Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2014 - top 10 countries

These 10 countries are destined for an epic year, whether they’re hosting festivals, cutting the ribbon on new attractions or simply raising their game for travellers. Feast your eyes on 2014's most unmissable destinations.

1. Brazil

All eyes on the pitch for 2014’s World Cup

A game of beach football in Rio. Image by Yasuhide Fumoto / The Image Bank / Getty Images.

As if endless strands of sun-toasted coast, mountains splashed with Crayola-green rainforest and some of the planet’s most beautiful colonial villages didn’t already add up to an unfair share of heaven, Brazil goes and snags two of the most coveted sporting events in the world, beginning with the 2014 FIFA World Cup and followed two years later by the 2016 Summer Olympics. Tack on a recession-dodging economy, and boom! Brazil is the belle of the ball. Be it trekking across towering windswept dunes peppered with cerulean lagoons in Lençóis Maranhenses, exploring gilded colonial churches in frozen-in-time cities such as Ouro Preto or swimming in aquarium-like rivers near Bonito, Brazil’s diversity will leave you slack-jawed.

2. Antarctica

The adventure of a lifetime

 A noisy gentoo penguin in Antarctica. Image by Ralf Hettler / E+ / Getty Images.

Tune into your average wildlife television program and you can’t fail to be dazzled by Antarctica’s majestic icebergs, calving glaciers and unexplored mountain ranges. Or you’ll watch its native penguin species frolic while avoiding fierce leopard seals and roaming pods of killer whales, as millions of seabirds spiral over the wild Southern Ocean. This year marks the centenary of the start of Ernest Shackleton’s infamous attempted Antarctic crossing. Visiting this pristine continent (which doesn’t have an indigenous population and is not actually a country) in 2014 is a chance to take life on and follow in the path of other intrepid explorers – but with cushier amenities.

3. Scotland

An eventful year

The rugged scenery of Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands. Image by Stephen Weaver Photography / Flickr Open / Getty Images.

To coincide with Glasgow hosting the XX Commonwealth Games in the summer of 2014, the city has had a multi-million-pound facelift: new sports venues, improved transport links and a regeneration of Glasgow Harbour. It is also the Year of Homecoming, a government initiative to welcome the Scottish diaspora back to the mother country by celebratingScotland’s heritage, food and drink. The phrase ‘there’s something for everyone’ applies: Europe’s biggest brass band festival blasts Perthshire, an orienteering contest around Scottish castles, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival in May... Despite all this, politics will take centre stage: to be or not to be independent, that is the question. Hold onto your hats, Scotland.

4. Sweden

Food, culture and scary stories

Summertime in Västra Götaland, Sweden. Image by Christer Fredriksson / Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images.

Thanks to the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson, most people have a sense of what Sweden’s like, even in the far north – cold, beautiful and a bit scary. Sweden is emerging with a new pop-culture persona. Perhaps not coincidentally, northern Sweden’s largest city, Umeå, is the European Capital of Culture for 2014. Then there’s the food. The capital has long been a stylish, top-notch destination for serious gourmands and boldly experimental chefs but lately the reputation and influence of Swedish cooking have spread beyond the country’s borders. Considering that Swedish cuisine is so strongly tied to locally sourced ingredients (be it seafood, game, berries, herbs or regional cheeses), it makes perfect sense to go to the source of all this fine food.

5. Malawi

The Big Five and beach life without the crowds

Elephant marches through Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi. Image by John Warbuton-Lee / AWL Images / Getty Images.

Picture this: mere hours after touching down in Malawi’s second-largest city, Blantyre, you check into superluxe digs (or pitch your tent) at the Majete Wildlife Reserve, which only 10 years ago lay decimated by poaching, but last year gained Big Five status thanks to a wildlife relocation project. You get up close to the aforementioned elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo without the pesky 4WD scrum so common in Africa’s best-known parks. Then perhaps it’s off to Lake Malawi for a spot of high-visibility snorkelling, or Mt Mulanje for a hike over hazy peaks in an otherworldly moonscape. And there’s always the Viphya Plateau, a haunting wilderness of grasslands and whaleback hills that feels downright prehistoric.

6. Mexico

The sleeping giant is waking

Roadside fruit and vegetable stall in Oaxaca, Mexico. Image by Greg Elms / Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images.

