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The year 2013 is on its way out but are we really planning a blast to ring in the New Year? The good news is – Indians are still undeterred by the falling <keyword id="6355302" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Rupee">rupee</keyword> and looking forward to outbound travel in the coming holidays, just like they did this summer. But the way they travel is definitely changing, according to a senior executive of a Delhi-based <keyword id="6607315" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="OTA">OTA</keyword>. Overseas travel no longer means the ritual rush through <keyword id="6357117" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="bangkok">Bangkok</keyword> or <keyword id="6356662" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Singapore">Singapore</keyword> – the global destinations closest to home and perhaps the least expensive. Of course, these places are not yet marked off the list, but the experienced and the well-heeled seem to have caught the travel bug of a different kind. 
 <keyword id="1960912" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Offbeat-destinations">Offbeat destinations</keyword> are getting increasingly popular among Indians, says Saurabh Srivastava, vice-president (marketing &amp; product strategy) at ixigo.com, a travel planning site and search engine that aggregates and curates travel information to help consumers. 
 “Of the 2.5 million visitors coming to our site month on month, we see some very clear and emerging trends. While the <keyword id="1960914" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Regular-overseas-travellers">regular overseas travellers</keyword> are increasingly looking at offbeat destinations to try out something different, first-timers or those who haven’t ventured outside the country too much, are still looking at <keyword id="1960915" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Popular-destinations">popular destinations</keyword> like Bangkok, Singapore, <keyword id="8695" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Malaysia">Malaysia</keyword> and <keyword id="6355478" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Australia">Australia</keyword> – the main attractions being <keyword id="6396451" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="beaches">beaches</keyword>, <keyword id="60543" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Water-sports">water sports</keyword> and <keyword id="6368952" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="shopping">shopping</keyword>,” he observes. 
 We have talked to a number of <keyword id="722880" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="travel-agencies">travel agencies</keyword> and rounded up 12 out-of-the-ordinary (but up and coming) places that people are closely following (and booking) these holidays. Here is a quick look at each of them with a glimpse of the local flavour and the basic cost per person on a twin-sharing basis. However, costs are only indicative and are bound to change, depending on your <keyword id="472754" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tour-schedule">tour schedule</keyword>, quality of <keyword id="6358762" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Package">package</keyword>, customisation and service provider. Also, prices may fluctuate as dates get closer. 
 Try planning a holiday if you love these destinations too. Just remember, sometimes, the best travel happens farthest from <keyword id="823132" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="home-and-away">home and away</keyword> from your everyday ambience. Catch the sun on a <keyword id="1553372" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="foreign-soil">foreign soil</keyword> this New Year and bon voyage!

Want To Vacation Abroad? These 12 Places Are Creating The
Buzz These Holidays

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Barcelona faces overtourism, and locals protested this summer, using water guns to deter tourists.</li><li>Solo traveler Claire Sturzaker suggests Zaragoza as a less crowded, culturally rich alternative.</li></ul>If you're a traveler, you may have heard that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-things-moving-to-barcelona-spain-from-us-long-process-2024-3">Barcelona</a> doesn't want you around.The hot destination hosts more tourists than the city was built to manage — 15.6 million last year — leading to crowded public spaces, increased living costs, and environmental damage.This chaotic trajectory of popular places is known as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/popular-travel-destinations-fight-overtourism-unique-strategies-2024-7">overtourism</a>, and many locals in these destinations have had enough.This summer, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-protesters-rallying-against-overtourism-in-barcelona-2024-7">Barcelona locals protested against visitors</a> by marching with signs, blocking off hotel entrances with tape, and spraying water guns at tourists to send the message that travelers aren't welcome.Those planning trips to Europe may consider this a bummer, or perhaps they've decided they don't want to contribute to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hallstatt-austria-locals-protest-overtourism-frozen-village-photos-2023-10">mass tourism</a>.But another city in Spain may be just as enriching <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/underrated-tourist-destinations-that-want-you-to-visit-2024-7">without the crowds</a>.Take it from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://whyvisitbarcelona.com/the-best-things-to-do-in-zaragoza/">Claire Sturzaker</a>, a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-who-got-dumped-fired-became-full-time-solo-traveler-2023-10">full-time solo traveler</a> who has explored more than 40 countries and runs two <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://talesofabackpacker.com/">blogs</a> about solo backpacking and visiting Spain.Sturzaker has traveled all around Spain by train and shared with Business Insider a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/underrated-travel-destinations-solo-traveler-2024-8">hidden gem</a> as an alternative destination to Barcelona — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-mom-raising-child-spain-zaragoza-differences-culture-2024-7">Zaragoza</a>.<h2 id="e804efc4-8ac7-4f06-af2b-c45b73653489">Swap out Barcelona for Zaragoza</h2><div type="image" title="A cathedral on the left side of a canal at sunset on a cloudy day." height="3000" width="4000" msid="112607276" hostid="261" sizebytes="607468"></div>Sturzaker spent four nights in Zaragoza during a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/30-hour-amtrak-train-new-york-city-miami-ride-tips-2021-10">train trip</a> through Spain in May. She recommends spending at least a weekend in the city as part of a longer journey in Northern Spain.The city in Spain's Aragon region has been around for more than 2,000 years and has a rich, diverse cultural history, she said. It started as a Roman colony, was under Muslim rule for a couple of centuries, and then Christians with the Crown of Aragon took over in 1118.Walking around the historic old town, Sturzaker spotted architecture and culture from all these periods. She wandered around Roman ruins like public baths and the Roman Theatre. She spotted Islamic Mudéjar architecture, like the Aljafería Palace.<div type="image" title="The Interior of Aljafería, Zaragoza, Spain has decorative arches in an empty room" height="2602" width="3906" msid="112607274" hostid="261" sizebytes="429382"></div>She wrote on her blog that she recommends booking a hotel in the Plaza del Pilar, a square filled with historic buildings from the Christian rule.For example, she said La Seo Cathedral combines several architectural styles — Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance, Mudéjar, and Baroque. And that's not the only noteworthy cathedral in the area."There's a really beautiful cathedral by the river — Basilica del Pilar," she told BI. "It has a bell tower that you can go up for really nice views of the city as a whole."Near Basilica del Pilar, she recommends checking out the Stone Bridge for sunset views.For delicious local eats, Sturzaker recommends taking a food-and-bar crawl through El Tubo."The El Tubo neighborhood is filled with tapas bars where you can try a range of tapas and Basque-style pintxos," she said.She wrote that some of her favorite spots around there are La Gerencia del Tubo, La Tasca del Tubo, El Meli del Tubo, and Bula del Tubo.After seeing Zaragoza for the first time earlier this year, Sturzaker thought, "Why haven't I been here before?"And maybe you will, too.

