On the Whitsuntide weekend (a bank holiday in mid-June) of 1952, students Brian Varley and JM Dickenson aged 19 and 20 respectively, embarked on the vacation of a lifetime. They…

In Pune, she trained under Yogini Gandhi of the Lucknow gharana for almost 17 years until 2013. She then moved to Delhi and trained under Munna Shukla until he passed…

English philosopher Herbert Spencer’s theory of evolution, popularised by Charles Darwin argues survival of the fittest, thereby leading to a natural process of selection and extinction. This theory often applies…

In 2013, Zian Bhamgara, stage name Zian B, had just returned from studying jazz vocals in Germany and the Netherlands, under Sabine Kühlich, head of vocals at Conservatorium Maastricht. She…

The creative directors at label Satya Paul have brought a travel-ready collection for those who get itchy feet. Named ‘Pleasure Gardens’, it takes one on a flight of fantasy with…

It’s three in the afternoon at the iconic French Quarter of New Orleans in the US. The city’s oldest neighbourhood is a vibrant hub of food and music. The narrow…

Tucked away from the well-worn tourist paths of Madhya Pradesh’s Kanha and Bandhavgarh lies Satpura’s hidden gem—the Denwa Backwater Escape. While the three-hour journey from Bhopal airport might test your…

A little further on, Dhanushkodi, the ghost town, holds its own poignant allure to the tourist. The ruins of a church, remnants of a railway station and a sunken temple…

Marc Dujardin, in his study, From Living to Propelling Monument, writes: “Contrary to most medieval castles in Europe that are relatively dead monuments and literally ‘empty’ places, Bhutanese (dzongs) are…

Imagine a stretch of road flanked on both sides by the waters of the Arabian Sea and saline mudflats that look like frozen ice at first glance… Driving on the…

Traditionally, vacation itineraries were packed with daytime activities—visiting monuments, basking on sun-soaked beaches, exploring bustling local markets, or heading on hiking trails. But as the hustle and bustle of the…

As the setting sun glimmers on the baroque cathedral at the Old Town Square at Jicin, a local guide dressed as a Medieval Duke comes forward with a flourish. He…

For travelphiles who grew up on a steady diet of Silk Route lore, perhaps the most famous trading route in history evokes the romance of adventure. While Uzbekistan gets the…

Is coexistence of man and animal possible when there is a deep-rooted respect for nature? The Maldhari tribe of Gir know the answer. When the Maldhari cattle herders came to…

Majuli has been screaming for attention. It is the world’s largest inhabited river island and a melting pot of Assam’s neo-Vaishnavite, and indigenous tribal cultures, and famous for its 22…

The US is gearing up to get a new President. Anticipation and anxiety is building up in Washington DC. However, pause for a minute and see if the number 2024…

Geraniums, roses, palm trees, azahar (orange blossom) and bright bougainvillea bob their heads in terracotta pots. The scent of jasmine lingers in the air, as the bright palettes of colour…

Manicured gardens and green lawns, historic stone archways, and a rustic greenhouse spread across 68 picturesque acres in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, US, create the backdrop for the 1825 farmhouse that…

The story is similar for British visas. Many people in India, as well as other applicants, feel the process is too harsh and can be humiliating. Endless amounts of paperwork are required,…

Cleanliness begins at home. In 2017, Dawa Choden Bhutia, the panchayat president of Phadamchen village in Sikkim, assembled 17 women to form a group called Swachhata Sahayogi, a name that…

When she received her acceptance letter and moved to Delhi for her studies, Afeedha took every opportunity to travel. She visited Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab multiple times with her…

In the scenic coastal village of Dombe near Karnataka’s Byndoor, a homestay comes alive in the wee hours of the morning. Greater coucals and Rufous Treepie hop around, alighting high…

As you sit down with Armenian painter Lusik Aguletsi’s family—the artist was often called the Van Gogh of Armenia—sipping warm mountain tea, the room becomes filled with conversations, memories and…

Walking through the narrow alleys and cobblestoned lanes of the town, one comes across patrician homes of traders and stately half-timbered buildings that once held corn and grain to protect…