Sun-baking on a Caribbean beach after partying all night in Cancún; shopping for brightly coloured handicrafts or gorging on seven types of mole (chilli sauce) in Oaxaca; stepping back in time at a Mayan temple – it’s easy to feel optimistic when you’re kicking back in Mexico. And it’s not just the holidaymakers - many Mexicans are happier about living in Mexico now than most can ever remember. Exciting developments on the travel scene have continued, from major new Maya museums in Cancún and Mérida to the installation of Latin America’s longest ziplines on the rim of the awe-inspiring Copper Canyon. Now Mexico’s image is on the cusp of change – it’s time to dust off your Mexican dream again and enjoy it to the max before those prices go back up and the crowds really start rolling in.

7. Seychelles

Paradise within reach

An idyllic spot on Anse Lazio beach on Praslin in the Seychelles. Image by Ruth Eastham & Max Paoli / Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images.

These 115 divine islands strewn across the peacock-blue Indian Ocean have all the key ingredients for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday, but their reputation as a millionaire’s playground may have kept you away. Good news: on top of exclusive island hideaways and elegant eco-villas, you can benefit from the wallet-friendlier B&Bs, picturesque Creole guesthouses and self-catering apartments that have sprung up over the past decade. And if expensive air tickets deterred you from visiting, rejoice! Increased competition has dramatically changed the situation over the past few years. And there’s much more to do than sipping cocktails on the beach. Hiking, diving, snorkelling, boat tours and other adventure options are all readily available, with the added appeal of grandiose scenery. Wildlife lovers will get a buzz too – the Seychelles is not dubbed ‘The Galápagos of the Indian Ocean’ for nothing.

8. Belgium

High emotions in Europe's underrated gem

Historic buildings along the River Leie in Ghent, Belgium. Image by Allan Baxter / The Image Bank / Getty Images.

Belgium has picturesque cities – Bruges, Antwerp, Ghent – and in Brussels a walkable capital with great museums. The food and drink is a gustatory blast (think the world’s best beer, chocolate and chips), the countryside flat and placid, the seaside surprisingly chic, while cultural treasures range from medieval masters to Tintin. Yet the words ‘Belgium’ and ‘holiday’ don’t usually mix. From 2014, a huge influx of visitors is expected due to the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WWI – a festival of remembrance lasting until 2018 – which may change preconceptions. Belgo-newbies will find medieval towns where culture and gastronomy meet, with Gothic buildings, paintings by Breugel, Van Eyck and Magritte, canals and cool shops. And they’ll discover mellow meadows, where cows moo beside monuments, and battlefields and cemeteries that testify to the horrors of a war now shifting from living memory.

9. Macedonia

Back to the future, Balkan-style

Church on the shores of Lake Ohrid, Macedonia. Image by Keren Su / Photodisc / Getty Images.

The year 2014 marks the completion of the government’s love-it-or-hate-it makeover of the capital, Skopje. The Macedonian capital has at the same time quietly become more visitor-friendly, with a bevy of cool new hostels, upscale wine bars and bistros, and one of southeastern Europe’s best club scenes. Beyond work-in-progress Skopje and the more established tourist sites such as Lake Ohrid, Mavrovo ski area and ancient Stobi, new things are happening elsewhere. Quiet Berovo, on the border with Bulgaria, is an up-and-coming contender on the spa-hotel scene. Also in Macedonia’s idyllic eastern half, sturdy old Kratovo – with Ottoman-era stone bridges and cobblestone lanes – is revitalising previously derelict Turkish mansions, attesting the bygone wealth of this old mining town. And in the arid central vineyard region of Tikveš, new quality wineries are catering to thirsty visitors.

10. Malaysia

A revitalised Malaysia goes back to business

Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang, Malaysia. Image by MIXA / Getty Images.