Forget Barcelona — a full-time solo traveler says this lesser-known Spanish city is a hidden gem

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Jeff Bezos was recently spotted<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-lauren-sanchez-katy-perry-orlando-bloom-usher-2023-8"> </a>with Lauren Sanchez, Katy Perry, and Orlando Bloom on vacation in Dubrovnik.</li><li>The city on Croatia's Dalmatian coast, known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic," is a popular tourist spot.</li></ul>Jeff Bezos was recently <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-lauren-sanchez-katy-perry-orlando-bloom-usher-2023-8">snapped</a> with fiancée Lauren Sanchez, singers Katy Perry and Usher, actor Orlando Bloom, and socialite and influencer Derek Blasberg vacationing in Dubrovnik, a coastal city in Croatia.The city is known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic." Located close to the southernmost tip of Croatia's Dalmatian coast, it has a population of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://dzs.gov.hr/u-fokusu/popis-2021/88">around 42,000</a> and is a popular tourist spot, aided partially by its recent use as a filming location for "<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.insider.com/things-to-do-in-dubrovnik-croatia">Game of Thrones.</a>"Travel company TUI <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/europe/croatia/croatia-dubrovnik-and-islands/holidays-croatia-dubrovnik-and-islands.html">says</a> that the city "is enjoying a spell in the limelight at the moment." In June, foreign tourists collectively stayed 524,000 nights in Dubrovnik, making up just over 4% of all nights spent in the country that month by international tourists, according to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podaci.dzs.hr/2023/en/58200">Croatian Bureau of Statistics</a>.Dubrovnik's Old Town became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. UNESCO <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/95/">says</a> that the city was an "important Mediterranean sea power" from the 13th century onwards and has an array of preserved Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces, and fountains, despite being damaged by an earthquake in 1667 and armed conflict in the 1990s.Visitors can walk along the city's walls, visit nearby islands, cross over the border to Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina, and sample local wines alongside Dalmatian dishes such as <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://tzdubrovnik.hr/lang/de/news/lifestyle/index.html">squid salad and pickled cheese</a>. Dubrovnik also has a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/croatia-destinations/dubrovnik/dubrovnik-cable-car/">cable car</a> taking people to the top of a mountain that towers over the city, from which visitors can admire views of its terracotta rootftops, cobbled alleyways, church spires, harbor, and surrounding islands.Bezos, Sanchez, and friends were spotted strolling around Stradun, the street which runs through the center of the Old Town and is home to a palace, churches, and cafes and restaurants with outdoor seating.Bezos owns a $500 million, 417-foot superyacht, called Koru, which <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ok.co.uk/celebrity-news/katy-perry-orlando-bloom-join-30730706">reports</a> say was docked near Dubrovnik. The vessel had previously sparked a debate about the privilege of the ultra-wealthy when <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-lauren-sanchez-spotted-his-new-500-million-yacht-2023-5">a historic bridge in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, was nearly dismantled</a> so that Koru could pass through.So far this year, Bezos and Sanchez have also vacationed on the yacht in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-lauren-sanchez-spotted-his-new-500-million-yacht-2023-5">Spain, Ibiza,</a> and the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-yacht-photos-lauren-sanchez-portofino-2023-6">Italian Riviera.</a>

What you need to know about Dubrovnik, the charming Croatian city where Jeff Bezos parties with his celebrity friends

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11930965" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rome" source="Orion">Rome</keyword> is filled with well-known bucket-list sights for tourists, but also many lesser-known hidden gems.</li><li>These are the places you won't find in most guidebooks, but shouldn't miss either.</li></ul>Rome has a lot happening, so settling on the "best, must-do things" can be daunting. It's OK to embrace the bucket list, especially when that list includes a UNESCO World Heritage site historic center, one of the most important ancient arenas in the world, and one of the best art collections. You don't need me to tell you to go to the Pantheon or the Colosseum. And you absolutely should. But as a local who has lived here for 20 years, after you see those, I want you to do more. I want you to see my favorite under-the-radar sites for a true taste of the city that you won't find in most major guidebooks.Some days, I love searching for all of the Raphael artworks in the city; other days, I want to fangirl arte povera. If I'm hanging out with my <a href="http://www.dariusaryadigs.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">husband, an intrepid archaeologist</a>, I know that we'll go back in time, and possibly underground. For us, Rome is eternal because it is a never-ending story, and there are so many ways to hear its tale.Whether you're here to step back into antiquity or walk to the future, here are my favorite things to will fully immerse yourself in Rome.<h3>Rome With a View</h3><div type="image" title="A white building with columns and a statue of a soldier on a horse with sunset and darkening blue sky" height="3556" width="4742" msid="91290380" hostid="261"></div>Altare della PaceFor a few years now, I've celebrated my birthday at <a href="http://www.instagram.com/vivevittorianopalazzovenezia" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Terrazza delle Quadrighe</a>, a 360-degree panoramic terrace atop the white mega monument, Altare della Pace. I'd hold out my arms à la Rose in "Titanic," taking in the entire city and its history, from the ancient Roman Forum to the shops on Via del Corso. Then I head down to Campidoglio (Michelangelo's piazza) and watch the sunset drip pinks all over the city's rooftops and into the Roman Forum. <div type="image" title="View of buildings in Rome cast in sunlight and a light blue sky" height="2868" width="3824" msid="91290381" hostid="261"></div>Janiculum HillWhen I want nostalgia, I'll head to the Janiculum hill, with its sweeping views of the city. This is where everyone in high school cuddles up. At my age, I'd rather culture up, so I walk over to Bramante's tiny church and then make my way to the Fontanone (a monumental Baroque fountain) with another great view.<div type="image" title="A brown building with green bushes and blue sky in background. Building looks like ancient architectural site" height="4015" width="5354" msid="91290382" hostid="261"></div>Domus Aurea For me, there is no better view than from the Colle Opio, the hill that overlooks the Colosseum, because it encapsulates Rome. It includes a verdant park where the Colosseum serves as a backdrop to a skate park, and underneath is the <a href="https://www.coopculture.it/en/poi/domus-aurea/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Domus Aurea archaeological site</a>, Nero's Golden Palace.<h3>Ancient Rome</h3><div type="image" title="View of two bicyclists riding toward camera while four bicyclists pedal away from camera with grass and tall trees surrounding bike trail" height="3389" width="4519" msid="91290383" hostid="261"></div>Via Appia AnticaTo really love ancient Rome, I always say you have to get out on a bike. Go to the <a href="http://www.museodellemuraroma.it" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Museo delle Mura</a>, a museum located inside the Porta San Sebastian, which is the entry gate of the ancient Aurelian walls. I like to stand on the rooftop of its bastion, and imagine looking out for invading armies. It's also a great starting point for a bike ride on the Via Appia Antica, the empire's oldest road, lined with ancient tombs and bordered by sheep-trolling pastures. <div type="image" title="A statue of a figure with an open mouth and angry eyes in a stone structure" height="3648" width="4864" msid="91290385" hostid="261"></div>Ostia AnticaWhen I want to get a sense of Rome's unparalleled urban planning, I'll hop a local train to <a href="https://www.ostiaantica.beniculturali.it/it/orari-e-tariffe/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Ostia Antica</a>, the port city of ancient Rome. Some consider the archaeological park akin to Pompeii; I think it's better because more structures are preserved and you can walk through all of them.<h3>Renaissance and Baroque Rome</h3><div type="image" title="Baroque-period staircase and tan building of the Barberini Palace cast in sun and shadow" height="4001" width="5335" msid="91290386" hostid="261"></div>Galleria Barberini, Galleria Colonna, and Galleria Doria PamphiljEverybody loves a great art collection, and Rome has several epic private family galleries that will give you a glimpse into the lavish lives of Roman nobility in their incredible homes. My favorite three are <a href="https://www.barberinicorsini.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Galleria Barberini</a>, <a href="https://www.galleriacolonna.it/en/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Galleria Colonna</a>, and <a href="https://www.doriapamphilj.it/en/rome/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Galleria Doria Pamphilj</a>, all located in Baroque palaces. <div type="image" title="Renaissance-era paintings in rooms with columns and tile floor" height="2060" width="2746" msid="91290388" hostid="261"></div>Villa FarnesinaTo experience the charm and beauty of Renaissance frescoes, I walk over to Trastevere's <a href="http://www.villafarnesina.it" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Villa Farnesina</a>, a tiny Renaissance villa built by Alessandro Chigi in the 1510s. Chigi commissioned a dream team of artists to create and decorate it. It's like a Faberge egg of Raphael, Il Sodoma, and Peruzzi. And it's totally palatable for kids.<div type="image" title="A view from across a pond of Temple of Esculapio, a structure with white columns surrounded by two large trees and blue sky" height="2666" width="3555" msid="91290390" hostid="261"></div>Villa BorgheseIf you're Roman, you grew up walking around <a href="http://www.museocanonica.it/en/sede/villa_borghese" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Villa Borghese,</a> the city's large, green expanse that has a smorgasbord of activities (biking, walking, boating, skating, even a Globe theater and tiny cinema). What I've noticed is that everyone tends to overlook the museums in the park (except for <a href="https://galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Galleria Borghese</a> and its collection of Carvaggio paintings and Bernini sculpture). If you're like me and love quirky museums, head to <a href="http://www.museocanonica.it/en/informazioni_pratiche/orari_e_indirizzi" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Museo Pietro Canonica</a> for its larger-than-life statues, or catch up on Etruscan history at <a href="https://www.museoetru.it" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Villa Giulia</a>.<h3>Modern Rome</h3><div type="image" title="White building with archways and statues of Roman figures inside and person walking past structure. The person is about 1/3 of the size of one of the statues" height="3548" width="4730" msid="91290391" hostid="261"></div>EURMost people ignore the modern history of Rome, and that's a mistake. The oddly anachronistic neighborhood EUR is the best example of modern Italian architecture from the 1930s and '40s. About 15 minutes south of the center, EUR was designed to promote Rationalist architecture (and the Fascist agenda) for the 1942 World's Fair. Beautiful and axially planned streets are flanked by minimalist buildings, inspired by Roman classical and Renaissance styles. <div type="image" title="A black sculpture of a face, nose up, rising from the ground with a yellow and black crown and grass and green trees surrounding area" height="1332" width="1776" msid="91290393" hostid="261"></div>Cinecittà<a href="https://cinecitta.com/IT/it-it/cms/1/cinecitta-home.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Cinecittà</a> has been called "Hollywood on the Tiber," but it's more than that. The enormous studio complex where some of the most acclaimed films in history were made was and is a melting pot of creativity and artistry. For the director Federico Fellini, it was home. The sound stages are active with production, and there are great museums to visit on the history of Italian cinema and more. I like to take the VIP tour and drive around the historic film studios and sets and feel as if I'm in ancient Rome. <div type="image" title="Two people stand in front of painting of people kneeling and lying down and peasants along perimeter" height="3313" width="4418" msid="91290394" hostid="261"></div>La Galleria NazionaleIf anyone were to ask me for my happy place in Rome, I'll gladly tell them it's <a href="https://lagallerianazionale.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">La Galleria Nazionale</a>, a gorgeous neoclassical building on the edge of Villa Borghese. It's home to the very best of Italian art from the 1870 unification to today. Coming here is like receiving a visual history lesson in art, from neoclassicism to arte povera, conceptual art, and more.<div type="image" title="Street art of a woman with black hair and red dress and tattoo on shoulder and red circle in background. The house this is painted on is bright yellow" height="3124" width="4165" msid="91290395" hostid="261"></div>Quadraro and Torpignattara's Street ArtFor a 21st-century take on art, Quadraro and Torpignattara's street-art scene serves as a canvas for beautiful murals, stencils, and more, painted by acclaimed artists from <keyword id="11905554" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="italy" source="Orion">Italy</keyword> and around the world. Quadraro and Torpignattara are also "newer" neighborhoods, built post-unification (1870), and are mainly devoid of tourists. In other words, walking around here will feel like a breath of fresh air.<div type="image" title="Stadio Olimpico venue with white building and trees surrounding area" height="3588" width="4784" msid="91290396" hostid="261"></div>Stadio OlimpicoFinally, you wouldn't be in Rome without a visit to the Stadio Olimpico, to catch an <a href="https://www.asroma.com/en/schedule#select_schedule=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">AS Roma game</a> (sit in the Tribuna seats) and get swept up with the amore of the fans or simply walk around the area to search for traces of Mussolini's audacious self-promotion that's still visible on its walls.<a href="https://www.insider.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-traveling-to-rome-italy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View Insider's comprehensive guide to visiting Rome, Italy.</a>