A group of Spanish tourists is engrossed in admiring a timber-crafted house in the town of Schiltach located in the Black Forest in Germany. Their guide draws their attention to…

The report also stated that international travel search volumes remain relatively steady across all seasons, with December being the most active month for international travel searches. Further, interest in luxury…

One of the oldest cities in Scandinavia and home to the world’s oldest amusement park, Copenhagen has a plethora of adventures for the discerning traveller. But there lies a hidden…

Garima Sinha, a 32-year-old marketing professional and avid traveller from Noida, made an unusual decision during her visit to Canada last year. Instead of following the typical tourist route, she…

Sleep early, wake up early” is the motto of the enthusiastic guides at the Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. Punctuality is a virtue, being at the right place at…

Walking the narrow cobblestone streets with houses with green shutters on either side, is the two-storeyed Ataneo De Malaga on Calle Compania, which used to be the School of Fine…

Make no mistake, Barcelona is a walking city. And only by doing so do you let the city unveil an element of surprise at every turn. But summertime in Barcelona…

India has few destination restaurants. Naar, a cozy, 16-cover one-of-a-kind restaurant in a tiny village near Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh, is one. The mountains cast a spell on Kashmir-born maverick…

Right at the start, a few guests want to give up. But instructor Adnan eggs them on, escorting each participant, from the top of the cliff to the first landing.…

The Daunt bookstore almost diverts attention from the substantial collection of volumes it is stocked with. Situated on a quiet road in Marylebone, a London suburb, it was formerly an…

The first official photograph ever of a tank in action is at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette on September 15, 1916. A Mark I tank with a steering tail at the…

Charming historic houses cling to the wooded hillside, lining the steep cobbled street that snakes down the hill to the traditional fishing harbour on the coast. In the distance, the…

A vast expanse of wasteland, rugged and hostile, filled with colours of the earth—black, grey, red, brown, with a smattering of green—creates the textural kaleidoscope called Timanfaya National Park. A…

To grab a fantastic view, visitors have to climb up a cobblestone path made of hundreds of steps and cross the seven gates or pols—Ganesh Pol, Andheri Pol, Navlakha Pol,…

Imagine waking up to the cacophony of peacocks and the faint sound of waves crashing on sand. The weather is already humid, but the tall coconut trees around offer respite.…

A jungle hare caught in the headlight of safari jeeps stops momentarily to rear up on its hind legs to glare straight into the low beam; then continues to hop…

“Har har Mahadev...Har Har Mahadev...”Each time you feel it is impossible to take another step forward on the hard road to Rudranath temple, nestled inside dense rhododendron forests and mountain…

In 1765, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia defeated Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Abdali in the Battle of Amritsar and established the Katra Ahluwalia, a self-sufficient, small neighbourhood. “Such neighbourhoods were a common…

A striking pagoda with cantilevered wooden roofs, towers above Bhaktapur, a royal city in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Close by is an Indian-style temple whose statues of deities are carved…

Building it up: Galle’s British and Dutch colonial architecture exhibit similar order and symmetry. The Dutch, adept in masonry, favoured stone and brick over the British wooden bungalows. Their architectural…

A drive to Srirangapatna that sits along the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway is a car metaphor. You pass a big building whose façade resembles a car tyre. Hard to miss. This newly…

I’m a big dreamer who made most of my dreams come true. One dream was to give back to Goa… what this wonderful state has given us as a legacy.…

A teenager wearing black shorts and a pink T-shirt is about to start hiking to the peak of the scenic Seongsan Ilchulbong Tuff Cone. Standing at the base, entry ticket…

Travelling to Lyon from Paris is taking a two-hour train ride to the Medieval Ages. Of course with a soupcon of intrigue. The Old Town in Lyon’s 5th arrondissement, built…

Tiger lore at the reserve includes stories about how Maya, the current queen of Tadoba, learned to deal with gawping tourists when she was a cub and prowled the jungle…

The hotel is designed by Singaporean DP Architects, who strove to highlight the brand’s history in a modern, appealing manner. “The façade constitutes an aluminium screen which is a modern…

Back at the camp, a leisurely camel safari awaits. At a giant communal yurt made specifically for guests to feast together, sumptuous meals are served. Gastronomy enthusiasts can choose from…