With its sights set on 28 million visitors to the country, Malaysia is rolling out an array of new attractions. The headline-grabbers are the largest bird park in Southeast Asia in Melaka (with 6000 birds featuring 400 species), and Legoland Malaysia and Hello Kitty Land in Nusajaya, which are packing in both locals and Singaporeans flocking across the causeway. The new second terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA2), catering mainly to the booming budget airline sector, is another major factor in attracting more visitors. Competitive fares offered by Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Firefly and new operator Malindo Air make getting around this widely spread-out country a cinch. Further afield, weekly direct links are now scheduled to destinations as diverse as Istanbul and Pyongyang. Amazing experiences await in Malaysian Borneo, from exploring off-the-beaten- track Kudat to indulging at the luxurious Gaya Island Resort on Pulau Gaya. And active travellers can discover the country on two wheels as cycle tourism takes off with guided tours in Sabah, a proposal to build a bike path around the coast of Penang, and a community project to map out cycle routes around Kuala Lumpur.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-tips-and-articles/lonely-planets-best-in-travel-2014-top-10-countries#ixzz2j4LUbqiN

The world's best luxury boot camps

At these wellness retreats, the staff will kick your butt – and then spoil you silly.

Pure Kauai, Hawaii, USA

Woman on a mountain top looking out to the ocean surrounding Kauai, Hawaii. Image by Chad Riley / OJO Images / Getty Images.

Use the island’s stunning nature as a gym – surf lessons, kayak excursions, rainforest hikes and beach runs – at Pure Kauai bespoke fitness vacations. Guests are set up in private cottages or villas, then catered to by personal trainers, health-minded private chefs, personal assistants and wellness practitioners from massage therapists to intuitive healers and astrologists. Although vacations can be as active or as mellow as guests wish, the sports instructors and personal trainers are prepared to kick it into high gear. Quite a few celebs have stayed with Pure Kauai to get in shape for a role.

Getting there: fly to Kauai. There is a five-night minimum stay; www.purekauai.com.

The ranch at Live Oak, Malibu, California, USA

Don’t call it a spa – it’s a week of tough love. Nothing is optional: not the pre-dawn wake-up calls for morning yoga, not the 16km to 21km hikes every day, not the four hours of fitness classes, and not the super-strict diet (no meat, wheat, sugar, dairy, caffeine, alcohol or processed foods). Participants, no more than 16 at a time, may suffer migraines or vomit on the trail and still the instructors push them to keep going. The results: nearly everyone loses noticeable weight and feels better leaving than they did when they arrived – partly from the detox diet and partly from having survived.

Getting there: fly to Los Angeles. The program (www.theranchmalibu.com) is Sunday to Saturday; there’s also a four-day version.

The Island Experience, Ilha Grande, Brazil

There’s more to this island than hammocks and caipirinhas: it’s also home to a seven-day program designed to detox and de-stress through rainforest hiking, kayaking, yoga and meditation, and a vegetarian diet. In a casual atmosphere, up to 12 guests get personal attention and gentle encouragement, rather than drill-sergeant discipline. The founders created the island experience after a seven-day hike around Ilha Grande that left them wanting to share the experience with others: not just physical challenges but also learning to face one’s limits, beat challenges, manage fears and open up to other cultures.

Getting there: fly to Rio de Janeiro. The program is Sunday to Saturday; www.theislandexperience.com.

The Ashram, Mallorca, Spain

The seasonal program is the same as at the original ashram in California, where celebrities have long flocked to lose weight and clear their heads. It’s rigorous, to be sure: 5.30am wake-up calls for yoga; four to six hours of hiking, sometimes with nearly 1000m of elevation gain; afternoon kayaking, strength training, TRX or Pilates; more yoga; minimal, vegetarian meals; and utterly exhausted sleep. With up to 14 guests, everyone gets pushed – hard. You’ll stay in a restored 17th-century olive farm surrounded by orchards and terraces with stunning views, where the guest rooms have beamed ceilings, local art and private bathrooms.

Getting there: fly to Palma. The program runs Sunday to Saturday and is held from April to June; www.theashram.com.

Escape to Shape, International

The premier ‘travelling fitness spa’ combines luxury, culture and fitness in glamorous locations around the world. Each program is tailored to make the most of its location, with a focus on history, culture, people, cuisine and natural wonders – and butt-kicking. While destinations have ranged from Cape Town (where the program included African dance) to Sicily(where guests climbed Mt Etna), the setup is consistent: each day includes a total body workout that might involve yoga, Pilates, circuit training, hiking, kayaking or biking; healthy meals that reflect the region; and a bit of downtime to explore and enjoy the surroundings.

Trip length varies but is generally about a week; www.escapetoshape.com.