I live in Rome and these are my 13 secret things to do that most tourists miss, including where you'll find the best views of the city

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Some of <keyword id="11930965" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rome" source="Orion">Rome</keyword>'s best hotels are its intimate, design-forward, atmospheric, boutique properties.</li><li>Consider these unique hotels over the traditional ones you usually book for a more authentic stay.</li></ul>Growing up, I spent my summer vacations in Roman piazze. My cousins lived all over the city, so our days were spent shuffling from one home to the next and one neighborhood to another. I played in pretty much every rione, or neighborhood, and it helped me figure out where I wanted to live as an adult when I moved to Rome permanently.Now, after two decades and five different neighborhoods, I can easily say that my rione, Regola, is my favorite. It's a town within a city, charmingly provincial and local once you scratch the surface. Likewise for visitors, the neighborhood and hotel you choose for your hotel in Rome can set the tone for your entire trip. You could, of course, opt to stay in a big-brand hotel in the thick of things with standard, traditional rooms and you'll be perfectly comfortable.But to channel a stronger sense of authenticity, I suggest booking a more intimate, character-filled boutique hotel that is as atmospheric as the rione surrounding it. My favorite hotels in Rome are found close to archaeological sites, Baroque churches, and posh palaces, and range from large, historic lodgings to intimate inns with epic views.It's easy to fall in love with Rome, but all of these hotels (which I've personally been to) ensure it will happen from the moment you check in. <div type="image" title="A bed with gray sheets and white pillowcases and white walls with framed artwork and a mirror above bed" height="3648" width="4864" msid="91290372" hostid="261"></div>Hotel Vilon <a href="https://www.hotelvilon.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Hotel Vilon</a> feels like a hideaway, starting with its nondescript side-street address off Via del Corso. Vilon's style is also unabashedly sexy; architect and designer Giampiero Panepinto designed playful spaces that mix rococo with 19th-century decadence, midcentury modern, and 21st-century cool. The 18 rooms are smartly styled with velvet sofas, mahogany floorboards, dark-blue curtains, marble bathrooms, and oversized showers, and most look onto the gardens of Palazzo Borghese. My best tip is to book the Melangolo and Borghese suites for the delicious terraces. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fit%2Fvilon.html" rel="nofollow sponsored">Book Hotel Vilon</a>Donna Camilla Savelli This sanctuary of Baroque beauty and tranquility is the opposite of modern, in my opinion. The enclosed, fortress-like 16th-century monastery, <a href="https://vretreats.com/en/donna-camilla-savelli/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Donna Camilla Savelli</a>, transports you to yesteryear with original architectural details like frescoed ceilings, period furniture, a manicured courtyard, and a labyrinthine layout. Whenever I've been here, I find it to be a peaceful surprise in the heart of Trastevere.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fit%2Fdonna-camilla-savelli.html" rel="nofollow sponsored">Book Donna Camilla Savelli</a><div type="image" title="A bed with a scalloped headboard and gray sheets in a room with dark wooden floors and a wardrobe area with a gray and white patterned robe" height="3648" width="4864" msid="91290374" hostid="261"></div>Hotel Chapter Roma<a href="https://www.chapter-roma.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Hotel Chapter Roma</a> has what is perhaps the greatest location, straddling the line between the historic Ghetto and bustling Campo de' Fiori, and is just a short walk to most of the sites and neighborhoods you'll want to visit. Part of the recent trend of edgy, community-space-focused hospitality, Chapter is also a work of art. Traces of the late-19th-century building's origins can be seen in the exposed brick and inset arches that serve as backdrops to custom murals and pieces by acclaimed street artists. The 47 spacious rooms take a more minimalist attitude with custom iron-rod furniture and bespoke rugs.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fit%2Farenula.html" rel="nofollow sponsored">Book Hotel Chapter Roma</a>Kolbe HotelFor those who want to be in the thick of ancient history while staying in the wings, I think <a href="https://www.kolbehotelrome.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Kolbe Hotel</a> is the place. Formerly a Franciscan monastery dating back to 1625, Kolbe has gone through many evolutions but shares its history through high ceilings and exposed brick walls.Located just 100 meters from the Roman Forum, it's more than just history-adjacent — Kolbe is epic, nestled in one of Rome's oldest neighborhoods. I always choose a room with a view when I <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword>, but especially here, as guests can peek into the Roman Forum through their window, or gaze at the ancient churches and structures on the Palatine hillside. The hotel's inner courtyard is a tranquil garden that makes me forget that I'm in the epicenter of one of the world's busiest cities.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fit%2Fkolbe-rome.html" rel="nofollow sponsored">Book Kolbe Hotel</a><div type="image" title="A room with a large lamp and a blue couch and rug with doorway into a bedroom with a bed with white sheets" height="3648" width="4864" msid="91290375" hostid="261"></div>The Fifteen Keys When my friends tell me they dream of living in Rome, I always tell them to stay at <a href="https://fifteenkeys.com">The Fifteen Keys</a>, a full-service townhouse in the middle of Monti. The retro-chic spot is both homey and stylish, and its Monti location is a beloved rione full of cafés, restaurants, and independent boutiques. Fifteen luminous bedrooms are painted in the most vivid colors and decorated with midcentury modern pieces, surrealist artworks, and custom lighting. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fit%2Fthe-fifteen-keys.html" rel="nofollow sponsored">Book The Fifteen Keys</a>Villa Agrippina Gran MeliaAt the base of the Janiculum Hill in Trastevere, and just a few steps to the Tiber River, <a href="https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/italy/rome/villa-agrippina-gran-melia/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored nofollow sponsored">Villa Agrippina</a> is a palatial palazzo and resort built on the site of an ancient estate. It's where I send friends with children when they want to visit Rome in the summer for its lovely pool (with excellent bar service). Elegant, spacious, and contemporary in style, Villa Agrippina is within walking distance of the Vatican, Piazza Navona, and Campo de' Fiori.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fit%2Fgran-melia-roma.html" rel="nofollow sponsored">Book Villa Agrippina Gran Melia</a><div type="image" title="A luxury hotel exterior with a green archway as an entrance, statues, &quot;Grand Hotel&quot; and &quot;Parco Dei Principi&quot; sign with row of plants lining street" height="4077" width="5436" msid="91290376" hostid="261"></div>Parco dei Principi When I want an urban resort, I choose <a href="https://www.parcodeiprincipi.com/en" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Parco dei Principi</a> in Villa Borghese. This is one of those mid-20th-century iterations of a classic grand hotel. It's large and bombastic, with classic period references. The views from the second floor and up are fantastic, but I'm often found lounging at the ground-level pool with a magnanimous terrace, styled with striped towels and cabana loungers that give off a very Gatsby vibe. The enormous underground spa is a bonus, with indoor pools, saunas, treatment rooms, and a gym.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fit%2Fgrand-parco-dei-principi.html" rel="nofollow sponsored">Book Parco dei Principi</a>Portrait RomeWhen money is no object, <a href="https://www.lungarnocollection.com/portrait-roma/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Portrait Rome</a> is a 14-room luxury residence with the best address in the city. Just a few steps from Piazza di Spagna on Via dei Condotti, Portrait is in the center of Rome's luxury shopping, near Gucci, Prada, Max Mara, Buccelati, and, of course, Ferragamo stores. In fact, Portrait is owned by the Salvatore Ferragamo family and is part of the Lungarno Collection.Michele Bonan designed the Roman bolthole as the bastion of luxury with high-end fabrics and custom furniture. A dedicated lifestyle team fulfills your every wish, and I especially love Portrait's private, guests-only rooftop.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fit%2Fportrait-suites.html" rel="nofollow sponsored">Book Portrait Rome</a><div type="image" title="A blue wall and bed with white sheets, a coral couch, and dark blue chairs and rugs and a white table" height="6192" width="8256" msid="91290377" hostid="261"></div>W Rome I like big hotels when they honor where they are, and <a href="https://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/romwv-w-rome/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">W Rome</a>, just off Via Veneto — Marriott's latest venture in the Eternal City — epitomizes la dolce vita. Its sultry design is ieri, oggi e domani ("yesterday, today and tomorrow"), paying homage to 1970s Italian glamour with a 21st-century twist. There are 162 rooms across a double palazzi complex that also includes a restaurant, lounge, gardens, plunge pool, and rooftop bar. W Rome is the hotel I recommend to friends who love their points and are not accompanied by children.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fit%2Fw-rome.html" rel="nofollow sponsored">Book W Rome</a>Elizabeth UniqueI love how Rome boutique hotels own their history as well as their contemporary present. <a href="https://www.ehrome.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Elizabeth Unique</a> is a gorgeous, design-forward hotel in a historic townhouse, just off of Via del Corso. With exquisite midcentury décor, couture fabrics, custom design pieces, and contemporary art throughout, I always feel like I've been handed the keys to my most stylish Italian friend's home. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fit%2Felizabeth-unique.html" rel="nofollow sponsored">Book Elizabeth Unique</a><div type="image" title="A lobby area with red tables and chairs, a bright green carpet, and wooden and gold furniture and detailing on walls and ceiling" height="3248" width="4330" msid="91290378" hostid="261"></div>Hassler Roma <a href="https://www.hotelhasslerroma.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Hassler Roma</a> wins me over every time for its view alone. Sitting atop Piazza di Spagna, the top floors take in the entire Roman cityscape. If I could, I'd permanently take over the seventh-floor Medici suite, with its contemporary design, bold colors, and incredible terrace. But what the Hassler does better than any other hotel in the city is hospitality, with proper old-world, white-glove service that is polite and never misses a beat.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fit%2Fhassler-roma.html" rel="nofollow sponsored">Book Hassler Roma</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-traveling-to-rome-italy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View Insider's comprehensive guide to visiting Rome.</a>

11 one-of-a-kind boutique hotels in Rome that make me feel like I've been handed the keys to my most stylish Italian friend's home