Steep craggy cliffs climb skyward, puffed-up clouds scatter through the sky, and the wind thrusts you onto the thin, coastal path. The view at the end of the cliff-top walk…

In early spring when the sun peeks out from behind the Aravalli range looming over the Chauth Ka Barwara village, the mountain is framed perfectly by the window of the…

Interestingly, ruin pubs have a short history—they are only two decades old. In the 20th century, Budapest’s Jewish Quarter was the site of a Jewish ghetto. World War II and…

Back to the roots’ is the ethos of Ezha, which in Malayalam means ‘thread’. Three women conservation architects Swathy Subramanian, Savita Rajan and Ritu Sara Thomas weaved a thread from…

The Northeast of India, and its neighbour Myanmar aka Burma is knitted with secret forest routes and sprawling grasslands. Borders did not exist until British imperials tired from war left…

Egypt’s illustrious history is the protagonist in a one-of-a-kind drama that unfolds within the thick walls of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Centrally located on the edge of Maidan Al-Tahrir…

Taking a walk means diffrent things in different places. Insta Reels show off the thrill of climbing creaky ladders along the Mawryngkhang Bamboo Trail in Meghalaya; the real marvel is…

A sunflower field catches your eye as you drive towards Shilimb village in Maharashtra. The vibrant yellow of the flowers, swaying in the breeze, soaking in the sunlight against the…

She adds, “Its unique keel petal requires birds to make an effort to reach the hidden nectar, thus aiding pollination. They are practically the first blooms of ‘Vasantha’ with generous…

As winter fades away and spring approaches, Japan eagerly awaits the annual delight of cherry blossoms, or sakura, unfurling their delicate petals across the landscape. For countless travel enthusiasts, the…

A little detour from the main Ramnagar-Nainital road changes the perspective completely. The drive to Pangot, the quieter cousin of buzzing Nainital, is marked with thinning traffic and breathtaking mountain…

The Art of DriftingDrifting may have been popularised in mainstream media by neon-bathed visions of Tokyo’s underground racing scene, but it was discovered here in Finland, along with a popular…

During the Mughal Empire and British colonial period, Gujarat’s Saurashtra region was divided into about 200 princely states and jagirs (fiefdoms). The medieval rulers lived in castle-like structures called darbargadh,…

High-speed trains have revolutionised surface transportation, let alone railways around the world. A high-speed rail (HSR) network utilises trains that run significantly faster than those of traditional rail, through an…

Situated amidst the lush hills of Uttarakhand, Mussoorie and Landour stand as quintessential hill stations, offering not just breathtaking views but also a rich culinary experiences. Among the many delights…

Hay-on-Wye wasn’t always known as the ‘town of books’. Bookseller Richard Booth, the self-proclaimed ‘King of Hay’, opened the first second-hand bookshop, The Old Fire Station, here in 1962; since…

The thrill of chancing on a wild cat from the open jeep keeps one alert at all times. What might be that ruffle in the distance, the slight movement in…

Blue should be the national colour of Bhutan. The clear skies in the backdrop of virgin pine-forested mountains are a sight to behold. The crisp air, the winding pebbled brooks…

Green trees as far as the eye can see. Blue skies an expansive canopy above. The sound of birdsong. The purity of air. Talk about living, literally, in the lap…

How do you spend an afternoon in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain? You could grab your towel and head to one of the many beaches. The volcanic origins of the islands…

At The Chavni, the soft golden hue of the setting sun welcomes guests to the high tea area, set against the backdrop of the Sahyadris. Two forts—Lohagad and Visapur—loom large.…

Enter the Food Court, the barbecued smell of kebabs, aromatics, and other dishes will make you feel hungry. The silent sea adds a touch of serenity to this luxurious dining…

Hua Hin - Rewire your system in Hua Hin, Thailand’s wellness epicentre. Hua Hin, which was once a fishing village, has evolved through time into a crucial detox resort. It…

The location is easily accessible by road from the Mandi Bus Station and Srinagar International Airport, depending on the time of year and traffic. The roomy, contemporary suites at the…

Concerts have always been big business, but with people traversing oceans for their favourite artistes, music shows have become a key draw for travellers. And 2023 is clearly the year of the…