Cal-a-Vie, Vista, California, USA

Don’t let the la-di-da name and French Provençal decor fool you: the seasoned trainers here seriously kick butt. The morning mountain hike can turn into a mountain run. Guests are allowed to do as much or as little as they want, and there are a lot of beginner-friendly options among the 125 classes, but there’s also CrossFit and an amped-up TRX class. The gym is as state-of-the-art as it gets and the high staff-to-guest ratio (21 trainers for up to 32 guests) ensure that anyone who asks to be challenged will be. It’s not unheard of to have one student and two instructors.

Getting there: fly to San Diego. Programs are three, four or seven days with set dates; www.cal-a-vie.com.

Bikini bootcamp, Tulum, Mexico

Maya ruins on the coast at Tulum, Mexico. Image by Peter Adams / Taxi / Getty Images.

Founded about a decade ago, this was one of the first adventure-fitness-and-yoga programs around. The boot camps combine cool shabby-chic settings (originally the Amansala eco-resort in this yoga mecca on the Mayan Riviera and now also on Ibiza) with activities and vacation fun. Most of the fitness classes, from power walks to cardio workouts to yoga classes, take place right on the sand and they’re complemented with salsa or belly-dancing classes. Guests range from fitness newbies to hardcore gym rats and the program is tailored accordingly.

Getting there: fly to Cancún. Programs are six nights with set dates and begin on a different day each week; www.bikinibootcamp.com.

Chiva-Som, Hua Hin, Thailand

The name means ‘Haven of Life’, but for guests who sign on for this destination spa’s fitness retreats, life is anything but restful. There are classes nearly 12 hours a day, from Muay Thai boxing to Ashtanga yoga to a cardio session called Mountain Trek, plus private fitness assessments and an array of personal training sessions, both indoors and out. A team of highly trained international specialists oversee the fitness and the Eastern and Western wellness services (reflexology, Thai massage, deep-tissue bodywork) that soothe sore muscles after classes are done. The healthy Thai food is delicious.

Getting there: fly to Bangkok. Chiva-Som has a three-night suggested minimum; www.chivasom.com.

La Réserve Ramatuelle, France

Just a few miles from Saint-Tropez, this resort is primarily a place for summer relaxation. But it offers a surprisingly rigorous boot camp fitness retreat, centered on the very civilised European sport of Nordic walking (with poles, which makes it a lot harder). Each guest (no more than eight) starts with a medical assessment before embarking on a program of daily 15km to 20km treks through the mountains and along the coast, tailored to guests’ fitness levels. This being France, a balanced Mediterranean diet and slimming treatments like balneotherapy (bathing in mineral-rich waters) speed up the results.

Getting there: fly to La Mole. The boot camp program is five nights and available anytime from April to November; see www.lareserveramatuelle.com.

The Bodyholiday, St Lucia

Petit and Gros Piton on St Lucia. Image by Alan Copson / Photographer's Choice / Getty Images.

It may take willpower to make this a boot camp, as the ‘holiday’ part of the name is taken seriously and there are all the temptations of an all-inclusive Caribbean resort. But for guests with enough drive, there are lots of offerings that would challenge the founders – one of them a former ultra-marathoner. A day may include a 7am beach boot camp class, a four-mile run, morning aerobics, afternoon windsurfing and evening Ashtanga yoga. It all gets kicked up a notch during the WellFit retreats in March and November, when ex-Olympians and pro athletes lead the training.

Getting there: fly to St Lucia. WellFit retreats are five nights; other stays can be any length; www.thebodyholiday.com.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-tips-and-articles/the-worlds-best-luxury-boot-camps#ixzz2j4L8nvCe

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2014 - top 10 cities

After feverish debate, the results are finally in. Discover our travel experts' final cut of the most essential travel experiences and destinations on our Best in Travel page. And our top 10 cities - from reinvented classics to destinations on the rise - are sure to inspire your travels in 2014...

1. Paris, France

Urban renaissance

Tulips blooming in front of Paris' iconic Sacre Coeur. Image by Suzanne and Nick Geary / Stone / Getty Images.