New Delhi, May 30 (IANSlife) Flowers, plants and exotic shells, bizarre insects and animals with expressions bordering on the human, the forms and the poetry of nature, inhabit the insides of Italian city Florence's Pitti Palace, that has reopened after weeks of a tight lockdown in the Coronavirus-affected country. The exhibition, titled "The Immensity of the Universe in the art of Giovanna Garzoni" was initially slated to celebrate a major female figure to mark Women's Day on March 8 this year. "Hibernated" by the lockdown, however, the exhibition - the first large monographic exhibition devoted to the Baroque female painter from the Marche - now marks a return to normal life after the closure of almost three months occasioned by the COVID-19 epidemic. The Pitti Palace, according to organisers, has reopened in compliance COVID-19 social distancing and sanitisation measures. The exhibition runs from May 28-June 28. It comprises roughly 100 paintings, illuminations on parchment and drawings, in addition to a large floral altar fontral, accompanied by and interacting with period porcelain, ivory pieces and Renaissance bronzes. Imaginative and inquisitive by nature, Garzoni, who was born in Ascoli Piceno in c. 1600, considerably expanded her stylistic vocabulary thanks to the remarkable penchant for travel that made her one of the most cultivated and cosmopolitan women painters of her age. Garzoni specialised in miniatures on parchment, excelling in particular in the depiction of still-lifes with exotic curios and subjects taken from the plant and animal world. A leading player in the cultural affairs of her age, she rapidly built a reputation for herself and was admired throughout Europe. The vast corpus of her work owned by the Gabinetto Stampe e Disegni degli Uffizi is supplemented in the exhibition by a series of loans from private collections and from Italian and foreign museums. Exhibited are her precious floral miniatures with vases in the Chinese style and shells from tropical countries and her still 'yet living' works with fruit, exotic plants and small animals of all kinds (from insects depicted in their infinite variety to snails, birds and crickets). Equally striking is Garzoni's self-portrait as a young girl in the guise of the god Apollo, which she painted when barely twenty years old. According to Gallerie degli Uffizi Director Eike Schmidt, Giovanna Garzoni was a woman who often found herself working and painting with and for other women, and these sisterly episodes contributed in part - but always in a positive vein - to her choices and to the results she obtained with her work. "But aside from that, Garzoni managed single-handedly, by her own strength and intelligence and by adopting a shrewd policy of self-promotion and astute flexibility in moving about Italian and European courts of her day, to assert herself and to create an original and deeply poetic style even in the still-life genre then in its infancy. Garzoni's art marks the rebirth of the Grand Dukes' palace after a long moment of darkness and silence". The exhibition also plays a leading role in an initiative developed by Advancing Women Artists (Awa), which has chosen it to launch a worldwide challenge to artists and institutions to produce new creations inspired precisely by Garzoni's art. (Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in) --IANS sj/tb/