For a country roughly the size of Tasmania in Australia, Sri Lanka has a surprising number of ecosystems. The island may be synonymous with beaches and temples, but there is…

No meat. No alcohol. Also forbidden were ‘Ten Cereals,’ consisting of rice, wheat, soybeans, adzuki beans, black sesame seeds, barnyard grass, millet, foxtail millet, buckwheat and corn. For mokujikigyo, Shingon monks…

Where did old farmhouses, stables, bakehouses or barns in Switzerland, which were replaced by modern buildings, go? They were dismantled and rebuilt at the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum. Spread over…

The property also arranges for drives around the picturesque Kohka Lake and backwater safaris, besides visits to Pachdhar, a village of over 100 kumhars or potters, a couple of kilometres…

Then there are over a century-old luxury department stores such as Galeries Lafayette and Printemps that have history written all over them. The latter, which opened in 1865, was one of the…

Following the latter, the jail was visited by its most famous resident, Mahatma Gandhi, who voluntarily spent the night here to show solidarity with the Irish cause. His VIP jail…

But the high price of the product inhibits a scale-up. “The cost is five times that of thermocol. Besides, thermocol is quicker to make. The growth of the mushrooms cannot…

Technological innovations and modern entertainment in the 20th century, however, ushered in profound changes, making much of indigenous entertainment irrelevant or restricted to government tableaux. Two-time National Award-winning artist Dr Dalavai…

Exiles can be long if they have a cause. Nupur Tron, founder and director of 'Foundation Frison Horta' in Brussels, Belgium, has a cause fired by passion. She is an Indian woman…

“One of the things that makes the art and culture scene in Philadelphia so wonderful is the variety,” says Irene Baker, author of 100 Things to Do in Philadelphia and…

It is a scenic drive to Turkestan from Shymkent in Southern Kazakhstan, about 680 km from Almaty, the country’s largest city. The sepia landscape is stark and generally unpeopled, with…

Watching the northern lights is like seeing a miracle unfold. It’s as if the cosmos is dancing and a superpower up there is trying to tell you something. After minutes of…

B for Bonn. B for Boring. So it has been said of West Germany’s former capital city, about which A local politician once famously sniped that “the best thing about Bonn…

Kutaisi is surrounded by UNESCO sites, monasteries and caves. Gelati monastery, founded in 1106, used to be home to an academy of scholars and has brightly coloured Byzantine-style frescoes—there’s one…

Straight out of our mindscape of fairyland. Live in a mushroom shaped cave, shop for groceries from a bigger one, watch a multi-coloured sunset, in the evening, walk around moon…

Alongside a murmuring brook, a gentle uphill trail dissolves from a brown, muddy one to a path flanked by willows, fields of peas and barley, and fruit-laden apricot trees. There is…

The last decade has seen some talented global artists play at the festival such as Prateek Kuhad, Peter Cat Recording Company, Lee Ranaldo, Acid Mothers Temple, Rabbi Shergill and Steve…

About 10 km away from the memorial is Nyamirambo, one of Kigali’s oldest neighbourhoods, dominated by Muslim traders speaking Swahili, who initially came here from Tanzania. Amid barber shops and…

Sitting on the northern tip of Lake Zurich and bound by the River Limmat, the city offers easy access to nature right within urban limits. It’s not just the lively…

Famous as the site of the Potsdam Conference in 1945, when the UK, US and the Soviet Union decided the fate of Germany after World War II, there’s more to…

Tipai has an osmotic relationship with nature, and at times the guest can be forgiven for wondering whether they are indoors or outdoors. The dense thickets and little water bodies…

One of the best things to do in Sindhudurg is to go fort-hopping—the Nivati fort, also built by Shivaji, is hardly 10 km from the sea-fort. It is perched on…

Are the Danes happier than the rest of the world? Perhaps; Denmark consistently ranks among the top 3 in the World Happiness Report. The Danes credit the higher rating to…

Long walks along winding roads, gabled colonial bungalows and magnificent churches, quaint cafés and bakeries drawing people in with the wafting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and cake… Landour, a cantonment…