Paris is being reborn. Following a push to reduce the cars clogging one of Europe’s most congested cities, particularly its Unesco World Heritage–listed riverbanks, 1.5km of former expressway on the Seine’s Right Bank now incorporates walkways and cycleways. The pièce de résistance is the Left Bank’s new 2.5km-long car-free zone between the Pont de l’Alma and the Musée d’Orsay; floating gardens on 1800 sq metres of artificial islands and pedestrian promenades breathe new life into the once traffic-choked stretch. And that's not all: a gold ‘flying carpet’ roof crowns the interior courtyard of the Louvre’s new Islamic art galleries. Nine new bells replicating the original medieval chimes ring out from Notre Dame. After years of renovations, the Musée Picasso will again display works inside a 17th-century Marais mansion. The world’s most beautiful city is now even more beautiful.

2. Trinidad, Cuba

Discover a fascinating history

An old classic car on a Trinidad street. Image by Drazen Vukelic / E+ / Getty Images.

Tiny Trinidad, sloping between the tropical foothills of the Escambray Mountains and the sparkling Caribbean Sea, is a sherbet-tinged, time-trapped Unesco World Heritage Site, bulging with the best of architectural and decorative wealth from the 19th century – Mudéjar ceilings, French porcelain and Carrara marble floors. 2014 marks the 500th anniversary of the city’s foundation by Spanish conquistadors with a series of fiestas and cultural events. Trinidad is the extraordinarily beautiful result of a 19th-century sugar boom. The conspicuous wealth of its sugar barons derives from the captive sweat of imported African slaves. This legacy is what provides Trinidad with a curious thrill: Afro-Cuban dance performances, African brotherhood societies and their rituals, and the hypnotic sound of the percussive clave beat – the rhythmic foundation of salsa – erupting in dance halls every night.

3. Cape Town, South Africa

The Mother City gets a designer facelift

Helicopter's eye view of Cape Town and Table Mountain. Image by Allan Baxter / The Image Bank / Getty Images.

There’s never a bad time to visit Cape Town. In recent years the city has received a deluge of accolades paying homage to its undeniable natural beauty. This year the city is destined to get even prettier as it takes on the title of World Design Capital for 12 inspirational months. Expect sculpture-lined green spaces, sustainable projects, and further regeneration of former industrial districts such as Woodstock and The Fringe, now the stamping ground of trendy shoppers and gourmands. The main goal of the design team, though, is to bridge the gap between Cape Town’s disparate population, so venture on a tour out of town to see how innovation is turning things around in the disadvantaged townships, then explore suburban sights on the swanky bus system that’s finally making Cape Town feasible on public transport.

4. Rīga, Latvia

Europe’s culture capital

 Town Hall Square in Riga. Image by Wayne Walton / Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images.

Sitting at the crossroads of the great empires that wrote the pages of Europe’s elaborate history, Rīga was – for centuries – a strategic linchpin in the annexation of important lands, until it was smothered into obscurity when the Iron Curtain fell. Today, with two decades of freedom (and a renewed status as Latvia’s capital) under its belt, the city is reclaiming its rightful title as the cosmopolitan cornerstone of the Baltic. Over the past few years hipster-chic cafes have spread like wildfire throughout the city centre, sweaty pork-and-potato dinners have been swapped for savvy new-Nordic-inspired dishes, and hundreds of crumbling facades are being restored to their brilliant, art nouveau lustre – all in time for Rīga to earn the long-deserved honour of being named the European Capital of Culture.

5. Zürich, Switzerland

Swap fondue for speed

The Old Town riverfront at dusk. Image by Cosmo Condina / The Image Bank / Getty Images.

What’s hot in Zürich in 2014? Oh, just the chance to see the cream of world athletics breaking another string of records. In August the city hosts the European Athletics Championships. ‘But, Zürich?’, we hear you say. Can a city best known for men in suits and cheques with improbable numbers of zeros really deliver a thrilling city break? We say it can. With the liberalisation of the rules governing opening hours, locals are throwing themselves into nightlife with the same enthusiasm they show for moving decimal points during the day. In the trendy Züri-West district industrial decay has given way to nocturnal hedonism, and the city by the lake has attracted revellers from across Switzerland, ensuring a Bacchanalian edge to proceedings. In addition to famous-name fashion houses and boutiques by the bucketload, the city is awash with fine dining and bijou cafes.

6. Shanghai, China

Shanghai’s coming of age

Morning tai chi practice in Shanghai. Image by Photography by Bobi / Flickr / Getty Images.