Italy's Palazzo Pitti re-opens after lockdown with major retrospective

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk/holidays/hot-tubs/most-instagrammable-hot-springs/">UK holiday park operator Parkdean Resorts</a> published a ranking of the "most <keyword id="9234173" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="instagrammable">Instagrammable</keyword>" <keyword id="585667" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hot-springs">hot springs</keyword> in the world.</li><li>The prettiest springs range from Termas Geométricas in Chile's Villarrica National Park to Blue Lagoon in Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula.</li><li>Some of the hot springs feed luxurious spa baths, like the Szechenyi Spa Baths in Budapest, Hungary, or Aqua Dome in Tyrol, Austria.</li></ul>Some of the most beautiful and <a href="https://www.insider.com/north-american-places-that-look-like-europe-2019-2">exciting destinations in the world</a> are steamy hot springs. UK holiday park operator Parkdean Resorts recently published a ranking of the <a href="https://www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk/holidays/hot-tubs/most-instagrammable-hot-springs/">"most Instagrammable" hot springs</a> around the globe to round up some of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/photos-review-staying-at-a-tree-house-in-bali-2020-3">prettiest</a> falls and pools.From Budapest's opulent spas to California's heart-shaped waters, read on for a deeper look at the 12 "most Instagrammable" hot springs, ranked in descending order.<h2>12. Located in Villarrica National Park, Termas Geométricas is the largest complex of hot springs in Chile</h2><div type="image" title="termas geometricas" height="800" width="1200" msid="80276599" hostid="261"></div>Designed by architect Germán del Sol, Termas Geométricas is a hot-spring complex structured in the form of a maze.Immersed deep within the Villarrica National Park near the city of Pucón in Chile, this architectural masterpiece is situated next to the Aihué stream.Below the stream, healing thermal waters bubble at up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, thanks to their proximity to the magmatic layer of the <a href="https://chile.travel/en/where-to-go/the-south-its-lakes-and-volcanoes/geometric-hot-springs">Villarrica volcano.</a><h2>The crimson walkways suspended over the stream lead to the spa's many pools</h2><a href="http://www.termasgeometricas.cl/">Each pool</a> has a small, covered space next to it where people can sit or get changed. There's also grass planted on the huts' roofs, making them look as a natural continuation of the park's vegetation, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls.<h2>11. Aqua Dome is a deluxe spa resort in Tyrol, Austria, that offers superb alpine views from the inside of a big thermal basin</h2><div type="image" title="aqua dome" height="960" width="1280" msid="80276600" hostid="261"></div>At this futuristic thermal resort, visitors can float in a large brine basin filled with <a href="https://www.aqua-dome.at/en/thermal-spa/thermal-baths/">warm water just under 100 degrees Fahrenheit</a> while gazing at the magnificent Alps. Located in the heart of the scenic Ötztal valley, Aqua Dome brings together natural materials, like wood and stone, with modern ones, like glass and steel.<h2>The outdoor basins overlooking the valley's peaks are the property's highlight</h2>Visitors can soak in the outdoor <a href="https://www.aqua-dome.at/en/thermal-spa/">thermal basins</a> and pool or opt for various indoor <a href="https://www.aqua-dome.at/en/thermal-spa/beauty-spa/">wellness treatments</a> involving alpine herbs, minerals, gemstones, ice, or thermal water.Guests who stay at the Dome's <a href="https://www.aqua-dome.at/en/hotel/">hotel</a> can also try the <a href="https://www.aqua-dome.at/en/hotel/spa-3000/">SPA3000</a>. This premium service allows guests to view the Ötztal Alps through a panoramic glass panel while getting the royal treatment in one of the indoor mineral baths. <h2>10. The grand decor of Budapest's Gellért Baths echoes Wes Anderson's dreamy movie sets</h2><div type="image" title="budapest gellert baths" height="2658" width="3987" msid="80276601" hostid="261"></div>With more than 100 thermal springs, it's no wonder the city of Budapest in Hungary presents some of the world's most impressive medicinal baths and spas. Located within the lavish Hotel Gellért, the Gellért Baths stand out for the grandiose Art Nouveau furnishings, stained-glass windows, and intricate mosaics, which could easily be part of a stylish Wes Anderson movie set. <h2>The Gellért Thermal Bath and Hotel opened in 1918, but its springs go back even further</h2>The water sources on the property <a href="https://www.danubiushotels.com/budapest-guide/the-100-year-history-of-the-gellert-hotel-spa">go back centuries</a>, and the hotel opened in 1918. The establishment was damaged in <a href="http://www.historichotelsthenandnow.com/gellertbudapest.html#:~:text=Gell%C3%A9rt%20Hotel%20and%20Spa%20%2D%20as,Hungary%20in%20the%2011th%20century.">World War II</a> but was fully refurbished decades later, attracting tourists from around the globe ever since.Visitors can choose to soak in one of Gellért's two effervescent bath sections, three outdoor pools, and eight thermal bath departments, with water temperature going up to around <a href="http://www.gellertbath.com/bath-units.php">104 degrees Fahrenheit.</a><a href="https://www.gellertbath.hu/saunas">Saunas</a> and steam rooms are also available.<h2>9. Peninsula Hot Springs in the Australian Mornington Peninsula is a geothermal spa oasis </h2><div type="image" title="Peninsula Hot Springs.Victoria Australia" height="2680" width="4020" msid="80276602" hostid="261"></div>Peninsula Hot Springs in Victoria, Australia, fuses over 50 globally-inspired <a href="https://www.peninsulahotsprings.com/experiences/bathe/">bathing experiences</a> that are built around the Mornington Peninsula's geothermal mineral waters, which flow into indoor or outdoor pools and baths. Some of the areas feature fun amenities like underwater speakers, hammocks, cafes, ice caves, and saunas.<h2>Peninsula also offers spa treatments and glamping accommodations right next to the springs</h2>Pass by the <a href="https://www.peninsulahotsprings.com/experiences/spa/">Spa Dreaming Centre</a> for the cold plunge pool, massaging bamboo showers, hanging tree pods, poolside lounges, and <a href="https://www.peninsulahotsprings.com/experiences/dine-2/">fine dining</a>.Guests can also stay at Peninsula's <a href="https://www.peninsulahotsprings.com/glamping/">luxurious tents</a> for a glamping experience. <h2>8. The town of Kinosaki in Japan brims with hot springs and bathhouses</h2><div type="image" title="kinosaki japan onsen" height="2663" width="3995" msid="80276603" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.insider.com/the-most-unique-food-to-get-in-tokyo-japan-2019-11">This Japanese town</a> is so dedicated to unwinding in hot springs that it has developed seven distinct <a href="https://visitkinosaki.com/in-the-area/kinosaki-onsen/hot-springs/">bathhouses.</a>Built along a willow-lined river off the Sea of Japan's coast, the charming Kinosaki is a top onsen (<keyword id="526184" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hot-spring">hot spring</keyword>) destination in the Kansai region.The town's hot springs were discovered around the <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3525.html#:~:text=Hot%20springs%20were%20discovered%20in,baths%20and%20nostalgic%20game%20arcades.">eighth century</a>, and visiting the baths has become a common pastime for locals ever since.<h2>Waterfalls, mist rooms, saunas, and outdoor baths are some of the area's many offerings</h2>The spring water has a temperature of around 176 degrees Fahrenheit but is regulated at around <a href="https://visitkinosaki.com/in-the-area/kinosaki-onsen/hot-springs/">107 degrees in the bathhouses</a>. It contains a wealth of minerals with healing properties said to cure fatigue, digestive issues, nerve and muscular pain, and bruising. The bathhouses are free to access for those staying at a local ryokan, a type of Japanese inn. It is recommended that visitors bring their own towels.<h2>7. Grutas Tolantongo is a natural hot-spring park in Hidalgo, Mexico, that has cliffside infinity pools, caves, and waterfalls</h2><div type="image" title="Grutas Tolantongo Mexico" height="2644" width="3992" msid="80276604" hostid="261"></div>Located in Hidalgo, Mexico, Grutas Tolantongo is a park of hot springs <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-place-to-stargaze-us-2018-7">surrounded by nature.