A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Siddipet, 100 km from Hyderabad, is teeming with crowds, thanks to it being the auspicious Karthika maasam (month of Karthik). But it’s no ordinary temple.…

Uttarakhand’s most revered city—Haridwar—is surprisingly a case study in art and architecture. Aside from the temples and ashrams that dot the town, there are age-old havelis and ancestral bungalows that whisper…

When in Stockholm, set stock by Swedish design. It pervades everything and every place—the cafes and museums, the castles and parks, the streets, metro stations, and even public toilets. Characterised by…

At Ham Ninh fishing village, you can watch locals go about their sepia-tinted lives. Enjoy the irresistible aroma wafting from dishes being rustled up by the women in their thatched-roof…

Fabric stores have a whimsical marketing strategy; their owners will always be found outside, calling out to passersby holding out a few samples of merchandise. Though they are mostly counterfeit…

With peaceful mountains around, fast Internet and restaurants serving multi-cuisine food, there are many who have already made Dharamkot their mountain abode. A few kilometres away is the famous Gallu…

The 6,000-plus crowd which thronged the confluence of music, art and wellness over the course of three heady days in the middle of India’s western desert could not get enough…

Don’t miss the Orbeliani Baths, the iconic blue-tiled bathhouse, which is known for its stunning Persian-inspired architecture and looks like a mosque. For a more luxe experience, head to the…

Express News Service A high-speed chase is underway in a lush green field as eight uniformed riders, astride majestic horses, confidently manoeuvre its length and breadth. Their weapons of choice are…

Express News Service As the setting sun paints the sky in swathes of orange on a rather hot day in Jamshedpur, Sumanti Devi Bhagat is busy giving final touches to a…

Express News Service In Abanotubani, the old Bath District of Tbilisi under the imposing Narikala fortress where the air has a rotten egg odour, children clamber on the brick cupolas…

Express News Service Holding hand-made paper baskets in one hand and a farming tool called cultivator in the other, Finnish forager Anna Nyman guides a group of tourists to Helsinki’s 10-sqkm Central…

Express News Service As soon as the clock strikes 5.30 in the evening, the scenic village of Kharnak, nestled in the sprawling Tibetan Plateau of Ladakh, comes to life. Hundreds…

Express News Service Blue should be the national colour of Bhutan. The clear skies in the backdrop of virgin pine-forested mountains are a sight to behold. The crisp air, the…

Express News Service At The Chavni, the soft golden hue of the setting sun welcomes guests to the high tea area, set against the backdrop of the Sahyadris. Two forts—Lohagad…

Express News Service Green trees as far as the eye can see. Blue skies an expansive canopy above. The sound of birdsong. The purity of air. Talk about living, literally,…

Express News Service The walls of the battle-hardened 17th-century Alsisar Mahal in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, came alive with spectacular 3D projections as thousands of music lovers danced, swayed and banged heads…

Express News Service As the winter fog descends on the north Indian plains, it’s time for a quick getaway to the hills. McLeodganj, a suburb of Dharamshala in Himachal’s Kangra…

Express News Service How do you spend an afternoon in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain? You could grab your towel and head to one of the many beaches. The volcanic origins…

Express News Service Admirers of the ocean and avid travellers alike, we bring you good news! There is now a luxury cruise liner operating between Chennai and Sri Lanka. Indulge…

By Express News Service What exactly does a wellness trip involve? Is it going to yoga retreats, or indulging in spa treatments? These wellness getaways guarantee a genuinely therapeutic experience…

By Express News Service Visitors to Jammu and Kashmir have more luxury options now. The latest to join the existing holiday destinations in J&K is Radisson Hotel Sonamarg. The group…

Express News Service Sokushinbutsu shrines of Buddhist monks who transformed themselves into mummies while alive can be seen around Mount Yudono in northern Japan. Pilgrims believe they will rise to…

Express News Service Concerts have always been big business, but with people traversing oceans for their favourite artistes, music shows have become a key draw for travellers. And 2023 is clearly…

Express News Service Where did old farmhouses, stables, bakehouses or barns in Switzerland, which were replaced by modern buildings, go? They were dismantled and rebuilt at the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air…