The buzz about Shanghai is electric: welcome to the city everyone wants to see (and be seen in). If China is the world’s industrial motor, Shanghai is China’s high-performance V8. The metro system – which ran to a modest three lines in 2000 – will open the 59km-long, high-speed line 16 by 2014; it’s now the third-longest network in the world. Upon completion, the twisting 121-storey Shanghai Tower will be the tallest building in China, the second-tallest in the world and the jewel in the Lujiazui crown. It will house the highest hotel in the world, a coveted trophy Shanghai has held twice over the past 15 years. To cap it all, Shanghai recently expanded its visa-free transit quota to 72 hours for citizens of 45 nations, so if you’re heading on somewhere else and don’t have a Chinese visa, you can still get a three-day look in.

7. Vancouver, Canada

Follow the leaders

A sunset on Mt Seymour in North Vancouver. Image by Michael Wheatley / All Canada Photos / Getty Images.

Vancouver delivers on nature’s eye-candy – visit, and you’ll never be too far from spectacular mountain vistas, rambling evergreen parks and protected sandy beaches. You’ll appreciate the big-city-look/small-town-vibe the moment you arrive at the airport. Situated neatly on the Burrard Peninsula, a hotchpotch of office towers and hastily planned condos compete for the best of some of the world’s most expensive views, earning the nickname ‘City of Glass’. People live here because they love to run, bike, swim, ski and play. Boredom is not permitted here. If you simply can’t take any more of how good it gets, or it won’t stop raining, or you’ve run outta cash, head for the hills: Cypress, Seymour and Grouse Mountains and the world-famous Whistler (ski) and Blackcomb (snowboard) areas are within easy reach.

8. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Ballpark birthday

Chicago's Millennium Park. Image by Hisham Ibrahim / The Image Bank / Getty Images.

The Windy City’s cloud-scraping architecture and world-class museums take centre stage, but the real fun begins after you check off the masterpieces. Head to Wrigley Field, America’s favourite baseball park, and sit in the bleachers, Old Style beer in hand, watching the woefully cursed Cubs. The ivy-walled venue celebrates its 100th birthday in 2014 with season-long festivities. Or yuck it up at The Second City, which blows out 55 candles on its cake this year. The club launched the improv comedy genre, along with the careers of Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey and many more. Come summer, frets still bend at Blues Fest and guitars thrash at Lollapalooza and Pitchfork. But a couple of newcomers have cranked up the volume: Wavefront Music Festival in July and September’s Riot Fest.

9. Adelaide, Australia

Ready to be uncorked

South Australia Parliament Building in Adelaide. Image by Neale Clarke / Robert Harding World Imagery / Getty Images.

While Melbourne and Sydney have competed for attention, Adelaide has transformed itself into the perfect host city. It has accumulated some of Australia’s most popular sporting and arts events, including the cultural tour de force of the Adelaide Festival, the Adelaide Fringe Festival and WOMADelaide. The year 2014 beckons big changes for the city’s heart, with the completion of the multimillion-dollar refurbishment of the Adelaide Oval, which will link central Adelaide with the Oval and its beautiful surrounding parklands, and historic North Adelaide further on. A gateway to some of Australia’s most accessible wine country, Adelaide is effortlessly chic – and like a perfectly cellared red, it’s ready to be uncorked and sampled.

10. Auckland, New Zealand

Cuisine, culture and coastal scenery

Auckland city seen from Hauraki gulf at twilight. Image by www.tonnaja.com / Flickr Open / Getty Images.

Auckland is often overlooked by travellers eager to head for the stellar alpine and lake landscapes further south, but food, arts and exploring the coastal hinterland are all excellent reasons to extend your stay in New Zealand’s biggest and most cosmopolitan city. New restaurant areas continue to emerge, often repurposing heritage buildings and precincts, while the funky City Works Depot adds a hip edge to Auckland’s culinary scene with craft beer and food-truck dining. The extensive refurbishment of the Auckland Art Gallery now includes a stunning glass-and-timber atrium. Venturing outdoors, check out the Wynyard Quarter for front-row views of raffish fishing boats and ritzy super-yachts.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-tips-and-articles/lonely-planets-best-in-travel-2014-top-10-cities#ixzz2j4KpDme4