</a>This geothermal paradise boasts an array of cliffside infinity pools filled with mineral-infused water that's heated by the surrounding volcanic mountains.The pools are literally built into a cliff, straddling different levels, which makes for some mesmerizing views. <h2>Adventurers will also love the park's caves, rivers, waterfalls, and thermal tunnel</h2>The caves, rivers, and tunnel overflow with warm waters that produce steam that rises out of the trees in a dream-like manner. The resort is accessible by car and by bus. It also has a <a href="http://www.grutastolantongo.com.mx/en/restaurant.html">restaurant</a> and a <a href="http://www.grutastolantongo.com.mx/en/hotel.html">hotel</a>, if you're looking to stay. <h2>6. Terme di Saturnia in Tuscany, Italy, offers visitors the chance to relax near majestic waterfalls</h2><div type="image" title="Terme di Saturnia" height="2517" width="3980" msid="80276605" hostid="261"></div>The thermal springs of Saturnia, an ancient village in Italy's Tuscany, are so beautiful that some believe they were created by the hands of a god.<a href="https://the-earth-story.com/post/142683216660/terme-di-saturnia-the-terme-di-saturnia-are-a">According to legend</a>, god of peace and abundance Saturn threw a thunderbolt into a volcano crater, causing a river of water to flow over plains and mountains, thus bringing peace and quiet.All myths aside, the sulfurous Terme di Saturnia springs have been around for centuries and <a href="https://www.in-italia.com/italy/tuscany/saturnia/terme-di-saturnia/">are said to benefit</a> those with certain skin conditions and muscle ailments.<h2>The sulfurous spring water feeds Saturnia's waterfalls and natural pools</h2>The village is now known among visitors as a proper spa town, where <a href="https://www.in-italia.com/italy/tuscany/saturnia/terme-di-saturnia">800 liters of water per second flow</a> over the land and its various formations. The water is just under 100 degrees Fahrenheit.The town's most iconic spot is the Cascate del Mulino, <a href="https://www.insider.com/most-beautiful-views-in-america-each-state-2018-5">a gorgeous setting</a> where hot, white waters from the waterfalls continuously drop on limestone, forming a group of natural pools.The adjacent old mill adds that extra Insta-worthy touch.<h2>5. The natural thermal pools emerging from Hot Water Beach's sand in New Zealand resemble otherworldly moon craters</h2><div type="image" title="hot water beach new zealand" height="2242" width="3992" msid="80276606" hostid="261"></div>Visitors might have to dig a little deeper for this underground thermal wonder, but it's definitely worth the effort.Hot Water Beach, on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand, gets its name from the hot springs bubbling beneath the surface of the sand.The water below can be as hot as <a href="https://www.thecoromandel.com/explore/hot-water-beach">150 degrees Fahrenheit</a> before it reaches the surface, naturally filtered, at low tide. <h2>The best time to visit is within two hours on either side of low tide</h2>Less than two hours before or after low tide is when locals and tourists tend to flock to this <a href="https://www.insider.com/photos-tour-private-island-you-can-rent-with-friends-florida-2020-10">otherwise quiet beach</a>.Opposite the off-shore rocks, visitors dig large holes and create their own private pools of thermal water that resemble otherworldly moon craters.To join in the fun, people can either bring a shovel along or rent one from the nearby surf shop. Swimming is also an option, but visitors are advised to be careful of the strong currents.<h2>4. The thermal waters of Hanmer Springs in Canterbury, New Zealand, intertwine with the highland landscape</h2><div type="image" title="Hanmer Springs in Canterbury, New Zealand" height="2448" width="3696" msid="80276607" hostid="261"></div>The small town of Hanmer Springs in Canterbury, New Zealand, is built around hot springs gushing from a fractured bedrock. Although this alpine village is famous for its <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-places-to-visit-in-fall-2018-9">numerous mountain trails</a> and ski slopes (ideal for some serious hiking), its natural hot springs turn it into an Instagrammable delight.<h2>The springs can be seen flowing in a lush forest surrounded by mountains or feeding a spa's outdoor pool</h2>It's also worth visiting the popular <a href="https://hanmersprings.co.nz/">Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa</a>. Guests can relax in one of its 22 outdoor thermal mineral, sulfuric, and freshwater pools with a range of temperatures.Guess can also check out hydroslides like the Conical Thrill, New Zealand's largest aquatic thrill ride. Private thermal pools, sauna, and steam rooms are also available. <h2>3. Visitors can soak inside a secluded, heart-shaped hot tub in Mammoth Lakes, California</h2><div type="image" title="Wild Willy's Hot Spring in Long Valley, Mammoth Lakes, Mono County, California." height="2680" width="4020" msid="80276608" hostid="261"></div>Situated on the edge of an ancient volcanic caldera in Mono County, California, the town of Mammoth Lakes and its surrounding area boast a number of marvelous hot springs.Among the most popular springs in Mammoth Lakes are Wild Willy's Hot Springs, The Crab Cooker Hot Springs, and the Whitmore Hot Springs.<h2>Wild Willy's may be the most picture-perfect of the three, as it is shaped like a heart</h2>Taking a selfie in Wild Willy's warm, aquatic heart is an <a href="https://www.insider.com/vintage-railroad-hotels-made-out-of-train-cars-to-book-photos">Instagrammer's dream come true</a>. Most of the area's hot springs are secluded, so guests are advised to <a href="https://whimsysoul.com/mammoth-lakes-hot-springs/">organize their visit</a> in advance if they want to experience as many as possible.<h2>2. Housed in a sumptuous Neo-baroque palace, the Szechenyi Spa Baths in Budapest are a popular spot</h2><div type="image" title="Szechenyi Baths in Budapest" height="1673" width="2500" msid="80276609" hostid="261"></div>One of the largest medicinal baths in Europe, the Szechenyi Spa Baths in Budapest, Hungary, remain one of the city's <a href="https://www.insider.com/surprising-things-about-living-in-a-camper-van-what-it-is-like">most visited sites.</a>The baths were built between <a href="http://szechenyispabaths.com/szechenyi-bath-history/">1909 and 1913 in the City Park</a> and designed by architect Győző Czigler in Neo-baroque and Neo-Renaissance styles that make them extra photogenic. <h2>Aside from attracting visitors from all over the world, this marvel also serves as many Hungarians' go-to meeting point</h2>With 15 indoor baths, three outdoor pools, 10 saunas, and services like massage therapies, facial treatments, and aqua fitness, it makes sense that Szechenyi is one of the city's most frequented hubs for romantic and business meetings alike. The water temperature here reaches around <a href="https://www.szechenyibath.hu/bath-units">104 degrees Fahrenheit</a>. <h2>1. With its milky-blue waters contrasting a black lava field, the Blue Lagoon in Iceland is a man-made geothermal paradise</h2><div type="image" title="blue lagoon iceland" height="1414" width="2121" msid="80276610" hostid="261"></div>Located on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland, a region known for its barren soil and cone-shaped volcanoes, Blue Lagoon is famous for a reason. Its hot waters' milky-blue shade contrasts the surrounding black lava field, composing one of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-and-worst-things-about-traveling-in-a-campervan">most mind-blowing views.</a><h2>Formed in 1976, the lagoon is supplied with water from a nearby geothermal power plant</h2>The Blue Lagoon is man-made and dates back to 1976. The water, which is supplied from a nearby geothermal power plant, renews itself every 48 hours and sits at around 100 degrees Fahrenheit year-round.<a href="https://www.bluelagoon.com/day-visit/the-blue-lagoon">The Blue Lagoon spa</a> will let visitors swim in it for a fee and, due to the popularity, pre-booking is absolutely required. To make the most of the magical landscape, be sure to visit the Blue Lagoon in the evening to see the midnight sun or the glorious Northern Lights, depending on the season. Visit Parkdean Resorts' site for the complete list of the <a href="https://www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk/holidays/hot-tubs/most-instagrammable-hot-springs/">most Instagrammable hot springs</a>.Read More:<a href="https://www.insider.com/best-restaurants-for-instagram-in-the-world">21 of the most 'Instagrammable' restaurants in the world</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/most-beautiful-views-in-america-each-state-2018-5">The most breathtaking view in every US state</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/the-most-beautiful-cafes-around-the-world">10 of the 'most Instagrammable' cafes in the world</a>

