 17 on another. Takayo Hizume had gone to a nail salon at home in Japan to get them done, then flew about 10 hours to Los Angeles, spending a great

By Natasha Chen, CNN Los Angeles (CNN) — Her nails are painted blue and white. There’s a Dodgers logo on one nail, the number 17 on another. Takayo Hizume had gone to a nail salon at home in Japan to get them done, then flew about 10 hours to Los Angeles, spending a great deal

By Xiaofei Xu, CNN Paris (CNN) — Located on the famous Rue Bretagne – known as one of the best bar streets in Paris – the terrace of Le Pinardier is always busy on summer evenings. It’s a quintessentially French experience – regulars ordering the wines of the day alongside cheese and charcuterie – but

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — It was a wedding to remember. A 15th-century Irish castle outside Dublin decorated in the theme of Robin Hood. A verdant tiered wedding cake piled high with fondant leaves and apples — designed by British artist Damien Hirst — cut ceremoniously with a saber. Two baroque thrones for the

By Barry Neild, CNN Termessos, Turkey (CNN) — Alexander the Great tried to conquer Termessos but failed. Today, the incredible deserted ruins of this once-powerful city, perched like a fortified eagle’s nest high in the mountains of southwestern Turkey, can be conquered by anyone willing to make the hike up here. But few people ever

By Rebecca Cairns, CNN (CNN) — The City of Gold is known for its all-out glitz and glamour — and with good reason: Dubai is bursting with five-star hotels that ooze opulence. With over 150 luxurious resorts located across the city, travelers who are willing to splash the cash are spoilt for choice. But if

By Jack Guy, CNN London (CNN) — A twice-stolen painting by Italian Renaissance master Titian, which was once found in a plastic bag at a bus stop in London, sold for $22.3 million at auction on Tuesday. “The Rest on the Flight into Egypt” went under the hammer at Christie’s in London with an estimate of £15 million-£25

By Marnie Hunter, CNN (CNN) — Spoiled in-flight meals prompted the diversion of a Delta Air Lines flight early Wednesday. “Delta flight 136 from Detroit to Amsterdam diverted to New York’s JFK early Wednesday morning after reports that a portion of the Main Cabin in-flight meal service were spoiled,” the airline said in a statement.

By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN (CNN) — When Ruth Harrison and Dan Phillips relocated from the US to Ecuador two years ago, their main goal was to enjoy a peaceful retirement. Life had other ideas. Just as the couple – who have chosen to use pseudonyms for this article – were settling into a new chapter

Rhea Mogul, CNN (CNN) — Billionaire heir Anant Ambani is set to marry his longtime girlfriend Radhika Merchant later this month, in a lavish ceremony widely described as the country’s wedding of the year. Extravagant pre-wedding celebrations have already sent Indian media into a frenzy and social media feeds are abuzz over what’s to come.

By Jillian Sykes and Dalia Faheid, CNN (CNN) — A popular national park in Alaska will reopen Wednesday after a rare wildfire near the park’s entrance was reported last week, officials said. Evacuation orders for Denali National Park and Preserve also were being lifted after being issued July 1 as crews battled the Riley Fire, park

By Fabiana Chaparro, CNN (CNN) — Various cruise lines are altering some of their ships’ courses in the Caribbean as Hurricane Beryl storms through the region. Royal Caribbean has altered courses for five of its cruise ships – Celebrity Beyond, Icon of the Seas (the world’s largest cruise ship), Grandeur of the Seas, Wonder of

By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN (CNN) — They first traveled long distance by motorcycle just a few years ago, but this couple now hold the title of youngest duo to circumnavigate the globe on a motorbike, two up. Lavi Scholl and Ollie Gamblin, now aged 32 and 34, visited 39 different countries, including Morocco, Argentina, and

By Niamh Kennedy, CNN (CNN) — A Parisian drag cabaret club that has hosted singers such as Liza Minnelli and Serge Gainsbourg is closing its doors due to financial struggles. Chez Michou, which lies in the hilltop neighborhood of Montmartre in the French capital, announced in a Facebook post Monday that it will be closing

By Caitlin Chatterton, CNN (CNN) — Yorgos Lanthimos — the movie director behind award season darlings “The Favourite” and “Poor Things” — is hailed as a genius by fans of his often strange and unsettling oeuvre. He’s made his name by courting the absurd and keeping audiences on their toes, embellishing his fables of love,

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — First lady Dr. Jill Biden is Vogue’s August cover star just as election season is kicking off in earnest in the United States — and only days after President Joe Biden’s shaky first debate performance rattled the Democratic party. On the cover — her second for the fashion magazine