Tulum on a budget

editor’s note

‘I am beginning to understand the real reason why we,

Explore

Even out of season, the Côte d’Azur shows off its

ROMA NORTE

Mexico City local Laura Bronner introduces us to Roma Norte,

Building a Picture

Bringing out the character of a building – whether ornate

Côte d’Azur: Nice to Menton

Drive the two highest of the three parallel ‘corniches’ that bring captivating views and all the glamour of the French Riviera

HOW TO Photograph Snowy Landscapes

Photographer Justin Foulkes explains how to get the best results when shooting snowy scenes, like this one of the Great St Bernard Pass between Italy and Switzerland

THE SECRET HISTORY OF Matryoshka Dolls

How nested dolls emigrated from China through Japan to Russia

SPOTLIGHT ON: Cáceres

Eight reasons to make this medieval city in the heart of Spain your next short break

HOTEL SPY: East London Hotel

A new opening offers a value-for-money crashpad for exploring local nightlife

TRY SOMETHING NEW: Summit-bagging

Mountain heights exert a mythical pull for many of us, and a few famous examples lie within reach of mere mortals – if approached with respect. A ‘non-technical’ summit is still a serious undertaking, requiring proper training and a guide, but the focus is on general fitness, not rock-climbing skills. We’ve picked four challenges in ascending order of difficulty, and tour companies that can help you attain your goal

SHOPPING: Winter Walking

Even if the weather is frightful, this gear will keep you warm through the chillier months

JOURNAL

TALES FROM THE ROAD

Kaleidoscope

We reveal the winning images for our monthly Instagram competiton,

STAFF STORIES: Strangest night: after-dark adventures

Chasing albino hedgehogs around a golf course, blundering down a ski slope from 2,500 metres, meeting the Jay Gatsby of Peru – it can be dark before the dawn among Lonely Planet’s staff. We asked them to share their weirdest (PG-rated) night-time travel experiences

GOING FURTHER: Crossing the Kalahari in Botswana

Anthony Ham drove the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, one of the Earth’s truly remote spaces, where lions, cheetahs and oryx roam, and humankind is conspicuously absent

SKETCHBOOK: Bicycle Town

Illustrator Veronica Lawlor tells us about her time in the Dutch capital

FAMILY TRAVEL: Mini-hikes on the Cornish Coast

You don’t need to travel far to have a proper adventure with kids, says our features editor Orla Thomas

MY TRIP: Across Oman

Follow Daniel James Clarke as he takes a camping trip with friends through the Middle Eastern sultanate, discovering wind-carved deserts, mountain villages and wadis ripe for wild swimming

UNPLANNED: Cuba

IN HINDSIGHT, BEFORE BOOKING flights to Havana, I should have

Pick’n’ mix Tallinn

Continuing our new short-break had in Tallinn – choose your favourites to build your own ideal trip

BESTIN TRAVEL 2019

What are the world’s top places to visit and most exciting things to do in 2019? Drawing on the knowledge, passion and miles travelled by Lonely Planet’s staff, writers and online community, we reveal a year’s worth of travel inspiration to take you out of the ordinary and into some unforgettable experiences. So pack your bags and start exploring…

TOP 10 COUNTRIES

Find out the greatest destinations to add to your wishlist in 2019 – then turn to p56 to read our feature on the winning country: Sri Lanka

WAY BACK NORTH

In 2019, Sri Lanka will mark a decade at peace – explore the northern regions of our number one Best in Travel country as they open up to visitors keen to take a path less trodden, among vivid temples and islands shaded by palm fronds

TOP 10 CITIES

Our pick of the most brilliant urban experiences for 2019; for more on our winning city’s extraordinary new food scene, turn to p74

Copenhagen 2.0

Can a single restaurant transform an entire city? With the relocation of the globally influential Noma, the culinary map of Denmark’s coastal capital is more intriguing than ever

TOP 10 REGIONS

Discover rewarding regions, from the Russian Far East to Northern Peru; closer to home, read more on the Scottish Highlands on p90

I WOULD DRIVE 500 MILES

Bleakly beautiful, the North Coast 500 is Scotland’s very own Route 66. Buckle up for a road trip around Britain’s outer limits, where you’ll find otherworldly landscapes and down-to-earth welcomes

NEW FOOD BUCKET-LIST

Food travel is a trend that won’t let up; from sky-high Peruvian to communal cultural feasts, we share five of the best experiences for the globetrotting gourmand

BEST NEW OPENINGS

We present big-hitting museums and landmarks set to be unveiled in 2019 – perfect reasons to plan trips to Dubai, Bangkok, New York, Dublin and Oslo

BEST-VALUE DESTINATIONS

Looking for a first-rate trip without an inflated price tag? Then you’ll need our up-to-date list of dream destinations for the pennywise traveller

First time in Bishkek

Bishkek doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves. Dig into the cuisine, art scene or nightlife of Kyrgyzstan’s capital and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this gateway to the Tien Shan mountain range

Culture in Córdoba

In the Spanish city of Córdoba, one of the greatest mosques ever built in Europe overlooks a web of winding medieval lanes that reveal a striking mix of Roman, Moorish and Spanish cultures

Historic Hong Kong

Look beyond the glass and steel of Hong Kong’s commercial heart to find a cultural landscape in which the city’s Chinese roots and colonial connections are entwined. Explore Hong Kong history with these tips

Ultimate Zanzibar

With a preposterously beautiful tropical coastline, a wealth of Swahili history and great food, this dreamlike island off the coast of Tanzania is quite the destination. This guide will help distil its highlights

Eating in Dubai

Travel to Dubai not only for its futuristic architecture, traditional souks and desert landscapes, but also for its food. Dubai’s kitchens are diverse and innovative. This list collects the city’s best places to eat

What on Earth?

1 Which country, its national day on 30 November, has