12 of the 'most Instagrammable' hot springs in the world

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://instagram.com/harrisonxjacobs">Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider</a></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>In March, I left New York to <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> around the world as Business Insider's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/harrison-jacobs">international correspondent</a>. Over the course of more than six months, I have so far visited 12 countries.</li><li>Spending all this time traveling has hammered home one truth for me: Forget about FOMO (i.e. fear of missing out). If there's an attraction, a landmark, or a museum that doesn't interest you, don't be afraid to skip it.</li><li>There's often too many things to see in whatever place you are visiting to waste your time on something that doesn't interest you. Even if it's something as monumental as the Taj Mahal or the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/great-wall-of-china-what-its-like-to-visit-photos-2018-10">Great Wall of China</a>.</li></ul>Perhaps you know the feeling. You're on that vacation that you've been planning all year to some exotic location - let's say Tulum, Mexico - and you've got just two more days before heading back to the office and the 9-5 grind.As you nap on the beach, you imagine a nightmare.Before you left, your buddy Chad at work talked your ear off about how amazing the Mayan ruins are in Yucatán. He visited Tulum last year and raved about how the pre-Columbian city of Chichen Itza was the most incredible place in the world. You have to go, he said. Now, sitting on the beach with two days left, you don't want to go. Historical sites don't particularly interest you. You travel to relax and to eat tasty local food. Spending a day on a hot bus so you can listen to a tour guide drone on about Mayan astronomy sounds terrible. You want to soak up as much sun and surf as humanly possible.But then FOMO - fear of missing out - starts to creep in. What if it is the most incredible place in the world? And you didn't go. In your mind, you see Chad in front of the water cooler doubled over laughter: You didn't go to Chichen Itza? It's like you didn't even go to Mexico. Your life will be irrevocably ruined if you don't go, a little voice in your head says. Goooooooooooooo. I'm here to tell you: Your life won't be irrevocably ruined and you don't need to go. Screw Chad. Do what you want.While spending the last six months traveling the world as Business Insider's international correspondent, I've been in variations of this scenario dozens of times. It may sound like I have a lot of time to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travel-bucket-list-ideas-destinations-around-the-world-tour-trip-2018-8">hit tourist attractions</a> - you travel for a living, the internet shouts at me constantly - but with all the time I spend reporting and writing, I usually only have a couple days to see what a place has to offer. I often have to make choices about my time: Do I spend my Beijing sightseeing day at 798 Art Zone, a district of modern art galleries, or the Forbidden City?When I traveled before this job, I took backpacker-style one-week vacations each year. During them, I fretted constantly about missing out on some landmark and I tried to cram everything I possibly could into a trip. It lead to me wasting a lot of my time <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-disappointing-places-in-the-world-photos-list-2018-10">doing things I'd rather I didn't</a>. In Bogotá, Colombia, I spent half a day in the Museo del Oro, a museum exclusively displaying pre-Columbian gold. In Europe, I visited ornate medieval church after ornate medieval church. In Stockholm, Sweden, I spent a day trudging through the stuffy rooms of the Royal Palace.I did all of those things because I was afraid of the proverbial Chad saying something like, You didn't go to X? It's like you didn't even go to [insert destination here]. That's not to say that any of those places are necessarily not worth going to. If you love royal architecture, Stockholm's palace is a fine example of 18th century Baroque architecture. But spending a day on that meant I had to spend one less day exploring Sweden's stunning natural beauty, which, in hindsight, I would've much preferred. That persistent sense of FOMO is one of the reasons why <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travel-bucket-list-ideas-destinations-around-the-world-tour-trip-2018-8">I hate bucket lists</a>. They are a constant pressure to see and do things that other people say you have to do, rather than what you actually want to do. These days, I do my best to ignore the little voice in my head screaming "FOMO, FOMO," and instead try to follow my interests. It has made travel infinitely more fulfilling and engaging for me. I suggest you try it.And, if you're wondering, I spent my day in Beijing at 798 Art Zone because it felt more urgent to try to understand China's flourishing art scene and more appealing than visiting one of China's top attractions during Chinese holidays.Life is too short to spend time doing stuff you don't want to do. YOLO. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nikon-small-world-winning-footage-microscopic-world-around-us-2018-9">Award-winning footage of the microscopic world around us</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