Express News Service The fresh jungle air in Pench National Park carries with it the smell of teakwood trees and the sounds of birds. This park in Madhya Pradesh is…

Express News Service Paris conjures up images of romance, Mona Lisa’s smile, the iconic Eiffel Tower, charming cafes and delicious croissants… But look beyond to discover a different facet of the…

Express News Service Walking through the tree-lined hillside of the army cantonment of Dagshai in Solan, Himachal Pradesh, one comes across lush pine forests, winding roads and quaint cafes—features characteristic…

Express News Service Exiles can be long if they have a cause. Nupur Tron, founder and director of 'Foundation Frison Horta' in Brussels, Belgium, has a cause fired by passion. She is…

Express News Service In the quaint village of Nimmalakunta, in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, there lives a small guild of painters and performers engaged in preserving a dying tradition,…

Express News Service Bio entrepreneur Arpit Dhupar lives in Delhi. Sometime in 2019, a year before the clouds of Covid-19 spread its wings, he was watching his three-year-old nephew paint a…

Express News Service There’s more to Philadelphia than the famous Philly cheesesteak. Pennsylvania’s most populous city is the cradle of art. Its public murals—the city is recognised as the Mural…

Express News Service It is a scenic drive to Turkestan from Shymkent in Southern Kazakhstan, about 680 km from Almaty, the country’s largest city. The sepia landscape is stark and…

Express News Service Watching the northern lights is like seeing a miracle unfold. It’s as if the cosmos is dancing and a superpower up there is trying to tell you something.…

Express News Service B for Bonn. B for Boring. So it has been said of West Germany’s former capital city, about which  A local politician once famously sniped that “the…

Express News Service Thirty golden figures mounted on blue mosaic pedestals in the middle of a traffic island form the majestic Colchis fountain, the showstopper of the city of Kutaisi…

Express News Service Recently, I made a trip to Turkey. I share some of my impressions of travelling in the magical land. GAZIANTEP There is music. Not the kind we…

Express News Service Alongside a murmuring brook, a gentle uphill trail dissolves from a brown, muddy one to a path flanked by willows, fields of peas and barley, and fruit-laden apricot…

Express News Service The hills were alive with the sounds of music. There was Australian rock-punk band Mannequin Death Squad, getting people to bang heads, and Farhan Akhtar belted out…

Express News Service History whispers from every corner of the densely populated Kigali in Rwanda, Africa. It was under the German rule, Belgians and the Rwandan kings, before becoming the…

Express News Service The Al Azhar Mosque in the heart of Cairo, Egypt, with its twin minarets reaching for the sky proudly straddles Islamic Cairo, surveying one of the world’s…

Express News Service Switzerland’s most populous city and its economic centre—Zurich—is best known for banking and business. Most travellers whizz in and out of Zurich Airport, but linger a little…

Express News Service Famous as the site of the Potsdam Conference in 1945, when the UK, US and the Soviet Union decided the fate of Germany after World War II,…

Express News Service It is wild out there, but there are times when the boundaries seem to blur between the indoors and the outdoors. During the day, the tall grasses…

Express News Service Some 150 km from the cacophony of Goa, lies Sindhudurg in Maharashtra. The serene coastal district is not only home to the 17th-century sea fort built by…

Express News Service Are the Danes happier than the rest of the world? Perhaps; Denmark consistently ranks among the top 3 in the World Happiness Report. The Danes credit the…

Express News Service Long walks along winding roads, gabled colonial bungalows and magnificent churches, quaint cafés and bakeries drawing people in with the wafting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and…

Express News Service A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Siddipet, 100 km from Hyderabad, is teeming with crowds, thanks to it being the auspicious Karthika maasam (month of Karthik). But it’s…

Express News Service Uttarakhand’s most revered city—Haridwar—is surprisingly a case study in art and architecture. Aside from the temples and ashrams that dot the town, there are age-old havelis and ancestral…

Express News Service When in Stockholm, set stock by Swedish design. It pervades everything and every place—the cafes and museums, the castles and parks, the streets, metro stations, and even public…

Express News Service Phu Quoc Island seems to exist in a palm-fringed haze. Nestling along the Gulf of Thailand in south Vietnam, and voted by Time magazine as one of…