Shetland shines as 2011's Best in Travel

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The Shetland Islands have been listed as one of the top regions in the world to visit next year in our new book, Best in Travel 2011. The book singles out the 'last untamed corner of the UK' for special praise, advising 'adventurous travellers to step this way'. Lonely Planet staffer and Best in Travel 2011 contributor  Tom Hall says that 'it's no surprise that we've singled out a little-known but beautiful and rewarding corner of the UK as a must-see next year. The Shetland Islands have a huge amount to offer wildlife-watchers, outdoor enthusiasts and culture buffs.' It's the Shetland Islands' time The rugged and remote Shetland Islands – a collection of mighty, wind-ravaged clumps of brown and green earth rising from the frigid waters of the North Sea – are Scotland’s northerly outpost and feel miles away from anywhere. Mainland, as the biggest island is known is surrounded by over 100 windswept and virtually treeless islands making up the archipelago.

Far more desolate and cut off than neighbouring Orkney, the light here is even more changeable than on mainland Scotland. Different parts of the island are variously illuminated at any given hour – the window for that perfect photo can be short. The setting is still uniquely Scottish, though, with deep, naked glens flanked by steep hills, twinkling, sky-blue lochs and, of course, sheep with no comprehension of the 'right of way' on roads.

Things to do in the Shetland Islands

• Lerwick, the capital of the Shetlands stubbornly defies its seclusion from the rest of Scotland with a vitality that’s surprising for such an isolated town. The constant influx of tourists and oil workers provides vibrancy and energy, breathing life into the grand Victorian housing that abounds here. Lerwick is the only place of any size in this island group.

• Shetland Museum in Lerwick is an impressive recollection of 5000 years worth of culture and people, and their interaction with this ancient landscape. There’s a smorgasbord of Shetland treasures, including hanging boats, and you can even pop into the underground home of atrowie knowe (a Shetland mythical creature).

• The fortified site of Clickimin Broch, just under a mile southwest of the town centre, was occupied from the 7th century BC to the 6th century AD. It’s impressively large and its setting on a small loch gives it a feeling of being removed from the present day – unusual given the surrounding urban encroachment.

• It may have caused much local debate, but it all promises to be worth it. Opening in 2011, Mareel is a new film and music centre in a striking modern building on Lerwick's quayside, next to the Shetland Museum.

• The western side of Mainland is notable for its varied scenery: bleak moors, sheer cliffs, rolling green hills, and numerous cobalt-blue lochs and inlets. It’s ideal for walking, cycling and fishing. Out in the Atlantic Ocean, about 15 miles southwest of Walls, is the 8-sq-km island of Foula (Bird Island), which competes with Fair Isle for the title of Scotland’s most isolated inhabited island. Foula supports 42 people, 1500 sheep and 500,000 sea birds, including the rare Leach’s petrel and Scotland’s largest colony of great skuas.

• It’s a stomach-churning ferry ride to Fair Isle but worth it for the stunning cliff scenery, isolation and hoards of winged creatures. About halfway to Orkney, Fair Isle is one of Scotland’s most remote inhabited islands. It’s only 3 miles by 1.5 miles in size and is probably best known for its patterned knitwear, still produced in the island’s co-operative, Fair Isle Crafts.

• Fair Isle is also a paradise for bird-watchers, who form the bulk of the island’s visitors. Fair Isle is in the flight path of migrating birds, and thousands breed here. They’re monitored by the Bird Observatory, which collects and analyses information year-round; visitors are more than welcome to participate.

• The small George Waterston Memorial Centre on Fair Isle has photos and exhibits on the island’s natural history, crofting, fishing, archaeology and knitwear.

Getting there

Unlike Orkney, Shetland is relatively expensive to get to from mainland Scotland. By air: The oil industry ensures that air connections are good. The main airport is at Sumburgh, 25 miles south of Lerwick. There are three to five flights daily between Sumburgh and Aberdeen (one hour) with British Airways/Loganair. BA flies daily between Orkney and Shetland (35 minutes). You can also fly direct from London (Stansted), Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh. By boat: Northlink Ferries runs car ferries between Lerwick and Kirkwall in Orkney. Northlink also runs overnight car ferries from Aberdeen to Lerwick (passenger return £42 to £64, car return £170 to £230, 12 to 14 hours, daily) leaving Aberdeen at 5pm or 7pm.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/scotland/travel-tips-and-articles/76168#ixzz2hKYq26Z7