I traveled the world for 6 months, and here's the single best piece of advice I can give you for any trip you take

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"></div></div><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/river-cruise-boom-and-viking-river-cruises-2014-4">River cruises are taking over</a> as the new vacation of choice.<a href="http://uniworld.com/">Uniworld</a> specializes in these types of cruises. The luxury river cruise ship operator has 21 ships that <keyword id="6354692" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> along rivers in Europe, Russia, Egypt, and China.The company recently introduced a new ship to its fleet: the S.S. Maria Theresa.The ship has a staff of 57, a total of 75 rooms, and can accommodate up to 150 guests. The lavish interior makes the ship comparable to a baroque palace.Cruises on the ship range from eight to 15 days and cost anywhere between $3,200 to around $12,000 per person.

Step inside one of the world's most luxurious river cruise ships

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>There's nothing like going to see a movie. The whole experience - from picking what to see and grabbing snacks to getting the best seats, not to mention watching the movie - is a treat.
From massive multiplexes, 3-D movies, and IMAX cinemas, going to the movies has become a high-tech operation, but it wasn't always so.
From the late 1910s until the 1940s, a boom time for Hollywood and the movie industry, hundreds of beautiful and ornate "movie palaces" opened in metropolitan areas across the US. These theaters were palaces, featuring massive screening rooms with lavish and baroque architectural elements.
Most of these theaters have since closed and been demolished. But in California, some of these gorgeous spaces still exist and continue to show films to eager viewers hoping to take a step back in time.
Photographer <a href="http://www.franckbohbot.com/">Franck Bohbot</a> has traveled to California from his native France to document these stunning California movie theaters in their glory. He has shared a selection of images here with us, and you can check out more on <a href="http://www.franckbohbot.com/">his website</a>.

Stunning Photos Show Why California Has The Best Movie Theaters

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">AP Photo/Alik KepliczThe Palace of Culture and Science is lit up next to the modern high-rise "sail" skyscraper by U.S. architect Daniel Liebeskind.</div></div></div>In the heart of downtown Warsaw stands a "gift" from former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin: the <a href="http://warsawtour.pl/en/tourist-attractions/palace-of-culture-and-science-pa-ac-kultury-i-nauki-2036.html">Palace of Culture of Science</a>, the tallest building in the country.Communism fell in Poland in 1989. But the Palace remains more than 60 years after its construction, despite persistent calls <a href="http://inside-poland.com/t/call-to-demolish-warsaws-palace-of-culture-as-an-architectural-monstrosity-and-affront-to-poland/">to tear it down</a>. Much of the truly negative sentiment toward the building has dissipated over the last several decades, but it continues to strike a chord with many Poles, especially the older generation that lived under Soviet rule.One taxi driver I met called the building "<a href="http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Barad-d%C3%BBr" target="_blank">Sauron's Tower</a>." And a running joke among Poles calls the "trzydziestka," a large terrace on the building's 30th floor, the best view of the city - because it's the only place where you can't see the Palace itself. Aside from complaints about the aesthetic, the building's true irony is that it wasn't a gift at all. And it wasn't <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/bf8fdb7b80404c2497f77ebe1f599adc/unwanted-gift-stalin-warsaw-palace-culture-turns-60">wanted</a>. "Stalin wanted to build in Warsaw a monument to himself and a symbol of the USSR's control of Poland," Marta Hankiewicz, a tour guide with the city, told Business Insider. "The PR around the construction said that [the Palace] was a gift of friendship from the USSR and theoretically, all costs were covered. However, if you look at the reality of the Polish economy following World War II, it can be said that Poland paid for it." And to make room for the building, Stalin further destroyed a city already in ruins. After World War II, nearly 70% of Warsaw as a whole (on both sides of Vistula River) was destroyed.The Warsaw Uprising, one of the largest resistance operations in Europe, infuriated the German regime, leading them to institute what's now referred to as the "planned destruction of Warsaw" in 1944. The powerful Nazi leader Heinrich Himmler uttered his infamous quote, "No stone can remain standing," about the city in the wake of the Uprising.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Wikimedia CommonsThe Palace is a noticeable feature of Warsaw's skyline.</div></div></div>The area around the Palace, however, suffered slightly less destruction - about 60%. Nearly 30 apartment buildings survived almost untouched and another 50 could have been repaired, according to Hankiewicz. Stalin, however, confiscated and leveled those buildings to make room for the Palace."The area which disappeared was an important, vibrant part of the city, with eclectic and art-nouveau architecture," Hankiewicz said. "Unfortunately, that style was hated by the communists, as it reminded them of capitalism."Soviet architect Lew Rudniew designed the Palace using an elaborate combination of baroque and Gothic styles modeled after the "Seven Sisters," or seven skyscrapers, in Moscow that honored Stalin. Construction finished in 1955 after three years. It put the Palace at 777 feet, the tallest building in Poland and among the top 20 in Europe. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jlascar/9632560956/">Flickr/Jorge Lascar</a>The ground floor of the main entrance to the Palace.</div></div></div>It contains more than <a href="http://warsawtour.pl/en/tourist-attractions/palace-of-culture-and-science-pa-ac-kultury-i-nauki-2036.html">3,000 rooms</a>. It includes two private universities, the Polish Academy of Sciences, one of the largest conference facilities in Poland, a post office, a movie theater, a swimming pool, two concert halls, a bar, and several museums and libraries. Originally, the building's title was supposed to include Stalin's name - the Palace of Culture and Science of Joseph Stalin. But Stalin died one year after construction began, and his crimes against the Soviet people came to light soon after. His name was never used and was removed from a book held by one of the statutes decorating the building, according to Hankiewicz.Poles like to joke about hating the building. But a more serious movement formed to destroy it after the fall of communism - although it has lost its momentum in the last 25 years, Hankiewicz said"Today, most Warsaw residents, even if they may not think it's pretty, prefer to accept it as a local landmark and a 'souvenir' of times gone by," she said. "Or they don't want to pay for the demolition." And the younger generation, one that never lived under Stalin, has grown accustomed its presence and "even think[s] it's cool," Hankiewicz said, referencing a popular <a href="http://hellowawa.pl/i_love_warsaw,k,1,p,15.html">T-shirt</a> with the Palace as a heart.Today, the area surrounding the Palace serves as Warsaw's topographical downtown, with a large mall and the central metro station. "But unlike before World War II, there is not much life or soul there," Hankiewicz said. Post-World War II, what residents consider Warsaw's center has become scattered to many sections and streets of the city, such as Chmielna, Nowy Swiat, Hoza, Poznanska, and Plac Zbawiciela.

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